WRITTEN QUESTION P-3467/01

by Samuli Pohjamo (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 December 2001)

Subject: Implementation of the EU's objective programmes should be simplified

The monitoring and checking of the implementation of the EU's objective programmes has been tightened up. The list of acceptable expenses has been shortened and the administration has become more complicated. Payments for projects are mainly disbursed on an ex-post basis. This creates problems, particularly for those carrying out small projects, since the launching stage of projects involves a disproportionately high proportion of own funding.

In practice this has meant that regional actors, such as universities, research institutes, businesses and citizens' organisations, are pulling out of the implementation of EU programmes.

When monitoring and supervision become too tight, instances of maladministration are eliminated, but at the same time it is made more difficult for local actors to participate in the implementation of programmes. The execution of programmes is then concentrated solely on those which have ready-made know-how and sufficient human and economic resources.

What does the Commission propose to do to simplify the administration of EU programmes and clarify them so as to facilitate work under the programmes in practice and to ensure that the citizens' dimension and other objectives set for the programmes are attained under the best possible conditions?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2002)

All Community programmes supported by the Structural Funds must be administered in conformity with the Council Regulations and other rules in force regarding the sound and efficient management of public funds.

Responsibility for the day to day management of the programmes is decentralised to the authorities in the Member States and regions in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity. The Commission has consistently urged these authorities to respect both the letter and the spirit of the regulations and other rules in ways that help to involve all of the relevant actors in the eligible regions. Thus, these authorities are encouraged, firstly, to ensure that decisions relating to the programmes are taken as close to the ground as possible in the context of a widely drawn partnership, and, secondly, to use Technical Assistance resources in an effort to ensure that as wide a public as possible is able to bring forward project proposals. Experience has demonstrated that there are wide variations in the degree to which the authorities in the different Member States and regions approach this task, with the result that in some cases the application process for aid under the Structural Funds is comparatively complicated while in others it is comparatively simple.

The Commission will continue to promote exchanges of experience and best practice in this field.

The Honourable Member is also asked to note that while it is true that payments undertaken under Community programmes are subsequently reimbursed by the Commission, the Commission also makes an advance payment equivalent to 7 % of the contribution of the Union to the programme. This advance payment is subject to topping up throughout the life of the programme, so that it can remain at a level equivalent to 7 % of the programme. Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999(1) also insists that The paying authority shall ensure that final beneficiaries receive payment of their contribution from the Funds as quickly as possible and in full.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, Article 32(1), subparagraph 5.