WRITTEN QUESTION E-0640/97 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (6 March 1997)

Subject: Training courses funded by the European Social Fund in the Region of Lazio

Following the call for tenders issued in 1996, the Region of Lazio published the results, during the second half of January 1997, of its selection procedure for professional training projects, specifically those submitted for the regional Operational Programmes covered by Objectives 3 and 4.

The results were as follows:

- 52 projects, to a value of more than LIT 5 billion, were awarded to the ACLI ENAIP - the National Association for Vocational Education and Training run by the Italian Christian Workers' Association; the ENAIP is in severe financial difficulties and would not appear to be in a position to guarantee that the courses will take place;

- LIT 700 million were awarded to the UIL ENFAP - the National Association for Vocational Training and Education run by the Italian Labour Union - and more than LIT 1 billion were awarded to the Alto Lazio Consortium; both of these are the subject of legal proceedings brought by the Civitavecchia magistrature, which has taken some of the leaders of these organizations to court on charges of defrauding the Region of Lazio as a result of irregularities in the organization of previous courses.

Does the Commission not agree that the organizations which have been awarded the contracts for the courses should be able to guarantee that the projects will actually be carried out? This is not so in the case of the ACLI Association, which is widely known to be in serious financial difficulties which would appear to prejudice its chances of implementing the projects.

What is the Commission's position on the allocation of funding to associations which are the subject of legal proceedings for defrauding the region?

Finally, what is the Commission's opinion regarding the need to reform the regional regulations governing vocational training in order to ensure that such cases do not arise in future?

Supplementary answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (4 September 1997)

To supplement its answer given on 22 April 1997 ((OJ C 319, 18.10.1997, p. 144. )), the Commission is now able to provide the following information. According to the Italian authorities, the projects mentioned by the Honourable Member have been awarded to the Lazio ENAIP (the National Association for Vocational Education and Training), which is a body legally and geographically separate from the ACLI ENAIP.

It is up to the Lazio regional authorities to gauge the reliability and soundness (financial and otherwise) of this body. They have carried out on-the-spot checks and found no irregularities.

With reference to the legal proceedings brought against the Alto Lazio Consortium and the IAL ENFAP, these are still under way. In the Commission's view, we must await the final judgment. In the light of this judgment, the Italian authorities will have to decide what action to take.

As regards the need to reform the regional regulations governing vocational training, it is up to the national and regional authorities of the Member State concerned to take the necessary measures.