WRITTEN QUESTION E-0800/00

by Thierry Cornillet (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 March 2000)

Subject: Call for proposals for the integrated return programme to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Under the Obnova 2000 integrated return programme, the Commission has issued an invitation for proposals (SCR-E/110826/D/G/BH) concerning housing, associated infrastructure and sustainability measures.

Published on 3 February 2000(1), the timetable for the selection process states that interested organisations wishing to participate in the call for proposals must send their letter of intent by 4 p.m. on 9 February 2000.

Organisations potentially interested in this type of programme often have several members from different regions. Moreover, they need to have in-depth consultations to determine a common interest, irrespective of the short deadline of six days, which includes a weekend.

1. What is the justification for such a short deadline (four working days), given the large scale of the projects concerned (between EUR 1 million and EUR 3 million)?

2. The call for proposals stipulates that letters of intent are to be sent by 4 p.m. on 9 February 2000 and that they will not be considered unless they are received by 4 p.m. on 9 February 2000; how does the Commission explain this confusion in the deadlines?

(1) OJ C 31, 3.2.2000, p. 5.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 April 2000)

The Obnova call for proposals SCR-E/110826/D/G/BH, covering funding for housing, integrated infrastructure and sustainability measures, was published on the Commission's web site on 26 January 2000 and in the Official journal on 3 February 2000(1). The call requested organisations interested in participating to submit letters of intent by 9 February 2000 to the Commission technical assistance unit in Sarajevo. The call gave the deadline for the receipt of project proposals as 21 March 2000, specifying that dossiers for the call for proposals would be available only for those organisations having expressed, by 9 February 2000, their intention to participate.

The publication of the call for proposals on the Commission web site took place several days before the publication in the Official journal, as the text for the latter needed to be translated into all the Community official languages. As a general rule, the Commission seeks to ensure more or less simultaneous publication of calls for proposals on its web site and in the Official journal. In this case, however, given the urgency of launching the Integrated return programme, it was decided to publish the call on the web site in advance of its publication in the Official journal, which took place as soon as possible thereafter. It should be borne in mind that that the overwhelming majority of organisations interested in such calls now favour the Internet as a source of information for Community funding opportunities. Based on past figures, it is estimated that the tenders site of the Commission's Common service for external relations is currently consulted by between 200 000 and 300 000 visitors per month. Two weeks, or ten working days, were therefore available for the preparation of letters of intent, which is ample time for the preparation and submission of a simple letter of intent. The Commission draws attention to the fact that, at the time of presenting a letter of intent, interested organisations were not required to give any detailed information, either on potential project proposals or on personnel. Such information was to be provided only when full proposals were submitted, by 21 March 2000, thus giving ample time for preparatory discussions among members of organisations.

As far as the time and date for the submission of letters of intent are concerned, the Commission notes that text of the call for proposals did not apparently cause confusion among interested parties. No letters of intent despatched before the deadline were received after it.

(1) OJ C 31, 3.2.2000.