WRITTEN QUESTION E-0627/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (13 March 1996)

Subject: Budget appropriations, utilization of appropriations and clearing of accounts for Thermie in 1993

In accordance with Articles 1 and 18 of the Thermie Regulation, item B4-1000 of the 1993 budget ((OJ L 31, 8.2.1993, p. 922. )) granted appropriations of ECU 174 million for the 1993 financial year.

According to the minutes of the committee meeting of 3 and 4 July 1993, ECU 129 182 448 of the total budget of ECU 140 million was distributed.

According to the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJ C 200, 24.7.1993, p. 4), the Commission decided to award ECU 129 182 448 to 137 projects for the promotion of energy technology and established a reserve list of 49 placement projects.

1. What is the explanation for the differences between the figure in the budget, the amount of money granted at the committee meeting and the money distributed by the Commission, possibly at its own discretion?

2. What criteria were used by the Commission to allocate different sums to different projects, i.e. what were the reasons for these awards?

3. Were these decisions made available to the public in the Official Journal or elsewhere as a means of informing Member States, politicians and project organisers?

4. Is a revenue and expenditure account, or an interim report, already available for the 1993 Thermie budget showing the remaining appropriations and the carry-overs?

5. Has the European Court of Auditors carried out an audit?

6. Were checks carried out on the projects which were awarded money to see whether they had commenced or been carried out, whether the accounts had been settled and whether there was any money not used? How was this money then allocated to projects in the reserve list?

7. Was the committee of the Member States ever informed of changes to enable them to monitor events or intervene?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (29 April 1996)

1. After a positive opinion given by the Thermie committee, the Commission Decision of 19 July 1993 provides 129.18 MECU for the execution of projects for the promotion of energy technology in the fields of rational use of energy, renewable energy sources, solid fuels and hydrocarbons. The same decision allows financial support for projects mentioned in annex 2 in the case of incomplete use of budget for projects mentioned in annex 1 of the decision. The Commission Decision of 13 December 1993 provides 12.89 MECU for the execution of projects. In fact, 138 MECU were spent on projects in 1993.

2. 174 MECU were spent from the total 1993 Thermie budget:

- 138 MECU for financial support for projects;

- 31.6 MECU for associated measures under Article 5, annex V of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2008/90 of 29 June 1990 ((OJ No L 185, 17.7.1990. ));

- 4.3 MECU for implementation measures under Article 11 of Regulation 2008/90.

3. The Commission decisions were announced to the Member States and, though not required by Regulation 2008/90, a press release was also prepared.

4. The Commission has submitted two reports on the implementation of Regulation 2008/90 to the Parliament and to the Council, one in 1993 ((COM(93)642 final. )) and another in 1995 ((COM(95)665 final. )). The annual distribution of the financial support for the execution of projects and for associated measures and implementation measures is shown in table 1.4.1. of the second report.

5. There has been no examination by the Court of auditors.

6. After the Commission Decision of 19 July 1993 work began on contracting projects foreseen by the Decision. As a result of this process, by the Commission Decision of 13 December 1993 three projects form the reserve list and three projects agreed with the Member States in a written procedure according to Article 10 (1) of Regulation 2008/90 were foreseen for support to replace projects from the original list which had been abandoned.

7. Throughout the implementation of the programme, the Commission informed the Member States about changes to project support according to the procedures referred to in Articles 9 and 10 of Regulation 2008/90.