WRITTEN QUESTION E-1129/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 April 2002)

Subject: The lack of openness and comparability in the financial management of subsidies in the various Euregio areas

1. Is the Commission aware of the report by the Netherlands Court of Auditors complaining that the management of subsidies for the seven Euregio regions covering the border areas between the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany cannot be properly audited because accountants working on behalf of the public authorities in one Member State cannot check what is happening with regard to financial management in that part of the region concerned which is situated in another Member State?

2. Why is it that no integrated checks have yet been introduced, with access to information for all the parties concerned, so that it is impossible to find out whether the partners on the other side of the border manage their money in a different way?

3. Has this state of affairs in the Euregio regions, where cooperation, but not the checks on that cooperation, is carried out on a cross-border basis, contributed thus far to the controversial or non-transparent management of financial resources for infrastructure and employment areas, for example?

4. Is the Commission prepared to take measures to ensure that financial auditing is carried out in each Euregio region in such a way that all the information is made public and is comparable, so that doubts as to the effectiveness and lawfulness of financial management can be dispelled?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 2002)

The Commission has taken note of the report by the Netherlands Court of Auditors. That document has been discussed within the monitoring committee Stuurgroep Euregio Maas-Rijn but the Commission has not yet been informed of the outcome of this discussion.

Article 11 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2064/1997(1) for the 1994-1999 programming period and article 19 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 438/2001(2) for the 2000-2006 programming period provide for common arrangements, to be followed by the Member States within Interreg programmes, that ensure sound financial management, taking account of national law. As the Structural Funds are implemented by the Member States, it is their responsibility to put in place adequate financial and control systems to meet the requirements of the Regulations. Member States are free to determine their procedures to this end.

The Commission is not of the opinion that control procedures applied have seriously jeopardised the effectiveness of controls or the proper selection and implementation of projects.

The objectives of the programmes and correctness of their implementation will be met if Member States comply with the regulatory requirements.

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 2064/97 of 15 October 1997 establishing detailed arrangements for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 as regards the financial control by Member States of operations co-financed by the Structural Funds, OJ L 290, 23.10.1997.

(2) Commission Regulation (EC) No 438/2001 of 2 March 2001 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 as regards the management and control systems for assistance granted under the Structural Funds, OJ L 63, 3.3.2001.