WRITTEN QUESTION P-0303/01

by Carlos Carnero González (PSE) to the Commission

(2 February 2001)

Subject: Information concerning the use of EU funds for employment and training administered by the Municipal Institute for Enterprise Training and Employment (IMEFE) in Madrid

On 29 January the Spanish daily El Pais published a report under the headline Business networks affiliated to the Partido Popular (PP) receive 1400 million to train unemployed in Madrid. Companies sweep the board in award of EU funded courses. The article reported that, after careful scrutiny of all contracts awarded in this field by the Madrid IMEFE, the socialist councillor on the Madrid municipal authority, Isabel Vilallonga believed that the companies concerned had clearly been given favourable treatment and, more seriously, suspected that all the courses paid for may not actually have been provided.

Bearing in mind the justifiable public concern in Madrid generated by these reports and the fact that the questions concern activities funded from Community resources, can the Commission say what Union funds have been allocated for training and employment and administered by the IMEFE since 1995 and what were the programmes concerned? Will the Commission use the appropriate mechanisms to investigate the cases referred to by the abovementioned report in order to ensure that the European funds allocated for training and employment and administered by the IMEFE since 1995 have been properly used? Will it bring the matter to the attention of the relevant or competent Spanish authorities? What measures will it take if irregularities are detected?

Joint answer to Written Questions P-0303/01 and P-0355/01 given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(26 March 2001)

In accordance with the sixth recital of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/93 of 20 July 1993 amending Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the activities of the different Structural Funds between themselves and with the operations of the European Investment Bank and the other existing financial instruments(1) and Article 8(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds(2) for the 2000-2006 programming period, the implementation of assistance is the responsibility of the Member States.

For this reason the Commission, which does not manage the Fund directly, wrote to the Spanish authority responsible for implementing the European Social Fund on 1 February 2001, asking it to carry out the necessary investigations concerning information published in the Spanish daily newspaper El País on 29, 30 and 31 January.

By fax dated 1 February 2001, the Spanish Ministry of Employment informed the Commission that on 31 January 2001 its services had asked the Instituto Municipal de Empleo de Madrid for information concerning any cofinancing by the European Social Fund of training courses related to the information published in the press.

Once the Ministry of Employment has officially submitted its conclusions to the Commission, and in the event of any apparent irregularity in the use of the European Social Fund, the Member State and the Commission will make the appropriate financial corrections in accordance with the procedures provided for by Community and national standards.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has indicated that it is aware of the articles published in the press and that it is in contact with the national authorities responsible for communications under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1681/94 of 11 July 1994 concerning irregularities and the recovery of sums wrongly paid in connection with the financing of the structural policies and the organisation of an information system in this field(3).

(1) OJ L 193, 31.7.1993.

(2) OJ L 161, 21.6.1999.

(3) OJ L 178, 12.7.1994.