Against the background of this confusing situation, Eurostat apparently suspended all payments in
February2003toEurogrammeandCalethonandhasundertakennottosignanynewcontractswiththesecompanies.
AreallpaymentsforthecontractsbetweenEurostatandcompaniesownedbyMrOjostillsuspended?If
not,whynot?
HaveotherCommissionDGssuspendedallpaymentstothesecompanies?Ifnot,whynot?
Which contracts does the Commission currently have with any of the companies referred to above
(includingcontractsthatshouldhaveendedbutinrespectofwhichthefinalpaymenthasstillnotbeen
made)?Pleasespecifythecontractnumber,thecontractingcompany(accordingtotheoriginalcontract),andtheamountstilltobepaid.
HowmuchmoneydoestheCommissionstilloweEurogrammeLimited?
DoesnottheCommissionagreethat,sincecontractshavebeenconcludedwithEurogrammeLimited(UK),
paymentsshouldbemadeonlytoEurogrammeLimited(UK)?
AnswergivenbyMrSolbesMiraonbehalfoftheCommission
(18June2003)
ThetermsoftheCommission’sundertakingof28February2003toMrCasacawerethatallpayments
undercurrentcontractstoEurogrammeandCalethonwouldbesuspendedonaprecautionarybasisandthat the Commissionwouldnotengage in future in any contractual relationship with CalethonSàrl/Eurogramme Sàrl unless it is satisfied that it complies in all respects, without exception, with theprovisionslaiddownintheFinancialRegulation.
Asof21May2003,allpaymentsforthecontractsbetweenEurostatandEurogrammeorCalethonare
suspendedonaprecautionarybasis.
ThetwoconditionstobemetbeforethesuspensioncouldbeliftedwerespecifiedintheCommission
undertakingof28February2003:
/dash examinationofthecircumstancesofthetransactionbetweenEurogrammeandCalethonandofthe
financialandoperationalcapacityofCalethon;
/dash analysisoftheamountscontractuallyduecomparedtotheworkcarriedout.
OtherDirectoratesGeneralhavesuspendedallpaymentstothecompaniesconcerned.
Atablelistingthecontractnumbers,contractorsandamountsnotyetpaidissentdirecttotheHonourable
MemberandtoParliament’sSecretariat.
TheCommissionhascontractualobligationstowardsEurogrammeworthEUR292838.
Sincetheendof1996,andpriortothecreationofEurogrammeS.à.r.l.in2001,contractswereconcluded
with Eurogramme Limited (succursale Luxembourg) which in the Memorial (the Official Journal ofLuxembourg)wasreferredtoas‘Sàrl’.Paymentsforthesecontractswerethereforemadetothatentity.
(2004/C58E/106) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1738/03
byJorgeHernándezMollar(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(26May2003)
Subject:EnergyagencyforMalaga
The plan to create a provincial energy agency for Malaga (Spain) is prompted by the objectives of
promoting and developing renewable energy sources, energy savings and efficiency and transformingtraditionalstructures.C58E/90 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Theaimistodoublethepercentageofrenewableenergyingrossenergyconsumption,increasingthe
currentlevelfrom6%to15%bytheyear2010.
WilltheCommissionsayhowCommunityaidcanbesecuredforthesettingupoftheabovementioned
energyagencyinconnectionwiththemultiannualprogramme(2003-2006)topromoterenewablesourcesofenergyandwhatstandardrequirementstheMalagaprojectmustmeetinordertobeeligibleforsuchaid?
AnswergivenbyMsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(25June2003)
The Intelligent Energy for Europe programme provides for aid for creating new energy agencies
(HorizontalKeyAction2:‘Thinkglobally,actlocally’).
TheIntelligentEnergyforEuropeworkprogrammemustbediscussedwiththeprogrammecommittee.
ProvidedthattheCommissionproposalisnotamended,themaximumlevelofaidwillbe40-50%oftheeligiblecosts.Themainstandardrequirementswillbethecommitmentofthelocalorregionalauthoritiestomanagingandfinancingtheagency,aswellastheassurancethattheagency’sactivitieswillcontinueforatleastfiveyearsaftertheCommunityaidhasended(whichisgivenforthreeyears).
Whenaproposalisaccepted, technical assistanceactivities forthe new agencies are providedfor,in
particular compulsory training for the agency’s staff, participation in European activities, access toinformationontheactivitiesofotheragencies,exchangesofexperience,participationinmeetingswithcontractors,etc.TheCommissionwillevaluatetheactivitiesofthenewagenciesperiodicallyandmakerecommendationsforimprovingtheirperformance.Thefirstcallforproposalsforthecreationofagenciesisplannedfortheendofthesummer,whichmeansthatthecontractscouldbesignedin2004.
(2004/C58E/107) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1741/03
bySalvadorGarrigaPolledo(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(26May2003)
Subject:WhitePaperonagriculturalresearchintheEuropeanUnion
ThedevelopmentofagriculturalresearchisofparticularimportancetoallMemberStates,sincethequality
oftheiragriculturalproduceisdirectlylinkedtotheresultsofresearchinthissectorofvitalimportancetotheCommunityeconomy.
However,thereiswidespreadignoranceastowhatresearchisbeingconductedinthevariouscountries,
andresearchcentresinsomeMemberStatesmayevenbeinvestigatingthesameareas.
Inthelightoftheabove,willtheCommissionpromotethedrawingupofaWhitePaperonagricultural
research,soastoshedlightontheexactstateofresearchatnationallevelacrosstheCommunityasawholewithaviewtostreamliningthesectortopreventunnecessaryduplication?
AnswergivenbyMrBusquinonbehalfoftheCommission
(15July2003)
Europeanagriculturalresearchisbasedonabroaddiversityofresearchcentresanduniversitiesonnational
andregionallevel.Theyfacethesamechallenges(foodsafety,CommonAgriculturalPolicy(CAP)reformetc.).Butcultural,economic,ecologicalandsocialconditionsdiffer.Therefore,aresearchstructureclosetotheclients(farmersandconsumers)hasadvantages.6.3.2004EN C58E/91 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion