WRITTEN QUESTION E-3153/98

by Ana Miranda de Lage (PSE) and Manuela Frutos Gama (PSE) to the Commission

(19 October 1998)

Subject: Delays with regard to DG1B tenders in Mercosur countries

The LADC committee has approved the following projects:

- Uruguay: Support programme for the creation of an arts and crafts school in Uruguay to train craftsmen and to promote their incorporation in the labour force (approved on 20 December 1996)

- Brazil: Comprehensive support for the resocialisation of marginalised children (approved in April 1994)

- Chile: Integrated regional development programme, Coquimbo region (approved on 10 September 1996).

Can the Commission provide information as regards the reasons for the delay between the adoption of the projects charged to the budget and the invitations to tender? What is the reason for the continuing delay between the planned dates for the invitations to tender and their final publication? Once the invitations to tender have been published, why does it take several months before short lists are drawn up? How does the Commission explain the delay between the invitation to tender and the final awarding of the contract?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 1998)

The Commission thanks the Honourable Members for their interest in these aspects of cooperation with third countries. As regards the different stages in the development of cooperation projects, the Commission draws the attention of the Honourable Members to the following facts.

The contract forecasts are published annually and are adapted quarterly according to the programming of the financing decisions schedules for the current year. The date on which invitations to tender are actually issued depends entirely on the financing decision and the signing of the financing agreement.

Moreover, when the invitations to tender are published before the recipient has signed the financing agreement the short list has not yet been drawn up. The contract can only be awarded once the government of the country receiving the Community finance has approved the bid selected by the Commission and the proposed technical assistance team. It is actually a long drawn out process further compounded by the shortage of staff available to handle the number of tender procedures to be dealt with. Factors external to the Commission, such as delays by beneficiary countries in signing the agreement or in approval of the finance, can cause additional delays.

Concerning the following particular cases:

- The Uruguay project (URY/B7-3100/97/041) was presented to the Asia Latin America (ALA) Committee on 16 April 1997. The financing decision was adopted on 27 May 1997. Negotiations on the financing agreement are in progress. Once the agreement is signed, the invitation to tender will be duly published.

- The Brazil project (BRA/B7-3010/94/107) was presented to the ALA Committee in April 1994. Implementation started in May 1995 and is progressing satisfactorily. No invitation to tender was issued for the technical assistance component, which is being handled by individual consultants, in accordance with the procedures in force.

- For the Chile project (CHL/B7-3010/95/256) the financing decision was adopted by the Commission on 20 November 1996. The financing agreement was signed during the second half of 1997. However, at the end of 1997 a problem arose with another project in Chile, and Chile and the Commission agreed to revise the implementation and management rules for cooperation projects in Chile and apply the revised rules to all projects not yet started. The invitation to tender was therefore published during the first half of the 1998(1) and an addendum to the financing agreement was prepared. At present, the procedures for the selection of the technical assistance team are underway.

(1) OJ S 28, 10.2.1998.