WRITTEN QUESTION E-3978/98

by Klaus Lukas (NI) to the Commission

(4 January 1999)

Subject: Commission's "Common Services" Unit

The Commission set up a "Common Services" Unit in order to make the running of various EU programmes more efficient.

In this connection, would it please answer the following questions?

- Has the Commission now acquired any initial experience concerning the work of this unit?

- What has its experience been, and what conclusions have been drawn?

- For what tasks is this unit currently responsible?

- How many projects, and which ones, is this unit currently looking after?

- How many posts were scheduled for this unit?

- How many posts are currently occupied?

- By when should the unit be fully staffed?

- How are these posts filled (e.g. internal transfer, new recruitment, part-time staff)?

- What requirements must officials meet in order to be posted to this unit?

- What is the average age of officials serving in this unit?

- What is the average length of service of these officials?

- How many projects, on average, does an official currently look after?

- How much time, on average, is spent looking after a project?

- How much money is actually paid out (minimum, maximum and average amounts)?

- How frequently are officials able to carry out on-the-spot checks?

- Are Commission officials supported by third parties (e.g. Commission delegations, Court of Auditors, national authorities)?

- Is it true that the percentage of Austrians employed in this unit is very low?

- If so, why are there so few Austrians employed in this unit, and what steps will the Commission take to remedy the situation?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(16 February 1999)

The Joint Relex Service (SCR, Service Commun Relex) became operational on 1 July 1998 and has the principal objective of simplifying and rationalising and thus making more effective the implementation of nearly 8 000 million euro a year in aid.

Its principal tasks in the first months have included the transfer of the staff or posts from the directorates general (DGs) linked to these activities, the transfer of certain activities from the geographical directorates general to the Joint Relex Service together with the associated files, both for technical and financial management, and starting the process of harmonising, simplifying and rationalising procedures for the award of contracts while at the same time ensuring the continued management of contracts and the payment of invoices. The annual workload for the SCR is currently estimated at 2000 calls for tender, 10 000 contracts and 50 000 financial transactions.

The number of personnel in the SCR is based on the report from the Commission's inspectorate general (IGS), which constituted the basis for the Commission Decision of 1 July 1998. The Commission decision foresees 648 posts (including external personnel) for the SCR plus the Director general, 6 directors and the posts of staff attached directly to them. 620 posts are currently occupied and it is expected that nearly all posts will be filled within the next few months.

Based on the IGS analysis, 30 to 35 % of the personnel of DG IA (External Relations: Europe and the New Independent States, Common Foreign and Security Policy and External Missions), DG 1B (External Relations: Southern Mediterranean, Middle East, Latin America, South and South-East Asia and North-South Cooperation) and DG VIII (Development) were identified for transfer to the SCR and were subsequently transferred between July and October 1998. Together with 9 staff members from DG I and 35 former European association for cooperation (AEC) personnel, this constitutes the workforce of the SCR.

To the extent that the SCR received vacant posts, these were published during the second half of 1998. The same rules for filling posts in the SCR apply as for any other DG or service of the Commission

The average age of officials working in the SCR is 45 years and 5 months and the average length of Commission experience is 12 years and 5 months.

The Joint Relex Service is divided into six directorates. Three directorates have mainly geographical responsibilities (Directorate A = Europe projects; Directorate B = Projects in the Southern Mediterranean, Middle East, Latin America, South and South East Asia; Directorate C = ACP projects). Three directorates have functional responsibilities (Directorate D = Budget and finances; Directorate E: Tendering, contractual and legal matters: Directorate F: resources, relations with the other institutions, evaluation and information).

In 1998, the combined result of the activities of geographical DGs until 30 June and of the SCR since 1 July represented 4 586 million euro spread over about 80 budget lines and the European development fund (EDF). Some 40 300 payments were made, ranging from 1 euro to 50 million euro with the average payment being 114 000 euro.

As to on-the-spot checks, a separate unit within the SCR is responsible for audit visits. It is estimated that there will be approximately 500 such visits a year. Most of these audits will be carried out by auditors engaged on a contractual basis but acting for the Commission, except in sensitive cases where Commission officials will always conduct the audit. In all cases, the follow-up and the decisional aspects of the audits remain with the Commission

There are 11 Austrians employed in the SCR, plus one trainee. Other Austrian candidates are being considered for recruitment.