WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2733/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Permanent failure of Greek business consultants to win contracts under the PHARE and TACIS programmes
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, EU programme, Greece, feasibility study, invitation to tender, project evaluation, tendering, transport policy

C 102/106

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3. 4. 98

(98/C 102/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2733/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Permanent  failure  of  Greek  business  consultants  to  win  contracts  under  the  PHARE  and  TACIS

programmes

According  to  a  letter  of  protest  I  have  received  from  the  Federation  of  Greek  Business  Consultants,  Greek
business  consultants  are  being  permanently  and  unjustifiably  excluded  from  economic  and  technical  studies
under the PHARE and TACIS programmes. The most recent case involves their failure to win the contract for the
(cid:145)Economic  and  Technical  Study  for  the  Development  of  Ports  in  Georgia(cid:146),  despite  the  fact  that  they  had
scrupulously  respected  the  instructions  given  by  the  Community.  The  assessment  which  was  conducted  in  a
summary  manner  points  to  the  existence  of  criteria  which,  even  though  they  were  not  mentioned  in  the
assessment procedure, subsequently emerged as very important (for instance, the proportion of man/months to
be performed in Georgia); furthermore, the announcement contained the curious expression (cid:145)the assessment will
not take into account experience acquired in the TACIS countries(cid:146). The whole selection method raises many
questions regarding the transparency of the procedures.  Will the Commission therefore say:

1.  on what precise grounds the tenders submitted by the Greek business consultancies in respect of the above

project were rejected by DG I?

2.  Which consultancy or consultancies was or were eventually selected?

3.  How many › and which › studies have been allocated to Greek companies within the framework of the
TRACECA programme concerning transport from Central Europe to Central Asia and the revival of the Silk
Route?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(30 September 1997)

1.
During the evaluation in question the same criteria were applied to all bidders and the standard rules of
evaluation were followed scrupulously. The evaluation committee considered that for a number of reasons the
proposal of the Greek company could not be considered sufficient. The company has the right to request the
Commission to supply detailed information on the result of the tender, and the Commission would be happy to
answer in writing.

2.

The company Hamburg Port training institute was the successful bidder.

3. Within  the  framework  of  the  Traceca  programme,  there  have  been  contracted  to  Greek  companies  a
feasibility study for a grain terminal in Poty (Bangkok facility) and the supervision of the construction of rail
ferry terminals in Baku and Turkmenbashi.

(98/C 102/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2736/97

by Claude Desama (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Measures to assist flood victims

During the recent heavy rains, many inhabitants of Estampuis in Belgium suffered considerable damage as a
result of flooding.

Can  the  Commission  indicate  whether  any  European  resources  are  available  to  finance  the  road  repair  work
required or, where appropriate, whether the countries involved have given any thought to seeking solutions to
ensure that the inhabitants of this frontier zone will never again be the victims of damage caused by rainstorms?