WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3232/97 by Konstantinos HATZIDAKIS to the Commission. Problems concerning the implementation of the PACTE border region action programme
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, HATZIDAKIS
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, budgetary expenditure, closing of accounts, eligibility criteria, eligible region, regional cooperation, terms for aid

C 158/64

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 1997)

Concerning the replies to questions 1 to 4, 7 and 9, the Commission is transmitting the required information
directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

Concerning questions 5, 6 and 8, the Commission regrets that it does not have sufficient information to give an
answer.

(98/C 158/81)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3232/97

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Problems concerning the implementation of the PACTE border region action programme

According to allegations by Greek participants in the PACTE border region action programme, major delays are
occurring in the release of appropriations earmarked for measures under the programme.

These  delays  appear  to  be  caused  by  inefficient  administration  of  the  programme  by  the  PACTE  office  in
Strasbourg (AER) which is failing to release the funds, although all the necessary supporting documentation has
been produced and submitted. It also appears that similar complaints have been made by local and municipal
authorities in other Member States participating in this and other regional cooperation programmes.

Is the Commission aware of this, to what does it attribute these delays and what measures will it take to ensure
that regular funding is restored?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf- Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(13 November 1997)

The question raised concerns one of the allocations granted to the PACTE programme in 1993. This programme
was  financed  through  a  global  grant  allocated  to  the  Assembly  of  European  Regions  for  monitoring  the
management of projects. At the beginning of 1997, the Commission, on the basis of reports submitted to it, paid
the organisation in question the totality of Community part-financing due under the various allocations granted
to that organisation since 1993.

As a result of ex post checks carried out on each of the projects by the management office of the Assembly of
European Regions, it was found that in certain cases the amounts of eligible expenditure were different from the
amounts declared by project leaders in their final report. Before paying the last instalment, the Assembly of the
European Regions asked the project leaders to provide it with the supporting documents for all the expenditure
they had incurred. The Assembly informed the Commission that the majority did this and received the balance
due.

As for the projects for which the balance has not been paid to date, insofar as project leaders were not able to
produce the details requested within the time limit specified, their account will be closed on the basis only of the
expenditure considered eligible.

(98/C 158/82)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3234/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Sinking of vessels carrying nuclear waste in the Mediterranean

According to a file published in Rome by the Greenpeace ecological organization, responsibility for the transport
and storage of toxic and nuclear waste has fallen into the hands of the Mafia.

This is all being (cid:145)coordinated(cid:146) by an international company known as (cid:145)Oceanic Disposal Management(cid:146) situated
in Lugano (Switzerland) which undertakes to (cid:145)store(cid:146) waste from many countries inside and outside the EU by
sinking ships in the Mediterranean.