WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4002/97 by Elly PLOOIJ-VAN GORSEL to the Commission. European stock management system by pharmaceutical undertaking
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, PLOOIJ-VAN GORSEL
Subjects: computer system, health expenditure, medicinal product, pharmaceutical expenses, pharmaceutical industry, restriction on competition, stock, wholesale trade

22. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 196/51

(98/C 196/69)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3998/97

by Eva Kjer Hansen (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Delay in payments under the PACTE programme

The  Commission  answered  my  last  question  (H-0718/97) (1)  by  reassuring  me  that  it  had  learned  from  its
mistakes  and  that  problems  will  be  solved  in  the  future.  Unfortunately,  current  problems  have  still  not  been
solved,  and  I  therefore  feel  obliged  to  raise  once  again  the  issue  of  the  serious  maladministration  of  the
PACTE-programme that has resulted in serious delays in payments being made to the contractors.

1.
Is the Commission aware of the financial impact of long delays in payments to subcontractors? In the case
of a specific project dating from 1995, the subcontractor has been waiting for 22 months. Does the Commission
find it acceptable that unpaid accounts should lead to professional and personal bankruptcy?

2. What  specific  measures  is  the  Commission  prepared  to  take  to  ensure  the  proper  administration  of  the
PACTE Office in Strasbourg and of the Commission(cid:146)s internal administration of the programme › and to ensure
that the subcontractors will be payed?

(1)  Debates of the European Parliament (November 1997).

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

(27 February 1998)

The  Commission  paid  the  final  instalments  of  the  Community  contribution  to  the  office  administering  this
programme in February 1997 and in March 1997 reminded the PACTE office in Strasbourg of the urgent need to
pay the balances due for these projects.

After  discovering  irregularities  committed  by  certain  project  leaders,  the  office  carried  out  an  audit  of
expenditure in order to verify that the payment claims submitted accurately reflected expenditure incurred.

Project leaders should therefore contact the PACTE office to find out the situation as regards final payment for
their project.

The Commission is aware of the problems caused by delegated financial management and does not therefore
plan to use this method of financing for such operations in future.

(98/C 196/70)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4002/97

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: European stock management system by pharmaceutical undertaking

Since 1 March 1996 MSD has been using a European stock management system for seven important drugs. The
amount of the drug available per six months per client (i.e. pharmaceutical wholesaler) is based on the sales
forecasts for each of these drugs. These forecasts are drawn up on the basis of sales over the previous six months,
adjusted by an anticipated growth factor per product. MSD reserves the right not to supply all orders which go
above the forecast.

Is the Commission aware of a European stock management system for seven important drugs which has

1.
been applied since 1 March 1996 by MSD?

Is such a system compatible with the competition rules which apply on the internal market? If not, what

2.
does the Commission intend to do?

3. What  action  is  the  Commission  taking  to  ensure  that  the  drug  producers  in  the  Member  States  can
determine  the  price  of  their  drugs  under  the  same  conditions  so  that  such  stock  management  systems  are  no
longer necessary as a protection against parallel imports? What are the results of this action?