WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1045/98 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Abolition of the Greek Organization for SMUs and Handicrafts (EOMMEX)
Date: 1998-04-06
Institutions: ALAVANOS, European Parliament
Subjects: EU programme, Greece, Structural Funds, handicrafts, non-governmental organisation, small and medium-sized enterprises

19. 11. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 354/57

(98/C 354/98)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1045/98

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 April 1998)

Subject: Abolition of the Greek Organisation for SMUs and Handicrafts (Eommex)

Since  1977  the  Greek  Organisation  for  SMUs  and  Handicrafts  (Eommex)  has  been  the  main  organisation
supporting  SMUs  in  Greece:  it  has  helped  implement  many  EU  programmes  (IMPs,  the  programme  for  the
islands, Star, Valoren, Sprint, Prisma, etc.). Among its other activities, it is currently implementing and managing
the following programmes: the operational programme for industry, Horizon, Adapt, and Craft for SMUs; these
run until the Year 2000 and are worth some Drs 50 billion. Furthermore, the Commission (DG XVI) has initialled
an accord on the implementation of the Eommex business plan for the 1994-1999 period.

Representatives of SMUs allege that the phasing-out of EOMMEX will have adverse consequences for Greek
SMUs,  and  there  is  concern  for  the  future  of  the  EU  programmes  which  are  being  implemented  by  this
organisation.

Will the Commission say:

Does  it  consider  that  the  development  of  SMUs  in  Greece  will  be  helped  by  the  large-scale  cuts  in

1.
specialized staff and material and technical infrastructures that have been proposed?

Does  it  intend  to  take  steps  to  ensure  that  the  programmes  co-funded  and  managed  by  Eommex  run

2.
smoothly?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 1998)

The Commission notes the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concern over the future of the Hellenic Organisation of Small
and Medium-Sized Industries and Handicrafts (Eommex). However, the implementation of this measure is by
independent  decision  of  the  Greek  government.  Moreover,  according  to  the  information  available  to  the
Commission, it does not apparently involve the abolition of this organisation but a restructuring which concerns
solely its regional departments.

It should be noted that the projects co-financed by the Structural funds in favour of small and medium-sized
enterprises  (SMEs)  will  be  implemented  and  managed  by  seven  regional  intermediaries  which  have  recently
been created in Greece with the agreement of the Commission. Eommex is one of these intermediaries for Attica
and the Aegean Islands.

(98/C 354/99)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1046/98

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 April 1998)

Subject: Programme for improving honey production in Greece

Greece has submitted to the Commission a programme for improving the production and marketing of honey in
1998, in accordance with the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) 2300/97 (1).

This programme will be implemented by various bodies, organizations and apicultural cooperatives.

The Federation of Greek Apicultural Associations has addressed a letter to the Commission protesting about the
way in which the implementation of the programme has been shared out among the various participants.

Since the Federation of Greek Apicultural Associations is a dynamic organization with many members and is
financially solvent and reliable, will the Commission say: Has it investigated the substance of the allegations
made by the Federation of Greek Apicultural Associations, and if so, what does it intend to do to give it a larger
say in implementing the programme?

(1)  OJ L 319, 21.11.1997, p. 4.