WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2104/98 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Exclusion of Ansaldo Acque from the construction of a sewage treatment plant in Athens
Date: 1998-07-10
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: Central Greece, EU financing, feasibility study, invitation to tender, project evaluation, public contract, wastewater, water treatment, works contract

8.4.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 96/37

(1999/C 96/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2104/98

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Exclusion of Ansaldo Acque from the construction of a sewage treatment plant in Athens

I have learnt that in May 1997 the Greek Ministry for environmental planning and public works (EYDE/AELMP)
concluded in form and substance an international tender for the construction of a sewage treatment plant in
Athens › stage 2 › for a budget of about ECU 150 000 000.

The first, feasibility, stage had already received Community funding in the form of a grant of a few million ecus.

I understand that various Italian groups that competed for the tender were excluded as early as the first round for
purely formal reasons. Apparently at least one of the groups › Ansaldo Acque › has fully demonstrated that the
reasons given were baseless and merely a pretext.

Now, one year later, EYDE has still not awarded the contract since appeals have been lodged with the competent
Greek authorities about the technical assessment of the bids received and, as I understand it, the Community
bodies responsible for the funding have not yet been involved.

1.

Has what I have said changed in any way by the date of my question and, if so, how?

If there has been no change in procedure in the interim, are there not grounds for asking EYDE to call for

2.
tenders again with the assistance of Community organizations for reasons of competence and transparency?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(22 September 1998)

The Greek Ministry of Public Works put this public works contract, for the design and construction of a sewage
treatment plant in Athens, up for competition in 1995 by restricted procedure, announcing that the contract would
be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender.

The preselection phase for candidates having been completed on time, six preselected consortia submitted bids on
14 May 1997. According to the information in the Commission(cid:146)s possession, the technical aspects of the bids
were evaluated by an assessment committee, which completed that task in June 1998. Some of the bidders lodged
objections to the assessment, and these are currently being investigated by the national authorities.

The Commission has also received a complaint concerning the assessment, which it is in the process of
investigating. At this stage in its examination of the case, the Commission considers that it is not in a position to
ask the contracting authority to start a new call for tenders on the grounds mentioned by the Honourable Member.

(1999/C 96/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2107/98

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Nuclear tests

Following the recent nuclear tests in Asia, there is deep apprehension about Turkey(cid:146)s cooperation with Pakistan
on their nuclear programmes and about the increase in Turkish activity in the nuclear power sector. Reactors are
being set up in areas which are particularly prone to earthquake (Akkuyu in Turkey). Fears have also been voiced
that the Akkuyu reactors are not only designed to generate electricity but also to transform the country into a
nuclear power.