WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1827/99 by Mogens CAMRE Structural aid for private firms' marketing and staff training
Date: 1999-10-13
Institutions: CAMRE Mogens, European Parliament
Subjects: Denmark, Structural Funds, aid to undertakings, use of aid

C 27 E/174

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.1.2000

(2000/C 27 E/215)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1827/99

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(13 October 1999)

Subject: Structural aid for private firms(cid:146) marketing and staff training

What will the Commission do to prevent the distortion of competition and waste of EU resources which
are caused by the EU(cid:146)s subsidising of private firms(cid:146) marketing,
in-house training and rationalisation
measures?

This week, the Danish press has reported that EU structural fund aid has been granted to Danish firms for
the training of private-sector staff, company rationalisation and advertising campaigns.

It has caused astonishment that individual firms, with the aid of consultants versed in the formulations and
key words which persuade the EU(cid:146)s administration to grant money, have obtained such subsidies. The
funds are allocated to firms entirely at random, thereby distorting competition. I have received a 16-page
pamphlet of advertising from the Landsforeningen af Danske Plantehandlere (the national Danish associa-
tion of plant traders), 1 230 000 copies of which have been distributed, i.e. one to practically every
household in Denmark. Household-distributed printed matter is one form of squandering resources that
many members of the public wish to restrict. This pamphlet bears the EU(cid:146)s logo and the caption
(cid:145)Campaign funded with the aid of the European Community(cid:146).

The structural aid allocated to Denmark is very limited and there are far more provocative examples of the
absurd use of structural fund aid in those countries which receive massive subsidies. If the EU granted aid
to improve basic education in Denmark or to expand facilities for training doctors at our universities, that
would undoubtedly make a positive impression on the Danish people but to hand out European taxpayers(cid:146)
money at random to private firms is a provocation which highlights the fact that the Commission is not
complying with EU rules designed to avoid distortion of competition and is not interested in what it gets
for the money but merely aims to ensure that the funds are used up.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(11 November 1999)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.

(2000/C 27 E/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1835/99

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Community initiative on fisheries in Greece

(13 October 1999)

The Community initiative on fisheries in Greece includes four subprogrammes, together with a fifth
concerning technical aid. Since each of the subprogrammes 1-4 has been given a timetable.

Will the Commission say:

1. What is the state of implementation of the subprogrammes so far and which actions have made

progress in each subprogramme?

2. Has there been any delay in take-up and, if so, what are the main reasons for this delay?