WRITTEN QUESTION E-1895/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission. MEDIA II programme ‐ training (1996-2000).
Date: 1999-10-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, EU programme, audiovisual industry, financial control, management, vocational training

C 225 E/30

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

As regards public health, the Commission has on a number of occasions already demonstrated that it is
giving serious consideration to the problem of antimicrobial resistance.

The Commission is providing support for Enter-net, an international network for monitoring gastro-
enteritis, especially human salmonellosis and infection with E. coli O 157. This includes resistance to
antibiotics of salmonella isolates. All Member States are involved, along with Switzerland and Norway.

In order to make up for the lack of information on bacteria resistant to antibiotics and their importance in
terms of public health, the Commission in August 1999 issued an invitation to tender for a study into the
use of antimicrobial agents in the Community with a view to establishing a basis for future surveillance
measures in this field.

(1) OJ L 62, 15.3.1993.

(2000/C 225 E/031)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1895/99

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 1999)

Subject: MEDIA II programme (cid:129) training (1996-2000)

Will the Commission state what agencies (public or private),
institutions, companies, cooperatives and
individuals have been allocated funding (specifying whether payments have already been made) under
MEDIA II (cid:129) Training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme industry
(1996-2000) (budget (cid:129) ECU 45 million, equal to approx. LIT 87 billion) and how much each of them has
been granted?

Has it checked how the amounts have actually been used and whether the proposed measures have been
successfully implemented?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 1999)

The Commission will forward directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat-General a
table containing the list of bodies, institutes and companies which have been allocated funding under the
Media II (cid:129) Training programme from 1996, which was the first year the programme was implemented,
until the first half of 1999.

The Honourable Member should also consult the Commission report on the results obtained under the
Media II programme during the period from 1 January 1996 to 30 June 1998 (1).

Allocation of funding is governed by the text of Council Decision 95/564/EC of 22 December 1995 on the
implementation of a training programme for professionals in the European audiovisual programme
(1996-2000) (2). Funding is allocated in the form of grants. Calls for
industry (Media II (cid:129) Training)
proposals are published in the Official Journal. The different eligibility and selection criteria which are
applicable are specified by guidelines.

The selection of beneficiaries is carried out by the Commission, with assistance, in accordance with the
methods provided for by the Council Decision:
in particular the
technical selection of projects, monitoring and evaluation of projects benefiting from the programme(cid:146)s
funding, the Commission will ensure that it obtains the expertise of acknowledged specialists from the
audiovisual sector in the field of professional training. To this end, it can if necessary involve intermediary
organisations which, on the basis of their professional expertise, will provide technical assistance and will
formulate proposals for the choice of the beneficiaries, without prejudice to other selection methods.(cid:146)

(cid:145)In implementing the programme,

Following a call for proposals, the Commission selected an intermediary organisation (Media Training
intermediary organisation, based in Madrid) to provide it with the necessary technical assistance.

Moreover, the Commission avails itself of panels of independent experts for the process of selecting
beneficiaries. These are recognised professionals in the sector.

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/31

Use of funding allocated is determined by the contractual arrangements between the Commission and each
of the beneficiaries. Monitoring is carried out mainly by the Commission, with technical assistance from
the sectoral intermediary organisation which monitors performance of the contracts, and with technical
assistance from the (cid:145)horizontal(cid:146) intermediary organisation which monitors payment and collection; it is
also assisted by random independent audits of the beneficiaries.

With regard to the success of the initiatives implemented, the Honourable Member should consult the
above report.

(1) COM(1999) 91 final.
(2) OJ L 321, 30.12.1995.

(2000/C 225 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1919/99

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(14 October 1999)

Subject: Cuts in Ekpizo funds

Ekpizo is a well-known Greek consumers association recognised by the European Union which funds its
programmes. Recently the Commission(cid:146)s DG XXIV retroactively implemented Decision No 283/1999/EC (1)
(cid:145)establishing a general framework for Community activities in favour of consumers(cid:146) which entered into
force in February 1999, cutting Drs. 15 million from the total amount due and suspending Ekpizo(cid:146)s two
programmes for 1999 which had been approved in 1998.

Given that the provisions of the Decision do not state that it applies retroactively, will the Commission
say:

1. Why have these cuts been made to Ekpizo programmes?

2. What measures does it intend to take to ensure continued funding of the programmes that had been

approved prior to publication of the above Decision?

(1) OJ L 34, 9.2.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(22 November 1999)

The Commission does not (cid:145)recognise(cid:146) as such any national consumers associations. It has identified more
than 125 associations among which a number of Greek associations, including Ekpizo, which are kept
directly informed about European consumer protection developments by the Commission.

Ekpizo has presented for a number of years projects to be co-financed by the Commission. In 1997, the
Commission agreed to finance two projects for a total amount of € 260 941 (DRA 81 million). In 1998,
one project was financed by the Commission (€ 39 752). For the year 1999, two Ekpizo projects were
approved in accordance with the procedures established by the legal base, Decision No 283/1999/EC of
the Parliament and of the Council of 25 January 1999 establishing a general framework for Community
activities in favour of consumers.

Under Article 7 of the contract signed by Ekpizo, the Commission decided to carry out a financial audit
relating to the two projects financed in 1997. The main findings included the lack of any book-keeping
which made control of total expenditure or total revenue impossible; the existence of unofficial receipts for
salaries paid to free-lance employees and for suppliers, although official invoices are necessary to comply
with Commission rules; and the fact that it was not possible to establish the effective payment of the
counterpart of the Commission(cid:146)s subsidy. As a result, the Commission decided not to pay the full amount
for the two projects, but to retain a lump sum of 15 million Dra. This represents a reduction of less than
20 % compared to the payment foreseen and corresponds to the expenditure which has not been duly
justified.