WRITTEN QUESTION E-2823/99 by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission. Financial assistance for innovative and job-creating SMEs.
Date: 2000-01-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, European Investment Fund, aid to undertakings, consortium, implementation of the budget, innovation, job creation, small and medium-sized enterprises, venture capital

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(2000/C 330 E/063)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2822/99

by Herbert B(cid:246)sch (PSE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Administrative investigations by the European Anti-Fraud Office at the European Investment Bank

Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 (1) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May
1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) requires all institu-
tions, bodies, offices and agencies of the European Union to forward to OLAF without delay any
information relating to possible cases of fraud or corruption or any other illegal activity.

The regulation has been in force since 1 July 1999. On 29 June 1999 the newsletter (cid:145)Europa-Journal(cid:146),
the European
which is published in Brussels, reported under the headline (cid:145)Procurement scandal at
Investment Bank(cid:146) that a member of the Bank staff had enriched himself, but the Bank had not brought
charges because the amount concerned was negligible.

When did the Bank inform OLAF of the incident pursuant to Article 7(1)?

Did OLAF investigate the incident, and was it able to satisfy itself that the amount concerned was indeed
negligible?

What steps did OLAF recommend to the Bank?

(1) OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 1.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2821/99 and E-2822/99
given by Mr Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2000)

In the Commission(cid:146)s view, the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) of 7 October 1999 concerning
fraud prevention and the decision notified by the European Investment Bank (EIB) do not correspond to
the legal
the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), and
particularly the provisions relating to internal investigations contained in Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999
of the European Parliament and the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

framework established with the creation of

By failing to meet these requirements, the decisions also jeopardise the overall cohesion intended by the
Community legislator for the protection of the Communities(cid:146) financial interests.

For that reason, the Commission has lodged two actions with the Court of Justice. These actions were
brought on 13 January 2000 in the case of the ECB and 19 January 2000 in the case of the EIB.

The information provided by the Honourable Member relating to the EIB has been forwarded to the
European Anti-Fraud Office.

(2000/C 330 E/064)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2823/99

by Herbert B(cid:246)sch (PSE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Financial assistance for innovative and job-creating SMEs

The 1998 European Union budget allocated EUR 150 million to an employment initiative. These funds
were primarily intended to support innovative small and medium-sized enterprises.

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In accordance with Council Decision 98/347/EC (1), on 24 July 1998 the Commission concluded
cooperation agreements with the European Investment Fund on implementing financial assistance for
innovative and job-creating SMEs.

1.

How was this employment initiative implemented?

2. Who received financial assistance?

3. What is the utilisation rate for this scheme?

(1) OJ L 155, 29.5.1998, p. 43.

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2000)

Following the Luxembourg extraordinary European Council on employment, the budgetary authority
for the financing of
created a new heading B5-5 (cid:145)Labour markets and technological
€ 450 million over three years (1998-2000). In 1998 € 30 million was allocated for innovative actions
and projects in the labour market and € 120 million was allocated to the Growth and employment
initiative. To this figure can be added an amount of € 5 million, corresponding to the Joint European
venture (JEV) pilot action (B5-512). For the years 1999 and 2000 an amount of € 300 million was
allocated to the Growth and employment initiative.

innovation(cid:146)

1.
Following the above mentioned budget decision, Council Decision 98/347/EC of 19 May 1998 on
measures of financial assistance for innovative and job-creating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
(cid:129) the growth and employment initiative, approved a programme of financial assistance for innovative and
job creating SMEs. The programme consists of three complementary facilities: a risk-capital scheme
(European technology facility (ETF) Start-up) managed by the European investment fund (EIF), a scheme
for financial contributions supporting the creation of trans-national joint ventures by SMEs within the
Community (JEV) managed by the Commission and a guarantee scheme (SME guarantee facility) managed
by the EIF.

2.

ETF Start-up facility

The budget allocation concerning the ETF Start-up facility is paid to the EIF, which invests in selected
venture capital funds. After signing agreements with the funds, the EIF successively releases the committed
amounts to the venture capital funds. These funds then invest in innovative or early stage SMEs, which are
the final beneficiaries of the facility. Latest available figures show 49 Community SMEs received venture
capital investments under this facility.

JEV

SMEs can benefit from JEV by channelling their applications through a financial intermediary (FI) member
of the JEV FI network. SMEs have direct access to Community funding via the FIs. Latest figures show
84 financial intermediaries are members of the network in all the 15 Member States and Norway. As far as
the 53 current investment projects are concerned, 111 SMEs are involved, 90 of which have fewer than
50 employees and 45 fewer than 10 employees. SMEs from nearly all Member States are participating.
SMEs from Spain, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, are the most active so far. Joint ventures to be
created are located in 13 Member States and mostly in Belgium, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal.

SME guarantee facility

The budget allocation concerning the SME guarantee facility is paid to the EIF, which signs guarantee
agreements with selected financial institutions involved in financing SMEs. The EIF successively releases the
amounts committed to these institutions, to cover a part of the SMEs(cid:146) loan losses whenever these are
incurred. Latest available figures show 7 223 SMEs benefiting from a guarantee under this facility is
3 472 start-up SMEs were created from 1998 to 1999.

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3.

ETF Start-up facility

The Commission has approved investment commitments to nine funds selected by the EIF, for a total of
up to € 54 million. Altogether,
these nine funds are expected to raise a total pool of capital of
€ 306 million. The EIF signed contracts with seven of these funds for a total amount of € 38 million
whereas other investors committed further € 151 million. Latest available figures show these seven funds
had invested € 20,2 million.

JEV

Latest available figures show 104 applications have been submitted for a global amount of approximately
€ 8,75 million. The Commission has so far approved 65 applications for a budget of € 5,50 million, of
which € 4,55 million come from the pilot action budget.

SME guarantee facility

The Commission has approved commitments to 15 financial intermediaries selected by the EIF for a total
of up to € 90,2 million. The EIF has signed contracts with all 15 financial intermediaries. According to
latest available figures the average utilisation rate of the EIF guarantees was 19,2 % (=actual volume
guaranteed by the EIF/maximum contractual volume to be guaranteed by the EIF). The FIs have not
claimed any loan defaults of the SMEs from the EIF so far.

(2000/C 330 E/065)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2825/99

by Emilia M(cid:252)ller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Completion of the Amberg-Waidhaus section of the A6 motorway

The A6 motorway is part of the East-West artery of the trans-European transport network, linking Prague
and Paris. It is of crucial importance especially in the context of enlargement to the East.

However, according to the German Government(cid:146)s programme of works, the Amberg-Waidhaus section of
the A6 is not due to be completed for the time being. Traffic flows from the East will continue to increase
following the integration of the Czech Republic. The existing road network is congested and people living
along highways in Germany are suffering from vehicle exhaust and noise pollution.

What does the Commission intend to do to bring forward completion of the A6 motorway?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 March 2000)

The new construction of the A6 motorway between Amberg and the German-Czech State border near
Waidhaus has been identified in the guidelines for the development of a trans-European transport
network (1) as a project of common interest. The Rozvadov (cid:129) Plzen (cid:129) Praha section is furthermore
included in the (cid:145)TINA(cid:146) outline plan, established by the Member States and the acceding countries, which
forms a basis for the future extension of the trans-European transport network (2). The Commission, which
is fully aware of the importance of the entire N(cid:252)rnberg (cid:129) Praha axis for the traffic between current and
future Member States, follows closely progress in the implementation of this project and supports it within
the limits of its possibilities.

The German section Amberg (cid:129) Waidhaus has already benefited from € 6,51 million financial aid under
the trans-European transport network budget line. This contribution, the amount of which is limited by
the corresponding Regulation (3), cannot however replace the financing of the project at national level. The
German authorities informed the Commission that the project remains in the (cid:145)Bedarfsplan(cid:146)
(priority
programme) for national roads and will be completed according to the planned technical standards.
However some sub-sections (in particular in the Pfreimd (cid:129) Woppenhof area) could not be included in the