WRITTEN QUESTION E-1670/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Payment of contractors and suppliers.
Date: 2000-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, deadline for payment, subcontracting

C 89 E/70

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

After examination of all the relevant elements the Commission considered that Mr Cahn(cid:146)s duties in his new
post were consistent with the professional ethics which a temporary member of staff has to respect under
the present Staff Regulations.

As a matter of broader consideration, the Commission takes the view that the present general rules and
principles relating to the external employment of temporary and permanent officials would benefit from
greater precision in order to ensure consistency and practical guidance, as well as transparency, not least to
facilitate more exchange of qualified personnel between national and Community administrations and
between the public and private sectors. The Commission will therefore examine whether, on the basis of
best working and ethical practices in the administrations of the Member States and of other international
bodies, more precise rules and procedures can be proposed and,
if so, what practical provisions and
arrangements should be made.

(2001/C 89 E/069)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1669/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: Payment of contractors and suppliers

Further to Ms Schreyer(cid:146)s answer to my Written Question No E-0505/00 (1), will the Commission please
give a comparable proportion of payments which were completed within the 60-day period for the four
previous years (i.e. 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995)?

(1) OJ C 46 E, 13.2.2001.

(2001/C 89 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1670/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: Payment of contractors and suppliers

Further to Ms Schreyer(cid:146)s answer to my Written Question No E-0505/00 (1), will the Commission please
indicate the average period of payment across all departments from the date of receipt of the invoice to
the date on which the Commission bank account was debited for payments made in the four previous
years (i.e. 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995)?

(1) OJ C 46 E, 13.2.2001.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1669/00 and E-1670/00
given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2000)

Performance and change in average payment times since 1995 (overall statistics) (1).

Performance as regards target times achieved since 1995

(Percentage of payments executed)

(cid:26) 60 days

> 60 and (cid:26) 90

> 90 days

1995
1996
1997
1998
1999

83,7
77,7
73,4
73,6
65,1

8,8
11,8
9,0
10,9
14,9

7,5
10,5
17,6
15,5
20,0

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/71

Annual average payment times since 1995

(Calendar days)

Total number of days

1995

43,9

1996

51,5

1997

58,5

1998

55,1

1999

54,1

The Commission started registering invoice payment times in 1995. The apparent deterioration in 1996
and 1997 revealed by the statistics published is, without doubt, largely due to the increased discipline with
which departments record data in the system of accounts to monitor invoices.

(1) These statistics do not include the payment of advances to the Member States under EAGGF Guarantee which are

charged to a non-budget account when they are actually paid.

(2001/C 89 E/071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1677/00

by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: Citizenship of Member States

Prior to the entry into force of the 1981 British Nationality Act which made provision for citizenship to
be transmitted by descent in both the male and female line, nationality law in the United Kingdom was
based on the principle that nationality should only be transmitted in the male line. It was decided that
children born abroad to female British citizens prior to the entry into force of the 1981 British Nationality
Act can not automatically become British citizens. Children born abroad to male British citizens prior to
the entry into force of the 1981 British Nationality are, however, entitled to full British citizenship.

Would the Commission agree that the decision of the United Kingdom Government not to apply the Act
retrospectively discriminates against the rights of British women? What action can the Commission take to
correct this situation?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2000)

The Commission would point out that questions concerning nationality of a Member State are settled
solely by reference to national law of the Member State concerned. This was specified in Declaration 2 on
nationality annexed to the Treaty on European Union (1) and has also been confirmed by the Court of
justice in the Micheletti case (2).

As this is a domestic matter, the Commission cannot comment on the alleged discriminatory character of
the British Nationality Act of 1981.

For the reasons mentioned above, it is not open to the Commission to take any measure in this field.

(1) OJ C 191, 29.7.1992.
(2) Case C-369/90, ECR 1992, page I-4239.