WRITTEN QUESTION E-2060/00 by Arlindo Cunha (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Contracts under the TACIS, PHARE, MED, FED and AL ‐ Asia and Latin America programmes.
Date: 2000-06-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, EU programme, European Development Fund, computer system, contract, exchange of information, management, third country

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

Reply

(10 October 2000)

The question put by the Honourable Member has never been discussed by the Council.

(2001/C 81 E/162)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2056/00

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Illegal immigration from the Balkans to Puglia

(27 June 2000)

For many years now, illegal immigrants (cid:129) mostly from the Balkan countries (cid:129) have been landing on the
coasts of Puglia, with all that that involves in terms of crime (arms and drugs trafficking, prostitution
rackets), security and the economy (including serious damage to the tourist industry).

The immigrants are travelling by any means available, including rubber dinghies and unsafe vessels which
endanger the lives of passengers (particularly women and children) and crew.

Can the Commission state whether it intends to expand maritime and air transport services between Puglia
and the European countries, particularly the Balkan countries, not least with a view to reducing the extent
of the traffic in illegal immigrants?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(19 September 2000)

The Commission would like to point out that, without prejudice to Article 80 (2) (ex Article 84) of the EC
Treaty, the issue of expanding maritime and air transport services between Puglia and the Balkan countries
is for the Italian authorities, and not for the Commission, to decide.

Moreover, as far as illegal immigration from the Balkans to Puglia is concerned, the Commission is of the
view that it is not because of lack of sufficient transport capacity that so many immigrants choose to use
organised criminal networks in order to be smuggled, under dangerous circumstances, to the coasts of
Puglia.

Accordingly, the Commission does not intend to suggest expanding maritime and air transport services
between Puglia and the Balkan countries.

(2001/C 81 E/163)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2060/00

by Arlindo Cunha (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 June 2000)

Subject: Contracts under the TACIS, PHARE, MED, FED and AL (cid:129) Asia and Latin America programmes

In view of the significance of the EU(cid:146)s development cooperation with a large number of third countries,
can the Commission provide information on the evolution of the award of contracts to undertakings by

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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EU Member States over the last five years under the TACIS, PHARE, MED, FED and AL (cid:129) Asia and Latin
America programmes, both broken down by year and for the entire period and specifying the following in
each case:

1. number of contracts;

2.

total value of the contracts?

On each of the above points, can the Commission provide information on the component allocated
by direct award and the component allocated by tender, as well as indicating the awarding bodies
(i.e. the Commission or the beneficiary states)?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Until the Common Service for External Relations (SCR) was effectively set up in 1998, the external aid
programmes were administered by five Directorates General in the Commission with particularly complex
rules and procedures applied to each of the programmes.

The fragmented management structure of aid to non-member countries made it impossible to set up a
computer system that could provide the information on contracts and financing sought by the Honourable
Member, with the exception of contracts financed under the European Development Fund (EDF). The
Commission has begun to develop a computer system that meets this requirement.

Already the (cid:145)Calls for tenders (cid:129) Calls for proposals(cid:146) page of the SCR(cid:146)s Web site (1) gives details of pre-
information notices, procurement notices (setting out the selection and award criteria) and subsequent
notices on selection procedures, calls for tender and calls for proposals.

The Commission is sending the Honourable Member (and Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat) copies of the annual
reports available on contracts financed under the EDF.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/scr/tender/index_en.htm.

(2001/C 81 E/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2063/00

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Specific measures to improve budgetary implementation for external policy

On 5 June last, Commissioner Patten presented the European Parliament with statistics in the form of
graphics highlighting the existing imbalance under heading 4 between the political decision-making which
leads to budgetary allocations and the implementation thereof, where both commitment appropriations
and payment appropriations are concerned.

What specific measures have been introduced to remedy these shortcomings in respect of the Commis-
sion(cid:146)s working methods, the rules applicable to the programmes concerned, and the staff who manage
them?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(14 July 2000)

The member of
the Commission responsible for external relations has presented statistics on the
unexpended balance of the various external cooperation programmes. The unexpended balance is the
difference between budget commitments and payments for a programme. It is one of the indicators used
to gauge a programme(cid:146)s progress on the ground. A relatively high or steadily rising unexpended balance
may be a sign that a programme is having absorption problems.