WRITTEN QUESTION E-2313/00 by Maurizio Turco (TDI) to the Commission. The White Paper Reforming the Commission.
Date: 2000-07-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, action programme, administration of the Institutions, audit, financial control, institutional reform

8.5.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/17

cooperation. To enhance the quality of cooperation in border areas and improve coordination between
TACIS and Interreg it would be desirable for the management of Interreg and TACIS CBC projects to be
transferred to regional level, e.g. the Euregio. At the very least regional opinions ought to be requested on
proposed TACIS CBC projects from the Euregio or the recipient area, if decisions are to continue to be
taken in Brussels.

1.
In his cooperation with Mr Patten, the Commissioner responsible for foreign affairs, how has
Commissioner Barnier promoted coordination between the TACIS and Interreg programmes so as to
improve the effectiveness of border cooperation between the EU and Russia?

2. What is the Commission(cid:146)s view on the Karelia Euregio(cid:146)s proposal for a pilot scheme whereby the
management committee of the Euregio would make decisions on projects on a programme basis at
regional level for both the Interreg and TACIS CBC programmes?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(28 September 2000)

The Commission is committed to improving co-ordination between the Interreg Community initiative and
the TACIS CBC programme. Despite the obvious differences between the decentralised, regional approach
of Interreg and the centralised external aid system used to implement TACIS CBC, there is significant scope
for further co-ordination.

At programme level, close co-operation will continue during the preparation of both types of programmes,
thus allowing a harmonisation of the actions to be supported on both sides of the border over the
programming period.

At project level, relevant organisations and authorities, including the Finnish authorities, will be consulted
on project proposals in order to avoid the risk of double funding and to identify opportunities for
complementarity. At the same time, a wider publicity process will be encouraged, in order to ensure that
the different procedures are understood on both sides of the border. In addition, projects supported
through one of the programmes will have a high priority during the selection process for the other
programme.

With regard to the Karelia Euregio(cid:146)s proposal for a pilot scheme for joint decision-making on Interreg and
TACIS CBC, it would appear premature, due to the current nature of TACIS CBC funding. However, the
Commission will continue to monitor the implementation of Interreg and TACIS CBC closely, with a view
to moving towards a decentralised implementation system when possible.

(2001/C 136 E/018)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2313/00

by Maurizio Turco (TDI) to the Commission

(11 July 2000)

Subject: The White Paper (cid:145)Reforming the Commission(cid:146)

With regard to the White Paper (cid:145)Reforming the Commission(cid:146) (COM(2000) 200), in particular Annex 4 to
Part I (Timetable for Action Plan) and the deadlines mentioned in Part II, can the Commission say whether
all the measures scheduled for June 2000 have been carried out, which have yet to be completed and what
the timetable for implementation is?

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8.5.2001

In particular, as regards the reform of financial control, can the Commission answer the following
questions:

(cid:129) What transitional measures are envisaged? Have they all been carried out? If not, what is the timetable

for implementation?

(cid:129) What internal and external audits were carried out by each unit in the first half of this year and last

year?

(cid:129) What are the recruitment procedures for the Internal Audit Service (IAS) set up at the beginning

of May? What is its hierarchical structure?

(cid:129) What specific experience does the chairman of the committee selecting the IAS audits, Claude Chene,

have?

Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(13 October 2000)

With regard to the implementation of
the white paper (cid:145)Reforming the
the actions in Part
Commission(cid:146) (1), the Commission invites the Honourable Member to refer to the document concerning
the progress report on the reform actions as at 10 July 2000, adopted by the Commission on 26 July
2000 (2).

II of

The reform foresees that the current system of centralised ex ante financial control be replaced by a system
in which the operational departments, specifically strengthened for the purpose and benefiting from the
advice of a central financial service, take full responsibility for proper financial management and internal
control. Their performance will be examined by an independent internal audit service. The strengthening
of the operational departments, through the range of measures foreseen in the white paper, is in hand, and
the Commission has proposed that the responsibility for internal audit should be separated as quickly as
possible from the responsibility for centralised ex ante financial control. This latter function will continue
until completion of the major revision of the Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977 applicable to the
general budget of the Communities (3) currently in hand.

The following table shows the audits completed by the Financial control Directorate general during the
periods mentioned by the Honourable Member.

Activity

1st Semester
1999

1st Semester
2000

Directorate A
(cid:129) Internal Policies and Administrative expenditure

Total A

Directorate B
(cid:129) Fisheries
(cid:129) European agricultural guidance and guarantee

fund (EAGGF)-Orientation
(cid:129) Social Fund and Social policies
(cid:129) Regional Fund
(cid:129) Cohesion Fund
(cid:129) CECA Funds
(cid:129) Other

Direction C
(cid:129) EAGGF-Guarantee
(cid:129) Own Resources
(cid:129) External Policies
(cid:129) Internal Market

Other
(cid:129) Internal Audit (all units)

Total B

Total C

Total

13

13

2

4
14
9
3
3
6

41

21
8
11
3

43

9

106

6

6

1

8
15
9
1
2
5

41

10
11
15
6

42

13

102

The initial staffing of the Internal audit service (IAS) was organised by means of an internal call for
expressions of interest from Commission staff having the necessary experience, skills and professional
qualifications. This procedure was used in order to enable an early start to be made on the selection

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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including qualified and
process before specific posts could be identified. An ad hoc selection panel,
experienced senior auditors, made the selections and, as a result, 18 staff were transferred to the service.
A further 11 posts for audit staff have now been published within the Commission and interinstitutionally.
These will be filled according to the normal procedures.

As regards management structure, the post of head of the service (A1) was published in the Official journal
on 12 July 2000, the post of deputy head of the service (A2) was filled by the Commission(cid:146)s decision of
26 July to appoint Mr Tony Wright, the first two audit supervisors (A3) took up their functions on
1 September 2000; and the remaining three supervisors will be selected after the appointment of the head
of service.

Mr Claude ChŒne, head of the Commission(cid:146)s administrative reform task force, was chosen to chair the
panel because of his in-depth knowledge of
the
Commission(cid:146)s reform programme. The audit expertise was provided by three assessors, all highly qualified
as professional auditors: the chief internal auditor of the European Investment Bank, the head of the audit
unit of Directorate general for Employment and an auditor of the European Court of auditors specialising
in methodology.

the challenges and the objectives of

the context,

(1) COM(2000) 200 final.
(2) SEC(2000) 1305.
(3) OJ L 356, 31.12.1977.

(2001/C 136 E/019)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2316/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(11 July 2000)

Subject: Subordination of the fight against AIDS in South Africa to the interests of European pharmaceu-

ticals firms

1.
The newspaper Trouw of 22 June 2000 published an alarming article by Sietse Bosgra of the
Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa and Ellen (cid:146)t Hoen of MØdecins sans FrontiŁres. The article said
that the pharmaceuticals industry, with the support of the European Union, is organising a medical lobby
to urge the South African government to amend their legislation to the detriment of the medical treatment
of AIDS sufferers. Is the Commission aware of this article?

2.
The article refers to a letter from former Commissioner Leon Brittan of 23 March 1998 to the then
Vice-President Mbeki expressing his concern at recent South African legislation which,. he maintained,
would harm the interests of the European pharmaceuticals industry?

Is the Commission aware of this letter?

It has been suggested that this letter was deliberately kept secret. Can the Commission confirm this

3.
and, if so, why does the Commission think this was done?

4.

Is the Commission prepared to submit this letter to the European Parliament for information?

If Commissioner Brittan really did make the abovementioned comment

5.
Commission prepared to review this opinion and withdraw it?

in the letter,

is the

6.
Does the Commission agree that everything should be done to fight the AIDS tragedy which is
occurring in South Africa (where every year 60 000 children are born with the virus), and that providing
adequate supplies of affordable medicines is the first prerequisite for success?

7.
Is the Commission prepared to take action to ensure that both children and their parents receive the
help they need in fighting the AIDS epidemic and that human interests should take far greater precedence
than the profitability of the pharmaceuticals industry?