WRITTEN QUESTION E-2775/00 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Restoration of order at the Italian State Printing Works, Stationery Office, and Mint.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, State aid, euro, financial solvency, issuing of currency, paper money

C 113 E/174

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

(2001/C 113 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2775/00

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Restoration of order at the Italian State Printing Works, Stationery Office, and Mint

Over the past seven years in Italy there have been scores of press reports and questions tabled in
Parliament by representatives of the most diverse political groups concerning the situation at the State
Printing Works, Stationery Office, and Mint (IPZS), which has been reduced to such straits as to be
teetering on the brink of bankruptcy after amassing losses amounting to hundreds of billions of lire,
although these did not come to light until they were revealed by the 1997 balance sheet, since the balance
sheets before that date invariably showed profits fluctuating on either side of the four billion lire mark.

Mr Roberto Tribuni, who served on the board of directors of the State Printing Works between July 1993
and March 1996,
informed not only the Press, the judicial authorities, and Parliament, but also the
Ministry of the Treasury about a number of administrative irregularities and probable criminal offences
that had given him serious cause to doubt whether the balance sheets were truthful. For example,
Mr Tribuni maintained that, contrary to what was expressly stipulated in Law 559/66, which at that time
regulated operations at the State Printing Works, expenditure above ITL 200 million was never subject to
specific decisions. In addition, he claimed that forged State bonds were in circulation, which, however, had
been produced using the same inks, the same engravings, and the same watermarked paper (manufactured
by none other than the State Printing Works) as the Printing Works used to produce the genuine bonds,
and that investigators had recovered some of the fakes from certain banks. He also alleged that problems
had arisen in connection with certain associated companies which supplied the Mint with coining
equipment. The price charged for an Italian coin ranged from ITL 35 to ITL 350, compared with the
ITL 18 per coin charged to the Ukrainian Government.

At present, the Italian Government is in the process of paying the IPZS no less than ITL 1 200 billion for
€ 7,2 billion coins, the production of which has fallen a long way behind schedule.

In the light of the foregoing:

1. Can the Commission say whether investigations have been completed regarding the decision of the
Italian Government to grant ITL 1 600 billion over a 20-year period to enable the IPZS to offset the
losses?

2. What does it think about the sum which the Italian Government intends to pay the Mint for making
the euro coins, bearing in mind, given the delay in the work, that the money could be used to save the
IPZS from insolvency?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(28 September 2000)

As anticipated in its previous replies to the Honourable Member, the Commission decided, on 28 October
1998, to initiate the procedure provided in Article 88 (ex Article 93), paragraph 2 of the EC Treaty, with
respect to two capital increases in favour of Cartiere Miliani di Fabriano, controlled by Poligrafico, and the
exclusive contracts granted to Poligrafico for the provision of products and services to the State.

Following the granting to Istituto Poligrafico of additional measures provided by Article 22 of the 1999
budget law, the Commission decided, on 3 May 2000, to extend the Article 88 procedure. This decision
was communicated to the Italian government by letter of 5 July 2000.

At this state, the Commission is waiting for the observations of the Italian government and for possible
comments from interested parties. Once such comments are received, the Commission will be in a position
to terminate the investigation procedure.

As regards the compensation received by Poligrafico for the products and services sold to the State, the
Commission, during the course of the procedure, has found no evidence of over-compensation by the
State for such services.

Finally, as regards the compensation received by Poligrafico for the coinage of Euro coins, the Commission
is not competent
this service being excluded from the Community
provisions on public tenders.

to examine its proportionality,

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/175

The Commission is not competent to evaluate the possible existence of facts relevant under the criminal
law, such as those reported by the Honourable Member, concerning the previous managers of the Istituto
and the possible existence of falsified State bonds.

(2001/C 113 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2784/00

by Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Amount and use of the tobacco premium

Part of the premium (one per cent before 1999 and two per cent thereafter) paid to tobacco farmers is
retained for research purposes. How much money has now accrued from that deduction since 1997, and
what funds were disbursed on what projects?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2000)

As regards the total accrued from the deductions, it should be noted that this is not a fund stricto sensu
into which the deductions are paid annually and from which monies are taken to finance action. In
practice the action initiated by the Commission is financed from the ad hoc heading Community fund for
research and information (B1-175). Its appropriations correspond to the estimates of actual incurred costs
for the financial year in question. The Commission ensures that neither appropriations nor expenditure
exceed the product of the deductions.

The amounts entered under heading B1-175 of the Community budget for the years in question were
€ 4 900 000 (1997), € 8 000 000 (1998), € 6 000 000 (1999) and € 6 000 000 (2000).

Since the fund was set up three research projects have been selected following the first call for proposals
second (Community contribution
(Community contribution € 5 900 000)
€ 6 500 000). A project list will be sent direct to the Honourable Member and Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

and six following the

In addition since being set up the fund has financed 18 information projects following two calls for
proposals. A list of these will likewise be sent to the Honourable Member and Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(2001/C 113 E/186)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2785/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Management of water resources

The Water Supply Association is constructing a desalination plant for brackish water on Zakynthos. The
project will be completed on a self-financing basis because to date no organisation has considered it to be
eligible for funding on the grounds that it is financially disadvantageous for consumers.

However:

(cid:129) a combination of solutions for the problem is available, such as the collection of surface water and

water from springs, storage in lake reservoirs, and controlled replacement pumping;

(cid:129) water provided by desalination is much more expensive per cubic metre than water transported by

tanker;