WRITTEN QUESTION E-3896/00 by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Commission. Further question concerning late payments by the Commission.
Date: 2000-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, administration of the Institutions, deadline for payment, provision of services

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/177

(2001/C 174 E/187)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3896/00

by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Further question concerning late payments by the Commission

Concerning my question E-2571/00 (1) concerning late payments by the Commission, the reply given by
the Commissioner was not only three months in coming but was also, in my opinion, incomplete and
inconsistent.

Can the Commission give its reasons for stipulating a 60-day deadline with regard to its own transactions
while recommending, in Directive 2000/35/EC (2), that the deadline for all commercial transactions be set
at 30 days? What are the Commission(cid:146)s justifications for giving itself so much more favourable treatment
than the private sector?

(1) OJ C 136 E, 8.5.2001.
(2) OJ L 200, 8.8.2000, p. 35.

Answer given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(14 February 2001)

Directive 2000/35/EC of 29 June 2000 on combating late payments in commercial transactions does not
set a 30-day deadline for all commercial transactions in the private sector. The public authorities and the
private sector continue to enjoy the right to negotiate payment deadlines in their commercial relations. A
30-day deadline applies only if the contract is silent on this point. By setting a payment deadline of not
more than 60 days for its own contracts, the Commission has not, therefore, given itself more favourable
treatment than the private sector.

(2001/C 174 E/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3897/00

by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Council

(20 December 2000)

Subject: Advance supply of?5 and?10 banknotes

According to a recent report by the committee responsible for monitoring the introduction of the euro, it
has just been realised that it will not be possible to adapt most automatic cash dispensers in the EU
Member States to issue € 5 banknotes and, in certain countries, € 10 banknotes also. In other words cash
dispensers will generally only be able to issue € 20, € 50 or € 100 banknotes. This will cause a major
problem for the retail trade which, after 1 January 2002, will be receiving payment in large denominations
and require to give change in € 5 or € 10 banknotes, which will rapidly become very hard to obtain. In
view of this apparently unforeseen situation should the question of advance issuing of € 5 and € 10
banknotes in particular be reconsidered? In certain countries from 15 December 2001, the public will be
able to purchase a (cid:145)kit(cid:146) containing all euro coins with which they will thus be able to familiarise
themselves. In the weeks leading up to 1 January 2000, would it not be a good idea to enable the
European general public to purchase € 5 and € 10 banknotes, thereby facilitating the transition to the
euro?

Reply

(12 March 2001)

On 8 November 1999 the Council took note of the fact that participating Member States consider it
helpful to provide financial institutions and certain other groups, notably cash in transit companies and
retailers, with notes and coins some time before 1 January 2002. Participating Member States underlined
that this must not lead to putting Euro banknotes and coins into circulation before 1 January 2002.