WRITTEN QUESTION E-0943/01 by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission. Aid under the Regional Fund for quality controls of Styrian kernel oil pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 2081/1992.
Date: 2001-03-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Austria, designation of origin, quality control of agricultural products, regional aid, vegetable oil

C 364 E/28

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 2001)

The Commission set a target in 1991 that payments should be made within 60 days of the receipt of
a valid request for payment. Since 1997 it has paid interest on late payments.

In 2000, 74 % of payments were made within the 60 day limit. The Commission(cid:146)s aim, as stated in
Action 10 in Part II of the White Paper (cid:145)Reforming the Commission(cid:146) (1) adopted on 1 March 2000, is to
make 95 % of its payments within this limit by 2002.

The Commission has addressed the question of payment times on a number of occasions, most recently in
July 2000. On this occasion it decided on a number of measures aimed at speeding up the payment of
invoices. Neither the Commission nor outside consultants identified, however, excessive number of staff to
scrutinise invoices as a cause of late payment.

Some of the Commission(cid:146)s measures will have the effect, nevertheless, of improving routines and reducing
the number of staff involved in scrutinising invoices.

These include:

(cid:129) the clarification of the terms of the contracts; this includes laying down the particulars that must be
included in contracts and ensuring that technical annexes setting out what the contractor is to deliver
to the Commission at each stage of a project are drawn up with precision and can be verified by both
parties;

(cid:129) the simplification of

financial and procedural provisions

the
simplification of financial clauses and reduction of the number of supporting documents to be
produced for payment requests under contracts which are based wholly or partly on procedures for
the reimbursement of costs, by setting standard amounts for certain categories of expenditure such as
travel expenses;

in the contracts;

includes

this

(cid:129) the improvement of Information technology (IT) tools and procedures; this includes the provision of
a common system for recording invoices received and monitoring their processing for payment.

(1) COM(2000) 200 final.

(2001/C 364 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0943/01

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Subject: Aid under the Regional Fund for quality controls of Styrian kernel oil pursuant to Regulation (EEC)

No 2081/1992

Member States are obliged, pursuant to Article 10 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/1992 (1) of 14 July
1992 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and
foodstuffs, to create inspection structures to ensure that agricultural products and foodstuffs bearing
a protected name meet the requirements laid down in the specifications. According to Article 10(3) the
inspection authority can use the services of third parties. The costs of these inspections are borne by the
producers using the protected name. Styrian kernel oil is a name protected under this Regulation.

Which bodies have been notified to the Commission by the Republic of Austria as bodies for the
inspection of Styrian kernel oil?

Has money been made available under EU Regional Fund for the inspection of Styrian kernel oil and what
amount?

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/29

If so to whom were these funds transferred?

Are there any accounts for the use of this aid?

Is it clear from the accounts that the aid relates to subsidised inspections?

Would subsidised inspections be a misappropriation of EU aid?

Does the subsidising of inspections contravene Article 10(7) of Regulation No 208/1992?

Is the use of Regional Fund aid conditional on not creating any distortion of competition between the
different inspection bodies?

(1) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 June 2001)

Inspection structures, as notified by the Member States in accordance with article 10(2) of Council
Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992 on the protection of geographical
indications and
designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs, have recently been published (1).

With regard to (cid:145)Steierisches K(cid:252)rbiskern(cid:246)l(cid:146), Austria notified the Commission that
(cid:145)Der Landeshauptmann Steiermark(cid:146), located in Herrengasse 16, 8010 Graz, was the inspection authority.

the public service

No Community financed regional aid is granted to control activities concerning Council Regulation (EEC)
No 2081/92.

(1) OJ C 365, 19.12.2000.

(2001/C 364 E/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0945/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council

(29 March 2001)

Subject: Visits of Taiwanese government officials to the EU

Can the Council confirm whether it is EU policy not to allow Taiwanese government officials to visit any
EU Member State? If this is the case, can the Council reveal who took the decision?

Moreover, can the Council explain why such a decision was taken and is still in force today, since Taiwan
is a strong democratic state with amicable ties with the EU, while the PRC has repeatedly been criticised
over its human rights violations?

Reply

(27 September 2001)

The Council recalls to the Honourable Member its position on this question as it appears in particular in
the Presidency declaration on behalf of the Union dated 20 July 1999, which states that the European
Union supports the principle of (cid:145)One China(cid:146). While the EU does not restrict economic, cultural and
scientific contacts with the people of Taiwan, it does not encourage official visits.