WRITTEN QUESTION P-1444/01 by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Management of the European Social Fund in the Canary Islands.
Date: 2001-05-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Canary Islands, European Social Fund, financial control, fraud against the EU

C 340 E/230

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

Accordingly, the appropriate solution for these problems depends on the circumstances of every case,
especially on the interpretation of the underlying contract. In this context, it may be important whether
the parties have agreed on a (cid:145)lead unit(cid:146) or whether the agreement of a (cid:145)lead unit(cid:146) can be deducted from the
circumstances.
It may also be important whether (cid:129) according to the will of the parties (cid:129) several
transactions are to be considered as individual contracts with separate payment obligations or whether
each individual position forms only part of an (cid:145)internal(cid:146) calculation of the final sum to be paid. In the first
case individual amounts are to be converted and rounded while in the latter the finally invoiced amounts
will be relevant.

In general, the accuracy of the calculation can be increased by using a greater number of decimals when
converting so that no significant differences arise for the contracting parties as a result of the conversion.

(1) OJ L 162, 19.6.1997.
(2) http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy finance/document/europap/eup22de.htm.

(2001/C 340 E/266)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1444/01

by Fernando FernÆndez Mart(cid:237)n (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 May 2001)

Subject: Management of the European Social Fund in the Canary Islands

The answer of 13 October 2000 (1) to Written Question E-2331/00 on the same subject sparked off a lively
political debate widely reported across the regional press in the Canary Islands.

in the course of which she had informed him,

The debate prompted Mr JosØ Carlos Mauricio, spokesman for the CC (Canary Islands Coalition) grouping
in the Spanish parliament, to reveal that (cid:145)last week(cid:146) (sic) he had had a discussion with Commissioner
Diamantopoulou,
the existence of
a Commission report on the management of (cid:145)Community employment funds(cid:146) (as they are referred to in the
text), (cid:145)clearing the Canary Islands government of any wrongdoing and revealing that the only irregularities
discovered by Brussels were administrative errors(cid:146), which were (cid:145)very common in those Member States with
high levels of unemployment (Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece)(cid:146). According to Mr Mauricio, Commissioner
Diamantopoulou told him that the irregularities concerned were (cid:145)administrative errors resulting from
precipitate use of the funds(cid:146).

(cid:145)unofficially(cid:146), of

Will Commissioner Diamantopoulou, on the Commission(cid:146)s behalf, give details of or confirm the existence
of any recent report, study or document drawn up by the Commission in connection with the
management of programmes and/or projects financed by the European Social Fund in the Canary Islands?

Is it the case, as reported in the press, that Commissioner Diamantopoulou expressed the view that in
countries such as Spain,
Italy, Portugal and Greece errors of an administrative or other nature are
commonplace in the management of resources from the European Social Fund?

(1) OJ C 103 E, 3.4.2001, p. 120.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 2001)

The Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that no report or study has recently been
carried out on the management of programmes and/or projects funded by the European Social Fund (ESF)
in the Canary Islands.

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/231

In addition, the Commission can confirm that the Member of the Commission responsible for Employment
and Social Affairs has made no statements concerning the Canary Islands. She has, however, on several
occasions referred to the existence of irregularities or presumed irregularities in the various Member States.

(2001/C 340 E/267)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1446/01

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Non-application of Article 4(3) of Directive 90/220

(11 May 2001)

Can the Commission confirm that the relevant tests for carrying out checks to detect all genetically
modified plant varieties which are currently authorised or on the market in non-Member States are
available to the Commission and all the Member States? (Please answer yes or no).

Can the conclusion be drawn from the Commission(cid:146)s answer of 26 March 2001 to Question P-0197/01 (1)
of 29 January 2001 that the Commission as yet has no information concerning the extent to which spot
checks are carried out in which Member States?

Can the conclusion be drawn from answer No 4 to the same question that neither the Commission nor the
Member States are currently in a position to carry out checks to detect a possibly unauthorised deliberate
release of genetically modified organisms for the purpose of placing products on the market?

(1) OJ C 235 E, 21.8.2001, p. 153.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(22 June 2001)

The modification of plant varieties by gene technology which are currently approved in non-Member
States is based on a limited number of traits and accompanying regulatory sequences. These sequences are
commonly used and known in the scientific community. Based on this knowledge it is possible to detect
whether a product has been genetically modified or not, in a first step.

If this is the case, the genetic modification has to be identified in order to verify if it is an authorised
genetically modified organism (GMO). In order to do this, Member States can use the information on
inserted sequences contained in the notification dossiers when there has been an application for marketing
in the Community, irrespective of the fact that the product is authorized or the application is still pending.
If tests with such sequences specific to a particular genetic modification give a positive answer, one can
conclude that an authorised or pending GMO is present. Should these tests give a negative answer, such
a GMO would be classified as not approved or pending in the Community. If further sequence information
on such a non-approved GMO is seen to be necessary, this information has to be collected from other
reliable sources.

the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (not GMOs only for Living Modified
The implementation of
Organisms (LMOs), not for example soyameal) will i.e. provide for a further mechanism for the exchange
of such information. Furthermore the CODEX Ad Hoc Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology
aims at establishing a register or depository containing relevant information on methods for detection and
identification of GMOs or foods derived from GMOs and a Working Group under the chairmanship of
Germany has been established to this end.

The transfer of information on inspection and control measures is assured by a regular exchange with
Member States i.e. on the occasion of the Competent Authorities meetings, which are chaired by the
Commission.