WRITTEN QUESTION P-1953/01 by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Programme of assistance to Palestinian society.
Date: 2001-06-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, EU programme, Palestine question, aid programme, management

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/7

(2002/C 134 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1953/01

by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Programme of assistance to Palestinian society

(26 June 2001)

In January 2001 the European Court of Auditors published a special report on the management by the
Commission of the programme of assistance to Palestinian society (1).

1.

Is the Commission aware of this report?

In the special report, the Court of Auditors makes a number of recommendations.

2. What has the Commission done to follow up these recommendations?

Can the Commission give a summary of the cases to which funds were allocated from 1994 and

3.
1999 inclusive?

(1) Special report No 19/2000, OJ C 32, 31.1.2001.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 2001)

The Commission is indeed aware of this report.

Its responses to the recommendations in paragraph 91 of the report are as follows:

(a) A central theme of the overall Commission plans for reform, announced on 16 May 2000, is to focus
scarce resources on core activities. In future the geographic departments of the Directorates General
for External Relations and Development will focus on programming ie the strategic policy decisions
on funding allocations per sector, to be established in close dialogue with the beneficiary countries.
The involvement of Member States will in future focus on policies and strategies, rather than on
micro-management of projects.

(b) The new Office responsible for the implementation of Community assistance (see (d) below) should
also remedy the very serious staff shortfalls, while terminating the current dependency on outside
consultants for the fulfillment of Commission tasks. The European Commission Representative Office
(ECRO) should be considerably reinforced.

Israel has recently agreed to an augmentation of staff at the ECRO. Any further discussion with Israel
on ECRO, especially its status and its physical location, depends on the outcome of the final political
settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

(c) Further efforts are being made to rationalise systems and procedures in general. The MEDA (1)
regulations have been revised in September 2000. Commission proposals which would lead to a
simplification of procedures have not yet been positively received by Member States in the
MED-Committee.

A new manual of instructions relating to contracting procedures has been in use since the beginning
of 2000. Such procedures necessarily have a degree of complexity in order to avoid undue claims or
legal disputes which could lead to delays. Other areas, however, such as the procedures for approving
Country Strategies, National Indicative Programmes and Annual Work plans are being looked at with
a view to simplify matters. This, coupled with the reform of the external services, should lead to
improved results.

(d) The Commission decided on 16 May 2000 that the project cycle will be unified. The majority of
Community assistance programmes,
including those to Palestine, are managed by a new body,
responsible for all project stages from identification to full implementation. The Office reports to a
Board, comprising the External Relations Commissioners.

C 134 E/8

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

(e) New working methods have been introduced for the geographical departments and the Office, and the
consistency and quality of programming will be closely monitored. Evaluation will be given a
substantially higher profile.

(f) The logical

framework, which normally is attached to every financing proposal, makes specific
provision for objectively verifiable indicators, (mainly constraints of staff and time to ensure sufficient
attention to detail in the process of preparing/designing projects), but indicators are indeed sometimes
inadequate. In this regard the Commission’s decision of 16 May 2000 (2) on the reform of its external
assistance programmes makes specific provision to further strengthen both its methodology and its
training arrangements. In the last few years the Commission has greatly expanded training in project
preparation for both headquarters and field staff, as well as for counterpart officials of partner
governments.

(1) MEDA = Financial and technical measures to accompany the reform of economic and social structure in the

framework of the euro-mediterranean partnership.

(2) SEC(2000) 814.

(2002/C 134 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1965/01

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Pine-tree processionary caterpillar in Greece

(5 July 2001)

Can the Commission state whether it is aware of the problems caused by the pine-tree processionary
caterpillar in Greece and what corrective action it is taking or intends to take?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2001)

forest

(Thaumetopoea pityocampa
Defoliation of
Denis & Schiffermüller) has been a problem for some time now in the southern regions of the Union.
The worst affected species are the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) and the Corsican pine (Pinus nigra). As a
rule, trees attacked by the caterpillar are stunted, but they do not usually die as a result of defoliation.

the pine processionary

caterpillar

trees by

In the autumn and winter of 2000, damage in Greece was mainly observed near large cities, such as
Athens and Salonika. According to the inventory of damage in Greece in 2000 drawn up by the
Community forest monitoring network, out of a total sample of 422 pines covered by 22 observation
points, 29 % of Aleppo pines and 25 % of Corsican pines had been damaged by pine processionary
caterpillars.

Forest health protection is a matter for the local authorities. In Greece, both biological control (treatments
using Bacillus thuringiensis) and mechanical treatments were applied in autumn 2000 in the worst affected
areas, mainly in or near towns and villages. The treatments will be repeated in autumn 2001.

(2002/C 134 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1985/01

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(6 July 2001)

Subject: Promoting the use of marker vaccines

It has been noted in recent months and years that when there are outbreaks of infectious animal diseases
like swine fever or foot and mouth, the policy of mass slaughter of animals in certain countries has run up
against increasing resistance from the public.