WRITTEN QUESTION E-2617/01 by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The Netherlands' problems with the ESF record-keeping system in 1994-1999.
Date: 2001-09-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, European Commission, European Social Fund, Netherlands, information technology industry, software

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/61

Under the Cohesion Fund, the Commission appraises and approves projects or groups of projects,
submitted by the Spanish authorities, on their individual merits in the context of the regulations in force.
A series of such projects have been approved to date and the Commission publishes regularly information
on these. Some of these may have been included by the Spanish authorities in their National Hydrological
Plan and it is a matter for these authorities to identify whether or not this is the case. The same reasoning
applies to projects applications which are in the course of appraisal by the Commission and which will be
announced if and when approved.

As far as the Structural funds are concerned, these operate on a programme basis. In October 2000, the
Commission approved the Community Support Framework (CSF) 2000-2006 for the Spanish Objective 1
regions. One of the priorities set out in this Framework is ‘Environment, Natural Environment and Water
Resources’. In the context of this priority and in accordance with the operational programmes based on
the CSF, the Spanish authorities have selected and will continue to select projects for assistance from the
Structural Funds. The Commission is informed of the selected projects in the context of the monitoring
system set up under the CSF and becomes directly involved in regard to aid rates in the case of major
projects (€ 50 million or more). Again it is up to the Spanish authorities to identify whether or not
selected projects have been included by them in their National Hydrological Plan.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1264/1999 of 21 June 1999 amending Regulation (EC) No 1164/94 establishing a
Cohesion Fund, and Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June laying down general provisions on the
Structural Funds both published in OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2002/C 134 E/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2617/01

by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 September 2001)

Subject: The Netherlands’ problems with the ESF record-keeping system in 1994-1999

The report on the inquiry ordered by the Netherlands Government into the use of ESF funds between
1994 and 1999 and chaired by Mr H. E. Koning (hereafter referred to as the Koning report) mentions a
number of problems with the system made available under licence by the European Union for the purpose
of keeping records on the administration of the ESF during that period. The Koning report states that there
was a problem caused by the millennium bug. Eventually the system which was being used in the
Netherlands was replaced, giving rise to delays in reporting.

Did the Netherlands Government immediately inform the Commission of the complaints about and

1.
problems with the system provided by the EU?

2.

3.

Did other Member States have similar problems with and complaints about the system?

Did the Commission take measures to eliminate the causes of dissatisfaction?

Is there any truth in the suggestion that the record-keeping system was affected by the millennium

4.
bug? If so, why has this not been acknowledged previously?

5.
Is the Commission aware that it took the Netherlands Government more than a year to obtain a
replacement for the system which had been supplied? Did the Commission offer alternatives? Did the
Netherlands Government request advice from the Commission regarding both the administrative record-
keeping system and the consequences for reporting on the ESF?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2001)

1.
First contacts between the Commission and Arbvo to implement a new version of the software used
for the Dutch regional European Social Fund (ESF) application took place in 1998. September 1999 and

C 134 E/62

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

October 1999 were selected as the period for implementation. Unfortunately, a critical hardware part that
was to be provided by Arbvo, was missing and also a number of key players on the Dutch side were not
available at
the implementation. The Dutch side was only ready for
implementation as of April 2000 and implementation finally took place in June 2000 and July 2000.
This was almost one year later than originally foreseen. However all through this period the original
software remained fully operational.

the period envisaged for

2.
The regional ESF application is specific to the Netherlands. This system was developed on the basis of
the needs of ‘Arbeidsvoorziening’ and not those of the Community. The Commission did pay the cost of
this pilot project. It has also provided Dutch authorities with the software licences. Other Member States
did not use this system.

The installation of a new, more powerful system, originally planned for September 1999 and

3.
October 1999 was meant to eliminate any causes of dissatisfaction.

4.
There was no millennium problem with respect to the original software. This software does make it
impossible to input new projects after 31 December 1999 at the expense of the 1994-1999 programming
period because this is not permitted by Article 7 of Decision EN/05/94/12840100. P00, which States that
the assistance has to be committed before 31 December 1999. This deliberate restriction has been falsely
interpreted as a millennium bug problem.

5. Without further consulting the Commission, the Arbvo team decided to switch off the existing
system at the beginning of January 2000. As a consequence most of projects committed in time before the
end of 1999 were no longer introduced into the project database and the system lost its value as a
programme management tool.

(2002/C 134 E/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2619/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Council

(27 September 2001)

Subject: Council meeting of 25/26 June 2001

Will the Council state whether any votes were taken in the General Affairs Council on 25/26 June 2001
and if so, how many and on what matters?

Will it further record the votes of all those who voted on each issue during the meeting?

(2002/C 134 E/062)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2621/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Council

(27 September 2001)

Subject: Council meeting of 27/28 June 2001

Will the Council state whether any votes were taken in the Transport and Telecommunications Council on
27/28 June 2001 and if so, how many and on what matters?

Will it further record the votes of all those who voted on each issue during the meeting?