WRITTEN QUESTION E-2807/01 by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Possible irregularities in the EQUAL assistance programme.
Date: 2001-10-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU control, EU programme, Germany, anti-discriminatory measure, application of EU law, fraud, invitation to tender, technical cooperation, work

C 134 E/112

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

(2002/C 134 E/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2807/01

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Possible irregularities in the EQUAL assistance programme

The aim of the EQUAL Community programme, financed by the European Social Fund, is to ‘promote
new means of combating all forms of discrimination and inequalities in connection with the labour
market, through transnational cooperation’ (1).

Has the Commission any information about possible irregularities involving the award, in the year 2000,
of a contract for technical assistance worth approximately EUR 20 million for the ‘EQUAL support
structure’ by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs?

If so, can the Commission indicate:

6 what those irregularities are?

6 to what extent the implementation of the programme was affected thereby?

6 what steps it has taken or plans to take in this matter?

6 whether there have also been irregularities in the award of other contracts for technical assistance (e.g.

in the XENOS programme) by the Federal Ministry?

(1) OJ C 127, 5.5.2000.

Answer given by Ms Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2001)

The Commission is in the process of analysing the tendering procedure followed by the Federal Ministry of
Labour in order to check whether the Community rules on public contracts were complied with for the
selection of the Technical Assistance Office (TAO) responsible for implementing the EQUAL programme.

If the Commission’s analysis were to conclude that the Community rules on the awarding of public
contracts had not been complied with and, consequently, that the co-financing for this contract by the
European Social Fund (ESF) should be refused, the implementation of the EQUAL programme in Germany
could certainly suffer as a result. The Commission has already asked the German authorities to take all the
necessary steps to ensure normal
implementation of the programme if this hypothesis were to be
confirmed and the contract subsequently had to be annulled or cancelled.

The Commission is currently examining other contracts entered into by the Federal Ministry of Labour that
combine a transfer of powers from the public authority to private-law third parties (Beleihungsverträge)
with other services. Its intention is to verify that the Community rules for awarding public contracts have
been properly complied with.

(2002/C 134 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2810/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 October 2001)

Subject: EU policy on cultural affairs

The Commission’s Directorate-General
for Education and Culture is staffed in general by competent,
permanent, temporary and auxiliary officials. Commissioner Reding has shown herself to be particularly
committed to protecting Europe’s cultural heritage but she is not responsible for the composition or