WRITTEN QUESTION P-3141/01 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Problems with management of CSF rail projects in Greece.
Date: 2001-11-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community support framework, EU control, European Regional Development Fund, Greece, co-financing, rail network, use of aid

C 147 E/112

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2002

(2002/C 147 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3141/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 November 2001)

Subject: Problems with management of CSF rail projects in Greece

According to Greek press reports, the Commissioner responsible has written to the Greek Government to
point out that there are problems with Ergose’s management (running over budget, delays) of the projects
designed to modernise the rail network linking Patras, Athens, Thessaloniki and Evzoni, which are funded
by the CSF.

What was the original schedule for carrying out the above rail projects and what points of variance with
the schedule are there?

What was the original budget for these projects and which project has been completed with those funds?

If there are difficulties in carrying out the above projects, where do they lie and what does the Commission
propose to do to overcome them?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(25 January 2002)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written question P-3122/01 by
Mr Folias (1) as concerns the schedule, cost and points of variance relating to rail projects co-financed by
the Cohesion Fund to date, and the issues the Commission has raised with the Greek government.

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is also co-financing rail projects within the Pathe axis
under the Greek Community support framework (CSF) for the 1994-1999 programming period for a total
amount of € 245 million. Further co-funding is foreseen under the CSF for the actual 2000-2006 period
for an estimated amount of € 860 million.

The Greek authorities will make a final declaration of work completed under the previous CSF when they
submit the final report for the operational programme (OP) ‘Railways’ at the latest six months after the
operation has been finished. It is at that moment that the Commission will have a clear picture of what
has been completed with ERDF funding during the 1994-1999 period.

As regards the actual CSF, the Commission has asked the Greek government to provide a complete
overview of the action required to complete the Pathe railway axis, and a full statement of the progress
that is expected by the end of 2008, when eligibility for payments under this CSF expires, taking account
also of co-funding expected from the Cohesion Fund.

The Greek authorities sent on the 30 October 2001 a draft report on these issues. The Commission will
take contact with them in order to finalise it. When done, it should be attached as an annex to the OP
‘Railways, Airports, Urban Transports 2000-2006’.

In the same exchange of correspondence,
the changes in the
organisation of Ergose that the Greek government has introduced at the beginning of 2001, and intends to
undertake an expertise in the near future to check on the functioning of Ergose under these new
arrangements.

the Commission has taken note of

(1) See page 103.