WRITTEN QUESTION P-3447/01 by Karla Peijs (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Official languages within the EU institutions.
Date: 2001-12-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financial instrument, EU institution, environmental protection, invitation to tender, linguistic discrimination, official language, use of languages

18.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 172 E/55

Does not the Commission think that it has introduced linguistic discrimination into this call for tenders
and is thus guilty of distortion of competition?

Can the Commission supply precise details and results relating to all those who responded to this call for
tenders in accordance with the selection criteria laid down in the Technical Annex?

(1) OJ 17, 6.10.1958, p. 385; OJ English special edition: Series-I (52-58) p. 59.

(2002/C 172 E/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3447/01

by Karla Peijs (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 December 2001)

Subject: Official languages within the EU institutions

On 10 July 2001 the Commission published in Official Journal S 130 a call for tenders (D1/ASS/2001/
0053) for the provision of assistance and technical support for the tasks relating to the actions in the LIFE
environment programme which are funded in the 15 EU Member States and certain applicant countries.

Paragraph 1.6(c) of the Technical Annex to the call for tenders is concerned with the selection criteria and
the required composition of the team and it is clearly stated:

‘The team-leader and the deputy team leader as well as other staff with co-ordination responsibilities
vis-à-vis the Commission should, in addition to an active knowledge of English and/or French, have at least
languages for all
a passive knowledge of the other language. These two languages will be the official
contacts with the Commission.’

Under Articles 21 and 290 of the Treaty, which lay down the rules relating to language use within the EU
institutions and are enacted by means of Article 2 of Council Regulation No 1/58 (1), there are 11 official
languages through the medium of which the EU institutions are required to work, communicate, establish
contact and divulge their activities, decisions, documents and acts.

languages of the
What is the legal basis for the stipulation that English and French are the official
European Union for all contacts with the Commission in this tender ? is this not in fact contrary to the
Treaty and Regulation No 1/58 and does not the Commission think that there should first be a public
debate and decision?

Does not the Commission think that it has introduced linguistic discrimination into this call for tenders
and is thus guilty of distortion of competition?

Can the Commission supply precise details and results relating to all those who responded to this call for
tenders in accordance with the selection criteria laid down in the Technical Annex?

(1) OJ 17, 6.10.1958, p. 385; OJ English special edition: Series-I (52-58) p. 59.

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-3404/01, P-3405/01, P-3446/01 and P-3447/01
given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(26 March 2002)

The LIFE Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1655/2000 (1) of the European Parliament and of the Council of
17 July 2000 concerning the Financial Instrument for the Environment) provides that 5 % of the available
in particular to evaluate, monitor and
appropriations are to be allocated to accompanying measures,
promote the actions undertaken under LIFE.

Under this provision of the Regulation, the Directorate-General for the Environment published call for
tenders ENV.D1/ASS/2001/0053 for the provision of assistance for tasks relating to actions under the
LIFE-environment programme.

C 172 E/56

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

The technical annex to the call requires that the selected team cover all EU languages so that it can
maintain contacts with the beneficiaries in all Member States and monitor the projects they receive in all
EU languages.

reasons, and to facilitate communication between all

For practical
team members and with the
Commission, the working and communication languages are limited to two (English and French). The
team leader and staff responsible for coordination with the Commission should, in addition to an active
knowledge of English and/or French, have a passive knowledge of the other language. These are the
working languages which are used by the staff of the LIFE programme management unit and in the
working documents of that unit.

As it is contained in a specific technical assistance contract, this language requirement does not call into
question the rules governing languages in the EU.

Such a requirement is not a distortion of the market. The aim is to ensure the quality and coherence of the
team’s work and thereby its efficiency.

Out of the five tenders received, three complied with the linguistic selection criteria.

The results of the evaluation of the selection criteria for all tenders received are being sent directly to the
Honourable Members and to the Secretariat-General of the Parliament.

(1) OJ L 192, 28.7.2000.

(2002/C 172 E/061)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3423/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(21 December 2001)

Subject: World Cup 2002 ? Commission cooperation with the Japanese and Korean authorities

Is the Commission planning to coordinate the provision of information to the Japanese and Korean
authorities regarding European Union citizens who have been convicted of football-related offences in a
Member State or deported from a Member State, so that the Japanese and Korean authorities may control
entry to the World Cup matches in June 2002.

If it is planning to assist in the provision of this information, how will it ensure that the individuals are
informed that they may be refused entry?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(19 February 2002)

The Commission is not planning to coordinate the provision of information related to Union citizens to
the Japanese and Korean authorities in the context of the World Cup matches in 2202 and has no
competence to do so.

In addition, since the next World Championship will be held in Asia, the Commission has no specific
information regarding the organisation of the tournament.

The Commission is aware however that some Member States are in contact with the organising countries
? Korea and Japan ? as regards the possible supply of information on their national supporters so as to
enable the organising countries to better prepare their security measures. The extent to which Union
citizens will be informed that their personal data is being transmitted to the Japanese and Korean
authorities depends on the law of their Member State.

As the Honourable Member knows, there has been a successful development of the co-operation between
law enforcement services of the Member States on public order and security during sporting events
organised inside the Union over the past few years.