WRITTEN QUESTION E-0465/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Establishment of four ginned cotton quality control centres in Greece.
Date: 2002-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community support framework, EU financing, Greece, administrative structures, cotton, public institution, qualitative analysis

C 205 E/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

(2002/C 205 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0465/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 February 2002)

Subject: Establishment of four ginned cotton quality control centres in Greece

A scheme to set up four ginned cotton quality control, classification and standardisation centres with a
purpose of creating modern infrastructures to improve the quality and marketing of Greek cotton has been
included in the second CSF and in the regional operational programmes for Eastern Macedonia ( Thrace,
Central Macedonia, Thessaly and Eastern Mainland Greece. According to the project timetable, these four
centres were due to be completed and to begin operating by the end of 1999.

1. Will the Commission say at what stage has construction work reached in each of the four centres?
What funding has so far been allocated to them? How and when will they be completed and begin
operating?

2. What guarantees has the Commission received about the proper functioning of the centres, given
that the Cotton Organisation, which had been designated as the competent body, has been abolished and
its specialised staff who were due to work at the centres have been transferred to other services?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 March 2002)

The situation as regards progress on the four regional centres is as follows:

( for the regional programmes for Central Macedonia and Continental Greece, preparatory studies were
finalised under the 1994-1999 Community Support Framework (CSF), costing € 0,3 million for each
of the two centres. Construction and fitting out of the centres is scheduled under the 2000-2006 CSF
in accordance with the procedures laid down there, i.e. submission of a data sheet to the respective
managing authorities for the two programmes, to be evaluated on the basis of the selection criteria
adopted by the programme Monitoring Committees;

( for the regional programmes for East Macedonia ( Thrace and Thessaly, the studies and construction
work were finalised under the 1994-1999 CSF at a total cost of € 1,51 million and € 3,79 million
respectively. The equipment is to be purchased under the 2000-2006 CSF in accordance with the
same procedure as outlined above.

All four centres were proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture which is studying the setting up of a
management body for the centres since the Cotton Organisation which was to oversee their operation no
longer exists. The selection criteria adopted clearly prevent the programme managing authorities from
taking any decision unless the respective data sheets clearly guarantee that the part-financed projects will
function properly. The Commission is aware of the fact that the managing body for the centres has not yet
been established and will follow this matter closely.

(2002/C 205 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0477/02

by Gianfranco Dell’Alba (NI) to the Commission

(22 February 2002)

Subject: Infringement procedure No 1999/4715 concerning the ‘Lotto Zero’ project: alternative to state

road SS 80 between Teramo and Giulianova

On 26 July 2001 the Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Italy concerning the infringement of
Directive 85/337/EEC (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment.