WRITTEN QUESTION E-0507/02 by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Report by the Netherlands Court of Audit on management of ESF3 funds by ministries, 1994-1999.
Date: 2002-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, European Social Fund, Netherlands, financial management, management audit

C 205 E/154

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

The investigation, concluded in 2000, took all the information on recorded accidents and information
collected from the competent authorities in the Member States into account. The full results of this
investigation were communicated to the European Parliament as part of petition 280/99, the answer to
oral question 21/00 (2) and various answers given by the Commission to parliamentary questions,
in
particular the joint reply to questions E-2630/00 by Mr Moreira Da Silva (3), 2631/00 by Mrs Damião (3)
and 2632/00 by Mr Lage (3).

The Commission, assisted by the Committee on Product Safety Emergencies for Directive 92/59/EEC, on
the basis of the data and information collected, concluded that the risks posed by these products were
similar to those posed by small toys in general or by toys containing small parts.

In other words, the ‘association’ of a non-food and a food product, where the two products have separate
packaging, was not identified as a specific risk factor, because it was not possible at that stage to establish
a cause-and-effect link between, on the one hand, a toy in its own separate packaging and, on the other
hand, the risk of accident. The risk would depend on the actual features of the non-food product or its
packaging, and in particular small toys or those with small parts. The safety of the latter is, moreover,
governed by Council Directive 88/378/EEC of 3 May 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States concerning the safety of toys (4).

(1) OJ L 228, 11.8.1992.
(2) Oral answer of 14.4.2000.
(3) OJ C 136 E, 8.5.2001.
(4) OJ L 187, 16.7.1988.

(2002/C 205 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0507/02

by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 February 2002)

Subject: Report by the Netherlands Court of Audit on management of ESF3 funds by ministries,

1994-1999

the Netherlands Court of Audit published the report

‘ESF3-geld ministeries
On 7 February 2002,
1994-1999’
(Management of ESF3 funds by ministries, 1994-1999). The Court examined records
concerning checks performed on projects in respect of which ESF3 subsidies were granted to the
Ministries of Education, Health, Justice and Agriculture between 1994 and 1999. It observed shortcomings
in connection with projects managed by all the ministries concerned. The faults noted were inadequate
records on participants, hours worked and projects and the quoting of expenses which were not eligible
for subsidy.

Is the Commission aware of the report ‘ESF3-geld ministeries 1994-1999’ of 7 February 2002 by the

1.
Netherlands Court of Audit?

Does the Commission agree that this report contains relevant new facts which could affect the final

2.
settlement of ESF accounts for the periods 1994-1996 and 1996-1998?

3. Was the Commission aware of the role of the Ministries of Education, Justice, Health and Agriculture
in connection with the ESF, and of the shortcomings observed by the Netherlands Court of Audit, such as
inadequate records on participants, hours worked and projects and the quoting of expenses which were
not eligible for subsidy?

4.
A number of the ministries concerned likewise carry out projects funded by the ERDF (European
Regional Development Fund), EAGGF-Guidance (European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund @
Guidance Section) and FIFG (Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance). Has the Commission checked
whether the same shortcomings as have been observed in connection with ESF funds were also occurring
in connection with these other funds and if so, what were its findings?

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/155

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(17 May 2002)

The Commission was made aware of the report by the media and has studied the report, which is

1.
published on the Internet site of the Dutch Court of Auditors.

2.
The report refers to facts which may affect the final declaration of the European Social Fund (ESF)
expenditure for the period 1994-1999 and its financial settlement. The Commission will investigate this
matter in collaboration with the Dutch authorities.

3.
The ministries of Education, Justice, Health and Agriculture have received ESF support to finance
projects. The Commission was not aware of specific irregularities in the management, by the ministries
referred to, of ESF projects. The Dutch authorities are in the process of carrying out comprehensive
controls of ESF-funded projects, including projects implemented by these ministries. These controls will
certainly reveal irregularities if they happened.

During the period mentioned, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) cofunded Dutch
4.
programmes under Objectives 1, 2 and 5b, as well as Community Initiative Programmes (CIPs) such as
Urban and Interreg. Unlike the European Social Fund, these programmes were run by the local authorities,
generally by provinces or groups of provinces, and not by the ministries to which the honourable member
has referred.

The management and control systems and the managing bodies differ according to the Structural Funds
concerned, and the level of risk should therefore also be different. As yet, the checks and audits the
Commission has carried out on projects cofunded under the ERDF have revealed no irregularities of the
kind mentioned by the honourable member and observed by the Dutch Court of Auditors.

The Regional Policy Directorate-General (DG REGIO) proposes to carry out closure audits on a sample of
programmes from the period in question, taking into account the risk of this type of shortcoming.

The projects financed by the Guidance section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund
(EAGGF) and the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) are also quite different from those
financed by the ESF and the Commission has not, so far, identified such problems as with ESF in relation
to EAGGF and FIFG projects. The Commission carries out regular on-the-spot checks in the Member States
and for both programmes control visits to The Netherlands are planned in 2002. Furthermore, during the
closure of the relevant 1994-1999 programmes, the Commission will carefully examine the follow-up of
the shortcomings and irregularities detected,
findings of the Dutch Court of
Auditors.

including the relevant

(2002/C 205 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0509/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 February 2002)

Subject: Management of electronic waste

The management of electronic waste (computers, printers, fax machines etc.) is a problem assuming ever
greater proportions as the volume increases year by year. In 1998 alone, the European Union reportedly
produced 8 million tonnes of such waste.

1. What risks to public health are associated with the uncontrolled dumping of electronic waste?

2. What measures will the Commission take to ensure that an integrated approach is taken to the
management of electronic waste?