WRITTEN QUESTION P-1010/02 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission. Maladministration of the town twinning programme.
Date: 2002-04-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, action programme, management audit, operation of the Institutions, project management, twinning

C 205 E/246

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

(2002/C 205 E/273)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1010/02

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(4 April 2002)

Subject: Maladministration of the town twinning programme

I have been receiving repeated complaints about operational
Commission’s running of the town twinning programme.

failings and maladministration in the

Some of the symptoms of maladministration and despotism can be seen directly in the Commission’s call
for proposals DG EAC No 63/01 (1), which prohibits applications submitted by electronic means and
appeals against administrative decisions (point 5). The parties involved have drawn attention to other
problems such as the inability to supply information on the telephone, the inordinate time taken to answer
queries, late payments, mailing delays, and the fact that applications are declared void for unimportant
reasons that could easily be dealt with.

When will the Commission assess the performance of the departments concerned and, at all events, rectify
the infringements of Article 41 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, in particular paragraph 3
thereof?

(1) OJ C 283, 9.10.2001, p. 8.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2002)

The Commission attaches the utmost importance to town twinning and continues to maintain and
improve its support for it.

This is precisely the reason why the Commission, within the newly established Directorate general
Education and Culture decided to launch, in mid-2000, an internal audit into the administration of the
towntwinning grant scheme. This audit showed the need for a thorough reform of the town-twinning
grant scheme and the vital importance of developing a clear, predictable and efficient system. This new
system should better serve the beneficiaries while continuing to ensure the strict respect of the rules for the
award of grants.

After consulting the national and regional representatives of the town-twinning movement and with their
agreement, a system of call for proposals was introduced in November 2000, for the year 2001. It
represented a major change in the running of the town twinning scheme and, as could be expected,
entailed the need for a period of adaptation for the beneficiaries.

Conceived as a transitional arrangement, the new system was evaluated by the Commission in close
cooperation with the representatives of the towntwinning movement and the European Parliament Culture
Committee. The results of the review were confirmed during a meeting with town twinning organisations
and interested Members of the Parliament on 17 September 2001. Based on the results of the review a
revised system of call for proposals was introduced for 2002. It aims at simplification, clarity, transparency
and user-friendliness while still meeting the stringent Commission requirements for sound financial
the rate of
management. The experience during the first quarter of the year 2002 is encouraging;
applications refused for formal reasons is significantly lower than in 2001. The beneficiaries have
expressed overall satisfaction. The Commission will continue to have a close dialogue with the interested
parties in town-twinning area in order to eliminate as soon as possible the backlog resulting from the
previous management system and review and adapt the new scheme on an annual basis.

During the transitional period the Commission has paid particular attention to the communication aspect
of
the programme management. The correspondance system with the applicants (letters, e-mails,
telephone) has been developed and all official texts, forms, supporting documents and contact points
have been made available on a new and improved Internet site (1).

29.8.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/247

The call for proposals No 63/01 (2) and the administrative procedures of the town twinning grant scheme
correspond to the principles laid down by the Commission’s vade-mecum for grant management and by its
code of conduct for officials in their relation with the public, and respect the provisions of the article 41 of
the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

(1) http://europa.eu.intcomm/dgs/education_culture/towntwin/index_en.html.
(2) OJ C 283, 9.10.2001.

(2002/C 205 E/274)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1011/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Operation of the subsidised unit ‘Typopoiitiria Thivas’

(5 April 2002)

In its answer to my Question P-3402/01 (1) on the possible closure of ‘Typopoiitiria Thivas’ which has
been subsidised under Regulations (EEC) 355/77 (2) and 866/90 (3), the Commission expresses its interest in
the operation of the unit and states that it wrote to the Greek authorities on 23 November 2001
requesting them to give explanations and take corrective measures to ensure that the unit can operate
properly.

Will the Commission say whether it has received any reply to its letter of 23 November 2001 in which it
called on the Greek authorities to solve the problem rapidly? Does it know whether any procedure has
been set in motion to allow the unit to continue operating?

(1) OJ C 147 E, 20.6.2002.
(2) OJ L 51, 23.2.1977, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 91, 6.4.1990, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2002)

The Commission has not yet received an official reply from the Greek authorities and consequently has no
written information on whether a procedure to enable ‘Typopoiitiria Thivas’ to continue operating has
begun.

It has in the meantime received a complaint on the matter that it will deal with under the procedures in
force. In any event it rests with the Greek courts to rule in the dispute referred to them.

(2002/C 205 E/275)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1016/02

by Dirk Sterckx (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 April 2002)

Subject: Application of the ‘strawberry regulation’ to France’s obstruction of rail freight transport through

the Channel Tunnel

Regulation (EC) No 2679/98 (1), the so-called ‘strawberry regulation’, provides for a number of measures in
response to serious obstacles to the free movement of goods in a Member State.

France has been obstructing the free movement of goods by rail through the Channel Tunnel for months
now.