WRITTEN QUESTION E-1086/02 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Progress in implementing the Agricultural Development and Fisheries programmes in the third CSF in Greece.
Date: 2002-04-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community support framework, Greece, aid system, fisheries policy, operational programme, rural development

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/147

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 2002)

1.
The elements set out in the Honourable Member’s first question correspond to the information in our
possession with the following exceptions: first, the delivery date of the building of 1 January 2004 and the
cost of the renovation continue to be estimates; second, the total renovation cost for the basic building is
currently estimated at more than € 600 million, and third, after having published a tender in February
2002 for the short-term financing of the renovation works, the Belgian government decided, in March
2002, to finance the ongoing renovation work through a credit line provided by the Belgian treasury.

2.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Commission and the Belgian State on
17 July 2001 foresaw the signature of a contract fixing the price, the technical specifications and the
delivery date of the building before 31 December 2001. In the event, the contract was not signed by that
date because the responsible Belgian Minister, Rik Daems, wished first to have an audit of SA/NV
Berlaymont 2000 and an evaluation of the value of the building. The payment regime for the rental of the
substitution buildings has not been modified, payment still being made by the Belgian State.

3.
The discussions on the possible purchase of the building continue. In determining the price that the
Commission would consider paying, the Commission will base itself on its own analysis of the source of
delays in the execution of the renovation works and of subsequent price increases.

4.
Currently, the budget of the Union is not adversely affected either by the fact that the Berlaymont is
not available or by the significant delays in its delivery. The Belgian government continues to pay
€ 33 million for the rent of substitution buildings while the European Commission continues to pay
€ 14,2 million rent for the Berlaymont building.

5.
Due to the fact that negotiations are still underway the Honourable Member’s question on financial
and organisational implications cannot be answered in detail at this juncture. However, it is clear that the
Commission would look for alternatives to the Berlaymont if conditions, price and date relating to the
return to the building could not be satisfactorily concluded.

The decision of whether or not to reoccupy the Berlaymont is directly related to the success or

6.
otherwise in concluding the contract currently under discussion (see point 2).

(2002/C 277 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1086/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 April 2002)

Subject: Progress in implementing the ‘Agricultural Development’ and ‘Fisheries’ programmes in the third

CSF in Greece

Could the Commission state:

1. Whether it is satisfied with the initial progress of the ‘Agricultural Development’ and ‘Fisheries’
programmes in the third CSF in Greece?

2. What the reasons are for the problems which have been detected?

3. What view it
corresponding programmes in other EU Member States?

the progress of

takes of

these programmes in Greece as compared with the

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 May 2002)

On 4 April 2001 and on 28 March 2001, the Commission adopted the ‘National Operational
1.
Programme (NOP)-Rural Development
(2000-2006)’ and the ‘NOP-Fisheries (2000-2006)’ while the
corresponding Programming Complements were adopted on 2 July 2001 and on 8 June 2001 respectively.
Although Greece was one of the last of the fifteen Member States to adopt the programming documents,
the Commission considers that the delays observed are to a certain degree justifiable.

C 277 E/148

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Concerning the agriculture sector, other than the delays, some systematic weaknesses were identified
2.
during the verification mission and through other contacts by the Commission. The shortcomings were
notified to the Greek authorities of which the most important were: lack of appropriate premises at the
beginning of the programming period; understaffing of the managing authority; weakness of appropriate
implementing mechanisms,
level and various other
administrative and logistic deficiencies.

regional and departmental

including those at

However,
progress has been made with the programme since early 2002.

it should be underlined that in the meantime the implementation has been accelerated and

Concerning the fisheries sector, the delay in getting access to the public aid foreseen by the programme is
due to having comply with the internal procedures approving the national
legislation and individual
projects. This delay should start to be reduced from the second half of 2002.

3.
The Commission considers that it is too early to evaluate the progress achieved by both the ‘NOP-
Rural Development (2000-2006)’ and the ‘NOP-Fisheries (2000-2006)’ in comparison with the relevant
programmes in the other Member States. This might be the case within the context of the mid-term review
exercise foreseen early 2004, when the Commission will receive relevant reports providing an overview of
the progress and results achieved.

(2002/C 277 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1088/02

by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Tampering with odometers in private cars

(18 April 2002)

According to a report by the British television channel the BBC (‘Lifting the bonnet’ series, programme
broadcast on 21 March 2002), the phenomenon of tampering with odometers (‘clocking’) of used private
cars with the aim of increasing the car’s sale value has increased sharply in Europe. For example, one in
12 second-hand cars for sale in England has had its odometer tampered with so as to show fewer miles
than have actually been covered.

Does the Commission therefore intend to set up a body to monitor practices such as these in order to
protect European consumers?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(4 June 2002)

There have been in the past reports to the Commission about the issue raised in the BBC’s ‘Lifting the
Bonnet’ programme, which concerned odometer tampering or ‘clocking’ as the term is called, in order to
increase the perceived market value of a vehicle.

At present, there is no mechanism for controlling the practice at community level.

However, the Community has responsibility for Directives concerning roadworthiness testing and has a
technical committee to advise on how this legislation can be adapted in the interest of road safety and
protection of the environment and the consumers.

The Commission intends to raise the issue at a future meeting of this committee.