WRITTEN QUESTION E-0383/03 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Substandard work in construction projects in Greece: findings by ESPEL and OLAF concerning measures to tackle the maladministration of EU funds.
Date: 2003-02-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU control, EU financing, European Anti-fraud Office, Greece, financial management, fraud, project management, public works

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/85

Concerning the issue of equal treatment in all Member States, the Commission wants to stress that it
welcomes the fact that the NMa has investigated and condemned infringements of European competition
law. This is fully in line with the Commission’s policy of decentralising and modernising the application of
European competition law. The Honourable Member will be aware that
these principles were the
underpinning elements for the recently completed reform of European antitrust rules (3). Regarding the
fines imposed, it should be noted that the NMa has imposed fines on all the companies and producer
organisations that took part in the practices described, in proportion to their contribution to the effects of
the prohibited agreements or practices on the Dutch market. Following the decision of the NMa and taking
account of its other enforcement priorities, the Commission does not intend to open an additional
procedure in this matter. The Danish and German competition authorities also have the competence to
apply articles 81 and 82 on their respective territory. However, each public authority sets its own
enforcement priorities.

(1) Council Regulation No 26 of 4 April 1962 applying certain rules of competition to the production of and trade in

agricultural products, OJ 30, 20.4.1962.

(2) OJ L 17, 21.1.2000.
(3) Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 of 16 December 2002 on the implementation of the rules on competition laid

down in Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty, OJ L 1, 4.1.2003.

(2004/C 11 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0383/03

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 February 2003)

Subject: Substandard work in construction projects in Greece: findings by ESPEL and OLAF concerning

measures to tackle the maladministration of EU funds

Bearing in mind the reply given by Commissioner Michel Barnier to my question E-3524/02 (1) in which
he stated that the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is notified by the national authorities about issues
relating to the maladministration of Community funds and construction projects in which serious
shortcomings have been detected that cannot be connected without the project being partly or completely
reconstructed (projects known as category III), will the Commission say:

1. How many projects receiving Community funding have so far been included in category III in the EU,
how many are located in Greece (the number and percentage) and what are they (please give a
detailed table or list of category III projects in Greece)?

2. When was OLAF last provided with information by the Greek authorities, concerning findings by the
national council for quality control (ESPEL) about category III projects and what was the content of
this information?

3. What is the amount of Community funds allocated to projects in which serious shortcomings have
been detected and how can the system for the Community funding if projects be protected from
substandard work?

4. Are the Kifisos projects and the Paiania bridge included in category III, and what penalties have been
imposed to punish substandard work or shortcomings in projects that have been executed, such as for
example the road in Drama which had to be closed after one week owing to shoddy workmanship?

(1) OJ C 155 E, 3.7.2003, p. 163.

C 11 E/86

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.1.2004

Answer given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(22 April 2003)

The term ‘category III’ is not used in Community law. It is used only by ESPEL (1) to refer to cases
1.
where serious shortcomings have been detected in the execution of construction projects in Greece
cofinanced by the Eurepan Communities and Greece (need for partial or complete demolition). The Greek
authorities have notified the Commission of several projects in the Community Support Framework 1994-
99 as containing serious shortcomings (irregularities).

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has received 41 notifications of serious shortcomings from the
Greek authorities under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1681/94 concerning irregularities and the
recovery of sums wrongly paid in connection with the financing of the structural policies and the
organisation of an information system in this field (2). Under Article 10 of the Regulation the Commission
is not authorised to disseminate the information thus notified.

2.

The Commission last received information from the Greek authorities in December 2002.

3.
The total amount of Community funds for the projects reported to OLAF in the framework of
Structural Funds (1994-1999) is EUR 26 841 671,30. At present, the Commission is unable to inform the
Honourable Member of the exact amount of Community funds affected by irregularities, as national
proceedings regarding a portion of these irregularities are still ongoing.

The Member States are in charge of management and have prime responsibility for the financial control of
actions cofinanced by the structural funds. Greece has indicated that it has done what is necessary,
including introducing quality control systems (ESPEL) and creating a new audit authority (EDEL). The
Commission takes appropriate measures where it is necessary,
including the application of financial
corrections.

The work on the Kifisos, the Paiania bridge and the Drama motorway are not among the category III

4.
projects audited by ESPEL and notified to the Commission to date.

(1) The special council for quality control, an independent body commissioned by the Greek authorities to monitor the

quality of projects cofinanced by the European Communities and the Greek government.

(2) OJ L 178, 12.7.1994.

(2004/C 11 E/090)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0403/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 February 2003)

Subject: Drugs and Greek prisons

The report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction entitled: ‘An overview study:
Assistance to drug users in European Union prisons’ on the use of drugs in prisons in the Member States
concludes that between 15 and 20 % of prisoners in the European Union have, or have had, problems
involving banned drugs and that the use of drugs in prisons is becoming more widespread because users
consider them an antidote to boredom and also as a means of getting accustomed to the restrictions of life
in prison and coping with bad news from ‘outside’ and aggressiveness.

Given the increase in the number of users in prison and given also that the European Union has specific
objectives and a programme for dealing with drug addiction, will the Commission say: does a specific
action programme exist for dealing with drug use among prisoners? What is the experience of Member
States in this field? What are its views about the Greek programme?