WRITTEN QUESTION P-3052/03 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Suspension of the payment of Community appropriations for public works studies in Greece.
Date: 2003-10-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, award of contract, fund (EU), infringement of EU law, project evaluation, public works, suspension of aid, works contract

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/213

(2004/C 78 E/0218)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3052/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 October 2003)

Subject: Suspension of the payment of Community appropriations for public works studies in Greece

According to reports which have caused concern in the Greek Parliament, the Commission, in letters sent
by its competent services to the Greek Government and the corresponding directorates-general (letter from
the Commission concerning the trans-European energy and transport networks of 13 July 2003, letter
from the Transport Directorate-General of 28 July 2003 and letter from the Internal Market Directorate-
General of 13 August 2003), has announced that payments for the Egnatia motorway and for all studies
co-financed in Greece under the trans-European networks have been suspended and that it intends to bring
the relevant proceedings before the European Court of Justice on the grounds that Greece is in breach of
the rules governing the award of studies for public works.

In view of the serious nature of the decisions taken by the Commission’s competent directorates-general,
can the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Does the awarding of studies for public works in Greece pose any problem and if so, what specific

aspects are concerned?

2. Have payments for studies co-financed in the field of public works in Greece been suspended, which

projects are affected and what amounts of funding are involved?

3. Has it initiated the procedure for bringing Greece before the European Court of Justice and/or

imposing fines and requiring the repayment of appropriations?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(26 November 2003)

In the course of a regularly scheduled on-the-spot control mission concerning the Egnatia project, the
1.
studies of which are partly co-financed through the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) budget
line, some issues were identified, which showed that the practices in Greece for the award of study
contracts may not be compatible with public procurement rules and thus required further clarification. The
problem seems to be a mixing of the qualitative selection criteria with the criteria for the award of these
contracts.

The Commission is in close contact with the Greek authorities; in order to collect all necessary information
which would allow it to assess the issues raised.

2. Whilst awaiting the outcome of the compatibility assessment under the public procurement rules, the
Commission has decided to freeze payments for all studies benefiting from TEN-T support.

Therefore, payments will be suspended for 38 decisions (studies) which amount to EUR 82 million of the
total planned support, until the Greek authorities provide evidence of the compatibility of national rules or
practices with the Community legislation on public procurement.

Should the Commission reach the conclusion that an infringement of Community law is at stake, it

3.
will initiate the procedure foreseen under article 226 of the EC Treaty.