WRITTEN QUESTION P-0156/04 by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Commission's accounting systems.
Date: 2004-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, accounting, accounting system, administration of the Institutions, audit, business data processing

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/321

European country? What will happen in the case of passengers who do not have internet access or who
decide to make an international train journey only at the last minute? Will such passengers have to travel
without a valid ticket?

Are there other EU Member States where rail tickets to foreign destinations can no longer be
4.
purchased at stations? Is the Commission aware of Member States where railway companies are
considering phasing out such sales?

Does the Commission think it acceptable that, running against the trend forwards of European
5.
integration,
the rail network is increasingly being divided into national entities, which, because of
restrictions on ticket sales and connections, are becoming less accessible to passengers from other Member
States?

6. What action can the Commission take against Member States and rail companies to prevent a
situation where the rail network is accessible in a normal way only to passengers in their own Member
State?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(4 March 2004)

The Commission has noted the information supplied by the Honourable Member.

It is hard for the Commission to assess the consequences of this decision. The fact remains, however, that
the rules of international rail transport require all passengers to be in possession of a valid ticket before
boarding an international service.

The Commission does not know of any initiatives in other Member States to end the sale of international
tickets at ticket offices and replace it with other forms of distribution. However, it is aware of the initiative
by the International Union of Railways (UIC) to introduce a system containing information on all the rail
its members (1). The UIC has also begun developing a reservation and sales system for
services of
international tickets issued by its members (Prifis (2)). These two systems should make it easier to obtain
information on international services and to buy international tickets.

The Commission is continuing to work to create an integrated European rail area and on 3 March 2004 it
adopted the third railway package, a set of measures to open up the market in international passenger
services and establish the rights and duties of passengers in international rail traffic. These proposals
include provisions requiring railway undertakings to cooperate with a view to offering passengers
integrated tickets for journeys involving several railway undertakings.

(1) Merits: Multiple European Railway Integrated Timetable Storage.
(2) Prifis: Price and Fare Information System.

(2004/C 84 E/0369)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0156/04

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 January 2004)

Subject: Commission’s accounting systems

I understand that the Internal Audit Service,
in a report entitled ‘IAS Review of the Commission’s
Accounting Framework (cid:1) Final Report’ dated 15 April 2003, made a number of recommendations to the
Commission regarding the accounting systems.

C 84 E/322

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Has the Commission carried out an independent feasibility study on the re-engineering of the Commission
processes and the ‘off-the-shelf’ software solutions available on the market?

Has the Commission made available a project manager and an independent external consultant?

Could the Commission guarantee that there now exists an integrated accounting system fully compliant
with the Financial Regulations?

(2004/C 84 E/0370)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0161/04

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 January 2004)

Subject: Commission’s accounting systems

I understand the Internal Audit Service, in a report entitled ‘IAS Review of the Commission’s Accounting
Framework (cid:1) Final Report’ dated 15 April 2003, made a number of recommendations to the Commission
regarding the accounting systems.

Has the Commission established a central accounting department
responsible for budget activities?

independent

from the authority

Has the Commission ensured that each DG has a separate accounting entity to analyse and evaluate the
accounting aspects of the DG’s activities? Do these entities liaise with the central accounting department?

(2004/C 84 E/0371)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0162/04

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 January 2004)

Subject: Commission’s accounting systems

I understand the Internal Audit Service, in a report entitled ‘IAS Review of the Commission’s Accounting
Framework (cid:1) Final Report’ dated 15 April 2003, made a number of recommendations to the Commission
regarding the accounting systems.

Can the Commission verify that that the substantive quality assurance of its financial reporting practices
has been improved? How has this improvement been implemented in the DGs?

(2004/C 84 E/0372)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0163/04

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 January 2004)

Subject: Commission’s accounting systems

I understand the Internal Audit Service, in a report entitled ‘IAS Review of the Commission’s Accounting
Framework (cid:1) Final Report’ dated 15 April 2003, made a number of recommendations to the Commission
regarding the accounting systems.