WRITTEN QUESTION E-0113/04 by Raina Echerer (Verts/ALE)and Eurig Wyn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Maltese language for the next parliamentary term.
Date: 2004-01-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Malta, accession to the European Union, administrator, cultural heritage, information profession, official language, vocational training

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/487

St Lucia since 1985 has totalled EUR 98 million, including EUR 58 million from Stabex transfers (Stabex
was a scheme under the Lomé Conventions to compensate ACP countries for falls in export earnings from
certain primary crops) and EUR 24,2 million in European Investment Bank (EIB) loans and risk capital.

for Community-based Heritage Tourism was indeed financed and
Under Stabex funds, a project
implemented. Implementation was finished during 2003. The value of the project was EUR 2 million. As
a result of this project, a natural park open to the public was established. Furthermore, the project
promoted eco-tourism within the private sector.

The implementation followed normal EDF procedures under the Stabex framework; detailed work plans
were prepared, on the basis of which funds were advanced. The finalisation report on project
implementation,
including all the financial data and the accounts, was received by the Delegation on
18 February 2004 and is in the process of being thoroughly analysed. A specific audit for the above
mentioned project is foreseen, and is expected to commence in early March 2004. In addition, a detailed
and comprehensive audit by independent external auditors for the entire Stabex programmes is currently
being undertaken, which should be finished by mid-2004.

The Commission and the Government of Saint Lucia take very seriously any allegations of the misuse of
funds. The Government, for its part, is also making exhaustive enquiries into the matter.

Jane Tipson was a member of the Eastern Caribbean Coalition for environmental awareness (ECCEA). This
organisation was the beneficiary of a grant funded under the Environment budget line (B7 6200) for a
project entitled ‘a regional
initiative to promote community based nature tourism, environmental
education and conservation of island ecosystems in the Eastern Caribbean’. This project started in April
2000 and ended on 31 December 2003. The project cost was EUR 1,7 million of which the Commission
contributed EUR 1,4 million. Within this project, which had a regional scope, some activities took place in
Saint Lucia, including some activities related to communication and promotion of eco-tourism and sound
environmental management in the Eastern Caribbean.

The Commission deeply regrets the death of Jane Tipson. The suspected murderer has been arrested, and
normal judicial procedures are being followed.

(2004/C 88 E/0500)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0113/04

by Raina Echerer (Verts/ALE)
and Eurig Wyn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 January 2004)

Subject: Maltese language for the next parliamentary term

Languages are one of Europe’s greatest assets, therefore it is vital that the European institutions protect and
promote the diversity of
languages and cultures in Europe. Both the European Parliament and the
Commission have always given importance to having proper working tools in order to translate and
interpret into all the official
it has been brought to our
languages of the European Union. However,
attention that it is likely that there will be a shortage of translators and interpreters in the Maltese
language. Thus, there is a strong risk that Maltese parliamentarians and officials will not be able to use
Maltese in any EU institution, as from 1 May 2004.

As part of the enlargement process, Malta should have been able to supply enough interpreters and
translators in order for Maltese to be an official
language of the European institutions. However, the
current university course for such disciplines held at the University of Malta has only been activated this
year for the first time, on a part-time basis which has not provided a sufficient number of professionals in
this field.

Does the Commission know for what reasons this part of the enlargement process has not been

1.
respected?

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Official Journal of the European Union

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8.4.2004

2. Would it be possible for the Commission to address this situation by offering financial assistance to
the University of Malta so that the above course is run on a full-time basis, thus enabling Maltese
interpreters and translators to qualify in a shorter space of time?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 March 2004)

The Commission shares the view that diversity of languages and cultures is an asset for the Union that
should be preserved. The recognition of the Maltese language as an EU official
language reflects this
principle.

The organisation and content of training is the responsibility of the national authorities. In the framework
of enlargement preparations the Commission has had a number of contacts with the Maltese authorities
and interested bodies over the last two years on the subject of training interpreters and translators. These
discussions emphasised the need for appropriate and timely preparations in order to ensure the supply of
suitably qualified translators and particularly interpreters since there was no tradition of interpreting in
Maltese.

The severity of the shortage of qualified translators and interpreters in the Maltese language only became
fully evident to the Commission when it launched a call for applications mid-2003. The limited number of
qualified applications received gave concrete evidence of this shortcoming, obviously related to the small
size of the Maltese population. At the same time, the Commission undertook to set up in Malta a
translation field office in order to assist the Maltese authorities in finding a solution to this problem.

The Commission is currently considering supporting the Maltese authorities, with financial assistance, in
organising training courses for interpreters and translators. However the Commission’s experience shows
that these courses need to be organised carefully and to full professional standards if the trained translators
and interpreters are to have the qualifications required by EU institutions. The Commission is working
with the Maltese authorities to ensure, as quickly as possible, this outcome.

(2004/C 88 E/0501)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0202/04

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 January 2004)

Subject: Lack of clarity in the rules excluding firms from applying for projects funded by the EU

the European
The ‘Practical Guide to contract procedures
Communities in the context of external actions’ sets out the rules on application and selection procedures
for projects funded by the EU.

financed from the general budget of

Despite being revised in 2003, this guide is, in part, too stringent, and yet it leaves too much room for
interpretation with regard to applications by companies and experts. On conflicts of interest for example,
Section 2.3.6 is so strict that it excludes firms that had participated in the preparation of a project from
participating in tenders based on this preparatory work. This criterion applies to all firms within the same
legal group, including international firms, regardless of the share one may have in the other, even when
this is as low as 1 %. It is entirely possible that precisely these applicants would achieve the best results.

Furthermore, a number of rules are ambiguously worded, and different delegations therefore intrepret them
in different ways, leading to misunderstandings in the selection procedure, which means that the best
possible results are not necessarily achieved.