WRITTEN QUESTION No. 261/98 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Dissolution of the Greek Productivity Centre (ELKEPA)
C 223/150 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 7. 98 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (19 March 1998) Over the past few months Greece has notified the Commission under Article 93(3) of the EC Treaty of several compensation measures for losses suffered by farmers because of natural disasters (floods, hail, fire, heavy snowfall, etc). Conformity of such measures is examined under the terms of Article 92(2)(b) of the EC Treaty. To apply that provision, the Commission drew up a framework requiring a minimum intensity of damage to aid recipients and stipulating that excessive compensation must not be paid for damage incurred. Within that framework, restriction of the aid to a region, crop or type of farmer is a political choice for which responsibility is borne entirely by the national authorities and this cannot be challenged under Articles 92 to 94 of the EC Treaty. (98/C 223/197) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0261/98 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (13 February 1998) Subject: Dissolution of the Greek Productivity Centre (Elkepa) The Greek Productivity Centre is a body which has made a continuous and active contribution to the Greek economy over the last 44 years and plays a significant role in the Association of European Productivity Centres of which it holds the vice-presidency. Today the Elkepa is responsible, inter alia, for implementing programmes funded by the European Union in the following sectors: training (the Community initiatives NOW, Horizon, Youthstart, etc. ,), the modernization of the Public Administration in the field of the national entrepreneurial programme, Kleisthenis, inter-state cooperation programmes, such as PHARE and RETEX and bilateral inter-state aid programmes. Given that the Greek Council of Ministers has decided to abolish the Elkepa and to transfer its activities to another body, there is some concern about the future of the programmes it is implementing. Will the Commission say: 1. Whether problems are likely to occur as regards the management of the programmes it is implementing? Of so, does it intend to take steps to ensure the smooth functioning of the programmes which the Elkepa is co-funding and managing? How does the Commission view the overall performance of the Elpeka in implementing European 2. Programmes? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (12 March 1998) Elkepa is an institution which has been financed by Council Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 on exceptional financial support in favour of Greece in the social field (1). Elkepa played an important role in the realisation of the programmes co-financed by the European social fund (ESF). Although the Commission has not been officially informed of this matter by the Greek authorities, it seems, as mentioned by the Honourable Member, that the Greek government has decided to abolish this institution. Any replacement or transfer of activities to another institution remains, of course, within the competence of the Greek authorities and should take place according to national legislation. However, providing vocational training should remain the purpose of Elkepa infrastructures financed by this Regulation. It will only be possible to have a clear assessment of the activities of Elkepa after completion of the evaluation procedures which are currently under way for all ESF programmes in Greece. (1) OJ L 88, 31. 3. 1984