WRITTEN QUESTION No. 17/98 by Jaak VANDEMEULEBROUCKE Language use in the Official Journal (SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER)
21. 12. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 370/1 I (Information) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER (1999/C 370/001) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0017/98 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARE) to the Commission Subject: Language use in the Official Journal (29 January 1998) Official Journal L 328 of 28 November 1997 contains a list of contracting authorities that are subject to the agreement concerning the award of public service contracts. On page 10, a list relating to Belgium appears only in French. The Commission is aware of my concern with language use. Can I be informed why the above list appeared only in French? Am I to conclude that Dutch and German speakers are not subject to this procurement legislation? Supplementary answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (11 June 1999) Further to its answer of 20 March 1998 (1), the Commission is now able to provide the following additional information. It is correct that the annex to Parliament and Council Directive 97/52/EC of 13 October 1997 amending Directives 92/50/EEC, 93/36/EEC and 97/37/EEC concerning the coordination of procedures for the award of public service contracts, public supply contracts and public works contracts (2) respectively lists the Belgian contracting authorities in French only. The annex does not in all cases list the contracting authorities of the other Member States in the language of the Member State itself, but includes a translation, if necessary, for instance, when it concerns not a mere name but a description of a contracting authority. This description of the contracting authority is in the different languages of publication of the directive, as was the case for the previous directives. Following its green paper ‘public procurement in the European Union: exploring the way forward (3)’ and communication ‘public procurement in the European Union (4)’, the Commission is considering, among other things, amendments to the public procurement directives. These amendments will of course be published in all official languages of the Community. The annexes to the directive will also be reviewed with this future publication in mind and, if necessary, updated. In the context of this exercise, the observations made by the Honourable Member will be taken into account, and appropriate action will be taken. (1) OJ C 304, 2. 10. 1998. (2) OJ L 328, 28. 11. 1997. (3) COM(96) 583 final. (4) COM(98) 143 final