WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1835/99 by Alexandros ALAVANOS Community initiative on fisheries in Greece
C 27 E/174 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 1. 2000 (2000/C 27 E/215) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1827/99 by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission (13 October 1999) Subject: Structural aid for private firmsí marketing and staff training What will the Commission do to prevent the distortion of competition and waste of EU resources which are caused by the EUís subsidising of private firmsí marketing, in-house training and rationalisation measures? This week, the Danish press has reported that EU structural fund aid has been granted to Danish firms for the training of private-sector staff, company rationalisation and advertising campaigns. It has caused astonishment that individual firms, with the aid of consultants versed in the formulations and key words which persuade the EUís administration to grant money, have obtained such subsidies. The funds are allocated to firms entirely at random, thereby distorting competition. I have received a 16-page pamphlet of advertising from the Landsforeningen af Danske Plantehandlere (the national Danish associa- tion of plant traders), 1 230 000 copies of which have been distributed, i. e. one to practically every household in Denmark. Household-distributed printed matter is one form of squandering resources that many members of the public wish to restrict. This pamphlet bears the EUís logo and the caption Campaign funded with the aid of the European Communityí. The structural aid allocated to Denmark is very limited and there are far more provocative examples of the absurd use of structural fund aid in those countries which receive massive subsidies. If the EU granted aid to improve basic education in Denmark or to expand facilities for training doctors at our universities, that would undoubtedly make a positive impression on the Danish people but to hand out European taxpayersí money at random to private firms is a provocation which highlights the fact that the Commission is not complying with EU rules designed to avoid distortion of competition and is not interested in what it gets for the money but merely aims to ensure that the funds are used up. Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (11 November 1999) The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible. (2000/C 27 E/216) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1835/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: Community initiative on fisheries in Greece (13 October 1999) The Community initiative on fisheries in Greece includes four subprogrammes, together with a fifth concerning technical aid. Since each of the subprogrammes 1-4 has been given a timetable. Will the Commission say: 1. What is the state of implementation of the subprogrammes so far and which actions have made progress in each subprogramme? 2. Has there been any delay in take-up and, if so, what are the main reasons for this delay?