WRITTEN QUESTION E-1434/99 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. European defence industry ‐ Companies in the Spanish military naval sector ‐ The case of Bazán (Ferrol).
C 170 E/12 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 € 49 999, at least three tenders must be considered before a contractor is chosen. If the value is between € 50 000 and € 133 914, the contractor is chosen after an invitation to tender following a selection procedure which is generally based on an initial call for expressions of interest. The public procurement Directives must be applied in the case of contracts worth over € 133 914, since all study contracts are covered by Annex IA to the service contracts Directive (except certain contracts in category 8 (research and development)). Prime responsibility for conducting award procedures objectively and in accordance with the rules rests with the authorising officers in the various Directorates-General. As part of the SEM 2000 (Sound and the financial units in each Directorate-General were given a more efficient management) exercise, substantial role with a view, among other things, to improving the Commissionís contractual practices. All contracts worth over € 46 000 and not related to external aid are referred to the Commissionís Advisory Committee on Purchases and Contracts, which checks that the relevant principles and rules have been followed. Financial Control carries out selective ex ante checks on budgetary commitments relating to contracts, which cover, among other things, compliance with the rules on the award of contracts. Award procedures are also subjected to scrutiny by way of internal audits carried out by Financial Control. The Secretariat-General is responsible for general coordination of all studies proposed by Commission departments, the aim being to avoid duplication and improve transparency between Directorates-General. When a contractual commitment is made, the study is entered in the ADAM database, which includes all studies undertaken by the Commission and is accessible to the public. Finally, once a study has been completed, a factsheet must be drawn up containing the following title, brief summary, evaluation and publication references (if any). The study, information: subject, together with the factsheet and final payment order, is then placed in the historical archives of the Secretariat-General, which endorses the payment order and submits it to the Financial Controller for his approval before payment. As regards the choice of the restricted procedure, the public procurement Directives impose no limits on cases where it may be applied, thereby putting it on a par with the open procedure. A restricted procedure can be a judicious choice from the point of view of both the need to attract tenders of a high standard and administrative efficiency. Nevertheless, it is crucial that candidates are chosen on the basis of objective criteria. The Honourable Member is asked to notify the Commission, whenever he sees fit, of any case where use of a so-called restricted procedure has led to unfair competition. (1) OJ L 199, 9. 8. 1993. (2) OJ L 199, 9. 8. 1993. (3) OJ L 209, 24. 7. 1992. (4) OJ L 356, 31. 12. 1977. (2000/C 170 E/012) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1434/99 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: European defence industry ü Companies in the Spanish military naval sector ü The case of BazÆn (Ferrol) In the Commission Communication of December 1997 on the situation of the defence-related industries (COM(97) 0583 final) the establishment of an integrated European market for defence products is regarded as essential and a global approach (in the form of an action plan for a European armaments policy) is proposed for the purpose of implementing such a strategy. The common position proposed at that time by the Commission was to be revised eighteen months later and that time limit has just recently expired. 20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/13 Furthermore, the statement issued on 20 April 1998 by the Defence Ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Spain, in which they reaffirmed their commitment to speeding up the consolidation of the European defence industry, was followed by a Letter of Intent signed in July 1998 by the Defence Ministers of the above countries, together with Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the statement made at the Cologne European Council in June of this year (on which occasion a genuine European pillar seemed to have been established) the political will to promote the restructuring of the defence industry was expressed. In view of the above, can the Commission say how all of this may affect Spanish companies in the miliary sector (with particular reference to the potential for setting up transnational defence companies) and specifically the BazÆn company and its factory at Ferrol (Galicia)? Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (13 October 1999) The Commission feels that the Community must have a defence-linked industry that is both competitive and dynamic. In two communications (1) (2), specifically devoted to that subject it insisted on the urgent need for restructuring this sector at European level and on the need in parallel to this, to lay the legal foundations, enabling a European defence market to emerge. Although the responsibility for that restructuring lies primarily with the companies involved themselves, the defence industry will continue to be politically sensitive. Governmental involvement is crucial as regards that restructuring, and the Member States must take any action needed in order to encourage and support the creation of truly European companies. Even where a Member State has no direct shareholding that Stateís influence derives from its position as a major customer, from its financial support for research and development (R&D), from its launch aid for programmes, its authority in controlling exports and its powers of certification. In view of the aims set out in the letter of intent signed in June 1998 and of the declarations made at the Cologne European Council in June 1999 the Member States would now seem to want to concentrate on producing an internal market and to give companies more latitude in forging their alliances. The Commission fully subscribes to that general approach, which it has called for in its communications. Moreover, as regards the changes hoped for by the companies themselves in the form of more cross- border alliances, the Commission can, in principle, only welcome these. This being so, it is in the specific case of the BazÆn company, up to that company itself to map out its own strategy as regards industrial alliances, where appropriate in conjunction with the Spanish Government. The common position put forward by the Commission in its 1997 communication (1). discussed within the Council. Commission in line with its action plan in support of the defence industries (2). is still being Its adoption would bolster the action currently being taken by the (1) COM(97) 583 final. (2) COM(96) 10 final. (2000/C 170 E/013) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1436/99 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Spanish Government plan to draw up and adopt a ágeographical mobility planí On 1 June 1999 the Spanish Government announced that intended to draw up and adopt a ágeographical mobility planí with the aim of transferring labour towards the Mediterranean on the pretext it