WRITTEN QUESTION No. 215/99 by Alexandros ALAVANOS Air accidents
C 348/38 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 3. 12. 1999 Furthermore, on 10 June 1997 the Commission adopted a communication on payment times and penalty interest (1), requiring the Commission to pay penalty interest, at the request of the beneficiary, if payment is not made within a period regarded as appropriate in the light of standard business practice (60 days), provided that the beneficiary has complied with all the relevant contractual provisions. This obligation must be stipulated on all contracts concluded by the Commission, with effect from the date of the communication. In addition, the Commission proposed an amendment to the Financial Regulation (2) and its implementing provisions so that creditors who receive late payment have the right to claim penalty interest. The Commission recently commissioned an external study of payment times, which has just been completed. The results and recommendations of this will form the subject of a Commission communication in the near future. On the operational front, the Commission has continued its efforts to improve financial management by introducing its new computerised accounting system (Sincom2). Once fully operational, this system should ensure complete security and greater efficiency in the execution of payments. The rules on budget implementation may be found in the Financial Regulation and its implementing provisions. (1) (2) SEC(97) 205. SEC(98) 1228 final. (1999/C 348/046) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0215/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (12 February 1999) Subject: Air accidents In reply to my question (H-0036/98) (1) on a Permanent Monitoring Body for air accidents, the Commission stated that the Greek government ‘had submitted a draft Presidential Decree which, once implemented, will resolve the problems’, whereas in reply to my Written Question of 15 January 1998 (P-0001/98) (2) on inspection of third countries’ aircraft, the Commission did not know ‘if such inspections are performed in Greece. ’ Will the Commission say: 1. whether it considers that progress is being made on the subject of an organisation to monitor air accidents, and 2. whether inspections of third countries’ aircraft are performed in Greece? (1) Debates of the European Parliament (February 1998). (2) OJ C 196, 22. 6. 1998, p. 106. Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (12 April 1999) 1. As the information given in reply to the Honourable Member’s oral question H-36/98 at the February 1998 part-session (1) indicated, the Commission, after careful assessment, considered that progress in the relevant area was not satisfactory and, in accordance with Article 169 of the EC Treaty, delivered a reasoned opinion to the Greek government in September 1998. In its reply to the Honourable Member’s written question P-1/98 (2), the Commission provided a list of 2. the Member States that were already participating in the exchange of information on ramp inspections. Greece has also sent a number of reports on inspections of such aircraft that have been carried out at its airports. (1) Debates of the Parliament (February 1998). (2) OJ C 19, 22. 6. 1998