WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1046/98 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Programme for improving honey production in Greece
19. 11. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 354/57 (98/C 354/98) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1045/98 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (6 April 1998) Subject: Abolition of the Greek Organisation for SMUs and Handicrafts (Eommex) Since 1977 the Greek Organisation for SMUs and Handicrafts (Eommex) has been the main organisation supporting SMUs in Greece: it has helped implement many EU programmes (IMPs, the programme for the islands, Star, Valoren, Sprint, Prisma, etc. ). Among its other activities, it is currently implementing and managing the following programmes: the operational programme for industry, Horizon, Adapt, and Craft for SMUs; these run until the Year 2000 and are worth some Drs 50 billion. Furthermore, the Commission (DG XVI) has initialled an accord on the implementation of the Eommex business plan for the 1994-1999 period. Representatives of SMUs allege that the phasing-out of EOMMEX will have adverse consequences for Greek SMUs, and there is concern for the future of the EU programmes which are being implemented by this organisation. Will the Commission say: Does it consider that the development of SMUs in Greece will be helped by the large-scale cuts in 1. specialized staff and material and technical infrastructures that have been proposed? Does it intend to take steps to ensure that the programmes co-funded and managed by Eommex run 2. smoothly? Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (12 June 1998) The Commission notes the Honourable Memberís concern over the future of the Hellenic Organisation of Small and Medium-Sized Industries and Handicrafts (Eommex). However, the implementation of this measure is by independent decision of the Greek government. Moreover, according to the information available to the Commission, it does not apparently involve the abolition of this organisation but a restructuring which concerns solely its regional departments. It should be noted that the projects co-financed by the Structural funds in favour of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be implemented and managed by seven regional intermediaries which have recently been created in Greece with the agreement of the Commission. Eommex is one of these intermediaries for Attica and the Aegean Islands. (98/C 354/99) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1046/98 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (6 April 1998) Subject: Programme for improving honey production in Greece Greece has submitted to the Commission a programme for improving the production and marketing of honey in 1998, in accordance with the provisions of Commission Regulation (EC) 2300/97 (1). This programme will be implemented by various bodies, organizations and apicultural cooperatives. The Federation of Greek Apicultural Associations has addressed a letter to the Commission protesting about the way in which the implementation of the programme has been shared out among the various participants. Since the Federation of Greek Apicultural Associations is a dynamic organization with many members and is financially solvent and reliable, will the Commission say: Has it investigated the substance of the allegations made by the Federation of Greek Apicultural Associations, and if so, what does it intend to do to give it a larger say in implementing the programme? (1) OJ L 319, 21. 11. 1997, p. 4