WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2460/98 by Honório NOVO to the Commission. Delays in payment under subprogramme A of Pronorte
22. 2. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 50/147 (1999/C 50/222) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2460/98 by Honório Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (30 July 1998) Subject: Delays in payment under subprogramme A of Pronorte At the end of June 1998, the Portuguese media reported on the concerns expressed by various local authorities concerning long delays in payments under the Pronorte programme. Some of the local authorities concerned announced that they would have to suspend some of the work co- financed under subprogramme A of Pronorte since, even though they had sent the relevant payment requests to the government authorities in good time, they had still not received the funds corresponding to the work carried out. Some government authorities and their representatives have publicly suggested that the delays experienced in payments under the above Pronorte subprogramme were caused by difficulties in releasing appropriations from the Community budget, which they attribute to the Commission. With a view to providing full public information on this matter and ensuring that it is dealt with in a properly transparent manner, can the Commission provide information on the following: Has the Commission delayed the transfer of funds to cover payments requested by the national authorities in order to fulfil commitments arising from works being undertaken under subprogramme A of Pronorte? If so, what are the reasons for the delays? If not, what information does the Commission have on the delay experienced in Portugal between the transfer of Community funds and their being received by the local authorities? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (10 September 1998) There are no delays in the Commissionís payments for this programme. The Commission has asked the national authorities for information concerning any delays in transferring funds to the local authorities. (1999/C 50/223) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2479/98 by BÆrbara Dührkop Dührkop (PSE) to the Commission (23 July 1998) Subject: Entitlement for EU citizens to vote in municipal elections in Belgium Following the Court of Justice judgment of 9 July 1998 which found against Belgium for having failed to incorporate into national law the directive based on Article 8b(1) of the EU Treaty on the right of all EU citizens to vote in municipal elections, even if they reside in a Member State of which they are not a national, what action is the Commission intending to take in order to guarantee that all EU citizens resident in Belgium are entitled to vote in the next municipal elections, in October 2000? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (22 September 1998) If the Member State which has failed to fulfil its obligations does not take the necessary measures to comply with the Court of Justice judgment referred to by the Honourable Member within a reasonable time-limit, the Commission will institute the procedure provided for in Article 171 of the EC Treaty