WRITTEN QUESTION E-2356/99 by Riitta Myller (PSE) to the Commission. Environmental impact of enlargement.
C 303 E/52 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 24. 10. 2000 Where the specifications authorise the contractor to take on independent, external experts, the cost of the experts are charged on a flat-rate basis per actual dayís work. The Contractor is required to ensure that the experts fulfil the same obligations as those applicable to his staff and he sends the Commission a copy of the agreements signed with his staff, while ensuring that the time declared as worked had actually being worked. From an internal inspection carried out in 1997 on the basis of a sample of the technical assistance offices, it emerged that, on average, payment of these intermediary bodies accounted for almost 30 % of the funds which they helped manage and 3,8 % of the total budget for the programmes in question. However, these estimate need to be qualified in order to place the percentages in the proper context. Data relating to the payment of these intermediary bodies is based on commitment rather than on payment appropriations with the result that the real cost may have been overestimated. In addition, appropriations, committed in respect of contracts with these bodies often cover periods exceeding 12 months and are thus used to pay for services relating to the management of appropriations during the following years. Accordingly, the proportion of payments from appropriations for a given year can be overstated. Some of the technical assistance offices covered by the inspection did not have as their main task the management of Community grants, but rather provided services in support of programme implementation, such as checking and monitoring the programme, organising conferences and seminars, disseminating information relating to the programme or gathering and processing data, with the result the proportion of costs of payments from the funds managed by the intermediary bodies can seem relatively high. that No specific distinction is made for funds which finance Community grants. (2000/C 303 E/046) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2356/99 by Riitta Myller (PSE) to the Commission (13 December 1999) Subject: Environmental impact of enlargement The enlargement of the European Union will become a reality in the next few years. Negotiations are currently being held with six countries, and after the Helsinki summit these negotiations will be expanded to include all 12 candidate countries. During the negotiation process the future members will have to adapt their administration and legislation to comply with EU rules. One major and economically important challenge will be to make progress in improving the state of the environment and adopting an environmental policy in accordance with sustainable development. What does the Commission propose to do to ensure that the environment is included as a priority in the negotiations, and what attitude does the Commission propose to take to the granting of transitional periods on environmental issues? Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission The Commission shares the opinion of environment environmental acquis is a great challenge. in the applicant states and the alignment of the legislation of improving the state of the these states with the (18 February 2000) the Honourable Member that Environment is a priority in the accession process. The negotiation position of the Union at the opening of the negotiations with Hungary, Cyprus, Poland, Slovenia, Estonia and the Czech Republic explicitly refers to the objective of a high level of nuclear safety and environmental protection. 24. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 303 E/53 The manifold activities of the Commission ensure that environment is duly taken into account. They include financial assistance (in particular the Instrument for structural policies for pre-accession (ISPA)) and the definition of environmental approximation as a priority under the accession partnerships. More than that, the Commission publishes practical guides for approximation with and implementation of the environmental acquis. As regards transitional periods, the Commission took the following position in its composite paper accompanying the reports of progress towards accession by each of the candidate countries, as adopted on 13 October 1999 (1): For the areas linked to the extension of the single market regulatory measures should be implemented quickly. Any transition periods should therefore be few and short. For those areas of the acquis where considerable adaptations are necessary and which require substantial effort, including important financial outlays (in areas such as environment, energy, infrastructure), transition arrangements could be spread over a definite period of time, provided candidates can demonstrate that alignment is underway and that they are committed to detailed and realistic plans for alignment, including the necessary investmentsí. (1) COM(1999) 500 final. (2000/C 303 E/047) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2360/99 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission (13 December 1999) Subject: Salary, allowance, retirement and tax arrangements in the EU institutions At the beginning of its term of office the Commission announced that it intended to carry out a thorough reform of the EU institutions in order to increase the efficiency and the transparency thereof. In so far as they lay down salary and other conditions, the Staff Regulations play an essential role in the functioning of the EU institutions, for which reason I believe they should be made available to the public. In order to provide more concise and intelligible information, data relating to officials at one or other end of their career should be given: a new-recruited graduate official, a senior judge at the Court of Justice and a Commissioner. Would the Commission therefore supply the following information as applicable to the above categories of official: 1. 2. 3. Salary scheme; Expatriation allowance; Financial assistance in respect of official travel; 4. Conditions for retirement, including retirement on health grounds; 5. Tax arrangements. Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (18 January 2000) The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat examples of remuneration (including allowances, taxes and charges) and daily travel allowances for a newly recruited graduate official (A8-1) and a member of the Commission, the conditions for retirement and invalidity of officials and the conditions for retirement of Commission Members. In addition the Commission draws the attention of the Honourable Member to Council Regulation No 422/67/EEC, 5/67/Euratom of the Council of 25 July 1967 determining the emoluments of the President and members of the Commission and of the President, Judges, Advocates-General and Registrar