WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2176/98 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. Report on quality control of 2nd CSF projects
19. 11. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 354/131 (98/C 354/213) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2120/98 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE) to the Commission (30 June 1998) Subject: Violations, omissions and shoddy workmanship in connection with the implementation of projects in Greece under the Second CSF and the Cohesion Fund and responsibility for these failings The report by the joint steering committee and recent press reports raise important questions about the proper implementation of projects undertaken in Greece within the framework of the Second Community Support Framework and the Cohesion Fund. In particular these reports note a number of violations, omissions and cases of shoddy workmanship by the construction companies and attribute responsibility for projects worth a total of Drs 2 billion to the supervising bodies and the relevant ministries; the possibility of recovering the money is also being considered. Will the Commission say: 1. What violations, omissions and cases of shoddy workmanship is it apprised of or have been otherwise detected, and which projects are concerned? How is the implementation of projects monitored and to what extent is this monitoring adequate and 2. effective? 3. Which bodies are responsible for the violations and what sanctions are provided for? 4. What measures are being proposed specifically to rectify omissions and also to avoid similar incidents in future? How will it ensure the proper use of the funds set aside in the Community budget for the implementation of 5. projects? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (8 July 1998) The Commission is conducting a detailed investigation of the problem raised by the Honourable Member and will inform him of the outcome as soon as possible. (98/C 354/214) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2176/98 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (10 July 1998) Subject: Report on quality control of 2nd CSF projects The report drawn up following the quality control of projects carried out under the 2nd CSF concludes that nearly half of the regional development projects jointly funded by the EU are technically deficient and will have to be rectified or even redone because they were carried out on the basis of faulty studies or using sub-standard materials or do not comply with the stipulations of the contract. The report states that sample quality controls of materials revealed that about 50% of contractors had not complied with specifications. This applied to all materials except asphalt, for which the figure rose to around 70%. Is this information correct and what does the Commission intend to do to ensure that measures are taken at government level to compel the contractors responsible to carry out the necessary alterations or the entire project again in order to comply with their contractual obligations, wherever these have been breached?