91999E1637

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1637/99

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(15 September 1999)

Subject: Legal documentation forwarded to the Commission regarding the establishment of the EU Food and Veterinary Office at Grange, Co. Meath, Ireland

When exactly was the legal documentation regarding the construction of the EU Food and Veterinary Office in Grange, Co. Meath, Ireland presented by the Irish Government's Office of Public Works to the Commission, why has it not yet been signed, and when is it likely to be signed?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 1999)

The Office of Public Works presented the legal documentation regarding the construction of the Food and veterinary office (FVO) in Grange, Co. Neath to the Commission through the Commission's solicitor on 8 June 1999.

This documentation was necessary to allow a global verification of the clauses of the contract including financial commitments; an internal procedure requiring the visa of many departments of the Commission; and a memorandum to the budgetary authority in accordance with the statements made by the Commission in preliminary draft supplementary and amending budget No 1/97(1) which stipulated that the Commission will inform the budgetary authority of the long-term costs of the Grange project as soon as the total costs are known.

The internal procedures were completed on 10 September 1999 when the Commission adopted a Communication(2) to the budget authority on the acquisition of the new building for the FVO in Grange. The contract was subsequently signed on behalf of the Commission on 13 September 1999 and transmitted to the solicitors.

(1) SEC(97) 750 final.

(2) SEC(1999) 1324.