WRITTEN QUESTION E-3890/02

by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Commission

(13 January 2003)

Subject: Implementation of the Sapard programme in 2001

In order to prepare the applicant countries for accession, the European Union has planned various pre-accession programmes, notably the Sapard programme, which aims to facilitate the adaptation of agricultural structures in future Member States. The budget for the Sapard programme was EUR 520 million in 2000 and 520 million in 2001. According to the Böge report, the take-up rate for Sapard at 31 December 2001, after two years in operation, amounted to only 6,48 %. According to the President of the Court of Auditors, of the EUR 520 million set aside for 2001, only 9,2 % was used, of which only EUR 1 million has in fact been spent in the applicant countries.

The Commission:

1. Can it explain why, of the approximately EUR 60 million disbursed in 2001, only EUR 1 million has in fact been used to finance structural aid in the applicant countries?

2. What intermediaries and other consultants have taken a share of the money? Can the Commission provide a list of these?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 2003)

Commission payments in 2001 in the context of Sapard Programmes amounted to EUR 30 491 677. For details, we refer you to Section 7 and relevant annexes of Sapard Annual Report 2001. The bulk of this amount corresponded to advances paid to the beneficiary countries. These advances constitute a cash facility to be used only to pay the Community contribution to final beneficiaries.

In accordance with the financial rules laid down in the multi-annual agreement agreed with each country, further payments are made in respect of expenditure incurred by the Candidate country. Such reimbursement can only be done when the Beneficary country has incurred eligible expenditure and present the relevant claims to the Commission for reimbursement. This, in turn, is dependent on the claims for re-imbursement of expenditure being presented by the final beneficiary in the candidate country to the Sapard Agency. This may occur, depending on the type of project, many months after the project has been approved, as is the case in Member States.

As reported by the Court of Auditors in its Annual report 2001, payments by the Commission relating to reimbursement of expenditure incurred by final beneficiaries in that year were made in two countries, Bulgaria and Estonia, and amounted to roughly one euro. The reason is that only these two had been operating the Sapard instrument for a period long enough for the Commission to be able legitimately to make reimbursement payments. It may be noted that by the end of 2002 reimbursement payments by the Commission have increased almost ten fold.

The amount paid by the Commission to the implementing agencies in each country but not yet disbursed to final beneficiaries remains in each country in the Sapard euro account (account opened under the responsibility of the beneficiary country in a financial or treasury institution, bearing interest).

Consequently, none of the EUR 30,5 million advance could be used for intermédiaires et autres consultants.