Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-09-06-Speech-3-246"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20000906.11.3-246"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
". – The Commission shares the concerns of the honourable Member about the problems relating to contracts and payments for the drug prevention networks subsidised by the Community action programme on prevention of drug dependence.
Should you have any specific points to make, perhaps you could provide me with the relevant information in writing, and I will certainly raise them with my staff.
These problems have several causes. Firstly, it is clear that there has been a human resources problem in the Public Health Directorate in Luxembourg, which deals with this work. In short, the staff complement has been insufficient to deal with complex procedures and often inexperienced beneficiaries proposing too many small projects. This situation was aggravated last summer when a decision was taken in the light of the report of the Committee of Independent Experts to end the contract with the technical assistance office which helped in the implementation of this programme.
Secondly, a large number of small projects are implemented under the anti-drugs programme, placing additional strain on the already limited human resources at our disposal. During the last five years, the average size of projects in terms of co-financing granted by the Commission has been EUR 180,000.
Thirdly, experience shows that participants in the network have had little understanding of the Commission's contract and payment procedures. In many cases, therefore, the Commission has had to make repeated requests to the drug prevention networks for missing documentation needed to finalise contracts or produce payments.
Fourthly, in the light of experience with subsidies from the Community budget and the criticisms of the Court of Auditors, greater rigour may have been brought to bear on the documentation relating to contract costs, resulting in knock-on effects on the timing of payments.
In responding to these problems, I am taking a number of steps. The Commission's proposal for a new public health framework and strategy highlights the need for clearer objectives and more efficient management with a greater impact on key priorities. Therefore, fewer but bigger projects will be co-financed in future, making for more efficient use of the human resources needed to manage implementation of the programme. As the budgetary authority repeatedly stresses, we must match resources and priorities more realistically in the future.
In addition, as you are aware, following the Commission's recent review of its staffing needs, a request for additional posts is being put forward to the budgetary authority, including a significant increase in posts for the health and consumer protection DG. If the budgetary authority agrees, a number of these posts could be allocated to tackle the kind of problems which we are discussing today.
The inexperience of contractors regarding financial control requirements will continue to necessitate significant advice and other inputs from already limited staff resources. The Public Health Directorate intends to carry out an information campaign to help contractors to understand the Commission's procedures and requirements more clearly.
On the issue of red tape, the departments concerned are currently reviewing their documentary requirements with the aim of simplifying and speeding up payment procedures without neglecting the necessary financial control measures. As a result of the measures already taken, the situation has been improving, and I expect it to improve further so that contracts can be agreed more quickly and payments made in accordance with the Commission's 60-day rule."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples