Technical assistance in Basilicata
13.3.2018
Question for written answer E-001523-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Rosa D'Amato (EFDD)
Technical assistance is the provision of consultancy services to the public authorities on activities relating to the management and governance of the Structural Funds and EU programmes.
Basilicata Regional Council has decided to outsource technical assistance in respect of EU funds. That outsourcing affects various workers employed by the public authorities on flexible contracts, paid through EU funds and responsible for performing the tasks expected of public sector officials.
According to the USB trade union, an algorithm was used to extract more funding from the EU, which would pay as if they were highly qualified staff people who were contracted as private employees and in receipt of salaries 500% lower than the amounts paid by the EU, and who would be used as ‘jack-of-all-trade’ secretaries for various senior managers in the public administration. It was also claimed that in order to bypass the EU rules, use was made of companies/firms/organisations ‘on the side’, so that advice could be passed between them through current and former employees.
In view of this, can the Commission state:
- 1.Whether it considers that the requirements of the 2014/2020 Partnership Agreement and the AMP have been circumvented;
- 2.Whether it believes that Basilicata Regional Council has misused ERDF and ESF funding on the outsourcing tender, resulting in a financial loss?
- 3.What investigations OLAF is conducting in Basilicata?