Accountability of technical assistance teams

4.10.2011

Question for written answer E-009114/2011
to the Commission
Rule 117
Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE)

Will the Commission clarify the chain of accountability relating to technical assistance teams contracted to work on EuropeAid projects?

Is the Commission (or the European External Action Service) accountable for any alleged problems pertaining to the practices, errors in advice or other failures by technical assistance teams? Does any such accountability apply in cases where the technical assistance team is contracted partly by the Commission (or the European External Action Service) and partly by a third party, for example a non-EU national government? In such cases, could a complaint relating to the errors in practices, advice or other failures of a technical assistance team be investigated by the EU Ombudsman?

If the EU Ombudsman does not recognise that such a complaint falls within his remit, what mechanism of accountability, complaint and redress is available to EuropeAid project contractors alleging problems, including financial losses or a loss of reputation, arising from failures by technical assistance teams, and how could redress be provided in such situations in a timely fashion?

OJ C 154 E, 31/05/2012