Answer given by Ms Vălean on behalf of the European Commission

3.7.2020

As the Commission pointed out in its answer to Written Question E-001110/2020, the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Services (RPAS) contracted by EU bodies and Member States are used for strictly civil surveillance missions, similar to missions undertaken by manned surveillance aircraft.

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) follows a rigid evaluation approach, based on the Financial Regulation, when verifying exclusion criteria, which require declarations of honour and supporting evidence for the fulfilment of the exclusion criteria from all participants in the calls for tenders (subcontractors included).

It makes sure that the economic operators working with the Agency or collaborating/supporting the contractors have not been convicted for any criminal offence, which is one of the justified reasons to reject a (sub)contractor.

The Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) database is also checked regularly in different phases of the procurement process, as well as during contract implementation.