Annexes to COM(2008)692 - The Commission's ex-Economat off budget bank accounts - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2008)692 - The Commission's ex-Economat off budget bank accounts. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2008)692  |
| date | November 12, 2008 |
Short project description | Estimated amount |
Support towards the integration of handicapped children into the day-care facilities | 100,000 |
Upgrade of the facilities at Overijse | 500,000 |
Infrastructure for well-being at work | 600,000 |
Contribution to the EP's Fitness Centre | 1,500,000 |
Total | 2,700,000 |
All four projects are in the area of social expenditure for staff. As regards the fitness centre, not only is physical fitness an essential component of staff's well-being, but the revenue-sharing mechanism, briefly explained in Annex 1, will generate assigned revenue to the social actions budget line on an annual basis thereby increasing the resources available for this activity.
The project with the EP represents some risks, related to the commercial viability of the project and the hypotheses of the business case. Although these are risks that mainly the contractor must bear, the profit-sharing mechanism will yield results only in proportion to the commercial success. For the moment, the assurance in this respect consists in the fact that an important player in this field, selected after a tendering procedure, has agreed to sign a contract with the EP. At no time, neither during the building and equipping phase, nor during the actual running, will the Commission have any direct responsibility. In fact, the Commission and the European Parliament will sign an administrative agreement setting out the totality of the Commission's rights (access conditions for staff identical to the conditions for EP staff and the profit-sharing scheme) and obligations (transfer of funds).
6. FINALISING THE BANK ACCOUNT CLEANING OPERATION
The approval of the approach and of the four projects determines the use of these appropriations, which constitute assigned revenue pursuant to Article 18 §1 (e) of the Financial Regulation.
7. CONCLUSION
The Commission:
- approves the use of the accrued profits of the ex-Economat for projects related to social actions in favour of staff;
- approves the four projects as listed above;
- approves the estimated sums to be allocated to each of the four projects, leaving detailed implementation mechanisms and final adjustments to the competent authorising officer;
- instructs DG ADMIN, in collaboration with the Legal Service, to negotiate an administrative agreement with the European Parliament for the Commission's participation in the EP's Fitness Centre project.
ANNEX 1
The Commission's ex-Economat off budget bank accounts
The projects
8. SUPPORT TOWARDS THE INTEGRATION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES INTO THE DAY-CARE FACILITIES
8.1. Description
Day-care facilities welcome children with particular needs on a regular basis.
Under particular needs, different forms of disabilities are meant: behavioural difficulties as well as different forms of mental and physical disabilities. However, the decision to accept or not a child with disabilities will depend on several factors and each situation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis together with the paediatrician, the educational psychologists, the administration of the day-care facilities and the parents. The final decision will be taken on a case-by-case basis and take into account the child's own needs, the needs of the group of children with whom it will be in the day-care facilities, the internal resources and infrastructure and the essential partnership with external specialised teams.
In the case of a positive decision, the situation is regularly evaluated and a re-orientation of the child towards a more appropriate structure might be taken if all the parties involved estimate the day-care facility does no longer adequately care for the child's needs.
Appropriate training of the educational teams and adapted material are both necessary to effectively welcome children with special needs.
8.2. Estimation of the amount and indicative calendar
Item | Cost (€) |
Equipment and toys | 20,000 |
Special training for 195 staff members and related material (books, videos, etc.) | 80,000 |
Total | 100,000 |
The items of equipment and the training can both be ordered in 2008 as framework contracts exist.
8.3. Budget line
Income: 590
Expenditure: 26.01.50.04 - Interinstitutional cooperation in the social sphere
Authorising department: DG ADMIN
9. IMPROVEMENT OF THE SPORTS AND LEISURE FACILITIES IN OVERIJSE
9.1. Description
The staff of the European institutions and their families are keen to make better use of the Interinstitutional Outdoor Sports Centre at Overijse. The Staff Committee has re-emphasised this during the 'Etats Généraux' for Social Policy held in June 2008. It is proposed to replace the existing sports and football pitch with a new generation multi-sports synthetic pitch and to equip the site so that it can be used in all weather, at all times and in all seasons, and thereby stimulate the in- and outdoor use of the Centre by the staff's families as well as by groups of colleagues, leisure circles and pensioners.
Finally, special attention will be given to access and seating facilities, as well as to sanitary installations suited to people with a handicap.
9.2. Estimation of the amount and indicative calendar
The cost has been estimated by the technical services of OIB at 500,000 €. Due to the time needed to obtain local permits and authorisations, the amounts can only be used in the 2009 – 2010 timeframe.
9.3. Budget line
Income: 590
Expenditure: 26.01.22.03 - Expenditure related to buildings in Brussels
Authorising department: OIB
10. INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WELL-BEING AT WORK
10.1. Description
The staff of the Commission, and in particular the Leisure Circles, would like to have the use of 2 multi-purpose rooms in the basement of the VM2 building, which also houses the Foyer. The space was previously used mainly for archives and requires extensive renovation. It would be possible to create one large room of 290 m² which would be used mainly for cardio activities, which require a lot of space, and a smaller room of 100 m² for smaller group activities. There would also be showers and changing rooms. Currently, many of our Leisure Groups have to rent space in the private sector or in communes. The availability of these multi-purpose rooms would also have a positive effect on the use of the Foyer, and would fit within the Commission policy for well-being at work.
10.2. Estimation of the amount and indicative calendar
The cost has been estimated by the technical services of OIB at 600,000 €.
10.3. Budget line
Income: 590
Expenditure: 26.01.22.03 - Expenditure related to buildings in Brussels
Authorising department: OIB
11. CONTRIBUTION TO THE EP'S FITNESS CENTRE
11.1. Description
The objective of the global project is to renovate and extend the existing "gym and fitness" space (1375 m²) of the European Parliament by adding an "aquatic and relax" space (925 m²) to it, equip it and let it be run by an outside contractor in exchange for:
- the payment of a fixed fee (set at 300,000 € in the call for tenders);
- a share of windfall profits (ranging from 10% on profits between 100,000 and 200,000 € to 50% on profits above 500,000 €);
- identical access and subscription conditions for the Commission's staff as those enjoyed by the EP's staff.
The Commission would, through the transfer of a part of the ex-Economat funds to the EP's operational budget, participate in the building and equipment expenditure.
As a result of this participation, a pro rata share of the revenue thus generated would be entered into the Commission's administrative budget as assigned revenue on the "social activities" budget line and contribute to further spending on social objectives.
11.2. Estimation of the amount and indicative calendar
The amount is determined by a political decision on the level of participation. The proposed amount of 1,500,000 € corresponds to around 30% of the estimated cost of the project, as approved by the Bureau of the EP.
The contractor for the running of the Centre has been selected through a call for tenders and the call for tenders for the renovation works has been launched, with a view to finalise the works before the end of 2009.
The amount itself, however, could well be transferred to the EP already in 2008, dependent on the date the administrative arrangement will be signed.
11.3. Budget line
Income: 590
Expenditure:
- For the contribution to the EP : 26.01.50.04 - Interinstitutional cooperation in the social sphere
- For the annual assigned revenue : 26.01.50.04 - Interinstitutional cooperation in the social sphere
Authorising department: DG ADMIN
ANNEX 2
The Commission's ex-Economat off budget bank accounts
The rejected projects
12. A COMMISSION FITNESS CENTRE
The amounts available are insufficient to transform an existing space and equip it to turn it into a commercially viable Fitness Centre. As this true for the total sum, it is even more so for a part of it, since other projects had to be selected as well.
13. THE REFURBISHMENT OF CAFETERIAS AND RESTAURANTS
The staff representatives argued that this expenditure was to be covered by the normal budgetary resources of OIB and their argument was accepted.
14. THE INSTALLATION OF SHOWERS FOR COMMUTING BIKERS
The staff representatives argued that this expenditure was to be covered by the normal budgetary resources of OIB and their argument was accepted.
15. THE OPENING OF LOCAL EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES IN THE MAIN COMMISSION BUILDINGS
These LEA distribute the Titres-services / Dienstencheques, through which household services can be legally bought, instead of on the black or grey market.
Such an agency needs space, amenities and staff and therefore has follow-up costs, violating one of the criteria, viz. one-shot investment without follow-up expenditure.
16. PURCHASING THE ETTERBEEK HOSPITAL
The hospital would, once acquired, be transformed into multi-purpose centre, housing a home for the elderly and disabled, a nursery, a day-care centre and offer meeting space to the leisure groups.
The running of such a centre would obviously require a considerable annual expenditure, violating one of the criteria, viz. one-shot investment without follow-up expenditure.
17. RESERVATION OF PLACES FOR ADULT DEPENDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Through a grant-like contribution to either individual institutes or to the responsible agencies in Brussels and in the three communities (Flemish, French and German), active or retired EU staff would have had a form of priority for its adult dependents with disabilities.
Although initially promising, the scheme could eventually not be carried through, essentially because of the reluctance of the Belgian authorities concerned to accept the Commission's proposal.