EU pays €22,000 compensation to UK designers

A British company has been paid £15,000 (€22,300) compensation by the European Commission after its bid for a design contract was turned down.

W.Laboratories, of Gloucestershire, was coordinating the development of a safety device to prevent trucks rolling over – a scheme qualifying for an “Exploratory Award Contract” from the Commission’s research department.

But the final deal was declared ineligible by Brussels due to a technical error in drafting the contract.

After its proposal was turned down, the company turned to the EU’s Strasbourg-based ombudsman, who investigates complaints from individuals or organisations about the running of the EU institutions.

Today the ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, said that thecommission was guilty of “maladministration” because it did not give W.Laboratories enough time to prepare its proposal properly.

In its complaint the company said it had been given a “ridiculously short timetable” to get its submissions in, resulting in an error in costings which prompted the commission to turn down a “pre-eligibility check”.

Conservative Euro-MP Caroline Jackson steered the company, based in her constituency, towards the ombudsman after the commission initially insisted it had given sufficient time and information for W. Laboratories to prepare.

Today’s ruling said: “Following the ombudsman’s intervention, the commission reviewed its position and agreed to pay compensation.

“The commission acknowledged that exceptional circumstances had made it difficult for the company to execute the contract correctly. It therefore agreed to grant compensation, on a purely ex gratia basis, for part of the expenses.”