# CE2004070EN.01000601.xml

| 20.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 70/6 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 70/6

---

(2004/C 70 E/005)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2627/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 September 2002)

Subject:   Problems with implementation of environmental programmes

Subject:

A report drawn up by the Economic and Social Committee in Greece notes that it is doubtful whether Greece is able to utilise the appropriations for the operational programme on the environment or to implement programmes which will be sustainable once their funding has expired.

| 1. | What difficulties has the Commission identified in regard to the implementation of environmental programmes and what are their causes? |
| --- | --- |

1.

What difficulties has the Commission identified in regard to the implementation of environmental programmes and what are their causes?

| 2. | Is there a risk that Community funds for environmental programmes will be discontinued? |
| --- | --- |

2.

Is there a risk that Community funds for environmental programmes will be discontinued?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2002)

(30 October 2002)

| 1. | The difficulties inherent in launching the operational programme (OP) for the environment stem from the time required to establish a managing authority, the time required to comply with the national administrative procedures in force and the complexity of the projects proposed for part-financing under this OP.
  At the meeting of the Monitoring Committee for this programme held in Athens in June 2002, the Greek authorities thought that most of these difficulties had been overcome so that implementation could go ahead as planned.
  Similar difficulties arose as regards implementation of the agri-environmental measure forming part of the programming document for rural development in 2000-2006 under Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999. |
| --- | --- |

1.

The difficulties inherent in launching the operational programme (OP) for the environment stem from the time required to establish a managing authority, the time required to comply with the national administrative procedures in force and the complexity of the projects proposed for part-financing under this OP.

At the meeting of the Monitoring Committee for this programme held in Athens in June 2002, the Greek authorities thought that most of these difficulties had been overcome so that implementation could go ahead as planned.

Similar difficulties arose as regards implementation of the agri-environmental measure forming part of the programming document for rural development in 2000-2006 under Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999.

| 2. | In partnership with the Greek authorities, the Commission is monitoring progress of the environment OP particularly carefully in order to avoid any risk of loss of Community funds under the ‘n+2’ rule. This rule will apply for the first time at the end of 2003 and it is too early at present to assess the possibility of such a loss.
  As regards the rural development measures part-financed by the EAGGF Guarantee Section, the risk of losing funds requires an evaluation at the level of the Member States as a whole rather than at the level of individual national programmes. |
| --- | --- |

2.

In partnership with the Greek authorities, the Commission is monitoring progress of the environment OP particularly carefully in order to avoid any risk of loss of Community funds under the ‘n+2’ rule. This rule will apply for the first time at the end of 2003 and it is too early at present to assess the possibility of such a loss.

As regards the rural development measures part-financed by the EAGGF Guarantee Section, the risk of losing funds requires an evaluation at the level of the Member States as a whole rather than at the level of individual national programmes.

---