A4-0359/96

Resolution on the Commission report on the implementation of cross-border cooperation between the Community and countries of Central and Eastern Europe in 1994 (COM(95)0662 - C4-0142/96)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission report (COM(95)0662 - C4-0142/96),

- having regard to its resolution of 17 April 1996 on the White Paper: 'Preparing the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe for integration into the internal market of the Union (COM(95)0163 - C4- 0166/95) ((OJ C 141, 13.5.1996, p. 135.)),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Policy and the opinion of the Committee on External Economic Relations (A4-0359/96),

1. Draws attention to the fact that the purpose of the EU-CEEC cross-border cooperation programme is, within the general framework of the Phare programme, to finance structural cross-border cooperation measures intended to:

- further the process of integrating the CEECs,

- boost economic development in border areas, which includes overcoming the problems caused by economic imbalances;

2. Notes that, according to the Commission report, the programme (to which ECU 150 million was allocated) was conducted successfully in 1994;

3. Notes that in 1994 most of the available appropriations were allocated to cross-border projects relating to transport infrastructure, environmental protection and energy supplies and that, during that year, the programme was extended to cover the Baltic States; notes, however, that this served mainly to improve links between existing economic centres, whereas the development plans of the Euro-regions themselves have not yet been adequately implemented;

4. Advises the Commission in this regard to promote joint financing models, through Article 10 of the ERDF Regulation and the Phare microprogramme, in order to be able to gather experience for the preparation of new programme planning;

5. Also considers that there should be an increase in budget resources for measures to promote interregional cooperation under INTERREG II, both between the regions of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and between the regions of those countries and the European Union;

6. Notes that, in addition to specific projects involving border countries (Albania/Greece/Italy, Bulgaria/Greece, Poland/Germany, Denmark/Baltic States, etc.), the programme also covers sectoral projects with a cross- border impact (e.g. environmental projects) and multidisciplinary projects (technical assistance);

7. Wishes to see a strengthening of the measures designed to encourage cooperation as regards training, business development and the transfer of technology and marketing skills to small and medium-sized businesses;

8. Emphasizes the political, economic and social importance of EU-CEEC cross- border cooperation, which is a vital instrument of cohesion in the pre- accession strategy for the CEECs;

9. Believes that cross-border and inter-regional cooperation measures provide an invaluable learning experience for the countries which have applied for EU membership;

10. Approves, therefore, the general report on the programme in 1994 submitted by the Commission and stresses the need for it to be pursued and strengthened;

11. Believes, nonetheless, that future implementation of the cross-border cooperation programme should be based on:

- a more varied spread of measures within the framework of the existing main subject areas,

- multiannual programming, so as to ensure that the various programmes are more consistent with one another (particularly Interreg and Phare) and to prevent any duplication, in view of the large number of projects involved,

- increased funding for the ECOS/Ouverture programme, which has proved a great success;

12. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to let Euroregions too benefit from the technical assistance thus enabling them to develop an effective cross-border management to implement the cross-border programmes;

13. Agrees that, to ensure effective cross-border and interregional cooperation, it is extremely important to achieve a gradual extension of the programmes implemented by the European Union to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;

14. Stresses the need to coordinate the various programmes implemented by the EU, including the PHARE programme, in order to increase the impact and the effectiveness of the initiatives financed thereunder;

15. Considers it of fundamental importance to establish effective structures for the coordination, taxation, and supervision of activities engaged in by way of cross-border cooperation in order to derive maximum benefit from the EU's resources and to prevent possible instances of fraud;

16. Hopes that the Commission will report to Parliament on the results of the various projects and on the way in which they are to be followed up in the future;

17. Calls on the Commission as of now to estimate, with a view to enlargement of the EU, the future cost of pursuing and strengthening the cross-border cooperation programme, and to develop further the existing means of cofinancing by the EIB, the EBRD and the private sector;

18. Considers that bringing the border regions of the CEEC closer to the EU should not result in unbalanced economic development and stresses that economic and social cohesion should be a central objective of the policies pursued by the CEECs; hopes that cross-border cooperation will not be restricted solely to the EU and the CEECs, but will also develop between CEECs, between CEECs and CIS States and, in general, between CEEC regions;

19. While regretting its late publication, approves the Commission report, and affirms its attachment to the pursuit and strengthening of the EU-CEEC cross-border cooperation programme, which is a vital instrument of the pre- accession strategy and of economic and social development in Europe;

20. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, the parliaments of the Member States and the governments and parliaments of the Central and Eastern European countries.