ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(81)38
Vol.1981/0008

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(81)38final
Brussels,18thFebruary 1981
COMMUNICATION BYTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCIL
oncategories ofinfrastructure towhichtheEuropeanRegional
Development Fundmaycontribute inthevariousregionsaidedbytheFund
/

Communication bytheCommissiontotheCouncil
•i
■-'"!. ""Ί·'·.
'•'" 1 ■ "'•!
onthecategoriesofinfrastructure towhichtheEuropeanRegional
Development Fundmaygrantassistanceintheregionsaidedbythe
Fund. '■
1.Initsinitialversion,CouncilRegulation (EEC)No724/75of18March1975
establishing aEuropeanRegionalDevelopment Fund(ERDF)(1)limited
Fundassistancetoinfrastructures (Article4(1)(b)jtothefinancingof
■ yinvestments ininfrastructure "directlylinked"tothedevelopment of
industrial,handicraftorserviceactivities.TheCommission'sproposals
toestablishaEuropeanRegionalDevelopment Fundhadbeenmadein1973,
thatis,wellbeforethestartoftheeconomicrecession.Directly Y
productive'investmentcreatingpermanentjobs'wasthenconsideredasthe
overridingandparamountaimofallregionalpolicy.TheERDF,asameans
ofsupportingnationalregionalpolicies,wastocontributetothe
achievementofthisaim.ERDFfinancingofinvestmentsininfrastructure
wasallowedonlywheresuchinvestments wereanecessaryadjuncttoorprior
requirementfordirectlyproductiveinvestments.
2.TheCouncilMinutesof18March1975,containthefollowingstatementwith
referencetoArticle4(1)(b):
"Infrastructure directlylinkedwiththedevelopment ofactivities
coveredbyArticle4(1)(a)shallbetakentomean:
•either:infrastructure builtshortlybeforeorconcurrently with.
theimplementation ofinvestmentprojectsintheseactivitiesand
whicharenecessarytotheirimplementation ;
-or,exceptionally,whenregionaldevelopment programmesorthe
informationprovidedpursuanttoArticle6(6)demonstratetheneed
therefor:infrastructure whichisa"priorrequirementforaction
todevelopsuchactivities.Theword"exceptionally "atthebeginning
ofthisindentistobeinterpreted asarestriction onthenumber
ofprojectssubmittedforFundassistance,notontheregionscovered."
(1)G.J.NoL73,21.2.75,p.1.
(2)Thislimitationdoesnotapplyto"rural"infrastructures financedunder
article4(1)(c).

-2-
3.Despitetheinterpretative statementandtheterminologyused(accom-
,panies"/"builtshortlybefore","priorrequirement"),difficulties
arosewhenitcametotakingactionunderArticle4(1)(b).Infactonly
projectsforlayingoutindustrialzones,includingaccessroads,could
befinancedwithoutproblemsarisingduringthisfirsttrialperiod.When
theRegionalPolicyCommitteewasaskedtogiveanopiniononinfrastructure
investmentprojectscostingmorethan10millionu.a.(now10millionEUA),
ittookupthequestionofthedefinitionofeligibleinfrastructure ;
thiswasatthebeginningof1976.TheCommitteesoughttodevelopauniform
setofprinciplesforallCommunityregionsonthebasisofvarioustypes
ofinfrastructure ,butthisapproachdid.notgivetheresultshopedfor.
Pendingtheexisti*^ofasetofprinciples,theCommitteeassessedeach
infrastructure projectindividually byreferencetotheconceptsof
"directlink"and"priorrequirement".TheFundCommitteedidlikewise.
\
Inthisway,overtheyears1975to1978,sometwo-thirdsofFundcontri­
butionswereallocatedtoinvestments ininfrastructure (ofwhichabout
»
4Xwerefor."curai"infrastructure ).
4.WhentheERDFRegulation wasrevisedon6February1979(1),thecriterion
ofeligibilityforinfrastructure wasbroadened.TheERDFmaynowfinance
investmentin"infrastructures whichcontributetothedevelopment ofthe
regionorareainwhichtheyaresituated,providedthatthisisjustified
bvregionaldevelopment programmes"(Article4(1)(b).
Onthisoccasion,theCouncilMinutesdidnotincludeaninterpretative
i
statement;however,itisstated:
"Withintwoyears,theCouncil,actingonaproposalfromtheCommission,
communicatedafterconsultingtheRegionalPolicyCommittee,willdefine
thosecategoriesofinfrastructure towhichtheEuropeanRegionalDevelop­
mentFundmaygrantassistance.Thisdefinitionwillbepreparedonthe
/
basisofregionaldevelopment programmes."Itwillbepossiblefromthese
programmestoassessRegionalrequirements forcertaincategoriesof
i. ■.„ " •rinfrastructure ."- .. "
(1)O.J.NóL35,9.2.79/p.1.«

Thiscommunicatiqn istheresponsetotheCouncil'sintentionas
recordedintheMinutes.
5.SincetheentryintoforceoftheamendedversionoftheERDFRegulation,
anyinfrastructure category,whateveritsnature,iseligibleforan
EROFgrantunderArticle4(1)(b),providedthatwhencompleteditwill
contributetothedevelopment oftheregionandisjustifiedbytheregional
development programme.However,thisdoesnotmeanthatanyinfrastructure
maybefinancedinanyregion.Theresourcesofthequotasectionofthe
Fundmustbechannelledtotheregionswiththemostneed,takingaccount
.oftheirdevelopmentpotential,andtocategoriesofinfrastructure which
bestcontributetothedevelopment oftheregion,forinstancebyremoving
•bottlenecks .
6.TheessentialaimofCommunityregionalpolicyandtheERDF,moreespecially
throughitsquotasection,istocorrectthemainregionalimbalancesin
theCommunitywhichcouldaffecttheproperfunctioning ofthecommon
marketandtheconvergence oftheeconomiesoftheMemberStates/
particularly withaviewtoachievingeconomicandmonetaryunion:
accordingly,theyshoulddirectaidtoinfrastructure projectswhich
willbestcontributetothedevelopment oftheregionsbystrengthening
theircapacitytocompeteandbyhelpingthemtogainaccesstothe-->
market.Toachievethispurpose,theprojectsmustvanswerthereal
requirements oftheregionsas.indicatedintheregionaldevelopment
programmes . '
7.Pendingnotification ofthenecessarydetailedinformation,tobesupplied
.intheregionaldevelopment programmes,pursuanttotheCommission's
recommendation of23May1979,(1^itisindispensible toestablisha
frameworkforERDFcontributions inthisfield.Newprogrammestocover
theyears1981to1985willmostprobablybecommunicated totheCommission
earlyin1981.TheseprogrammeswillbeexaminedbytheCommission,in
particularwithregardtotheprioritiesthatemergeforERDFassistance
toinfrastructure projects. -v .
<1>O.J.NoL143,12.6.79/p.9.1

8.Thedefinitionofinfrastructure categoriesintheERDFcontextis
■i " t
boundupwithfourotherproblems:
-determination ofprioritiesforassistancefromthe'Fund/under
Article6(4)oftheERDFRegulation;
-aajustmentoftherateofFundassistancetoinfrastructure projects
andinparticularitsincreaseto40%"forprojectswhichare
ofparticularimportancetpthedevelopment oftheregioninwhich,
theyaresituated",underArticle4(2)(b)oftheERDFRegulation;
-financingofruralinfrastructures underArticle4(1)(c)oftheERDF
Regulation; .
«-financing (possiblycumulative)ofinfrastructure investmentprojects
byotherCommunityfinancialinstruments (EIB,ECSC,NCI,EMS,EAGGF
GuidanceSection).
Moreover,theperiodicreportonthesocialandeconomicsituationinthe
regionsoftheCommunityshouldleadtothedefinitionofguidelinesand
<• '. ' .priorities,whichmayaffectthedefinitionofthecategoriesofinfra­
structuretobefinancedbytheERDF.
However,thepurposeofthiscommunication ismorelimitedandimmediate;
toclarifythescopeofArticle4(1)(b)oftheERDFRegulationasregards;
theassistancetobegrantedtoinfrastructure investmentprojects.
$ν';·\
9.Inthisconnectiondistinctions shouldbedrawnbetween •
-under-developed regionsandotherERDFregions;
-existingstandardofinfrastructures anddevelopment needs;
-economicinfrastructure andsocialinfrastructure ; -*
-networksandindividualinfrastructure works;•
-fixedcapitalinvestment andmaintenance and/oroperatingcosts.
ν· . '
Generally,thelessdevelopedCommunityregionsarethosemostlacking
publicinfrastructure andequipmentofallkinds.Theirdevelopmenttherefore
dependsoninvestmentintheseinfrastructures ,,inparticularnetwork .
infrastructure withouthoweverexcludingsocialinfrastructure .Onthe
otherhand,inthemorehighlydevelopedassistedregions,onlyinfra­
structuredirectlylinkedwithorapriorrequirementfordirectlyproductive
investmentwouldinprinciplebefinancedbytheERDFunderArticle4(1)(b)
oftheRegulation.Maintenanceor.operatingcostscould'innowaybe
financedunderthisArticle..

<y
-5-
10.Guidelinesandrulesmustbeestablished accordingtosimplecriteria,
butmustalsoguaranteesufficientflexibilityforERDFgrants.For
thisreason,theinfrastructure categoriesshouldnotbeconsideredas
finalandimmutable,especiallyinindustrialconversionregions.
11.Onthebasisoftheforegoingconsiderations ,theCommission,having
consultedtheRegionalPolicyCommittee,adoptsthefollowingguidelines :
(a)Subjectto(b)'and(c)below,theFundmaycontributetothe
financingofinvestmentsrelatingtoinfrastructures whichfall
withinthecategorieslistedinpoint1oftheAnnex,and,inrespect
oftheregion,withinthecategorieslistedinpoint2oftheAnnex;
(b)Asandwhenthenewregionaldevelopment programmes,fortheperiod
1981-1985providethegroundsjustifyingbyregionorarea,the
kindsofinfrastructure towhichtheERDFmaygrantassistance
becauseoftheircontribution tothedevelopment ofthes^idregions
orareas,theprovisionsof(a)aboveshallceasetoapplytosuch
infrastructures ;
(c)Theprovisionsunder(a)aboveshallceasetoapplyatthelateston
31December1981;afterthatdatetheERDFmaycontributetothe
financingofallthecategoriesofinfrastructure forwhichjustifying
groundsareprovidedbythenewregionaldevelopment programmes;
failingsuchjustification ,onlyeconomicinfrestructureasdefined
inpoint1.1oftheAnnexshallbecofinanced(inpriorityregions)
andeconomicinfrastructure directlylinkedwiththedevelopmentof
industry,craftsorservices(inotherregions).

i .. ANNEX
i •" •'. ' ,
Infrastructure categoriesconnectedwithregionsaidedbytheERDF
1,Infrastructure categories
1.1.ECONOMICINFRASTRUCTURE .
1.Infrastructure directlylinkedtothedevelopment ofindustrial,
craftindustryorserviceactivities,includingtourist "facilities;
-industrialsites(alsoforcraftindustryandserviceactivities)
(landpurchase,preparation,generalworks(1),connections )
-touristareas .'
(samespecifications mutatismutandis). <
ZrTransportinfrastructure ,includingrelatedfacilities:
-roads(motorways,ordinaryroadsofdifferentcategories,including ,
civilengineering work(bridges,tunnels),parkingfacilitiesand
otherrelatedfacilities )
-raiIways
-waterways
-urbantransportnetwork(includingunderground railwaysystems)
« ....-harboursandjetties
-civilairports
-stationsanddepotsforpublictransportservices.
3.Telecommunications andelectronicdataprocessingequipment '
(includingthedevelopmentofinformatictechnology)andrelated .
installations
-telex -*
-téléphoné
-radiocommunications
-datatransmission ' • ).
^dataprocessingcentres(informatic)
-spacecommunications
7Télévision
(1)Includingfactoryandworkshopconstruction (buildings),sewerage,
vocationaltrainingcentres,premisesforlocalfireandambulance
services,daynurseriesforchildrenofpersonsregularlyemployed
inthearea,othersocialservicesforpersonsinemployment,clearance
ofderelictland.

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4.Infrastructure forthesupply,distribution andstorageofenergy,
.includingrelatedfacilities :
-pipelines
-gaspipelines
--electriccables ;
-reservoirs
-pumpingstations
"relayandtreatmentstations.
Α
5.Investmentinpublicutilities,includingrelatedfacilities :
^watersupply(catchment,storage,purification,distribution )
rgas ,
'■*electricity (includingthebuildingofpowerstations)
-fireservices
treatmentofhousehold andindustrial wasteandeffluent.
6.Irrigation works,includingrelatedfacilities :
-dams
->;utilisation
-distribution .
1.2.EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
1.Buildingorequippingalltypesofschool(primary,secondary,special)
2.Buildingorequippinguniversities oradvancedtechnicalcolleges,
includingvocationaltrainingcentres
\
3.Sportsandculturalfacilities
4.Buildingorequippingresearchcentresormanagementoradvisory ^
services
5.Buildingorequippingshelteredworkshopsforhandicapped persons.

1.3 .MEDICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
/
1.Building orequipping hospitals oremergency services posts
2.Building orequipping homes fortheelderly
3.Building orequipping cure establishments ,
4.Building orequipping creches anddaynurseries
5.Building orequipping recreation centres .
1.4 .CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
1.Theatres
2.Museums andartgalleries -\
3.Cultural centres ' . '•-
4.Conference centres
5.Sporting and leisure facilities
6.Public parks •\
7.Urban renewal *
8.Monuments andplaces ofhistorical orartistic interest
9.Public libraries
10.Cultural heritage .
1.5 .INFRASTRUCTURE TOPROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
, (
' -!
1.Coastal protection
2.Soil conservation
3.Forestry service «
4.Airandwater pollution andfire monitoring andwarning systems
5.Treatment ofeffluent .
1.6 .PUBLIC SECTOR HOUSING AND ANCILLARY INSTALLATIONS

CategoriesofregionsassistedbytheERDF(1) j
•> . ■ .~ '* -
1.PRIORITYREGIONS . '' t
' »
1.InthepriorityregionsoftheCommunity/namelyGreenland,theFrench ^
OverseasDepartments,Ireland,NorthernIreland,theMezzogiorno and
WestBerlin,theEuropeanRegionalDevelopment Fundmay,pursuantto'
Article4(1)(b)oftheFundRegulation,contributetothefinancing (
ofanycategoryofinfrastructure .
2.Grantstosocialandenvironmental infrastructure (point1.2to1.6)may-
notexceedanannualaverageof40%oftotalaidgrantedunderArticle4..!
(1)(b)oftheERDFRegulation.•'
2.INTERMEDIATE REGIONS , -
• . 1 ■ ' .1
I
1.Inintermediate regionsoftheCommunity,namelytheareasofFranceeligible ;
for"primesded^veloppement regional"(PDR-regional development premiums),
,Friuli-Venezia Giulia,SpecialDevelopment AreasandDevelopment Areasinthe
U.K.,the"Zonenrandgebiet "intheFederalRepublicofGermany,thespecial
development areaofNorthernDenmarkandtheIslandofBornholm,theERDF
,moy,underArticle4(1)(b)contributetothefinancingofeconomicinfra­
■ 1 ■istructure (point1.1)and,indulyjustifiedcases,tothefinancingof >■j
socialandenvironmental infrastructure (1.2to1.6). I
2.Grantstosocialandenvironmental infrastructure intheseregionsmaynot ,
-exceedanannualaverageof20%oftotalaidgrantedunderArticle4(1)(b).
' '■ S
3.OTHERASSISTEDREGIONS ' '– ! ^ ']
1.Intheotherassistedregions,theEuropeanRegionalDevelopment Fundmay,\
underArticle4(1)(b)contributetothefinancing'ofeconomicinfrastructure
connectedwithjob.creation(point1.1.1)and,indulyjustifiedcases,to
othereconomicinfrastructure dswellastosocialandenvironmental infra­
structure (point1.2to1.6)ifneedbe.
2..Grantstootherinfrastructure intheseregionsmaynot'exceed30%oftotal
aie<grantedunderArticle4(1)(b)..Socialandenvironmental infrestructure
(pcint1.2to1.6)maybeeligibleforFund,aidonlybywayofexception.
)ThissectionisbasedontheCommission'scommunication onregionalaid
schemes(O.J.no.C31,3.2.79,p.9).