ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
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DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (83) 163 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 045 
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening  to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this fil e is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9 .2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION  OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 
COM(83)  163  final 
Brussels,  6 april  1983 
Proposal  for a 
COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EEC) 
instituting a specific measure to promote urban renewal 
in Northern Ireland (Belfast) 
(presented by the Commission to the Council) 
COM(83)  163  final 

STATEMENT  OF GROUNDS 
Northern  Ireland  has always been considered, both  within  the framework of 
national regional policy and at the level of Community structural policies, 
as a peripheral region experiencing exceptionally serious structural problems. 
For this reason Northern  Ireland  benefits 1n the context of all Community poli­
cies  and financial instruments from the priority  treatment,  from the higher rates 
of Community aids and from several specific actions intended to improve, in conjunc­
tion  with  measures undertaken by the United Kingdom, the impact of measures designed 
to deal  with  the above mentioned problems in their various- fields. 
Total Community grants (commitment) for structural purposes on behalf of Nor­
thern  Ireland  from 1973 to 1982 inclusive are some  £363  million. It may be 
estimated  that  this was 1.0 X of regional GbP in 1982 (EEC average 1982 : 
some  0.19 X of GDP). The importance of the Community  effort  can also be 
illustrated by the two following tables  :.'·•' 
Grants  in ECU/head 
Commitments 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977. 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 
Northern 
Ireland 7.5 8.2 17.7 24.7 22.5 32.5 57.3 56.0 76.5 93 0 
EEC 1.6 2.1 3.3 4.2 4.7 5.7 9.7 11.6 14.2 17 2 

Loans  in ECU/head 
1973 1974 ' 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 
Northern  • 
Ireland - 3.2 -· 18.0 - 50.2 53.3 5.9 -
EEC 4.9 7.8 8.4 9.0_ 10*9 '12.8 15.7 14.0 20.1 
The initiative  taken  by the Commission in proposing to the United Kingdom Govern­
ment an integrated operation in Belfast should be viewed  within  this.general frame­
work.  With  this integrated operation in mind, this Government has sent details to the 
Commission  of groups of linked inyestments which are important for dev  loping«Wie  ur­
ban area of Belfast. This is the main urban industrial conurbation 6f the region, 
containing  about one third of the  total  population.  Also  involved is the main 
port of the region. However, the area suffers from the consequences of  concen­
tration  of industrial sectors in decline and of an especially marked urban 
decline.  • . · , * 
Despite national and Community measures, the social and economic situation of 
the region has Worsened continuously. The European Parliament, in its resolution 
of 19 June  1981 (1)  adopted on the basis of detailed reports on social and econo­
mic problems in Northern  Ireland,  has stressed this worsening situation and has asked 
for further remedial measures. The reports have stressed in particular poverty and low 
incomes,  housing conditions and health of the population, unemployment and under 
employment and the conditions governing energy supply in this peripheral region. 
The Parliament  +ias  recommended' the Commission to study more particularly certain 
points  among which are the "housing stock renewal and renovation of accommodation 
in certain areas (particularly Belfast),as a  matter  of urgency, since job creation 
must be linked  with  improved living conditions". 
(1) O.J. n° C  172 of 13.7.1981,  p. 122 

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The Commission therefore considers  that  the field in which a Community 
measure  can most rapidly produce tangible improvements in the situation 
described  is that  of urban renewal, particularly in Belfast. 
Until now, the United Kingdom government has not been able to provide the 
means  to take adequate and sufficiently rapid action to meet Belfast's needs 
for urban renewal. Community aid would therefore produce tangible results 
in speeding up the execution of a greater volume of infrastructure works  with 
beneficial  effects on employment and on the many sectors of activity connected 
with  these works. 
In order to be effective and significant, the action to promote urban renewal 
in the Belfast area should cover several years and be implemented over a period 
at least as long as  that  envisaged for the integrated operation, i.e. three years. 
Expenditure in the region of 100 million ECU therefore seems appropriate. 
The additionality of the increased Community expenditure in relation to national 
expenditure should be measured  with  reference to the  total  annual volume of 
expenditure incurred by the United Kingdom for urban renewal in Northern Ireland 
and in the Belfast  area.  Expenditure for this purpose should not diminish in 
real  terms in the course of the period of application of the special measure, or, 
at least, the proportion of this expenditure in the  total  national expenditure 
in Northern Ireland should be maintained, the  report  of the United Kingdom authorities 
indicating clearly how the money  from  the Community has been  used. 
To obtain this result, a rate of contribution up to 70 % and advances up to 80 % 
of the contribution should be possible. 
As the regulation is based on Article 235 of the EEC Treaty, consultation of 
Parliament  is indispensable. The Commission also recommends the Council to obtain 
the opinion of the Economic and  Social  Committee. 

Proposal  for a 
COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EEC) 
instituting a specific measure to promote urban renewal 
in Northern Ireland (Belfast) 
THE COUNCIL  OF THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES, 
Having  regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
and in particular Article 235 thereof, 
Having  regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having  regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, 
Having  regard to the opinion of the Economic and  Social  Committee, 
Whereas  Northern Ireland is one of the peripheral regions of the Community 
experiencing  particularly serious structural problems; whereas it therefore 
benefits,  at both national and Community levels, from  priority  treatment 
and from a number of specific measures in various fields; 
Whereas  the European Parliament, in its resolution of 19 June 1981 (1), 
emphasized  i.he steadily deteriorating social and economic situation in 
this region and drew particular attention, in the reports on which 
(1) O.J. No C 172, 13.7.1981, p. 122 

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that  resolution is  based,  to the poverty and low incomes, the housing 
and health conditions of the population, particularly in Belfast, the unemploy­
ment and underemployment, and the energy supply conditions in this region; 
Whereas  the United Kingdom Government has transmitted to the Commission 
details  of a series of related investment projects which are important 
for the development and urban renewal of the Belfast  area; 
Whereas  almost half the expenditure on these projects concerns housing; 
whereas  other infrastructure investment projects are also necessary for 
urban renewal; whereas the volume of national expenditure allocated each 
year  to infrastructure contributing to urban renewal in Northern Ireland 
is not sufficient for investment projects to be completed at a rate 
commensurate  with  the needs either of the region or of Belfast; 
Whereas  the budgetary authority has entered in  Item  5411 of the General 
Budget  appropriations for "Community measures in the framework of 
integrated operations"; 
Whereas  the implementation of an exceptional measure to promote urban 
renewal  in the Belfast  area,  in addition to the possibilities currently 
offered by the existing financial instruments, would make a contribution, 
together  with  all the specific measures undertaken in Northern Ireland, 
to the efforts needed to bring about a steady improvement in the situation 
in that  region, provided  that  all the investment projects are carried out 
with  due dispatch; 
HAS ADOPTED  THIS  REGULATION 

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Article 1 
A specific measure to promote urban renewal in Northern Ireland is 
hereby established for the Belfast  area. 
Article  2 
The specific measure shall consist of the  joint  financing by the Community 
and the public authorities in Northern Ireland of infrastructure investment 
projects contributing to urban renewal in the Belfast  area. 
Article  3 
The infrastructure projects which the Community may help to finance shall 
be chosen from a list to be submitted each year by the United Kingdom, 
accompanied  by all the information necessary for the assessment of each 
project, such as its nature, characteristics and location, the authority 
responsible,  the  total  cost, the financing arrangements, the schedule 
of work and expenditure and any other relevant details. 
The Commission may request any additional information concerning any of 
the projects on this list. 
Article  4 
In order to qualify for a Community contribution under this Regulation, 
projects rr · jst satisfy the following conditions  : 
- they must not have been completed at the time the list is submitted; 
- they must involve capital expenditure borne by the public authorities; 

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- they must contribute to urban renewal in the Belfast  area,  to the 
raising  of living standards and to the improvement of the environment; 
- they must be consistent  with  the regional development programme for 
Northern Ireland which the United Kingdom is required to communicate 
1 
to the Commission under Article  6 of Council Regulation (EEC) No  724/75 . 
Article 5 
The United Kingdom Government shall also provide the Commission  with  all 
the information it needs to satisfy itself  that  the Community aid is 
additional to the  total  volume of national expenditure allocated to the 
investment projects necessary for urban renewal, including the infrastructure 
projects benefitting from this Community aid. The granting of the aid shall 
be subject to a finding  that  it is indeed additional thereto. 
Article 6 
Within the limits of the budget resources earmarked for this measure under 
the budgetary procedure and available for the period 1983 to 1985, 
the amount of Community aid may not exceed 70% of the cost 
of the investment. This  limit  shall also apply where different Community 
aids  are combined. 
Artie  le 7 
The annual list of projects and the  draft  Commission decisions concerning the 
granting of  .· contra but ions shall be transmitted to the European Regional 
Development Fund Committee. Decisions shall be taken by the Commission in 
accordance  with  the procedure laid down for the granting of aid from this 
Fund. 
0J No L  73, 21.3.1975,  p. 1 

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Article 8 
At the request of the United Kingdom, advances not exceeding 80 % of the 
amount of the contribution granted for each project may be paid. The 
balance  for each project shall be paid after its completion, on receipt 
of a statement from the United Kingdom Government certifying  that  the 
project in question has been completed and  that  all the payments relating 
to it have been made. 
The United Kingdom shall refund to the Commission any amounts which have 
not been used pursuant to this Regulation or pursuant to the decisions to grant 
contributions and which have not been used for other projects on the list. 
Article 9 
In December of each year, beginning in December 1983, the United Kingdom 
shall  transmit to the Commission, together  with  the list of projects for 
the following year, a report on the projects in progress which have 
received  aid from the Community. This report shall be transmitted to 
the Council and the European Parliament at the same time as a report from 
the Commission on the application of this Regulation. 
Article 10 
The United Kingdom shall provide the Commission  with  all the information 
necessary  Tor the proper implementation of the specific measure and shall 
take all the measures required to facilitate any checks which the Commission 
considers  should be made, in particular those involving the authorities 
and bodies responsible for carrying out the infrastructure projects, including 
on-the-spot checks. 

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Article 11 
In agreement  with  the Commission, the United Kingdom shall take all 
the steps necessary to provide information on and to publicize the 
specific  measure. 
Article 12 
This Regulat ion shall apply for a period of three years starting  from 
the date on which the specific measure commences. This period may be 
extended by the Council on a proposal  from  the Commission. 
Article 13 
This Regulation shall enter  into  force on the day following its 
publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its  entirety  and directly applicable 
in all Member States. 
Done at  Brussels,  1983 For the Counci L 
The President