WM COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0M(93) 140 final 
Brussels, 2 Apr!I 1993 
Mi 
MrY. 
^rfàri Conclusions of the report pursuant to Article 25 
of Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 
ERDF 1991 
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ï^rBSS'iPHl^^ (presented by the Commission) 
, A -
This report on the ERDF in 1991 is presented pursuant to Article 25 of 
Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 in the context of the monitoring of the 
implementation of assistance from the Funds at the level of the CSFs 
and specific measures. 
Together with the other two structural Funds (the EAGGF and the ESF), 
the ERDF, created in 1975, contributes to reducing regional imbalances 
in the Community and attaining the five priority Objectives laid down 
by the 1988 reform. 
While 1989 was the year in which development priorities were defined 
and the CSFs were adopted, and 1990 saw the negotiation and adoption of 
most of the measures, including 140 operational programmes and about 
fifty different projects, 1991 witnessed the implementation of these 
measures and a trend towards diversification. Many decisions involved 
the Community initiatives, greater use began to be made of global 
grants and a series of measures were launched under Article 10 of 
Regulation (EEC) No 4254/88. It was also the year in which the 
Community showed its solidarity with the new German Lander and east 
Ber lin. 
Implementation of the CSFs 
In all, 99.8% of the appropriations available for 1991, i.e. ECU 6 712 
million, were committed in 1991 and 98% of the payment appropriations 
(ECU 6 229 million) were taken up. 
1. In the seven countries or parts of countries covered by 
Objective 1, 15 operational programmes and projects were approved 
in 1991, together with three global grants. ECU 4 873 million were 
committed, of which ECU 1 356 million related to new measures 
(27.83%). 
2. The CSFs adopted in 1989-90 for declining industrial regions 
(Objective 2) gave rise to commitments in 1991 totalling ECU 1 243 
million, of which ECU 147.5 million related to new measures 
(11.87%). These CSFs expired on 31 December 1991. However, the 60 
regions eligible for the first phase continue to be eligible by 
virtue of a Commission Decision of 30 April 1991, and the new CSFs 
for 1992-93 were approved by the Commission on 18 December 1991, 
with a further allocation of appropriations. ECU 3 296 million 
have been allocated to measures during the new period (1992-93), 
broken down into ECU 2 520 million for the ERDF and ECU 775 million 
for the ESF. 
3. With regard to the areas eligible under Objective 5(b), most of the 
61 OPs presented by the nine Member States concerned were approved 
during the year and the annual commitment of the ERDF amounted to 
ECU 360.77 mi I I ion. 
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In addition, the Monitoring Committees fulfilled their role during 1991 
and in most countries reprogramming allowed adjustments to be made to 
the CSFs and OPs to take account of progress in actual implementation 
of the measures. 
Community initiatives 
During 1991 a large number of programmes (70) were approved, relating 
to the initiatives Rechar, Envireg, Stride, Regis, Regen, Télématique, 
Prisma and Interreg and involving fields as diverse as research, 
technology transfer, cooperation and the provision of services to 
businesses, advanced telecommunications equipment and services and the 
environment. ECU 685.38 million were committed1. 
However, the programmes as initially presented had to be amended 
substantially because requests for funding outstripped available 
resources. 
Global grants 
Based on real implementation of the principles of subsidiarity and 
partnership and administered by an intermediary body, whether public, 
private or mixed, in close contact with the realities of the local 
situation concerned, the global grant mechanism was finally chosen 
during 1991 by Italy (Puglia: ECU 2.8 million), Spain (Murcia: ECU 18.9 
million; Andalucia: ECU 45.7 million) and France for the implementation 
of the Community initiative Stride in Objective 2 regions (ECU 17.3 
mi I I ion). 
Direct involvement of the social and economic forces concerned should 
provide active support to SMEs through measures to assist craft 
businesses and the provision of services to firms, the development of 
industrial estates or the promotion of innovation. 
Article 10 (Regulation (EEC) No 4254/88) 
Work continued on studies and the gathering of information to follow up 
the document "Europe 2000: outlook for the development of the 
Community's territory", approved by the Commission on 16 October 1991 
and constituting the first stage in defining the spatial organization 
of the Community's territory. Measures to further cooperation between 
regions have also been implemented: financing has been granted for 21 
projects proposed under the Recite programme and eight new urban pilot 
projects have been approved for the renovation of urban areas, 
illustrating the will to improve coordination between economic and 
environmental objectives. 
1 Not including ECU 124.08 million for the Leader initiative. 
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The new Lander and east Berlin 
In 1991 the five new Lander and east Berlin became eligible for 
structural assistance with the adoption on 13 March of a CSF involving 
a Community financial contribution of ECU 3 billion, 50% of which is to 
come from the ERDF and the approval, on 26 March, of seven programmes 
to reduce structural disparities and promote economic convergence. 
Optntert-ofthe Committee for the Development ^nd Conversion of Regions 
The Committee adopted a favourable opinion on this document on 16 
December 1992. 
- H- ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(93) 140 final 
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