WRITTEN QUESTION E-3278/02

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(19 November 2002)

Subject: Interreg III: objective disparities between Puglia-Albania and Albania-Greece programmes

Under the Interreg III A programme the following cooperation programmes have been approved:

A. Puglia-Albania, funding of EUR 33 million; the programme is a consolidation of the measures taken under Interreg II, which amounted to EUR 81,5 million; it concerns a total area of 38 486 km2 and, according to the Commission, a population of 6,2 million, of whom 2,8 million live in Italy and approximately 3,4 million in Albania;

B. Greece-Albania, funding of EUR 90 million, including EUR 70,4 million essentially designed to set up a real and well guarded border between the two countries; the programme concerns a population of 1,4 million, including 900 000 Greeks and 500 000 Albanians, who live in two extremely poor regions situated on either side of the border.

Quite apart from such aspects as the financial quotas set for each Member State, the size of territory, the number of inhabitants concerned and the standard of living in the areas in question, the border issue, in terms of security and actual movement of illegal immigrants from Albania to the European Union, involves almost exclusively the landing of vessels on the Puglia region's coasts.

The Puglia region's repeated efforts over the years to contribute to the development of Albania are unequalled in the Union, apart from the Community's own contributions. The intensity and quality of its institutional relations and its contribution to the improvement of public administration are well known. Moreover, with the Fiera del Levante organisation, it has promoted an annual trade fair in Tirana. The fourth fair, which took place in May 2002, was attended by 303 operators and over 40 000 visitors coming not only from Puglia, but also from Montenegro, Macedonia, Greece, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey.

Does the Commission not consider that measures should be taken to provide further investment, in addition to the scheduled programmes, which will ensure adequate development of Albania and thus act as a deterrent against mass emigration across the Adriatic to the European Union and illegal landings on the Puglia coastline?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(9 January 2003)

Within the limits of the funds allocated to them, the Member States themselves have defined the financial allocation for each Interreg III programme in which they participate, including therefore those involving Greece, Italy and Albania.

Albania, with the other Balkan countries, will also participate in a new Interreg programme (Interreg IIIA Italy-Adriatic), which is now being approved, and will receive a Community contribution totalling EUR 50.5 million. It should be noted that, while projects part-financed under Interreg programmes must be located within the Union, they must have a clear impact on the non-member countries concerned.

Immigration and security in the southern Adriatic are also the subject of other measures under the Structural Funds programmes, including the Sicurezza Programme 2000-2006 for the Italian Objective 1 regions and the Interreg III Archimed Programme for the Mezzogiorno and Greece which the Commission is currently approving.

In addition to the assistance provided by the Interreg Programmes between Albania and Italy/Greece, the Commission adopted in 2001 a Country Strategy Paper for Albania (CSP). This document includes a multiannual indicative programme (MIP) allocating all together EUR 143,9 million to Albania between period 2002-2004 (for the period 2001-2004 the amount increases to EUR 181,4 million). This assistance will be implemented under the Cards programme. Almost half of the total amount is allocated to actions such as strengthening the judiciary, assisting in the integrated border management as well as those in the fields of public order, asylum and migration and organised crime.

In addition the CARDS Regional Programme assists the whole region in the areas of integrated border management, democratic stabilisation, institution building and regional infrastructure with a financial allocation of EUR 80 million for the period 2002-2004.

The matter of illegal migration is also raised in different political fora. It will also be discussed in the context of the future negotiations of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between the Union and Albania.

In addition, on 28 November 2002 the Council (Justice and Home Affairs) formally authorised the Commission to negotiate a readmission agreement between the Community and Albania. Once concluded, that agreement will help fight illegal immigration from Albania more effectively and promote economic prosperity in the region, so helping solve the underlying causes of the flows of migrants.