WRITTEN QUESTION E-0691/00

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(9 March 2000)

Subject: Application of the Leader programme in the Autonomous Region of the Azores

On 18 February 2000, at the invitation of Adeliaçor I had the opportunity of visiting a series of projects developed by this association with financial support from the Leader programme in the rural district of Capelo on the island of Faial in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, where many of the 293 projects already approved by this association have been developed.

The projects visited included a vast range of activities, for example the rebuilding of homes destroyed by the Capelinhos volcano for the development of rural tourism projects, improvements in small tourist centres, the restoration of buildings for the promotion of handicrafts, the construction of viewing points and the preparation of waymarked routes for walkers, recreational centres for children, tourist leaflets and videocassettes, the marketing of agricultural products, etc.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Leader programme is changing the face of this rural district and making an exemplary contribution to improving its quality of life and economic development. In this context I had the opportunity of confirming that the Leader programme is exceptionally successful and it is hard to imagine a more suitable instrument for rural development.

However, I noted a degree of apprehension on the part of the leaders of Adeliaçor on two fundamental points, firstly the timetable for the application of the Leader+ programme there, and secondly the deadlines for payment.

Could the Commission indicate the foreseeable timetable for all the measures needed to ensure that the Leader+ programme is introduced there (approval of the programme, deadlines for the submission of applications by the Member States and the launching of tendering procedures on the spot)?

Does the Commission not consider it would be useful to carry out a detailed study of the channels and financial formalities for the structural funds involved from the moment the money leaves the Community's coffers until it reaches the promoter of individual projects, as well as the actual deadlines, so as to make it clear why payments are systematically delayed?

In any event, can the Commission say what level of priority it considers should be given to the application of the Leader+ programme in the most remote areas of the outermost regions?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 April 2000)

The expected timetable for implementing Leader+ is as follows: once the lawyer-linguists have examined the text of the guidelines, the Commission will formally adopt it and the Leader+ communication containing the final version will be published in the Official Journal; Member States will then have six months to submit their programmes to the Commission, which in turn will have a maximum of five months to approve them; once the programmes have been approved, Member States will have a maximum of two years to select beneficiaries.

Having noted a number of implementation problems with Leader II, particularly in relation to the complexity of certain financial channels, the Commission states in the draft Leader+ communication that it favours the use of global grants where this aims for simplification, without prejudicing the principle of sound and rigorous management. In addition, programmes will be required to describe the management arrangements and the procedures for the mobilisation and circulation of financial flows, including the Community funding, as far as the final beneficiary. The ex-ante evaluation must confirm that the implementing arrangements are appropriate.

All rural areas in the Community will be eligible for Leader+, including the remotest rural areas of the outermost regions. Member States will be free to opt for specific zoning of Leader+ if necessary, depending on the strategy chosen.