EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 33/240

(2004/C 33 E/246)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2263/03

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 July 2003)

Subject: Structural funding in Scotland

Can the Commission provide statistics on the proportion of EU structural funding allocated to Scotland since the beginning of the current programming period (2000 to 2006) which has actually been spent? Can the Commission provide statistics on the proportion of structural funding allocated to Scotland in the current programming period which has been, or is due to be, decommitted? Can the Commission similarly provide statistics regarding the proportion of total monies originally allocated to Scotland from the Structural Funds during the previous programming period (1993-1999) which were actually spent? And can the Commission provide statistics on the proportion of total monies initially allocated to Scotland from the Structural Funds during that same programming period which are subsequently decommitted? With respect to the statistics relating to decommitments, can the Commission indicate the specific projects concerned, and the reasons why the money was decommitted?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(4 August 2003)

For the period, 2000-2006, payments by the Commission may take the form of payments on account, interim payments or payments of the final balance in accordance with Article 32 (1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1). Interim payments and payments of the balance shall relate to expenditure actually paid out, which must correspond to payments made by the final beneficiaries, supported by receipted invoices or documents of an equivalent nature.

The Scottish authorities have so far claimed approximately EUR 201 million. This represents about 12 % of the allocations under the Structural Funds to Scotland for the programming period 2000-2006, which amounts to EUR1 688. This amount does not include payments on account which represent 7 % of the contribution from the Funds to the assistance in question.

The only programme supported by the Structural Funds in Scotland subject at this stage to the application of the so-called ‘N+2’ rule under Article 31 (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 was the Highlands & Islands Special Transitional Programme. In accordance with this rule, financial commitments made in the year 2000 had to give rise to payment requests of equivalent value by 31 December 2002 or risk decommitment of unclaimed amounts. No such risks exist for the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund, nor for the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance for which there were no commitments for 2000. In the case of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund the matter is still under discussion involving the Commission and the Scottish authorities on the extent of decommitment.

For the other programmes in Scotland, the N+2 rule will apply for the first time at the end of 2003. The Commission will only be in a position to determine the potential amounts for decommitment per programme after 31 December 2003, once it has received and processed all payment requests from the Managing Authority concerned.

For the period 1994-1999, Scotland received EUR 1353 million from the Structural Funds. The Commission received the necessary documents from the Scottish authorities for the closure of the programmes before the deadline of 31 March 2003. Only when all the documents are assessed, including the audit controls statements, will the closure process be completed. At that stage, the Commission will be in a position to determine the extent of any decommittment.

It should be noted that the Commission does not establish the amounts which should be decommitted per project but per programme on the basis of final payment claims and closure documentation. Such closure shall, however, be without prejudice to later decisions cancelling or reducing assistance and ordering the reimbursement of payments rongfully paid out, pursuant to Article 24 of Regulation (EEC) No 4253/1988 (2), as amended (3).

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2) Council Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 of 19 December 1988, laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the activities of the different Structural Funds between themselves and with the operations of the European Investment Bank and the other existing financial instruments, OJ L 374, 31.12.1988.

(3) OJ C 118, 28.4.1993.