WRITTEN QUESTION E-1246/98 by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission (29 April 1998)

Subject: Programmes involving CEECs

Even though the negotiations with the applicant Central and Eastern Europe countries (CEECs) have only just begun and their possible accession is unlikely before the year 2000, there are already numerous agreements, accords, initiatives and programmes between the Community and these countries.

In which EU programmes and initiatives are the countries with which accession negotiations will shortly begin participating?

What is the financial endowment of these programmes, and how is it distributed among countries and initiatives or programmes?

To what extent do the CEECs call on the resources available?

What agreements currently exist with the Community and the CEECs?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (20 May 1998)

Candidate countries from Central Europe participate in the fourth framework programme for research and development (1994-1998) from 1994 onwards, on a project by project basis. It is expected that by the end of 1998, some MECU 40 of Community support from the framework programme will have been committed for selected projects in which organisations from these countries and from the New Independent States participate.

The Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates and Youth for Europe programmes, adopted in late 1994 and 1995, were the first Community programmes to provide for full participation in all the programme activities. Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic started participating in these programmes at the end of 1997; in the case of Poland and the Slovak Republic, participation started in early 1998, as to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria (for Youth for Europe only), participation is expected to begin in the course of 1998.

An important number of other Community programmes were opened up for the participation of associated countries from Central Europe from the second semester of 1996 onwards. The programmes concerned are in the fields of culture (Ariane, Kaleidoscope and Raphael) and the audio-visual sector (Media), energy (Save) environment (Life), health (Health promotion, Combating cancer, Drug dependence, Prevention of Aids and other communicable diseases) social policy (Equal opportunities for men and women), and small and medium-sized enterprises (Third multiannual programme for SMEs). Participation in these programmes should become effective in the course of 1998. A few other programmes may become accessible as from 1999 (e.g. Karolus, Fiscalis).

According to the provisions of the Europe agreements, associated countries from Central Europe have to pay themselves the cost of their participation, with the possibility to part-finance their own contribution from their national Phare allocation. Financial contributions are defined in association council decisions. They are calculated by the Commission on the basis of objective parameters such as gross domestic product (GDP), population, distances (for mobility schemes) and other parameters inherent to the programme concerned (e.g. health standards, energy consumption etc.). Financial contributions are defined in Association Council decisions. The amounts mentioned in these decisions are maximum amounts, their actual use will merely depend on the quality of the applications of the country concerned. At this stage, it is not possible to assess the rate of success of these applications.

All eligible Central Europe candidates (CECs) used the possibility to earmark part of their Phare allocations for supplementing their own financial contributions, be it in different degrees. While remaining within the 10% limit of their national allocations, some countries relied heavily on Phare during the initial phase of participation (Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania), but are committed to make a steadily increasing effort of their own. Others (Hungary, Estonia, Czech Republic, Slovakia) followed a more balanced approach from the outset, and pay more than 50% from their own budgets.

Ten countries from Central Europe signed association agreements (or Europe agreements) with the Community. These agreements are all in force, except for Slovenia.