EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/258

(2004/C 88 E/0263)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0972/04

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(29 March 2004)

Subject: Natura Network – funding

The Portuguese Secretary of State for the Environment, José Eduardo Martins, recently stated that the amounts which the EU was preparing to assign Portugal for the management of the Natura Network were quite clearly inadequate, and fell far short of what was required. He said that merely for the management of Portugal's Natura Network between 2003 and 2007, Portugal needed some 220 million euros, but that the EU financial perspective fell far short. Apparently, a similar problem will occur with Spain, Italy, France and Greece.

It appears that the problem is a result of the fact that the environment and agriculture, under the new financial framework, appear on the same budgetary line, where in the case of Portugal, 80 % of the money is then captured by agriculture.

The Commission:

— how is it going to respond to these problems, difficulties and inadequacies;

— can it guarantee that the Natura Network and its objectives are not going to be thrown into crisis by financial shortfalls and inadequate budgeting?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission has committed itself to submiting a Communication on the Financing of Natura 2000 in 2004. This Communication is expected for the first half of 2004. Furthermore, the Commission has so far integrated the Natura 2000 network and its needs in all its major proposals for future Community Financing. These include the Commission's proposal for the future Financial Perspectives and the Third Report on Economic and Social Cohesion.

The Commission stated in the Communication on the new Financial Perspectives for the period post-2006 (1) that rural development actions related to Natura 2000 would be an important objective of the future rural development policy. Furthermore, one of the important activities included in the environmental priorities for the period 2007-2013 within the same chapter of the future financial perspectives is the development and implementation of the Natura 2000 network of sites to protect European biodiversity as well as the implementation of the biodiversity action plans. The Commission has also indicated in the Third Cohesion Report on economic and Social Cohesion (2), that investing in infrastructures which are linked to Natura 2000 and contribute to overall regional competitiveness is one of the areas in which structural funds interventions may take place in the future.

At the same time, the Commission confirmed that cohesion policy is based on the principles of subsidiarity and of partnership with Member States and regions, and that the co-funded measures should reflect regional priorities and economic development needs. The Commission cannot go against these key principles and oblige Member States and regions to finance precise actions or, even more, to earmark financial resources to a given policy area. However, in the course of the programming dialogue, which will be reinforced and made more strategic, the Commission would discuss with Member States and regions the best way to incorporate Community priorities, including the financial needs of the Natura 2000 network.

(1) Communication from the Commission to the Council and the Parliament Building – our common Future – Policy Challenges and budgetary means of the Enlarged Union 2007-2013, COM(2004) 101 final.

(2) Third Report on Economic and Social Cohesion, COM(2004) 107 final.