WRITTEN QUESTION E-3891/02

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(13 January 2003)

Subject: ROP (Regional Operational Programme) for Calabria

Knowing that:

- On the basis of paragraphs 2 and 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999(1) (on information and publicity measures concerning Structural Fund assistance carried out by the Member States) the managing authority carrying out Community structural measures is responsible for ensuring compliance with information

publicity obligations and hence responsible for guaranteeing that publicity is given to the package and particularly for informing potential final beneficiaries, trade and professional bodies, the economic and social partners and the general public about the role played by the Community in the assistance concerned and the results achieved.

- With reference to the practicalities of carrying out information and publicity measures concerning assistance from the Structural Funds, Regulation (EC) No 1159/2000(2) states that for the purposes of ensuring transparency for potential and final beneficiaries the managing authority should ensure:

- publication of the content of the package, including an indication of the involvement of the Structural Funds concerned, circulation of these documents and their availability to those who request them,

- the establishment of appropriate reporting on the progress of the assistance throughout the programming period,

- the implementation of information measures relating to the management, monitoring and evaluation of assistance from the Structural Funds.

- Despite receiving EUR 500 million each year, Calabria does not manage to carry out the necessary investments within the due time limits.

- According to the Calabrian Regional Committee of CGIL, the Calabrian regional government is failing to meet the obligation laid down in the Regulation, which evidently leads to delays in the planning and execution of investments envisaged in the ROP, causing resources to be wasted at the cost of the quality of investments and completing nullifying the functionality of the concertation instruments created for monitoring and implementing the ROP.

How does the Commission intend to reassert the terms of Regulation (EC) No 1159/2000 and combat the inertia of local authorities?

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 130, 31.5.2000, p. 30.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(24 February 2003)

The Commission is carefully watching the progress of the Calabria Operational Programme 2000-2006.

In view of the delays in implementation the monitoring committee for the Italian Objective 1 Community support framework, when it met on 18 July 2002, decided to carry out a special exercise on the programme to determine why the measures concerned were being delayed.

With the aim of accelerating execution procedures for the programme officials of the Directorates-General for Regional Policy and Agriculture went to Calabria several times in the second half of 2002 to meet all the officials in charge of measures financed from the ERDF and EAGGF. They were able to identify all the causes of procedural and administrative blockages holding up activity and work out the best ways of relaunching the implementation process.

On respecting Regulation (EC) No 1159/2000(1), the Commission shares the Honourable Member's opinion on the importance of information and publicity about Structural Fund assistance.

Article 34 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 makes the managing authority responsible for compliance with the information and publicity obligations and under Article 46 it falls to that authority to inform potential recipients of the assistance possible and inform the general public of the Community's role in providing it.

The information and publicity measures for the Calabria 2000-2006 OP are annexed to the programme complement. The information provided by the Region on implementation of the information and publicity plan were examined by the monitoring committee for the OP when it met on 18 January 2002. On that occasion the trade union mentioned by the Honourable Member did not enter any reservation.

Nonetheless, to check that the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 1159/2000 are being fully respected by the Region, the Commission has asked the programme managing authority to discuss progress in implementing the communication action plan at the monitoring committee's first meeting in 2003.

At its second 2003 meeting the monitoring committee will examine the annual execution report for 2002, which should contain a chapter on information and publicity action. This report is due to reach the Commission before 30 June 2003.

(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1159/2000 of 30 May 2000 on information and publicity measures to be carried out by the Member States concerning assistance from the Structural Funds, OJ L 130, 31.5.2000.