WRITTEN QUESTION E-3284/00

by Mauro Nobilia (UEN) to the Commission

(25 October 2000)

Subject: EDF funding for the island of St Maarten

The Commission's reply to my previous question on the same subject (E-2352/00)(1) did not provide any additional substantive information to that contained in the question itself, and given that:

- there is an urgent need to rebuild the urban infrastructures of the overseas territory in question, particularly in the wake of the recent hurricanes;

- this is hard to reconcile with the fact that only 0,6 % of the funding allocated under EDF VIII, much of which was earmarked for the construction of urban infrastructures, was actually committed;

- the allegedly limited absorption capacity of the territory in question hardly accords with the island of St Maarten's very obvious unmet needs;

- even if the commitment rate of EDF funds for the Dutch Antilles does not differ significantly from that of other partner countries, that does not mean that such a rate is compatible with the objectives of the EDF, let alone that it represents a model of efficiency;

- the local authorities of the island of St Maarten seem to have submitted numerous projects to the National Authorising Officer of the Dutch Antilles to be forwarded to the Commission to enable the financial resources allocated under the EDF to be committed.

In view of the foregoing:

- would the Commission ascertain the possibility of speeding up the process and procedures for the commitment of the EDF funds earmarked for the Dutch Antilles?

- would the Commission ascertain whether the delay in committing the EDF funds earmarked for the Dutch Antilles, including the island of St Maarten, conflicts with the principles which determine the objectives and smooth operation of the European Development Fund itself?

(1) OJ C 103 E, 3.4.2001.

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(4 December 2000)

1. As mentioned in the reply to the Honourable Member's Written Question E-2352/00, the Commission confirms that it has not received an official request from the territorial authorising officer of the Netherlands Antilles for assistance to rebuild the infrastructures of the islands of St. Maarten that were struck in recent years by hurricanes.

2. However, the Commission has received from the territorial authorising officer a request for 34 million for infrastructure to be built on that island (water intake/desalination plant 2 million, water distribution 22 million and road improvements 10 million). This infrastructure has nothing to do with that damaged by the hurricanes. It will be built under the agreed European development fund (EDF) programmes for the Netherlands Antilles. A team of technical assistants is currently analysing the requests received for St. Maarten (including the designs, technical papers and tender documents) in order that projects can be prepared according to the normal EDF standards and approved during the course of 2001.

3. The low rate of commitments for the 8th EDF can be explained by the fact that the last indicative programme of the Netherlands Antilles was only signed in May 1999. As happens at the beginning of each EDF cycle, the first year after the signature of an indicative programme is mainly used to select, appraise and design projects and it is only when this phase is concluded that projects can be approved and implementation begun. This is precisely what is happening at the moment with the 8th EDF indicative programme of the Netherlands Antilles.