WRITTEN QUESTION E-1427/99

by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Commission

(1 September 1999)

Subject: Interreg assistance for Carinthia and Slovenia

The whole of the Austrian Land of Carinthia constitutes an area eligible for Interreg assistance. As a state directly adjacent to the EU, Slovenia qualifies in the same way for such assistance. Slovenia has received funds from the aid programme in question for the expansion of Llubljana airport. According to my information, this has meant that assistance has not been given for a number of projects in Carinthia.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. What amount of Interreg funds has been provided to Slovenia?

2. For what planned, current or completed projects in Slovenia have Interreg funds to date been granted?

3. What amount of Interreg funds has been provided to Carinthia (during the period corresponding to that for which funds have been provided to Slovenia)?

4. What projects in Carinthia in connection with which an application has been made for Interreg funds have been rejected, and on what grounds?

5. Is the Commission aware of a direct or indirect link between the projects in Carinthia which have not been supported and the simultaneous assistance for projects in Slovenia?

Answer given by M. Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 1999)

The Interreg IIA programme Austria-Slovenia applies to the regions of Unterkärnten and Klagenfurt-Villach in Kärnten and Südweststeiermark and Oststeiermark in Steiermark. The programme focuses on the border regions Wolfsberg, Völkermarkt, Villach-Stadt, Villach-Land, Klagenfurt-Stadt and Klagenfurt-Land in Kärnten and Deutschlandsberg, Leibnitz and Radkersburg in Steiermark.

Slovenia is not part of the eligible region for the Interreg IIA programme Austria-Slovenia and does therefore not receive financial support from this programme. Interreg IIA can only support projects that are located within the Community. These projects need to have a clear cross border character and should be aimed at co-operation with the neighbouring regions.

Matching projects on the Slovenian side of the border can be financed from the PHARE CBC (cross border co-operation) programme. For the period 1995-1999, Slovenia has an indicative budget of 14 million from PHARE CBC for cross-border co-operation with Austria.

The total available budget from the Community for the Interreg IIA programme Austria-Slovenia for the period 1995-1999 is 8 911 657. Kärnten is entitled to 4 078 318 of this budget and Steiermark to 4 833 339 The Commission paid until now 4 879 800 to Austria. A total amount of Austrian Schilling 25 217 184 ( 1 832 600) was forwarded by the federal government to the Land Kärnten.

150 projects are supported by the Interreg IIA programme, of which 54 have been finished. Since the selection of projects is decentralised to the Member States and regions, the Commission does not have in its possession the list of projects which have been submitted, but rejected.

All projects have to meet general selection and priority criteria at programme level and specific selection and priority criteria at measure level mentioned in the programme. The selection and priority criteria are agreed between the Member State and the Commission.

The Commission has no information suggesting that there is a connection between the approval of projects in Slovenia and the rejection of projects in Kärnten. It should be noted that Interreg and PHARE CBC are in budgetary terms two separat and distinct financial instruments. Slovenian border projects can only be supported by the PHARE CBC programme, whereas border projects in Kärnten are supported by the Interreg programme.