WRITTEN QUESTION E-2735/02

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(30 September 2002)

Subject: Social and economic consequences of EU enlargement

Forthcoming EU enlargement to Central and Eastern European countries will have significant economic and social consequences, particularly for regions and Member States with a similar economic structure to these countries, such as Portugal, as has been underlined in various studies(1).

One example of this impact will be the likely relocation of firms to these countries as is already happening now which will accentuate existing social and economic difficulties in Objective 1 regions.

The Commission:

1. Can it say what data it possesses on the economic and social impact on Portugal of EU enlargement to countries of Central and Eastern Europe (by productive sector, employment aspects, etc.)?

2. Does it plan to create mechanisms (such as special programmes to support economic development, as was the case in previous enlargement rounds) which might help offset the negative economic and social consequences of enlargement, particularly in Portugal's case, thus guaranteeing the effective application of the principle of economic and social cohesion as regards raising levels of social and economic development?

(1) See, for example, the opinion of Parliament's Committee on Budgets on the budgetary aspects of European Union enlargement of 20 June 2000 PE 289.570.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(5 November 2002)

The Commission has ordered a number of studies to be carried out on the impact of enlargement on both the present and future Member States. These cover employment and the labour market, the economy in general and small and medium-sized enterprises. Some of them are already available on the Commission's website (http://europa.eu.int).

Most of the studies on the economic impact of enlargement show that the positive effects will outweigh whatever difficulties certain sectors or regions will face.

The Commission has not had any studies on individual Member States carried out but is aware that in the context of Agenda 2000 the Portuguese Government commissioned several on the impact of enlargement on Portugal. Mention should also be made of the study by the Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Productivity, Employment and Structural Funds of October 1998 and EU Cohesion Policy Eligibility and Allocation Criteria of November 1997. Other studies are at present being carried out at the request of the Portuguese authorities such as that of the Região Autónoma da Madeira and the Community support framework observatory.

For its Second Report on Economic and Social Cohesion(1) the Commission analysed in detail the challenges that enlargement poses to the cohesion policy and it has launched a wide-ranging debate on post-2006 cohesion policy prior to adoption at the end of 2003 of the Third Cohesion Report, which is to make concrete policy proposals. The Commission will design these in the aim that cohesion policy will continue to support those regions of the present and new Member States that, objectively judged, still lag behind in development.

(1) COM(2001) 24 final.