WRITTEN QUESTION E-0222/98

by Markus Ferber (PPE) to the Commission

(13 February 1998)

Subject: EU aid from the social and regional funds for Bavarian Swabia

Can the Commission provide the following information on EU economic and regional aid for the region of Bavarian Swabia:

1. How much EU structural aid - broken down by fund and Community initiative - went to that region in 1997?

2. What sum went to agriculture?

3. How many jobs were created with EU economic and regional aid in the region of Bavarian Swabia in 1997?

4. How much EU structural aid went to comparable regions in other Member States in 1997?

5. How many jobs were created with EU economic and regional aid in comparable regions in other Member States in 1997?

Supplementary answer

given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(22 June 1998)

The Commission cannot supply the information requested on such a precise geographical scale. Information is, however, available from regional administrative authorities for certain policies, in particular the structural policies.

Certain parts of the Regierungsbezirk of Swabia (Landkreise Aichach-Freidberg minus the towns of Aichach and Friedberg, Oberallgäu minus the town of Sonthofen, and part of Donau-Ries) are eligible for Objective 5b (development and structural adjustment of rural areas) for the period from 1994 to 1999. The Single Programming Document (SPD) for the parts of Bavaria eligible for objective 5b was adopted on 23 December 1994. The aggregate contribution from the three Structural Funds amounts to ECU 571.95 million, of which ECU 211.62 million comes from the European Development Fund (ERDF), ECU 120.11 million from the European Social Fund (ESF) and ECU 240.22 million from the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF).

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The Commission has no information on the manner in which a Regierungsbezirk in Bavaria uses the ESF contribution nor, therefore, on the labour market impact. It is consequently impossible to make comparisons with other regions. The Objective 3 operational programme for Bavaria provides for ESF participation of ECU 56.49 million (1994-99), the figure for objective 5b being ECU 117.65 million.

The Single Programming Document (SPD) for Objective 4 and the operational programme of the Bundesanstalt für Arbeit (Federal Labour Office) are managed either at national level or by the Bundesanstalt itself. In the Regierungsbezirk of Swabia funds from the Bavarian support programme for Objectives 3, 4 and 5b and from the support programme of the Bundesanstalt für Arbeit for Objective 3 are basically involved. The Staatsministerium für Arbeit und Sozialordnung, Familie, Frauen und Gesundheit (Bavarian Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs, Family Matters, Women and Health) may be able to supply information on the regional use of the contribution paid by the ESF to the Land of Bavaria. That Ministry and the Bundesanstalt are responsible for paying out the ESF contribution.

The aggregate contribution from the three Structural Funds is ECU 571.95, of which ECU 211.62 million comes from the ERDF. ECU 88 million (about 42 %) of this had been spent by 31 December 1997.

The same towns and Landkreise in the Regierungsbezirk of Swabia are eligible for the Leader II Community initiative, which has a package of ECU 43.05 million, of which ECU 12.09 million comes from the ERDF, to establish links between measures to develop the rural economy. Certain towns and districts, such as the town of Kempten and the Landkreis Unterallgäu, are also covered by the Konver II programme, which has a package of ECU 17.3 million under the ERDF, of which ECU 8.45 million have already been approved and committed for the conversion of the armaments industry. The Landkreis Oberallgäu is eligible for the RETEX programme with an ERDF package of ECU 9.8 million for regions heavily dependent on the textile industry. The eligible parts of the Regierungsbezirk are covered by the SME programme with an ERDF package of ECU 6.97 million to help small businesses adapt to the single market. The towns and Landkreise on the border between Germany and Austria are covered by the Interreg II (Bavaria/Austria) programme with an ERDF/ESF package of ECU 24.6 million for the development of cross-border regions and cross-border cooperation.

The Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund as a contributing Structural Fund is conceived as supplementing or contributing to corresponding national measures (Article 4 of Regulation(EEC) 2081/93(1)); its contribution is generally paid to operational programmes determined by the Länder. The Commission is not currently in a position to answer the Honourable Member's question on this point. However, ECU 243.33 million has been paid to the region for Objective 5b purposes.

The Honourable Member is requested to define what he means by "comparable regions" in points 4 and 5 of his question so that they can be contacted.

Community aid of ECU 14 000 was paid under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) in 1997. This helped to preserve jobs in the fishing and fish-farming industries.

(1) OJ L 193, 31.7.1993.