EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/661

(2004/C 84 E/0745)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0711/04

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(10 March 2004)

Subject: Specific characteristics of mountain regions and Community policy

Mountain regions are of genuine public interest, in environmental, social and cultural terms, and represent an exceptional heritage which must not only be preserved but, above all, properly promoted. This requires adequate policies to stabilise population figures for these areas, and promote their development.

As the Mountain Areas Local Authorities Section of the National Association of Portuguese Local Authorities stressed at a recent meeting, mountain areas need to be integrated into Structural Fund policy, recognition of their specific characteristics needs to be ensured, the various sectoral policies need to be combined within a global mountain policy which is equipped with instruments tailored to the needs of these areas and their inhabitants; and there has to be full acknowledgement of the need for solutions, for the wherewithal to take action, and for particular attention to the problem of mountain areas.

Does the Commission intend to:

1. Acknowledge fully and effectively the particular features and diversity of mountain regions?

2. Put mountain regions on the EU's political agenda and bring them within the Structural Funds framework?

3. Create a Community political instrument for the mountain regions?

4. Establish better harmonised response procedures for proposals at mountain region level and for the management or Community funds in this connection?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 April 2004)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's interest in the place of the mountain regions in Community policies.

In October 2002 the Commission organised a conference on ‘Community policies and mountains’, which brought together around 500 participants from the political, economic and social spheres in the fifteen Member States and the candidate countries.

During the Structural Funds' 2000-2006 programming period, 95 % of the Union's mountain regions are eligible for support under either Objective 1 or Objective 2.

For the period after 2006 the Commission proposed a reform of cohesion policy in the third progress report on economic and social cohesion, adopted on 18 February 2004 (1), which it formally sent to Parliament and to the Council. The Commission proposes that territorial cohesion should from now on form an integral part of cohesion policy.

The Commission proposes that the specific characteristics of regions with a natural handicap should be taken into account in the new generation of regional programmes. For example, it is proposed that regions with a permanent handicap could be eligible for a maximum rate of Community financing, above that which would apply to other regions.

Regarding rural development, an important sphere of activity for mountain regions, the Commission also made a number of proposals in its communication ‘building our common future — policy challenges and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013’ (2). For example, the Commission proposes a single instrument which would contribute inter alia towards improving the environment, the countryside and quality of life in rural areas.

(1) COM(2004) 107 final.

(2) COM(2004) 101 final.