WRITTEN QUESTION E-2471/97 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (16 July 1997)

Subject: Zweibrücken military air base

1. Is the Commission aware that the bulk of infrastructure expenditure on the former military air base at Zweibrücken, financed with funding from Konver I, was not devoted to the SMUs, but to constructing, and building up the infrastructure links to, a Designer Outlet Centre where large fashion firms can market their residual and special stock in a sales space of approximately 48 000 m2? Is the financing of such measures from Konver funds compatible with the principles of the 'Konver Community Initiative' under which priority is given to promoting the SMUs?

2. What legal basis did the Commission adopt when, under Article 2 of the Decision of 22 December 1993 (ERDF No 93.02.10.013) concerning the Community contribution from the European Regional Development Fund for the Konver Community Initiative operational programme for the Rheinland-Palatinate, it approved Konver funds up to a ceiling of ECU 1.37 million for measures relating to aviation use at the former Zweibrücken military air base?

3. Which legal basis authorizes the Commission to depart from the normal conditions for granting allocations for so-called pilot projects (Article 3 of the Decision)? If no such legal basis exists, how does this affect the funds already paid?

4. The Community subsidy was granted by the Commission on condition that the airfield should not be converted to use by scheduled and charter air traffic. Is the Commission aware whether, in the interim, an application has been made or indeed granted for a licence to receive charter and/or scheduled air traffic at the Zweibrücken air base, or whether this is planned?

5. In its regular review of the 'Aeroville-Zweibrücken concept' has the Commission observed that a departure has been made from the approved framework concept as regards the 'Flughafen-Nord' zone? If so, what conclusions has the Commission drawn as to the 'promotability' of the project?

6. Is 'Flughafen-Zweibrücken' also included in the Konver II programme? If the answer is in the affirmative, what is the level of the Community subsidy, on what is it to be spent, and when will it be paid?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (15 September 1997)

1. According to the final report on Konver received by the Commission from the Rheinland-Pfalz authorities, the measures cofinanced by the European regional development fund (ERDF) at the former military air base of Zweibrücken aimed at preparing the airfield for civil aviation purposes. This is in line with the Decision of 22 December 1993 and does not prejudice the intention, expressed in the Commission's guidelines for Konver, to emphasise the creation or development of small and medium sized enterprises in promoting alternative economic activities. On the contrary, the concept for the conversion of the Zweibrücken air base forms part of an overall development plan for this site and is particularly designed to integrate the possibilities offered by the airfield to attract specialised companies and to create employment.

2. and 3. Article 3 (not Article 2 as stated in the question) of the Decision of 22 December 1993 envisages grants up to MECU 1.37 for measures related to aviation.

Neither the regulations on the structural funds nor the Commission guidelines for Konver exclude the financing of measures related to aviation activities. It is, however, correct that, at the time, Commission policy in the field of air transport and particularly in the context of the transeuropean networks, developed in cooperation with Member States, was that airports with a low volume of traffic should only receive Community support in remote areas at a distance of more than 100 kilometres from an airport with a traffic volume of over one million passenger movements per year. Zweibrücken does not fulfil this condition. However, the concept for Zweibrücken did not foresee using the airfield for regular or charter flights. As mentioned above, the investments aimed at realising an innovative concept, inter alia to attract companies specialised in aviation related activities. For this new approach the Commission accepted the project as a pilot project within the operational programme.

4. The Commission has no information on whether such applications have been made.

5. The Commission has received information from the Rheinland-Pfalz authorities regarding a modification of the initial framework concept and takes the view that this modification is in line with the approved programme.

6. Yes. In the framework of the measure 'Renovation and conversion of former military buildings' five buildings at Zweibrücken airport have so far been renovated and transformed for civilian use. The measure in question receives overall ERDF funding of MECU 1 574 for the whole of the 1994-1999 period.