WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1844/96 by Gerardo FERNÁNDEZ-ALBOR to the Commission. Capacity of certain Member States to absorb structural aid
Date: 1996-07-05
Institutions: European Parliament, FERNANDEZ ALBOR
Subjects: European Court of Auditors, Southern Europe, Structural Funds, budgetary control, gross domestic product, less-favoured region, regional development, sectoral aid, use of aid













EUR-Lex - 91996E1844 - EN






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91996E1844

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1844/96 by Gerardo FERNÁNDEZ-ALBOR to the Commission. Capacity of certain Member States to absorb structural aid  


Official Journal C 385 , 19/12/1996 P. 0051 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1844/96 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor (PPE) to the Commission (5 July 1996)Subject: Capacity of certain Member States to absorb structural aidIn a speech at a colloquy held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg during a recent part-session, the President of the EU Court of Auditors stated that it has become clear from experience that a Member State can only absorb structural aid up to a maximum of 5% of GDP. This would apply particularly to structural aid to southern Europe.In the Community's south, it has not been possible to implement concrete projects for which structural aid was granted last year to the sum of ECU 23 000 bn, owing to the lack of absorption capacities in the Member States concerned, whose authorities are unable to provide a positive response.In view of the seriousness of this situation, which implies an inability to undertake the development for which the structural aid in question is intended, can the Commission state whether it confirms the statements made by the above-mentioned EU economic authority, and provide any comments and possible solutions?Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Matthies on behalf of the Commission (16 September 1996)The Commission would emphasize that no Member State has received Structural Fund resources exceeding the threshold of 5% of GDP in the current programming period (1994-99). Among the chief recipients, Community structural assistance averages 3.7% of GDP in Greece, 2.6% in Ireland and 4% in Portugal, compared with 1.8% in Spain.The Commission believes that the sum of ECU 23 billion to which the Honourable Member refers might be the unexpended balance of all Structural Fund commitments ever made, taking all Member States, objectives and programming periods together. It is not an illustration of any fundamental absorption problem.The Commission's annual reports on the Structural Funds describe in detail the distribution and use of the Community resources mobilized for structural purposes, stating the rate of their absorption by year, objective and Member State.With regard to Objective 1 regions, and particularly those of the southern Member States, the Commission would like to point out that all but Italy, where execution of the Community support framework fell back in 1994 and 1995, increased their use of the funds allocated to them in 1994 and 1995. This was the case in Greece, Spain and Portugal, which so far seem to be encountering no absorption difficulties.The Commission feels that the Honourable Member's fears are groundless at present.