WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1074/97 by Roberta ANGELILLI to the Commission. Use of structural funds by Italy
Date: 1997-03-21
Institutions: ANGELILLI, European Parliament
Subjects: Italy, Structural Funds, financing of aid, operational programme, regional aid, use of aid

C 21/30

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22. 1. 98

(98/C 21/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1074/97

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(21 March 1997)

Subject: Use of structural funds by Italy

Italy has been conspicuous, even in recent years, by its low level of utilization of resources from the Structural
Funds.  As  a  result,  it  has  often  been  suggested  that  the  Commission  could  redirect  certain  unutilized  funds
intended for Italy to other countries that had shown a greater capacity to utilize them. Moreover, the lack of
continuity between the previous planning period (1989-1993) and the current one (1994-1999) has created further
problems and makes it difficult to provide a complete and up-to-date picture of the utilization of the Structural
Funds in Italy.

Will  the  Commission  provide  as  up-to-date  an  account  as  possible  of  the  state  of  Italy(cid:146)s  commitments  and
expenditure  in  relation  to  actions  financed  under  Objectives  1,  2,  3,  4  and  5b  as  part  of  multi-regional  and
regional programmes?

Will the Commission provide separate answers for the two planning periods?

Will  the  Commission  state  whether  funds  allocated  to  Italy  have  in  fact  been  redirected  towards  other  EU
Member States as a result of our country(cid:146)s failure to utilize them?

Lastly, can the Commission give its assessment of the reasons for the substantial delays in the utilization of the
Structural Funds by Italy, comparing the Italian situation with that of the other Member States?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 1997)

On  the  basis  of  the  latest  information  received  from  the  Italian  authorities,  which  refers  to  the  position  on
31 December 1996, the situation regarding commitments and payments under structural fund programmes by
implementing bodies in Italy is set out in the following table. The figures refer to commitments and payments as
a percentage of the total cost of the approved programmes under each objective. The objective 2 programmes
cover a three year period only (1994-1996). It should be noted that a limited number of programmes not yet
approved by the Commission are not included in the figures, nor are Community initiative programmes.

No change has been made to overall Italian allocations for the period 1994-1999, which consequently remain
available for commitment before the end of the period.

The  agreement  which  the  Commission  concluded  with  the  Italian  authorities  in  1995  on  the  improved
management  of  structural  fund  programmes  highlights  the  main  causes  of  the  delays,  such  as  inadequate
administrative structures, long and complicated procedures, ineffective use of technical assistance, and slow and
complicated financial transfers. Similar problems exist in certain other Member States but not to the same extent
and not in such combination. The Commission continues to monitor the situation in Italy closely and to review
progress on the implementation of the reforms agreed with the Italian authorities in 1995.

Objective

1
2
3
4
(4) 5a
5b

1989-1993

1994-1999

Commitments

Payments

Commitments

Payment

99.2 %
(1) ›
(3)
(3)
›
91.1 %

80.1 %
(1) 73.4 %
(3)
(3)
›
(5) 56.7 %

40.7 %
(2) 87.9 %
40.1 %
34.2 %
33.3 %
(5) 31.1 %

17.0 %
(2) 20.9 %
20.1 %
10.4 %
17.2 %
(5) 8.2 %

(1)  Due to the absence in Italy of a centralized monitoring system for 1989-1993 objective 2 programmes the figure

given is based on payment declarations to date to the Commission.
(2) 
1994-1996 period.
(3)  Data not available.
(4) 

In the framework of the structural funds reform in 1993, all the financial instruments for fisheries were regrouped
in a single (cid:145)Financial instrument for fisheries guidance(cid:146) which contributes to achieving Objective 5a. 

(5)  Data are provisional.