WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2641/97 by Luigi VINCI to the Commission. RESIDER I and II programmes in Lombardy
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, VINCI
Subjects: EU programme, European Commission, Lombardy, Structural Funds, employment policy, industrial conversion, iron and steel industry, small and medium industries, small and medium-sized enterprises, use of aid













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91997E2641

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2641/97 by Luigi VINCI to the Commission. RESIDER I and II programmes in Lombardy  


Official Journal C 102 , 03/04/1998 P. 0082 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-2641/97 by Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (1 September 1997)Subject: Resider I and II programmes in LombardyThe Resider I and II Community programmes support the strategies for the industrial reconversion of declining iron and steel-producing areas and redundant steel works, mainly by encouraging the setting up of SMEs with a view to boosting employment in the areas concerned; this would seem to be the case in some areas of the Lombardy Region, such as the commune of Sesto San Giovanni, Brescia and various communes in the province of Bergamo and Brescia. In the area of Sebino- Valle Camonica, however, Resider funds have been used to create infrastructures which do not comply with the spirit or the letter of the programme, such as the multi-purpose conference centre in Darfo Boario Terme, the ice skating rink in Ponte di Legno and an indoor swimming pool in Lovere. Obviously, these projects have not led to the redeployment of workers shed by the iron and steel industry. On 25 October 1996, meanwhile, the Regional Council of the Lombardy Region approved the call for applications for Resider II (1994-1997) funds, which are liable to be allocated for projects that have nothing to do with the industrial reconversion of iron and steel-making areas.1. Does the Commission intend to carry out any checks to ascertain the real use to which Resider I and II funds have been put in the Lombardy Region? If so, what form will they take, and when will they be conducted?2. Does the Commission not consider that it is necessary to assess the impact on employment of the investments made and make the payment of any further Community contributions conditional on the drawing up of a proper plan for the promotion of socially useful work and the redeployment of redundant iron and steel workers?Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (24 September 1997)The Commission monitors the implementation of the Resider programmes through the monitoring committees set up for that purpose under the structural funds regulations. It also carries out on-the-spot checks on operations in accordance with those regulations.As far as the Resider programmes in Italy are concerned, the projects mentioned by the Honourable Member fall within the terms of the operational programmes approved by the Commission following an ex-ante appraisal. These programmes respect the guidelines adopted by the Commission for this Community initiative, which aims to encourage the economic reconversion of areas affected by the declining steel industry, notably through the promotion of new economic activities and the improvement of the environment.The information available to the Commission on the Resider I programme in Lombardy indicates that more than 600 jobs have been created in the areas covered by the programme, which indicates that the strategy is bearing fruit.