WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3468/97 by José GARCÍA-MARGALLO Y MARFIL to the Commission. Agenda 2000: Cohesion Fund countries in 2003
Date: 1997-10-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cohesion Fund, European Commission, accession to the European Union, coordination of aid, economic and social cohesion, eligibility criteria, enlargement of the Union, gross national product

C 187/12

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

(98/C 187/16)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3467/97

by Jose· Garc(cid:14)·a-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(31 October 1997)

Subject: Agenda 2000: the Czech Republic and the Cohesion Fund

The Agenda 2000 presented by the Commission on 15 July 1997 (COM(97) 2000 final) proposes to maintain the
Cohesion Fund in its present form, reaffirming thus that this Fund will continue to be the principal instrument to
help the less wealthy countries to pursue their efforts at economic recovery and convergence. At the same time,
however, it is stressed that the Cohesion Fund will constitute an instrument of great interest to future Member
States, the investment needs of which are considerable particularly in this regard, whilst provision is made for an
interim review of eligibility (at the mid-way point, i.e. in 2003) according to the criterion of a per capita GNP
below 90% of the Community average.

Although the meaning of the above seems to be that Member States which have major deficiencies as regards
infrastructure,  i.e.  the  peripheral  regions,  shall  continue  to  receive  the  same  level  of  aid  which  is  of  vital
importance to enable them to approach the level of development of more central Member States, it could be
interpreted in other ways.

What proportion of the Structural Fund would be allocated to the Czech Republic in 2003 in the event that it were
to be a Member State of the European Union, in view of the present macro-economic prospects of that country
and of the European Union?

(98/C 187/17)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3468/97

by Jose· Garc(cid:14)·a-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(31 October 1997)

Subject: Agenda 2000: Cohesion Fund countries in 2003

The Agenda 2000 presented by the Commission on 15 July 1997 (COM(97) 2000 final) proposes to maintain the
Cohesion Fund in its present form, reaffirming thus that this Fund will continue to be the principal instrument to
help the less wealthy countries to pursue their efforts at economic recovery and convergence. At the same time,
however, it is stressed that the Cohesion Fund will constitute an instrument of great interest to future Member
States, the investment needs of which are considerable particularly in this regard, whilst provision is made for an
interim review of eligibility (at the mid-way point, i.e. in 2003) according to the criterion of a per capita GNP
below 90% of the Community average.

Although the meaning of the above seems to be that Member States which have major deficiencies as regards
infrastructure,  i.e.  the  peripheral  regions,  shall  continue  to  receive  the  same  level  of  aid  which  is  of  vital
importance to enable them to approach the level of development of more central Member States, it could be
interpreted in other ways.

What countries shall benefit from the Cohesion Fund in 2003 in view of current macro-economic porspects?

(98/C 187/18)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3469/97

by Jose· Garc(cid:14)·a-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(31 October 1997)

Subject: Agenda 2000: Hungary and the Cohesion Fund

The Agenda 2000 presented by the Commission on 15 July 1997 (COM(97) 2000 final) proposes to maintain the
Cohesion Fund in its present form, reaffirming thus that this Fund will continue to be the principal instrument to
help the less wealthy countries to pursue their efforts at economic recovery and convergence. At the same time,
however, it is stressed that the Cohesion Fund will constitute an instrument of great interest to future Member
States, the investment needs of which are considerable particularly in this regard, whilst provision is made for an
interim review of eligibility (at the mid-way point, i.e. in 2003) according to the criterion of a per capita GNP
below 90% of the Community average.