WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3747/97 by Roberta ANGELILLI to the Commission. Urban pilot projects
Date: 1997-11-21
Institutions: ANGELILLI, European Parliament
Subjects: European Regional Development Fund, Italy, development plan, economic development, eligibility criteria, invitation to tender, less-favoured region, social development, town

C 187/48

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

of independent experts sifted through in January 1995. Support was focused on a few large-scale, high-impact
projects.  It  was  implemented  through  heading  B3-2011  of  the  1995  budget  ((cid:145)European  dimension  of  the
audiovisual  industry(cid:146)).  The  list  of  projects  selected  is  being  sent  direct  to  the  Honourable  Member  and  to
Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

Events relating to the centenary had already been financed in 1994 as part of the support for film festivals, with
ECU 62 491 being granted (heading B3-2011).

(1)  OJ C 85, 22.3.1994.
(2)  OJ C 258, 15.9.1994.

(98/C 187/77)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3747/97

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(21 November 1997)

Subject: Urban pilot projects

The information agency of the AICCRE (the Italian Association for the Council of European Local and Regional
Authorities), called Europea Regioni, reports (internal note No 30 of 19 September 1997) a comment concerning
the urban pilot projects for the economic and social development of disadvantaged urban districts. As everyone
knows, these projects form part of the innovative measures envisaged under Article 10 of the ERDF. According
to the note, the Commission has received more than 500 aplications in this connection, out of which 26 urban
pilot projects have been selected, including, for Italy, those proposed by the cities of Turin, Naples, Brindisi and
Milan.

Can the Commission say:

1.  whether other Italian cities, in particular Rome, have submitted applications for funding;

2. 

if so, why they were excluded?

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

(19 December 1997)

Out  of  a  total  of  503  projects  presented  to  the  Commission  following  its  call  for  proposals  for  urban  pilot
projects (1) under Article 10 of the Regulation concerning the European regional development fund (2), 119 were
submitted by Italian cities, including 3 from organisations in Rome. This high level of interest from Italy was
reflected in the approval of 4 Italian cities out of the 26 selected for the Community as a whole.

The assessment of all the projects was undertaken with detailed care and rigour, with assistance from external
experts. The evaluation process sought to ensure that all projects were fairly assessed. The emphasis throughout
was based on the criteria outlined in the call for proposals:

› 

that the cities face problems common to a number of cities;

› 

that the proposals are innovative and have a demonstrative character;

› 

that there is a strong partnership between the public sector and other socio-economic partners;

› 

that the actions proposed would have a positive employment impact.

With  such  a  high  response,  it  is  not  possible  to  give  details  for  specific  cities  but,  within  the  budgetary
constraints, only the very best projects could be selected.

(1)  OJ C 319, 30.11.1995.
(2)  OJ L 193, 31.7.1993.