WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4060/97 by Glenys KINNOCK to the Commission. Proposed merger of Objectives 2 and 5b
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, KINNOCK
Subjects: EU financing, EU programme, economic conversion, industrial region, less-favoured region, region dependent on fishing, regional aid, rural region, structural policy, urban area

C 187/118

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

In  view  of  the  far  larger  amounts  under  the  oil-for-food  provisions,  the  Community(cid:146)s  future  assistance  will
depend  upon  the  efficiency  of  the  implementation  of  the  oil-for-food  arangement  and  the  possibility  of
increasing oil sales and subsequent purchases of medicines and foodstuffs. A proposal to increase Iraqi oil sales
is under consideration by the UN Secretary general for presentation to the UN Security council.

(98/C 187/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4060/97

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Proposed merger of Objectives 2 and 5b

The Commission has proposed merging the existing Objectives 2 and 5b into a new single Objective 2 for the
period post-2000 devoted to reconversion of industrial, rural, urban and fishing-dependent regions

Can the Commission confirm that there will be separate ring-fenced financial allocations for each strand of the
new Objective and that each strand will ensure programme funding for the full seven years of the next financial
perspective?  Will  the  Commission  assure  me  that  transitional  arrangements  for  former  Objective  2  and  5b
regions are the same as those for Objective 1?

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

(5 February 1998)

The Commission proposes in Agenda 2000 (1) that the new objective 2 (cid:145)should assist areas undergoing economic
change (in industry or services), declining rural areas, crisis-hit areas dependent on the fishing industry or urban
areas in difficulty(cid:146).

Each  of  the  different  types  of  area  targeted  by  the  new  objective  2  would  be  identified  by  relevant
socio-economic criteria. The Commission does not, however, consider it appropriate to introduce a rigidity of the
kind which would result from separate ring-fenced financial allocations for each type of area.

As a unified objective, the planning period for the new programmes would be of the same duration for all areas
covered.

The  Commission  proposes  that  transitional  arrangements  for  ex-objective  1  regions,  on  the  one  hand,  and
ex-objective  2  and  5b  areas,  on  the  other,  should  reflect  their  differing  circumstances.  The  level  of  financial
transfers per capita to objective 2 and 5b areas is significantly lower that those for objective 1, which, as the least
developed regions, are the top priority of the Community(cid:146)s structural policies.

Consequently, in Agenda 2000, the Commission proposes that the former objective 2 and 5b areas should enjoy
(cid:145)limited financial support(cid:146) during the transitional period.

(1)  COM(97) 2000 final.

(98/C 187/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4066/97

by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Commission

(15 December 1997)

Subject: Poison spray used on people

In the village of Orgiva in the province of Granada in the south of Spain, olive-tree plantations are being sprayed
from aircraft with pesticides. The pesticide concerned is the phosphoric acid ester dimethoate.