WRITTEN QUESTION No. 753/99 by Roberta ANGELILLI Funds for Torrita di Siena
Date: 1999-03-29
Institutions: ANGELILLI, European Parliament
Subjects: Italy, Tuscany, eligible region, fund (EU), less-favoured agricultural area, rural development













EUR-Lex - 91999E0753 - EN






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91999E0753

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 753/99 by Roberta ANGELILLI Funds for Torrita di Siena  


Official Journal C 370 , 21/12/1999 P. 0100 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0753/99by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission(29 March 1999)Subject: Funds for Torrita di SienaThe Regional Council of Tuscany's Resolution 424 of 3 November 1993 proposed that part of the municipality of Torrita di Siena be added to the list of less-favoured agricultural areas. Numerous letters were sent to the competent bodies, including those of the EU, from agricultural associations in the area seeking information on the requirements that must be met in order to be added to the list. Years have gone by and numerous requests have been sent, yet still no reply has been received.Will the Commission therefore say:1. whether it believes that those concerned have been waiting too long for the necessary explanations about the procedure to follow, as the Regional Council has already given its approval based on Directive 75/268/EC(1);2. what procedures should be followed under Directive 75/268/EC in order for Torrita di Siena to be added to the list of less-favoured agricultural areas;3. whether it believes that the improvement of Torrita di Siena is in the general interest and is beneficial, and that funds should be provided as a matter of urgency to safeguard the rural heritage?Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission(7 May 1999)The request for classification of a part of the "Commune of Torrito di Siena" as a less-favoured area to which the Honourable Member refers, is included in a set of requests from Italian regions which have been notified to the Commission.For reasons of efficiency, and to conform to procedures applied to other Member States, it was agreed between the Italian authorities and the Commission to treat all requests for modification and extension of less-favoured areas together. These requests concern about 160 communes in four Italian regions.Community legislation (Council Regulation (EC) 950/97 of 20 May 1997 on improving the efficiency of agricultural structures(2)), stipulates that when Member States communicate to the Commission the boundaries of the areas proposed for classification as less-favoured areas, they shall equally submit all relevant information on these areas. The Commission then proceeds to the technical examination and, possibly, to the classification of the concerned areas. Up to this moment the information provided by the Italian authorities has not been sufficient to examine the eligibility of those areas, and to proceed to their approval.Soon it will be impossible for the Commission to classify the areas under the current rules. Concerning the new rules under the draft Council regulation on rural development(3) the responsibility for classification of less-favoured areas will lie with the Member State.(1) OJ L 128, 19.5.1975, p. 1.(2) OJ L 142, 2.6.1997.(3) OJ C 170, 4.6.1998.