1999/502/EC: Commission Decision of 1 July 1999 drawing up the list of regions covered by Objective 1 of the Structural Funds for the period 2000 to 2006 (notified under document number C(1999) 1770)
Date: 1999-07-01
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, Structural Funds, commitment of expenditure, development aid, less-favoured region, peripheral region

27. 7. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 194/53

COMMISSION DECISION

of 1 July 1999

drawing up the list of regions covered by Objective 1 of the Structural Funds for the period 2000
to 2006

(notified under document number C(1999) 1770)

(1999/502/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

to in the second subparagraph of Article 3(1) of Regula-
tion (EC) No 1260/1999 are to continue to receive
support from the Funds under Objective 1 on a trans-
itional basis from 1 January 2000 to 31 December
2005;

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21
June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural
Funds (1), and in particular Article 3(2) thereof,

(1) Whereas point 1 of the first subparagraph of Article 1 of
Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 states that Objective 1 of
the Structural Funds aims to promote the development
and structural adjustment of regions whose development
is lagging behind;

II of

(2) Whereas the first subparagraph of Article 3(1) of Regula-
the regions
tion (EC) No 1260/1999 specifies that
covered by Objective 1 are regions corresponding to
level
the Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical
Units (NUTS level II) whose per capita gross domestic
product (GDP), measured in purchasing power parities
and calculated on the basis of the Community figures for
1994, 1995 and 1996 available at 26 March 1999, is
less than 75 % of the Community average;

(3) Whereas the second subparagraph of Article 3(1) of
Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 stipulates that the outer-
most regions (the French overseas departments,
the
Azores, the Canary Islands and Madeira), which are all
below the 75 % threshold, and the areas eligible under
Objective 6 for the period 1995 to 1999 pursuant to
Protocol 6 to the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland
and Sweden (2) are also to be covered by this Objective;

(4) Whereas, the first subparagraph of Article 6(1) of Regu-
lation (EC) No 1260/1999 states that notwithstanding
Article 3 of that Regulation, the regions covered by
Objective 1 in 1999 under Council Regulation (EEC) No
2052/88 of 24 June 1988 on the tasks of the Structural
Funds and their effectiveness and on coordination of
their activities between themselves and with the opera-
tions of the European Investment Bank and the other
instruments (3), as last amended by
existing financial
Regulation (EC) No 3193/94 (4), which are not referred

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 1, 1.1.1995, p. 11.
(3) OJ L 185, 15.7.1988, p. 9.
(4) OJ L 337, 24.12.1994, p. 11.

(5) Whereas the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of
Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 stipulates that, at the
time of adoption of the list referred to in Article 3(2),
the Commission is to draw up in accordance with
Article 4(5) and (6) of that Regulation a list of the NUTS
level III areas belonging to those regions which are to
receive support from the Funds under Objective 1 on a
transitional basis in 2006;

(6) Whereas, however, the third subparagraph of Article
6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 stipulates that
the Commission, acting on a proposal from a Member
State, may substitute these areas by areas at or smaller
than NUTS level III belonging to those regions which
to (9), without
satisfy the criteria of Article 4(5)
increasing the proportion of the population within each
region referred to in the second subparagraph of Article
6(1) and subject to compliance with the second subpara-
graph of Article 4(4) of that Regulation; whereas the
Commission has taken into consideration the Member
States requests,

in this respect;

(7) Whereas the fourth subparagraph of Article 6(1) of
Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 stipulates that areas
belonging to regions not included on the list referred to
in the second and third subparagraphs shall continue to
receive assistance from the ESF, the FIFG and the EDGGF
Guidance Section in 2006 only, within the same form of
assistance,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The regions covered by Objective 1 shall be those listed in
Annex I.

This list shall be valid from 1 January 2000 to 31 December
2006.

L 194/54

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27. 7. 1999

The regions and areas to receive transitional support under Objective 1 shall be those listed in Annex II.

This list shall be valid from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005 or 31 December 2006, respectively, for
the regions listed therein.

Article 2

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 3

Done at Brussels, 1 July 1999.

For the Commission

Monika WULF-MATHIES

Member of the Commission

27. 7. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 194/55

List of NUTS II regions covered by Objective 1 of the Structural Funds for the period from 1 January 2000 to
31 December 2006

ANNEX I

Germany

Brandenburg

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Chemnitz

Dresden

Leipzig

Dessau

Halle

Magdeburg

Thüringen

Greece

Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki

Kentriki Makedonia

Dytiki Makedonia

Thessalia

Ipiros

Ionia Nisia

Dytiki Ellada

Sterea Ellada

Peloponnisos

Attiki

Vorio Aigaio

Notio Aigaio

Kriti

Spain

Galicia

Principado de Asturias

Castilla y León

Castilla-La Mancha

Extremadura

Comunidad Valenciana

Andalucía

Región de Murcia

Ceuta y Melilla

Canarias

France

Guadeloupe

Martinique

Guyane

Réunion

Ireland

Border Midlands and Western

Italy

Campania

Puglia

Basilicata

Calabria

Sicilia

Sardegna

Austria

Burgenland

Portugal

Norte

Centro

Alentejo

Algarve

Açores

Madeira

Finland

Itä-Suomi

Väli-Suomi (1)

Pohjois-Suomi (1)

Sweden

Norra Mellansverige (1)

Mellersta Norrland (1)

Övre Norrland (1)

United Kingdom

South Yorkshire

West Wales and The Valleys

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

Merseyside

(1) Only the areas listed in Annex I to Protocol 6 annexed to the Act of Acces-

sion of Austria, Finland and Sweden.

L 194/56

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27. 7. 1999

ANNEX II

List of regions and areas to receive transitional support under Objective 1 of the Structural Funds for the period
from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006

Member State

Transitional support from 1 January 2000 until

31 December 2005 (1)

31 December 2006

Belgium

Arrondissement
d'Ath
commune of Bernissart

except

the

Arrondissement d'Ath
the
Only

commune

of

Bernissart

Arrondissement de Charleroi except the
communes of:
Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont
Charleroi (with the exception of former
the commune of Mont-sur-Marchienne)
Châtelet
Courcelles
Farciennes
Fontaine-l'Evêque
Manage

Arrondissement de Charleroi
Only the communes of:
Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont
Charleroi
(with the exception of
commune of Mont-sur-Marchienne)
Châtelet
Courcelles
Farciennes
Fontaine-l'Evêque
Manage

former

the

except

Arrondissement de Mons
communes of:
Boussu
Dour
Frameries
Hensies
Mons (except the communes of Jemappes,
Flenu et Cuesnes)
Quaregnon
Quiévrain
Colfontaine

Arrondissement de Mouscron

Arrondissement de Soignies except
the
commune of La Louvière (with the excep-
tion of the former commune of Boussoit)

Arrondissement de Mons
Only the communes of:
Boussu
Dour
Frameries
Hensies
Mons (Only the communes of Jemappes,
flenu et Cuesmes)
Quaregnon
Quiévrain
Colfontaine

Arrondissement de Soignies
Only the commune of La Louvière (with the
exception of the former commune of Bous-
soit)

Arrondissement de Thuin except
communes of:
Anderlues
Morlanwelz

the

Arrondissement de Thuin
Only the communes of:
Anderlues
Morlanwelz

Arrondissement de Tournai

Kreis Berlin-Ost, Stadt

Comunidad Autonoma Cantabria

Denmark

Germany

Greece

Spain

27. 7. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 194/57

Member State

Transitional support from 1 January 2000 until

31 December 2005 (1)

31 December 2006

France

Ireland

Italy

Luxembourg

Arrondissements d'Avesnes, de Douai et de
Valenciennes

Région Corse

Dublin, Mid-East, Mid-West, South-West

South-East

Regione Molise

the Netherlands

Provincie Flevoland

Austria

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

Lisboa e Vale de Tejo except Médio Tejo e
Lezíria do Tejo

Médio Tejo e Lezíria do Tejo

United Kingdom

Highlands and Islands except Islands

Islands (1995 NUTS III boundaries)

Northern Ireland

(1) The areas listed below will continue to receive assistance from the ESF, the FIFG and the EAGGF Guidance Section in 2006 only within

the same form of assistance.