WRITTEN QUESTION E-1517/99 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Use of funds allocated to the areas affected by earthquakes in the Marche region and Fabriano.
Date: 1999-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Marches, State aid, Structural Funds, aid to disaster victims, earthquake, use of aid

C 203 E/6

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2000

is not currently covered by joint
The project at issue, on which work has apparently already begun,
financing under the European Regional Development Fund. Certain preparatory studies for that project
have, however, been jointly financed under the operational (cid:145)Environment(cid:146) programme for Greece covering
the period from 1994 to 1999.

As this is a matter for the Cohesion Fund the national authorities have officially lodged a request for joint
funding, which is currently under examination by the Commission.

(1) OJ L 182, 16.7.1999.
(2) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(3) OJ L 194, 25.7.1975.

(2000/C 203 E/006)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1517/99

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(1 September 1999)

Subject: Use of funds allocated to the areas affected by earthquakes in the Marche region and Fabriano

By means of Regional Council Decision No 988 of 26 April (which referred to Article 7 of Law 61/98)
the Marche region allocated part of the funds intended for the building of council houses and the
reconstruction of properties in the areas affected by an earthquake (including Campondonico, Belvedere,
Cupo and Vallina) to the erection of prefabricated dwellings to replace the containers in which many
homeless families have until now been accommodated. It should be noted that many of those families do
not want prefabricated dwellings to be built since they would be a waste of the money intended for the
reconstruction of the houses destroyed or damaged by the earthquake and would therefore delay those
people(cid:146)s return to normal life. Furthermore, even the people who have accepted such dwellings would
nonetheless have preferred to be given money so as to be able to begin reconstruction work.

Even the use of such funds for the building of council houses is no solution in the eyes of the inhabitants
of the areas affected by the earthquake, who would like to be able to return to their own houses as soon as
possible.

The Commission:

1. Does it not believe that the Italian Government(cid:146)s priority should be to enable the inhabitants of the
to squander the money available on

earthquake areas to rebuild their own houses and not
prefabricated dwellings which will eventually be dismantled anyway?

2. Does it not think that it should ask the relevant authorities for a proper account of the way in which
the EU funding allocated to the areas in question on the basis of specific Italian legal provisions has
been used?

3. Can it make a general comment on the matter?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(29 October 1999)

By Commission Decision of 4 August 1998 amending the decision approving the single programming
document (SPD) for Community structural assistance in the Marche region under Objective 5(b), the
national authorities and the Commission drew up four new measures under the SPD to assist in the
reconstruction of the areas affected by the earthquake which took place in 1997.

The aim of the measure part-financed by the European Social Fund is to preserve, protect and harness the
potential of the human and professional capital of the whole of the area affected by the earthquake.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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The measure part-financed by the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund seeks to rebuild the production potential of the agricultural sector, farmers(cid:146) main residences and the
rural infrastructure and to restore the architectural heritage of rural villages.

The goals of the two measures under the European Regional Development Fund are, firstly, to re-establish
the non-agricultural production potential and the infrastructure associated with small and medium-sized
businesses and, secondly, to rebuild and restore the public and private architectural heritage (through
integrated projects).

Consequently the Structural Funds made available to the Marche region to assist in the rehabilitation of the
areas devastated by the earthquake may not be used to finance prefabricated dwellings.

The Commission receives regular reports within the framework of the partnership on the way the
Structural Funds are used, in particular through the Monitoring Committees on which it is represented.
In the case of the Marche region, the last Committee meeting took place on 22 June 1999 and a detailed
report was provided within that framework on the implementation of the measures associated with the
earthquake.

It has been confirmed as a result of contacts with the regional authorities that the funds which may be
used for prefabricated housing come from national sources. It is therefore up to the Member State to
consider how these funds should be used so that the needs of the population can be met in the most
appropriate way possible.

(2000/C 203 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1541/99

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Drafting of Community Directive concerning the film industry

(1 September 1999)

Would the Commission be favourably disposed to the drafting of a Community (cid:145)cinema directive(cid:146)
in
parallel with the directive on (cid:145)television without frontiers(cid:146) seeking to protect those employed in the
European film industry and audiovisual sector and secure the (cid:145)European content(cid:146) of material released over
the media?

is worth noting that a Community directive concerning the European film industry would also

It
contribute to economic development and job creation.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 1999)

The television without frontiers Directive, (Directive 97/36/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of
30 June 1997 amending Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid
down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television
broadcasting activities) (1) aims primarily to ensure the free movement of television broadcasts throughout
the Community. It therefore co-ordinates certain provisions laid down in the Member States relating to this
activity. A further objective is to promote production, independent production and distribution.

The same objectives are followed in respect of the European film industry. The Commission, through the
MEDIA programme, has adopted a series of measures aimed at supporting the European film industry,
focusing on certain key activities, such as development, distribution and training.

The Commission is not currently aware of any specific barriers to the circulation of European films within
the Community, for which regulatory intervention at Community level would be needed but it would be
very interested to receive information on this subject.

(1) OJ L 202, 30.7.1997.