WRITTEN QUESTION E-0956/00 by Gorka Knörr Borràs (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Abandonment of cultivated land.
Date: 2000-03-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Catalonia, Spain, abandoned land, afforestation, common agricultural policy, competence of the Member States, nut, redirection of production

C 72 E/10

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2000)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that the level of social security contributions is a
matter for the Member States alone.

The information available to the Commission on Social Security is contained in the publication (cid:145)Mutual
Information System on Social Protection in the Member States of the European Union(cid:146) (MISSOC), where
details of the various benefits in each Member State may be found. This publication is directly accessible
on the Internet at the following address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/soc-prot/missoc98.

The Commission cannot envisage an aid mechanism which would pay a portion of social security
contributions. Such a scheme could not be financed from any of the Commission(cid:146)s budget headings.

(2001/C 72 E/011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0956/00

by Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 March 2000)

Subject: Abandonment of cultivated land

The gradual loss of income which has been affecting nut producers in Catalonia has resulted in an ongoing
process of abandonment of cultivation in the countryside of the region, amounting over the 1990s to
39,4 % of all cultivated land. This process of rural dereliction is creating social and economic problems and
increasing fire and soil erosion risks.

What measures does the Commission intend to take for repopulation and conversion of production in the
rural areas of Catalonia and to ensure that cultivated land is no longer left abandoned? Does the
Commission intend to dedicate structural measures to this end?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 2000)

The new rural development policy adopted by the Council in June 1999 has become the second pillar of
the common agricultural policy. An essential element of the European model of agriculture, it aims by
promoting job maintenance and creation to provide a solid and sustainable framework securing the future
of rural areas. The main policy foci are a stronger agriculture and forestry sector, greater competitiveness
on the part of rural areas, and protection of the environment and rural heritage.

Among the structural measures included in Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on
support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and
amending and repealing certain Regulations (1) are aid for afforestation of agricultural land, compensatory
allowances in less favoured areas and areas with environmental restrictions, and agri-environmental aid.
These should help meet the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concerns. Agri-environmental measures for the period
1995-1999 presented by Spain and approved under Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 of 30 June
1992 on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of protection of the environ-
ment and maintenance of the countryside (2) already permitted aid to nut growers on the terms set in the
relevant programmes.

As is fully consonant with the subsidiarity principle,
it falls to Member States to present their rural
development programmes. For non-Objective 1 zones such as Catalonia EAGGF Guarantee aid may be
requested for structural action as indicated above. In addition to the action envisaged, programmes must
describe the situation in the zone, its specific problems, and the proposed strategy and its priorities.

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/11

Spain(cid:146)s proposed rural development programmes, presented on 30 December 1999, are under examination
in the Commission. Early approval is expected.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(2) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.

(2001/C 72 E/012)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0972/00

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(31 March 2000)

Subject: Aid from Community funds

Over 150 workers at (cid:145)Lisnave (cid:129) Lisbon Naval Shipyards Ltd(cid:146) have been waiting for 15 years to be taken
on again by this undertaking, having been forcibly dismissed a move which they have never accepted.

It is now reported that (cid:145)Lisnave(cid:146) or (cid:145)Gestnave (cid:129) Industrial Services Ltd(cid:146), the successor company, received
aid from Community funds.

In view of the above, will the Commission say:

1. What Community funds were allocated to these undertakings?

2.

In allocating Community funds, was due attention paid to the need to maintain jobs?

Supplementary answer
given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

According to information provided by the Portuguese authorities, the undertakings Lisnave Estaleiros
Navais S.A. and Gestenave Presta(cid:231)ªo de Servi(cid:231)os Industriais S.A.
(both of which emerged from the
restructuring of Lisnave Estaleiros Navais de Lisboa S.A.) received European Social Fund (ESF) funding
during the period 1994-1999 for vocational training activities.

Gestenave Presta(cid:231)ªo de Servi(cid:231)os Industriais S.A. obtained ESF co-financing to the tune of € 5 041 072
under the (cid:145)Vocational Training and Employment(cid:146) Operational Programme (OP), for a total of 842 000
hours of training and 1 542 beneficiaries. These beneficiaries were employees and unemployed workers
(ex-employees of SODIA). The re-training enabled the unemployed workers to be taken on by Gestenave
or other undertakings and enabled others to start up self-employment projects.

Lisnave Estaleiros Navais S.A. obtained co-financing to the tune of € 3 711 295 under the (cid:145)Industry(cid:146)
Subprogramme (PEDIP II) of the (cid:145)Modernisation of the Economic Fabric(cid:146) OP, for a total of 501 000 hours
of training and 1 907 beneficiaries. These beneficiaries were employees and young persons without
vocational qualifications who were due to replace those workers who had signed up for the early
retirement programme included in the restructuring plan. Due to falling orders, Lisnave was not able to
give all these young people jobs and has promoted efforts to find work for them in other undertakings in
the same sector or in the region. To this end, Lisnave has set up an employment observatory to monitor
the employability of these young persons. Although the figures available so far are scanty, they give
grounds for optimism.