WRITTEN QUESTION E-1520/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Community assistance to a project in Houthalen-Helchteren.
Date: 2000-05-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, European Regional Development Fund, building permit, deforestation, environmental protection, town and country planning, zoo

C 81 E/50

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

(2001/C 81 E/058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1516/00

by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 May 2000)

Subject: The principle of transparency; distribution of EU Structural Fund appropriations

According to a Finnish doctoral thesis which was examined in January 2000 at the University of Jyv(cid:228)skyl(cid:228),
the way in which European Union Structural Fund appropriations are distributed at provincial level is
undemocratic and contrary to the principle of transparency. The research findings indicate that the funding
in question is distributed at provincial level by a small elite, which supervises itself. Moreover, the strict
interpretation of the concept of business secrets by the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry impedes the
application of the principle of transparency.

How will the Commission promote the principle of transparency in the distribution of Structural Fund
appropriations? In view of the currently inadequate supervision of the distribution of the funds, will the
Commission take measures to render the system transparent and democratic?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(20 June 2000)

Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on
the Structural Funds (1) stipulates that, using transparent procedures, the Commission is to make indicative
breakdowns by Member State of the commitment appropriations available for programming Objectives 1,
2 and 3 of the Structural Funds. That same Article states the criteria on the basis of which those
breakdowns must be made for each Objective.

A Commission statement on Article 7 was annexed to the minutes of the Council meeting on general
affairs at which the Regulation was adopted, following Parliament(cid:146)s assent. That statement contains a
the method used by the Commission to break down among the
highly detailed description of
Member States the commitment appropriations allocated to each of the three Objectives.

The Regulation does not empower the Commission to break down the appropriations allocated among
regions or areas covered by Objective 1 or 2 within a Member State.

Nevertheless, when single programming documents or operational programmes are negotiated,
Commission must ensure that appropriations are concentrated in the most severely affected areas.

the

The Commission has also sent as guidance to all Member States proposals for breaking down Objective 1
and 2 appropriations among the regions or areas concerned. Those proposals are based on the methods
used by the Commission to break down, among Member States, the appropriations for each of those two
Objectives.

The Commission will send a copy of the proposals for Finland to the Honourable Member direct and to
Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 81 E/059)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1520/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 May 2000)

Subject: Community assistance to a project in Houthalen-Helchteren

The Commission is considering providing 60 million francs in subsidies for the development of a wildlife
park on the Kelchterhoef estate in Houthalen-Helchteren in the Province of Limburg. The Flemish Tourism
Organisation is proposing to invest a further 50 million francs in the project. The project has been
proposed by the municipal authority of Houthalen-Helchteren and a Dutch project developer.

13.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/51

The establishment of the wildlife park contravenes the current Regional Zoning Plan for Flanders, which
has the force of law. The permit to deforest an area of 50 hectares will damage a valuable area of
woodland and countryside which links two nature reserves.

Moreover, in granting planning permission the Minister for Regional Planning deliberately ignored the
provisions implementing the Nature Conservancy Decree, which were approved by the Flemish Govern-
ment at the beginning of September 1999 and published in the Belgian Bulletin of Acts and Decrees on
11 December 1999. One of the most important provisions was that any damage to woodland and/or the
countryside must in future be compensated.

1. Will the Commission withdraw its financial support for this project on the grounds that the
establishment of the wildlife park contravenes the Regional Zoning Plan for Flanders? If not, why not,
and on what grounds does the Commission intend to subsidise a project which conflicts with the (cid:145)green(cid:146)
objectives of the Regional Zoning Plan for Flanders?

2. Will the Commission withdraw its financial support for this project on the grounds that, in granting
planning permission,
the provisions implementing the Nature Conservancy Decree were deliberately
ignored? If not, why not, and on what grounds does the Commission intend to subsidise a project which
conflicts with the provisions of the Nature Conservancy Decree?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(30 June 2000)

Under the Objective 2 programme for Belgian Limburg (1997-99 programming period) European Regional
Development Fund assistance was granted for a wildlife and automobile park project at Kelchterhoef in the
municipality of Houthalen-Helchteren.

The project was approved by the programme steering committee on 27 January 1999. The total cost of
the public infrastructure is estimated at BEF 188 million (about € 4,66 million) and the Community
contribution is BEF 58,6 million (about € 1,45 million).

In general the Commission participates in the Objective 2 monitoring committees where questions of
strategy and partnership are discussed. Project selection is, however, by a steering committee of local
partners.

In the present case the Commission has determined from the summary records of the various steering
committee meetings that the project was approved subject to certain conditions, including the obtaining of
building and woodland clearance permits.

According to information received from the regional authorities at the end of 1999, a building permit
meeting all the requirements was in fact issued and the contract formally awarded before that date. The
Commission has no information on the woodland clearance permit.

Obviously any change affecting compliance with the conditions imposed, e.g. cancellation or withdrawal of
the building or woodland clearance permits, would have implications for the Community contribution to
the programme, which will terminate in its entirety on 31 December 2001.

Although it is the responsibility of the competent authorities to see that the rules applying at regional level
to development planning and nature protection are observed, the Commission will approach the Belgian
authorities in order to clarify the matters raised by the Honourable Member.

(2001/C 81 E/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1522/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 May 2000)

Subject: Land purchases by EU nationals in Romania and Bulgaria

Can the Commission state what legal status currently applies to land purchases, viz. the purchase of both
land and forestry areas, by EU nationals in the two applicant states of Bulgaria and Romania?