WRITTEN QUESTION E-1925/00 by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Recommendation for a gas pipeline for the Balearic Islands.
Date: 2000-06-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Balearic Islands, Spain, common transport policy, competence of the Member States, energy transport, gas pipeline

C 72 E/150

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

(2001/C 72 E/187)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1924/00

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

Subject: Enlargement and decentralisation

(16 June 2000)

In a recent appearance before the European Parliament, Commissioner G(cid:252)nter Verheugen asserted that it
was absolutely essential for the countries applying for EU membership to undertake decentralisation and
regionalisation.

Why are decentralisation and regionalisation so crucial? Will the Commission say what progress the
applicant countries have made towards decentralisation?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(30 June 2000)

The concepts of decentralisation and regionalisation cover a wide range of constitutional realities in the
Member States and in the candidate countries. The acquis in this respect is covered in the negotiation
chapter dealing with regional policy and the coordination of the structural instruments. The underlying
principles include subsidiarity, partnership and effectiveness.

The application of
to regional policy and the structural
instruments requires that the implementation of assistance shall be the responsibility of the Member
State, at the appropriate territorial level according to the arrangements specific to each Member State.

the principle of subsidiarity with respect

The principle of partnership refers to close consultation between the Commission and the Member State,
together with the authorities and bodies designated by the Member State within the framework of its
national rules and current practices, namely: the regional and local authorities and other competent public
authorities; the economic and social partners, and any other relevant bodies within this framework
(e.g. with responsibility for the environment and for the promotion of equality between women and
men). Partnership shall cover the preparation, financing, monitoring and evaluation of assistance.

In order to ensure the respect of the principle of effectiveness in the context of regional policy and the
structural instruments, the attention of the candidate countries has been drawn in the relevant negotiation
chapter to the importance of having a working capacity at NUTs II (1) level for the implementation of
objective 1 programmes.

Candidates have been invited to establish as soon as possible with the Commission (Eurostat) a provisional
NUTs classification which reflects the administrative structure and socio-economic statistics available.

(1) NUTs II: nomenclature of the territorial statistical units of the Community.

(2001/C 72 E/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1925/00

by Carlos Ripoll y Mart(cid:237)nez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Recommendation for a gas pipeline for the Balearic Islands

(16 June 2000)

In her comments to the Ultima Hora daily newspaper on 24 May 2000, a minister in the Government of
the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands stated that the European Union had recommended to
the Government of the Balearic Islands that it opt for the gas pipeline as the most environmentally friendly
means of supplying gas to the islands.

Has the European Union indeed recommended that the Government of the Balearic Islands use the

1.
gas pipeline to supply the islands with gas?

2. Which individuals or body have made the said recommendation?

6.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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3.

Have any reports or studies led the European Union to take this view?

If so, will the Commission make the relevant reports or studies available?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2000)

The Commission has made no recommendation to the Government of the Balearic Islands regarding the
most appropriate technical solution for bringing natural gas to the islands. As a rule, it falls to the Member
States and operators concerned to choose among the options for implementing energy projects.

The Commission does favour the introduction of natural gas in regions which do not have it, and
therefore favours the project to introduce it in the Balearic Islands, in an economic and environment-
friendly manner. Accordingly, and in line with a request from the Spanish Government, the Commission
will, when the Community guidelines on trans-European energy networks are next reviewed, propose that
the project to introduce natural gas to the Balearic Islands be included in one or other of the projects of
common interest. This will be without prejudice to whatever technical solution is eventually chosen,
i.e. connection by gas pipeline or the construction of a liquid natural gas terminal.

To date the Commission has received no details of the project.

(2001/C 72 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1930/00

by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Equal Initiative in the Netherlands

It is clear from a letter of 30 September 1999, from the then Netherlands Minister for Social Affairs and
Employment to the Netherlands Government, that the Netherlands Government is planning to allocate the
funds which the Netherlands is hoping to obtain from the Equal Initiative primarily to projects on behalf
of asylum-seekers.

Can the Commission guarantee that the Netherlands will participate in all the pillars of the Equal

1.
Programme in a financially balanced way?

How does the Commission propose to safeguard the cross-border aspect between Member States in

2.
the case of projects for asylum-seekers?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2000)

1. When dealing with projects under the Community Initiative Programme (CIP), the Commission will
verify that the proposed measures and the associated budgets have a direct bearing on the scope and
specific problems of the labour market in each Member State.

The Community Initiative EQUAL is based on a thematic approach in the context of the four pillars of the
European strategy for employment (eight themes) and on education and training measures in favour of
asylum seekers.

Under no circumstances, and despite the relatively large number of asylum seekers in the Netherlands, will
the measures and financial resources earmarked for this target group adversely affect the eight themes of
the pillars of
the European strategy for employment. The five-month negotiation period with the
Commission will make it possible to prepare a single EQUAL planning document.