WRITTEN QUESTION E-2690/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Agricultural support and accession of Poland.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Poland, accession to the European Union, agricultural expenditure

C 103 E/210

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

2000 are still not forthcoming and the DG Development budget for 2001 is being curtailed rather than
increased through the merging of budget headings B7-6000 and B7-643A, thereby compounding these
problems.

Given the European Commission(cid:146)s commitment to providing a European development programme, what
measures is the Commission prepared to take in order to ensure that the world(cid:146)s poor are not suffering
because of a lack of staff to process work in DG Development? What steps can the Commission take to
rectify this situation as soon as possible?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

The Directorate-General for Development has drawn up an operational guide in the light of the new
General Conditions governing the cofinancing of operations by NGOs which came into force on 7 January,
the rules of transparency introduced by the Amsterdam Treaty to provide greater public access to
information and Parliament(cid:146)s recommendations. This is accessible to the public and explains how the
system of processing NGO cofinancing applications is applied to projects and programmes in developing
countries (budget heading B7-6000), projects and programmes to raise public awareness in the European
Union on development issues (budget heading B7-6000), capacity building programmes and decentralised
cooperation programmes and projects (budget heading B7-6430).

This exercise, which preceded the processing of applications, was essential as, again in the interests of
transparency, NGO cofinancing applications will in future be examined on the basis of an invitation to
submit proposals. An invitation has been published in the Official Journal for 2000 (1).

This is why there has been some delay in the processing of proposals. However, 244 projects totalling
€ 80 million have already been approved by an internal selection committee for this year and € 200
million of the appropriations allocated by the budgetary authority are expected to have been committed by
the end of the year.

For 2001, the Commission has proposed that budget headings B7-6000 and B7-6430 be combined in the
interests of rationalisation and in view of the importance placed on the consolidation of civil society and
its participation in Community development aid policy. It is intended to make full use of decentralised
cooperation which gives local stakeholders responsibility for drawing up and implementing cooperation
programmes. The pooling of funds under headings B7-6000 and B7-6430 will ensure more effective
allocation of and deployment of resources to promote ownership which is an essential component of
poverty reduction.

(1) OJ C 177, 27.6.2000.

(2001/C 103 E/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2690/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Agricultural support and accession of Poland

1. What is the Commission(cid:146)s estimate of the extra annual cost of support if existing EU farm support
policies were extended to Poland on its accession to the EU,

(a) assuming no change in its current agricultural production;

(b) projecting a change in its agricultural production based on changes in price incentives as support and

structural policies were brought into line with existing EU policies?

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/211

2. What is the estimated annual cost respectively for both Guarantee and Structural Funds in each case?

(2001/C 103 E/242)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2691/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Agricultural support and accession of Czech Republic

(1 September 2000)

1. What is the Commission(cid:146)s estimate of the extra annual cost of support if existing EU farm support
policies were extended to the Czech Republic on its accession to the EU,

(a) assuming no change in its current agricultural production;

(b) projecting a change in its agricultural production based on changes in price incentives as support and

structural policies were brought into line with existing EU policies?

2. What is the estimated annual cost respectively for both Guarantee and Structural Funds in each case?

(2001/C 103 E/243)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2695/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Agricultural support and accession of Cyprus

1. What is the Commission(cid:146)s estimate of the extra annual cost of support if existing EU farm support
policies were extended to Cyprus on its accession to the EU,

(a) assuming no change in its current agricultural production;

(b) projecting a change in its agricultural production based on changes in price incentives as support and

structural policies were brought into line with existing EU policies?

2. What is the estimated annual cost respectively for both Guarantee and Structural Funds in each case?

(2001/C 103 E/244)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2699/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Agricultural support and accession of Hungary

1. What is the Commission(cid:146)s estimate of the extra annual cost of support if existing EU farm support
policies were extended to Hungary on its accession to the EU,

(a) assuming no change in its current agricultural production;

(b) projecting a change in its agricultural production based on changes in price incentives as support and

structural policies were brought into line with existing EU policies?

2. What is the estimated annual cost respectively for both Guarantee and Structural Funds in each case?