WRITTEN QUESTION E-2807/00 by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Commission. Use of an industrial site reclaimed through EU aid.
Date: 2000-09-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Regional Development Fund, Luxembourg, educational institution, frontier region, regional aid

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/3

(2001/C 187 E/003)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2531/00

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(25 July 2000)

Subject: Projects cofinanced by the Community in Condado (Ponteveda, Spain)

On 4 August 1997 an agreement was signed between the district of Condado, comprising the munici-
palities of Ponteareas, Salvaterra, Salceda and Mondariz, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and the
Galician Regional Government, under which Condado would receive ESP 500 million from the Proder
programme (a programme for the development and economic diversification of rural areas), cofunded by
the Community, for a series of projects to be carried out between 1997 and 1999. The agreement
provided for a number of projects connected with the development of the rural heritage, agri-tourism,
rural tourism and small businesses, and included the renovation of the Pazo de Picoæa in Salceda and the
Casa del Conde in Salvaterra, the redevelopment of the area around Vilasobroso castle, the construction of
a (cid:145)castro(cid:146) to provide accommodation for rural tourism, the establishment of a Wine Museum in the Doæa
Urraca cellars in Salvaterra castle, the creation of an archaeological information centre at the Castro de
Troæa in Ponteareas and the construction of a golf course at P(cid:237)as.

Democracy demands transparency, and information for citizens, and sometimes the European Community
must compensate for the lack of information from some local administrations, which conceal facts from
inhabitants of the area. Withholding information in this way runs counter to the public information
requirement laid down by the regulations on the Structural Funds.

Will the Commission give details of projects cofinanced by the European Community during the period
1994-1999 in Condado, in the province of Pontevedra?

What amount of joint funding did the Community provide for these projects? What was the total cost of
the projects?

Have all the projects for which Community cofinancing was requested been completed? If not, is there any
provision for an extension to enable the projects to be completed? Until what date would an extension be
possible?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Because of the length of the answer, which includes a number of tables, the Commission is sending it
direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(2001/C 187 E/004)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2807/00

by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Commission

(4 September 2000)

Subject: Use of an industrial site reclaimed through EU aid

The European Development Area (EDA) situated between Longwy, Athus and PØtange/Rodange, and
straddling the borders between France, Belgium and Luxembourg, has unquestionably contributed to the
economic growth of this former steelmaking area.

The expenditure on infrastructure to create the Development Area, and also some other operations in this
cross-border area, have been heavily dependent on the Community Structural Funds. It seems that the
land, reclaimed with
Luxembourg Government has just decided to allocate four hectares of industrial
European Union funding, for the rebuilding of the Mathias Adam lycØe in PØtange.

Does the Commission regard this decision as being compatible with the objectives of the European
Development Area? Did the European funds involved at the time also intend this industrial site to be used
for educational activities?

C 187 E/4

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(19 February 2001)

The European Development Area (EDA) was set up in response to closures and restructuring in the steel
industry located in the cross-border industrial area of Longwy-Rodange-Athus and to offset their serious
social and economic impact on that area.

In their joint declaration in 1985, the Belgian, French and Luxembourg governments stated that the main
aim of the EDA was to promote the conversion of the area and to provide 8 000 jobs there over 10 years.
They set as the sole aim of the EDA the redevelopment of the region on the three frontiers and allocated
a variety of resources to achieve that goal. These included the establishment of an international business
the creation of a joint management structure and the promotion of education and research
park,
(European college of technology). The aims of this Area are relatively broad and do not exclude the
construction of a secondary school.

However, it should be noted that the project to rebuild the Mathias Adam LycØe is located in the business
park (cid:129) to be precise, in the Rodange national industrial area, where Community funds have been used to
prepare for the establishment of new firms.

The Luxembourg Ministry of Economic Affairs has stated that the site where it is planned to be build the
school was equipped as part of the Resider I programme (1989-1992) and that the four hectares form part
of a larger area, the improvement of which was 50 % part-financed by a contribution of € 4,48 million
from the European Regional Development Fund. As the text of the programme (1) says, the aim of the
infrastructure works was to complete improvements to the central EDA site in order to attract the
investment required and reach by the 1995 deadline the target of 1 000 new jobs in the Luxembourg part
of the EDA.

It should be stressed that this target was achieved and indeed substantially exceeded since some 1 561 jobs
had been created by the end of 1997. Now that the programme has been closed and the targets set
achieved, the choice of whether to retain or alter the use to be made of the improved land is a matter for
the Luxembourg authorities in the light of their priorities or constraints.

(1) Priority 2: completion of improvements to the central EDA site, Rodange national industrial area.

(2001/C 187 E/005)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3180/00

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council

(16 October 2000)

Subject: ERM II

Should the UK decide to join the euro, does the Council believe that the Treaty would require the UK

1.
to join ERM II prior to joining the euro and, if so, for how long?

If membership of ERM II is not a pre-requisite of membership, how would the UK be expected to

2.
fulfil the exchange rate stability requirements contained in the Treaty?

Reply

(24 April 2001)

In accordance with the Resolution of the European Council of 16 June 1998 on ERM II and the agreement
of 1 September 1998 between the ECB and the national central banks of Member States outside the euro
area, participation in ERM II of these Member States is voluntary.