WRITTEN QUESTION E-3757/00 by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Interreg programme.
Date: 2000-12-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Andalusia, EU initiative, cross-border cooperation, eligible region

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/5

(2001/C 350 E/005)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3757/00

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

(4 December 2000)

Subject: Interreg programme

Can the Commission state whether the province of Almer(cid:237)a, which forms part of the Andalusia region
(Spain), is eligible for the Interreg programmes?

If not, can the Commission explain why it is excluded, given its geographical location opposite the North
African coast?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(12 February 2001)

The Spanish province of Almer(cid:237)a, which belongs to the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, is eligible
in 2000-2006 under the programmes for the Western Mediterranean and South West Europe in strand B
(transnational co-operation) of the Community Initiative Interreg III and under strand C of that initiative.

The Western Mediterranean programme aims at encouraging transnational co-operation projects between
the European areas concerned and the countries of North Africa. The Member States concerned have
recently submitted their proposals for programmes in these two target areas to the Commission. The
Western Mediterranean programme will receive around € 97 million from the European Regional
Development Fund and the South West Europe programme € 66 135 million.

Conversely, Almer(cid:237)a is not eligible under strand A of Interreg III (cross-border co-operation), since this type
of co-operation concerns geographically adjacent areas. Only very few maritime borders are eligible for
this programme.

(2001/C 350 E/006)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3821/00

by W.G. van Velzen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 December 2000)

Subject: Follow-up question on international roaming charges for mobile telephones

On 4 October 2000 Commissioner Monti replied on behalf of the Commission to my question of 13 July
2000 on international roaming charges for mobile telephones (E-2648/00).

The Commission(cid:146)s answer gives rise to a number of further questions:

1. When will the Commission publish the results of its study on the structure and level of mobile phone

roaming charges in the European Union?

2. What method did the Commission use to compare the roaming charges of the various operators?

3.

Is the Commission also in a position to carry out a benchmarking study of the various operators(cid:146)
roaming charges and to draw comparisons with practice in the USA?

4.

Is the Commission prepared to carry out such a study in the near future?

5. What opportunities does the Commission have for enforcing transparency with regard to roaming

charges?

6. What proportion of the price of international mobile phone conversations can be attributed to

roaming?

7. Does the Commission consider that, in this period of convergence, the method for setting mobile

phone roaming charges currently used by operators is still the correct one?