European Parliament resolution on the Commission's draft communication to the Member States „The regions in the new economy” - Guidelines for innovative measures under the ERDF in the period 2000-2006 (C5-0572/2000 — 2000/2270(COS))
Date: 2000-12-14
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: European Regional Development Fund, action programme, information society, innovation, regional development, regional policy, research and development, sustainable development

C 232/358

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

17.8.2001

Thursday 14 December 2000

Calls on the leaders now in power to seek a political and democratic solution to the current crisis by

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taking into account the overall balance of political forces in the country;

Urges the Ivorian authorities to organise new elections as soon as possible, without exclusion of
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candidates on ethnic grounds, in order to restore the democratic legitimacy of the institutions and a cli-
mate of national cohesion, reconciliation and peace, in which all communities have their place;

Believes that human, political and civil rights and the right to political pluralism are fundamental

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rights allowing voters to have a real choice of candidates;

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Calls on the Council and Commission immediately to review EU cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire and
at all events to open immediate consultations with its Government, according to the procedure pursuant to
Article 96 of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, in order to jointly agree a timetable for the return to
democracy;

Calls on the Commission to continue the EU assistance directly provided by NGOs to the most

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vulnerable sectors of the population;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Côte d’Ivoire

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Government, the Secretary-General of the OAU and the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly.

22. Guidelines for innovative ERDF measures

A5-0354/2000

European Parliament resolution on the Commission’s draft communication to the Member States
‘The regions in the new economy’ + Guidelines for innovative measures under the ERDF in the
period 2000-2006 (C5-0572/2000 + 2000/2270(COS))

The European Parliament

2 having regard to the Commission communication (C5-0572/2000),

2 having regard to Articles 158 and 159 of the EC Treaty,

2 having regard to the conclusions of the Lisbon European Council of March 2000,

2 having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 (1) laying down general

provisions on the Structural Funds, particularly Articles 22 and 23 thereof,

2 having regard to its resolutions of 19 November 1998 (2) and 6 May 1999 (3) on the regulation laying

down general provisions on the Structural Funds,

2 having regard to its resolution of 18 January 2000 (4) on the Commission communication on the

guidelines for programmes in the period 2000-2006,

2 having regard to the code of conduct on the implementation of structural policies by the Commission

on which the European Parliament and the Commission agreed on 6 May 1999 (5),

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 379, 7.12.1998, p. 164.
(3) OJ C 279, 1.10.1999, p. 292.
(4) OJ C 304, 24.10.2000, p. 57.
(5) OJ C 279, 1.10.1999, p. 488.

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2 having regard to Rule 47(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

2 having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (A5-0354/

2000),

Thursday 14 December 2000

A. whereas the implementation of the present ‘guidelines for innovative measures under the ERDF in the
period 2000-2006’ must not serve only the purpose formulated by the Lisbon European Council
of March 2000 of ‘preparing the transition to a knowledge-based economy and society by better
policies for the information society and R&D, as well as by stepping up the process of structural
reform for competitiveness and innovation’,

B. whereas the current marked differences between the regions of the European Union are also reflected
in levels of use of modern information and communications technologies, expenditure on, and results
of, RTD and innovation,

C. whereas the processes of globalisation are accompanied by a growth in competition on national and
international markets and make increased demands on the competitiveness of businesses and the flex-
ibility of their response to new technological developments, training and further training of human
resources and lifelong learning;

D. whereas the existing ERDF financial

instruments and the Community initiatives are only partially
geared to the special challenges of the new economy as far as innovation and utilisation are con-
cerned, particularly as regards the less developed regions (Objectives 1 and 2) and the ultra-peripheral
regions,

E. whereas highly qualified professionals and technicians working with the new technologies are migrat-
ing from the less developed regions of Europe in which they were educated to richer European coun-
tries with a higher level of employment,

F. whereas with the new guidelines for innovative measures in 2000-2006, the framework is established
and funding made available for the development and testing of new methods and practices to improve
the quality of interventions for Objectives 1, 2 and 3 which fall outside the usual framework of pro-
grammes co-financed by the ERDF,

G. whereas all financial instruments must be incorporated in a common European regional policy geared
towards sustainability, strengthening economic and social cohesion, increasing competitiveness and, in
particular, creating skills-based and economically viable, long-term employment,

H. whereas the new programme is expressly harmonised with other Community policies in the areas of
research, the information society, companies, the environment, rural development (common agricul-
tural policy), equal opportunities and competition, and dovetails with the Commission guidelines for
the 2000-2006 programmes,

I. whereas innovative approaches should also be used to enhance regional characteristics and identities,
which can help, on the basis of long-term employment, to deepen the roots of local populations,

J. whereas it is necessary for the partners needed for the testing and implementation of innovative mea-
sures and methods at regional level (SMEs, universities and research institutes, regional and local actors
and authorities and non-governmental organisations) to be mobilised and involved in relations of
partnership,

K. whereas the following subjects are of particular importance for the process of catching up by less

developed regions in the new economy:

2 a regional economy based on knowledge and technical innovation,

2 e-Europ e-Regio: the information society in the service of regional development,

2 regional and local identity and sustainable development,

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L. whereas the competitiveness of European businesses in a globalised economy can best be sustainably

ensured by means of research, technological development and innovation,

M. whereas regional cooperation must be geared towards the creation of regional innovation systems, the
establishment of the environment they need in order to flourish, including an institutional framework,
in order to become, through a reinforcement of human resources, the creation and dissemination of
knowledge and its incorporation in production structures, the main source of innovation and compe-
titive advantages,

N. whereas the information society is especially well suited to overcoming the geographical and eco-
nomic isolation of the regions and, as well as offsetting the resulting disadvantages for their inhabi-
tants and the businesses established in them, to making a positive contribution to establishing equality
of opportunity,

O. whereas the foundations for a mastery of, and ability to use, modern technologies and innovations in
all areas of the economy and society are already laid in school and in vocational training, and the
same qualifications and conditions must be made available to young people in all regions of the EU,

P. whereas exchange between the regions on a comparative basis and the dissemination of best practice

advances the learning process of those involved and leads to an interlinking of the regions,

Q. whereas the Commission selects the programmes to be co-financed itself and has drawn up a list of 10

criteria for this purpose,

R. whereas the funding for the programme accounts for 0,4 % of the ERDF’s annual budget, i.e. about
€ 400 million, for the 2000-2006 period; whereas, however, the Commission has recently removed
apropriations to safeguard the 2000 budget; whereas the possibility of increasing this sum by means
of the flexibility instrument is provided for in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999,

S. whereas in the proposed procedures for implementation of the programme the same managing autho-
rities are to be appointed as for the programmes in the framework of Objectives 1 and 2 in which the
ERDF is involved, and the same procedures are to be used,

T. whereas the players involved are asked to form a Steering Committee, in which the authorities respon-
sible for the Objective 1 and 2 programmes in which the ERDF is involved, the financial partners and
the public and private players in the region will participate,

U. whereas this programme, like the other interventions funded from the structural funds in 2003, is
subject to a mid-term review, and corrections are possible, particularly with respect to the priority
themes to be supported,

V. whereas, in addition, as of 2002 the Commission will present an annual progress report to the Eur-
opean Parliament, the Advisory Committee on the Development and Conversion of Regions, the Com-
mittee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee,

Innovative measures 2000-2006

1.
Stresses the importance of the guidelines for innovative measures in the period 2001-2006 in ful-
filling the objectives set by the Union for a transition to a knowledge-based economy and society through
the use of the information society, research, development and innovation, as well as a stepping up of the
process of structural reform by strengthening competitiveness and economic and social cohesion;

Calls for the innovative measures to be incorporated into a common European regional policy geared
in

2.
towards sustainability, strengthening economic and social cohesion,
particular, creating skills-based, long-term and economically viable employment;

increasing competitiveness and,

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Thursday 14 December 2000

The three planned priorities

3.
Supports the choice of the planned priority areas for the innovative measures and sees these as
crucial to the catching-up process for the regions whose development is lagging behind in the new econ-
omy; considers it necessary, however, in the interests of consistency and the new form of programme-
based support, to combine priority areas 1 and 2 to form a common target for action and to provide
support for innovatory measures in the areas of energy efficiency, the dissemination of renewable energies
and the practical application of climate protection measures in both business and the public sector as a
new priority area 3 on the basis of Chapter B of the guidelines for the Structural Funds;

Is convinced that the competitiveness of European businesses in a globalised economy can mainly be

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sustainably ensured through research, technological development and innovation;

5.
Takes the view that the development of innovative measures and methods serves to enhance regional
characteristics and identities, which can help, on the basis of long-term employment, to deepen the roots
of local populations, to improve their living standards and to stimulate interest in safeguarding their cul-
tural heritage;

6. Welcomes the involvement of as many players as possible at regional level (businesses, SMEs, uni-
versities and research institutes, regional and local actors and authorities and non-governmental organisa-
tions) in relations of partnership, and the close linking of the innovative measures aimed at raising tech-
nological levels with the other ERDF interventions, with a view to developing a strategic regional policy
plan for each region concerned for the period 2000-2006 and calls for the involvement of the private
sector at all levels of the process;

Stresses that, in accordance with the aims of eEurope, schools and training institutions, constituting
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as they do an important preliminary phase of, and the precondition for, the development and use of
modern technologies, should be incorporated in the themes of the guidelines, since the number of young
people using computers is particularly high; calls for the educational establishments with the most gifted
students and apprentices to be incorporated into the programmes at an early date, in close cooperation
with the other financial instruments;

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Calls on the responsible authorities at national, regional and local levels to create the same terms and
conditions for the acquisition of modern information technologies by educational establishments in all
parts of the EU;

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Notes with satisfaction that it is expressly stated that the regional innovative measures are to include
pilot and demonstration projects intended to find ways of bringing all citizens, households, schools, busi-
nesses and administrations to the Internet and into the digital age;

Budgetary resources and management structure

10.
Notes with regret the approach chosen by the Commission of opting for programme-based rather
than a project-based financing, to be implemented by the national and regional authorities; considers that
the relinquishment of this last possibility within the structural funds to create direct links between project
operators at local and regional level and the European Union represents a loss of European added value,
visibility and relevance to the citizen; therefore insists that the Commission include innovative projects in
its programming approach; observes that the disappearance of transnational partnerships means an exces-
sive reduction in the European exchange of innovations and calls, therefore, for continued support for
local and regional partnerships under the programme;

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Points out in this connection that innovative measures in the ESF sector are continuing to follow a
project-oriented approach, unlike the proposal for ERDF measures; hence considers that the Guidelines do
not take sufficient account of the need for coordination between innovative measures financed under the
ESF and those under the ERDF;

12.
Seeks measures to ensure that the programmes for innovative measures will not, because of their
low funding, be treated simply as part of a package and given the attention that their innovative and
original character deserves;

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13.
Stresses the fact, given the importance of the innovative measures for regional development, that
the budget of EUR 400 million for seven years represents an absolute minimum and that the possibilities
that offer themselves in the second half of the programme planning period under the flexibility instrument
should therefore be used to the full whilst ensuring that there is an even usage of the funds available across
the whole programme period; suggests likewise, given the scant budget allocation set aside for innovatory
measures, that the Commission encourage the incorporation of this type of project into the regional opera-
tional programmes;

Reaffirms its view that, in the light of the extremely untransparent treatment of Transfer of Appro-
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priations 40/2000, which means a further cut in the funds available for innovative measures from 2000 to
2006, the Commission regards this budget item more as a reserve for unexpected problems than as an
opportunity to finance measures with added value; notes that in this way the marginalisation of these
measures in the Member States, fears of which have been expressed, is beginning in the Commission itself;

15. Welcomes the fact that the Commission intends to include in the guidelines a 10-point catalogue of
criteria for the selection of programmes for innovative measures with a view to carrying out objective,
transparent evaluation and insists that clear audit lines and exit strategies are formulated alongside these
measures;

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Likewise welcomes the fact that it is planned to include the regional programmes for innovative
measures in the mid-term review of the interventions financed from the structural funds, with the possibi-
lity, if necessary, of making changes in the priority themes to be supported; welcomes the proposed pre-
sentation of an annual progress report as of 2002;

*

*

*

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the.governments and par-

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liaments of the Member States.

23. World shipbuilding

A5-0371/2000

European Parliament resolution on the second report from the Commission to the Council on the
situation in world shipbuilding (COM(2000) 263 + C5-0436/2000 + 2000/2213(COS))

The European Parliament,

2 having regard to the second report from the Commission (COM(2000) 263 2 C5-0436/2000),

2 having regard to the first report from the Commission to the Council on the situation in world ship-

building of 13 October 1999 (COM(1999) 474),

2 having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1540/98 of 29 June 1998 establishing new rules on aid

to shipbuilding (1),

2 having regard to Articles 87, 133 and 157 of the EC Treaty,

2 having regard to Rule 47(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

2 having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy

(A5-0371/2000),

(1) OJ L 202, 18.7.1998, p. 1.