WRITTEN QUESTION E-0079/01 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Zero-deficit Spanish national budget for 2001 and respect for the principle of additionality in implementing the Structural Funds.
Date: 2001-01-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, Structural Funds, budget policy, infringement of EU law, national budget, principle of additionality, stability pact

C 235 E/112

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2001)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question P-0117/01 by
Mrs Paulsen (1).

(1) OJ C 187 E, 3.7.2001, p. 189.

(2001/C 235 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0079/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 January 2001)

Subject: Zero-deficit Spanish national budget for 2001 and respect for the principle of additionality in

implementing the Structural Funds

The Spanish national government has submitted to the national parliament, obtaining its approval,
a (cid:145)balanced(cid:146) budget for 2001 based on a zero deficit, justifying its decision on internal economic grounds
but also invoking the need to comply with the Community agreements on financial stability. This decision
of the Spanish government occurs in highly particular circumstances. For some years now the Spanish
government has been cutting the real wages of public employees, by the device of limiting pay rises to
predicted inflation levels (which always fall short of the reality), while also reducing both investment in
badly needed transport infrastructure and expenditure on R & D (not to mention cuts in other key areas).
At the same time, however, it is raising tax levels to twice the European figures. From the EU perspective,
it is surely particularly disturbing and unacceptable that a state which, every year, receives exceptional
payments under the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Funds should use those funds for the purpose of
balancing its budget and achieving a zero deficit, while at the same time cutting back on investment
funded from its own coffers, thus manifestly failing to comply with the governing principle of additionality
which prevails within the EU. In view of its responsibility for monitoring compliance with the Community
rules on the implementation of Community funds, can the Commission state its position on this attitude of
the Spanish central government? Has the Commission taken any initiative to ascertain whether this zero-
deficit budget of the Spanish state for 2001 has been drawn up and adopted on the basis of a relative
reduction in the national funding which should be earmarked for investment cofinanced by the EU, in
breach of the principle of additionality?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2001)

According to the information forwarded to the Commission by the Spanish authorities, they have in the
past fulfilled all their obligations as regards additionality imposed under the Structural Funds.

During the 2000-2006 programming period, Spain intends to increase structural expenditure by an
average annual of 9,6 % in the case of Objective 1 and 17,4 % in that of Objectives 2 and 3.

(2001/C 235 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0081/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 January 2001)

Subject: Imposition on the Spanish regions of a Stability Law requiring a zero deficit in their annual

budgets

The Spanish national government has recently adopted (cid:129) in breach of the constitutionally guaranteed
autonomy of the Spanish regions (cid:129) a preliminary draft law, to be submitted to the Congress of Deputies,
which would oblige all administrations, from next year, to draw up their budget on the basis of a zero