WRITTEN QUESTION E-0158/01 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Delay in the provision of ERDF funds to Malaga University.
Date: 2001-01-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Regional Development Fund, Spain, administrative procedure, regional aid, university

21.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/135

and recruitment procedures of the Agency. The latest information on recruitment progress was provided
by the Director at the meeting of the Governing Board that took place in Thessaloniki on 15 December
2000, which approved a new Staffing Table (33 international and 61 local staff for Belgrade, and 7
international and 10 local staff for Podgorica).

The provisions of Article 10 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000 on assistance
for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1628/96 and amending Regulations (EEC) No 3906/
89 and (EEC) No 1360/90 and Decisions 97/256/EC and 1999/311/EC, do not apply to the Governing
Board of the Agency but to the Management Committee established under the CARDS programme. As far
as the number of meetings of the Governing Board is concerned, the Commission has followed the
principles laid down in Article 4(9) of the Council Regulation No 2667/2000 on the European Agency for
Reconstruction (1) which stipulates that the governing board shall be convened by the Chairman whenever
necessary and at least once every three months. This Regulation was adopted by the Council, which agreed
with the Commission that it would be more operationally efficient for the Board to plan to meet every
3 months, instead of every 4 weeks.

However, as the Commission chairs the Governing Board of the Agency, it may, if workload or other
reasons make it necessary, propose additional meetings or meetings of longer duration. Meetings can also
be convened at the request of the Agency(cid:146)s Director or at least a simple majority of its members.

(1) OJ L 306, 7.12.2000.

(2001/C 235 E/145)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0158/01

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 January 2001)

Subject: Delay in the provision of ERDF funds to Malaga University

Some of the projects planned for the near future by the current governing body of Malaga University in
Spain have been on hold since last spring, as they await the resources they need from ERDF funds.

This is the situation as set out to Malaga University(cid:146)s teaching staff by its vice-chancellor. The university
has requested ESP 2 billion from ERDF funds over the next two years, which would be spent on its medical
research centre,
its skills centre at the Andalusia Technology Park, communications networks and the
purchase of equipment for its research departments.

Will the Commission give the reason for the delay in the provision of ERDF funds to Malaga University
cited by its vice-chancellor, and say how the difficulties preventing those funds from being used for the
aforementioned purposes could be overcome?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2001)

Part-financing from the Structural Funds for projects located in Andalusia is dependent on approval by the
Commission first of the Community support framework (CSF) for the Spanish Objective 1 regions and
then of
the other multiregional
programmes likely to provide assistance in this region, in particular that devoted to research, development
and innovation. The national authorities have then to draw up the programme complement for approval
by the Monitoring Committee for the various items of assistance.

the integrated operational programme (OP)

for Andalusia and of

C 235 E/136

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

The CSF was approved by the Commission on 19 October 2000 and the Andalusia OP on 29 December
2000. The other programmes will probably be approved during the first quarter of 2001. The Spanish
authorities will have then three months to send the programme complement to the Commission.

After all these documents have been adopted, under Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June
1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1), the choice of the projects to be part-
financed will be the responsibility of the Spanish authorities, subject to the terms and conditions laid down
in the documents approved.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 235 E/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0159/01

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 January 2001)

Subject: Oncology unit at the Costa del Sol Hospital in Marbella

The fact that fifty per cent of cancer patients who undergo operations at the Costa del Sol Hospital in the
Spanish city of Marbella are obliged to travel to Malaga for post-operative treatment clearly points to the
need to establish an oncology unit at the Marbella hospital.

Residents(cid:146) associations and political parties have issued repeated calls for an oncology department to be
established at this important public hospital, whose many patients from Spain and the Community have to
make the journey from Marbella to Malaga on a daily basis in order to receive medical care following
cancer operations at the Costa del Sol Hospital.

Will the Commission say whether the EU programme to combat cancer includes Community initiatives for
establishing oncology units to provide cancer patients undergoing treatment with the additional post-
operative medical care they require?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2001)

The Europe Against Cancer Programme does not deal with issues of treatment for reasons arising from the
lack of a relevant legal basis in the EC Treaty. Under Article 152 (ex Article 129) of the EC Treaty,
Community programmes of this sort are limited to preventive action.

Andalusia(cid:146)s integrated operational programme, which was approved by the Commission on 29 December
2000, and the local operational programme, to be approved soon, provide funds to improve health
facilities and infrastructure.

According to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on
the Structural Funds (1), it is up to the Member State alone to select the projects eligible for cofinancing
from the Funds, in accordance with its own health policy criteria.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.