WRITTEN QUESTION E-1058/01 by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Town-twinning grants.
Date: 2001-04-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, eligibility criteria, island region, twinning

18.9.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 261 E/225

(2001/C 261 E/256)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1058/01

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 April 2001)

Subject: Town-twinning grants

Can the Commission state whether, in the 2002 programme for the promotion of town-twinning, it will
be prepared to change the rules so that twin towns situated within the 250 kilometres limit but separated
by a sea crossing are eligible to receive town-twinning grants? This change would take account of the fact
that sea crossings cost considerably more than the equivalent overland journey.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 2001)

The subject raised by the Honourable Member has been discussed with the partner organisations involved
in town twinning (in principle the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and the FØdØration
Mondiale des CitØs Unies) on several occasions, most recently during the consultations of October 2000
concerning introduction of the new procedure for calls for proposals.

There are two reasons for the Commission(cid:146)s decision to introduce the 250 km limit for the eligibility of
projects involving exchanges between citizens of twin towns. The first is that the Commission wishes to
encourage the creation of links between towns and cities which are further apart, as it feels that distance
constitutes a major obstacle to closer links between European citizens. The second reason is that below a
certain threshold the administration costs involved in processing a grant application exceed the amount of
the grant itself, which the Commission feels runs contrary to the principles of sound management.

Nevertheless, the Commission acknowledges the relevance of the Honourable Member(cid:146)s question and is
willing to examine the possibility of changing current practice at the meeting which will be organised in
autumn 2001 to take stock of how the new procedure for awarding town-twinning grants is functioning.

(2001/C 261 E/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1089/01

by Pier Casini (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 March 2001)

Subject: Road works to improve the junction between the Via Emilia and the SS (state highway) Selice

Montanara and link the Via Borghi to the Via Marzabotto, in the commune of Imola

Article 152 of the Treaty establishing the European Community requires the European Union to ensure (cid:145)a
high level of human health protection(cid:146). Community policy on the environment, as specified in Article 174
et seq. of the EC Treaty, is based on the precautionary principle and on the principles that preventive
action should be taken and that environmental damage should be rectified as a priority. The programme of
the current (Swedish) presidency of the Council, moreover, reflects its interest in environmental problems.
The preventive principle is enshrined in the provisions of Council Directives 85/337/EEC (1) and 97/11/
EC (2) relating to environmental impact assessment, which recently gave rise to an action for infringement
(1999/2181) brought on the basis of Article 226 against Italy with reference to the legislation of certain
regions, including Emilia Romagna. Yet the Commune of Imola has allowed work to begin on the project
which is the subject of the present question despite the absence of an adequate acoustic impact study or
indeed any form of environmental impact assessment. The opinion of the regional environmental agency