WRITTEN QUESTION P-1690/01 by Jean-Claude Fruteau (PSE) to the Commission. Cohesion policy.
Date: 2001-06-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU regional policy, Réunion, economic and social cohesion, eligibility criteria, less-favoured region, peripheral region

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/179

(2001/C 364 E/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1690/01

by Jean-Claude Fruteau (PSE) to the Commission

(6 June 2001)

Subject: Cohesion policy

On 31 January 2001 Mr Barnier, the Commissioner responsible for regional policy, submitted the second
report on social and economic cohesion to the European Parliament. The report provides an assessment of
the cohesion policy conducted since 1989 and prepares the ground for a debate on the future of that
policy in the context of an enlarged Union.

Although it would appear that, at macro-economic level, progress towards cohesion has been made over
the last 20 years,
it has to be acknowledged that, within most of the Member States, inequalities are
growing.

The outmost regions in general and the island of RØunion in particular do not seem to be experiencing the
kind of progress which is apparent in many European regions. RØunion still has a 37 % unemployment
rate and there are many young people amongst the jobless.

Even though enlargement is intended to anchor democracy even more firmly within Europe,
it will
undoubtedly have an impact on the EU(cid:146)s most fragile regions: simple arithmetic dictates that average per
capita GDP is going to fall, for which reason the regions which are currently eligible for Objective 1 (as is
the case with RØunion) may eventually lose that status on purely technical grounds.

Does the Commission therefore consider per capita GDP still to be an appropriate criterion?

Should per capita GDP not be supplemented by other, more objective criteria, such as the unemployment
rate?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 2001)

The situation in the outermost regions is dealt with in the 2nd Report on Economic and Social
Cohesion (1). Its statistical annexes show that between 1988 and 1998 RØunion(cid:146)s GDP per head rose from
43 % to 50 % of the Community average.

Among the priorities of the future cohesion policy are regions with a geographical handicap, including the
outermost ones. The Report concludes that the criterion of GDP per head measured in terms of purchasing
power standards at NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) 2 level
remains fully
appropriate, as demonstrated in the comparative analysis in Part I.

The Commission has launched a wide-ranging debate on future cohesion policy, including the eligibility
criteria, and will in due time present proposals to the other Institutions.

It is clear that given its continuing low GDP per head RØunion will after enlargement still fall among the
least developed Community regions and thus qualify for structural support.

(1) COM(2001) 24 final.

(2001/C 364 E/199)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1695/01

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Conservation reservoirs on the Aegean islands

(6 June 2001)

One of the biggest problems facing the Aegean islands, especially during the summer months, is drought,
which has a severe economic and social impact. In view of this situation, an EU-funded programme has