WRITTEN QUESTION P-3118/01 by Emilia Müller (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Leader+.
Date: 2001-11-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Bavaria, EAGGF, EU initiative, Germany, aid system, budget, rural development

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/227

In line with the approach set out in the Commission report on measures to implement Article 299(2) (1),
the assessment will analyse the possibilities and questions raised by the two instruments referred to above
and make recommendations both to the Commission and the outermost regions. The terms of reference
are still being defined in detail by the Commission.

(1) COM(2000) 147 final.

(2002/C 115 E/243)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3109/01

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 November 2001)

Subject: Procedures for awarding European Social Fund grants to universities

Under the current procedure for the European Social Fund (ESF), grants are awarded to students on a
calendar year basis from January to December, although the academic year runs from September to July
and notification of funding is not received by the university until the preceding October/ November.
Students who are dependent on this funding therefore start a course in September in the knowledge that
resources are guaranteed only until December, with funding from January dependent on a successful ESF
bid.

Is the ESF grant procedure applied in every Member State in the same way?

Does the Commission intend to change or to review these procedures?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2001)

Procedures for awarding grants to universities depend upon the managing and paying authorities in each
of the Member States and not upon the Commission. The problems referred to by the Honourable Member
should therefore be addressed to the responsible authority in the Member State.

Commitments for assistance over a period of two or more years are usually effected annually, and
pluriannuel grants may therefore be applied pro rata to the corresponding academic year.

(2002/C 115 E/244)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3118/01

by Emilia Müller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 November 2001)

Subject: Leader+

On 14 April 2000 the Commission approved guidelines addressed to the Member States for the new
Community initiative Leader+ (2000-2006). The Member States were called on to submit their proposals
for programmes within six months of the publication of the notice.

In mid-November 2000 the Free State of Bavaria consequently submitted its draft to the Agriculture
Directorate-General of the European Commission, via the Federal Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food
and Agriculture. The Commission had originally promised that
the approval procedure would be
completed within five months.

C 115 E/228

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

Whereas in other European regions the first funds have now already been released, the Bavarian draft (as
well as presumably the other German drafts) has still not been approved. As approval
from the
Commission must be followed by the Bavarian selection procedure there will be a substantial delay in
carrying out the individual projects. This is leading to an enormous amount of uncertainty in the financing
and development of the planned projects.

When can a decision be expected on the submitted draft?

Why has this decision been delayed for so long when the procedure has been long completed in other
European regions?

What will happen to the 2001 funds if the approval procedure is not completed by the end of the current
year?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 November 2001)

The Commission in close cooperation with the Bavarian authorities intends to finalise the negotiations on
the Bavarian programme as soon as possible in order to enable a Commission approval by the end of the
year 2001. The Bavarian authorities received all information to adapt their programme to the requirements
of the Commission notice to the Member States of 14 April 2000 laying down guidelines for the
Community initiative for rural development (Leader+).

Shortly after the approval of the rural development programmes in autumn 2000 the German authorities
introduced requests for amendments of most of the German rural development plans. The Commission
followed the request of the German authorities to give priority to the assessment and approval of the
modifications of the German rural development plans.

In addition there are still open questions to be clarified with the Bavarian authorities on the content of the
Bavarian Leader+ Programme.

For those programmes where all
formal consultations and negotiations have not been successfully
concluded by the end of the year any Community credits European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund (EAGGF)-Guidance Section concerning the Year 2001 will be lost. The re-budgetisation exercise
undertaken earlier this year, which permitted Year 2000 credits for those Structural Fund programmes
which had not been approved by end of 2000 to be spread out over the 2002-2006 period, was
exceptional and was explicitly foreseen under point 17 of the inter-institutional agreement of 6 May 1999.
No similar provision is foreseen for 2001.

In order to ensure that the outstanding Bavarian Leader+ programme is at a sufficiently advanced stage to
avoid any risk of loss of credits, it is essential that negotiations are concluded in the near future and that a
revised final version which reflects fully the results of the various consultation procedures within the
Commission services and any bilateral negotiations between the Commission and the Bavarian authorities
is received by the Commission.

(2002/C 115 E/245)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3123/01

by Karin Riis-Jørgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 November 2001)

Subject: Directive 98/34 @ notification 2001/0267/NL

On 20 June 2001 the Dutch authorities submitted a draft ‘Decree of the Minister of Housing, Planning and
the Environment laying down rules for copper-based wood preservatives’ pursuant to Directive 98/34/
EC (1) (notification 2001/0267/NL). The decree seeks to prohibit the import and use of wood treated with
copper-based preservatives in the Netherlands.