WRITTEN QUESTION E-0013/02 by Brigitte Wenzel-Perillo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Implementation of the Community initiative Interreg III, strand A.
Date: 2002-01-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, EU initiative, EU programme, financing plan, regional development

C 172 E/124

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

(2002/C 172 E/127)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0013/02

by Brigitte Wenzel-Perillo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(21 January 2002)

Subject: Implementation of the Community initiative Interreg III, strand A

What is causing the delay in the approval of the 50 to 60 Community initiative programmes under
Interreg III A since the start of the new financing period on 1 January 2000? In particular, until when can
the amount allocated for Interreg III A funding in the indicative financial plans be paid to those carrying
out projects in the areas covered by the programmes? Does the Commission see any risk that it might not
be possible for the Interreg III A funds earmarked in the indicative financial plans to be paid to the
recipient regions in full, and that the ERDF contribution to the Interreg III A programmes might be
reduced accordingly pursuant to Article 31(2)(2) of the General Regulation governing the Structural Funds?
How many programme complements have there been so far in respect of Interreg III A Community
initiative programmes already approved?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2002)

On 13 October 1999 the Commission published a draft communication laying down guidelines for the
Interreg III Community Initiative (1), to which Parliament proposed amendments in its resolution adopted
on 15 February 2000 (2).

In accordance with point 55 of that Commission communication, adopted on 28 April 2000 (3), almost all
the programmes were submitted before the deadline of 22 November 2000.

By the end of 2001, the Commission had adopted 44 of the 53 programmes provided for under strand A
of this Community Initiative. The budget appropriations carried over from 2001 will be used for the two
programmes which were ready to be adopted on 31 December 2001.

The seven programmes not adopted at this stage have not yet been submitted to the Commission or are
still being negotiated. The appropriations for those programmes will not be lost and can be committed in
2002 and subsequent financial years.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that, because the Interreg programmes involve several Member States,
both the submission to the Commission and its examination require more time than in the case of
monoregional programmes.

Expenditure under these programmes is eligible until 31 December 2008.

Provided the programmes are implemented by the management authorities efficiently way and by the
deadlines laid down, they should not be affected by the ‘n+2’ rule in the second subparagraph of
Article 31(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural
Funds (4).

By 1 February 2002, eleven programme complements had been submitted to the Commission and two
approved.

(1) COM(1999) 479 final.
(2) A5-0028/2000.
(3) OJ C 143, 23.5.2000.
(4) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.