WRITTEN QUESTION E-0596/02 by Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Use of unoccupied housing in border regions.
Date: 2002-03-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Germany, Poland, competence of the Member States, cross-border cooperation, eligibility criteria, housing allocation, housing need, legal basis

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/169

overview, based on information provided by the Member States, of the situation in the Community and in
each Member State. Evaluation of this information will put the Commission in a position to take the
necessary steps to ensure that all Member States comply fully with Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000.

(1) OJ C 172 E, 18.7.2002, p. 168.

(2002/C 205 E/180)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0596/02

by Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Use of unoccupied housing in border regions

(6 March 2002)

1.
There is a large number of unoccupied houses in many of the towns and municipalities on the EU’s
external border along the Oder and Niesse rivers. In Görlitz, on the German side, 25 % of housing is
unoccupied, while in Zgorzelec, on the Polish side, the number of empty dwellings is just as high. Would
the Commission have any misgivings about Germany providing housing for Polish citizens?

2. Would the Commission provide funding to support such a project in Görlitz and would it make the
necessary recommendations to the public authorities in the border regions as well as to the German and
Polish governments?

3.
Does the Commission think that similar projects could receive support in other border regions, for
example projects between Germany and the Czech Republic or between other Member States which share
a border with applicant countries?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 2002)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that matters concerning the renting of housing
are governed by the private law of the Member States so that it has no standing on such questions.

The Structural Funds have no legal basis which would permit the Commission to support the provision of
housing in Germany for Polish citizens. Specifically, Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1783/1999 of the
European Parliament and of the Council on the European Regional Development Fund (1), which defines
the scope of this Fund, contains no provision for housing assistance.

the strand of

the Interreg III Community Initiative concerned with cross-border
However, under
cooperation,
the housing required for Polish nationals to participate effectively in projects being
implemented in Germany, such as training periods in firms or language courses, could be considered
eligible as part of a wider cooperation project. Such eligibility would naturally apply to all the frontier
regions of the Union.

(1) OJ L 213, 13.8.1999.

(2002/C 205 E/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0604/02

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Tuna steaks and Mexico

(6 March 2002)

On the basis of a study of the demand for tuna steak supplies which assessed the supply of tuna steaks to
the Community market in the short and medium term, the Commission decided to open an annual quota
of 4 000 tonnes at a 6 % preferential rate of duty for the period 2001 to 2003, within the COM in
fisheries and aquaculture products.