WRITTEN QUESTION E-1164/02 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Tourism volunteer project in Casina (Italy).
Date: 2002-04-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Emilia-Romagna, Structural Funds, cultural identity, regional development, regional policy, tourist profession, vocational training, voluntary military service

C 277 E/156

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Finally, the ‘science and society’ section of the Community’s Sixth Framework Programme for research and
technological development will offer support for measures encouraging young people to follow a scientific
career, particularly through the development of better methods of presenting the sciences within or
alongside formal education.

(1) Report from the Education Council to the European Council on ‘The concrete future objectives of education and

training systems’ ’ Document No 5980/01 EDUC 18, 14 February 2001.

(2002/C 277 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1163/02

by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission

(23 April 2002)

Subject: State aid case concerning the ‘Terra Mítica’ theme park: loan from the Spanish government

Over the last few days the Valencia press has been publishing reports on the interest-free government loan
of over € 4 million for the ‘Terra Mítica’ theme park in Benidorm (Alicante).

The loan was made by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology in 2001, as part of the Profit
programme aimed at supporting new businesses.

The apparent objective of the programme is to offer aid to render the productive sector more competitive,
by developing new technology and by incorporating new technology into businesses.

Bearing in mind the case opened by the Commission in relation to ‘Terra Mítica’ under Article 88(2) of the
Treaty, is the Commission aware of the loan from the Spanish government, and of the terms of the loan
opted for by the above-mentioned company? Does the Commission consider that this information alters
the case file profile and that it could be investigated?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(3 June 2002)

the interest-free loan to which the
The Spanish authorities have not notified the Commission of
Honourable Member refers. Accordingly, the Commission will contact the Spanish authorities with a view
to ascertaining whether this loan has actually been granted and, if so, to examine it in the light of the state
aid rules. It will inform the Honourable Member of its findings in due course.

(2002/C 277 E/179)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1164/02

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 April 2002)

Subject: Tourism volunteer project in Casina (Italy)

In the municipality of Casina (province of Reggio Emilia, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy), young people’s
organisations and local councillors have drawn up a scheme for the training of ‘tourism volunteers’, with a
view to developing an open-ended model of culturally and socially oriented tourism. This scheme would
involve the training of groups of volunteers (the knowledge and skills concerned being in the areas of
history, culture, the environment and languages), who, between the months of May and September, would
accompany and guide tourists and visitors in the municipality. These guided visits would be completely
free of charge to groups wishing to visit the municipality of Casina and the surrounding area in the Reggio

14.11.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/157

part of the Apennines, with its numerous historic and artistic treasures and rural beauty spots. The
municipality of Casina, part of whose territory falls under Objective 2, occupies a hilly portion of Reggio
Emilia province (average altitude: c. 540 metres); its territory includes approximately 25 km of footpaths
(some of them falling within the ‘Matilde Castles Circuit’ project). It is essential to develop tourism in
Casina, and the municipality lacks resources.

Can the Commission state whether, under Objective 2 (which covers part of Casina), it is possible to secure
funds for the development of cultural tourism or for regional development projects (under the ERDF), with
a view to putting this scheme into practice?

What forms of cooperation or aids from the Commission could be utilised for this project?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(11 June 2002)

Under the principle of subsidiarity, the assessment and selection of projects proposed for part-financing by
the Structural Funds and their implementation are matters for the regional and national managing
authorities.

The single programming document (SPD) for the areas of the region of Emilia-Romagna eligible under
Objective 2 during the period 2000-2006 includes two measures for action in the tourism sector which
could be part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The first deals with skills and
support for tourist businesses while the second concerns the development of mountain resources and
proposes a series of integrated measures to increase and expand the capacity for tourism on offer.

The project in question, for the training of guides, could come under the type of measures part-financed
by the European Social Fund (ESF) under the operational programme for Emilia-Romagna under
Objective 43 which applies throughout the region.

Any applications for part-finance and questions on access to the Structural Funds may be sent to the
following authorities:

’ for the Objective 2 SPD: Direzione Attività Produttive, Commercio e Turismo, Viale Aldo Moro 30,

I-40127 Bologna, tel. +39 051 283 869, fax +39 051 283 615,
e-mail: ubfontanesi@regione.emilia-romagna.it

’ for the Objective 3 OP: Dott.ssa Cristina Balboni, Regione Emilia Romagna, Viale Aldo Moro, 38,

I-40127 Bologna, tel. +39 051 283 374, fax +39 051 283 867,
e-mail: fp_direz@regione.emilia-romagna.it

The European voluntary service of the Youth programme may also support voluntary service projects in
Italy for young people from other countries. The aim of the European voluntary service is provide young
people with learning opportunities through participation in a project in another country and to provide
a European dimension for local projects.

For information on the European voluntary service, the Commission would request the Honourable
Member to contact the Agenzia Nazionale Italiana Gioventù, Dott.ssa Cinzia Marulli, Via Fornovo 8 ’
Pal. A; I-00192 Roma, tel. +39 06 3675 44 82, fax +39 06 3675 45 29; e-mail: azione2@gioventu.it

(2002/C 277 E/180)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1176/02

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Council

(25 April 2002)

Subject: Muslim imams’ incitement to violence

European citizens’ security, European human rights and peace in the Member States are under threat from
certain fundamentalist Muslim imams who are openly calling in the Member States for ‘holy war’ and
publicly supporting the use of Islamic law, Sharia.