WRITTEN QUESTION P-2039/02 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Structural Funds: closure of operational programmes dating back to before 1993.
Date: 2002-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Structural Funds, implementation of the budget, operational programme, project management

C 52 E/124

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

The Commission undertakes an assessment of all aspects of a proposal

in order to ensure that
3.
projects submitted for assistance meet the requirements of the relevant regulations. It is not always possible
to ensure that every aspect of the project is fully defined before approval of the financial assistance, but
safeguards are put
the legal requirements, especially with regard to the
environment, are fully met by the beneficiary, for example, via the conditions under which assistance is
granted.

in place to ensure that

The Commission does not consider that Greek airports represent a realistic alternative to the air

4.
transport needs of Bulgaria.

5.

The Commission has no plans to fund a study of alternative sites for Sofia airport.

(2003/C 52 E/142)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2039/02

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(3 July 2002)

Subject: Structural Funds: closure of operational programmes dating back to before 1993

According to the Commission’s Twelfth Annual Report on the Structural Funds (1) at the end of 2000
35 operational programmes dating back to before 1989 and 73 to the period 1989-1993 remained open.

Can the Commission say:

(cid:1) what total amount all the open programmes represent and for what Member States they were

destined;

(cid:1) what the causes for the delay were and what the current situation is;

(cid:1) what steps it will take to ensure these programmes are closed?

(1) COM(2001) 539.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(2 August 2002)

The total amount of the open Structural Funds programmes, projects and other interventions from the
period before 1994 was EUR 991 million at the end of 2000. Since then, considerable progress has been
made in reducing this figure as shown in the table. By June 2002, the amount outstanding in unclosed
programmes was reduced by nearly two-thirds to EUR 370 million. This sum is equivalent to 0,6 % of the
resources made available for 1989-1993.

Country

Outstanding amount

(EUR million)

Belgium

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

End 2000

End 2001

30 June 2002

20,68

34,23

24,34

91,05

57,24

2 %

3 %

2 %

9 %

6 %

17,47

22,44

7,86

39,51

21,36

3 %

4 %

1 %

7 %

4 %

17,18

11,74

7,72

35,37

12,20

5 %

3 %

2 %

10 %

3 %

6.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 52 E/125

Country

Italy

Portugal

United Kingdom

Others

End 2000

End 2001

30 June 2002

Outstanding amount

553,37

94,23

90,03

26,24

56 %

10 %

9 %

3 %

Total

991,41

286,97

70,42

53,16

13,03

532,21

54 %

13 %

10 %

2 %

183,01

66,40

29,49

7,83

370,94

49 %

18 %

8 %

2 %

Among the principal causes for the delay in closing the programmes are: the existence of legal procedures
relating to programmes and projects in the Member States, over which the Commission has no control;
the failure of the authorities in the Member States to provide a final report in accordance with the
requirements of the regulation; the need to ensure the necessary followup to controls by the Commission
services, the Court of Auditors or by the European Anti-Fraud Office.

The progress that has been made to-date results in large part from the priority given to this work by the
Commission including the establishment of specialist taskforces. The Commission will maintain this effort
in order to ensure that the remaining programmes are closed as quickly as possible (1).

(1) Small balances from Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and some Interreg programmes.

(2003/C 52 E/143)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2043/02

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE)
and Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 July 2002)

Subject: Payment of pensions in Greece

A great deal of concern and complaints have been voiced among workers, such as musicians, in Greece
they will not manage to acquire the number of stamps necessary to establish their pension
that
entitlement.

In the light of the social agenda, the objective of a high level of social protection for European citizens and
the open coordination of pension schemes, what view does the Commission take of this particular feature
of the Greek pension system?

Does the Commission know whether the other Member States also require (cid:1) simultaneously (cid:1) a minimum
total number of days to be completed and a minimum total amount of contributions to be paid for
workers to establish their pension entitlements? What is that minimum?

Will the Commission take initiatives within its sphere of responsibilities to tackle such problems, which
affect workers’ quality of life and social security?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2002)

Pension systems are the responsibility of the Member States, and the new open method of coordination is
unlikely to alter this division of responsibilities between the EU and the Member States. The aim of the
open method of coordination is to put in place a framework allowing an exchange of information on
national policies and an analysis of these in relation to common objectives. It is not intended, at European
level, to look at pension arrangements for specific types of occupation in the Member States.

However, the common objectives concerning pensions (1) require the Member States firstly to ‘ensure that
older people are not placed at risk of poverty and can enjoy a decent standard of living; they share in the
economic well-being of their country and can accordingly participate actively in public, social and cultural