WRITTEN QUESTION P-2081/02 by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Use of Objective 2 funding in North-Rhine-Westphalia.
Date: 2002-07-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, North Rhine-Westphalia, investment aid, location of industry, regional aid

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/289

(2004/C 88 E/0295)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1776/02

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 June 2002)

Subject: Discrimination against visually impaired people

An EU-financed pilot project in Ireland, England and Sweden empowered visually impaired people to
campaign for change around minimum changes to improve life for people with such a disability. These
include the installation of audio signals at all road crossings, removal of obstructions on streets and other
public places, improved transport facilities, social outlets, etc.

In view of the fact that 2003 is the European Year of Disability, what does the Commission propose to do
to address this de facto discrimination against visually impaired people?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 July 2002)

In the Commission’s Communication ‘Towards a barrier-free Europe for people with disabilities’ (1), the
Commission confirms its commitment to establish a work group which will be tasked to identify
appropriate measures in order to improve the build environment for all people with disabilities. This will
include people with visual impairments.

The composition and management arrangements for this group are currently being examined.
It is
intended that this group shall start its tasks this year in order to complete these during 2003, European
Year of People with Disabilities.

A number of different services in the Commission will participate in the work of
this group.
Representatives of disability organisations, as well as the different sectors of industry and experts in these
matters will also be closely associated with this work.

(1) COM(2000) 284.

(2004/C 88 E/0296)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2081/02

by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 July 2002)

Subject: Use of Objective 2 funding in North-Rhine-Westphalia

A big firm in Mülheim, North-Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), needs to move from its current location due to
continuous expansion and is looking for a new site. There are two serious contenders in NRW: Mülheim
and Oberhausen. Oberhausen town council has announced that
it would make a EUR 1,5 million
investment grant available under the Land government’s regional economic development programme,
which is known to be co-financed by Objective 2 funding from the EU, if the firm chose to relocate to
Oberhausen. As Mülheim is not an Objective 2 area, it would not get a look-in.

C 88 E/290

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Does the Commission consider this to be legitimate use of Objective 2 funding?

If so, under what conditions may a town/city or Land use such funding to ensure that it is successful when
competing against other towns/cities or Länder to attract companies looking for new sites?

If not, what action should, in its opinion, be taken in such cases?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(12 August 2002)

The Oberhausen town council has no authority with regard to the approval of projects for financial
support under the North Rhine Westphalia Objective 2 Single Programming Document (SPD). This
responsibility belongs only to the managing authority which is the regional government of North Rhine
Westphalia in this case.

Support
for private investments under the SPD is in general restricted to small and medium-sized
enterprises. As an exception, big companies can be supported where they contribute to building the
strength of the region, for example, under measure 2.8, ‘new energies’ or measure 3.4, ‘logistics’.

Decisions on company location are a responsibility for the management which must take into account all
the circumstances prevailing. Such decisions are unlikely to be influenced solely by opportunities for
financial support from public sources. In addition, all public support of this kind, whether it is of national
or Community origin, has to respect Community legislation concerning State aids.

With regard to the Structural Funds, the rules in force envisage two measures that are intended to limit the
effects of relocation for companies in receipt of EU support. First, in the Commission’s guidelines on
national regional aid (1), it is required that recipients of EU support must maintain, for a five-year period,
any investment or any jobs thus created. Secondly, Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June
1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (2) stipulates that the contribution of
European funds in productive activities is conditional on the location of
these activities remaining
unchanged during five years following the decision to grant support.

(1) OJ C 74, 10.3.1998.
(2) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2004/C 88 E/0297)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2280/02

by Emilia Müller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2002)

Subject: Relaxing of the ban on the use of bonemeal in animal feed

What is the exact quantity of old stocks of bonemeal in the EU and how are they distributed among the
individual Member States and their regions?