WRITTEN QUESTION E-3432/02 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Withholding of URBAN II funding from Fiumicino.
Date: 2002-12-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU initiative, EU programme, Latium, eligibility criteria, project evaluation, town planning, urban centre, urban problem

C 137 E/206

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

12.6.2003

(2003/C 137 E/231)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3429/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(2 December 2002)

Subject: Utilisation by the Municipality of Frosinone of appropriations from EQUAL, the ESF and the

IVth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men

In September 2002, the monitoring committee of the Italian Ministry of Finance published a statement
showing expenditure of funds provided by the EU.

The outcome of the survey gave particular cause for concern regarding the slowness and inefficiency of
local authorities in selecting projects, with funds earmarked for the year 2000 amounting to only 2 % of
total CSF appropriations.

The Commission also has repeatedly expressed serious concern regarding the inadequate take-up of
European funds by local authorities.

Given that it is particularly important for certain local authorities, for example, the Municipality of
Frosinone, to utilise Community funding for professional training and employment, equal opportunities
and social integration, can the Commission provide the following information:

1. Has the Municipality of Frosinone submitted projects under the Equal Programme, the ESF and the

IVth Action Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men?

2. Was the Municipality of Frosinone awarded funding for these projects?

3. Were the funds in question utilised?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2003)

Within the framework of the Structural Funds for the period 2000-2006, the Commission approved the
Objective 3 Operational Programme for the Lazio Region on 21 September 2000. The budget available is
EUR 884 million (45 % European Social Fund, 44 % national resources and 11 % regional resources), of
which EUR 90 million (10,3 %) are earmarked for equal opportunities.

Few projects have been selected at this early stage of the programming period, which explains the low rate
of completion. Nevertheless, during the 2000-2001 period, 740 projects were submitted under the equal
opportunities heading, of which 188 were approved and funded.

The EQUAL initiative, which is also financed by the European Social Fund, enables experimentation with
new approaches to tackling the discrimination and inequalities suffered by employed persons and
jobseekers alike. EQUAL comprises nine thematic fields, one of which is equal opportunities for men and
women. The Municipality of Frosinone has not, at this stage, taken part in any EQUAL projects.

The Municipality of Frosinone has not received any funding under the Fourth Action Programme on Equal
Opportunities for Women and Men.

(2003/C 137 E/232)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3432/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(2 December 2002)

Subject: Withholding of URBAN II funding from Fiumicino

According to information from the Italian Ministry of
Infrastructure and Transport and from the
Commission, Fiumicino is currently completely excluded from Urban II funding since it is not one of the
list (Law 388/2000).
10 first cities listed at European level or the next 20 cities in the ‘Urban Italia’

12.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 137 E/207

is undeniably one of the European Union’s most successful projects to date and a valuable
‘Urban’
instrument for the development of the outskirts of large metropolitan areas and urban areas in general
affected by environmental and social deterioration, for example, in Milan the second city on the list.

In view of this, can the Commission say whether the municipality of Fiumicino has submitted projects for
Urban II funding?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2003)

Following the Commission’s notice to Member States of 28 April 2000 (1) on guidelines for the Urban II
Community Initiative,
the Ministry for Infrastructure and Transport published in the Italian Official
Journal 168 of 20 July 2000 an invitation to apply for selection as one of the Italian cities to be financed
under Urban II.

The invitation incorporated the eligibility criteria set out in the Commission’s notice and specified the
additional assessment and selection criteria the Ministry would use to rank the applications received in
order of merit.

The allocation of funds to Italy for Urban II meant that only the first ten cities in the order of merit could
be nominated for assistance. Their programmes were submitted to the Commission in line with Article 19
of the notice.

Thus the Commission does not know if the commune of Fiumicino submitted projects for Urban II
funding, nor if it did so why its programme was not such as to gain it a place in the first ten cities by
order of merit.

The Commission accordingly invites the Honourable Member to put his question to the Italian authorities.

(1) COM(2000) 1100 final (cid:1) OJ C 141, 19.5.2000.

(2003/C 137 E/233)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3433/02

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(2 December 2002)

Subject: Withholding of URBAN II funding from Frosinone

According to information from the Italian Ministry of
Infrastructure and Transport and from the
Commission, Frosinone is currently completely excluded from Urban II funding since it is not one of the
10 first cities listed at European level or the next 20 cities in the ‘Urban Italia’
list (Law 388/2000).
‘Urban’
is undeniably one of the European Union’s most successful projects to date and a valuable
instrument for the development of the outskirts of large metropolitan areas and urban areas in general
affected by environmental and social deterioration, for example, in Milan the second city on the list.

In view of this, can the Commission say whether the municipality of Frosinone has submitted projects for
Urban II funding?