WRITTEN QUESTION E-0486/03 by Giuseppe Brienza (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Management of European Funds by the Basilicata Regional Council.
Date: 2003-02-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Basilicata, EU financing, EU financing arrangements, Structural Funds, financial control, less-favoured region, management, operational programme, regional government

C 242 E/110

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

(2003/C 242 E/111)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0486/03

by Giuseppe Brienza (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 February 2003)

Subject: Management of European Funds by the Basilicata Regional Council

Does the Commission know why,
(ROP), the regional government of Basilicata, an Objective 1 region:

in the context of the 1994-1999 Regional Operational Programme

1.

2.

3.

4.

used the entire funding of
requested up to September 1997;

ITL 41 billion covering a six-year period (1994-1999)

for payments

used a further ITL 13 869 370 279 billion, granted by virtue of the Decree of the Minister for Labour
of 5 June 2001 to make unofficial
labour more transparent in the period 2000-2003, to cover
payments for starting up work due for the period from October 1997 to 31 December 1997;

currently owes payments already granted to the beneficiaries of over ITL 113 298 590 000 in respect
of employment and self-employment measures for 1998 and 1999;

apparently plans to use the funds which the Commission will allocate for the 2000-2006 Regional
Operational Programme to cover these commitments made without financial cover?

Does the Commission intend to ascertain and clarify in what way the Basilicata Region has been managing
and utilising European Union funding? Will it verify how and with what funds the Region intends to meet
the financial commitments it has made in such an offhand manner, without having the necessary funds,
and will avoid seeking to meet its commitments for 1997-1999 with resources granted by the European
Union for an altogether different purpose?

What action will the Commission take, and when will it do so, to verify the above facts and to prevent the
few years from
Basilicata Region’s favouritism and unlawful management of
undermining the benefits expected from aid officially granted for the 2000-2006 period?

funds over

the last

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-0227/03 and E-0486/03
given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(14 March 2003)

Responsibility for the management of Structural Funds programmes is decentralised to the Member States
once the Commission has approved their strategic priorities. The system for funding projects part-financed
by these Funds is governed by national legislation on budgetary matters.

As regards finance for projects in 2000-2006, Article 30 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 laying
down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1) states that expenditure,
including that on projects
begun earlier, is eligible from the date of submission of the programme to the Commission. The starting
date for the eligibility of expenditure under the Operational Programme for the Basilicata is 5 October
1999.

This means that the fact that the Region of Basilicata could begin operations in 1998 and undertake
expenditure after 5 October 1999 does not contradict Community rules on the implementation of the
Structural Funds.

the Structural Funds and
The Commission is continuing to monitor and inspect
compliance with the rules, particularly those on the use made of contributions, and the dates when
expenditure begins and ceases to be eligible.

the use made of

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.