WRITTEN QUESTION E-0817/03 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission. Freedom of movement of persons within the European Union.
Date: 2003-03-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Azores, European Social Fund, equal treatment, foreign national, regional aid, residence, vocational training

C 242 E/180

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

9.10.2003

(2003/C 242 E/187)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0817/03

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(17 March 2003)

Subject: Freedom of movement of persons within the European Union

The freedom of movement of persons is a fundamental principle underpinning the European Union.
Regional policy, on the other hand, may in a sense be viewed as a derogation from this principle, and is
likewise of great importance to the Union.

On the island of São Jorge, in the Azores Autonomous Region, the problem has yet again arisen of pupils
attending the local vocational school finding themselves excluded from Community funding under the
European Social Fund because they are not natives of the region, the argument being that the aid is
regional, and available only to the residents of the Autonomous Region.

The possibility that training support for young people who, for one reason or another, while not being
natives of the Azores, wish to follow courses on the island of São Jorge, may infringe competition rules or
the
the objectives of regional development strikes me as unrealistic, given that on the contrary,
impossibility of providing such support clearly prejudices both the free movement of citizens within the
European area, and a small geographical unit like the island of São Jorge.

This being so does the Commission not believe that a correct interpretation of the Treaty means that
Community regional support from the European Social Fund should be freely available to citizens who are
not natives of the Azores, provided that the courses are provided in the Region and are clearly aimed at its
residents?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2003)

Community support given by the European Social Fund has, amongst others,
the objective of
strengthening economic and social cohesion and aims at reducing disparities between the different levels
of development of the various regions.

In this regard, the Comission believes that training support to young people provided by the local
vocational school of São Jorge island and financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) should be directed to
residents of the Region, independently of their origin.

Final beneficiaries of community financing in the Região Autónoma dos Açores must therefore be in a
position to prove their residence in the Region. This rule cannot involve a discrimination on the grounds
of nationality as the obligation to prove residence in the region concerns all persons, be they Portuguese or
from any other country of origin.

(2003/C 242 E/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0827/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(18 March 2003)

Subject: Use of funds from the Tempus III programme by the City of Frosinone

In September 2002, the monitoring committee of the Italian Ministry for Economic Affairs issued a report
on the spending of EU funds.

The report reveals the alarming slowness and inefficiency with which EU funds are allocated to projects by
some regional authorities.

The grave concerns about the inadequate use of European funds by local authorities have frequently been
echoed by the Commission.