WRITTEN QUESTION E-1163/03 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Use of funds from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund by the municipality of Terni.
Date: 2003-04-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EAGGF, Italy, Umbria, commitment of expenditure, local government

C 84 E/720

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1040/03 and E-1046/03
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2003)

The Honourable Member’s question concerns the use of funds from the Leader+ programme by the
municipalities of Perugia and Terni.

In particular, the Honourable Member asks whether the municipalities of Perugia and Terni have submitted
projects for the Leader+ programme, whether these municipalities have obtained funding for their projects
and whether this funding has been used.

The documents in the Commission’s possession show that the municipalities of Perugia and Terni form
part of the territory participating in the Leader+ CIP for Umbria, which the Commission approved by its
Decision C(2001) 3489 of 7 November 2001. The Umbria region has recently selected the Local Action
Groups which will take part in the Leader+ programme. The municipalities of Perugia and Terni are thus
among the possible beneficiaries of the LAGs actions, but no project has received any funding yet.

It should be noted that the Commission does not decide on specific projects or on the selection of the
LAGs. It decides to contribute to a programme which includes criteria for selecting the groups using
procedures which will guarantee the proper Leader approach. The final selection of the groups is made by
the Member State or regional authority responsible, whereas the projects part-financed are selected by the
LAGs in accordance with the conditions laid down in the programme.

As a result, the ‘Assessorato all’Agricoltura’ of the Umbria region, the body responsible for managing the
programme, could provide information on the various beneficiaries, on the submission deadlines for
invitations to tender planned by the Region and, more specifically, on the municipalities of Perugia and
Terni.

(2004/C 84 E/0809)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1163/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(1 April 2003)

Subject: Use of funds from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund by the municipality of

Terni

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.

Bearing in mind that some local authorities, such as the municipality of Terni, urgently need to use
European funds for the processing and marketing of agricultural products and for rural development,

can the Commission state:

1. whether the municipality of Terni has submitted projects for the EAGGF?

2. whether the municipality of Terni has secured funding for these projects?

3. whether this funding has been used?

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/721

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(24 April 2003)

The Honourable Member’s question concerns the use of
Guarantee Fund by the municipality of Terni.

the European Agricultural Guidance and

In Umbria, the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF)
provides part-financing for the Leader+ programme, which was covered in the reply to Written Question
No 1046/03 asked by Ms Angelilli (1).

The Guarantee Section of the EAGGF provides part-financing for the Rural Development Plan for the
region of Umbria for 2000/06, which the Commission approved by Decision C(2000) 2158 of 20 July
2000.

Here it should be noted that implementation of the aid part-financed at Community level under this
programme is a matter for the Italian national and regional authorities. The Commission is responsible for
monitoring and inspecting the programme, but it is not responsible for on-the-spot management of the
various measures. In the context of this monitoring, the annual reports made under Regulations (EC)
Nos 1257/1999 (2) and 445/2002 (3) do not show whether the municipality of Terni has submitted projects
under the EAGGF Guarantee Section.

As a result, the ‘Assessorato all’Agricoltura’ of the Umbria region, which is the authority responsible for
managing the programme, could provide specific details of the various beneficiaries and the deadlines for
the calls issued by the region, including those specifically for the municipality of Terni.

(1) See page 719.
(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural development from the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations, OJ L 160,
26.6.1999.

(3) Commission Regulation (EC) No 445/2002 of 26 February 2002 laying down detailed rules for the application of
Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance
and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF), OJ L 74, 15.3.2002.

(2004/C 84 E/0810)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1396/03

by Margie Sudre (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 April 2003)

Subject: Uniform application of a reduced rate of VAT in the restaurant sector

In its resolution of 14 May 2002, the European Parliament called on the Commission to ‘draw up at the
earliest opportunity proposals to include the restaurant sector, and possibly other as yet ineligible tourist
services, on the list of sectors of activity entitled to a permanent reduction in the VAT rate, so as to boost
employment and modernisation in the industries concerned and make European tourism better equipped
to deal with international competition’.

This reduced rate of VAT for the restaurant sector and other tourism services would enable the strong
job-creation potential of tourism enterprises to be swiftly harnessed, and would constitute a vital asset for
European tourism and economic activity in general.

The Commission’s work programme for 2003 indicates that a proposal for a directive on the structure of
reduced VAT rates, which aims to review the relevant rules so that a simpler and more harmonised
structure can be introduced in the European Union, is scheduled for publication in June 2003.

Can the Commission confirm its intended timetable for this proposal for a directive?