WRITTEN QUESTION E-1235/03 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Rome city authorities: use of funds available under the Action Framework for sustainable urban development in the EU.
Date: 2003-04-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Latium, local government, urban problem, urbanisation

C 65 E/70

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

can the Commission state:

1. whether the municipality of Fiumicino has submitted projects for the Framework for action on

sustainable urban development in the European Union?

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

3. whether this funding has been used?

(2004/C 65 E/080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1224/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(2 April 2003)

Subject: Use of funds under the Framework for action on sustainable urban development in the European

Union by the municipality 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.

Bearing in mind that some local authorities, such as the municipality of Frosinone, urgently need to use
European funds to promote sustainable urban development,

can the Commission state:

1. whether the municipality of Frosinone has submitted projects for the Framework for action on

sustainable urban development in the European Union?

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

3. whether this funding has been used?

(2004/C 65 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1235/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(2 April 2003)

Subject: Rome city authorities: use of funds available under the Action Framework for sustainable urban

development in the EU

In September 2002 the Italian Economic Affairs Ministry’s monitoring committee submitted a statement of
expenditure in respect of funding provided by the EU.

The statement worryingly reveals (cid:1) amongst other things (cid:1) that some local and regional bodies are very
slow and inefficient when it comes to authorising projects.

Similar concern regarding the underuse of EU funding by such bodies has been expressed on a number of
occasions (cid:1) not least by the Commission itself.

With particular regard to the fact that certain local and regional bodies (such as the Rome city authorities)
are greatly in need of EU funding in order to promote sustainable urban development,

13.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

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would the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Have the Rome city authorities submitted projects under the Action Framework for sustainable urban

development?

2. Has funding for such projects been obtained?

3. Has that funding been used?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1210/03, E-1211/03, E-1212/03, E-1213/03,
E-1214/03, E-1215/03, E-1216/03, E-1217/03, E-1218/03, E-1219/03,
E-1220/03, E-1221/03, E-1222/03, E-1223/03, E-1224/03 and E-1235/03
given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2003)

The Commission would ask the Honourable Member to refer to its communication Sustainable urban
development in the European Union: a framework for action (1). This is a policy discussion paper on
coordination of the various approaches the Commission has taken in the numerous sectoral policies
affecting the urban environment.

On use of Community funds by towns and cities, the paper recommends particular attention to urban
problems when the Operational Programmes for Structural Fund Objectives 1, 2 and 3 are presented by
the Member States’ authorities.

Thus no Community funds have been directly awarded in implementation of the framework to the sixteen
Italian towns and cities mentioned by the Honourable Member or to any other town or city in Europe.

(1) COM(98) 605 final.

(2004/C 65 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1254/03

by Bernard Poignant (PSE) to the Commission

(3 April 2003)

Subject: Statistics on the trading of goods between Community Member States

Under Regulation (EEC) No 3330/91 (1) the Community compiles statistics relating to the trading of goods
between Member States. The declarations concerned do not restrict the movement of goods in any way but
small businesses see them as obstacles to good management because failure to make a declaration leads to
financial penalties of almost EUR 1500.

The rules suggest that it is possible for operators to claim exemption from making declarations concerning
trading in goods under Articles 24 and 25 of Directive 77/388/EEC (2). These articles state that small
businesses can obtain tax relief and make simplified tax returns.

In France, under the regulation on statistics on the trading of goods within the Community, declarations
on the trading of goods are compulsory for all operators who acquire goods of a value exceeding
EUR 100 000. In addition to this declaration, operators also have to fill in VAT forms that require the
same information.

To simplify business management, some operators are asking for the threshold for compulsory declarations
to be increased to EUR 150 000 or even EUR 200 000.