WRITTEN QUESTION E-1953/03 by Lissy Gröner (PSE) to the Commission. Unused EU funding in Bavaria totalling EUR 17 million for 2002.
Date: 2003-06-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Bavaria, Czechia, EU financing, EU programme, European Social Fund, commitment of expenditure, cross-border cooperation, education, financial year

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/59

in view of the fact that the long-standing problem of eco-points applied unilaterally by
Furthermore,
Austria has been challenged by all the other Member States and is going to be abolished as a result of
European Parliament pressure, can the Commission say:

1. whether it does not consider, once again, that the Austrian Government and the Tyrolean regional
government are contravening the EU Treaty as regards rules concerning the free movement of goods
and persons;

2. what steps it intends to take to ensure the withdrawal of these unilateral decisions, which do not

correspond to Community law;

3. whether it does not consider that these repeated violations of the Treaty should be brought before the

Court of Justice in Luxembourg?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(8 August 2003)

The Commission services have looked into the ban on heavy goods vehicles carrying certain types of
goods on a section of the A 12 motorway between the Inntal and the Tyrol, as per the order adopted on
27 May by the Governor of the Tyrol. In the light of the explanations given by the Austrian authorities,
the Commission decided, on 24 June 2003, to instigate infringement proceedings against Austria on the
grounds that the traffic ban entering into force on 1 August 2003 represents a restriction upon the
freedom to provide road haulage services and an obstacle to the free movement of goods. In addition, the
measure seems excessive given its declared objective of improving ambient air quality. On 23 July 2003
the Commission decided to refer the matter to the Court of Justice with a request for an injunction. On
30 July 2003, the President of the Court of Justice issued an order to the effect that Austria should cease to
apply the legislation challenged by the Commission pending a ruling in the above proceedings.

The Commission is currently examining the proposal to extend the ban on night traffic to the whole year
to see whether it is compatible with Community law. It will decide in due course whether this too is a
matter for infringement proceedings.

(2004/C 78 E/0059)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1953/03

by Lissy Gröner (PSE) to the Commission

(13 June 2003)

Subject: Unused EU funding in Bavaria totalling EUR 17 million for 2002

The German Bundesland Bavaria was unable to commit funding of EUR 17 million from the rural
development programme, provided under the 2002 EU budget, and returned it to Brussels.

1.

Has funding from the European Social Fund also been returned by Bavaria?

2. What are the sums involved?

3. What areas of assistance are affected?

Does the Commission have a summary of current projects under other Community programmes,

4.
such as Leader+?

5. What projects funded by these programmes are there for Bavaria?

Does the Commission have a summary of assistance provided under other Community programmes

6.
and projects, such as Daphne, or training programmes?

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Official Journal of the European Union

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27.3.2004

7. What projects are affected and what is the level of assistance?

8. What cross-border projects are in progress involving Bavaria and the Czech Republic?

Supplementary answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 2003)

1. to 3.
the year 2000 have been used.

No funding from the European Social Fund has to be returned by Bavaria. All commitments for

4. and 5.
In the framework of the Community initiative Leader+ the Commission is not involved in the
selection and the approval of projects. It is the task of the Leader action group to select and implement
projects according to their concept and the relevant
legislative framework. There are no reporting
obligations for Member States on project level.

6. and 7.
Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

A list with German associations receiving aid from Daphne is sent direct to the Honourable

In the framework of education, the funds are not allocated to a certain region. For the interventions in the
part mobility of the educational programmes,
the disposal of the Member States
participating in the programmes and administrated in a decentralised manner. For the interventions
regarding other parts of these programmes, the allocation of aid follows a call for proposals and depends
on the results of the selection.

the funds are at

In the framework of the programmes Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and youth the total amount of aid
allocated in 2002 for projects where the promoter has its residence in Bavaria amounts to EUR 2,9 million.
This amount does not include the mobility grants handed out to beneficiaries from Bavaria by national
agencies in charge of funds for decentralised programmes in Germany.

A list of projects regarding cross-border projects in progress involving Bavaria and Czech Republic is

8.
sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

(2004/C 78 E/0060)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1961/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(5 June 2003)

Subject: Ispra meeting to discuss the Spanish National Hydrological Plan

Further to Question No 39 by Alexander de Roo (H-0211/03), answered by the European Commission
during Question Time on 8 April 2003, can the Commission give further details of the proposed meeting
in Ispra with technical and scientific experts to discuss the Spanish National Hydrological Plan?

When will this meeting take place?

Which technical and scientific experts will be involved?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2003)

With regard to the expert meeting to discuss certain aspects of
the
Commission at the moment is planning to hold the meeting in September 2003 at a date to be finalised.

the proposed Ebro transfer,

The Commission expects that objective and expert knowledge should be made available to this meeting.