WRITTEN QUESTION P-2263/03 by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission. Structural funding in Scotland.
Date: 2003-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Scotland, Structural Funds, implementation of the budget, statistics

C 33 E/240

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

(2004/C 33 E/245)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2260/03

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: European licensing system for professional football clubs

(8 July 2003)

In the Netherlands,
the Royal Dutch Football Association has set up a new licensing system for
professional football clubs which is transparent, sound and geared to clubs’ long-term solvency; it will
come into force in the 2004/2005 football season.

What does the Commission think of a European licensing system along the lines of the new Dutch system?
Is it willing to encourage a UEFA changeover in the near future?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(22 August 2003)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that it can intervene only in matters within the
Community’s jurisdiction. Sport is the responsibility of the Member States and of sporting organisations.

The Commission is, in principle, in favour of developing licensing systems for professional football clubs,
provided these are compatible with Community law. With this in mind, the Commission takes account of
fair competition, as recommended in the Nice Declaration (1). Licensing systems can indeed help to ensure
the sound financial management of clubs and thus to correct certain questionable developments which
have been observed in professional football.

(1) Point 2 of the ‘Declaration on the specific characteristics of sport and its social function in Europe, of which
account should be taken in implementing common policies’, Annex to the Presidency Conclusions of the Nice
European Council, 8 December 2000.

(2004/C 33 E/246)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2263/03

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 July 2003)

Subject: Structural funding in Scotland

Can the Commission provide statistics on the proportion of EU structural funding allocated to Scotland
since the beginning of the current programming period (2000 to 2006) which has actually been spent?
Can the Commission provide statistics on the proportion of structural funding allocated to Scotland in the
current programming period which has been, or is due to be, decommitted? Can the Commission similarly
provide statistics regarding the proportion of total monies originally allocated to Scotland from the
Structural Funds during the previous programming period (1993-1999) which were actually spent? And
can the Commission provide statistics on the proportion of total monies initially allocated to Scotland
from the Structural Funds during that same programming period which are subsequently decommitted?
With respect to the statistics relating to decommitments, can the Commission indicate the specific projects
concerned, and the reasons why the money was decommitted?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(4 August 2003)

For the period, 2000-2006, payments by the Commission may take the form of payments on account,
interim payments or payments of the final balance in accordance with Article 32 (1) of Council Regulation

6.2.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/241

(EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1). Interim
payments and payments of
the balance shall relate to expenditure actually paid out, which must
correspond to payments made by the final beneficiaries, supported by receipted invoices or documents of
an equivalent nature.

The Scottish authorities have so far claimed approximately EUR 201 million. This represents about 12 % of
the allocations under the Structural Funds to Scotland for the programming period 2000-2006, which
amounts to EUR 1 688. This amount does not include payments on account which represent 7 % of the
contribution from the Funds to the assistance in question.

The only programme supported by the Structural Funds in Scotland subject at this stage to the application
of
the so-called ‘N+2’ rule under Article 31 (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 was the High-
lands & Islands Special Transitional Programme. In accordance with this rule, financial commitments made
in the year 2000 had to give rise to payment requests of equivalent value by 31 December 2002 or risk
decommitment of unclaimed amounts. No such risks exist for the European Regional Development Fund
and the European Social Fund, nor for the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance for which there
were no commitments for 2000. In the case of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund
the matter is still under discussion involving the Commission and the Scottish authorities on the extent of
decommitment.

For the other programmes in Scotland, the N+2 rule will apply for the first time at the end of 2003. The
Commission will only be in a position to determine the potential amounts for decommitment per
programme after 31 December 2003, once it has received and processed all payment requests from the
Managing Authority concerned.

the period 1994-1999, Scotland received EUR 1 353 million from the Structural Funds. The
For
the
Commission received the necessary documents from the Scottish authorities for the closure of
programmes before the deadline of 31 March 2003. Only when all the documents are assessed, including
the audit controls statements, will the closure process be completed. At that stage, the Commission will be
in a position to determine the extent of any decommittment.

It should be noted that the Commission does not establish the amounts which should be decommitted per
project but per programme on the basis of final payment claims and closure documentation. Such closure
shall, however, be without prejudice to later decisions cancelling or reducing assistance and ordering the
reimbursement of payments rongfully paid out, pursuant to Article 24 of Regulation (EEC) No 4253/
1988 (2), as amended (3).

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.
(2) Council Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 of 19 December 1988, laying down provisions for implementing Regulation
(EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the activities of the different Structural Funds between themselves and
instruments, OJ L 374,
with the operations of the European Investment Bank and the other existing financial
31.12.1988.

(3) OJ C 118, 28.4.1993.

(2004/C 33 E/247)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2267/03

by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission

(9 July 2003)

Subject: Discrimination against women

On 24 June 2003,

1.
the Commission was preparing further
proposals to combat discrimination against women, which would include a ban on ‘degrading’ images of
women on television and in newspapers and proposals for banning discriminatory insurance premiums. Is
this correct?

the Financial Times reported that

If these plans are being prepared, who is to decide what is ‘degrading’? Will a ‘bad taste’ committee

2.
be set up for the purpose?