WRITTEN QUESTION E-2718/03 by Anne Van Lancker (PSE) to the Commission. Network of cycle paths.
Date: 2003-09-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, EU financing, Province of East Flanders, cycle track

13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/199

(2004/C 65 E/215)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2717/03

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

(11 September 2003)

Subject: Network of cycle paths

Belgium has an extensive network of cycle paths for tourism and recreation. Many of these cycle routes
have been created thanks to European grants. I should like to have more information about the subsidies
granted to Belgian cycle routes.

Can the Commission provide details of the EU subsidies granted to Belgian cycle routes in 2002 in 2003?

What amount was allocated to cycle routes in the province of Antwerp?

What are the Commission’s plans for the allocation of European funds in 2004 and subsequent years?
Will subsidies be granted for measures in the province of Antwerp?

(2004/C 65 E/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2718/03

by Anne Van Lancker (PSE) to the Commission

(11 September 2003)

Subject: Network of cycle paths

Belgium has an extensive network of cycle paths for tourism and recreation. Many of these cycle routes
have been created thanks to European grants. I should like to have more information about the subsidies
granted to Belgian cycle routes.

Can the Commission provide details of the EU subsidies granted to Belgian cycle routes in 2002 in 2003?

What amount was allocated to cycle routes in the province of East Flanders?

What are the Commission’s plans for the allocation of European funds in 2004 and subsequent years?
Will subsidies be granted for measures in the province of East Flanders?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2717/03 and E-2718/03
given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2003)

Under the present regional policy rules, in this particular case those on part-financing of projects from the
Structural Funds, project selection is an exclusive responsibility of the managing authority for each
programme, always of course subject to compliance with the wording of the priorities and measures set
out in the programming document and its complement.

Thus the granting of European funds under the structural policy should be looked at as part-financing of
projects selected by the Member State rather than as an actual subsidy from the Commission.

For Flanders Region as a whole, 2002 and 2003 has seen approval of cycle route projects totalling
EUR 5 582 503,81 for which the Regional Development Fund (ERDF) contribution is EUR 1 268 302,96.

C 65 E/200

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

In the province of Antwerp EUR 277 099 has been granted for the Recreatief fietsroutenetwerk in the
Grande Nethe area (total project cost EUR 1 108 394) and in East Flanders EUR 20 834,11 for the
Schaarse Wegel cycle route project at Bassevelde (total project cost EUR 83 336,40).

It goes without saying that any cycle route projects that are subsequently presented and are in line with
the objectives of the programme measures will be part-financed from the ERDF at the rate specified in the
programme complement.

As far as the Walloon Region is concerned, the managing authority for the Meuse-Vesdre Programme
expects, for the entire programming period, to approve projects for the cycle route network costing a total
of EUR 13 218 470,38, of which the ERDF will pay EUR 6 654 735,19.

No cycle route network projects have been part-financed by the Structural Funds in the Brussels Capital
Region in 2002 or in 2003. Given the wording of the measures in the programme it is unlikely that any
are to be presented.

(2004/C 65 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2720/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(11 September 2003)

Subject: Measures to safeguard EU plans for a dynamic knowledge society in 2010 from unintended

negative effects of the Stability Pact

1.
Is the Commission aware that the German newspaper Handelsblatt and subsequently the Netherlands
newspaper Staatscourant of 14 August 2003 report that Commissioner Diamantopoulou believes that the
European Growth and Stability Pact will in future pose a serious threat to education and scientific research
budgets in EU Member States as result of the 3 % ceiling on budget deficits, making it impossible to
achieve the target established in Lisbon in 2000 of making the EU the world’s most dynamic knowledge
economy by 2010?

2.
Is the Commission aware that Mrs Diamantopoulou is advocating that this serious problem should be
solved by no longer counting government investment in education and research for the purposes of the
ceilings established in the Stability Pact?

3.
Can the Commission confirm that a virtually insoluble situation is likely to arise now that Germany,
France, Italy and Portugal no longer appear to be able to keep to the 3 % ceiling in the longer term, new
Member States with a weak budget position are about to join the EU and the heavy fines that have to be
imposed on those who exceed the ceiling are in danger of exacerbating the situation?

4.
Does the Commission agree with Commissioner Diamantopoulou that no one seems to have the
courage to take the necessary steps to revise the 3 % rule which has become unworkable and that as a
result Member States are resorting to unilateral action to the detriment of the EU economy?

Is the Commission using its own right of initiative to break this deadlock or is it waiting for the

5.
Italian Presidency or subsequent presidencies of the Council to take action?

6.
How long does the Commission anticipate it will take before the urgently needed changes are
actually made to the Stability Pact, for instance by adopting the method proposed by Commissioner
Diamantopoulou?