WRITTEN QUESTION E-2796/03 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Uncertainties regarding the need for financial compensation by national authorities for regional projects no longer receiving EU regional funding after 2006.
Date: 2003-09-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU regional policy, Netherlands, Structural Funds, eligible region, multiannual financial framework, regional budget, relations between the State and the regions

C 88 E/438

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

(2004/C 88 E/0443)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2741/03

by Richard Corbett (PSE) to the Commission

(11 September 2003)

Subject: Croatia

When it considers Croatia’s application for accession to the European Union, will the Commission look at
the situation in Krajina as regards the return to their homes of the population driven out by the Croatian
army in 1995? Does it consider that the possibility for displaced persons to return home and the treatment
of minorities are matters that falls under the Copenhagen criteria for membership of the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(26 September 2003)

When it considers Croatia’s application for accession to the Union the Commission will review the extent
of compliance of Croatia with the criteria laid down in Articles 49 and 6 of the Treaty establishing the
European Union and further enshrined in the conclusions of the European Council of Copenhagen (1993).
According to the latter (‘Copenhagen criteria’) a prospective member must: (i) be a stable democracy,
respecting human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of minorities; (ii) have a functioning market
economy and the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union; (iii)
adopt the common rules, standards and policies that make up the body of Community law.

Therefore the review of the process of refugee return in Croatia, and the treatment of minorities will be
crucial to assessing the Government’s fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria, on the basis of which the
Commission will make its recommendation to the Council on whether or not
to open accession
negotiations with Croatia in spring 2004.

(2004/C 88 E/0444)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2796/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 September 2003)

Subject: Uncertainties regarding the need for financial compensation by national authorities for regional

projects no longer receiving EU regional funding after 2006

Can the Commission confirm that, with regard to the EU Structural Funds, in the near future a

1.
choice will have to be made between two options:

(a) a preference on the part of the current beneficiary regions for strong growth, in order to be able both

to preserve the existing grants and to pay for major projects in new Member States, and

(b) a preference on the part of some Member States for stabilising the current level of expenditure and, in
future, assigning priority in projects to solidarity and internal EU development aid for the most
disadvantaged regions in the present and future Member States with the lowest per capita Gross
National Product?

2.
Is the Commission aware that in the Netherlands, pending the decision between these options, a
difference of opinion is arising between the north-eastern provinces, which expect to be able to continue
to draw on the Structural Funds after 2006, and the government, which considers it probable and desirable
that such regions in more affluent Member States will
then no longer be eligible for aid? Is the
Commission aware whether there are other regions in the EU where uncertainty about the amount of
funding available from the Structural Funds and its mode of deployment after 2006 is giving rise to such
differences of opinion and problems in the preparation of projects?

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/439

Does the Commission agree that it is desirable that the Member States and their regional or local
3.
authorities should be promptly informed about the amount of future EU cofinancing and the need for
national authorities to compensate regional and local authorities financially for the loss of EU grants
(‘renationalisation’), to enable them to draw up multiannual financial estimates and formulate policies for
regional projects in and after 2006?

4.
How will the Commission inform all authorities concerned as quickly as possible about the amount
of money which will be available from the Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund in future, how it will be
allocated and what regions in the present Member States will or will not again be eligible for such funding
after 2006?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2003)

The Commission is currently in the process of formulating proposals for reforming regional and cohesion
policies for the post-2006 period. These proposals will be made in the Third Cohesion report, which
should be adopted by the end of 2003. The proposals will be consistent with the global proposals on the
new financial perspectives covering the same period, which also need to be decided. It is therefore too
early to speculate on the nature of the Commission’s proposals in the field of regional and cohesion policy,
although it can be said that the options for the future are not necessarily limited to the two mentioned by
the Honourable Member.

The Commission is aware of the debate taking place in the Netherlands, and other Member States. A stable
planning framework for regional policy is clearly important, which is why the proposals on the future are
being drawn up for the attention of the Parliament and the Council at the earliest possible moment.

The aim is to decide the new regulations in sufficient time to allow Member States, regional and local
authorities to prepare a new generation of programmes for implementation from the beginning of 2007.

Decisions on the eligibility of regions and on financial allocations must follow the adoption of the new
regulations. Where the decisions are the responsibility of the Commission, they will be taken as quickly as
possible, and the results published in the Official Journal.

(2004/C 88 E/0445)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2843/03

by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 September 2003)

Subject: Placement of children in institutions in Latvia

The Council attaches very great importance to the applicant countries’ respect for the political criteria for
accession laid down by the European Council meeting in Copenhagen, particularly those concerning
democracy, the rule of law, human rights and protection of minorities (Council’s written answer of 4 June
2003 to question H-0350/03).

Has the Commission at any stage considered the situation of children in children’s homes in Latvia,
particularly given that the Commission has actively endeavoured to develop similar strategies in other
applicant countries?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2003)

Since the opinion of 1997, the Commission has concluded in its annual Regular Reports that Latvia
continues to comply with the so-called Copenhagen political criteria, namely the respect for democracy,
the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. Latvia has continued to address any existing
outstanding issue in this area.