CELEX: 51980PC0333
Language: en
Date: 1980-06-11
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION establishing supplementary measures in favour of the UNITED KINGDON (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (80) 333
Vol. 1980/0120
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
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 ---pagebreak---  COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                  COM(80) 333 final
                                          Brussels . 11 june 1980
                          Proposal for a
                         COUNCIL REGULATION
               establishing supplementary measures in favour
                            of the UNITED KINGDON
               ( submitted to the Council by the Commission)
                                   /.>r                v\
                                 Ρ
                                 l -*:-
                                 \–
                                  V- - .
C0M(80) 333 final
 ---pagebreak--- Explanatory memorandum
1 . After the Council meeting of the 29 / 30 May 1980 dedicated to " convergence
     and budgetary questions " it was agreed upon that payments would be made
     to the United Kingdom , on the one hand ; through  the adapted financial
     mechanism and , on the other hand , through the supplementary measures
     proposed by the Commission . The present regulation" proposal concerns
     these supplementary measures'.
2 . In order to promote the convergence of the economies of the Member States ,
      it is necessary to contribute to the solution of the principal structural
     problems affecting the United Kingdom . Improving its economic performance
     may be done by developing the economic and social infrastructure , especially
      in the assisted areas , as well as by investments for the exploitation   ,
     of coal  resources .                     v
 3 . In consequence , it has been proposed - that the supplementary measures
      shall be confined to investment expenditure as indicated above and
      that they shall be carried out in the form of special pluriannual
      programmes to be approved by the Commission after consultation with
      the Regional Policy Committee or the Energy Committee . Once the programmes
      have been approved by the Commission , advances may be accorded , of up to
      90 % of the appropriations committed ,
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 2 -
Proposal for a Council Regulation instituting supplementary Community
measures to contribute to the solution of the principal structure
problems affecting the United Kingdom and hence to the convergence
of the economies of the Member States of the Community
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
in particular Article 235 ,      '
Having regard to the proposal of the Commission ,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ( 1 >,
Having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors (2 ),
Whereas the Council Conclusions of 30 May 1980(2 ) indicates that over
the period 1980-82 payments should be made to the United Kingdom by means
of the adapted Financial Mechanism and supplementary Measures proposed by
the Commission ,
Whereas the need for these payments arises from the lack of convergence
between the economies of the Member States of the Community , and whereas
the supplementary measures should aim to realise special programmes of
investments which contribute to greater convergence and integration of
the economic policies of the Member States and are in line with priority
Community objectives ,
                         L
Whereas through these supplementary measures convergence can be promoted
by improving 1 the structures of the United Kingdom economy ,
Whereas if they are to be fully effective the supplementary measures must
be consistent with existing Community policies , especially the Regional
Policy , and must respond to the need for improved economic and social
infrastructure , especially . in the regionswith greatest structural
problems ,   .
( 1 ) 0 J No ...
( 2 ) 0 J No ...
 ---pagebreak---                                    3
Whereas the exploitation of coal resources in . the United Kingdom is in the
interests of the Community 's energy policy /
Whereas the supplementary measures should take the form of pluriannual '
programmes to be approved by the Commission to ensure an effective use
of Community resources .
 ---pagebreak--- HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION
                                     Article 1
1 . In addition to the amounts which will be transferred to the United
    Kingdom in the application of the Council Regulation ( EEC ) N° 1172 / 76 ,
    of 17 May 1976 establishing a financial mechanism ( 1 ), as amended by
    Council Regulation ( EEC ) Nl0r        / 80 of      1980 ( 2 ), the present
    regulation provides for supplementary Community measures in respect of
     1980 and 1981 the aims of which shall be :
    - the reduction of regional disparities and the renewal of urban areas
        through the improvement of economic and social infrastructure ,
    - the exploitation of coal resources .
           ν
2 . The measures shall be implemented by means of special financial assistance
    to the realisation of pluriannual programmes submitted for approval by
    the United Kingdom to the Commission .
                                      Article 2    ■
    Provided these are undertaken by public authorities in the form of
                                                »
    capital expenditure ^ the fol lowing ,categories of investments shall
    be eligible for financial participation by the Community within the
    framework of the speciat programmes to be submitted :
     ( a ) economic and social infrastructure especially transport and communi­
             cations > telecommunications , transmission of energy , water and
             sewerage , industrial sites , advance factories , public housing ,
     ( b ) infrastructure necessary to urban renewal programmes ,
     ( c ) investments related to the exploitation of coal resources .
(1) 0 J        N° L131      of 20.5.76
(2) 0 J        N° . ...
 ---pagebreak---                                                  5
                                             Article 3
1                            "     - -     . –––
ί· '                                   -               .                      · '
     1 . In the case of infrastructures , special programmes will be located
          within the areas covered on 1st January 1980 . by the Regional
           Development Programmes provided for " in Article 6, paragraphs 3 and
          A of the Council Regulation ( EEC ) n° 724 / 75 of 18 March 1975 ( 1 )
          establishing a European Regional Development Fund , as amended by
           Council Regulation ( EEC ) n° 214 / 79 of 6 February 1979 ( 2 ) , herein ■
          after referred to as " the Fund Regulation ".                     '
          Each of these programmes : *
          a ) will cover a whole region or that part or parts of such a
               region eligible for assistance from the European Regional
               Development Fund ,
          b ) will be consistent with the regional development programmes provided
               for in Article 6 of the Fund Regulation ,
          c)' will contain , for the region or part of region covered , the in­
               formation specified in the annex of the present regulation .
     2 . However , in exceptional cases or - where there is a special "
          Community interest special infrastructure programmes may be submitted
          for areas outside regions referred to in paragraph 1 .                       v
           For each of these programmes the United Kingdom will submit t0 the
          Commission all information SDecified in the annex of . this regulation ,
          with the exception of that indicated in point 3 . Moreover it will submit
                                 '       ' '         ,   •                        • .
          all other information useful for the examination of the special programme ,
          including its impact on the regions referred to in paragraph 1 .
     3 . Before approving the special programmes referred to in paragraphs 1 and
          2 above, the Commission shall consult the Regional Policy Committee provided
          for in Council Decision 75 / 1 85 / EEC C 1 > of 18 March 1975 as amended by Council
          Decision 79 / 137 / EECC2 ) of '6 February 1979 .
     ( 1 ) OJ L 73 ; of 21.3.1975
     ( 2 ) OJ . L 35  • of 9.2.1979
 ---pagebreak---                                  Article 4
 1 . In the case of programmes covering the exploitation of coal resources ,
      the United Kingdom wi 1 1 submit • to the Commission a statement of needs , i
      objectives , general physical characteristics of investments , their costs ,
      detailsof their financing and a time-table of their realisation .
 2 . Before approving speciaL programmes covering the exploitation of coal
      resources , the Commission shall consult the Energy Committee provided
      for in Council Decision 0 f 30 January 1974 .
                                  Article 5
 The following provisions will apply to all special programmes :
                                                                      <1
 1 . The Commission can request all additional information required._for the                      i
                                                                  - •                         « i
      examination and assessment of a special programme .                                        j
2 . When the success of a special programme requires that the public                    '         j
      authorities take complementary measures not financed by the Community ,
      these measures will be contained in the programme .                                      1
 3 . A summary of each special programme wi 11 be published in the Official Journal of          j
      the European Communities . The United Kingdom, by agreement with the Commission,           [
    . shall take all necessary steps to ensure that assistance granted in accordance             j
     ~vntF~t he " present regulation" ls~given~ suitable " publicity       7     ~~   – :        |
                                    Article 6
                                              .                                             \\
1 . The amount of financial assistances referred' to in Article 1 of                      .      ;
     this Regulation , is calculated in accordance with points 1 to 4 of
     the Counci I Conclusions     of the 30 May 1980 ( 1 ).
     The credits will be entered in the budget of the year following the year                   !
           .  .  . .     .                           ' ' :    '                                 I
     to which they apply . However in the light of a request from the United
                                                              if         ,          •
     Kingdom, the Counci I acting by qualified majority may decide on a proposal of the I
     Commission that the implemention of the supplementary measures may be brought forward .
     In this case the Commission will engage the necessary procedures~and"iri                   \
     particular those which permit the appropriations which will have been
     entered for this-purpose in Chapter 100 of the budget to be used .                         j
                                                                                                !
  (1)   0J   N° ...                                                                             s
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 7 -
                                                             I
 2 . In approving the special programmes the Commission shall decide
      on the parts of programmes in the financing of which the Community
      participates , as well as on the amounts of the participation , in
      the light of the needs of the area concerned and the appropriations
      avai lable .
      The maximum rate of the financial contribution of the Community to
      a special programme, or part thereof , will be 70 % .
     In deciding on the Level of the Community 's contribution , account will
     be taken of investments in receipt of grants from the European Regional
     Development Fund or from other Community financial instruments .
3 . The decision of the Commission shall be considered as commitment in
     accordance with the provisions of Article 32 , paragraph 2 of the
     Financial Regulation of 21 December 1977 applicable to the general
     budget of the European Communities ( 1 ).
                                                   i
4 . The Commission as soon as it has taken the grant decision in accordance
     with paragraph 3 aDOve will make an advance payment of 90 % of the
     amount of the Community 's participation decided for each special
     programme in the light of the appropriations available . The transfer ,
     of the 10 7. balance will be effected immediatly after the
     exhaustion of the above payment , as certified by the government    of
     the United Kingdom , and at the latest before the end of the financial
     year following that of the commitment , provided the realisation
     of the special programme proceeds as planned .
5 . The Commission shall take into consideration for financial participation
     payments made by the Member State     as from 1 January 1980 .
( 1 ) 0j NO L 356 of 31.12.1977
 ---pagebreak---                                   Article 7
1 . The Commission shall ensure the implementation of the special programmes
      in accordance with the requirements of this Regulation and the provision
     of the regulations made pursuant to Article 209 of the Treaty . To this
     end , the United Kingdom shall make available to the Commission all infor­
     mation required and shall take all steps , to facilitate such supervision
     as the Commission may consider useful , including on- the- spot checks by
  , officials of the Commission . ' /' >                                         "
2 . At the end of October of each year the United Kingdom shall present to
     the Commission a report on the progress made in carrying out each special
     programme . This report should enable the Commission to satisfy itself as
     to the execution of the programme .
3 . When , in the course of implementation , minor adjustments to the programme which
     do not modify the objectives appear necessary , the Commission may approve
     them .
     If , in exceptional circumstances and for reasons that are fully justified ,
     the United Kingdom intends to introduce majdr changes , a new special programme
     will be required .
4 .. If a special programme is not implemented in conformity with the provisions
     of the decision of the Commission approving it ; the Commission may suspend any
     payments still to be made . It may also require that sums which have been , or
     are still to be paid , be allocated to other parts of the same programme or to
     other special programmes approved by it .
                                   Article 8
  The present regulation enters into force the                      1980 . It is ,
  applicable from 1 January 1980 .
  This regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable         *
  in all Member States .                       '    .             - * ,
  Done at Brussels ,                                       For the Counci I ,
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 ANNIX
Information to be included in a special infrastructure programme
1 ) General information                              -       '      :-
An infrastructure programme will contain this general information :
a ) a definition of the region or zone covered ;       *
b ) a general description of the measures envisaged ;
c ) the period of time covered .
2 ) Objectives
An infrastructure programme will show firstly the obstacles to development
resulting from inadequacies in the infrastructure it covers and then the     -
general objectives and the main lines of policy for such infrastructure .
A programme will make clear the relationship of these objectives with
Community aims and measures , which may be in the field of regional policy
proper or in that of another Community policy , when this is not done in a
regional development programme .
A programme will also contain quantified targets for the infrastructure , it
covers which will reflect the general objectives and policies referred to in
the two preceding paragraphs . These quantified targets will include the .
increase in capacity , the uti li sation of that capacity and the improvement  •
in the quality of service expected from the programme .
                            /                *                  ■
A programme will state the benefits for other regions that , result from the -v
 investments realised under it . It will also indicate investments required
 for the development of the region but located outside it .
3 ) Consistency with the regional development programmes
 There will be a demonstration of the consistency Of an infrastructure programme
 with the relevant-regional development programme , in particular with the
objectives and the priorities among development measures expressed in the
 latter . When a regional development programme does not constitute an adequate
 framework for the appreciation of an infrastructure programme , the additional
 information required will be given in the infrastructure programme .
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 2 -
  4 ) Description of the investments
  An infrastructure programme will contain this information :
  a ) the main physical characteristics and Location of investments greater
      than 10 million European units of account ;
- b ) a global description of Jhe other elements of the programme ;
  c ) a time-table of construction .
  5 ) Complementary measures
  An infrastructure programme will state the measures required for its
  success which are outside its scope and not financed by the
  Community    and which may involve current as opposed to capital expenditure .
  6 ) Financing of the programme
  An infrastructure programme will show the following information for each
  public authority involved :
  a ) the total cost it will incur ;  within this total , the cost of each main
      investment and the global cost of other elements of the programme ;
  b ) the degree of commitment of expenditure ;
  c).a time-table of expenditure .      '