WRITTEN QUESTION No. 278/98 by Panayotis LAMBRIAS to the Commission. New LEADER programme
C 304/68 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 10. 98 Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (13 March 1998) As stated in the previous reply to the Honourable Memberís written question E-3670/97 (1) and to written question E-3449/97 by Mr de Vries (2), the Television without frontiers Directive 97/36/EC of Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1997 amending Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities (3) provides that Member States shall ensure freedom of reception on their territory of television broadcasts from other Member States (Article 2a(1)). This obligation is based on one of the four fundamental freedoms laid down in the EC Treaty (the freedom to provide services › Article 59). In respect of the particular circumstances of the case, the Commission stated that it required further information to enable an evaluation to be carried out, in respect of conformity with Community law. The Commission, in its role of guardian of the Treaties is required to evaluate possible breaches of Community law. The timing of such an evaluation would depend on the complexity of the facts involved, on the assumption that the necessary information was available. (1) OJ C 174, 8. 6. 1998, p. 95. (2) OJ C 174, 8. 6. 1998, p. 60. (3) OJ L 202, 30. 7. 1997. (98/C 304/96) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0278/98 by Panayotis Lambrias (PPE) to the Commission (13 February 1998) Subject: New LEADER programme According to recent statements by Commissioner Fischler, it is planned to extend to LEADER programme to include the whole of European agriculture. Recognising that the agricultural policy of the Union is in a transitional period, will the Commission say: 1. Does it intend to take measures to ensure that there is no reduction in what has already been achieved in Objective 1 and 5b regions and that essential financial support, in line with the present needs, continues with the new LEADER programme? 2. Does it intend substantially to increase the funds for the new LEADER programme in keeping with the increased area covered and the need for more intensive support for the less-developed regions of the European Union? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (24 March 1998) For the regions currently eligible under Objectives 1 and 5(b) which will cease to be eligible under the 1. selection criteria to be used in the new period, the Commission is proposing transitional financial support through regional programmes to be drawn up in agreement with the Member State concerned. The new rural development Initiative, which the Honourable Member describes as ánew Leaderí, could provide further support for those regions in accordance with the guidelines on its objectives and scope which the Commission will lay down. 2. The Commission is proposing that 5% of the resources of the Structural Funds should be allocated to the three Community Initiatives, one of which will be the Initiative for rural development, but it has not yet divided that amount among the Initiatives. The concentration of appropriations on three Community Initiatives instead of the existing 14 will improve implementation in the sectors selected