WRITTEN QUESTION No. 470/98 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. Article 10
C 310/70 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 9. 10. 98 The Commission is examining the responses of the Member States to these letters. A combined team of Community inspectors and officials has also begun a series of visits to all Member States in order to ensure that the necessary framework is in place to comply with the obligations of the MAGPs. If the Commission is not convinced that a genuine effort is being made to respect these obligations, it will not hesitate to take the necessary legal action against the Member States concerned. In the meantime, Community assistance has already been suspended for some Member States until the MAGP III objectives are achieved. (98/C 310/90) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0468/98 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (27 February 1998) Subject: Completion of structural fund programmes 1994-1999 What amount and what percentage of Structural Fund payments by objective and by Member State were paid after the end of the previous programming period on 31 December 1993? Will the Commission produce a similar table based on current estimates for monies likely to be outstanding on 31 December 1999? What procedures is the Commission proposing to use to ensure that current programmes are closed efficiently without any undue delays in final payments or reduction in the quality of the projects? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1998) Because of the length of the answer, which includes a number of tables, the Commission is sending it direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat. (98/C 310/91) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0470/98 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (27 February 1998) Subject: Article 10 Given the budget appropriations 1994-98, what is the exact percentage of structural fund spending devoted to date to Article 10 during the current programming period? What amount would be required in the 1999 budget to ensure that the first one per cent is achieved overall? Is the Commission committed to putting this forward in its preliminary draft budget for 1999? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (7 April 1998) Under the current programming period 1994-1999, 450 MECU have been allocated for spending under Article 10 of the European regional development fund (ERDF) Regulation (1). This represents approximately 0. 56% of ERDF. The sum representing 1% would be some 800 MECU. However, the Commission does not intend to provide for an increase beyond 0. 56% through its proposal for the 1999 budget. (1) OJ L 193, 31. 7. 1993