WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2334/98 by John McCARTIN to the Commission. Payments from the Structural Funds by region in Ireland
14. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 135/43 1. On what legal basis has this complaint been made? 2. Is there a possibility that the Commission will withdraw the complaint? 3. If so, what conditions would Austria have to meet for the Commission to withdraw its complaint? Joint answer to Written Questions E-2326/98 and E-2327/98 given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (1 October 1998) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question No 1764/98 by Mr. Konrad (1). If the Commission finds that Austria has taken measures to put an end to the infringement of Council Directive 93/89/EEC of 25 October 1993 on the application by Member States of taxes on certain vehicles used for the carriage of goods by road and tolls and charges for the use of certain infrastructures (2), it could consider discontinuing the proceedings against Austria. This possibility remains, however, at the discretion of the Commission which will at all times work on the basis of the facts relevant to the case. The Commission noted with interest the two latest Austrian proposals on restructuring of the Brenner tolls which aim to achieve progress in the Council discussions about the revision of Directive 93/89/EEC. These latest Austrian proposals have not been submitted within the framework of the Brenner case pending before the Court. (1) OJ C 13, 18. 1. 1999, p. 80. (2) OJ L 279, 12. 11. 1993. (1999/C 135/050) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2334/98 by John McCartin (PPE) to the Commission (27 July 1998) Subject: Payments from the Structural Funds by region in Ireland Can the Commission provide figures giving details of payments from the Structural Funds by region in Ireland over the last three years and is the Commission convinced that, given the economic differences between the regions in Ireland, a reasonable share-out has taken place? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (10 September 1998) It should be recalled that Ireland is considered to be a single region for the purposes of cohesion policy. There is a single Community support framework administered at central government level. However, the Commission has in recent years encouraged more regional involvement in the disbursement of the structural funds in Ireland. This is evidenced by the establishment, in 1994, of the eight regional authorities. Arising from this development, regional statistics are being refined and additional statistics developed to better assess the level of development of the eight regions. One useful statistic emerging from this process is the level of structural funds spending in the individual regions. Reliable statistical data for 1994 and 1995 are now available and are reproduced below