WRITTEN QUESTION P-0023/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Leader +.
C 280 E/160 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 3. 10. 2000 Reply (28 March 2000) The Council is aware of the problems arising from the special situation of the outermost regions and 1. has always attached great importance to the instruments designed to reduce the structural handicaps stemming from their remote location. 2. The Structural Funds are an important instrument for action, having a positive impact on growth, convergence and the upgrading of infrastructures ü especially port and airport infrastructures ü in the outermost regions. By virtue of the new regulatory framework for the Structural Funds, the Commission, in agreement with the Member States concerned, is considering adopting the Community support frameworks over the next six months containing the strategy and priorities for the action of the Funds and of the Member State concerned, their specific objectives, the financial contribution by the Funds and the other financial resources. In any event, it is not for the Council to intervene in the process of setting up the Community Support Framework or to comment on the policies and choices of the Member States and of the Commission. 3. More specifically as regards the implementation of Article 299(2) of the Treaty, the Council can only act on a proposal from the Commission. The Council is not as yet in receipt of a Commission proposal along the lines mentioned by the Honourable Member. (2000/C 280 E/182) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0023/00 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (13 January 2000) Subject: Leader + In the draft communication from the Commission to the Member States laying down guidelines for the Community initiative for rural development (Leader +), the Commission made provision for up to 50 % participation at the decision-making level within the local action groups by partners that are elected office- holders. It has emerged following discussion of the communication at the STAR management committee that an amendment has been adopted which stipulates a minimum participation by economic and social bodies of 50 % at the decision-making level. What view does the Commission take of this provision? Does it consider it to be more flexible or more restrictive towards elected office-holders? Does the Commission perhaps have certain reasons for aiming at some kind of elimination of local government, and if so, could it state them? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (4 February 2000) The implications for local representatives of the amended provision referred to by the Honourable Member are no different from the Commissionís original proposal, which it is intended simply to clarify. The Commission can assure the Honourable Member that this provision is in no way designed to exclude local representatives and authorities from local action groups (LAGs). The Commissionís objective is to ensure that participation by the public sector as a whole, including elected representatives, in decision making does not exceed the 50 % limit to enable the private sector to develop its own initiatives, given the bottom-up approach of Leader+ and in particular its aim of stimulating socio-economic operators to come up with ideas and become actively involved in the future of their regions