1999/502/EC: Commission Decision of 1 July 1999 drawing up the list of regions covered by Objective 1 of the Structural Funds for the period 2000 to 2006 (notified under document number C(1999) 1770)
27. 7. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities L 194/53 COMMISSION DECISION of 1 July 1999 drawing up the list of regions covered by Objective 1 of the Structural Funds for the period 2000 to 2006 (notified under document number C(1999) 1770) (1999/502/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, to in the second subparagraph of Article 3(1) of Regula- tion (EC) No 1260/1999 are to continue to receive support from the Funds under Objective 1 on a trans- itional basis from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005; Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1), and in particular Article 3(2) thereof, (1) Whereas point 1 of the first subparagraph of Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 states that Objective 1 of the Structural Funds aims to promote the development and structural adjustment of regions whose development is lagging behind; II of (2) Whereas the first subparagraph of Article 3(1) of Regula- the regions tion (EC) No 1260/1999 specifies that covered by Objective 1 are regions corresponding to level the Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units (NUTS level II) whose per capita gross domestic product (GDP), measured in purchasing power parities and calculated on the basis of the Community figures for 1994, 1995 and 1996 available at 26 March 1999, is less than 75 % of the Community average; (3) Whereas the second subparagraph of Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 stipulates that the outer- most regions (the French overseas departments, the Azores, the Canary Islands and Madeira), which are all below the 75 % threshold, and the areas eligible under Objective 6 for the period 1995 to 1999 pursuant to Protocol 6 to the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden (2) are also to be covered by this Objective; (4) Whereas, the first subparagraph of Article 6(1) of Regu- lation (EC) No 1260/1999 states that notwithstanding Article 3 of that Regulation, the regions covered by Objective 1 in 1999 under Council Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 of 24 June 1988 on the tasks of the Structural Funds and their effectiveness and on coordination of their activities between themselves and with the opera- tions of the European Investment Bank and the other instruments (3), as last amended by existing financial Regulation (EC) No 3193/94 (4), which are not referred (1) OJ L 161, 26. 6. 1999, p. 1. (2) OJ L 1, 1. 1. 1995, p. 11. (3) OJ L 185, 15. 7. 1988, p. 9. (4) OJ L 337, 24. 12. 1994, p. 11. (5) Whereas the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 stipulates that, at the time of adoption of the list referred to in Article 3(2), the Commission is to draw up in accordance with Article 4(5) and (6) of that Regulation a list of the NUTS level III areas belonging to those regions which are to receive support from the Funds under Objective 1 on a transitional basis in 2006; (6) Whereas, however, the third subparagraph of Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 stipulates that the Commission, acting on a proposal from a Member State, may substitute these areas by areas at or smaller than NUTS level III belonging to those regions which to (9), without satisfy the criteria of Article 4(5) increasing the proportion of the population within each region referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) and subject to compliance with the second subpara- graph of Article 4(4) of that Regulation; whereas the Commission has taken into consideration the Member States requests, in this respect; (7) Whereas the fourth subparagraph of Article 6(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 stipulates that areas belonging to regions not included on the list referred to in the second and third subparagraphs shall continue to receive assistance from the ESF, the FIFG and the EDGGF Guidance Section in 2006 only, within the same form of assistance, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The regions covered by Objective 1 shall be those listed in Annex I. This list shall be valid from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006. L 194/54 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 27. 7. 1999 The regions and areas to receive transitional support under Objective 1 shall be those listed in Annex II. This list shall be valid from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005 or 31 December 2006, respectively, for the regions listed therein. Article 2 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Article 3 Done at Brussels, 1 July 1999. For the Commission Monika WULF-MATHIES Member of the Commission 27. 7. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities L 194/55 List of NUTS II regions covered by Objective 1 of the Structural Funds for the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006 ANNEX I Germany Brandenburg Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Chemnitz Dresden Leipzig Dessau Halle Magdeburg Thüringen Greece Anatoliki Makedonia, Thraki Kentriki Makedonia Dytiki Makedonia Thessalia Ipiros Ionia Nisia Dytiki Ellada Sterea Ellada Peloponnisos Attiki Vorio Aigaio Notio Aigaio Kriti Spain Galicia Principado de Asturias Castilla y León Castilla-La Mancha Extremadura Comunidad Valenciana Andalucía Región de Murcia Ceuta y Melilla Canarias France Guadeloupe Martinique Guyane Réunion Ireland Border Midlands and Western Italy Campania Puglia Basilicata Calabria Sicilia Sardegna Austria Burgenland Portugal Norte Centro Alentejo Algarve Açores Madeira Finland Itä-Suomi Väli-Suomi (1) Pohjois-Suomi (1) Sweden Norra Mellansverige (1) Mellersta Norrland (1) Övre Norrland (1) United Kingdom South Yorkshire West Wales and The Valleys Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Merseyside (1) Only the areas listed in Annex I to Protocol 6 annexed to the Act of Acces- sion of Austria, Finland and Sweden. L 194/56 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 27. 7. 1999 ANNEX II List of regions and areas to receive transitional support under Objective 1 of the Structural Funds for the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006 Member State Transitional support from 1 January 2000 until 31 December 2005 (1) 31 December 2006 Belgium Arrondissement d'Ath commune of Bernissart except the Arrondissement d'Ath the Only commune of Bernissart Arrondissement de Charleroi except the communes of: Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont Charleroi (with the exception of former the commune of Mont-sur-Marchienne) Châtelet Courcelles Farciennes Fontaine-l'Evêque Manage Arrondissement de Charleroi Only the communes of: Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont Charleroi (with the exception of commune of Mont-sur-Marchienne) Châtelet Courcelles Farciennes Fontaine-l'Evêque Manage former the except Arrondissement de Mons communes of: Boussu Dour Frameries Hensies Mons (except the communes of Jemappes, Flenu et Cuesnes) Quaregnon Quiévrain Colfontaine Arrondissement de Mouscron Arrondissement de Soignies except the commune of La Louvière (with the excep- tion of the former commune of Boussoit) Arrondissement de Mons Only the communes of: Boussu Dour Frameries Hensies Mons (Only the communes of Jemappes, flenu et Cuesmes) Quaregnon Quiévrain Colfontaine Arrondissement de Soignies Only the commune of La Louvière (with the exception of the former commune of Bous- soit) Arrondissement de Thuin except communes of: Anderlues Morlanwelz the Arrondissement de Thuin Only the communes of: Anderlues Morlanwelz Arrondissement de Tournai Kreis Berlin-Ost, Stadt Comunidad Autonoma Cantabria Denmark Germany Greece Spain 27. 7. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities L 194/57 Member State Transitional support from 1 January 2000 until 31 December 2005 (1) 31 December 2006 France Ireland Italy Luxembourg Arrondissements d'Avesnes, de Douai et de Valenciennes Région Corse Dublin, Mid-East, Mid-West, South-West South-East Regione Molise the Netherlands Provincie Flevoland Austria Portugal Finland Sweden Lisboa e Vale de Tejo except Médio Tejo e Lezíria do Tejo Médio Tejo e Lezíria do Tejo United Kingdom Highlands and Islands except Islands Islands (1995 NUTS III boundaries) Northern Ireland (1) The areas listed below will continue to receive assistance from the ESF, the FIFG and the EAGGF Guidance Section in 2006 only within the same form of assistance