WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1015/98 by Richard HOWITT to the Commission. Human rights violations in Sudan
C 402/58 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 22. 12. 98 (98/C 402/070) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1009/98 by Ernesto Caccavale (UPE) to the Commission (6 April 1998) Subject: Apparent illegality of the prohibition on benefiting from state aid in conjunction with Community funding As the Campania Regionís MOP has been approved by the Commission and the Commission has always preferred -and in fact required › the funds it grants to be accompanied by corresponding financial aid provided directly by the Member State or by regional or local authorities etc (i. e co-financing), and measure 2. 2 of the Campania MOP concerns the creation of infrastructures, the question arises whether the prohibition imposed on the Campania Region is lawful and consistent with Commission guidelines. This prohibition means that, if infrastructures are created by consortia (local development bodies comprising public and private organizations and local authorities), they are entitled to receive Community funding alone and, if they are eligible for aid from the Member State for the creation of the infrastructures in question, they must forgo it. This seems absurd, and in fact some organizations intend to appeal to the European Court of Justice. This being so, does the Commission agree that it should take action to clarify the matter with a view to ultimately reversing this ban, which effectively precludes national co-financing and is inconsistent both with Community rules and the Campania Regionís support framework? Moreover, the office responsible for administering measure 2. 2 has shown and stated that the ban results from the rules laid down by the Commission concerning the application of the net/gross grant equivalent system. As the infrastructures in question are in the public interest, however, does the Commission agree that it should state its position on the application of the net/gross grant equivalent system, as the relevant criteria should apply solely to measure 2. 1 (a measure to assist SMUs) and not to measure 2. 2, which concerns the public, rather than the private, sector? Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1998) Measure 2. 2 of the Campania regional operational programme provides for European regional development fund assistance to public investment in industrial zones. The aid rate is 50 %. Such publicly funded infrastructures are made available for sale or rent to firms at market rates in order to avoid distortion of competition. In Campania construction of industrial zones is also apparently undertaken by consortiums of local firms using private finance to fund the investment. These consortiums have applied for assistance under measure 2. 2 and the region proposes an amendment of the measure to include also privately financed industrial zones. These would be eligible for structural fund aid at the 50 % aid rate foreseen for public investments. However, the region does not intend also to refinance the private contribution of 50 % with an additional public contribution, this making it possible for the consortiumsí investments to be 100 % publicly financed. The Commission has no objection to this approach. (98/C 402/071) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1015/98 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (6 April 1998) Subject: Human rights violations in Sudan Can the Commission indicate what is being done with regard to the human rights violations in Sudan, the issue of slavery and the problems of accessibility for humanitarian aid and Human Rights Monitors? Can the Commission