WRITTEN QUESTION E-1173/00 by Malcolm Harbour (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Information society funding in the automotive sector.
C 72 E/24 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 6. 3. 2001 Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (15 June 2000) As already stated in its answer to PQ E-2635/99 (1) by the Honourable Member, the Commission is able to provide the Honourable Member with the information requested for the period 1990-1999. The informa- tion is hereby provided, as requested, broken down by year and presented in tabular form, as shown below. 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 (€ million) JOULE I (Non-nuclear energy) (1) 89,8 26,7 6,6 JOULE II (Non-nuclear energy) (1) ü 136,4 94,6 26,5 24,9 Promotional activities (RES) (1) 4th Framework PRG (Non-nuclear energy) (1) 5th Framework PRG (non-nuclear energy) (1) Altener I B4-1030 Altener II B4-1030 313,3 163,5 266,5 260,1 5,0 10,0 13,0 10,2 8,6 211,6 (2) 11,0 15,4 Thermie B6-7151 (3) 6,6 35,7 35,0 35,2 46,6 Demonstration (Energy) (3) 2nd Framework PRG (nuclear safety/fusion) 3rd Framework PRG (fission/fusion) 4th Framework PRG (fission/fusion) 5th Framework PRG (fission/fusion) Transport of radioactive material B4-1020 (4) Training (Safeguards) 30,1 37,4 57,1 30,2 66,9 242,2 156,8 46,0 3,8 3,3 134,8 222,9 222,3 340,1 258,6 197,8 206,4 0,4 0,4 0,2 0,2 0,3 ü ü 0,7 0,9 2,0 1,3 0,7 1,8 ü 0,1 237,8 0,5 1,1 (1) (2) (3) (4) Spending on renewable energy sources forms an integral part of the budget heading covering the R&TD programme for non-nuclear i. e. not exclusively renewable, energy forms. Only in 1994 did the áresearchí budget have a distinct heading ü not linked to a programme ü for renewable energy sources. For the period 1995-1998 and for 1999, the figures mentioned include the demonstration part managed by the DG for Energy. Payment of appropriations. The figures provided concern only renewable energy sources (i. e. biomass, geothermal energy, hydroelectricity, solar, wind, renewables in buildings and integration of renewable energies) and only demonstration projects; certain dissemination activities, including the activities of the OPET network relating to renewable sources of energy, are not included in the above figures as these are not classified according to energy source. Including the SURE Programme (1999). (1) OJ C 225 E, 8. 8. 2000, p. 187. (2001/C 72 E/027) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1173/00 by Malcolm Harbour (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Information society funding in the automotive sector (12 April 2000) In view of the restructuring taking place in the West Midlands car industry, as a result of the break up of funding for the Rover Group by BMW, could the Commission please consider providing special 6. 3. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 72 E/25 information society projects to the West Midlands region ü focusing on activities where jobs could be created for the skilled workforce now facing unemployment? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (8 June 2000) Support for economic development programmes under the European structural funds will be significant in the West Midlands over the 2000-2006 period. The development of the information society is one of the Commissionís priorities following the e-Europe initiative launched at the Lisbon European Council and permeates many of the European funding initiatives. The Commission will be seeking to ensure that in the next generation of structural funds programmes for the region, the development of the information society is properly taken on board, in line with the e-Europe initiative. First, a large part of the West Midlands region is eligible for structural fund support under the headings of Objective 2 and Objective 2 Phasing-out. With an allocation of over 850 M€, the West Midlands programme will be the biggest in the United Kingdom under Objective 2 in the 2000-2006 period. (2) creating a learning and skilful region; The West Midlands Objective 2 development plan has recently been submitted by the authorities in the Member State to the Commission and identifies the following four priorities: (1) developing a diverse and dynamic business base; (3) creating the infrastructure and conditions for growth; (4) regenerating communities. Support for innovation and the development of the information society will be one of the cross-cutting themes of the programme. Within these priorities, the following activities may be envisaged: support for training in the use of and the promotion of information and communications technology; support for high technology SMEs including specialist business support; and start up capital through grants, loans or equity financing. The draft plan underlines the need to create jobs and assesses each of the proposed priorities identified above in terms of the creation of new jobs. Secondly, the West Midlands will receive a share of the Objective 3 programme worth € 4 500 million in total in the United Kingdom. Together with Objective 2, this funding can be used to support the redeployment of the skilled personnel previously employed in the car industry. In addition to these amounts, the West Midlands could also receive support for innovative projects including more in the field of the information society. The Commission is currently developing a set of guidelines in relation to these actions. (2001/C 72 E/028) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1174/00 by Malcolm Harbour (PPE-DE) to the Commission (12 April 2000) Subject: Research in the automotive sector In view of the restructuring taking place in the West Midlands car industry, as a result of the break up of the Rover Group by BMW, could the Commission please indicate: 1. The status of current research projects into new automobile technologies? 2. The possibilities of advancing promising new technologies through a special programme of start-up funding for new enterprises based in the West Midlands? 3. Whether it could make special funding available, in recognition of the severe unemployment problem among skilled automotive technicians resulting from the Rover break-up?