WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3191/98 by Arthur NEWENS to the Commission. EU aid to the countries of the former USSR
21. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 142/103 (1999/C 142/126) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3191/98 by Arthur Newens (PSE) to the Commission (27 October 1998) Subject: EU aid to the countries of the former USSR Would the Commission list the total amount of aid which has been supplied to each of the states which were formerly members of the USSR on an annual basis since the break-up of the Soviet Union and provide a breakdown of the headings under which that aid has been supplied? (1999/C 142/127) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3192/98 by Arthur Newens (PSE) to the Commission (27 October 1998) Subject: Trade with the countries of the former USSR Would the Commission provide information to show how the pattern of trade between each of the states which were formerly members of the USSR and the various EU Member States has developed on an annual basis since the dissolution of the USSR? Joint answer to Written Questions E-3191/98 and E-3192/98 given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (16 December 1998) Since 1991, the Community through the Tacis programme has been providing primarily technical assistance to the countries of the former Soviet Union. Mongolia also became eligible for Tacis support in 1996. The programme has been implemented on the basis of national programmes agreed with each of the partner countries as well as an inter-state programme which has addressed trans-national issues such as the environment. Projects have been drawn up in a number of key sectors. In 1996, the Council Regulation governing the implementation of the Tacis programme was amended (Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) 1279/96 of 25 June 1996 concerning the provision of assistance to economic reform and recovery in the New Independent States and Mongolia (1)) to permit inter alia, a small component of investment financing. This is currently restricted to investment in small-scale infrastructure in the context of border-crossings and equity investment in small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, the Community has responded to emergency needs in the New Independent States (NIS) and Mongolia through the provision of humanitarian aid. Between 1993 and 1997, this aid totalled ECU 313 million. This assistance has focused primarily on three major humanitarian crises: the South Caucasus, involving Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia: Chechnya in Russia; and Central Asia, involving Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Reliable data on trade with the NIS is limited. In the early years following the break up of the Soviet Union data for a number of countries was lacking. The most reliable and comprehensive data relate to trade with Russia which represents by far the Community’s most significant trading partner in the region. For example, in 1996, Russia accounted for 81 % of total NIS exports. Most NIS countries did a large part of their foreign trade with other NIS countries. The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat of the Parliament a breakdown of the total amount of Tacis technical assistance supplied to each of the former Soviet republics in the period 1991-1997, a breakdown of the total Tacis assistance supplied by sector, a breakdown of humanitarian aid allocations per country 1991-1997, a breakdown of humanitarian aid allocations per sector 1991-1997, data on trade flows between the Community and the NIS, and data on Russia and the Community’s trade balance. (1) OJ L 165, 4. 7. 1996