European Parliament resolution on the Commission Communication concerning the Structural Funds and their coordination with the Cohesion Fund - Guidelines for programmes in the period 2000 to 2006 (COM(1999) 344 - C5-0122/1999 - 1999/2127(COS))
24. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 304/57 Tuesday 18 January 2000 having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure, having regard to the report of the Committee on Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tour- ism (A5-0104/1999), 1. Approves the Commission proposal as amended; Asks to be consulted again should the Commission intend to amend its proposal substantially or 2. replace it with another text; 3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission. 7. Structural Funds Cohesion Fund coordination A5-0108/1999 European Parliament resolution on the communication from the Commission in the field of the Structural Funds and their coordination with the Cohesion Fund: guidelines for programmes in the period 2000-2006 (COM(1999) 344 C5-0122/1999 1999/2127(COS) The European Parliament, having regard to the Commission communication (COM(1999) 344 C5-0122/1999), having regard to the EU Treaty, and in particular Article 2 thereof, and the EC Treaty, and in particu- lar Article 158 et seq. and Article 299(2) thereof, having regard to Council Regulation EC No 1260/1999 (1) laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, and in particular Articles 10(3) and 11(3)(b) thereof, having regard to Council Regulation EC No 1257/1999 (2) on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF), and in particular Article 1 thereof, having regard to the Commission’s first (COM(1996) 542 C4-0016/1997), three-yearly report on economic and social cohesion having regard to the sixth periodic report on the socio-economic situation and development of the regions of the European Union (SEC(1999) 66 C5-0120/1999), having regard to the proposals to strengthen economic and social cohesion, set out in the Commission document ‘Agenda 2000: For a stronger and wider Union’ (COM(1997) 2000), and having regard to its resolution of 18 June 1998 (3) on Agenda 2000: For a stronger and wider Union Part 1 Chapter II ‘Economic and social cohesion’, having regard to the Commission guidelines on priorities for the adaptation of Structural Fund pro- grammes until the end of 1999 (C4-0640/1997), having regard to its resolution of 19 November 1998 (4) and its decision of 6 May 1999 (5) on the proposal for a regulation on the Structural Funds, having regard to the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) adopted in May 1999, its resolution of 2 July 1998 on regional planning and the European Spatial Development Perspective (6) and the Action Plan adopted by the Ministers of Regional Policy and Regional Planning meeting in Tampere on 4 and 5 October 1999, (1) OJ L 161, 26. 6. 1999, p. 1. (2) OJ L 160, 26. 6. 1999, p. 80. (3) OJ C 210, 6. 7. 1998, p. 189. (4) OJ C 379, 7. 12. 1998, p. 164. (5) OJ C 279, 1. 10. 1999, p. 292. (6) OJ C 226, 20. 7. 1998, p. 42. C 304/58 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 24. 10. 2000 Tuesday 18 January 2000 having regard to the fifth environmental action programme and to its resolution of 22 April 1993 in this regard (1), having regard to the fourth medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1996-2000) (COM(1995) 381) and to its resolution thereon of 17 November 1995 (2), having regard to the Commission communication ‘Sustainable Urban Development in the European Union: A Framework for Action’ (COM(1998) 605) and to its resolution thereon of 4 May 1999 (3), having regard to the Commission communication on the coordination of activities to assist SMEs and the craft sector (COM(1997) 610) and the Commission Communication on European capital markets to progress for (COM(1997) 187), and its resolutions thereon of 5 November 1998 (4) and 17 September 1998 (5), and potential obstacles enterprises: prospects and medium-sized small having regard to the Commission communication ‘A European strategy for encouraging local develop- ment and employment initiatives’ (COM(1995) 273) and to its resolution thereon of 6 September 1996 (6), having regard to the Commission communication ‘Environment and Employment’ (COM(1997) 592) and to its resolution thereon of 16 July 1998 (7), having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council directive on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (COM(1996) 511) and to its opinion thereon of 20 October 1998 (8), having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism and the opinions of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy and the Committee on Fisheries (A5-0108/1999), A. realising that the internal market focuses growth in economic activity on main centres at the expense of disadvantaged regions and the environment, that the gains resulting from integration do not benefit all to an equal extent and hence the Structural and Cohesion Funds are the key instruments for redu- cing regional disparities and for ensuring harmonious development of the Community as a whole, B. whereas the emphasis in the guidelines on promoting sustainable development and improved compe- titiveness with a view to achieving employment is to be welcomed, C. whereas least favoured islands are included among the regions whose development must be regarded as a fundamental priority of the European Union’s cohesion policy referred to in the first paragraph of Article 158 of the Treaty establishing the European Community and whereas the Commission should therefore give them a suitable degree of importance within the guidelines which it is setting out for the Member States, D. whereas both the Commission and the Member States shoulder responsibility for a ‘Europe for its citizens’ in which all are given comparable opportunities, regardless of region or social standing, with- out at the same time jeopardising the ability of subsequent generations to meet their needs, E. having particular regard to Article 1 of Structural Funds Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, which lays down not only the geographical objective areas but also substantive goals for the European funds, which call for an integrated approach to programming and implementing cross-sector Community policies within the programmes, (1) OJ C 150, 31. 5. 1993, p. 292. (2) OJ C 323, 4. 12. 1995, p. 167. (3) OJ C 279, 1. 10. 1999, p. 44. (4) OJ C 359, 23. 11. 1998, p. 98. (5) OJ C 313, 12. 10. 1998, p. 195. (6) OJ C 277, 23. 9. 1996, p. 45. (7) OJ C 292, 21. 9. 1998, p. 149. (8) OJ C 341, 9. 11. 1998, p. 18. 24. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 304/59 Tuesday 18 January 2000 F. whereas the European Union’s regional policy represents its second intervention budget through the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund; whereas the guidelines drawn up by the Commission should ensure that Community priorities are taken into account as a matter of priority when addressing the eligibility of measures in programmes determined by Member States in consultation with their local and regional partners, G. whereas both the content and the conclusions of the Commission’s sixth periodical report on the regions are of enormous value and interest particularly where it diagnoses the factors that actually determine the competitiveness of Europe’s regions for defining the Community priorities on which the structural measures should concentrate in order to become effective, and whereas the Commission has declared its intention of taking full account of them when drawing up these guidelines, consider- ing that the four areas, which are reliable levers for regional development and require a concentration of structural investment, are: the productive base and economic structure, the level of technology and research, infrastructure to provide accessibility, and skilled manpower, H. whereas concentration, efficiency and simplification of administrative structures are the Community objectives for reform with regard to the European Structural Funds under Agenda 2000 and whereas the Commission is obliged to act on those objectives within the programme verification process, I. whereas in June 1998 the Commission produced a Communication to the European Council on a strategy for integrating environment into EU policies (COM(1998) 333), which concluded in particular that environmental integration was not an option but a requirement, J. whereas the Community strategy for biodiversity (COM(1998) 42 ), and particularly its paragraph 25, draws attention to the aim of promoting sustainable regional development within the Structural Fund Operational Programmes, K. whereas, pursuant to Article 10(3) of Structural Funds Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, the Commi- ssion is tasked with publishing broad indicative guidelines on relevant and agreed Community policies following the entry into force of the Regulation and prior to the mid-term review provided for under Article 42 of the Regulation, and whereas those guidelines will be a major factor in the negotiations on the programmes and on the revision thereof, L. whereas the European Parliament was not consulted in time on the guidelines and was unable to assess their content before they became effective, M. whereas the new Objective 1 programmes have already been drafted prior to the guidelines becoming operational, 1. Underscores the importance of the guidelines, which are necessary for realising the Community reform objectives of efficiency, concentration and administrative simplification, and further stresses the European dimension of structural policy, and, in this connection, welcomes the fact that they have been announced in good time by the Commission; Regards the guidelines as an important indicative tool for the Member States and the regions in 2. devising priorities within the programming process and in pursuing the coherent overall objective of sus- tainable development of disadvantaged regions and regions experiencing development difficulties and of active and preventive assistance with regard to employment; expects this to provide maximum possible synergy between all instruments and financial resources and balance in terms of environment, economic and social policy measures; C 304/60 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 24. 10. 2000 Tuesday 18 January 2000 3. Regards it as progress, with regard to structural assistance, that the indicative guidelines are classified by thematic area, since this is the only way in which they can foster an integrated approach in the new plans and programmes, which must be based on decentrally devised development and conversion plans; Notes the lack of any reference to how these guidelines are to be interpreted in the transitional 4. programmes; Stresses the importance of the guidelines as an instrument for decentralised, efficient and comprehen- 5. sive partnership to be based on the skills and commitment of all actors in regional and local authorities, it being imperative to back up their capabilities through technical assistance, and calls to that end for this indicative instrument to be developed further since, to date, it involves no minimum demands and gui- dance in terms of procedures to involve partners; 6. Considers, furthermore, that the management of the Structural Funds’ financial resources should con- sequently be decentralised, taking account both of the potentialities of partnership and of regional and local authorities’ competences, subject to tighter scrutiny of the funds’ use and compliance with the objec- tives which the Union has defined; 7. Regrets the fact that the Commission document contains no recommendation to the Member States to simplify national legal procedures and arrangements for the presentation and examination of projects by the national authorities, and for their funding, execution and monitoring; considers that the regulatory and administrative constraints placed by certain Member States are at times major obstacles to operators seek- ing access to Structural Funds, in particular SMEs, micro-enterprises and craft businesses; 8. Calls on the Commission to focus during negociations with the Member States on the new plans and programmes on the promotion of a favorable environment for labour intensive SMEs, setting up clear targets for alternative financing sources, including capital risk and private financing schemes, business support services, including new information technologies, and investment in innovative fields; 9. Believes that, on the basis of the guidelines which have been laid down, the Commission needs to produce a document evaluating and analysing the most innovative projects (best practice) to be widely circulated between those involved in the structural policies; asks the Commission to support the exchange of experience between Member States and regions to enhance best practice in innovative and administra- tive approaches and explore the potential of setting up a database demonstrating such projects; Takes the view that, at the present juncture, the guidelines should no longer be assessed only in 10. respect of their content, but, rather, in respect of their usability as an evaluation tool for the Commission in negotiations on programmes; stresses, in this connection, compliance with horizontal Community poli- cies and points out that the process of authorising programmes must be taken forward efficiently and promptly, paying due regard to the involvement of local associations of the private sector in the planning and implementation process, and ensuring that guidance is issued on exit strategies at the end of the programme period; Notes that the indicative guidelines can provide a minimum of guidance only if progress can be 11. gauged in terms of verifiable targets and the extent of convergence with Community policy strategies; regrets the fact that this is reflected only to a limited extent in the document under consideration, and considers that it is imperative to improve matters; 12. Regrets that the guidelines fail to contain specific provisions or clarification addressing the implica- tions of enlargement for both regional and national authorities undertaking structural funds programmes and for the applicant states, and urges the Commission to address this issue in the mid term review of the programme; 13. Stresses that the use of appropriations can only be coordinated successfully if cross-portfolio work- ing becomes generally accepted in the various departments in the Commission, and there is compliance with horizontal Community policies not only on a sectoral basis; insists in particular, in this connection, on sustainability in urban and rural development; 24. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 304/61 Tuesday 18 January 2000 14. Recommends, in the context of the Commission’s recommendations on sustainable development, ensuring consistency between the integration policies of the Member States, in line with the guidelines adopted in the plan for development of the Community area; 15. Criticises the fact that only marginal attention has been given in the Guidelines to the urban agenda; calls on the Commission to make sure that funding for urban projects is provided in all Member States’ regional programmes and objective areas, taking into account the guidelines of the Framework for Action on Sustainable Urban Development, and providing adequate resources with global grants; 16. Criticises the fact that the guidelines have not successfully allowed for the dual role of rural devel- opment as providing input into the reform of the European farming model as well as a to economic and social cohesion, and calls on the Commission to make greater use of decentralised support instruments both as regards the development of rural areas and the development of areas dependent on fishing and not to confine support for model regions only to the Community initiative Leader; Calls for the Commission, in cooperation with Member States, to allow for plans to pay greater 17. attention to integrated strategies for revitalising relations between town and countryside, and again stresses the fundamental importance of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP); Stresses that better coherence and coordination between regional development programmes, Cohe- 18. sion Fund and Community Initiatives in terms of policy objectives, financial coordination and implementa- tion of the partnership must be ensured; Advocates focusing on a more balanced allocation of Structural and Cohesion Fund resources with 19. regard to the balance between modes of transport, and particularly emphasises in this area the criterion of sustainability, transport security and transport mode integration and calls on the Commission to give spe- cial attention to this criterion when approving support funds; 20. Calls on the Commission to report to Parliament, before negotiations with the Member States on the planning documents are concluded, on how plans reflect the guidelines, in particular with regard to horizontal Community policies and/or possible difficulties involving this new instrument; Calls on the Commission to take over at the mid-term the EP proposals for the final revision of the 21. guidelines, and reminds the Commission of the Code of Conduct and the obligations deriving from it; Calls for the mid-term review, performance reserve allocation and the final assessment to be based 22. on objective and pragmatic criteria, capable of securing the complete interaction of structural measures and programmes which are by definition multifactoral, so that not only are quantitative indicators taken into account but also the qualitative aspects, including human development as defined by the United Nations, and employment benchmarking are analysed with equal attention; Reminds the Commission that Parliament ought to be consulted as early as at the drafting stage on 23. connection with all draft guidelines devised by the Commission; Employment and Social Affairs 24. Regrets the fact that, at the definition stage of the new programme period 2000-2006, Objective 3 has been unable to play its part as a frame of reference for employment measures under structural policy, as Objective 3 plans have not yet been finalised; calls for the coordination and strategic consistency of Objectives 1, 2 and 3 to be ensured in the setting up of the new plans and programmes; 25. Calls on the Commission and the Member States, in respect of territorial pacts, to use local and regional pacts as the framework for the concertation and coordination of structural operations between the parties involved, as the systematic extension of the territorial pact model will ensure the correct appli- cation of the partnership principle; C 304/62 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 24. 10. 2000 Tuesday 18 January 2000 26. Expects that the incentives for upgrading human resources will be tailored to the needs and growth markets of the future; calls therefore for more intensive efforts to ascertain future demand for qualified services and to support technology transfers to SMEs; Draws attention to the importance of encouraging programmes with special measures to encourage 27. the return to work of unemployed people aged over 40, who form a group that is difficult to adapt to the new technologies and modern business requirements; Industry 28. Considers it important that the research infrastructure should be expanded, particularly in the coun- tries eligible under the Cohesion Fund, by siting higher education and other educational establishments so that they serve inhabitants of the less-developed areas better than in the past and make it easier for edu- cated people to remain in their places of origin. 29. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to give greater attention to programmes which make use of energy with a low energy consumption and invest in sources of renewable energy, so as to achieve sustainable regional development; Competition Policy Reiterates the essential need for programmes promoted by national or regional authorities to fully 30. conform to European Union competition policy and rules, particularly in the application of such policy and rules in the area of state aids; 31. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission. * * * 8. Social and economic situation and development of the regions of the Union A5-0107/1999 European Parliament resolution on the Sixth Periodic Report on the Social and Economic Situa- tion and Development of the Regions of the European Union (SEC(1999) 66 C5-0120/1999 1999/2123(COS)) The European Parliament, having regard to the Sixth Periodic Report (SEC(1999) 66 C5-0120/1999), having regard to Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 2083/93 of 20 July 1993 on the reform of the ERDF (1), having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/93 of 20 July 1993 amending Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coor- dination of the activities of the different Structural Funds between themselves and with the operations of the European Investment Bank and the other existing financial instruments (2), having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds from 2000 (3), having regard to Articles 2 and 3(2) of the EC Treaty stating the Community’s tasks include promoting equality between women and men and eliminating inequalities,and having regard to the fourth med- ium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1996-2000) (COM(1995) 381) and its resolution of 17 November 1995 on this programme (4), (1) OJ L 193, 31. 7. 1993, p. 34. (2) OJ L 193, 31. 7. 1993, p. 20. (3) OJ L 161, 26. 6. 1999, p. 1. (4) OJ C 323, 4. 12. 1995, p. 167