WRITTEN QUESTION E-1908/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Fourth medium-term action programme on equal opportunities for men and women (1996-2000).
20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/121 (2000/C 170 E/143) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1904/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission (29 October 1999) Subject: URBAN (1996-1999) The total amount allocated to Italy from the Communityís structural funds for the URBAN Community initiative on urban areas for the period 1996-1999 is ECU 298,4 million (equal to approx. LIT 580 billion). Will the Commission state what agencies (public or private), institutions, companies, cooperatives and individuals have been allocated funding under URBAN (specifying whether payments have already been made) and how much each of them has been granted? Has it checked how the amounts have actually been used and whether the proposed measures have been successfully implemented? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1999) For the current programming period 1994-99, the Community contribution planned for the Urban Community initiative in Italy amounts to € 136,7 million, including € 120,4 million from the European Regional Development Fund and € 13,3 million from the European Social Fund. According to the relevant legislation, the Commission disburses the assistance granted under Urban direct to the national authorities responsible for the operational programmes and their implementation. Detailed information concerning the final beneficiaries may be obtained from the Italian Ministry of Public Works. The monitoring committees, which are composed of representatives of the Commission and of the Ministries and regions concerned, see to it that the programmes are properly executed. (2000/C 170 E/144) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1908/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission (29 October 1999) Subject: Fourth medium-term action programme on equal opportunities for men and women (1996-2000) Will the Commission state what agencies (public or private), institutions, businesses, cooperatives and individuals have been allocated funding (specifying whether payments have already been made) under the fourth medium-term action programme on equal opportunities for men and women (1996-2000) (funds available for the period from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000: ECU 30 million, equal to LIT 58 billion) and how much each of them has been granted? Has it checked how the amounts have actually been used and whether the proposed measures have been successfully implemented? Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission (9 December 1999) The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that the information requested can be found in the lists of projects funded in 1996, 1997 and 1998, and on the recapitulative list for 1999. The Commission will send copies directly to the Honourable Member, and to the Secretariat-General of the Parliament. C 170 E/122 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 As regards the amounts involved, the sum of € 4 098 268 was granted for the funding of relevant projects in 1996; in 1997, the sum increased to € 4 927 598, and to € 5 290 358 in 1998. As for 1999, the sum of € 6 468 272 has been earmarked for the funding of projects. The above-mentioned documents will provide the Honourable Member with details of the funding granted for projects year by year. Apart from the projects, the Commission has also funded other activities under the fourth programme. Specifically, it has provided the following sums for the preparation of the annual report on equal opportunities for men and women: € 614 232 in 1996; € 558 197 in 1997; and €598 788 in 1998. As regards the studies carried out, the Commission allocated € 902 014 in 1996, € 515 910 in 1997 and € 196 419 in 1998. The use of funding under the action programme on equal opportunities for men and women is continuously monitored by the Commission. Each project must submit an interim and a final report before any payments are made. (2000/C 170 E/145) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1915/99 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission (14 October 1999) Subject: Establishment of Natura 2000 1. What is now the target date for the adoption of the list of sites of Community importance? How does the Commission intend to ensure that an accurate assessment is made of proposals for 2. sites submitted by Member States? How many staff are employed at the Europe Topic Centre for Nature Conservation, and in what 3. capacity? 4. What steps are taken to ensure that their information sources used by the Topic Centre to determine the distribution of habitats and species in each Member State are both sufficiently comprehensive and up- to-date to enable proper evaluation of Member Statesí proposals? Is the Commission confident that the resources available to the Topic Centre are sufficient to enable 5. it to complete the tasks required of it to the highest standards? 6. Will the new Environment Commissioner undertake an evaluation of the Topic Centre to determine whether it is able to complete the work required in the time available? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (11 November 1999) The Commission intends to adopt the lists of sites of Community importance for each of the six 1. biogeographical regions as soon as possible. However, the Member States have been late ü sometimes considerably so ü in communicating their national lists of proposed sites, thus obliging the Commission to initiate legal proceedings against them. The likely timetable for each biogeographical region is therefore as follows: ü during 2000: Macaronesian region ü late 2000: Alpine region ü 2001: Atlantic, Boreal and Mediterranean regions ü 2002: Continental region