WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2542/98 by Roberta ANGELILLI Promotion of the typical agricultural products and handicrafts of Apulia
C 320/8 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 6. 11. 1999 (1999/C 320/010) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2542/98 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (1 September 1998) Subject: Promotion of the typical agricultural products and handicrafts of Apulia The Italian region of Apulia is not only of great cultural but also social and economic interest owing to its agricultural products and handicrafts. For this reason there are various sectoral organizations and associations which instigate activities to promote and develop these products. Can the Commission answer the following questions: 1. Are there any Commission programmes or initiatives aimed at funding measures to promote typical products and handicrafts of regions such as Apulia? 2. what types of measure might come within the scope of those programmes? 3. what organizations or bodies can be promoters of those activities? 4. in how many and what cases has Italy benefited from such programmes? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (9 November 1998) Under the Community Support Framework (1994-99) for the Objective 1 regions of Italy, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) may grant assistance to craft industries and the Guidance Section of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) may help improve productive activities in agriculture. With the agreement of the Commission, the region of Apulia included in its implementation of the CSF a programme of assistance for craft industries totalling ECU 105 million, of which the ERDF contributed ECU 26 million. This programme included aid for investment and services to small and medium-sized craft firms and measures to help them secure access to credit. With regard to agriculture and rural development, ECU 20 million (of which the EAGGF provided 50 %) was allocated to a measure to develop and promote typical regional quality food and agricultural products. The beneficiaries of these measures may be public administrations in the region, associations of agricultural producers, associations for the development of agricultural and food products and associations of businessmen concerned with such products. The details of this assistance were set out in the operational programme for the region which the Commission approved on 22 May 1995 and more fully in the annexes to the amending decision of 15 June 1998, a copy of which is being sent to the Honourable Member and to Parliament¢s Secretariat. All regional programmes in Italy include measures of this type. Financial commitments are to be completed by the end of 1999 with final payments made by the end of 2001. (1999/C 320/011) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2572/98 by John McCartin (PPE) to the Commission (1 September 1998) Subject: Fishing agreement with the Comores 1994-1997 Can the Commission state how many fishing vessels were involved in the 1994-1997 EU fishing agreement with the Comores, what was the tonnage of these vessels and how many days they fished under the agreement?