92001E0915

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0915/01

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Subject: Urban audit in Braga

On 17 June 1998 the Portuguese newspaper Diário do Minho reported that the European Commission was to promote an urban audit of Braga to be carried out in the context of a programme to increase knowledge about the quality of life in cities, which would involve 58 European cities, the aim being to gather information for the drafting of urban policies as well as to increase knowledge about urban areas.

It added that the assessment, scheduled to take a year, was to be carried out by the European Economic Research and Advisory Consortium.

Can the Commission say what assessment was made of the Portuguese cities involved, which according to the newspaper article were Braga, Lisbon and Oporto?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2001)

The urban audit was carried out by the Commission in 58 of Europe's largest cities to gather information on the quality of life.

The results, including a comparison of all the cities covered, were published in April 2000 and are available on following website: http://www.inforegio.cec.eu.int/urban/audit

In Portugal, the audit was carried out in Lisbon, Oporto and Braga. Information on the three cities is given under the heading Search by city on the above site and can be compared with that for the other cities covered under the heading Search by domain. These sections exist only in English.