A4-0114/97

Resolution on the Commission communication on the implementation of EU regional policies in Austria, Finland and Sweden (COM(96)0316 - C4-0533/96)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission communication on the implementation of EU regional policies in Austria, Finland and Sweden (COM(96)0316 - C4-0533/96),

- having regard to the 17 Single Programming Documents (SPDs) for Austria,

- having regard to the 9 Single Programming Documents (SPDs) for Finland,

- having regard to the 15 Single Programming Documents (SPDs) for Sweden,

- having regard to the code of conduct on the implementation of structural policies by the Commission ((OJ C 255, 20.9.1993, p. 19.)),

- having regard to the 7th Annual Report on the Structural Funds for 1995 (COM(96)0502),

- having regard to its resolution of 19 January 1996 on the Commission communication on the allocation of funds and implementation of Community initiatives in Austria, Finland and Sweden ((OJ C 32, 5.2.1996, p. 139.)),

- having regard to the resolution of the Committee on Regional Policy of 16 July 1996 on regional and local authorities, active participants in political union ((Contained in the report on regional and local authorities, active participants in political union (PE217.591), one of the two keynote reports drawn up by the Committee on Regional Policy for the conference entitled 'The European Parliament and regional and local authorities: for a Europe based on democracy and solidarity', held from 1 to 3 October 1996 in Brussels.)),

- having regard to the visits by delegations from the Committee on Regional Policy to Mikkeli and North Karelia (Finland) in May 1995 and to Västernorrland (Sweden) and Steiermark (Austria) in June 1996,

- having regard to the conclusions of the meeting of ministers responsible for regional policy and regional planning on 14 and 15 November 1996 in Ballyconnell, Ireland,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Policy and the opinion of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A4-0114/97),

A. whereas on 1 January 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden became members of the Community, so that the integration of the new Member States into EU regional policy is still quite recent,

B. whereas, through the integration of Austria, Finland and Sweden, three economically developed countries are participating in fulfilling the aims of Community regional policy,

C. whereas the three new Member States nonetheless have their own specific regional development problems and differences, which require joint structural policy efforts, particularly at a time when the continuation of regional policy in many Member States is being questioned in principle or in essential elements,

D. whereas regional policy is of enormous importance in the new Member States, as it represents one of the most visible and comprehensible advantages of Union membership and therefore merits considerable attention,

E. whereas existing regional policy experience, both in the Community and its new Member States, could lead to fruitful dialogue and exchange for both parties,

F. having regard to the results of the two Structural Fund reforms of 1988 and 1993 and the principles enshrined therein of protection of the environment and equal opportunities, the integration of the local and regional level and the direct participation of the social partners,

G. whereas in the programming period 1995-1999 Austria will receive ECU 1623 m from the structural funds, of which the regional objectives (1, 2, 5b) will receive ECU 677.6 m,

H. whereas in the programming period 1995-1999 Finland will receive ECU 1 704m from the structural funds, of which the regional objectives (2, 5b, 6) will receive ECU 836.9 m,

I. whereas in the programming period 1995-1999 Sweden will receive ECU 1 420 m from the structural funds, of which the regional objectives (2, 5b, 6) will receive ECU 550 m,

J. whereas commitment appropriations which have not been utilized in 1995 or 1996 do not lapse but can be entered again in 1997 or 1998 and are thus available,

K. whereas, in view of the extensive borders of the new Member States with third countries, cross-border and inter-regional cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic area and the Arctic area of the Nordic countries is of strategic importance, particularly with a view to enlargement of the European Union,

1. Recognizes and expressly acknowledges the enormous regional policy efforts on the part of the new Member States and the European Union, which are being put into effect by the 41 single programming documents which have been adopted;

2. Expresses its satisfaction at the relatively rapid approval of the SPDs for all three new Member States which, on the one hand, has allowed rapid transposition of the measures and an above average rate of implementation, but, on the other, was not possible without intensive preliminary work on the part of the competent national authorities with the support of the Commission;

3. Welcomes the extension of the programming period for Objective 2 intervention in Austria and Sweden because of exceptional circumstances, and welcomes the fact that in Finland as well the programme has been extended to the end of the five-year period;

4. Regrets the delays in the approval of the very positive Community initiatives in the new Member States, particularly for Sweden and Finland; calls for a substantial reduction in the number of these initiatives in cases where the bureaucratic procedures are out of all proportion to the aid to be granted;

5. Points out that even in the new relatively prosperous Member States there are regional disparities and development problems which require joint structural policy measures; welcomes therefore the high status assumed by Community regional policy in these three countries and the resultant vigorous implementation of structural policy programmes;

6. Welcomes the particular emphasis on employment, protection of the environment and equal opportunities as priorities in the implementation of regional policy in Austria, Finland and Sweden, as these have a traditionally high status in the new Member States;

7. Expresses its pleasure at the above-average emphasis on measures to promote the information society in disadvantaged regions as part of the SPD for Finland and Sweden, the objectives of whch are general dissemination of information technology under comparable conditions, support for SMUs in the application of information technologies and the wide dissemination of know-how;

8. Points to the importance of the information society particularly for disadvantaged rural areas in Austria and calls on the relevant bodies to take greater account in their proposals of the opportunities offered by the information society and to coordinate them;

9. Regrets the fact that in its communication the Commission failed to take account of Objective 5b support in the new Member States and strongly emphasizes the importance of targeted support for rural areas for agriculture in the new Member States, which is mainly carried on in arctic and alpine environments;

10. Points out that the emphasis on the promotion of agriculture in the Objective 6 programme for Finland is disproportionately high, so that practical measures for general economic structural assistance are inadequately endowed;

11. Is concerned at the high level of unemployment which, particularly in Finland and Sweden, has almost tripled since the 1980s and in Finland is at the second highest level in the Community; underlines therefore the conclusion of the seminar of ministers responsible for regional policy and regional planning in Ballyconnell, Ireland, that one fundamental objective of the structural funds must be the promotion of long-term employment and reduction of unemployment;

12. Is extremely concerned at the high level of youth unemployment in Finland (1995: 29.9%) and Sweden (19.4%) and therefore considers that measures to ensure opportunities for young people to enter the labour market are essential; underlines that such measures must be aimed at the creation of new, sustainable jobs, the modernization of existing forms of training and apprenticeship on the basis of the dual system and at diversification and innovation of the labour market, promoting especially local employment and development initiatives, and requests the Commission to consider support for such measures extending beyond the present framework (Objective 3, EMPLOYMENT);

13. Notes with satisfaction the value of the labour policy measures which in Austria, in the past and now with EU support, has brought the country an unemployment level well below the Community average; points out however that even here, in view of the current figures, considerable attention has to be given to the question of unemployment;

14. Emphasizes the importance attached to inter-regional and cross-border cooperation in the new Member States and notes with satisfaction that these programmes contribute to the stepping-up of international contacts, partnerships and the mutual exchange of information;

15. Expresses its general satisfaction with the implementation of the principle of partnership in all three new Member States; is of the opinion, however, that in all three countries more could be done to apply the bottom-up principle, not only involving local and regional authorities, but also upgrading the participation of representatives of the two sides of industry and environmental organizations in the monitoring committees especially;

16. Calls therefore on the Commission and the Council within this partnership to comply with the principle of subsidiarity in the European Union Treaty, to prevent the continued intrusion, following accession, into the powers of the regional and local authorities, without this being accompanied by real involvement of the sub-national units in the determination and implementation of the respective policies;

17. Points out that the regional and local authorities in Sweden and Finland would like to be more intensively involved in the establishment, approval and implementation of the programmes, in order better to comply with the principle of partnership and to counter the fact that the central authorities have always played a dominant role;

18. Calls urgently on all the responsible bodies in the new Member States to improve the publicity given to participation by the European structural funds in projects and measures, to ensure visibility and thus recognition of EU co- financing of the programmes, in particular for small and medium-sized undertakings, on the part of individual members of the public and those affected;

19. Calls for

- simplification in the administration of the structural funds towards greater clarity in the criteria of eligibility for support, better internal coordination on the part of the Commission, the abolition of multi-fund support and more rapid processing, while maintaining planning efficiency, control and evaluation;

- in addition, reformation of the administrative structures in the new Member States responsible for implementation of regional policy, to achieve simplified administration and budgeting, better coordination, more transparency and more rapid processing;

- finally, the maintenance of proportionality between the amount of administrative work and the benefits;

- a flexible approach to co-financing through increased participation by the private sector;

20. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the new Member States.