91997E2628

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2628/97 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (22 July 1997)

Subject: 'Development mission' organized by Rome City Council in Corviale

In 1995 Rome City Council, after consulting 'IG Società per l'Imprenditorialità Giovanile spa' (a consultancy firm dealing with the establishment of businesses by young people) launched a research project designed to promote new business activity in a poor outlying district of Rome called Corviale. This project, referred to as a 'development mission', should of course have resulted in the financing of the best business projects put forward by local young people, with the aid of advice from IG.

However, after IG had carried out the work it was contracted to do, selecting the best projects, Rome City Council did not grant any funding, leaving the young would-be business people disappointed and wasting the money spent by the government on the 'development mission'.

Now, two years after Rome City Council's abortive project, can the Commission say:

1. whether over-ambitious and ineffective projects such as this go against both common sense and the conclusions recently reached in Europe concerning support for employment and firms in disadvantaged districts of big cities, which recommend practical, innovative and immediate measures which can be reproduced on a large scale;

2. whether the Commission's recent communication adopting a 'special framework' for State aid to firms on the outskirts of large cities is applicable to Corviale, or whether, as a result of that communication, it will finally be possible to fund the business projects which were selected in Corviale, but were never carried out;

3. whether it knows of similar projects successfully carried out on the outskirts of other European capitals?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (11 September 1997)

The guidelines on state aid for undertakings in deprived urban areas, ((OJ C 146, 14.5.1997. )) adopted by the Commission on 2 October 1996, lay down rules for identifying urban districts which can be classed as deprived urban areas eligible for state aid subject to certain conditions and ceilings. Under Article 93(3) of the EC Treaty, Member States are required to inform the Commission of any such plans they may have and to obtain its approval.

As regards the Corviale district of Rome, the subject of the Honourable Member's question, the Commission has not yet received any notification from the Italian Government and has no knowledge of any project in this district. As for the projects examined by 'IG Società per l'Imprenditorialità Giovanile Spa', the Commission lacks sufficient information to be able to judge whether they are compatible with the guidelines in question. Under Article 93(3) of the EC Treaty, it is the responsibility of the Italian Government to notify the Commission accordingly.