91997E3352

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3352/97 by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission (22 October 1997)

Subject: Pilot projects intended to explore new avenues of economic and social development

With the aim of encouraging new methods of job-creation, the Commission has allocated ECU 103 million to 106 pilot projects to explore new avenues of economic and social development in the cities and regions of the European Union. These pilot projects include actions in the following areas: new forms of employment, interregional cooperation and cultural themes, promotion and innovation, regional initiatives concerning the Information Society and innovatory actions to promote urban development.

Will the Commission say whether any of these projects are intended for Portugal, and if so, which ones?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (21 November 1997)

Concerning Article 10 of the European regional development fund Regulation ((OJ L 193, 31.7.1993. )) (innovative measures in the field of regional development), there are at present 28 pilot projects involving Portugal that have been finalized for a total budget of 19.2 MECU. 26 of these are interregional cooperation projects with a total budget of 15.9 MECU. There are two pilot projects where the financial allocation is specifically for the Portugese regions and this budget amounts to 3.3 MECU. A table sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament's secretariat gives a complete list of the approved projects and the breakdown of resource allocation.

In addition there are several programmes involving Portugal that are nearing finalization such as RECITE II, ECOS-Ouverture, and pilot actions in spatial planning. Further information in relation to these programmes will be published in due course.