91998E1153

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1153/98 by José Apolinário (PSE) to the Commission (24 April 1998)

Subject: Value of Lisbon and Tagus Valley (Portugal) GDP

According to the most recent Eurostat statistics the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region has a per capita GDP which exceeds 75% of the Community average, for which reason it will not in future be eligible for Structural Fund Objective 1 status.

However, in view of the range and diversity of the socio-economic conditions within the Lisbon and Tagus Valley geographical area, does the Commission not think that (to follow the example of what it said in its answer to Written Question P-2010/97 ((OJ C 45, 10.2.1998, p. 142 )) concerning the GDP variations in Andalusia) it should undertake a more detailed geographical analysis of the vast area which the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region encompasses? And could a more detailed analysis of this kind not be carried out by means of a subdivision at NUTS 3 level (as undertaken by the Commission in its answer to the above question)?

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (4 June 1998)

Eligibility for Structural Fund Objective 1 status is laid down at level 2 of the Nomenclature of Territorial Statistical Units (NUTS). This objective is aimed at making up the economic shortfall and must therefore be assessed at the level of geographic units which are large enough for implementation of a regional development policy.

Even if there are differences in the situations within the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region, the data at NUTS 3 level must be treated with caution in view of the small size of the geographic units concerned and the methodological difficulties posed by commuters when it comes to estimating the GDP per inhabitant. The GDP is estimated on the basis of the place of production, while the population is that of the place of residence. This automatically increases the GDP per inhabitant in the areas in which employment is concentrated (Greater Lisbon in the present case) and reduces it in the areas in which the employees live. The scale of this problem diminishes with the size of the region and is thus much less critical at NUTS 2 level.