Progress: Procedure completed
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | REGI |
MARQUES Sérgio ( PPE-DE)
|
|
| Committee Opinion | PECH |
FREITAS Duarte ( PPE-DE)
|
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| Committee Opinion | ECON | ||
| Committee Opinion | AGRI |
CAPOULAS SANTOS Luis Manuel ( PSE)
|
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54
Legal Basis:
RoP 54Events
The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Sérgio MARQUES (EPP-ED, PT) on a stronger partnership for the outermost regions. (Please see the summary of 12/07/2005.) Parliament called on the Commission to carry out an assessment of the impact of the Community legislation liable to have implications for the outermost regions, and also called for the special situation of the outermost regions to be properly taken into account at all levels of implementation of Community policies and actions.
Financial perspective and cohesion policy: Parliament asked the Commission to ensure, whether under the specific programme to compensate for additional costs or under the wider neighbourhood action plan, or where access in general to Structural Funds is concerned, that equal treatment continues in measures concerning the outermost regions. It strongly supported the special action of EUR 1 100 million for the outermost regions proposed by the Commission, as well as the possibility of financing operating aid. There must be full practical expression given to the requirement laid down in the EC Treaty for the outermost regions to be treated as a special case as regards their access to the Structural Funds, including those regions whose GDP has already risen above 75% of the Community average.
Agriculture and fisheries: I n the context of the future rules of the EAFRD, the Commission must take account of the specific circumstances of the outermost regions, allocating them sufficient financial resources to attain the rural development policy objectives and preserving uniform treatment for those regions when setting the Fund's contribution rates, on lines similar to those of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). Parliament deplored the abolition of sales aid for the sugar sector. This must be restored and there should be full compensation for loss of income in order genuinely to take account of the specific handicaps suffered by the outermost regions. Moreover, it is essential to ensure that sugar production and refining in the Azores are given access to the national market under conditions equivalent to those in force before the incorporation of this region in the EU, in the same way as has been the case with the Canary islands, without compromising the pursuit of this activity in the region.
In view of the particular circumstances of the exclusive economic zones of the outermost regions (absence of a continental shelf in certain cases) and the limitations of their fisheries zones (often confined to submarine hills), the Commission is asked to apply the precautionary principle and the principle of relative stability, thereby helping ensure not only biological and ecological balance for the species concerned, but also the protection of the socio-economic fabric related to the fisheries sector in those regions.
Competition and state aids: Parliament h oped, as regards state aid for regional purposes, that the outermost regions can continue to receive non-degressive operating aid, not limited in time, and that the aid can be extended to cover the transport sector, provided that the public procurement rules guarantee fair price-setting by the undertakings concerned. It also hoped that the outermost regions can continue to benefit from a higher rate over and above the amount of initial investment aid. Movable transport assets should be included among eligible costs as regards initial investment. Parliament hoped also that it will be permitted to compensate outermost regions for the additional costs incurred in transporting goods within the EU market.
Services of general economic interest: T he Commission should act on its promise for a working party to study the operation of services of general economic interest in the outermost regions and draw up proposals geared to the special features and needs of those regions where the market in public services is concerned.
Taxation and customs measures: Parliament c alled on the Commission to show willingness to consider requests from outermost regions for temporary suspension of Common Customs Tariff duties levied on supplies of non-agricultural commodities for production uses and of fishery products, and on imported capital goods for business and industrial use.
Environment: T his area must not be neglected in future measures in support of the outermost regions, since resources are insufficient to meet continuing needs regarding the environment, specifically as regards the protection of biodiversity, implementation of the Natura 2000 network, and waste management. This makes it more difficult to pursue an environmental policy in the outermost regions which is consistent with the fundamental principles of Community environmental policy. Parliament called on the Commission to implement measures along the lines of the environment component of the Programme of options specific to the remote and insular nature of Madeira and the Azores (POSEIMA).
Transport: T ransport projects financed by the Community in the outermost regions must bring about improvements first and foremost to the quality of life of the inhabitants and the self-contained development of those regions. Projects developed in breach of Community environmental law must be halted. Parliament recommended that all transport projects developed for the outermost regions must have a precise and clearly-defined analysis of the benefits for the diversification of the local economy, social cohesion and the sustainability of the regional job market.
The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Sérgio MARQUES (EPP-ED, PT) on a stronger partnership for the outermost regions. (Please see the summary of 12/07/2005.) Parliament called on the Commission to carry out an assessment of the impact of the Community legislation liable to have implications for the outermost regions, and also called for the special situation of the outermost regions to be properly taken into account at all levels of implementation of Community policies and actions.
Financial perspective and cohesion policy: Parliament asked the Commission to ensure, whether under the specific programme to compensate for additional costs or under the wider neighbourhood action plan, or where access in general to Structural Funds is concerned, that equal treatment continues in measures concerning the outermost regions. It strongly supported the special action of EUR 1 100 million for the outermost regions proposed by the Commission, as well as the possibility of financing operating aid. There must be full practical expression given to the requirement laid down in the EC Treaty for the outermost regions to be treated as a special case as regards their access to the Structural Funds, including those regions whose GDP has already risen above 75% of the Community average.
Agriculture and fisheries: I n the context of the future rules of the EAFRD, the Commission must take account of the specific circumstances of the outermost regions, allocating them sufficient financial resources to attain the rural development policy objectives and preserving uniform treatment for those regions when setting the Fund's contribution rates, on lines similar to those of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). Parliament deplored the abolition of sales aid for the sugar sector. This must be restored and there should be full compensation for loss of income in order genuinely to take account of the specific handicaps suffered by the outermost regions. Moreover, it is essential to ensure that sugar production and refining in the Azores are given access to the national market under conditions equivalent to those in force before the incorporation of this region in the EU, in the same way as has been the case with the Canary islands, without compromising the pursuit of this activity in the region.
In view of the particular circumstances of the exclusive economic zones of the outermost regions (absence of a continental shelf in certain cases) and the limitations of their fisheries zones (often confined to submarine hills), the Commission is asked to apply the precautionary principle and the principle of relative stability, thereby helping ensure not only biological and ecological balance for the species concerned, but also the protection of the socio-economic fabric related to the fisheries sector in those regions.
Competition and state aids: Parliament h oped, as regards state aid for regional purposes, that the outermost regions can continue to receive non-degressive operating aid, not limited in time, and that the aid can be extended to cover the transport sector, provided that the public procurement rules guarantee fair price-setting by the undertakings concerned. It also hoped that the outermost regions can continue to benefit from a higher rate over and above the amount of initial investment aid. Movable transport assets should be included among eligible costs as regards initial investment. Parliament hoped also that it will be permitted to compensate outermost regions for the additional costs incurred in transporting goods within the EU market.
Services of general economic interest: T he Commission should act on its promise for a working party to study the operation of services of general economic interest in the outermost regions and draw up proposals geared to the special features and needs of those regions where the market in public services is concerned.
Taxation and customs measures: Parliament c alled on the Commission to show willingness to consider requests from outermost regions for temporary suspension of Common Customs Tariff duties levied on supplies of non-agricultural commodities for production uses and of fishery products, and on imported capital goods for business and industrial use.
Environment: T his area must not be neglected in future measures in support of the outermost regions, since resources are insufficient to meet continuing needs regarding the environment, specifically as regards the protection of biodiversity, implementation of the Natura 2000 network, and waste management. This makes it more difficult to pursue an environmental policy in the outermost regions which is consistent with the fundamental principles of Community environmental policy. Parliament called on the Commission to implement measures along the lines of the environment component of the Programme of options specific to the remote and insular nature of Madeira and the Azores (POSEIMA).
Transport: T ransport projects financed by the Community in the outermost regions must bring about improvements first and foremost to the quality of life of the inhabitants and the self-contained development of those regions. Projects developed in breach of Community environmental law must be halted. Parliament recommended that all transport projects developed for the outermost regions must have a precise and clearly-defined analysis of the benefits for the diversification of the local economy, social cohesion and the sustainability of the regional job market.
The committee adopted the own-initiative report drawn up by Sérgio MARQUES (EPP-ED, PT) in response to two Commission papers on a stronger partnership for the outermost regions. The report called for support for the outermost regions in areas that were important for their development, i.e. agriculture, fisheries, competition and state aids, enterprise policy, services of general interest and services of general economic interest, taxation, customs measures, environment, energy, research and technological development, vocational training, transport, trans-European networks, new information and communication technologies and regional cooperation.
MEPs urged the Commission to continue to apply specific tax measures for the benefit of the outermost regions and show willingness to propose other arrangements to promote their self-contained development. They also expressed strong support for the special action of EUR 1 100 million for the outermost regions proposed by the Commission.
The report deplored the abolition of sales aid for the sugar sector and called for the restoration of this instrument and full compensation for loss of income in order genuinely to take account of the specific handicaps suffered by the outermost regions. The committee said that "it is essential to ensure that sugar production and refining in the Azores are given access to the national market under conditions equivalent to those prevailing before their incorporation into the EU, in the same way as the Canary Islands , since otherwise it will no longer be viable for the industry to continue in the region".
As for trans-European energy networks, the Commission was urged to treat projects in outermost regions as a priority and make them subject to the co-financing rate laid down for projects deemed to have priority. As regards trans-European transport infrastructure networks, the Commission should enable ports and airports in outermost regions to be co-financed by the Cohesion Fund if eligible.
On the question of state aid, the report also wanted the outermost regions to continue to receive non-degressive operating aid and called for compensation to be authorised for these regions for the additional costs arising from the transport of goods within the EU market rather than only within the national borders of the country concerned.
The European Commission is proposing a stronger partnership with the outermost regions of the Union. The new strategy focuses on three main strands - competitiveness, accessibility and regional integration - and forms part of the reform of the EU’s cohesion policy for 2007-13.
The Communication also makes recommendations for implementing other Community policies in these regions.
These proposals are a response to the instruction given to the Commission by the European Council in Seville in June 2002 to deepen the implementation of Article 299(2) of the Treaty concerning the outermost regions, in particular in the fields of transport and cohesion policy reform. The proposals also constitute a reaction to the Memorandum tabled on 2 June 2003 by the Spanish, French and Portuguese authorities and the seven outermost regions.
The Communication identifies three priorities:
- Competitiveness: improve the competitiveness of the outermost regions by creating and developing a business environment which will attract new companies.
- Accessibility: step up cohesion efforts in the outermost regions in order to reduce the difficulties connected with their remoteness, such as fragmentation among a group of islands or enclosure in areas with poor access. The reduction of these handicaps and of the additional costs of production in the
outermost regions is one of the main priorities of the Union’s activities to help these regions.
- Regional integration: the outermost regions and neighbouring non-member countries exist in a common regional environment which should facilitate trade among them in goods and services. This is why it is important to encourage their integration into their surrounding geographical area.
The Communication provides an outline of the future development strategy for the outermost regions which will be presented in greater detail in a report soon to be submitted to the Commission.
This report, commissioned by the European Council in Seville in June 2002, will also assess the success of the measures currently applying to these regions.
As regards the cohesion policy, the main proposals in the Communication come within the general framework of the reform of that policy as set out in the Third Report on economic and social cohesion. That report provides for all the outermost regions to be eligible for all the regional policy objectives, depending on their level of relative development: either the "Convergence" Objective, provided their GDP per head (measured in purchasing power parities) does not exceed the threshold of 75% of the Community average; or alternatively the "Competitiveness and employment" Objective. They will also be eligible under the "European Territorial Cooperation" Objective. Within this general framework, the Commission proposes two specific solutions aimed at helping the outermost regions to develop their full potential:
A specific programme to compensate for handicaps: This programme would be financed by the ERDF over the period 2007-13. It would be dedicated to reducing the specific handicaps faced by the economies of the most remote regions which are listed in Article 299(2) of the EC Treaty: remoteness, insularity, small size, difficult topography and climate and economic dependence on a few products.
An action plan for a wider neighbourhood: the aim would be to enlarge the natural sphere of influence of the outermost regions in socio-economic terms (including issues of migration) as well as in terms of culture. This includes reducing barriers which limit the scope for trade within the geographical area of these regions, which are far from the European mainland but very close to the regional markets of the Caribbean, America and Africa. The action plan for a wider neighbourhood will consist of measures concerning both trade and customs matters and also transnational and cross-border cooperation.
Additional schemes will operate under other Community policies.
Among these proposals, the Commission plans in particular to launch studies to evaluate the additional costs faced by the outermost regions and the constraints on their access to telecommunication services. Adjustments to the rules on state aid will allow a ten-point increase in percentage ceilings on the intensity of investment aid. Operating aid will also continue to be neither progressively reduced nor limited in time. In the field of agriculture and fisheries, the Commission intends to maintain the support granted to the outermost regions (support specific to local products and structural measures) on the basis of the handicaps listed in Article 299(2) of the EC Treaty. In the transport sector, the outermost regions will also benefit from procedures for introducing public service obligations and from the de minimis rules.
The European Commission is proposing a stronger partnership with the outermost regions of the Union. The new strategy focuses on three main strands - competitiveness, accessibility and regional integration - and forms part of the reform of the EU’s cohesion policy for 2007-13.
The Communication also makes recommendations for implementing other Community policies in these regions.
These proposals are a response to the instruction given to the Commission by the European Council in Seville in June 2002 to deepen the implementation of Article 299(2) of the Treaty concerning the outermost regions, in particular in the fields of transport and cohesion policy reform. The proposals also constitute a reaction to the Memorandum tabled on 2 June 2003 by the Spanish, French and Portuguese authorities and the seven outermost regions.
The Communication identifies three priorities:
- Competitiveness: improve the competitiveness of the outermost regions by creating and developing a business environment which will attract new companies.
- Accessibility: step up cohesion efforts in the outermost regions in order to reduce the difficulties connected with their remoteness, such as fragmentation among a group of islands or enclosure in areas with poor access. The reduction of these handicaps and of the additional costs of production in the
outermost regions is one of the main priorities of the Union’s activities to help these regions.
- Regional integration: the outermost regions and neighbouring non-member countries exist in a common regional environment which should facilitate trade among them in goods and services. This is why it is important to encourage their integration into their surrounding geographical area.
The Communication provides an outline of the future development strategy for the outermost regions which will be presented in greater detail in a report soon to be submitted to the Commission.
This report, commissioned by the European Council in Seville in June 2002, will also assess the success of the measures currently applying to these regions.
As regards the cohesion policy, the main proposals in the Communication come within the general framework of the reform of that policy as set out in the Third Report on economic and social cohesion. That report provides for all the outermost regions to be eligible for all the regional policy objectives, depending on their level of relative development: either the "Convergence" Objective, provided their GDP per head (measured in purchasing power parities) does not exceed the threshold of 75% of the Community average; or alternatively the "Competitiveness and employment" Objective. They will also be eligible under the "European Territorial Cooperation" Objective. Within this general framework, the Commission proposes two specific solutions aimed at helping the outermost regions to develop their full potential:
A specific programme to compensate for handicaps: This programme would be financed by the ERDF over the period 2007-13. It would be dedicated to reducing the specific handicaps faced by the economies of the most remote regions which are listed in Article 299(2) of the EC Treaty: remoteness, insularity, small size, difficult topography and climate and economic dependence on a few products.
An action plan for a wider neighbourhood: the aim would be to enlarge the natural sphere of influence of the outermost regions in socio-economic terms (including issues of migration) as well as in terms of culture. This includes reducing barriers which limit the scope for trade within the geographical area of these regions, which are far from the European mainland but very close to the regional markets of the Caribbean, America and Africa. The action plan for a wider neighbourhood will consist of measures concerning both trade and customs matters and also transnational and cross-border cooperation.
Additional schemes will operate under other Community policies.
Among these proposals, the Commission plans in particular to launch studies to evaluate the additional costs faced by the outermost regions and the constraints on their access to telecommunication services. Adjustments to the rules on state aid will allow a ten-point increase in percentage ceilings on the intensity of investment aid. Operating aid will also continue to be neither progressively reduced nor limited in time. In the field of agriculture and fisheries, the Commission intends to maintain the support granted to the outermost regions (support specific to local products and structural measures) on the basis of the handicaps listed in Article 299(2) of the EC Treaty. In the transport sector, the outermost regions will also benefit from procedures for introducing public service obligations and from the de minimis rules.
Documents
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2005)4374
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2005)4139
- Text adopted by Parliament, single reading: T6-0359/2005
- Text adopted by Parliament, single reading: OJ C 227 21.09.2006, p. 0088-0512 E
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament: T6-0359/2005
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A6-0246/2005
- Committee report tabled for plenary: A6-0246/2005
- Economic and Social Committee: opinion, report: CES0847/2005
- Economic and Social Committee: opinion, report: OJ C 294 25.11.2005, p. 0021-0024
- Committee opinion: PE357.757
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE359.908
- Committee opinion: PE353.552
- Non-legislative basic document: COM(2004)0343
- Non-legislative basic document: EUR-Lex
- Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2004)0343
- Non-legislative basic document published: EUR-Lex
- Non-legislative basic document: COM(2004)0343 EUR-Lex
- Committee opinion: PE353.552
- Amendments tabled in committee: PE359.908
- Committee opinion: PE357.757
- Economic and Social Committee: opinion, report: CES0847/2005 OJ C 294 25.11.2005, p. 0021-0024
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A6-0246/2005
- Text adopted by Parliament, single reading: T6-0359/2005 OJ C 227 21.09.2006, p. 0088-0512 E
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2005)4139
- Commission response to text adopted in plenary: SP(2005)4374
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