Dick Spring
Question:176 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he intends to conduct a series of bilateral meetings at EC level in relation to the Programme for EC Cohesion Funds which were included in the Maastricht Treaty.
Written Answers. - EC Cohesion Fund.
The Maastricht Treaty introduces many improvements in the Community's instruments and policies to promote cohesion, that is the reduction of economic and social disparities between the regions of the community. One of these is the Cohesion Fund, which is to be established before the end of 1993.
The Fund will be additional to the existing Structural Funds. It is to be used for environment projects and for transport infrastructure aspects of trans-European-networks.
A Protocol on Cohesion, which was added to the Treaty largely at the initiative of the Irish Government, specifies that this Cohesion Fund is to be for the benefit of member states with a GNP per capita which is below 90 per cent of the Community. average. This includes Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Spain.
The Commission, in its report on financial perspectives for 1993 to 1997, has made provision for this new Cohesion Fund, which, it is expected, will reach an amount of 2.5 billion ecu in 1997, as well as for substantial increases in the existing Structural Funds, especially for Objective 1 regions, which include Ireland. These proposals have not yet been discussed by the Council and the Commission has not yet put forward detailed proposals for implementing regulations for either the Cohesion Fund or the Strucutural Funds for the period in question.
The Government will now be active within the Council, and as necessary in bilateral contacts with our partners, in pressing for early adoption and implementation of the Commission's proposals.