Cohesion Fund. Annual 1995 Report

The Committee has adopted the report by Honorio NOVO (EUL/NGL, P) on the Commission's annual report on the 1995 Cohesion Fund. Members warmly welcomed the excellent level of budgetary implementation of the Cohesion Fund. Virtually all the available commitment appropriations were implemented as were the majority of the payment appropriations. Mr NOVO highlighted the complete absence of fraud either in 1995 or in any of the preceding budgetary years. His conclusion was: "Europe would be in an eminently satisfactory position if the whole Community budget were used as efficiently and correctly as the Cohesion Fund". Also welcomed was the balance achieved between the Fund's two areas of assistance, environment and the TENs, with the exception of Portugal and Greece. The Committee regretted the excessive weight given to road funding within the TENs and therefore called on the Commission and the Member States to pay greater heed to increase the funding of railways and ports. �