Community initiatives: allocation for the reserve for the period up to the end of 1999

The European Parliament adopted the report by Mr Roberto SPECIALE (PSE, I) and presented its criticisms to the Commission of its draft allocation of the reserve for Community Initiatives for the period up to the end of 1999. The EP deplored the fact that, by publishing information regarding its intentions with regard to the allocation of the reserve for the Initiatives, the Commission had ignored the provisions of the Code of Conduct whereby it was obliged to inform Parliament immediately. It was extremely important not to lose sight of the fact that the Community Initiatives were European in nature and under no circumstances should they become indirect instruments of redistribution of financial resources to Member States. The breakdown of appropriations by Initiative should therefore take precedence over the allocation by Member State, as this involved the establishment of "national quotas" which would undermine the principles on which the Community Initiative programmes rested. However, the report approved the general criteria which the Commission had established for the allocation of the reserve. In this connection, the application of the Community Initiatives to the end of 1999 should be based, in an effective manner, on the objectives of increasing their contribution to creating new jobs, protecting natural resources, improving the quality of life and further developing their transnational character. Parliament also regretted the fact that the allocation for the industrial initiatives (Rechar, RETEX, Konver, Resider and REGIS II) was barely sufficient and called on the Commission to include in the Initiatives Rechar, Resider and Konver regions requiring the environmental rehabilitation of disused industrial sites and to channel aid in such a way so to create employment. �