Commissie: de 7 miljard euro die via structuurfondsen aan nieuwe lidstaten zijn verstrekt zijn goed besteed (en)

In the period between 2000 and 2004, the European Commission approved 324 projects with a financial contribution of €7000 million within the framework of the Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession (ISPA). ISPA was set up as part of the Agenda 2000 in order to provide assistance to the candidate countries in Central and Eastern Europe to prepare for EU membership. ISPA provides, like the Cohesion Fund does for EU Member States, support to large scale investments in transport and environment infrastructure in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia..

In reviewing the implementation of ISPA, the Commissioner responsible for regional policy, Michel Barnier, commented "Only a few months ahead of accession, it has to be underlined that ISPA has played a major role in preparing the new Member States for the EU cohesion policy, not only to support specific investments but also to assist the smooth transition to the Cohesion Fund in the acceding countries and to familiarise their administrations with EU procedures and with the requirements for EU Structural instruments".

In the period between 2000 and 2004, the Commission approved 324 projects amounting to an ISPA contribution of €7.000 million. More than €1.000 million from that amount has already been paid out for the investments.

In the transport sector, ISPA contributed to the development of the future trans-European transport network.

ISPA has also provided financial assistance to environmental projects, essentially for water supply, waste-water treatment and waste management. In both sectors, ISPA has helped the acceding and candidate countries to strengthen their understanding and administrative capacity to implement key legislation.

ISPA also promoted the decentralised management of the projects and has improved the management and control systems in the acceding and candidate countries.

As the set-up of ISPA has been closely based on the Cohesion Fund, it is expected that the transition from one instrument to the other should be relatively straightforward. However, the Cohesion Fund will be substantially increased compared to the ISPA allocation: 2.900 million euros in 2004 compared to 750 million euros in 2003 under ISPA (current prices).

Continuous and additional efforts are required from the acceding ISPA beneficiary countries to identify and to prepare projects for the Cohesion Fund budget. Similar efforts are needed by Bulgaria and Romania who, although not becoming EU members in 2004, will also benefit from increased ISPA allocations.

Some of the projects decided under ISPA will continue to be implemented under the Cohesion Fund.

Background

Solidarity among the people of the European Union, economic and social progress and reinforced cohesion form part of the EU's overall objectives of, "reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions", as laid down in the Treaty establishing the European Communities. The instruments of solidarity, the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund, cover about one third of the EU budget (roughly €36 billion in 2004). They have a major impact on the competitiveness of regions and contribute significantly to improving the living conditions of their citizens, particular in the poorer regions.

For the period between 2004 and 2006, an amount of €22 billion (1999 prices) has been earmarked for all structural instruments in the 10 countries joining the EU in 2004. One third of this amount is allocated to the Cohesion Fund.

For more information, see:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/index_en.htm

Projects Decided 2000-03 Totals in-Mio €:

Figures and graphics available in PDF and WORD PROCESSED