Brussels, 01/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - On a proposal from Commissioners Michel Barnier and Franz Fischler, the European Commission adopted a series of proposals that should allow sustainable development to be promoted in the seven outlying regions of the European Union: the Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira and the four French overseas departments, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique and the Reunion. Measures envisaged demonstrate the increased effort to achieve the solidarity necessary given the persistent lagging behind in development, and in some cases the continuous economic and social decline of these regions confronted by major handicaps mainly linked to their insular nature and their remote location. The Commission proposes amending several aspects of the Structural Funds regulation and of the specific Poseidom, Poseima and Poseican programmes. These proposals are an important step in the establishment of a Community strategy for the outlying regions. Stock will be taken of the situation during the European Council next week in Nice.
The Commission proposes to strengthen structural aid provided to these seven regions by:
- raising the Structural Fund participation in investment in small and medium-sized enterprises from 35% to 50% of the total eligible cost;
- bringing the Structural Fund intervention rates into line with a maximum level of 85% of the total cost eligible for all outlying regions. This ceiling of 85% was applied to the three regions of Spain and Portugal (covered by cohesion). The four French overseas territories (DOM) may thus benefit from them;
- raising the maximum level of public aid provided for in EAGGF for investment in farms (from 50-70%), for investment in the processing and marketing of farm produce (from 50 to 65%) and the extension of Community aid for forests belonging to public authorities.
The other measures proposed cover aid to traditional production in the context of the three programmes specific to outlying location and insularity (Poseidom, Poseican, Poseima). The Commission proposes reviewing the lists of products covered by the specific supply regime (customs free regime on imports to islands in order to reduce the cost of supplies from third countries and allowing the insular regions to benefit from participation in the single market). It is also a question of simplifying and better adjusting the management of this regime to these aims. As far as the local agricultural production is concerned, the Commission considers it must adapt the aid levels and eligible quantities to the specific needs of each region. It also proposes setting in place transversal approaches per sector or global programmes (inter-professional) in order to allow better structuring of trade channels.