COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 30.10.1998 COM(l998) 562 final 9th ANNUAL REPORT of the STRUCTURAL FUNDS 1997 (Presented by the Commission) This report has been prepared by the Directorate-General for Regional Policy and Cohesion (DG XVI) in collaboration with the Directorates-General for Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs (DG V), Agriculture (DG VI) and Fisheries (DG XIV) and with contributions from the Secretariat-General and the Directorates-General for Competition (DG fV ), Transport (DG Vll), Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection (DG XI), Science. Research and Development (DG XII), Telecommunciations, Information market and Exploitation of Research (DG Xill), Internal Market and Financial Services (DG XV), Energy (DG XVIT), Budgets (DG XIX) Financial Control (DG XX) and Enterprise Policy, Distributive Trades. Tourism and Cooperatives (DG XXID). 9'' An nUll! Report of the Structural Funds (199 7) TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 5 A. General summary ............................................................................................................................. 7 B. A report focusing on assistance to small firms .............................................................................. 9 CHAPTER 1: MAJOR EVENTS OF 1997 .............................................................................. 13 1.1. Initial guidelines for further economic and social cohesion ....................................................... 15 1.1.1. The European Cohesion forum .............................................................................................. 15 1.1.2. Guidelines set out in "Agenda 2000" ..................................................................................... 15 1.2. Changes in fund financing approach ............................................................................................ 17 1.2.1. Priority to employment in new Objective 2 programmes (1997-99) ..................................... 17 1.2.2. Priorities for mid-term review of Fund programmes (other than Objective 2) ...................... 18 1.2.3. Implementation of territorial employment pacts ............................................ : ....................... 19 1.2.4. The SEM 2000 initiative: improving management and control of the Funds ........................ 19 1.3. Development of thematic priorities for cohesion ......................................................................... 20 1.3.1. The challenge of the information society (COM(97) 7) ........................................................ 21 1.3.2. Towards an urban agenda in the European Union (COM(97) 197) ....................................... 22 1.3.3. Symposium on the "LEADER" initiative for rural development .......................................... 22 1.3.4. Regional policy and competition policy ................................................................................ 23 1.3.5. Competitiveness, R&TD and innovation ............................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 2: IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMMING IN THE MEMBER STATES ....................................................................................................................................... 25 2.1. General presentation by objective ................................................................................................ 27 2.1.1. The adoption of new programmes in 1997 ............................................................................ 27 2.1.2. General overview of implementation ..................................................................................... 27 2.1.3. Implementation of Objectives 1 (regions whose development is lagging behind) and 6 (thinly populated regions) ...................................................................................................... 30 2.1.4. Implementation of Objective 2 (areas undergoing industrial conversion) ............................. 32 2.1.5. Implementation of Objectives 3 and 4 (human resources and the labour market) ................. 33 2.1.6. Implementation of Objective 5(a) (structural adjustment in agriculture and fisheries) ......... 36 2.1.7. Implementation of Objective 5(b) (structural adjustment of rural areas) ............................... 40 2.1.8. Implementation of the Community Initiatives ....................................................................... 41 2.1.9. lnnovati ve measures and technical assistance ........................................................................ 46 2.2. Country by country survey ....................................................................... ~ .................................... 52 2.2.1. BELGIUM ...................................................................... :...................................................... 52 1. The major achievements of the Funds by Objective ........................................................................ 52 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................... , ............................... 55 2.2.2. DENMARK ..................................................................................................................... : ..... 56 1. ·The major achievements of the Funds by Objective ........................................................................ 56 2. Community Initiatives ........................................................................................................... , ........ 57 2 9'' Annual Reporr o{rhe Srrucrurol Funds(/ 997! 2.2.3. GERMANY ........................................................................................................................... 59 I. The major achievements of the Funds by Objective ........................................................................ 59 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 62 2.2.4. GREECE ......................................................................................· .......................................... 63 1. The main achievements of the Funds by Objective ......................................................................... 63 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 64 2.2.5. SPAIN .................................................................................................................................... 66 l. The major achievements of the Funds by Objective ........................................................................ 66 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 70 2.2.6. FRANCE ................................................................................................................................ 71 I. The major achievements of the Funds by Objective ........................................................................ 71 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 75 2.2.7. IRELAND .............................................................................................................................. 76 1: The major achievements of the Funds by Objective ........................................................................ 76 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 77 2.2.8. ITALY ..................................................................................... :.............................................. 79 1. The major achievements of the Funds by Objective ........................................................................ 79 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 82 2.2.9. LUXEMBOURG ................................................................................................................... 84 1. The main achievements of the Funds by Objective ......................................................................... 84 2. The Community Initiatives .............................................................................................................. 85 2.2.10.NETlffiRLANDS ., ............................................................................................................... 86 I. The major achievements of the Funds by Objective ........................................................................ 86 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 88 2.2.11. A US TRIA ............................................................................................................................. 90 l. The major achievements of the Fund by Objective ................. ;...................................................... 90 2. Community Initiatives ..................................................................................................................... 92 2.2.12.PORTUGAL ........................................................................................................................