A3-0292/93

Resolution on the final Commission report on the Greek islands in the Aegean

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the EC Treaty, in particular Article 130a thereof,

-having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Rhodes on 2-3 December 1988 concerning the specific social and economic problems of certain island regions of the Community,

-having regard to its resolution of 15 September 1987 on the peripheral maritime regions and islands of the Community,

-having regard to the final Commission report on the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea (COM(92)0569 - C3-0026/93), in particular paragraph 35 thereof,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Policy, Regional Planning and Relations with Regional and Local Authorities and the opinion of the Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development (A3-0292/93),

A.whereas the Greek islands in the Aegean form the most important island unit in the Community,

B.whereas these islands constitute the Community's external border in the south-eastern Mediterranean,

C.whereas the peripherality indicator for the Greek islands corresponds to only one-third (100:36) of the Community average,

D.whereas the actual situation of the peripheral island regions is much more serious than economic indicators appear to suggest,

E.whereas the major seasonal variations in population have significant consequences for the islands, especially the smaller ones,

F.whereas the concept of quality of life is a dynamic notion subject to constant evolution,

G.whereas the adoption of additional measures to reinforce the structural actions already undertaken is justified in the case of the Greek islands by the presence of such obstacles as geographical distance, small land area, lack of exploitable raw materials, low population density, hilly terrain and a difficult climate,

H.having regard to the urgent need for various structural measures in the Greek islands in the Aegean,

I.whereas it is necessary and urgent to protect and improve forestry infrastructure and also, from a global point of view, to protect the environment effectively,

J.whereas the Commission has stated its determination to find additional funding sources with a view to covering, as from 1993, those projects which are particularly urgent and sufficiently mature,

K.whereas the Commission identifies, in its final report, a number of priority sectors in respect of whose funding the necessary proposals could be made to the budgetary authority during the first half of 1993,

1.Considers that unless the requisite structural measures are taken immediately, the prospects for the smaller islands in the Aegean Sea will remain unfavourable, even allowing for a possible improvement in their level of development in absolute terms;

2.Welcomes the fact that the recent reform of the Structural Funds has extended the range of measures funded by the ERDF under Objective 1 to cover education and health, since these areas are crucial for the improvement of the living conditions of the inhabitants of the smaller islands in the Aegean;

3.Calls for the drawing up of innovatory development programmes aimed at contributing to the strengthening of cohesion - this being an objective of the recent revision of the Structural Funds - and at reducing regional inequalities; considers that such programmes should, while taking account of the objective obstacles, aim at deriving maximum benefit from the comparative advantages of the islands concerned;

4.Believes that development programmes and projects should be aimed primarily at the protection, preservation, rehabilitation, identification, development and management of the islands' principal resources, on a basis adapted to local circumstances, and the development of their endogenous potential;

5.Welcomes the quality of the Commission's final report; regrets, nonetheless, the Commission's failure to propose to the budgetary authority that a specific heading be created for the Greek islands in the Aegean so as to finance, as from 1993, those projects which are particularly urgent and sufficiently mature;

6.Notes that a list of priority projects which could be funded from 1993 has already been drawn up in cooperation with the relevant Greek authorities;

7.Expresses its surprise at the Commission's failure to take action on certain projects within a reasonable time, despite its recognition of their urgency;

8.Welcomes the fact that, as part of supplementary and amending budget 1/93, the Commission proposed that these projects should be financed under the budgetary headings that appear in Chapter B2-24 of the 1993 budget;

9.Urges the Commission to submit appropriate proposals to the budgetary authority so as to enter sufficient appropriations under those budgetary headings to enable these projects to be implemented rapidly;

10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, and, for information, the Greek Government.