§ Dr. Michael ClarkTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if there will be a revision of the areas eligible for grant from the EU structural funds under objective 2. [9379]
§ Mr. EggarThe European Commission has been reviewing the current list of areas, but is not committed to revising it. The Government's view is that revision would not be in the national interest.
I am glad to say that, at an informal meeting of EU Ministers which I attended in Madrid on 1 December, there was general consensus on the part of member states in favour of "complete continuity" between the current list of areas, which expires at the end of 1996, and the list for the period 1997–99.
A formal decision from the Commission is expected during the coming weeks.