HC Deb 01 April 2004 vol 419 cc1559-60W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the commitment of EU development assistance to(a) Baltic, (b) cross-border and (c) regional co-operation in 2002. [163859]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

EU assistance to the Baltic States is largely provided through the PHARE programme (PHARE stands for Poland and Hungary Assistance with Reconstruction, although the programme expanded to cover other countries). The objective of PHARE is to help candidate countries1 preparations to accede to the European Union. This consists of technical assistance with the implementation of European legislation, and the building of institutional capacity. The Baltic States are also eligible for assistance under the ISPA programme (Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession: to help candidate countries to meet environmental standards) and the SAPARD programme (Special Accession Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development: to help candidate countries deal with the problems of the structural adjustment in their agricultural sectors and rural areas, as well as in the implementation of legislation concerning the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) and related issues). The total planned allocation to the Baltic States under these three programmes was approximately [...]323 million in 2002.

In addition the Tacis programme (development assistance to the nations of Eastern Europe and Central Asia) contains an element for co-operation in the Baltic region. In 2002 this focused on the promotion of environmental protection and management of natural resources and support for the private sector and assistance for economic development. The total planned allocation for this in 2002 was approximately [...]8 million. Cross-border assistance also forms a part of the Tacis programme. It aims to assist border regions in overcoming specific developmental problems, encourage links between economic, social and transport networks, accelerate social and economic reform in the partner states and to reduce transboundary environmental risks and pollution. The total planned allocation for cross-border activities in Tacis in 2002 was approximately [...]27.5. The PHARE programme also contains provision for cross-border activities, the objective of which is to promote cooperation of border regions in countries in central and eastern Europe with adjacent regions in a neighbouring country. The total planned allocation for cross-border activities in PHARE in 2002 was approximately [...]151 million.

The PHARE and Tacis programmes, as well as the CARDS programme for assistance to the countries of the Western Balkans, contain the facility for spending to promote regional co-operation where that supports delivery of the overall objectives of the programme. It is not possible to produce an estimate for the total spending on regional co-operation in 2002 because this aspect is not individually accounted for in comparable ways across all of the programmes.

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