President.

Question No 54 by Lambert van Nistelrooij (H-0195/07)

Subject: Status of Netherlands Antilles and the Structural Funds

Article 299 of the EU Treaty lists the EU's outermost regions. The islands of St. Martin and Curaçao, which currently form part of the Netherlands Antilles, announced in 2005 that from 1 July 2007 they are to have separate status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the same way as Aruba. The other three islands, Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire, are to have a status similar to that of a Netherlands municipality, including the right to vote in European Parliament elections.

The authorities concerned are apparently now exploring the possibility of obtaining for these islands the status of outermost regions. That would make the islands concerned fully part of the EU.

Does the Commission know which of the Netherlands Antilles islands meet the conditions for being recognised as an outermost region? In the Commission's view, what are the implications for the granting of EU Structural Fund money?