No EU cash for conversions

THE European Union (EU) will not consider financing the reconversion of hotels into blocks of flats, as the Balearic Government has requested, according to the reply by the European Commission to a question asked in December by the Green Party's Euro MP, Raul Romeva. In the reply, the European Commissioner for Regional Policies, Danuta Hubner, argued that this type of help is not envisaged in the Planning Document for the Balearics for the period 2000-2006 and that the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) will not consider financing the conversion of hotels into housing. The European Commissioner explained that, in principal, it would be possible to give financial help through FEDER for the conversion of tourist hotels into businesses (for example, craft centres or centres for services to companies). However, Hubner added that the only programme document (DOCUP) for the Balearics did not envisage this type of activity. Another argument employed is that FEDER cannot jointly finance the reconversion of tourist establishments into housing, whether they be primary residences (including council housing) or second homes.