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Whereas Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 724/75 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Fund Regulation’) provides independently of the national allocations of resources fixed by Article 2 (3) (a) of that Regulation, for participation by the Fund in financing specific Community regional development measures which are in particular linked with Community policies and with measures adopted by the Community in order to take better account of their regional dimension or to reduce their regional consequences; Whereas the Member States concerned have provided the Commission with information on regional problems which would be suitable for a specific Community measure; Whereas the Fund's resources are allocated with due regard to the relative severity of regional imbalances within the Community;

Whereas, pursuant to Article 92 et seq. of the EEC Treaty, the Commission established on 22 July 1971 an approach to aids to the textile industry, supplemented on 4 February 1977, which was notified to the Member States; whereas, under the approach to aids, aid granted to textile undertakings can only be allowed if they satisfy certain conditions, and in particular they must facilitate improvements in the industrial and commercial structure, in particular the industry's adaptation to new market and technical conditions; Whereas, with respect to its external policy in the textile and clothing fields, the Community is a party to the Arrangement regarding International Trade in Textiles (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Multifibre Agreement’) which is designed to overcome the difficulties on the international textile and clothing market; whereas the measures taken under the Multifibre Agreement ‘should not interrupt or discourage autonomous industrial adjustment processes’ and should ‘encourage businesses which are less competitive internationally to move progressively into more viable types of production or into other sectors of the economy’;

Whereas between 1974 and 1977, the period of application of the first Multifibre Agreement, imports of textile products into the Community increased at an exceptionally fast rate; whereas since 1978, the year in which the second Multifibre Agreement came into force, such imports have continued to grow, a fact which has contributed to the substantial reduction in employment in this industry; Whereas the third Multifibre Agreement was concluded on 22 December 1981 and bilateral negotiations between the Community and third countries are in progress; whereas, given the economic crisis and the stagnation of consumption, it is inevitable, even assuming constant import levels, that jobs will continue to be lost in the textile and clothing industry for several years to come; Whereas a number of zones in the Community which are highly dependent on the textile and clothing industries and which have already suffered considerable job losses as a result of the decline in those industries are likely to see a worsening of these adverse consequences;

Whereas some of these zones in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are situated in regions which already have a high level of unemployment; Whereas it is necessary for the Community, by means of a specific Community regional development measure, to reinforce existing local, national and Community measures aimed at stimulating the creation of new employment in such zones in order to replace lost jobs and thus help to reduce regional imbalances; Whereas other assistance from Community Funds, capable of being usefully combined, should be given in these zones; Whereas the existence of an unfavourable physical environment due to the state of dereliction of certain industrial and urban sites makes it difficult to attract new employment-providing activities to these zones; Whereas the encouragement of small and medium-sized undertakings (hereinafter referred to as ‘SMUs’), which already occupy an important place in the economies of these zones, requires that they be enabled better to adapt their productive potential in particular by way of investment aids and by facilitating access to necessary services in management, organization and finance;

Whereas the introduction of new technological products and processes can contribute to the creation and development of viable economic activities in these zones; whereas SMUs encounter difficulties in undertaking innovation; Whereas economic activity in the zones concerned should be given greater stimulus through an especially active administration of public aids and services available, in particular those provided for under the special programme; whereas, to this end, it is necessary to establish or extend advisory agencies responsible for informing existing or potential undertakings about access to such aids and services and for helping them to take advantage of them; Whereas the Community measure must be implemented in the form of special multiannual programmes; whereas it is for the Commission, in approving these programmes, to satisfy itself that the operations planned thereunder comply with the provisions of this Regulation; Whereas the special programmes must respond to certain of the objectives encompassed by the regional development programmes provided for under Article 6 of the Fund Regulation;

Whereas the Commission must verify that the special programmes are properly carried out by examining the annual reports which the Member States concerned present to it for this purpose; Whereas the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee must be informed regularly on the implementation of this Regulation, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: