4.9.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L2231 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 27 July 2000 listing the areas of Italy eligible under Objective 2 of the Structural Funds for the period 2000 to 2006 (notified under document number C(2000) 2327) (Only the Italian text is authentic) (2000/530/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1), and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 4(4) thereof, After consulting the Advisory Committee on the Development and Conversion of Regions, the Committee on Agricultural Structures and Rural Development and the Management Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Whereas: () Point 2 of the first subparagraph of Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 provides that Objective 2 of the Structural Funds is to support the economic and social conversion of areas facing structural difficulties. (2)  The first subparagraph of Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 provides that the Commission and the Member States shall seek to ensure that assistance is () OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1. genuinely concentrated on the areas most seriously affected and at the most appropriate geographical level. (3) Commission Decision 1999/503/EC(®) lays down, in accordance with Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, a population ceiling for each Member State under Objective 2 of the Structural Funds of the period 2000 to 2006. The ceiling for Italy is 7 402 000 inhabitants. (4)  Article 4(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 states that the Commission, on the basis of proposals from the Member States and in close concertation with each Member State concerned, is to draw up a list of the areas eligible under Objective 2 with due regard to national priorities, without prejudice to the transitional support provided for in Article 6(2) of that Regulation. (5) Paragraph 44(m) of the Conclusions of the Berlin European Council states that during the examination of eligibility for Objective 2, special attention will be given to areas of the Abruzzi which are adjacent to Objective 1 regions. To this end, the four provinces making up the abruzzi region have been classed as NUTS IIl regions which satisfy the criteria set out in Article 4(5) or (6) of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999. () O] L 194, 27.7.1999, p. 58.