ISSN 0378-6986 Official Journal C 287 Volume 28
of the European Communities 11 November 1985
English edition Information and Notices
Notice No Contents Page
I Information
European Parliament
Written questions with answer
85/C 287/01 No 1688/84 by Mr Antonino Buttafuoco to the Council Subject: Seizure of Sicilian fishing boats by Libyan patrol vessels in the Mediterranean . 1
85/C 287/02 No 2199/84 by Mr Antonino Buttafuoco to the Council Subject: The latest instance of a fishing-vessel being seized in the Sicilian Channel . . 1
85/C 287/03 No 591/85 by Mr Antonino Buttafuoco to the Council
Subject: Agreements on fisheries in the Mediterranean 1
Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1688/84, 2199/84 and 591/85 .... 1 85/C 287/04 No 2304/84 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Council Subject: Rights of ethnic and cultural minorities in the Community 2 85/C 287/05 No 131/85 by Mr Bernard Thareau to the Commission Subject: Guaranteed farm incomes 2
85/C 287/06 No 162/85 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission Subject: Free butter for West Berlin 3
85/C 287/07 No 622/85 by Mr Andrew Pearce to the Commission Subject: Butter prices 3
85/C 287/08 No 811/85 by Mr Horst Seefeld to the Commission Subject: Free butter 3
85/C 287/09 No 945/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Commission Subject: The Berlin butter lift 3
Joint answer given by Mr Andriessen to Written Questions Nos 162/85, 622/85, 811/85 and 945/85 3
(Continued overleaf) No Contents (continued) Page
85/C 287/10 No 252/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Foreign Ministers of the ten Member States of the European Community meeting in political cooperation Subject: Potential Norwegian membership of the Community 4
85/C 287/11 No 253/85 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Foreign Ministers of the ten Member States of the European Community meeting in political cooperation Subject: The IMF and Argentina 4
85/C 287/12 No 325/85 by Mrs Johanna Maij-Weggen to the Commission Subject: Signature and ratification by the Member States of the Community of the UN Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women 4
85/C 287/13 No 367/85 by Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin to the Commission Subject: Nuclear safety — agreement to establish a system of information on irregular occurrences in nuclear reactors 5
85/C 287/14 No 421/85 by Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin to the Council Subject: Portuguese presidency 6
85/C 287/15 No 453/85 by Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin to the Council Subject: Allocation of quotas for exports of tubes to the USA 6
85/C 287/16 No 456/85 by Mr Terence Pitt to the Council Subject: Increased agricultural productivity in Spain and Portugal 6
85/C 287/17 No 472/85 by Mr Benjamin Visser to the Commission Subject: Arrival at Community airports (passport control) 7
85/C 287/18 No 490/85 by Mrs Jacqueline Thome-Patenotre to the Council Subject: The publication of a European school history manual 7
85/C 287/19 No 532/85 by Mr Willy Kuijpers to the Commission Subject: Importation of rice from ACP countries 8
85/C 287/20 No 550/85 by Mrs Undine Bloch von Blottnitz to the Commission Subject: Community directives on drinking water 8
85/C 287/21 No 574/85 by Mrs Marijke Van Hemeldonck to the Council Subject: Article 223 of the EEC Treaty on the protection of and trade in arms .... 9
85/C 287/22 No 615/85 by Mr Gerard Deprez to the Council Subject: Payment for European imports of natural gas in ECU instead of dollars .... 10
85/C 287/23 No 636/85 by Mr Bryan Cassidy to the Commission Subject: Sending of intervention wheat to the famine-stricken areas of Africa 10
85/C 287/24 No 677/85 by Mrs Phili Viehoff to the Commission Subject: Nuclear cooperation agreement between Belgium and China 11
85/C 287/25 No 700/85 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Council Subject: Situation of frontier-zone workers made redundant for economic reasons .... 12
85/C 287/26 No 718/85 by Mr Raphael Chanterie to the Council
Subject: Social situation of French/Belgian frontier workers who have taken early retirement . 12
Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 700/85 and 718/85 12 85/C 287/27 No 704/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Commission Subject: A European aerospace policy 13 85/C 287/28 No 721/85 by Mr Eisso Woltjer to the Council Subject: Implementation of the milk quota arrangements 13 Contents (continued) Page
85/C 287/29 No 725/85 by Mrs Jessica Larive-Groenendaal to the Council Subject: Cqoperation between the police forces and judicial authorities in the Member States (and those applying for membership) 14
85/C 287/30 No 735/85 by Mr David Morris to the Council Subject: 'Recruitment competition' advertised on 28 July 1984 14
85/C 287/31 No 750/85 by Mr Karl von Wogau to the Council Subject: Introduction of Community methods of sampling and analysis for the monitoring of foodstuffs intended for human consumption 15
85/C 287/32 No 751/85 by Mr Kenneth Collins to the Commission Subject: Nitrate pollution of drinking water " 15
85/C 287/33 No 768/85 by Mr Floras Wijsenbeek to the Commission Subject: Road signs . 16
85/C 287/34 No 771/85 by Mr Floras Wijsenbeek to the Commission Subject: Sale of car wrecks 16
85/C 287/35 No 774/85 by Mr Ferraccio Pisoni to the Council, Subject: Massacre at Heysel Stadium 17
85/C 287/36 No 1000/85 by Mrs Jessica Larive-Groenendaal to the Council
Subject: Safety and combating violence in sport 17
Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 774/85 and 1000/85 ...... 17 85/C 287/37 No 775/85 by Mrs Francesca Marinaro to the Commission Subject: New guidelines of the European Social Fund — financial years 1986 to 1988 . 18 85/C 287/38 No 782/85 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Council Subject: Copyright and cultural policy 19
85/C 287/39 No 816/85 by Mr Raphael Chanterie to the Commission Subject: List of permitted food additives 19
85/C 287/40 No 846/85 by Mr James Provan to the Council Subject: Agricultural prices 20
85/C 287/41 No 850/85 by Mr James Provan to the Commission Subject: Agricultural export refunds 20
85/C 287/42 No 851/85 by Mr James Provan to the Commission Subject: Agricultural trade 20
85/C 287/43 No 853/85 by Mr James Provan to the Commission Subject: Common agricultural policy 21
85/C 287/44 No 875/85 by Mr James Provan to the Council Subject: Budget discipline 21
85/C 287/45 No 881/85 by Mr Michel Debatisse to the Commission Subject: Use of dairy products for industrial purposes 22
85/C 287/46 No 891/85 by Ms Joyce Quin, Mr Gordon Adam and Mr George Stevenson to the Council Subject: Principle of integration in transport and EEC investment in public passenger transport 23
(Continued overleaf) Notice No Contents (continued) Page
85/C 287/47 No 892/85 by Mrs Marie-Claude Vayssade Nto the Commission Subject: Creation of a special Commission service to combat extreme poverty 23
85/C 287/48 No 893/85 by Mrs Marie-Claude Vayssade to the Commission Subject: Regular consultation with the organizations representing the EEC's poorest families . 23
85/C 287/49 No 899/85 by Mr Frank Schwalba-Hoth to the Council Subject: Controls on Members of the European Parliament travelling within the Community . 24
85/C 287/50 No 904/85 by Mrs Marie Jepsen to the Commission Subject: Quantities of agricultural produce stored in the individual Member States ... 24
85/C 287/51 No 918/85 by Mr Jean-Pierre Cot to the Commission Subject: Cooperative wine cellars 25
85/C 287/52 No 928/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Commission Subject: Integrity of the open-competition system 26
85/C 287/53 No 957/S5 by Mr Henri Saby, Mrs Yvette Fuillet, Mrs Colette Gadioux, Mrs Nicole Pery, Mrs Barbara Castle, Ms Carole Tongue, Mr John Hume, Mr Kenneth Collins, Mr Alexander Falconer, Mr Win Griffiths, Mr Michael Hindley, Mr Geoffrey Hoon, Mr Leslie Huckfield, Mr Stephen Hughes, Mr Michael McGowan, Mr Terence Pitt, Mr Mario Did6, Mr Gianni Baget Bozzo, Mr Anselmo Guarraci, Mr Martio Rigo, Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin, Mr Ernest Glinne, Mr Willy Vernimmen, Mr Jose Happart, Mrs Ien van den Heuvel, Mrs Phili Viehoff, Mr Robert Cohen, Mr Benjamin Visser, Mr Eisso Woltjer, Mr Ejner Christiansen, Mrs Magdalene Hoff, Mrs Beate Weber, Mr Rudiger Hitzigrath, Mr Dieter Rogalla, Mrs Lydie Schmit, Mr Roberto Formigoni, Mr Franco Borgo, Mr Roberto Costanzo, Mr Gerardo Gaibisso, Mr Ferruccib Pisoni, Mrs Mary Banotti, Mr Tom O'Donnell, Mr Thomas Raftery, Mr Dominique Baudis, Mr Otto Habsburg, Mrs Marie Jepsen, Mr Claus Toksvig, Mr Christopher Jackson, Mr Paul Howell, Mr Edward McMillan-Scott, Mrs Vera Squarcialupi, Mr Luc Beyer de Ryke, Mrs Winifred Ewing, Mrs Eileen Lemass, Mr Patrick Lalor, Mr Gene Fitzgerald, Mr Ray Mac Sharry, Mr Niall Andrews, Mr James Fitzsimons, Mr Sean Flanagan, Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke, Mr Willy Kuijpers, Mr Herman Verbeek, Mr Giorgio Almirante and Mr Marco Pannella to the Council Subject: Use of old hospital equipment to help the countries ,of the Third World ... 26
85/C 287/54 No 961/85 by Mr Derek Prag to the Commission Subject: Intervention stocks . 27
85/C 287/55 No 969/85 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Council Subject: Abolition of border checks 27
85/C 287/56 No 980/85 by Mr Emilio Molinari to the Council Subject: Political rights of Council officials ...... ^ 28
85/C 287/57 No 981/85 by Mrs Phili Viehoff to the Council Subject: Commercial and economic agreement between the People's Republic of China and the European Community .' 28
85/C 287/58 No 986/85 by Mr Alasdair Hutton to the Commission Subject: Forestry publications ....'. • • 28
85/C 287/59 No 1008/85 by Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin to the Council Subject: Social provisions in the iron and steel industry (early retirement, bridging pensions in cases of structural unemployment, etc.) . 29
85/C 287/60 No 1032/85 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission Subject: Financial aid to young farmers • • 29
85/C 287/61 No 1046/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Council Subject: New security lews in Turkey 29
(Continued on inside back cover) Contents (continued) Page
85/C 287/62 No 1048/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Commission Subject: British Milk Marketing Board 30
85/C 287/63 No 1067/85 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Council Subject: Commission proposals to the Council concerning 7th, 17th and 19th VAT Directives 30
85/C 287/64 No 1106/85 by Mr Karel Van Miert to the Council Subject: Community transport policy in the light of the decision on failure to act . . . 30
85/C 287/65 No 1121/85 by Mr Andrew Pearce to the Council Subject: Bank accounts denominated in ECU in Federal Republic of Germany 31
85/C 287/66 No 1129/85 by Mr Thomas Raftery to the Commission Subject: EC relations with Norway 31
85/C 287/67 No 1138/85 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Council Subject: Liberalization of international passenger traffic 31
85/C 287/68 1140/85 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Council Subject: Approval of Commission proposal concerning the safety of toys 32
85/C 287/69 No 1182/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Council Subject: The murder of Ann Dorothy Chapman 32
85/C 287/70 No 1183/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Council
Subject: Disappearance of the British citizen Brian Rawson 32
Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1182/85 and 1183/85 33
85/C 287/71 No 1227/85 by Mrs Danielle De March to the Council Subject: Sales of t-shirts bearing Hitler's effigy in Britain 33 85/C 287/72 No 1254/85 by Mr Willy Kuijpers to the Commission Subject: Right of consumers organizations and environmental pressure groups to bring legal proceedings 33
85/C 287/73 No 1267/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell to the Council Subject: Relations with Hungary 33
85/C 287/74 No 1288/85 by Mr Karl von Wogau to the Council Subject: Obstacles to intra-Community tourist coach traffic 34
85/C 287/75 No 1289/85 by Mr Karl von Wogau to the Council Subject: Mutual assistance by the competent authorities of the Member States in the field of direct taxation and VAT 34
85/C 287/76 No 1467/85 by Mr William Newton Dunn to the Commission Subject: Quality of drinking water 35 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/1
I
Information
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1688/84 What measures does the Council envisage in this parti by Mr Antonino Buttafuoco (DR — I) cular case and what line does it intend to take over these all-too-frequent incidents ? to the Council of the European Communities (18 January 1985) (85/C 287/01)
Subject: Seizure of Sicilian fishing boats by Libyan patrol WRITTEN QUESTION No 591/85 vessels in the Mediterranean by Mr Antonino Buttafuoco (DR — I) In view of the latest harrassment by the Libyan authorities to the Council of the European Communities against the fishing fleet of Scoglitti in the province of (3 June 1985) Ragusa, what steps does the Council intend to take to (85/C 287/03) safeguard once and for all the rights of Sicilian fishermen who are the victims of indiscriminate persecution in the Subject: Agreements on fisheries in the Mediterranean southern Mediterranean ? The Community's failure to conclude agreements on fisheries with Libya, Algeria and Malta is not only a serious and constant source of tension but also a very serious economic threat to fishermen in a Community region — Sicily — which is already considerably disad vantaged. WRITTEN QUESTION No 2199/84 1. In the specific case of bilateral agreements between the by Mr Antonino Buttafuoco (DR — I) European Community and Libya, Algeria and Malta to the Council of the European Communities can the Council report on the current state of negotia tions for agreements on fisheries with these states ? (11 March 1985) (85/C 287/02) 2. What measures does the Council intend to take to provide surveillance in the affected fishing areas so as Subject: The latest instance of a fishing-vessel being to guarantee the security and safety of Sicilian seized in the Sicilian Channel fishermen and to retaliate firmly in the face of acts of aggression on Sicilian fishing e vessels by Libyan, Fishing-vessels from Mazara del Vallo are continually Algerian or Maltese military patrol boats ? subject to treacherous attacks in the Sicilian Channel by patrol boats from North African countries.
On 2 February 1985, the motor vessels 'Gaspare Asaro' Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1688/84, and 'Nuovo Calipso' were seized after being fired on from 2199/84 and 591/85 close quarters, as a result of which many of the ships' (3 October 1985) crew were injured. The Council would draw the Honourable Member's atten Yet again, we are powerless in the face of treacherous acts tion to the fact that, in the fishing areas referred to in his of piracy committed against workers of a Member State of questions, Community measures for the conservation and the Community. management of fishery resources apply only to Italian No G 287/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85 territorial waters. No agreement on fisheries has been comparable income as laid down in Directive concluded in that area between the Community and 72/159/EEC by a system of direct aid in cases where the non-Member States, and no negotiations have been started actual increase in price is lower than the increase in with such States as yet. production costs ? As the events referred to by the Honourable Member took place outside. Italian territorial waters, they fall within the ambit of international law, and not Community law. In present circumstances, the Community has therefore no grounds for taking measures of the kind mentioned by the Honourable Member. Answer given by Mr Andriessen on behalf of the Commission (10 June 1985) WRITTEN QUESTION No 2304/M by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC — B) As part of the rationalization of the common agricultural to the Council of the European Communities policy, as set out in the Commission's communication to (18 March 1985) the Council of 29 July 1983 ('), the Commission stated (85/C 287/04) that it would propose 'in those cases where it would be necessary, further measures to alleviate the possible conse Subject: Rights of ethnic and cultural minorities in the quences for the incomes of certain small producers, or Community producers in certain less-favoured regions. Such measures, In October 1981 the European Parliament adopted a reso which would be defined on a Community basis and lution on the rights of ethnic and cultural minorities in limited to producers whose principal income is from agri the Community. culture, and whose opportunity for other economic acti vity is limited, could be financed totally or partly by the What action has the Council taken since then in response Community budget.' to that resolution ?
The Commission would point out to the Honourable Answer Member that such measures are already being applied. This is true both for agricultural producers in less- (3 October 1985) favoured areas and small-scale milk producers. 1. The resolution of 16 October 1981 to which the Honourable Member refers is addressed to national governments and regional and local authorities (paragraph Now that the process of rationalizing the CAP is under 1) and to the Commission (the subsequent paragraphs). way, the Commission is continuing its deliberations on the subject from the point of view of the future prospects 2. Furthermore, the Honourable Member's attention is for the common agricultural policy. drawn to the use of heading 636 which the Budget Authority introduced into the Community budget and under which the Commission allocates appropriations for Lastly, the Commission would draw the attention of the the preservation of regional languages and cultures. Honourable Member to the fact that Article 39 of the 3. To date, the Commission has not submitted to the EEC Treaty has as one of its objectives 'to ensure a fair Council any proposals dealing comprehensively with the standard of living for the agricultural community'. This is problems of ethnic and cultural minorities in the the underlying aim of the common agricultural policy Community. and of the new policy on agricultural structures in the form of Council Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 of 12 March 1985 on improving the efficiency of agricultural structures (2). This Regulation replaces Directive 72/159/EEC referred to by the Honourable Member.
WRITTEN QUESTION No 131/85 (') COM(83) 500 final. by Mr Bernard Thareau (S — F) 0 OJ No L 93, 30. 3. 1985. to the Commission of the European Communities (17 April 1985) (85/C 287/05) Subject: Guaranteed farm incomes Is the Commission studying the possibility of guaran teeing to farmers an income at least equivalent to the 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the, European Communities No C 287/3
WRITTEN QUESTION No 162/85 3. Will the Commission be organizing other schemes by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC — B) like this ? to the Commission of the European Communities (19 April 1985) (85/C 287/06)
. Subject: Free butter for West Berlin WRITTEN QUESTION No 945/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED —GB) From 15 April until 30 June West Berliners will receive a free packet of butter together with every packet purchased to the Commission of the European Communities at the normal price. (12 July 1985) (85/C 287/09) Can the Commission state : Subject: The Berlin butter lift (a) Why this is being done in West Berlin (b) Whether this free distribution of butter is also to take Under the special promotional exercise undertaken in place elsewhere ? West Berlin — the so-called 'buy one and get one, free' (c) What increase in butter sales the Commission will be campaign — 1 800 tonnes of butter have been off-loaded, requiring as a condition for extending the scheme ? half of it free. This has cost 2,9 million ECU. Handling, advertising and promotion cost a further 1,2 million ECU. How does the Commission justify virtually 4 million ECU being spent to spread butter on the bread of the prospe rous citizens of West Berlin ? WRITTEN QUESTION No 622/85 by Mr Andrew Pearce (ED — GB) to the Commission of the European Communities (5 June 1985) Joint answer given by Mr Andriessen _ on behalf of the .Commission (85/C 287/07) to Written Questions Nos 162/85, 622/85, 811/85 and 945/85 Subject: Butter prices (19 September 1985) As the Commission, in answer to my question The Commission wished to carry out a test of consumer H-646/80 ('), stated that price elasticity for butter in the habits in relation to butter, and in particular to assess the United Kingdom is very low, what evidence has it that possibilities of increasing butter consumption by means price elasticity for butter in Berlin is that much greater, of price reductions. Berlin (West) was chosen because it is thereby justifying the experiment in butter sales that is to the only area in the Community geographically isolated be carried out there ? from the, rest and hence largely free of outside influences. For this reason, such a test carried out there was likely to (') Debates of the European Paliament No 1-265 (January 1981). yield the most reliable results.
It ought also to be pointed out that the scheme contri buted to fulfilling undertakings made by the Community with regard to Berlin in view of its special status.
WRITTEN QUESTION No 811/85 The promotional scheme ended only on 30 June 1985. It is therefore too early to draw conclusions as far as the by Mr Horst Seefeld (S — D) results of the scheme are concerned. The same goes for to the Commission of the European Communities criticism or appraisal expressed by the press or by consu (2 July 1985) mers, of which the Commission has knowledge. (85/C 287/08) The Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member that an independent research institute is carrying Subject: Free Butter / out a thorough market study to measure the marginal costs and assess the effectiveness of the scheme at all 1. What is the Commission's assessment of the stages including the final consumer. outcome ot the free Comunity butter scheme in Berlin ? It is too early to say if the scheme will be repeated else 2. What is its reaction to the criticism by the Federal where. Association of Foodstuff Traders in Berlin that is 'caused nothing but problems for consumers and the retail trade alike' and 'we will not stand for any more experiments of this kind' ? No C 287/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
WRITTEN QUESTION No 252/85 income disparities increase the effects of austerity on the most deprived members, of society. by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED —GB) to the Foreign Ministers of the ten Member States The IMF is, in fact, imposing on the countries which it of the European Community meeting in political supports recovery plans which are designed to restore the cooperation country's capacity to pay. These plans are most frequently based on a strict monetary policy which reduces demand (29 April 1985) and results in a reduction in imports and investment, (85/C 287/10) cutbacks in the budget and social programmes, together with a fall in employment and the standard of living. Subject: Potential Norwegian membership of the Community Although the economic policy of the Alfonsin govern ment might be criticized, the action taken by the IMF Have the Ministers meeting in political cooperation goes against democracy and the consolidation of the considered the possibilities of launching an initiative to democratic regime in Argentina following the long and persuade Norway of the political and economic advan dark period of military rule. tages of membership of the Community ? Do the Minis ters feel able to express the view that Norwegian acces The countries in debt are entitled to determine their own sion would balance the increasingly Mediterranean aspect fate, i.e. their development strategy and international of the Community ? Will the Ministers consider such an involvement and are justified in not wanting to be subor initiative ? dinated to those administering the debt by order and for account of the IMF.
What view do the Ministers take on this issue ? What aid is Europe granting or prepared to grant to the young and Answer (*} vulnerable democracy in Argentina ? (3 October 1985)
The Council would recall that under the Treaty any Euro pean State may take the initiative of applying for membership of the Community. Answer (*) (3 October 1985) The Council has received no indication of any intention on Norway's part of submitting a request along these The Honourable Member's question concerns relations lines. The matter has therefore not been discussed. between Argentina and the IMF, and therefore falls outside the Council's sphere of competence. (') This reply has been given by the Council of the European Communities, Within whose province the question came. (') This reply has been given by the Council of the European Communities, within whose province the question came.
WRITTEN QUESTION No 253/85 WRITTEN QUESTION No 325/85 by Mr Ernest Glinne (S — B) by Mrs Johanna Maij-Weggen (PPE — NL) to the Foreign Ministers of the ten Member States to the Commission of the European Communities of the European Community meeting in political (4 May 1985) cooperation (85/C 287/12) (29 April 1985) (85/C 287/11) Subject: Signature and ratification by the Member States of the Community of the UN Convention on Subject: The IMF and Argentina the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women The International Monetary Fund has suspended all financial aid to Argentina in order to force Buenos Aires 1. Can the Commission indicate which Member States to apply its austerity programme, which is causing of the Community have signed and/or ratified the UN extreme hardship to the ordinary people whose standard Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimina of living is already far from high and in a country where tion against women? 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/5
2. Will it encourage those Member States which have 1. Is it correct that the Commission intends to sign a not yet signed or ratified that Convention to do so imme cooperation agreement under Article 101 (3) of the diately, and if so, how will it encourage them ? Euratom Treaty with organizations capable of setting up an information system on irregular occurrences in 3. Is it possible for the Community as such to sign and nuclear reactors ? ratify that Convention ?
4. If so, when will the Commission submit the appro 2. Is it correct that the sole organization consulted in priate proposal ? Belgium is 'Verenigde Energiebedrijven va.n het Schel- deland' ?
3. What justification can the Commission offer for not Answer given by Mr Pfeiffer involving the authorities responsible for the nuclear reactors in the Mosan basin in this operation ? on behalf of the Commission (9 September 1985) . 4. Does the Commission not think that the Walloon 1. With the exception of Ireland, all the Member States region should be consulted ? of the European Communities have signed the United Nations Convention on the elimination of all farms of discrimination against women which came into effect on 5. What measures does the Commission intend to take to 5 September 1981. To date, three Member States have rectify this act of negligence ? deposited instruments ratifying the Convention: Denmark on 21 April 1983, Greece on 7 June 1983 and France on 14 December 1983.
2. Given that the provisions in the Convention are far less rigorous and specific than those in Community law it is difficult for the Commission to encourage the Member Answer given by Lord Cockfield States to accede to the Convention. on behalf of the Commission 3 and 4. According to the provisions of the Conven (9 September 1985) tion, only individual States can sign and ratify the Convention. To make it possible for a body which is not a State to accede to the Convention, a clause would have to 1. The Commission does plan to conclude an agree be added to it allowing participation of such entities. ment with a number of bodies on the constitution and Procedure for the revision of the Convention is laid down working methods of an Abnormal Occurrences Reporting in Article 26: A request for the revision of the present Systems Association (AORSA), with a view to setting up Convention may be made at any time by any State party an information system on abnormal occurrences in by means of a notification in writing addressed to the nuclear reactors. The draft agreement is the subject of a Secretary-General of the United Nations. The General Commission communication ('). Assembly of the United Nations shall decide upon the steps, if any, to be taken in respect of such a request. 2. All European nuclear power station operators have been consulted and invited to join the Association; the only Belgian operator to join so far is EBES (Verenigde Energiebedrijven van het Scheldeland), and only in respect of power stations Doel 1 and 2.
3. As indicated above, those responsible for the nuclear reactors in the Mosan basin have also been invited to join the Association. While they have not so far agreed to join, WRITTEN QUESTION No 367/85 there is nothing to stop them doing so in future since the by Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin (S — B) Association is open to all European power station opera to the Commission of the European Communities tors. However, information on abnormal occurrences affecting the Tihange 1 power station may enter the (8 May 1985) system via EDF since it takes part in the operation of (85/C 287/13) Tihange 1. The operators of Tihange i, like those of Doel 1 and 2, will therefore have access to all the information Subject: Nuclear safety — agreement to establish a stored in the system. system of information on irregular occurrences in nuclear reactors 4. Only bodies able to provide technical information With regard to this agreement, we note the lack of any on abnormal occurrences in nuclear reactors have been contact with the Tihange plant and the Walloon region : consulted. No C 287/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
5. The Commission is keeping in touch with all Euro possible market share for oil country tubular goods pean power station operators who are not yet members of (CCTG). the Association in order to facilitate their joining at a later When it became known that the United States was date. prepared to agree on an overall quota for Community (') COM(85) 137 final, 24 April 1985. produced pipes and tubes equivalent to 7,6 % of apparent US consumption in 1985 and 1986, the Council directed the Commission to negotiate, within the overall limit a sub-quota for CCTGs which would afford greater export possibilities for these products than for other types of pipes and tubes. The sub-quota of 10 % of apparent US CCTG consumption finally agreed upon by the Commu nity and the United States met the requirements of the WRITTEN QUESTION No 421/85 Council negotiating directive. by Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin (S — B) to the Council of the European Communities (9 May 1985) (85/C 287/14)
Subject: Portuguese presidency WRITTEN QUESTION No 456/85 Under the alphabetical rota system Portugal is due to by Mr Terence Pitt (S — GB) assume the presidency of the Council six months after its to the Council of the European Communities accession to the Community. Have any special measures (3 October 1985) been taken to assist Portugal in this matter ? (85/C 287/16) Subject: Increased agricultural productivity in Spain and Answer Portugal (3 October 1985) Would the Council indicate its present broad quantitative Under the Treaty of Accession, the present round of judgment of how the agriculture sectors in Spain and Presidencies of the Council will be completed at the end Portugal will increase productivity in 1986 and 1987 of 1986 and first six-year cycle will begin in 1987, during under the stimulus of the price regime which will then be which the Presidency of the Council will be held by the in force ? Member States under an alphabetical rota system. Under In doing so, will the Commission bear in mind that these circumstances, Portugal will hold the Presidency of whilst no one yet knows the outcome of the price reviews the Council for the first time during the first half of 1992. for these years, a judgment, however qualified, of addi tional agricultural production is central to serious budget planning ?
Answer (3 October 1985) WRITTEN QUESTION No 453/85 by Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin (S — B) Increased agricultural productivity in Spain and Portugal to the Council of the European Communities in 1986 and 1987 depends on many factors, and a quanti tative estimate of what proportion of this increase is likely (20 May 1985) to result from the influence of the price system which (85/C 287/15) will then be in force would be risky, not only because of Subject: Allocation of quotas for exports of tubes to the the absence of price fixing for the two marketing years in question, but also because of the difficulty of anticipating USA the outcome of the restructuring measures carried out in Will the Council tell us what its guidelines are for the Spain and Portugal. OCTG's share in the overall quota ? In order to be worthwhile, such an estimate requires a On what criterion will it base the OCTG's share ? clearer understanding of the various factors involved. The Council would point out, moreover, that the transi tional measures laid down by the Treaty of Accession in Answer the agricultural sphere will have the effect of spreading (3 October 1985) over a period of time any influence which the price system may have on increased agricultural productivity in The Council considered that one of the objectives of the Spain and Portugal. negotiations with the United States for a self-restraint Arrangement on Community exports of steel pipes and tubes to that country should be to secure the largest 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/7
WRITTEN QUESTION No 472/85 Moreover, to make these measures obligatory, the Commission has included them in Article 9 of the by Mr Benjamin Visser (S — NL) proposal for a directive which it presented to the Council to the Commission of the European Communities on 23 January 1985 on the easing of controls and forma (20 May 1985) lities applicable to nationals of the Member States when crossing intra-Community borders (3). The article (85/C 287/17) remained unchanged in the amended proposal (4).
Subject: Arrival at Community airports (passport control) This proposal is currently before the Council. (') OJ No C 197, 31. 7. 1982, pp. 6 and 7. The sometimes very long periods of waiting experienced 0 OJ No C 159, 19. 6. 1984, pp. 1 and 2. by air passengers could be avoided if the recommenda 0 OJ No C 47, 19. 2. 1985, pp. 5 to 7. tions set out below were adopted. Increasing use is already (4) COM(85) 224 final. being made of 'green channels' at border crossings for road traffic. A similar system at Community airports would bring a 'Europe without frontiers' one step nearer where air transport is concerned.
1. Is the Commission prepared to press for a distinction to be made at Community airports — certainly as regards passport control — between nationals of Community countries and those of non-Community countries ? WRITTEN QUESTION No 490/85 by Mrs Jacqueline Thome-Patenotre (RDE — F) 2. Does the Commission agree that this could be done by to the Council of the European Communities introducing separate passport control 'channels' for Community nationals (e.g. green channels) and (20 May 1985) nationals of non-Community countries (e.g. red chan (85/C 287/1-8) nels) ? In the case of Community nationals spot checks would be sufficient. Subject: The publication of a European school history manual
Is the Council in favour of the publication of a school history manual ?
If so, what specific measures does it intend taking and Answer given by Lord Cockfield when does it wish it to be published ? on behalf of the Commission (19 September 1985)
The Honourable Member's suggestion that special pass Answer port channels reserved for nationals of Community coun (3 October 1985) tries should be set up at airports has been the subject of a number of proposals. At their meeting on 3 June 1985 the Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, As early as 1982, point 4 of the draft Council resolution adopted a set of conclusions on improving the treatment presented by the Commission on 9 July 1982 on the of the European dimension in education. They stated that easing of the formalities relating to checks on citizens of teaching about the European dimension is part and parcel Member States at the Community's internal frontiers, of the education of the future citizens of Europe. They provided for the establishment 'at frontier posts in also considered it necessary, within the framework of and airports and ports' of 'general channels for citizens of in accordance with the methods of their respective educa Member States' ('). In response to this proposal, the tion systems, to give fresh impetus to the introduction of Council and the representatives of the Governments of a European dimension into education. the Member States, meeting within the Council, adopted a resolution on 7 June 1984 suggesting that the Member The concrete measures they envisaged include the deve States should: lopment of appropriate teaching material by the compe tent authorities with the aid of the Commission and '— set up special check-points for the nationals of the increasing pupils' interest in other Community countries, Member States, if crossing-time would be reduced as for example by encouraging European history composi a result, tions, — carry out any checks which are considered necessary on these nationals by means of spot checks, unless this is not possible for reasons of public security.' (2) No C 287/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
WRITTEN QUESTION No $32/85 percentage of each country's rice crop going to domestic consumption and export respectively ? by Mr Willy Kuijpers (ARC — B) to the Commission of the European Communities (24 May 1985) Answer given by Mr Natali, on behalf of the Commisison (85/C 287/19) (6 September 1985) Given the quantity of the statistical information Subject: Importation, of rice from ACP countries requested, the figures are being transmitted direct to the Honourable Member as well as to Parliament's Secretariat. Will the Commission provide figures of the annual rice The following table contains some of the more important production of each ACP country, together with the statistics.
Importance of rice for the ACP States fOOO tonnes)
Paddy (') production Rice imports Rice exports
1982 1983 1982 1983 1982 1983
Mali 145 122 71 80 Senegal 105 70 359 360 — • — Guinea 300 300 47 77 Sierra Leone 583 609 85 80 Liberia 250 250 92 110 Ivory Coast 450 430 357 359 — Nigeria 1 376 1000 651 700 — Zaire 251 258 33 ' 33 Tanzania 418 400 117 65 Mozambique 50 30 87 110 — — Madagascar 1 967 2 147 354 219 — — Malawi 33 33 — — - 3 2 Guyana 303 220 — — 39 50 Suriname 280 280 — — 110 132
ACP (65 States) 7 061 6 633 3 138 3 078 160 188
(') The rice/paddy ratio is approximately 67 %.
The following comments may be made on the basis of (v) The statistics are supplied by the FAO. They may in these figures : some cases be inexact estimates, particularly as regards production. (i) With regard to production, Madagascar and Nigeria are by far the largest producers. In relation to their population, rice is also important for a number of coastal West African countries.
(ii) It is chiefly the producer countries which are also importers. Nigeria is, in absolute terms, the largest importer. In relation to their population, Senegal and WRITTEN QUESTION No 550/85 Ivory Coast import very large quantities. by Mrs Undine Bloch von Blottnitz (ARC — D) to the Commission of the European Communities (iii) Only Guyana and Suriname are significant exporters, though Guyana's exports are on the decline. (3 June 1985) (85/C 287/20) In the case of Suriname, 70 % of its production was Subject: Community directives on drinking water exported in 1983 (based on paddy/rice conversion). Malawi exports a steady, small quantity of rice. I consider that my Written Question No 1805/84 (') to the Commission has not been answered adequately. I (iv) The ACP States' total rice exports cover no more than should therefore like to put a number of further ques some 5 % of their total imports. tions. 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/9
Progress in, implementing the Community Directive of 3. No information has been communicated to the 1980 on drinking water in the individual Member States Commission by the Member States. has been variable and slow. (') OJ No L 229, 30. 8. 1980, p. 11. 1. What stage has been reached, as at the date of this question, in the proceedings against Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Luxembourg, for infringement of the Treaty ? WRITTEN QUESTION No 574/85 2. The Commission's answer to my question about the by Mrs Marijke Van Hemeldonck (S — B) reasons for the delay in implementing the Directive is to the Council of the European Communities couched in very general terms. Why does the Commis (3 July 1985) sion not have more detailed information to hand ? (85/C 287/21) Subject: Article 223 of the EEC Treaty on the protection 3. Has the Commission received, as the date of this ques of and trade in arms tion, any notification from the individual Member States as to when they intend to implement the above Could the Council state Directive ? 1. whether it has published the list of products (arms, munitions and war material) to which the Treaty does (') OJ No C 135, 3. 6. 85, p. 30. not apply (pursuant to Article 223) ('); — if so, where and when ? — if not, (a) why not ? , (b) will the Council now publish it ? Answer given by Mr Clinton Davis 2. when this list was last added to ? on behalf of the Commission 3. whether the following products are covered by Article (19 September 1985) 223(l)(b): (a) military aircraft (the Tornado and the FEFA) 1. Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (b) space weapons (SDI and Eureka) ? have now adopted legislation to comply with Directive 4. whether it considers that the European Parliament has 80/778/EEC ('), so that the infringement procedures to be consulted if the list is amended as provided for initiated against them have been, or are about to be, in Article 223 (3) ? dropped. (') See the Commission's answer to the Written question by Mrs No infringement procedure has been initiated against the Hammerich (OJ No C 73, 17. 3. 1983, p. 19). Unitd Kingdom as that country's legislation is already in line with the Directive. Preliminary answer The Federal Republic of Germany has sent the Commis (3 October 1985) sion a copy of its legislation relating to drinking water. The Council would first like to point out that it does not The Italian authorities have not yet replied to the share the opinion apparently held by the Honourable Commission's reasoned opinion. Member with regard to the effects of the list of products in question. It is incorrect to say that these are products 2. Pursuant to Article 5 of the EEC Treaty, Member to which the EEC Treaty does not apply- To be specific, States must take all appropriate measures, whether general the provisions of Article 223 (1) (b) apply to these or particular, to ensure fulfilment of the obligations products. Under the said subparagraph, the provisions of arising out of the EEC Treaty or resulting from action the Treaty shall not preclude any Member State from taken by the institutions of the Community. They must taking such measures as it considers necessary for the also facilitate the achievement of the Community's tasks. protection of the essential interests of its security which are connected with the production of or trade in the products on the list in question ; such measures shall not The Commission is required under the Treaties to ensure adversely affect the conditions of competition in the that Treaty provisions and any decisions taken by the common market regarding products which are not instititutions are properly implemented. To this end, it intended for specifically military purposes. has powers under the infringement procedure provided for in Article 169 of the EEC Treaty. Having initiated the The Council Decision of 15 April 1958 is a Decision abovementioned infringement procedures, the Commis within the meaning of Article 189 of the Treaty establi sion has made full use of the powers conferred on it by shing the European Economic Community and was noti the Treaties. fied to the Member States. As publication of the Deci- No C 287/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
sions referred to in Article 189 is not compulsory, the — the Soviet Union (35 %), and Council did not at the time consider it appropriate to — Algeria (between 20 and 23%). publish the Decision to which the Honourable Member refers. Given the distinctive pattern of European imports (i.e. one-third coming from within the Community) and, The list of products covered by Article. 223 (1) (b) of the secondly, the concentration on three main supplier coun Treaty establishing the European Economic Community tries from outside the Community and the trade links has not been amended since it was drawn up, and the between the Community and those countries, I should be Commission has not, moreover, submitted any proposal grateful if the Commission would endeavour to persuade to that effect. The Council is not at present aware of any the Member States to pay for their imports of natural gas new factor which would induce it to envisage publishing in ECU instead of dollars from now on thereby giving the list. practical expression to the desire expressed by the Commission to expand the use of the ECU. Nor does it feel obliged to answer point 3 (a) of the Honourable Member's question. What does the Council think ?
As regards the Honourable Member's reference to the SDI and Eureka, the Council would draw her attention to the fact that the SDI is a US programme, while Eureka, which Answer is now being examined, is a French government initiative with civil objectives. (3 October 1985) The Council has not yet discussed the question of Lastly, as regards optional consultation of the European whether European imports of natural gas should be paid Parliament on any future Commission proposal for the for in ECU instead of dollars. amendment of the list of products, the Council would examine the matter if such a proposal were placed before it, taking into account inter alia its position at that time on the possibility of publishing the list.
WRITTEN QUESTION No 636/85 by Mr Bryan Cassidy (ED — GB) to the Commission of the European Communities (5 June 1985) (85/C 287/23) WRITTEN QUESTION No 615/85 Subject: Sending of intervention wheat to the famine- by Mr Gerard Deprez (PPE — B) stricken areas of Africa to the Council of the European Communities There are 43 000 tonnes of grain held in intervention (5 June 1985) stocks in my Euro-consjtituency of Dorset East and (85/C 287/22) Hampshire West. In cooperation with the local radio station in my constituency — Two Counties Radio — I planned to launch an appeal to raise money to send some Subject: Payment for European imports of natural gas in of this intervention wheat to the famine-stricken areas of ECU instead of dollars Africa. The charity to which we proposed to give the wheat was the Save the Children Fund. Every year the Member States of the European Commu nity import large quantities of natural gas : 3 500 000 tera- Simultaneously, the Community decided to allocate an joules in 1982, 3 600 000 in 1983 and 4 000 000 in 1984. extra 1 500 tonnes of grain to the Save the Children Fund. Roughly one-third of these imports come from within the Community: 1 300 000 terajoules in 1982 and 1983 and It should have been possible, therefore, to arrange for this 1250 000 in 1984. The remainder (slightly over two- additional 1 500 tonnes to come from the intervention thirds) is imported almost entirely from three countries : stocks held in my constituency. The British authorities were prepared to agree to this, as were the Commission — Norway (which accounts for between 41 and 43 % of officials concerned with aid. However, there was a major non-Community imports), obstacle put in our way, which has thwarted this plan. 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/11
This obstacle is the so-called 'machinability test'. It WRITTEN QUESTION No 677/85 appears that the Commission prefers to supply flour as by Mrs Phili Viehoff (S — NL) food aid rather than grains because quite often there are no milling facilities in the recipient countries and, in any to the Commission of the European Communities case, to supply flour saves the non-governmental organi (10 June 1985) zations distributing the aid the cost of milling. (85/C 287/24) , However, the machinability test applied by the Commis sion requires hard wheat and flour suitable for baking Subject: Nuclear cooperation agreement between Bel white bread as consumed by citizens of the Community. gium and China As it happens, British wheat does not meet this machina bility test because it is not hard wheat. At the same time, On 18 April Belgium signed a nuclear cooperation agree the people of the famine-stricken areas of Africa do not ment with the People's Republic of China. eat white bread of the type eaten by citizens of the Community. The machinability test is therefore unneces China has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) sarily stringent. In consequence, the 1 500 additional and the American Congress has therefore refused to ratify tonnes for the Save the Children Fund did not come from a similar agreement with China. the intervention stocks in my constituency; they were taken from intervention stocks in Belgium instead. The Belgian Prime Minister stated that China would observe the rules of nuclear non-proliferation and that 1. Can the Commission confirm that it applies the China would not re-export Belgian nuclear material machinability test described above ? without Belgian agreement. 2. If so, is this test not unnecessarily stringent ? What are the Commission's views on this Belgo-Chinese 3. Given that British wheat is suitable for human nuclear cooperation agreement in view of the NPT and consumption in a number of ways — unleavened the desirability of non-proliferation ? bread, biscuits — would the Commission not agree that its present machinability test adds unnecessarily to What means does the IAEA still have to exercise control the expense of food aid ? over such agreements with non-NPT countries ?
4. Would the Commission agree to introduce a machina Is the Commission aware of any tangible means at bility test which enables flour milled from British- Belgium's disposal for verifying the Chinese promise ? grown grain to be sold as food aid to Africa ? Does it not take the view that Belgium may simply be having the wool pulled over its eyes, such promises being far from watertight and undesirable from the point of Answer given by Mr Andriessen view of non-proliferation ? on behalf of the Commission (13 September 1985)
1. Yes.
2. The Community is mindful of the need to protect Answer given by Mr Mosar its image and accordingly ensures that the products it on behalf of the Commission supplies as food aid are all of unimpeachable quality. (16 September 1985) The machinability test is at present the Community's surest method for guaranteeing that common wheat or The nuclear cooperation agreement between Belgium and common-wheat flour is suitable for processing into stan China, signed on 18 April 1985, had been communicated dard-type bread. to the Commission beforehand pursuant to Article 103 of the Euratom Treaty. Under the terms of that Article the 3. British soft wheat which fails the machinability test Commission is required to verify whether the draft agree- can only be supplied as food aid at the specific request of . ment communicated to it 'contains clauses which impede the recipient country or organization. No recipient the application of this Treaty'. In the case of the agree country or organization has so far asked for common ment in question the Commission did not find any wheat of a type other than that used for breadmaking. clauses of this type.
The type of common wheat on which the food-aid budget The Commission understands that although the United is based is that of breadmaking quality. States has not yet concluded the nuclear cooperation agreement with China, this is not because China has not 4. No. signed the NPT. In the report submitted to Congress in January 1985 on the implementation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act, the US Administration declared as follows with regard to China : No C 287/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
'People's Republic of China. Negotiations on a new agree for economic reasons, with reference to the FNE contract ment for cooperation were completed in 1984, and a applicable to workers resident in France. proposed text was initialed in Beijing on April 30, 1984. Review of the text of the agreement by the pertinent In this instance, a deduction of 5,5 % in respect of social government agencies and the Nuclear Regulatory security is applied to such workers by way of solidarity, Commission has confirmed that the text meets all of the but does not entitle them, unlike French residents, to requirements of US law. The document will be submitted health care and validation of the quarterly periods for to the President for approval, authorization of signature pensions. and submission to the Congress once the US reaches a full mutual understanding with China on matters relating Can the Council state whether this is normal and compa to the implementation of the agreement. Efforts toward tible with the rules on the free movement of labour that end are continuing.' within the Community ?
As regards China's position in relation to the NPT, the Commission would draw the Honourable Member's atten tion to the following facts : WRITTEN QUESTION No 718/85 — under the terms of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, by Mr Raphael Chanterie (PPE —B) China has the status of a 'nuclear-weapon state', to the Council of the European Communities -r- China has been a member of the International Atomic (17 June 1985) Energy Agency (IAEA) since 11 October 1983. (85/C 287/26)
China has not yet signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Subject: Social situation of French/Belgian frontier but when it joined the IAEA it declared that it would workers who have taken early retirement continue to take a 'conscientious and responsible attitude' in this field and that it would take into account the provi Does the Council intend to take a decision in the near sions of the Statutes of the IAEA, particularly as regards future on the proposal submitted by the Commission as safeguards, in its international nuclear cooperation and in long ago as 1980 and seeking to rectify the lacunae in its transfers of nuclear materials, equipment and techno Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 (') which, since it does not logy. refer specifically to workers who have taken early retire ment, results in discrimination against one category of The Commission confirms that according to the provi migrant workers, in violation of Articles 48 and 51 of the sions of the agreement China may not re-export nuclear Treaty of Rome ? materials of Belgian origin to third countries without prior consent from Belgium. (') OJ No L 149, 5. 7. 1971, p. 2.
Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 700/85 and 718/85 (3 October 1985) I On 10 June 1980 the Commission submitted a proposal to amend, in favour of unemployed workers, Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71. The aim of this proposal is to settle the problems WRITTEN QUESTION No 700/85 mentioned by the Honourable Members. by Mr Ernest Glinne (S — B) The proposal has been examined within the Council's to the Council of the European Communities subordinate bodies, but the Council has been unable to (17 June 1985) reach a decision on it. (85/C 287/25) The attention of the Honourable Member, Mr Glinne, is drawn to the fact that it is for the Commission to ensure Subject: Situation of frontier-zone workers made redun that national measures are compatible with Community dant for economic reasons provisions.
My attention has been drawn to the case of Belgian fron tier-zone workers who have spent all or part of their working lives in France and have been made redundant 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/13
WRITTEN QUESTION No 704/85 a growth industry and sees no point in seeking new by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED —GB) arrangements to take the place of the existing set-up. to the Commission of the European Communities 3. Discussions on European participation in the (17 June 1985) American space station project were held between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the National Aero (85/C 287/27) nautics and Space Administration (NASA). They resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Under Subject: A European aerospace policy standing between the two agencies on European parti cipation in the project definition studies. The Fontainebleau Summit contained what appeared to be a specific commitment to create a European aerospace 4. The French Eureka project has no military objectives policy. What progress has the Commission now made in such as the interception of ballistic missiles. Its tech working towards the achievement of that idea ? Will the nological aims are civil in nature, so no ready compa Commission : rison can be made with 'Star Wars'.
1. Publish a consultative green paper outlining those 5. It is up to the European Space Agency, on the basis of areas where it believes a Community commitment to its discussions with the American authorities, to iden aerospace could be effective; . tify areas of practical cooperation, such as weather satellites and exploration of the solar system. 2. Agree that Community investment in future extension of the Airbus range should replace national invest 6. The Commission is keeping a weather eye on the ment ; x development of new propulsion technologies and is currently examining to what extent, within the frame 3. Reveal the content of what discussions, if any, have work of the available financial instruments, it could taken place with the Americans concerning European give its backing to projects in this field. involvement in a space station project; (')OJNo C 228, 9. 9. 1985. 4. Also reveal what advantages, if any, the proposed 'Eureka' missile elimination system has over the so-called 'Star Wars' initiative proposed by President Reagan;
5. List those areas where practical cooperation can be developed between Europe and the USA on satellite and deep-space technology;
6. Agree that Community investment in the promotion of a new range of high-efficiency, low noise pure jet and turbo-fan engines fit for the 21st century should WRITTEN QUESTION No 721/85 be integral to any Community aerospace policy ? by Mr Eisso Woltjer (S — NL) to the Council of the European Communities (17 June 1985) (85/C 287/28) Answer given by Mr Narjes Subject: Implementation of the milk quota arrangements on behalf of the Commission (13 September 1985) 1. Is the Council aware of the differences in the inter pretation of the Council Decisions of 16 May 1985 on changes in the milk quota system, particularly the deci While calling for closer cooperation among European sions on the possibility of using revenue from the super- countries neither the European Council at Fontainebleau levy to finance arrangements for cessation of milk nor the Milan Summit envisaged a Community aerospace production ? x programme. 2. Can the Council say whether this option is also avai 1. The Commission does not think that it is necessary or lable to Member States which have exceeded the opportune at present to formulate a Community action maximum guaranteed quantity, as regards the levies on programme in the aerospace sector. production falling within the national quota ?
2. As it pointed out in its answer to Written Question No 3. Can the Council indicate what repercussions this 200/85 by Mr Beyer de Ryke('), it regards Airbus as a arrangement will have particularly on the levies to be paid telling example of successful European cooperation in to the Commission, for example by the Netherlands, and No C 287/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85 the possibility for such Member States of using some of September 1984 and was not found by the Spanish autho the proceeds from the superlevy for additional buying-up rities until 8 May 1985 ? Is the Council of Ministers also arrangements within the framework of the Decision ? aware of the murder of the Dutch national, Marina H. de Pree, a secretary at the Dutch Embassy in Madrid, whose body was found in Spain on 24 February 1984 ?
Answer 2. Can the Council of Ministers provide details of the cooperation between the various police forces concerned (3 October 1985) in the investigation of these two cases ? In regard to the question put by the Honourable Member, 3. Are there differences in the degree of cooperation the rules (') agreed to in principle by the Council on 16 between police forces of the Member States of the May 1985 and formally adopted by it on 23 May 1985 Community and with police forces of third countries or provide that, during the first two periods of 12 months of countries applying for membership of the Community ? operation of the milk super-levy system, the Member States are authorized to use the revenue from the levy to 4. If so, should efforts not be made to step up such finance national programmes of aid for the definitive cooperation before the accession of Spain and Portugal on abandonment of milk production, in so far as the quanti 1 January 1986? ties actually delivered to purchasers (dairies) and the quantities of direct sales actually effected do not exceed, 5. Does the Council of Ministers not share the view for the Member State concerned, the overall quantity esta that the free' movement of persons, goods,- services and blished respectively for deliveries and direct sales. capital between the Member States of the European Community requires close cooperation between the Consequently, under the rules in force, a Member State police forces and judicial authorities of those Member that has exceeded one of these overall national quantities States in order to combat jointly and with the greatest is obliged to pay to the Community the revenue from the possible effectiveness the entry of criminals and other levy collected corresponding to the amount of the excess undesirable elements into the Community ? recorded. However, the rules do not prevent the revenue from the levy on the part of the production within the 6. Is the Council of Ministers prepared to take rapid abovementioned overall national quantities from being action to speed up and promote the necessary cooperation used by the Member State in question to finance a and to inform the European Parliament of the results of national system of aid for the definitive abandonment of its action ? milk production.
Moreover, at the above meeting on 16 May 1985, the Answer Council took note of the Commission's intention of submitting to it, before 1 November 1985, a proposal to (3 October 1985) set up a Community system of premiums for the cessa 1 to 4 and 6. The question put by the Honourable tion of milk deliveries. Member is a matter for intergovernmental co-operation, (') Council Regulation (EEC) No 1305/85 of 23 May 1985 amen and is not within the competence of the Council. ding Regulation (EEC) No 857/84 adopting general rules for 5. The Council agrees that close cooperation in these the application of the levy referred to in Article 5 (c) of Regu lation (EEC) Np 804/68 in the milk and milk products sector areas helps to create conditions under which persons and (OJ No L 137, 27. 5. 1985, p. 12). goods are protected, and thus facilitates the achievement of the Community's aims.
WRITTEN QUESTION No 725/85 WRITTEN QUESTION No 735/85 by Mrs Jessica Larive-Groenendaal (L — NL) by Mr David Morris (S — GB) to the Council of the European Communities to the Council pf the European Communities (17 June 1985) (17 June 1985) (85/C 278/29) (85/C 287/30) Subject: Cooperation between the police forces and judi Subject: 'Recruitment competition' advertised on 28 July cial authorities in the Member States (and those 1984 applying for membership) When does the Council expect to complete its selection 1. Is the Council of Ministers aware of the tragic death procedure for the competition A/268, advertised last of Gillian Stuart Smith, an Englishwoman who had been July(')? working as a physiotherapist in Amsterdam for 14 years and who disappeared during a short holiday in Spain in (') OJ No C 199, 28. 7. 1984, p. 3. 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/15
Answer WRITTEN QUESTION No 751/85 (3 October 1985) by Mr Kenneth Collins (S — GB) The closing date for the receipt of applications for the to the Commission of the European Communities recruitment competition advertised on 28 July 1984 was (18 June 1985) 18 September 1984, and the Selection Board to deal with (85/C 287/32) these applications was constituted at the beginning of 1985. The advertisement concerned the establishment of Subject: Nitrate pollution of drinking water a reserve list for the recruitment of administrations for the Council Secretariat and resulted in over 5 000 applica 1. What action, if any, is the Commission proposing to tions, an exceptionally large number compared with take to force the UK Government to implement the previous competitions of a similar nature. Directive 80/778/EEC (') limiting nitrate pollution of drinking water which is due to come into force in August In these circumstances, the evaluation of the applications of this year ? has inevitably token a considerable time, but work in the Selection Board is proceeding well. It is now expected 2. Is the Commission aware that the UK Government that the written tests to which a selected number of is proposing to issue derogations which would effectively candidates will be invited, should be held during the autumn of this year. The selection procedure should be exempt water authorities from the obligation to comply completed by the end of 1985 or in early 1986. with the limit for nitrate ? Does the Commission consider that such derogations are consistent with general Community policy in this area and what risks does the Commission consider will be suffered by consumers as a result ?
3. To what extent does the Commission believe that time-limited delays for the implementation of Directive 80/778/EEC will pose a problem for Water Authorities WRITTEN QUESTION No 750/85 and risks for consumers and as a result does the Commis by Mr Karl von Wogau (PPE —D) sion propose to refuse, applications for such delays from to the Council of the European Communities Member States and if not, why not ? (18 June 1985) (') OJ No L 229, 30. 8. 1980, p. 11. (85/C 287/31) Subject: Introduction . of Community methods of sampling and analysis for the monitoring of foodstuffs intended for human consumption Answer given by Mr Clinton Davis The proposal submitted by the Commission for a Council on behalf of the Commission Directive concerning the introduction of Community (19 September 1985) methods of sampling and analysis for the monitoring of foodstuffs intended for human consumption (') is of The Commission certainly intends to obtain compliance considerable importance for the free movement of goods. 2 with Community law by the Member States, and will use Following a basically favourable opinion ( ) from the every means available to it under the EEC Treaty to do so. Economic and Social Committee, the European Parli ament has also approved the Commission's proposals for 3 Article 20 of Directive 80/778/EEC provides that Member a Directive ( ). States may, in exceptional cases and for geographically defined' population groups, submit a special request to the Can the Council state when it can be expected to discuss Commission for a longer period for complying with the Commission's proposal for a Directive ? Annex I. .« (') OJ No C 53, 24. 2. 1984, p. 9. (2) OJ No C 44, 15. 2. 1985, p. 1. The Commission has not yet received a formal request 0 OJ No C 46, 18. 2. 1985, p. 94. from the United Kingdom for exemption from the value applicable to nitrates. If the Commission receives a request to this effect it will examine its justification.
Answer As the Commission does not know what value or what (3 October 1985) action is proposed to ensure an improvement in the quality of water intended for human consumption, it The examination of the proposal for a Directive to which cannot deliver an opinion on the dangers to which consu the Honourable Member refers was recently initiated by mers would be exposed. the competent bodies of the Council. No C 287/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
WRITTEN QUESTION No 768/85 Member States relating to the sale of wrecked cars regis by Mr Floras Wijsenbeek (L — NL) tered in another Member State or of the prohibition of such a transaction in Italy. to the Commission of the European Communities (18 June 1985) The Commission considers that such a prohibition would (85/C 287/33) be incompatible with the free movement of goods within the common market. Subject: Road signs The Commission would, however, draw the Honourable Is the Commission willing, in the framework of regional Member's attention to the fact that, from a fiscal stand policy and with a view to promoting freedom of move point, a private vehicle can be used in the territory of a ment of persons in the Community, to encourage the use Member State other than that in which it is registered of multi-lingual road signs, particularly in border regions ? without any duty being levied, under a temporary impor tation procedure. Should the vehicle be sold in the terri tory into which it has been temporarily imported, the said exemption procedure terminates ipso facto. Answer given by Mr Clinton Davis Duties and taxes may then be payable by reason of the on behalf of the Commission final importation on condition that they do not result in (20 September 1985) any double taxation (see Cases 15/81 and 47/84 G. Schul) and that they are not disproportionate. The Commission is well aware of the problems which unilingual road signs sometimes pose drivers crossing As regards the specific case of 'means of transport regis frontiers, particularly when the place names in one tered in another Member State, transferred for a conside language are very different from those in the other. It will, ration with a view to their scrapping or demolition and without fail, look into ways of improving this state of which have been badly damaged following an accident or affairs. a duly proven criminal or malevolent act, which has taken place in the territory of the Member State into which the said means of transport had been temporarily imported', the Member States undertook, in the course of the delibe rations concerning Directive 83/181/EEC of 28 March 1983 (!) on final importation, to exempt such transfers of means of transport but suggested that provision be made for such exemption in the Directive on temporary impor tation. WRITTEN QUESTION No 771/85 The latter is being prepared by Commission staff. The by Mr Floras Wijsenbeek (L — NL) Member States are, accordingly, under no obligation at to the Commission of the European Communities present other than the declaration of intent. (18 June 1985) (85/C 287/34) Secondly, there is nothing to prevent Member States from taking appropriate measures to monitor the use to which Subject: Sale of car wrecks wrecked cars are put and, in particular, to prescribe road worthiness tests for vehicles that have been damaged in Is the Commission aware that, in the Community, the law accidents and are subsequently put back into service, on differs considerably with regard to the sale of cars condition that such tests are carried out without applying damaged in accidents bearing different number plates any distinction based on the origin of the damaged than those of the Member State where the accident vehicle. The Commission intends, moreover, to propose occurred and that such sales are even totally prohibited in that roadworthiness tests for private cars become a general Italy ? requirement, in connection with Road Safety Year in the Community, 1986. Does it consider such practices to be compatible with the freedom of movement of goods and is it prepared to take The Commission will, accordingly, obtain information on counter-measures ? the rules in force in Member States in this regard and will initiate, if necessary, infringement procedures against Member States whose law is not in conformity with Community law. Answer given by Lord Cockfield on behalf of the Commission (') OJ No L 105, 23. 4. 1983, p. 38. (9 September 1985) The Commission has not hitherto been informed of diffi culties arising from differences between the laws of the 11. 11. 85 . Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/17
WRITTEN QUESTION No 774/85 2. If not, why not ? by Mr Ferruccio Pisoni (PPE — I) 3. In view of Article 48 of the Treaty of Rome, does to the Council of the European Communities the Council accept that binding legislation to protect the (18 June 1985) European citizens involved in sporting events, especially attending and participating in football matches, is (85/C 287/35) urgently heeded, particularly since the proposals of the Council of Europe, though useful, are unlikely to be Subject; Massacre at Heysel Stadium either rapidly enacted or to be adequate.
Following the massacre at the Heysel Stadium: ' 4. If not, why not? 1. Does the Council of Ministers not intend to approach the international football associations to prevent all 5. If the Council is given authority by the European possibility of a recurrence of this type of tragedy, to Council to implement the report from the 'ad hoc call for the exclusion of British teams from all football committee on a People's Europe, will it give priority to competitions for a given period and to propose that all point 5.9.2. 'combating violence in and around the football competitions and tournaments should be stadium' ? , suspended unless adequate guarantees can be provided?
2. Does the Council not feel it should ask the Belgian authorities why they were so completely unprepared to host a football match of this importance and why they Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 774/85 and failed to take the necessary precautions or meet the 1000/85 most basic safety standards to protect Belgian and (3 October 1985) - foreign citizens and keep public order ? 3. Should Belgium not be forbidden to host future interr The Council deeply deplores the tragic events at the Heysel Stadium on 29 May 1985. national football matches as a direct consequence of this tragic display of organizational inefficiency ? It would point out in the first place that the maintenance 4. Will the Council, on the basis of the evidence it has of public order on the territory of each Member State is a collected, inform the European Parliament as to who matter for the latter's competent authorities and, secondly, was really to blame for this massacre and on the that it is for the sports associations in question as part of measures it intends to take ? their responsibilities to take whatever measures they deem advisable. 5. Does the Council not consider it essential to instruct the Commission to consider ways of preventing acts of At its meeting in Milan on 28 and 29 June 1985 the violence at sporting events, which constitute a threat to European Council asked the Ministers responsible in the European civilization and culture, the principles of Member States to meet and to step up concerted action as sport and the living conditions of our citizens as laid a matter of urgency with a view to combating violence in down in the Treaties of Rome ?. and around the stadium.
The Council welcomes the adoption by the Council of Europe on 23 July 1985 of a Convention on spectator violence and misbehaviour at sports events and in parti cular at football matches. This Convention will be open for signing as from 19 August and will enter into force once it has been ratified by three countries. It contains a WRITTEN QUESTION No 1000/85 set of adequate, binding measures. by Mrs Jessica Larive-Groenendaal (L — NL) As far as any Community directive on the matter is to the Council of the European Communities concerned, it would be for the Commission to take any (18 July 1985) initiatives it thought appropriate. In this connection the Council has taken note of point 6 of the Resolution of (85/C 287/36) the European Parliament of 11 June 1985 on the measures needed to combat vandalism and violence in Subject: Safety and combating violence in sport sport.
1. Has the Council Considered the problem of safety and the combating of violence in sport, since the disas trous disorders at the Brussels Heysel Stadium on 29 May 1985; No C 287/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
WRITTEN QUESTION No 775/85 reflect Community priorities as defined by the Council and in particular the action programmes in the area of by Mrs Francesca Marinaro (COM — I) employment and vocational training. to the Commission of the European Communities (18 June 1985) In its Management Guidelines for 1984, which were (85/C 287/37) extended to apply also to 1985, and again in its Guide lines for 1986 to 1988, the Commission decided, in view of the increasing pressure on Fund resources, to focus Subject:New guidelines of the European Social Fund -— assistance in respect of migrant workers and their fami financial years 1986 to 1988 lies, on those operations most directly concerned with improving employment opportunities within the Council Directive 77/486/EEC of 25 July 1977 (') on the Community. For this reason language training operations education of the children of migrant workers reflects a receive priority under the present Guidelines only when political determination to provide the same educational combined with vocational training and designed to assist facilities for the children of migrant workers from third integration into the Community labour market, i.e. countries as for those from Community Member States. covering only Member State territory. This applies to migrant workers as a whole, whether Member State nationals or nationals of third countries. The Commission Paragraph 4 (e) of the resolution on guidelines for a will again review its Fund management Guidelines by Community policy on migration adopoted by the EP on 9 1 May 1986 in the light of further experience and taking May 1985 calls for 'the right to teaching of the language account, inter alia, of any views expressed by the Euro and culture of the country of origin' to be extended to the pean Parliament in accordance with Article 6 of Council children of migrant workers from third countries.' Decision 83/516/EEC(').
•s However, paragraph 4.8.2 of the Commission report adop ting guidelines for the management of the European Where voluntary return to the country of origin is Social Fund 1986 to 1988 states that teaching of the concerned, Fund support cannot be extended to nationals mother tongue should apply solely to nationals of the of third countries since the aim of the Fund is the Member States. increase of geographical and occupational mobility within the Community. Does the Commission not feel that this decision is diametrically opposed to earlier decisions on this subject The fact that these limitations exist in respect of the and effectively excludes the possibility of providing scope and priorities of the Social Fund in no way under education in the mother tongue for the children of mines either the legal obligation of Member States to migrant workers from third countries, although these implement Directive 77/486/EEC concerning the educa people may ultimately return to their country of origin ? tion of migrant workers' children who are Community nationals, or the political commitment, made by Ministers Will the Commission not revise the new guidelines in the on the occasion of the adoption of the Directive, to light of the recent resolution adopted by the European extend similar educational facilities to the children of Parliament ? migrant workers from third countries.
(') OJ No L 199, 6. 8. 1977, p. 32. The Commission has shown moreover, through the series of pilot projects on the education of migrant workers' children carried out on the basis of the action programme in the field of education (2), that the 'promotion of the teaching of the mother tongue and culture of the country of origin' is vital to the full educational and personal development and hence the social and vocational integra Answer given by Mr Sutherland tion of migrant workers' children, irrespective of their on behalf of the Commission nationality and whether or not they choose later to return to the country of origin of their parents. (4 September 1985)
(') OJ No L 289, 22. 10. 1983, p. 38. Assistance may be granted from the European Social 2 Fund to cover benefits designed to facilitate the transfer ( ) See the progress report COM(84) 244 final. and integration of migrant workers and members of their families, irrespective of their nationality but providing they are resident in the territory of a Member State. In view of the disproportion between the volume of eligible applications for aid and available appropriations, it is the Commission's task, on the basis of its annual Manage ment Guidelines, to determine those operations which 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/19
WRITTEN QUESTION No 782/85 specifies which colourants may be used or which preser vatives are permitted but the national legislative authori by Mrs Raymonde Dury (S — B) ties then decide, e.ach for their own countries, to which to the Council of the European Communities foodstuffs they may be added and in what concentrations. (18 June 198$) As a result the differences between national regulations (85/C 287/38) can be quite marked. In the Federal Republic of Germany, for example, beetroot red (betanin) can be Subject: Copyright and cultural policy added as a colourant to fruit products to be converted into yoghurt. The same colourant may not, however, be added Following recent rapid developments in the use of tech to yoghurt. In Belgium, on the other hand, beetroot red nology in the cultural field, the number of violations of may not be added to fruit products to be converted into copyright protecting original artists and their assistants is yoghurt but it may be added to yoghurt. There are thou constantly increasing. sands of discrepancies of this kind between the national legislation of the EEC Member States. The technological boom is creating havoc in copyright legislation in all the Member States. Has the Commission drawn up practical proposals on the list of permitted food additives with a view to the esta 1. Will the Council state what progress has been made so blishment of a complete internal market by 1992? far on the harmonization of copyright legislation in the European Community ?
2. What solutions will the Council propose as a means of combating audio-visual piracy ? Answer given by Lord Cockfield on behalf of the Commission (9 September 1985) Answer (3 October 1985) The issues raised by the Honourable Member have not escaped the Commission's notice. In its white paper on 1. The Council has not yet received any Commission completing the internal market ('), the Commission proposals on copyright. announced two communications concerning the food stuffs sector, namely: 2. On 24 July 1984 the Representatives of the Govern ments of the Member States meeting within the Council — a communication on more efficient procedures (the adopted a resolution laying down a number of measures 'new approach') for the implementation of harmoniza to be taken by the Member States to combat audio-visual tion in accordance with Article 100 of the EEC pirating ('). Treaty; — a communication explaining the legal position arising in particular put of Articles 30 to 36 of the EEC Treaty. (') OJ No C 204, 3. 8. 1984, p, 1. The first of these communications will be submitted shortly to the Council and Parliament. It will be followed by a proposal for a general Directive on additives which, if adopted, should allow all cases of the type mentioned by the Honourable Member to be settled.
In the Commission's opinion, the specific case quoted by the Honourable Member can already be settled satisfacto rily on the basis of Articles 30 et seq. of the EEC Treaty. WRITTEN QUESTION No 816/85 In fact, yoghurts legally manufactured and marketed in by Mr Raphael Chanterie (PPE — B) Belgium must be allowed to move freely in the Federal Republic of Germany, just as those manufactured in that to the Commission of the European Communities Member State may not be excluded from Belgium. There (2 July 1985) is no reason why this rule should not apply to the case in (85/C 287/39) point.
Subject: List of permitted food additives (') COM(85) 310 final, paragraphs 71 and 156.
There exist EEC Directives on the "use of colourants and preservatives etc., but this sector has by no means been fully harmonized at Community level. In many cases, harmonization is merely horizontal, i.e. the EEC Directive No C 287/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11, 85
WRITTEN QUESTION No 846/85 Answer given by Mr Ahdriessen by Mr James ProVan (ED — GB) on behalf of the Commission to the Council of the European Communities (17 September 1985) (3 July 1985) The Commission, in reflecting on the perspectives for the (85/C 287/40) common agricultural policy, considered the question of revision of the export arrangements for agricultural Subject: Agricultural prices products and the instruments relating thereto. These reflections are now embodied in a consultative document In the light of the decisions taken by the European that has been sent to the other Community institutions Council at Fontainebleau and the implementing decisions and to other parties concerned at Community level ('). taken as a result, and in view of the need to give farmers greater stability of income and enable them to plan ahead, Like the Honourable Member the Commission is of the what view does the Council take of the Commission's opinion that 'if the Community is to retain a substantial suggestion that agricultural prices should be set for share of world exports of foodstuffs and other agricultural periods of longer than one yeair at a time ? products, and if its exports are to be the expression of a real export policy rather than the mere disposal of surpluses, it is necessary to review the present mecha nisms, which were introduced in other circumstances (when the Community was an importer).' (') In the docu Answer ment in question the Commission sets out a series of (3 October 1985) alternative courses of action that would achieve this aim. The Commission will take account of the views expressed In the communication on the common agricultural policy in the course of the discussion of these options that is (COM(83) 500) which it sent to the Council on 29 July about to ensue, and will in due course present its conclu 1983 further to the conclusions of the European Council sions in an appropriate form. in Stuttgart, the Commission did indeed state that it reserved the right, as regards certain products such as (') COM(85) 333 final. milk and cereals, to propose that common prices be fixed further ahead, e.g. iot two marketing years, in order to make the pricing policy more efficient. This idea was examined carefully by the Council in the course of the detailed discussions to which the Commission communi cation led, and very strong reservations were entered regarding the possibility of fixing prices in those sectors for two marketing years. WRITTEN QUESTION No 851/85 In its subsequent proposals on the fixing of prices for agricultural products, the Commission has not submitted by Mr James Provan (ED — GB) any proposal along the above lines. to the Commission of the European Communities (3 July 1985) (85/C 287/42) Subject: Agricultural trade
The Commissioner responsible stated at Siena that consi deration is being given to the idea of whether producers should be asked to cover the difference between prices on the world market and Community prices, citing the sugar WRITTEN QUESTION No 850/85 arrangements as a model for this. However, the sugar arrangements are based on a quota system. Does this idea by Mr James Provan (ED —GB) not contradict the Commission's stated preference for the to the Commission of the European Communities price mechanism, rather than quotas, in order to achieve (3 July 1985) better balance in the market ? (85/C 287/41)
Subject: Agricultural export refunds Answer given by Mr Andriessen The cost of agricultural export refunds is now approxima on behalf of the Commission tely five times greater than the revenue from levies, and (17 September 1985) now accounts for almost 36 % of the agricultural budget. Given the original intention of the system, does the It was not the intention of the Member of the Commis Commission not think that a far-reaching revision of the sion with responsibility for agriculture to cite the sugar system of refunds should be envisaged ? arrangements as a model to be followed in the other 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/21 sectors for making producers bear some of the risks national relations. Thus he emphasized that all thinking involved in export to the world market. The intention in concerning adjustments to the arrangements applicable to referring to the sugar arrangements was merely to give an the import and export of agricultural produce must rest example to indicate that a start in that direction has on certain basic principles which could be expressed in already been made. the form of a three-fold resolve : — To maintain our position on world import and export The Honourable Member will find a general survey of the markets, while abiding by our international obliga various options available in this area in the consultative tions, document on perspectives for the common agricultural policy that the Commission has sent to the other — To retain a system of import levies and export refunds Community institutions and to other parties concerned at as a means of stabilizing our internal market in line Community level ('). with the Treaty objectives,
(•) COM(85) 333 final. — To keep Community preference, which is one of the fundamental principles of the common agricultural policy.
The Commission reaffirmed these basic principles in its discussion paper on the perspectives for the common agricultural policy (') which it forwarded to the Commu nity institutions and to other interested parties at Community level. However, this did not prevent the Commission from tackling fairly directly the two major WRITTEN QUESTION No 853/85 questions arising as regards the Community's external trade arrangements for agriculture, namely: by Mr James Provan (ED — GB) to the Commission of the European Communities — What adjustments must be made to the Community's present export arrangements if it is to go on supplying (3 July 1985) the world market with its exports of food and other (85/C 287/43) agricultural products ? Subject: Common agricultural policy — Would it be possible to adjust the existing import arrangements so that they were better balanced The Commissioner responsible stated at Siena that he commercially and caused less of a drain on the regards the following premises as the ones on the basis of budget ? which we must proceed : Contrary to the view which the Honourable Member 1. We must maintain our position on world markets. appears to be expressing, the Commission considers that 2. We must retain our system of import levies and export the fact that it has asked such important questions and refunds. has proposed adjustments to the external trade arrange ments which would eliminate the problems resulting 3. We must implement Community preference. from current policies provides clear proof of its determi nation not to avoid looking at fundamental questions. Is it appropriate to maintain these concepts as funda mental premises when it is precisely the application of (•) COM(85) 333 final. these which is costing the Community too much ? How can we enhance and consolidate the considerable benefits achieved by the CAP over the past 20 years unless we are prepared to look at all fundamental questions ?
Answer given by Mr Andriessen on behalf of the Commission (13 September 1985) WRITTEN QUESTION No 875/85 by Mr James Provan (ED — GB) At the informal meeting of Ministers of Agriculture held to the Council of the European Communities in Siena on 28 May 1985, when he set out the main lines of the debate in progress within the Commission on the (3 July 1985) perspectives for the common agricultural policy, the (85/C 287/44) Member of the Commission with responsibility for agri culture took care to situate the various possible courses of Subject: Budget discipline action which emerged from this debate in the context of the fundamental choices which had to be made and the The following statement is contained -in the President's obligations resulting from the EEC Treaty or from inter reflections at the recent farm ministers' meeting in Siena : No C 287/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
'An increase in the financial requirements of the CAP can extracted from dairy products by biotechnological be expected, both in real terms and relative to the level of methods.) production, and there may be a subsequent reduction in the margins of compatibility with the recently introduced Active dairy proteins are thus suitable for the agri- budget discipline.' foodstuffs industry (especially in the manufacture of pastries and cooked and cured meats). How does the Council reconcile this statement with the conclusions of the Fontainebleau summit? Can the Commission indicate the current state of research and studies on the use of dairy products for industrial Does this not mean that further action is needed to purposes ? contain the cost of the CAP ?
Answer given by Mr Andriessen Answer on behalf of the Commission (3 October 1985) (17 September 1985)
The passage to which the Honourable Member refers The Commission is keeping under close review the must be examined in the context of all the considerations research being carried out in to the use of milk proteins put forward by the President of the Council at the Siena in food processing and, in this connection, provides meeting on the need to define new perspectives for the financial incentives for the most promising projects under common agricultural policy. the programmes for use of funds accruing from the milk co-responsibility levy. A list of available reports and of the These considerations include an analysis of the current research projects in hand is being sent directly to the situation and an assessment of the ways and means which Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat. Also, will enable the common agricultural policy to be adjusted the Commission contributed from these funds to the to the needs and new situations" arising within the organization of the Milk Proteins '84 Congress, held in Community. Luxembourg from 7 to 11 May 1984 and attended by international experts in this field. The Honourable Member may find an initial response to his concern in the option paper which the Commission At the same time, under the general aspect of the submitted to the European Parliament's Committee on problem of agricultural surpluses, a first exploratory Agriculture on 10 July 1985 and which reflects both the programme on the 'reduction of agricultural surpluses — considerations put forward by the President and the scientific and technical action' is now being imple various members of the Council at the Siena meeting and mented. those resulting from the proceedings of the working parties set up within the Commission and which have studied the various aspects of a possible adjustment of the With regard to milk products, the programme includes common agricultural policy. the following points : — scope for treatment of milk by ultra-filtration (INRA, Rennes, Dr Maubois); — new uses of milk and milk products in industry (Dechema, Dusseldorf); — development of low-cost milk production methods (An Foras Taluntais, Ireland); — development of a modified milking system, effect on milk composition (INRA, Rennes, Prof. Labussiere).
WRITTEN QUESTION No 881/85 Under the same programme, an international seminar on by Mr Michel Debatisse (PPE —F) 'Research and problems connected with agricultural surpluses' has just been held (Brussels 25 to 27 June to the Commission of the European Communities 1985), which included a working party on proteins and (5 July 1985) lipids. The various working parties will be submitting (85/C 287/45) shortly their findings on the scope for organizing further research with a view to improving the disposal of agricul Subject: Use of dairy products for industrial purposes tural products.
Dairy products (products derived from milk : whey) are used both in the agri-foodstuffs industry (second-stage processing) and in industrial research. (Study of molecules 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/23
WRITTEN QUESTION No 891/85 Answer given by Mr Sutherland by Ms Joyce Quin, Mr Gordon Adam and Mr on behalf of the Commission George Stevenson (S—GB) (9 September 1985) to the Council of the European Communities By a Council Decision of 19 December 1984 (') the 0 July 1985) Commission is responsible for the implementation and (85/C 287/46) management of a programme of specific Community action to combat poverty over the next four years. Since Subject: Principle of integration in transport and EEC the funds available — 25 million ECU — are limited, and investment in public passenger transport given the Commission's current staffing levels and other political priorities, it has been unable to make available What measures do the Council envisage to protect the more staff than for the first programme. principle of integration in transport and EEC investment For these same reasons it seems unlikely that the in public passenger transport, especially in the Tyne and Commission will be able to create, at some stage in the Wear area in the UK in the light of the UK Government near future, a specific department to deal with action on proposals to deregulate and privatize bus operation ? extreme poverty. It should be pointed out that a certain This proposal will have particularly serious effects in Tyne number of action research projects submitted by the and Wear, where a fully integrated system based on buses Member States to the Commission within the framework and metro has proved to be a success. of the second programme do at least in part concern population groups living in extreme poverty. Deregulation and direct competition between established (>) OJ No L 2, 3. 1. 1985, p. 24. bus operators will create a situation where all operators will be required to compete for passengers, not only with each other also with British Rail and the metro system, thus eliminating integration.
This will seriously jeopardize major EEC investment, for example £ 2,9 million to the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive for the training of railway and bus WRITTEN QUESTION No 893/85 personnel threatened by redundancy, and the £ 8,9 by Mrs Marie-Claude Vayssade (S — F) million ERDF grant towards the completion of the metro to the Commission of the European Cpmmunities system. (5 July 1985) (85/C 287/48) Subject: Regular consultation with the organizations representing the EEC's poorest families Answer (3 October 1985)' Has the Commission made provision for regular consulta tion with the organizations representing the EEC's The Council would point out to the Honourable Member poorest families ? that the organization of public passenger transport in the Member States, including integrated bus and metro systems, comes, as Community law stands at present, Answer given by Mr Sutherland within the sphere of responsibility of the Member States. on behalf of the Commission (9 September 1985) To prepare specific Community action to combat poverty, the Commission has undertaken wide-ranging consultar tions, particularly with organizations in contact with, or acting on behalf of, the poor, including organizations representing — in various capacities — the poorest fami lies. Such was the case of 'Aide a Toute Detresse', which WRITTEN QUESTION No 892/85 held a seminar in 1983, which was financed by the Commission. by Mrs Marie-Claude Vayssade (S — F) to the Commission of the European Communities On the other hand, although specific organizations may (5 July 1985) be consulted on particular cases, depending on the type of problem, the limited financial means provided for under (85/C 287/47) the second Action Programme to combat poverty (') do not permit consultations of this kind on a regular basis.' Subject: Creation of a special Commission service to combat extreme poverty (') OJ No L Z, 3. 1. 1985, p. 24. Does the Commission not feel that it should set up a special service of its own to combat extreme poverty ? No C 287/24 Official Journal' of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
WRITTEN QUESTION No 899/85 2. How does the Council regard the legal position in the by Mr Frank Schwalba-Hoth (ARC —D) United Kingdom, whereby Members are required to submit to all controls ? to the Council of the European Communities 3. What guarantees are there for Members of the Euro (5 July 1985) pean Parliament that they have genuine freedom of (85/C 287/49) movement when travelling within the area they repre sent (i.e. the entire Community) ? Subject: Controls on Members of the European Parlia ment travelling within the Community
On 19 May 1985, I travelled from France to Bulphan in Answer Essex (UK) for a meeting of the Committee on the Envi (3 October 1985) ronment. At the frontier checkpoint I was asked politely but firmly by a customs officer: 1. Article 8 of the Protocol on Privileges and Immuni ties provides that: (1) where I had come from; 'No administrative or other restriction shall be (2) how long I had been abroad; imposed on the free movement of members of the Assembly travelling to or from the place of meeting of (3) how long I wished to stay in the United Kingdom ; the Assembly. (4) whether I had anything to conceal in my luggage; Members of the Assembly shall, in respect of customs and exchange control, be accorded: (5) whether I was prepared to allow my luggage to be (a) by their own Government, the same facilities as examined. those accorded to senior officials travelling abroad oh temporary official missions; Drawing attention to my membership of Parliament, I declined to answer questions (2) and (3) and replied in the (b) by the Governments of other Member States, the negative to question (5), since by my understanding of the same facilities as those accorded to representatives Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the Euro of foreign Governments on temporary official pean Communities (Chapter III) of 8 April 1965, the missions'. executive — here in the form of the customs authorities 2. It is the responsibility of the Member States to take — has no right to restrict or prejudice the freedom of the measures necessary to ensure that the provisions of movement of Members of the European Parliament. the Protocol, in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 8, are given full effect. A senior officer was called, who informed me of the legal position in the United Kingdom, whereby every MEP is 3. It is the responsibility of the Commission to ensure required to submit to all the customs formalities. To gain application of the provisions of the Treaties and provi entry to the United Kingdom with my luggage to attend sions adopted by the Institutions pursuant to the Treaties. the meeting of the Committee on the Environment, I was obliged to allow a polite but extremely thorough inspec tion by the customs officer of every item in my luggage (my written material was excluded from this examination). Nothing objectionable was found.
Following the instances of Members being hindered at frontiers when travelling to meetings, e.g.: WRITTEN QUESTION No 904/85 by Mrs Marie Jepsen (ED —DK) — the arrest of Mr Andrews at London Airport, to the Commission of the European Communities — the detention of Mrs Heinrich for several hours at the (5 July 1985) frontier between Germany and Belgium, and the (85/C 287/50) written notice to her from the Belgian authorities that Subject: Quantities of agricultural produce stored in the her movements in Belgium were being monitored and individual Member States recorded by the police, Each year the Community spends vast sums in budgetary — the confiscation at Brussels Airport of my laissez- resources on storing surplus agricultural produce of pdsser issued by the Belgian Government, various kinds. Would the Commission state what quanti ties of produce have been placed in storage over the last I wish to ask the Council: five-year period — broken down by product and Member State — specifying the direct and indirect cost to the 1. Are there any general rules determining the controls to Community (buying in and storage) ? Will the Commis which Members of the European Parliament are sion also state to what extent its farm price proposals for required to submit when travelling within the the coming marketing year have been influenced by this Community ? If so, what are these controls ? consideration ? 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/25
Answer given by Mr Andriessen implementing compulsory distillation in such.a way that on behalf of the Commission cooperative wine cellars are heavily penalized. (18 September 1985) As regards the procedure, some cooperatives were placed On 30 November 1984, when the annual accounts on in a very difficult position because they were not public storage financed by the EAGGF Guarantee Section informed until 10 April of the decision obliging them to were closed, the value of stocks of agricultural products declare the quantities to be delivered before 15 April. was estimated at 8 750 million ECU, of which 9 400 000 tonnes of cereals, valued at As regards the principle, the decision penalizes coopera 1 900 million ECU, tives since only individual producers who obtained less 773 000 tonnes of skimmed-milk powder, valued at than 50 hectolitres of table wine during the 1984/85 1 200 million ECU, season are exempt. Taking the French department of Savoy as an example, the three cooperatives distil 3 500 973 000 of butter, valued at hectolitres whilst producing a quarter of Savoy's wines, 3 500 million ECU, whereas harvester-producers distil some 500 hectolitres 595 000 tonnes of beef/veal, valued at but produce three-quarters of Savoy's wines. 1 700 million ECU. Total EAGGF storage costs in 1984 were 2 700 million How does the Commission intend to remedy this situa ECU, of which tion and how will it apply the decision in the short term in a way which does not penalize cooperative cellars ? 542 million ECU for technical storage costs, 515 million ECU for the financing of interest on capital invested in stocks, 1 654 million ECU to cover the differences between buying-in prices and selling prices, including certain disposal aids. Answer given by Mr Andriessen The Commission publishes these figures and details in its on behalf of the Commission annual financial report on the EAGGF. As for changes in quantities of products stored and their costs over the last (13 September 1985) five years, by Member State, these are given in very detailed tables, which are being sent directly to the The compulsory distillation of table wine as part of the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat. market organization for wine has been applied for the first time in the current wine year (1984/85), being intro: Because there is a common market in agricultural duced on 19 January 1985 ('). As with all major schemes products, data relating to the various Member States are put into operation for the first time, the detailed rules not always representative in terms of intervention in the have been discussed at length by the Management same Member States. The figures must therefore be inter Committee and have had to be amended several times (2) preted cautiously. in the light of experience in implementing them ; there The Commission confirms that it bore in mind the scale have been problems in particular with the interpretation of stocks in the Community when it approved its agricul of the wording of the Regulations and some administra tural price proposals for 1985/86. tive difficulties have had to be dealt with to make it easier to manage scheme and achieve the intended aims.
For example, the original deadline of 15 April 1985 for declarations of the quantities to be distilled, which was influenced by the need for prompt action, was put back by the Commission to 30 April because there had been delays in the sending out of circulars introducing the scheme in the Member States. WRITTEN QUESTION No 918/85 The Commission decided for practical reasons to exempt by Mr Jean-Pierre Cot (S — F) individual wine-growers producing less than 50 hectolitres to the Commission of the European Communities /' of table wine during the wine year because there were (5 July 1985) difficulties associated with these small producers which (85/C 287/51) did not arise with cooperative wineries. The Commission wanted to avoid the need to transport very small volumes Subject: Cooperative wine cellars of table wine with the attendant organization of new files, inspections, etc. It was not the Commission's intention to At its meeting in Brussels on 13 March 1985, the Mana give preferential treatment to individual small producers gement Committee for Wine drew up the procedures for over cooperative wineries. No C 287/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
In this connection, the Commission would remind the Formigoni, Mr Franco Borgo, Mr Roberto Costanzo, Honourable Member that some individual producers are Mr Gerardo Gaibisso, Mr Ferruccio Pisoni less able to benefit from advantageous options that are (PPE — I); Mrs Mary Banotti, Mr Tom O'Donnell, open to cooperative wineries because of their particular Mr Thomas Raftery (PPE — IRL); Mr Dominique circumstances, such as a limited volume for storage and Baudis (PPE — F); Mr Otto Habsburg (PPE — D); constraints on the percentage of production eligible for Mrs Marie Jepsen, Mr Claus Toksvig (ED — DK); distillation. Mr Christopher' Jackson, Mr Paul Howell, Mr Edward McMillan-Scott (ED — GB); Mrs Vera (') OJ No L 16, 19. 1. 1985. Squarcialupi (COM — I); Mr Luc Beyer de Ryke 2 ( ) OJ No L 102, 12. 4. 1985, OJ No L 110, 23. 4. 1985. (L —B); Mrs Winifred Ewing (RDE — GB); Mrs Eileen Lemass, Mr Patrick Lalor, Mr Gene Fitzge rald, Mr Ray Mac Sharry, Mr Niall Andrews, Mr James Fitzsimons, Mr Sean Flanagan (RDE — IRL); Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke, Mr Willy Kuijpers (ARC — B); Mr Herman Verbeek (ARC — NL); Mr Giorgio Almirante (DR — I) and Mr Marco Pannella (NI —I) WRITTEN QUESTION No 928/85 to the Council of the European Communities by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED — GB) (12 July 1985) to the Commission of the European Communities (85/C 287/53) (5 July 1985) (85/C 287/52) Subject: Use of old hospital equipment to help the coun tries of the Third World Subject: Integrity of the open-competition system Medical services in the poorest countries of the Third Is the Commission satisfied that the integrity of the World are far from adequate and we are being inundated open-competition system is wholly respected in each and with evidence of this by the media. The World Health every case ? Can the Commission state with certainty that Organization is also calling attention to the need to every competition has been held for valid reasons, on the support the development of health care facilities for both basis of equal opportunity for all applicants, and that no urban and rural populations. open competition has ever been held with other than those objectives in mind ? We also know that in many Member States hospitals sell off large quantities of depreciated and out-dated hospital equipment at nominal prices. ' Answer given by Mr Christophersen Such equipment (hospital beds, wheelchairs, operating on behalf of the Commission and delivery tables, syringes, crutches, etc.) could be used as such or overhauled and checked before being sent to (23 September 1985) countries in the Third World. The Commission's answer to the Honourable Member's questions is yes. The health needs are real and urgent and could be partly met in this way. Since the arrangements made by certain Community countries have already proved their effectiveness, similar structures could be introduced as soon as the Council gives its approval. Could the Council of Ministers put pressure on the WRITTEN QUESTION NO .957/85 governments of the Member States — in the form of a by Mr Henri Saby, Mrs Yvette Fuillet, Mrs Colette recommendation — to enable this project to be carried Gadioux, Mrs Nicole Pery (S — F); Mrs Barbara out? Castle, Ms Carole Tongue, Mr John Hume, Mr Kenneth Collins, Mr Alexander Falconer, Mr Win Griffiths, Mr Michael Hindley, Mr Geoffrey Hoon, Mr Leslie Huckfield, Mr Stephen Hughes, Mr Answer Michael McGowan, Mr Terence Pitt (S — GB); Mr (3 October 1985) Mario Dido, Mr Gianni Baget Bozzo, Mr Anselmo Guarraci, Mr Martio Rigo (S — I); Mrs Anne-Marie The Council takes care to ensure that Community aid Lizin, Mr Ernest Glinne, Mr Willy Vernimmen, Mr contributes, within the framework of the various instru Jose Happart (S — B); Mrs Ien van den Heuvel, Mrs ments available, to an improvement in the health facilities Phili Viehoff, Mr Robert Cohen, Mr Benjamin of these countries. Visser, Mr Eisso Woltjer (S — NL); Mr Ejner Chris The third ACP-EEC Lome Convention (Article 124) tiansen (S — DK); Mrs Magdalene Hoff, Mrs Beate provides for operations to improve the ACP peoples' state Weber, Mr Rudiger Hitzigrath, Mr Dieter Rogalla (S of health which are aimed, as a matter of priority, at nutri — D); Mrs Lydie Schmit (S — L); Mr Roberto tion, hygiene, health education, safety of workers, primary 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/27 health care services and preventive medicine, control of territory or in other Member States. It must pay the inter the major endemic diseases, and enhancing the value of vention price for the goods but will receive the export traditional medicine and pharmacy. refund. (') OJ No C 151, 20. 6. 1985, p. 23. Similarly, in the context of famine in Africa, the Council has acknowledged that a major effort is still required, particularly in the sector of health where the situation has greatly deteriorated as malnutrition has worsened. It is up to the Commission, which manages Community aid, to assess the most appropriate forms of aid.
WRITTEN QUESTION No 969/85 by Mrs Raymonde Dury (S — B) to the Council of the European Communities (12 July 1985) (85/C 287/55) Subject: Abolition of border checks On 14 June 1985 an intergovernmental agreement was reached between the Federal Republic of Germany, the Benelux countries and France on the gradual abolition of WRITTEN QUESTION No 961/85 checks on road and rail traffic at their common frontiers. by Mr Derek Prag (ED —GB) At the same time, the European Community is unable to to the Commission of the European Communities reach agreement on the easing of border controls at intra-Community frontiers or on its extension to ports (12 July 1985) and airports. (85/C 287/54) Can the Council of Ministers explain this trend towards the conclusion of restricted inter-governmental agree Subject: Intervention stocks ments instead of agreements applying to all Member States ? Would the Commission state the exact position regarding who owns intervention stocks held in Member States, particularly grain stocks, and who is responsible for storage costs and interest payments ? Answer (3 October 1985) Would the Commission also state whether any obstacles The European Council in Fontainebleau asked the would exist to a Member State disposing of stocks to Council and the Member States to undertake an urgent Third World countries as food aid without charge on the study of the measures that could make it possible, with Community as such? In particular, would any Commu respect to the movement of persons, to abolish all police nity decision, and any Community financing, be and customs formalities at intra-Community borders in required ? the near future, and in any event by mid-1985. It is against this background that the Member States cited by the Honourable Member have concluded an agreement on the gradual abolition of controls at land frontiers.
Answer given by Mr Andriessen The Council itself is continuing to examine the proposal for a Directive on the easing of controls at borders. on behalf of the Commission With regard to the measures contained in the initial (17 September 1985) report of the ad hoc Committee on a People's Europe and approved by the European Council in March 1985, the As far as the ownership of intervention stocks of agricul European Council meeting in Milan expressed its concern tural products and the responsibility for the financing of at the delay in implementing them and asked the them are concerned the Honourable Member will find Council, the Member States and the Commission, each the information he desires in the Commission's answer to acting within its own powers, to take the necessary deci Written Question No 1912/84 by Mr James Elles^). sions to remedy this situation as soon as possible.
A Member State wishing to grant national food aid may make use of intervention stocks located in either its own No C 287/28 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
WRITTEN QUESTION No 980/85 4. If so, what are the supervisory arrangements in such by Mr Emilio Molinari (ARC — I) cases ? to the Council of the European Communities 5. How does it view cooperation in the nuclear field with (18 July 1985) states that have not signed the non-proliferation (85/C 287/56) treaty ? Subject: Political rights of Council officials 1. Is it true that auxiliary staff employed by the Council are not entitled to 'travelling time' when exerci Answer sing their civic right and duty to vote in the elections in (3 October 1985) . their own country ? The Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement 2. If so, what action does the Council intend to take to between the People's Republic of China and the Euro abolish this serious violation of political rights without pean Community, signed on 21 May 1985 in Brussels, is a delay ? framework agreement with scope for future development. 3. Does the Council not consider that if this basic poli Articles 10 and 11 contain a non-exhaustive list of areas tical right has been violated deliberately or as a result of of economic cooperation and various forms of industrial the incompetence of any officials, the latter should be and technical cooperation. Energy is one of the areas in dismissed from their posts immediately ? which the two parties have agreed to develop cooperation. As the Agreement has not yet entered into force, it is impossible at this stage to give any details other than those appearing in the text of the Agreement itself regar Answer ding the exact areas of cooperation and the form which it (3 October 1985) will take. The internal rules of the General Secretariat of the Council on travelling time for elections in Member States apply to officials and other staff alike.
WRITTEN QUESTION No 986/85 by Mr Alasdair Hutton (ED —GB) WRITTEN QUESTION No 981/85 to the Commission of the European Communities by Mrs Phili Viehoff (S — NL) (18 July 1985) to the Council of the European Communities \ (85/C 287/58) (18 July 1985) (85/C 287/57) Subject: Forestry publications Subject: Commercial and economic agreement between Thanking the Commission for the answer to my Written the People's Republic of China and the Euro Question No 1570/84 (') on forestry publications, does the pean Community Commission accept that the production of such material, if it is of sufficiently high quality, would help discussions On 21 May 1985, an agreement was signed in Brussels on on forestry matters at European level and promote the commercial and economic cooperation between the interests of forestry in general ? People's Republic of China and the European Commu nity. This agreement incorporates commercial provisions (•) OJ No C 151, 20. 6. 1985, p. 7. and provisions relating to economic cooperation. The latter cover industry, agriculture, science, energy, trans port, etc. 1. Can the Council indicate which forms of energy are Answer given by Mr Clinton Davis involved in economic cooperation in the field of on behalf of the Commission energy ? (10 September 1985) 2. Does this also involve cooperation in the field of nuclear energy ? The Commission accepts in principle that the production of such written material as the Honourable member cites, 3. If so, in what fashion is such cooperation carried out in from whatever source, does contribute to the discussion of practice and is it genuinely followed up ? forestry at Community level, so long as it is accurate, up 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/29 to date and widely available. To this end the Commission WRITTEN QUESTION No 1032/85 is currently considering the production of several possible by Sir James Scott-Hopkins (ED — GB) documents on forestry in the Member States to further enhance such discussions and generally inform the public to the Commission of the European Communities on forestry. (25 July 1985) (85/C 287/60) As regards the promotion of forestry interests in general, of course it is to be hoped that accurate information Subject: Financial aid to young farmers would achieve this, but the formation of sympathies for or against forestry depends on the information that is avai Is the Commission aware of the particular problems lable, not only that from the Commission. which high interest rates are causing young farmers who have recently entered the agriculture industry in the United Kingdom, many of whom have had to borrow significant sums of money at variable rates to establish businesses ? What specific help will the Commission give, within the totality of the Community's agriculture budget, to help these young people who are the seed for the pros perity of this important industry in the future ?
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1008/85 by Mrs Anne-Marie Lizin (S — B) Answer given by Mr Andriessen on behalf of the Commission to the Council of the European Communities (13 September 1985) (18 July 1985) (85/C 287/59) The Commission recognizes that young farmers in general face difficulties in becoming established in Subject: Social provisions in the iron and steel industry farming, though the influence of interest rates has (early retirement, bridging pensions in cases of moderated somewhat recently. Additional aids may be structural unemployment, etc.) provided by Member States and financed by the Commu nity under Council Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 on The report by the Court of Auditors for 1983 notes in improving the efficiency of agricultural structures ('). Section 2.12 on commitments for the operating budget that of a total of 212 million ECU commitments in 1981 (') OJ No L 93, 30. 3. 1985, p. 1. and 1983 for social schemes only 23,1 million ECU had been disbursed by the end of 1983 as a result of delays in requests for reimbursement from the appropriate authori ties in the Member States.
1. Can the Council tell us if it is considering this ques tion and if it plans to take measures to encourage the (Member States to put forward programmes to meet the social requirements in the iron and steel industry ? WRITTEN QUESTION No 1046/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED —GB) to the Council of the European Communities Answer (25 July 1985) • (3 October 1985) (85/C 287/61)
The Council agreed to a contribution of 212 million ECU Subject: New security laws in Turkey from the general budget of the Communities to enable the Commission to co-finance the aid programmes of the The Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cheysson, is Member States for workers in the iron and steel industry reported to have expressed severe displeasure to the whose jobs have been axed or are threatened as a result of Turkish Government over the enactment of new security plans for the restructuring of iron and steel undertakings. laws in Turkey. The Community representative in Ankara, Mr Gwyn Morgan, is reported to have said publicly that However, it is not the Council's role to encourage the the new measures have seriously damaged the prospects Member States to make use of this co-financing facility for Turkish membership of the Community, leading to a while it is available. reaction from the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Turgut Ozal, calling for his replacement. So far as the Council are concerned, what are the facts behind these reports, which have received wide currency in the press throughout Europe ? No C 287/30 Official Journal of European Communities 11. 11.-85
Answer Answer (3 October 1985) (3 October 1985) Of the Directives mentioned in the Honourable It is not customary for the Council to comment on state Member's question, the Council adopted on 16 July 1985 ments made by the Members or Officials of the Commis the 17th Directive on exemption from value added tax on sion of the European Communities. the temporary importation of goods other than means of transport, Article 29 of which covers works of art which are imported for the purposes of exhibition with a view to possible sale. The proposals for the 7th and 19th Directives on VAT are therefore still before the Council. The proposal for the 19th Directive was submitted to the WRITTEN QUESTION No 1048/85 Council only in December 1984. It is only very recently by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED —GB) that the subordinate bodies of the Council, pending the to the Commission of the European Communities opinion of the European Parliament, initiated a prelimi nary technical examination of this proposal. (25 July 1985) (85/C 287/62)
Subject: British Milk Marketing Board The proposal for the 7th Directive, the aim of which is to introduce a common system of value added tax to be A new policy study by the Adam Smith Institute in applied to works of art, collectors' items, antiques and London suggests that the Milk Marketing Board structure used goods, was examined intensively by the subordinate in the United Kingdom is responsible for the monopoly bodies of the Council up to 1983. However as it appeared deterrence of free and fair tirade in milk and dairy that there were greatly diverging positions on the ques products in the UK, to the particular disadvantage of the tion, which at the time appeared irreconcilable, the consumer. The report also proposes that effective develop examination of this proposal by the subordinate bodies of ment of the dairy market in Britain has been stifled by the Council was discontinued. the Board, to the equal disadvantage of farmers. What is the Commission's reaction to these proposals ? Certain delegations considered, like the Commission, that a special VAT system should be applied to all or at least some 6f the goods in question. Other delegations consi dered that there was no economic need to introduce Answer given by Mr Andriessen special arrangements and wanted these goods to be on behalf of the Commission subject to the normal VAT system fixed by the 6th Direc (13 September 1985) tive. Even the delegations which wanted the application of a special system did not agree on the type of system to The Commission was not aware of the publication of the be introduced. report in question. It will therefore be necessary for it to procure a copy of this document before it is able to The examination was recently resumed on the initiative of supply a definitive answer to the Honourable Member's the Luxembourg Presidency. However, this new examina question. tion has shown that there has been little change in the positions mentioned above.
f
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1067/85 WRITTEN QUESTION No 1106/85 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC — B) by Mr Karel Van Miert (S —• B) to the Council of the European Communities to the Council of the European Communities (25 July 1985) (3 September 1985) (85/C 287/63) (85/C 287/64) Subject: Commission proposals to the Council concer Subject; Community transport policy in the light of the ning 7th, 17th and 19th VAT Directives decision on failure to act Can the Council explain on what grounds it still has not An article by Mr Simons appeared on 12 June 1985 in adopted these VAT Directives despite the fact that these the Dutch journal Economisch Statistische' Berichten on are particularly important measures to improve the situa the proceedings by Parliament against the Council for tion of cultural workers and promote their creativity ? failure to act (case 13/83). 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/31
Does the Council agree with the conclusions reached in saged to hold, at any time in the future, another the article, particularly that there is now an obligation to referendum in that country, on the issue of Community liberalize transport as quickly as possible and that the membership ? main concern of the relevant legislation must be to provide access to the market without waiting for any accompanying measures. Will the Council, as suggested in the article, adopt the Answer given by Mr De Clercq amended Commission proposal relating to transport between seaports (') in order to meet the requirements on behalf of the Commission imposed by the Court ? (13 September 1985) (') OJ No C 14, 16. 1. 1985, p. 9. The relations between the Community and Norway are principally governed by the Free Trade Agreements Answer concluded in 1973 by the EEC and the ECSC respectively (3 October 1985) with that country. Trade relations have developed since that time in a very satisfactory manner. The Council considers that, in accordance with Article 176 of the Treaty, it is required to take the necessary During the last twelve years, formal and informal relations measures to comply with the judgment of the Court of have developed in a large number of areas of mutual inte Justice within a reasonable time. It does not consider that rest including fisheries, science and technology, energy, it is for it to comment on articles in newspapers or jour transport, environmental protection, economic and mone nals. tary matters and development aid.
Both sides consider that this network of contacts func tions very satisfactorily and has proved particularly valu able in time of crisis. At the joint ministerial meeting in WRITTEN QUESTION No 1121/85 Luxembourg in April 1984 the Community and Norway, as well as the other EFTA countries, declared their firm by Mr Andrew Pearce (ED — GB) intention to reinforce and enlarge this cooperation. In a to the Council of the European Communities number of areas, mostly concerning non-tariff barriers, (3 September 1985) satisfactory progress has been made in the meantime. (85/C 287/65) Subject: Bank accounts denominated in ECU in Federal As regards the possibility of another referendum on the Republic of Germany issue of Community membership, the Commission is not aware of any such initiative being envisaged. At its June meeting, what success did the Council have in persuading the Federal Republic of Germany to fall into line with other Member States in permitting its citizens and institutions to hold bank accounts denominated in ECU ?
Answer (3 October 1985) At its meeting in June the Council (ECOFIN) examined the medium- and long-term prospects for the European WRITTEN QUESTION No 1138/85 Monetary System and particularly the official ECU. by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC — B) No new developments regarding the ECU for private use to the Council of the European Communities emerged from the meeting. (3 September 1985) (85/C 287/67)
Subject: Liberalization of international passenger traffic
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1129/85 The Commission's proposal for a 6th Directive concer by Mr Thomas Raftery (PPE — IRL) ning the liberalization of internal passenger traffic has to the Commission of the European Communities been pending before the Council since 1983 ; it provides (3 September 1985) for an increase to 400 ECU, which is admittedly some (85/C 287/66) indication to the traveller that progress is being made on creating the internal market. Subject: EC relations with Norway Will the Commission indicate the present state of Can the Council state what progress has been made relations with Norway and whether it is proposed or envi towards approving this proposal ? No C 287/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85
Answer 2. The Commission submitted a proposal on the (3 October 1985) subject in July 1980. Since 23 June 1983 the Council has had before it an On 30 April 1984 the Council adopted a Directive amended Commission proposal for which it has once concerning a 280 ECU exemption from turnover tax and again requested the opinions of the European Parliament excise duty on imports in Community travel with certain and the Economic and Social Committee. derogations for Ireland, Denmark and Greece, on the basis of the proposal referred to by the Honourable Since this is a matter to which the Council gives priority, Member. - it has seen fit to begin technical discussions on the proposal while awaiting Parliament's opinion. Also on the basis of that proposal, the Council adopted a further Directive on 8 July 1985 increasing these exemp tions to 350 ECU for adults from 1 October 1985 with the possibility of restricting them to 90 ECU for travellers under fifteen. Denmark, Ireland and Greece continue to be allowed to derogate from the Community arrangement. The Council decided at the same time to review these exemptions periodically in order to prevent a depreciation in their real value with time. This second Council Deci WRITTEN QUESTION No 1182/85 sion takes account of the conclusions of the Committee by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED —GB) on a People's Europe which the European Council approved at its meeting on 29 and 30 March 1985. to the Council of the European Communities (3 September 1985) (85/C 287/69) Subject: The murder of Ann Dorothy Chapman In reply to my question of 17 September 1984, the Council replied that with regard to my report on the murder of the British journalist Ann Dorothy Chapman in Athens (Doc. 1-206/84) the Greek Permanents Repre sentative to the Communities had given a 'progress report on the investigations. currently being carried out by the WRITTEN QUESTION No 1140/85 Greek authorities.' by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC — B) to the Council of the European Communities 1. Will the Council now reveal the substance of that 'progress report' ? (3 September 1985) (85/C 287/68) 2. Will the Council once again request the Greek autho rities to report exactly what progress they have made as Subject: Approval, of, Commission proposal concerning the result of these 'investigations' ? the safety of toys 3. Will the Council request the Greek authorities to In 1983 the Commission forwarded to the Council a explain how it is that Nicos Moundis, the man proposal concerning the safety of toys (COM(83) 323), a formerly imprisoned for the manslaughter of Miss laudable initiative in view of the number of accidents Chapman and subsequently paroled (though not which occur with toys. One had hoped that approval pardoned), has been given State employment, although would be speedy, and yet it has still not been given. Can this appears to be in contravention of the code for the Council say what progress has been made towards convicted persons ? approving this proposal and explain why it is taking so long ? WRITTEN QUESTION No 1183/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED —GB) to the Council of the European Communities Answer - (3 September 1985) (3 October 1985) (85/C 287/70) 1. The Council has always attached importance to this Subject: Disappearance of the British citizen Brian sector; it was for that reason that in its resolution of 21 Rawson May 1973 supplementing the Community programme for harmonizing laws, regulations and administrative provi In about November 1971 the British citizen Brian sions relating to industrial products it expressly Rawson, married with two children, left the Greek capital mentioned toys and the safety aspects thereof. of Athens where he had been employed by the travel firm No C 287/33 11. 11. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1254/85 of Olympic Holidays, and has never been seen again. All traces even of his existence have vanished and all by Mr Willy Kuijpers (ARC — B) attempts to trace him have failed. Mr Rawson is almost to the Commission of the European Communities certainly in the possession of important information (3 September 1985) concerning the murder of the British journalist Ann Dorothy Chapman, the subject of my report to Parliament (85/C 287/72) (Doc. 1-206/84). Subject:. Right of consumers organizations and environ Will the Council request the British and Greek authori mental pressure groups to bring legal procee ties to undertake exhaustive inquiries to reveal the present dings , whereabouts of Mr Brian Rawson ? It is an established principle of Belgian law that associa tions may not bring legal actions since the courts refuse to accept the concept of 'collective interests'. In any action there must always be a 'personal interest'.
There are two exceptions to this rule — a consumer orga Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1182/85 and nization may institute legal proceedings to put a stop to 1183/85 unfair trade practices and anti-racist organizations may (3 October 1985) also do so on the basis of the 1981 law against racism. Can the Commission provide details, by Member State, of The Council would point out that, in its reply to question the possibilities of legal action open to groups represen H-205/84, it made no mention of any enquiry into the ting a 'general interest' (environmental pressure groups or case the Honourable Member refers to. consumers organizations), specifying on the basis of which laws this is possible ? If there are no such laws (in It is not for the Council to intervene in this matter which the Member States) can the Commission say what princi is, in any event, outside its field of competence. ples of law are applied in each Member State?
Answer given by Mr Delors on behalf of the Commission (24 September 1985)
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1227/85 Access to justice by consumers and their associations was by Mrs Danielle De March (COM — F) the subject of a Commission memorandum published as Supplement 2/85 to the Bulletin of the European to the Council of the European Communities Communities. (3 September 1985) (85/C 287/71) , As regards the other groups referred to, the Commission has no comprehensive information of the kind requested Subject: Sales of t-shirts bearing Hitler's effigy in Britain by the Honourable Member.
Is the Council aware that t-shirts bearing Hitler's effigy and with a caption saying 'European Tour 1939-1945' are freely on sale in the United Kingdom ? Can it, together with the British authorities, take the necessary steps to put a stop to this apologia for Nazi crimes ?
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1267/85 by Mr Richard Cottrell (ED — GB) Answer to the Council of the European Communities (3 October 1985) (3 September 1985) Any decision to take the steps suggested by the Honou {85/C 287/73) rable Member is entirely a matter for the United Kingdom Government. Subject: Relations with Hungary
With reference to my Written Question and Answer No 374/85 ('): In the exploratory talks on improving trade No C 287/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 11. 85 i relations between the Community and Hungary, the most Answer recent of which was in May 1984, precisely which areas (3 October 1985) have been discussed ?
What are the main lines of the various positions ? In what The Council feels that it is for the Commission to decide way have they been more effectively classified ? What is whether to maintain the obligation on transport underta the nature and scale of Hungarian requests ? kings to complete in the control document provided for in Article 9 of Council Regulation No 117/66/EEC (•) the (') OJ No C 208, 19. 8. 1985, p. 32. list of all passengers as provided for in Commission Regu lation (EEC) No 1016/68 (2).
The Council would draw the Honourable Member s atten tion to the fact that under Article 5 of the above Commis Answer sion Regulation, Member States may agree bilaterally or (3 October 1985) multilaterally not to draw up such a list but simply to show the number of passengers. Certain Member States The Council is unable to reveal the details of exploratory have already availed themselves of this option. talks of this type between the Commission and a non- member country since they have to remain confidential. (') Council Regulation of 28 July 1966 on the introduction of common rules for the international carriage of passengers by coach and bus (OJ No-L 147, 9. 8. 1966, p. 2688/66). (2) Commission Regulation of 9 July 1968 prescribing the model . control documents referred to in Articles 6 and 9 of Council Regulation No 117/66/EEC (OJ No L 234, 21. 12. 1966, p. 3949/66).
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1288/85 by Mr Karl von Wogau (PPE — D) to the Council of the European Communities (3 September 1985) (85/C 287/74)
Subject: Obstacles to intra-Community tourist coach traffic
Transport by coach within the Community, which is used WRITTEN QUESTION No 1289/85 by less well-off citizens of the European Community to visit citizens in other Member States, is still beset by by Mr Karl von Wogau (PPE—D) incomprehensible difficulties and thus placed at a disad to the Council of the European Communities vantage compared with air, sea and rail transport, notwith (3 September 1985) standing the welcome fact that from 1 October 1985 the petrol in a normal tank of a tourist coach will be free of (85/C 287/75) duty in France and the Federal Republic of Germany — and thus in all the ten Member States. Subject: Mutual assistance by the competent authorities of the Member States in the field of direct taxa My question to the Council: tion and VAT Regulation No 117/66/EEC (') requires carriers operating Council Directives 77/799/EEC (*) of 19 December 1977 tourist coach services within the Community to complete 2 what is known as a control document with a list of all and 79/1070/EEC( ) of 6 December 1979 cover mutual passengers by name (No 6 'List of passengers' — surname assistance by the competent authorities of the Member and initials). States in the field of direct taxation and VAT. Assistance between an authority of one Member State and that of Does the Council share my view that this unnecessary another is of considerable importance in connection with bureaucratic obstacle — which clearly places the carrier at the removal of tax barriers between Member States on the a disadvantage compared with other means of transport road to the creation of a single European market. — should be eliminated as soon as possible by an amend ment to Regulation No 117/66/EEC with a view to the My question to the Council: dismantling of internal frontiers ? 1. Have all the Member States levying VAT now enacted
(') OJvNo 147, 9. 8. 1966, p. 2688/Special Edition 1965-1966, the necessary legal and administrative provisions to p. 177. comply with the above two Directives ? Official Journal of the European Communities No C 287/35 11. 11. 85
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1467/85 2. If not, which Member States have still not enacted the necessary provisions and what are the reasons for the by Mr William Newton Dunn (ED — GB) delay ? to the Commission of the European Communities (6 September 1985) 3. Where the necessary legal and administrative provi (85/C 287/76) sions are in force, what has been the Member States' experience of cross-border cooperation in the field of Subject: Quality of drinking water mutual assistance in the matter of taxation ? What information does the Commission have that all (') OJ No L 336, 27. 12. 1977, p. 15. Member States are complying with the Directives on the (*) OJ No L 331, 27, 12. 1979, p. 8. quality of drinking water ?
Answer given by Mr Clinton Davis Answer on behalf of the Commission (3 October 1985) (3 October 1985) The Commission is responsible for ensuring that the The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to provisions adopted pursuant to the Treaties are applied. its answer to Written Question No 550/85 by Mrs Bloch von Blottnitz ('). (') See page 8 of this Official Journal.