26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/ 1
I
(Information)
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER
WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 762/94 options does the Council intend to encourage to adapt the by Winifred Ewing ( ARE ) new technologies to the information society, with particular reference to distance learning and television teaching ? to the Commission (1 September 1994)
( 96/C 56/01 ) Answer (20 December 1995) Subject: Imports from Poland of diseased ewes
Is the Commission aware of lorry loads of old and diseased 1 . On 14 March 1995 , the European Parliament and ewes from Poland which were found in Muslim community the Council adopted the Socrates Community action abattoirs in Birmingham ? programme (') for the period 1 January 1995 to 31 December 1999 . In chapter III , Action 2 concerns the promotion of open and distance learning and provides for Supplementary answer given by Mr Fischler Community financial aid for transnational projects . on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1995) 2 . Recently , the Commission forwarded to the Council and the European Parliament a communication Following up its answer of 26 October 1994 ( ), the accompanied by a proposal for a Council Decision adopting Commission would like to inform the Honourable Member a multi-annual Community programme to stimulate the that the attention of the UK authorities was drawn to this development of a European multimedia content industry case and , following the representations they made to the and to encourage the use of multimedia content in the Polish authorities , such imports are no longer taking emerging information society ( Info 2000 ). place . (') OJ No L 87 , 20 . 4 . 1995 . (') OJ No C 24, 30 . 1 . 1995 .
WRITTEN QUESTION E- 1 64/95 WRITTEN QUESTION E- 1 93/95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE ) by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE ) to the Council to the Council (22 February 1995) (22 February 1995) ( 96/C 56/02 ) ( 96/C 56/03 )
Subject: Use of the new technologies in television teaching and distance learning Subject: Accession of the countries of eastern Europe The European Union is committed to speeding up the The European Commission has intitiated studies to assess process of change towards an information society . What the impact of the accession of the eastern European No C 56/2 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96 countries to the European Union . Their accession would Has the Education Committee submitted this report and have major repercussions for the Union's development . what consequences has it had for policy on environmental How does the Council intend to follow up these studies ? education ?
(') O J No C 177 , 6 . 7 . 1988 , p . 8 . Answer (20 December 1995) Joint answer The Council has not to date received any proposals from the to Written Questions E-1235/95 and E-2016/95 Commission concerning the consequences of the accession (21 December 1995) of the associated countries of central and eastern Europe . It will of course carefully examine any reports/proposals as soon as they are submitted to it . The Council has not received a report on the initiatives taken by Member States in line with the conclusions of the You are reminded that the Essen European Council asked Council and the Education Ministers meeting on 1 June the Commission to examine the effects of all subsidized 1992 , as mentioned by the Honourable Members . exports on the agriculture of the associated countries of central and eastern Europe and to submit in the second half Since those conclusions were adopted , a fresh impetus was of 1 995 studies on alternative strategies for the development given to environmental education in the resolution of the of relations in the field of agriculture between the European Union and the associated countries with a view to a future Council and the representatives of the Governments of the accession of those countries . Member States of 1 February 1993 (') on a Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development, and also in the fifth action programme submitted by the Commission and attached to the resolution .
WRITTEN QUESTION E- 1 23 5/95 In the Community action programme Socrates ( 2 ) adopted by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) by the Parliament and the Council on 14 March 1995 to the Council Chapter II concerning school education ( Comenius ) refers to 'protection of the environment' as a priority topic for (8 May 1995) partnerships between schools . ( 96/C 56/04 ) Promotion of initial vocational training in the field of Subject: Environmental education environmental protection is also one of the priorities of the Leonardo da Vinci programme adopted by the Council on 6 December 1994 ( 3 ). On 1 June 1992 ( ) the Council and the Ministers of Education adopted various conclusions on the development of environmental education . Could the Council provide (') OJ No C 138 , 17 . 5 . 1993 . information on the initiatives undertaken by the various ( 2 ) OJ No L 87 , 20 . 4 . 1995 . (') Of No L 340 , 29 . 12 . 1994 , p . 17 . Member States with a view to putting these conclusions into practice ?
(') OJ No C 151 , 16 . 6 . 1992 , p . 2 .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1291/95 WRITTEN QUESTION E-20 16/95 by Christine Oddy ( PSE ) by Doeke Eisma ( ELDR ) to the Council to the Council ( 10 May 1995) (10 July 1995) ( 96/C 56/06 ) 96/C 56/05
Subject: Environmental education Subject: Income gap in the United Kingdom
On 1 June 1992 the Ministers of Education meeting within According to a publication by the Joseph Rowntree the Council asked the Education Committee to report Foundation ' Income and Wealth', income inequality in the before the end of 1994 on activities in implementation of United Kingdom is its greatest since the Second World War their resolution of 24 May 1988 ( 1 ) on environmental and has been growing faster than any other developed education . country , with the exception of New Zealand . 26 . 2 . 96 | EN | Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/3
Given that the Treaty of Rome in Article 2 gives as one of its Supplementary answer given by Mr Flynn major tasks the raising of the standard of living and quality on behalf of the Commission of live , does the Council not consider that in the case of the (20 December 1995} United Kingdom the European Union has failed , and what steps will it take to urgently remedy the sad situation ? Further to its answer of 29 June 1995 ( ), Community co-financing for vocational training in the fisheries sector during the period 1989—1993 ( first Community Support Answer Framework ) amounted to ECU 40 million ( Esc 7 800 (21 December 1995) million ).
As regards the CSF for 1 994— 1 999 , the amount taken up in The Council attaches the utmost importance to fulfilment of 1994 was ECU 2,9 million ( Esc 500 million ). the task of the Community set out in Article 2 of the Treaty , and in particular to promoting the raising of the standard of The allocation for the period 1995—1999 is estimated at living and quality of life . ECU 50,4 million ( Esc 10 600 million ). This includes measures to be developed in the context of the 'Pesca' In this connection it would point to the numerous initiatives sub-programme under the ' Moderniza<;ao do tecido to combat unemployment and poverty and to its economico ' operational programme , the ' Forma^ao recommendation of 24 June 1992 on common criteria profissional e emprego' operational programme , and the concerning sufficient resources and social assistance in Community Initiative ' Pesca'. social protection systems . (') OJ No C 230 , 4 . 9 . 1995 , p . 36 . It would also point out that at its Essen and Cannes meetings the European Council stressed that the fight against unemployment , along with equal opportunities questions , would remain the most important tasks facing the Union and its Member States ; the latter's efforts in this area will be given effect in the form of multiannual programmes to be WRITTEN QUESTION E-14 10/95 put forward in the autumn of 19 95 . by Mark Watts ( PSE ) to the Council However , as regards the distribution of resources among the citizens of the Union , the Council would remind the (19 May 1995) Honourable Member that Member States have sole ( 96/C 56/08 ) responsibility in matters of pay and income levels .
Subject: Human rights in Guatemala
What conditionality does the Council place on trade aid links with Guatemala with regard to human rights generally WRITTEN QUESTION E-13 11 /95 and the plight of street children in particular ? by Honorio Novo ( GUE/NGL ) to the Commission (12 May 1995) Answer ( 96/C 56/07 ) (20 December 1995)
Subject: Community funds for vocational training in the 1 . Under Article 130u of the Treaty on European fisheries sector Union ,
' Community policy in the sphere of development Under the first Community Support Framework , funds were cooperation , which shall be complementary to the allocated to Portugal for vocational training in the fisheries policies pursued by the Member States , shall foster : sector . Sums are expected to be allocated under the second Community Support Framework to the same sector and for — the sustainable economic and social development of the same purpose . the developing countries , and more particularly the most disadvantaged among them ; Can the Commission state the total amount granted to — the smooth and gradual integration of the developing Portugal for vocational training in the sector while the first countries into the world economy ; Community Support Framework was in force , and of the amount expected to be allocated for the same purpose under — the campaign against poverty in the developing the second Community Support Framework ? countries.' No C 56/4 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
2 . Given those objectives , the granting of aid to Seamen from the ports of Boulogne and Calais in particular Guatemala is governed by : went on strike in February to protest against this unfair competition , practised in this case by the British company — Regulation ( EEC ) No 443/92 ( 1 ) of 25 February 1 992 on Meridian Ferries . financial and technical assistance to , and economic cooperation with , the developing countries in Asia and Latin America , adopted by the Council after conciliation This situation is unacceptable in Europe and threatens the with the European Parliament, jobs and social rights of an entire category of workers .
— and the framework cooperation agreement between the Does the Council intend to introduce legislation requiring Community and the countries of Central America vessels on trans-European routes to fly the flag of a Member ( signed on 22 February 1993 ), in particular Articles 5 State and to apply the social provisions of at least one of the and 6 thereof ( 2 ). countries of the European Union ? 3 . On those bases , Guatemala has regularly received aid from the Community , in the economic and trade field in particular ( totalling ECU 57 million between 1990 and 1994 ). Answer (21 December 1995) 4 . It may be noted that at the San Jose XI Ministerial Conference held in Panama on 23 and 24 February 1995 , Ministers ' stressed the importance of the European Union's continuing its contribution to the promotion of Central Regarding the ' intra-Community maritime traffic' to which American exports ' and agreed 'to incorperate future action the Honourable Member refers , the Council would like to into a medium and long-term strategy', in order to draw a distinction between traffic between Member States implement better cooperation ( 3 ). and traffic within Member States ( maritime cabotage ).
5 . Moreover, following the Contadora Declaration and Regulation ( EEC ) No 3577/92 ( ] ) gives Community the unilateral true declaration by the URNG, the European shipowners operating vessels registered in and flying the flag Union urged the parties to continue their attempts at of a Member State the freedom to provide maritime negotiation and reiterated its willingness to continue to cabotage services . There are no specific provisions as to contribute to the economic and social development of the social legislation on board Community vessels . country , for which the signing of a firm and lasting peace agreement would be an element of fundamental importance . As regards traffic between Member States, under current Community law, in particular Regulation ( EEC ) (') OJ No L 52 , 27 . 2 . 1992 , p . 1 . No 4055/86 ( 2 ), Member States ' nationals also have the ( 2 ) OJ No C 77, 18 . 3 . 1993 , p . 33 . freedom to provide maritime transport services without any (') Doc . 4953/95 Presse 56 , paragraphs 15 and 22 . conditions being set as to the flag flown by the vessel used , corporate taxation or seamen's rights . There are no proposals to change this state of affairs on the Council table .
The Council would also point out that Directive 94/5 8/EC WRITTEN QUESTION E-1455/95 on the training of seafarers ( 3 ) should have the effect of by Carl Lang ( NI ) raising the level of training of all seafarers on board vessels to the Council putting in at Community ports and thus improve social conditions generally . (19 May 1995) 96/C 56/09 At its meeting on 13 and 14 March 1995 the Council held detailed discussions on Community maritime policy , Subject: Intra-Community maritime traffic including the problem of crews . It will be resuming those discussions when it examines the strategy document on the European legislation currently authorizes vessels flying flags future of the shipping industry which the Commission is to of convenience but belonging to European companies to submit by the end of the year . provide services on intra-Community routes while employing seamen from non-member countries . The pay (') OJ No L 364 , 12 . 12 . 1992, p . 7 . and level of social protection of these crews — who do not ( 2 ) OJ No L 378 , 31 . 12 . 1986 , p . 1 . appear to be covered by any European legislation — suggest (-') OJ No L 319 , 12 . 12 . 1994 , p . 28 that these companies are pursuing a practice of social dumping, not to mention the tax advantages resulting from the flag of their vessels . 26 . 2 . 96 1 EN | Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/5
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1596/95 WRITTEN QUESTION E-1668/95 by Carlo Casini ( PPE ), Pierluigi Castagnetti ( PPE ), Gerardo by Pat Gallagher ( UPE ) Bianco ( PPE ), Giovanni Burtone ( PPE ), Maria Colombo to the Council Svevo ( PPE ), Giampaolo D'Andrea ( PPE ), Michl Ebner ( PPE ), Livio Filippi ( PPE ), Antonio Graziani ( PPE ), Danilo ( 16 June 1995) Poggiolini ( PPE ), Carlo Secchi ( PPE ) ( 96/C 56/ 11 ) and Mariotto Segni ( PPE ) to the Council Subject: Brussels Convention 1968 as amended and (14 June 1995) extended — Jurisdiction and enforcement of ( 96/C 56/10 ) Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters
Subject: Restoration to their rightful owners of places of Would the Council agree that in the interests of consumers worship belonging to the Greek-Catholic Church and commercial undertakings the proper application of the of Romania European Convention on the Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial matters signed at Luxembourg on 3 June 1971 , as amended and extended , required that a In 1948 , when the Greek-Catholic Church in Romania had Central Register of Causes and Judgments obtained under more than two million members , its places of worship were its provisions be established and maintained ? confiscated by the dictatorial communist regime .
Since the fall of the Ceausescu regime the Romanian State has decreed that church buildings belonging de jure or de Answer facto to the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania should be (20 December 1995) given to the Greek-Catholic Church or the Orthodox Church depending on the desires of the majority of the faithful as established by an interconfessional joint committee set up for the purpose . This provision is legally The Council would remind the Honourable Member that unacceptable since it is a general legal principle that the basic aim of the 1968 Brussels Convention, as property unlawfully taken away should be returned to its subsequently amended , is to determine the jurisdiction of legitimate owners along with appropriate damages . In the national courts in civil and commercial matters covered by case of a government which succeeds a government that has the Convention and to facilitate recognition and the acted unlawfully that obligation is governed by UN introduction of an expeditious procedure to ensure Declaration 40/34 of 29 November 1985 . Substantial enforcement of judgments and of authentic intruments and impediment to the legitimate practising of one's religious court settlements . faith is thus contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights . The Honourable Member's question as to whether a central register of causes and judgments obtained under the 1 . Is the Council aware of these violations of human rights Convention's provisions should be established is not a in Romania ? matter at present being considered by the Council .
2 . Does the Council not consider it necessary to intervene vis-a-vis the Romanian authorities to obtain the return It should also be pointed out that, in order to ensure that the provisions of the Brussels Convention are applied of places of worship to the Greek-Catholic Church ? as effectively and uniformly as possible, under the arrangements laid down in the Protocol of 3 June 1971 , 3 . Does the Council not consider that Community national courts hearing appeals or courts whose judgments programmes of aid for Romania should be conditional may not be the subject of an appeal under national law have on total respect for human rights ? the power to ask the Court of Justice to give a preliminary ruling . Moreover the Member States have expressed their readiness to arrange , in liaison with the Court of Justice , for an exchange of information on judgments handed down by Answer the courts required to seek a ruling from the Court of Justice (20 December 1995) on a particular issue .
Arranging for the publication of judgments handed down The Honourable Members are asked to refer to the reply both by Member States' national courts and by the Court of given by the Council to Written Question E-526/95 ( 1 ) by Justice of the European Communities with regard to the Mr Berthu . interpretation of the Convention is a matter for private enterprise on the part of legal and professional publishers in (') OJ No C 257, 2 . 10 . 1995 , p . 9 . the Member States . No C 56/6 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1716/95 result of monetary movements in one or more other by André Laignel ( PSE ) Member States . Concerned at this problem and in accordance with a political agreement reached at its meeting to the Council from 19 to 22 June 1995 , on 25 October 1995 the Council (1 June 1995) adopted a Regulation establishing the possibility of national ( 96/C 56/12 ) aid being granted in compensation for losses of agricultural income caused by monetary movements in other Member States . Subject: Agriculture — Council proposals to settle agri-monetary problems That Regulation concerns considerable losses of revenue resulting from significant monetary movements occurring in The recent monetary fluctuations within the EMS have had other Member States since the beginning of the 1994/95 disastrous consequences for the operation of the internal marketing year and no later than 31 December 1995 . market and the common system of agricultural prices .
Devaluation by weak currency countries in the Union has The Council took the view that : given their products a competitive advantage and as a result of the present agri-monetary system indirectly led to cases of over-compensation . — monetary movements have influenced agricultural markets , particularly in the first half of 1995 ; certain producers may have suffered from losses of income The situation has naturally aroused strong reactions in caused by significant monetary movements in Member French producers , especially in the fruit and vegetable States other than the one in which they produce ; ( strawberries etc.) and meat and veal industries .
— where such losses of revenue are objectively established , What does the Council propose to do , in the short term and temporary national aid which does not favour a well before the single currency is set up , to deal with this particular type of production may be granted to abnormal distortion of competition between Union compensate for the loss actually established ; producers ?
— measures need to be taken at Community level to enable What decision does the Council propose to take to settle the the common agricultural policy to be implemented agri-monetary problem at the root of supplementary coherently . budgetary expenditure , and in particular cases of over-compensation in weak currency countries ? With respect to the operation of the agri-monetary system to which the Honourable Member refers in the second part of his question , and in particular the budgetary aspects of it, it Answer should be noted that the Council was essentially anxious to (21 December 1995) ensure proper implementation of the rules providing for a reduction in agricultural conversion rates in the event of the observed and confirmed re-evaluation of a currency . Any such reduction in agricultural conversion rates is in fact Since the single market was established on 1 January 1993 , always a source of major political difficulty . The Council agri-monetary arrangements have been maintained which meeting from 19 to 22 June recorded agreement on involve the abolition of monetary compensatory amounts compensation for any reductions in the agricultural and the retention of agricultural conversion rates . These conversion rates of certain currencies which might take conversion rates are linked to currency values and are place in the period between 23 June 1995 and 1 January subject to change . However, such changes take place only in 1996 ( Council Regulation ( EC ) No 1527/95 (')). accordance with mechanisms designed to preclude a situation in the farming sector where daily fluctuations on the foreign exchange markets make EAGGF Guarantee Section payments completely unpredictable , by introducing However, this Regulation does not provide for an increase monitoring periods and margins for movement within in ECU terms , and hence in all Member States , of the which amendment of the agricultural conversion rate is amounts of the reform, structural or environmental aids avoided . referred to in Article 7 of the basic Regulation ( Regulation ( EEC ) No 3812/92 ) while , for the Member States concerned ( significant reduction in the agriculture conversion rate With regard to the Honourable Member's first question , in between 23 June 1 995 and 1 January 1 996 ) the level of such periods of extreme currency fluctuation situations may aid , for the payment of which the agricultural conversion indeed arise in which one or other particular sector in one or rates remain unchanged until 1 January 1 999 , is maintained . other Member State may in fact experience a considerable On this latter point, the Council considered that, for the change in conditions of competition as regards prices as a currencies in question 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/7
'there should be no reduction in the agricultural The Commission has no plans for new measures under conversion rates applicable to the amounts referred to in the common agricultural policy designed principally to Article 7 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 3813/92 pending reconcile the interests of small farmers and landowners with determination of the set conversion rates between the those of hunting . currencies of the Member States'. As far as protection of species is concerned, the Commission (!) OJ No L 148 , 30 . 6 . 1995 . considers that the provisions of Directives 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds ( 2 ) and 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora ( 3 ) will have favourable repercussions for the species in question .
(') OJ No L 218 , 6 . 8 . 1991 . WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 872/95 ( 2 ) OJ No L 103 , 25 . 4 . 1979 . by Sérgio Ribeiro ( GUE/NGL ) ( 3 ) OJ No L 206 , 22 . 7 . 1992 . to the Commission (3 July 1995) ( 96/C 56/ 13 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1953/95 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler ( V ) Subject: Law on hunting in Portugal, environmental to the Commission protections and small farms (6 July 1995) It is difficult to achieve a balance between game ( 96/C 56/14 ) management ( preservation , promotion and reproduction ) and hunting as a traditional and popular activity . It is Subject: Environmental guidelines of European likewise difficult — but desirable and possible — to draw up manufacturing and trading firms and apply legislation which represents in acceptable compromise for all concerned . In Portugal , the law on Which European trading and manufacturing firms have hunting, instead of striving to achieve such a compromise , is undertaken to observe guidelines under which they take threatening the traditional values and interests of small account of environmental protection legislation even when farmers and farm owners , and the view of hunting as a speculative economic activity has given rise to tensions and manufacturing and trading outside the European Union , divisions which have at times led to violence . and what guidelines are these ? Does the Commission encourage European trading and In the year of environmental conservation , will the manufacturing firms to draw up and adopt such guidelines ? Commission propose measures and legislation which, Has the Commission developed or is it developing models benefiting from a wide range of experience and taking for this purpose ? account of particular features , would reconcile the environmental aspects , the game management aspects and If not, why does the Commission assume that this is not the interests of small farmers in order to prevent and remedy necessary ? situations such as that being experienced in Portugal , where former comrades in a traditional activity known for its ability to foster companionship and friendship have at times What action does the Commission envisage taking to require European trading and manufacturing firms to abide been on the verge of violence ? by environmental protection legislation outside the European Union , and how does it intend to monitor this ?
Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard (7 September 1995) on behalf of the Commission (3 October 1995) From the agricultural point of view hunting is normally considered a possible source of additional income for The questions raised by the Honourable Member would farmers . require there to be uniform environmental policy rules not only for the Community but also in relation to third Thus for the purposes of definition of farmers who can countries . receive structural aid for modernizing their holdings ( Article 5 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2328/91 (')) hunting is a Community law is geographical in nature and therefore permitted activity . applies only within the Community . No C 56/8 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
European manufacturing and trading companies must On 18 September 1995 the Council adopted the Regulation therefore comply with all environmental protection laying down general rules for the granting of Community requirements laid down in Community law in all parts of the financial aid in the field of trans-European networks Community . ( Regulation ( EC ) No 2236/95 (')).
Apart from the requirement for all European companies to Article 5 of the abovementioned common position states comply with Community environmental rules, Council that the priorities for each project shall include inter alia the Regulation ( EEC ) No 1836/93 of 29 June 1993 (') allows integration of environmental concerns into the design and voluntary participation by companies in the industrial development of the network ; the reasons given for this text sector in a Community eco-management and audit scheme recall that 'Member States need to take account of under which companies also comply with environmental environmental protection by carrying out environmental standards for products exported from the Community . impact studies pursuant to Council Directive 85/337/EEC', as mentioned by the Honourable Member ( see seventh The Commission is not able to oblige European companies recital ). to comply with Community law outside the Community . A company located in a third country will have to comply with Regulation ( EC ) No 2236/95 , for its part, stipulated that the the national standards of that country . information required for the assessment and identification of applications for financial aid for a project must include a summary description of the environmental impact based on (M OJ No L 168 , 10 . 7 . 1993 . the assessment carried out in accordance with the abovementioned Directive .
(') OJ No L 228 , 23 . 9 . 1995 .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 975/95 by Riccardo Nencini ( PSE ) to the Council WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 112/95 (10 July 1995) by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE ) ( 96/C 56/15 ) to the Commission (19 July 1995) Subject: High-speed rail project ( 96/C 56/16 )
The city of Florence and surrounding area have been chosen as transit centres for a high-speed railway line . Subject: Combating fraud within the Union
The projects submitted do not comply with the European I should like to receive a list of all organizations , both Union's guidelines , which stipulate that, in order to be internal and external , which receive funding from the Union considered as 'joint projects', projects must meet the budget for the purpose of combating fraud against Union funds . requirements set out in the proposal for a Decision on trans-European networks in the energy and transport sectors , in particular as regards compatibility with In the case of each of them , I should also like to know the environmental standards . Funding of such projects is budget heading concerned and the amount of funding dependent on compliance with Directive 85/337/EEC granted to the organization . I should also appreciate a ( environmental impact assessment ) ('), which has in fact detailed overview of the staffing of these organizations . been disregarded .
What is the Council's view and what information can it Supplementary answer given by Mrs Gradin supply on this matter ? on behalf of the Commission (17 November 1995) (') OJ No L 175 , 5 . 7 . 1985 , p . 40 . The Commission based its analysis on the 1994 budget year, this being the last year for which the Commission has Answer complete data . (20 December 1995) There are two separate lists : one shows the major groups of organizations receiving funding for anti-fraud activities On 28 September 1995 , the Council adopted its common broken down by budget item; the other shows , by Member position with a view to adopting a Decision of the European State , the main external bodies receiving such funding and Parliament and of the Council on Community guidelines for the amounts each receives . These lists have been sent the development of a trans-European transport network . direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's This was forwarded to the European Parliament . Secrertariat . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/9
Finally the Commission would point out that it is not for it which have been applied since 15 June 1995 in to make any comments on the staffing of the structure other German Lander, including Bavaria and responsible for combating fraud in the Member States . Schleswig-Holstein , which also have Aujeszky's-free status pursuant to Article 9 of Directive 64/ 432/EEC ?
( b ) Are those requirements likewise more stringent in the case of intra-Community trade than in the case of farrows from pig farms situated on German WRITTEN QUESTION E-2155/95 soil ? If so , how will such double standards , by Jan Mulder ( ELDR ) which are incompatible with Article 9 of Directive 64/432/EEC , be eliminated in the near future ? to the Commission
(28 July 1995) (') OJ No L 111 , 5 . 5 . 1993 , p . 21 . ( 96/C 56/17 ) ( 2 ) OJ No 121 , 29 . 7 . 1964 , p . 1977 .
Subject: Specific requirements concerning Aujeszky's disease in relation to the introduction of farrows Answer given by Mr Fischler on to pig fattening units in the German Lander of on behalf of the Commission Lower Saxony and North-Rhine Westphalia (10 October 1995)
1 . Is the Commission aware that, since 15 June 1995 , 1 . The programme for the eradication of Aujeszky's farrows from pig breeding farms in Germany which do not disease in Germany which was approved by Commission have Aujeszky's free status have continued to be introduced Decision 95/210/EC ( ] ) allows this , subject to certain into ' isolated ' fattening units in the German Lander of additional conditions . Lower Saxony and North-Rhine Westphalia , specifically in the districts of Borken and Vechta ? 2 . The conditions for the movement of piglets for production into areas where an approved eradication 2 . Is it aware that such practice has not been permitted programme is in operation are set out in Article 2 of since 15 January 1995 in the case of farrows originating on Commission Decision 93/244/EEC . These apply to pig breeding farms situated in the Netherlands which do not movements into Germany from 15 June 1995 , following have Aujeszky's-free status ? approval of the German programme . The concept or definition of a herd with Aujeszky free status does not exist 3 . Is it aware that, since 15 June 1995 , it has been at Community level . possible for pig breeding farms in Lower Saxony and North-Rhine Westphalia to be classified as Aujeszky's-free 3 . This is not correct . According to the German if no symptoms of Aujeszky's disease have been observed or programme , approved by Commission Decision 95/210/EC , suspected during the previous six months ? a breeding herd is recognised as free in Germany if tests , with negative results , are carried out on all breeding sows , gilts 4 . ( a ) \s it aware that, in Lower Saxony and North-Rhine and boars with follow up monitoring of each herd on a Westphalia , Dutch farrows have , since 15 June statistical basis being carried out on a six-monthly basis . 1995 , been permitted only if they conform strictly to Slaughter of positive animals is compulsory . the specific requirements relating to Aujeszky's disease laid down in Article 2 of Decision 4 . ( a ) Yes , this is a requirement of Commission Decision 92/244/EEC ('), including the requirement that no 93/244/EEC which sets out the movement rules for symptoms of Aujeszky's disease must have been pigs moving into Member States or parts of Member observed and/or suspected at the pig breeding farm States where an approved programme is in of origin during the previous twelve months ? operation . The decision requires that no evidence of the disease be recorded in the herd of origin in the ( b ) Is this not incompatible with Article 9 of Directive previous 12 months but does not require that the 64/432/EEC ( 2 ), which does not permit more herd itself be tested in that period . stringent guarantees to be required for intra-Community trade than for internal trade ? ( b ) No . The comparison between areas of the Community where an eradication programme is in 5 . What action will the Commission take to ensure that progress and those where one does not apply must the double standards described above are eliminated ? Will it be looked at in its entirety . The situations in take such action in the near future ? Germany where over three million tests were carried out in 1994 and where over two hundred thousand pigs were slaughtered because of the disease , and the 6 . ( a ) Does the Commission have further information on Netherlands where a programme is less advanced , specific requirements relating to Aujeszky's disease could not be deemed to be equivalent . No C 56/10 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
5 . The Commission has brought the Honourable management of the stocks in question , both within the Member's comments to the attention of the authorities waters under national jurisdiction and on the high seas . in Germany and has been assured that the eradication programme is being implemented as required by Decision 95/210/EC . 2 . In due course , the Council will be called upon to decide on the basis of a Commission Proposal whether or not to conclude the Convention on behalf of the Community . The implementation of eradication programmes against Aujeszky's disease is monitored regularly , with each Member State reporting the situation at least annually . 3 . In the opinion of the Council any management scheme Failure to implement an approved programme as required regarding the stocks in question should seek to ensure the by a Commission decision would result in loss of the related conservation and sustainable management of those stocks trade guarantees . as well as the maintenance of the balance between the rights and the obligations of coastal States and those fishing on the High Seas , in compliance with the provisions of the United 6 . The Lander of Bavaria and Schleswig-Holstein do not Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea . have Aujeszky's free status but are running an approved eradication programme . Currently in Bavaria the disease is absent from over 90 % of herds and in Schleswig-Hol stein the figure is over 99,6% . Commission Decisions 95/210/EEC and 93/244/EEC apply throughout Germany with the exception of the Lander of Thuringen, Sachsen and Brandenburg . These three Lander have been recognized as free of Aujeszky's disease and fall under the scope of WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 176/95 Commission Decision 93/24/EEC ( 2 ) which sets out the by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE ) conditions for movement into these areas . to the Commission (28 July 1995) (') OJ No L 132 , 16 . 6 . 1995 . ( 2 ) OJ No L 16 , 25 . 1 . 1993 . ( 96/C 56/19 )
Subject: European water pollution control/relationship of the IPPC Directive to existing clean air and water Directives
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 162/95 by Peter Crampton ( PSE ) One example which illustrates that the IPPC Directive basically applies the approach adopted in Directive to the Council 84/360/EEC ('), involving water to industrial plants or (28 July 1995) processes but fails to incorporate important elements of the ( 96/C 56/ 18 1976 water Directive ( 76/464/EEC ) ( 2 ), is the absence of the standstill principle , according to which the setting of emission standards may not run counter to the objective of Subject: Council position on migratory stocks the water Directive , i.e. it may not increase water pollution . The air Directive 84/360/EEC permits only an insignificant increase in air pollution . The proposed IPPC Directive In the run-up to the next session of the United Nations does not refer to this . Another example is the degree of Conference on straddling and highly migratory fish stocks , discretion which must be permitted in legislation on water what is the view of the Council on the management of management to safeguard the public water supply, in international fisheries in this context ? contrast to decisions taken under clean air legislation .
1 . In view of this , how is existing EU legislation on emissions into the air to be incorporated in water Answer legislation ? (20 December 1995) 2 . If it is to be incorporated , it is not necessary to improve integration, and in particular to amend the IPPC 1 . The United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Directive, in order to take account of the interests and Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks , adopted , without requirements of water management, for example, by a vote , the text of the 'Agreement for the Implementation of including the standstill principle and allowing Member the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law States discretion as regards water management in order of the Sea relating to the Conservation and Management of to safeguard the public water supply ? Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks' at the end of its final session . The Agreement provides (M OJ No L 188 , 16 . 7 . 1984, p . 20 . for international cooperation in the conservation and ( 2 ) OJ No L 129 , 18 . 5 . 1976 , p . 23 . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/ 11
Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard quality objective approach if it has authorized application of on behalf of the Commission that approach . (3 November 1995) 1 . Why has the Commission not yet submitted such a report ? The standstill principle, referring as it does to ambient 2 . Why does it wish to abandon the approach laid down in pollution concentration in the environment, would the Directive ? naturally be incorporated in quality objective legislation rather than in process-oriented legislation . Thus the proposal for a Directive on ecological quality of water (') OJ No L 129, 18 . 5 . 1976, p . 23 . requires Member States to take measures to maintain and improve the ecological quality of water ('). Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard As the amended proposal for a Council Directive concerning on behalf of the Commission integrated pollution prevention and control ( 2 ), is based on (3 November 1995) Article 130s ( 1 ) of the EC Treaty, there is nothing to prevent Member States from taking further measures , under Article 130t of the EC Treaty, to those required under the 1 . Pursuant to Article 6 of Directive 76/464/EEC , a Directive . report was submitted in 1988 .
(') COM(93 ) 680 — OJ No C 222 , 10 . 8 . 1994 . 2 . As experience has shown, environmental protection ( 2 ) COM(93 ) 423 — OJ No C 311 , 17 . 11 . 1993 , as amended by has benefited from an approach which used limit values and COM(95 ) 88 — OJ No C 165 , 1 . 7 . 1995 . water quality objectives in parallel .
Thus , at the Edinburgh summit of 1992 , the Commission announced that in the modification of Directive 76/464/EEC , the two alternate approaches to pollution control , namely emission limit values and water quality WRITTEN QUESTION E-2181/95 objectives , should become complementary and reinforcing . by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE ) to the Commission (28 July 1995) ( 96/C 56/20 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 189/95 Subject: European water pollution control emission by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE ) standards as a complementary approach/quality to the Commission objectives ( immission standards ) (28 July 1955) ( 96/C 56/21 ) Both the IPPC Directive and the proposed Directive on the ecological quality of water, as well as other Directives proposed by the Commission, e.g. on air quality, bear the Subject: European water pollution control — progress marks of a recent battle between supporters of the emission through a multimedia approach principle , i.e. stringent harmonized emission standards ( limit values ) in Europe and supporters of the quality To some extent , the achievements of the existing water and objective approach, i.e. the setting of environmental quality air Directives are not encouraging . For example , the Council standards ( immission values ). Both approaches were has adopted only three spin-off Directives from Directive clearly defined in the framework Directive on water 84/360/EEC ( ! ) and only seven spin-off Directives from ( 76/464/EEC ) ('), the former as the basis for eliminating the water Directive 76/464/EEC ( 2 ). The seven spin-off pollution by particularly dangerous substances, the latter as Directives cover only 17 and 18 respectively of the 132 the basis for reducing water pollution by less dangerous i.e. hazardous substances laid down by the Commission and degradable substances . Pursuant to the 1976 Directive , the Council as part of a programme in 1982 and 1983 quality objective approach constitutes no more than a respectively . To be on the safe side, the IPPC Directive derogation in the case of List I substances , if Member States contains no requirements at all for a programme to adopt are able to demonstrate that Community quality objectives Community provisions. are being met even if emission standards are less stringent . Only one Member State is known to have made use of this 1 . What achievements does the Commission expect from derogation . The Commission has not yet submitted a report the IPPC Directive , which simply takes over the lists of to the Council on the success or failure of the quality substances from the two framework Directives for the objective approach, although, pursuant to Article 6 of the industries in question while leaving the question of 1976 Directive , it is required to submit reports to the developing emission standards for them to the Member Council every five years concerning the application of the States ? No C 56/12 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
2 . In the Commission's judgment, what are the updating and tightening up the provisions in the spin-off implications in particular for the Member States' Directives , leaving the question to the Member States . authorizing authorities if the Member States also fail to adopt multimedia emission standards ? 1 . What additional benefit does the Commission except in terms of further limitations on emissions and improved (') OJ No L 188 , 16 . 7 . 1984, p . 20 . environmental protection from this integrated aproach C-) OJ No L 129 , 18 . 5 . 1976 , p . 23 . in Europe and in particular in Member States with a largely well-knit body of environmental law on industrial plants , and from what are mainly procedural provisions only , in view of the fact that the IPPC Directive already to a large extent reflects the state of the Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard art, in that it, at all events, takes over the existing on behalf of the Commission Directives ? (3 November 1995) 2 . In terms of the integrated approach , are the IPPC proposal's emission standards which have been taken over compatible at all with a Directive ? It has been recognized in the context of the integrated pollution prevention and control ( IPPC ) proposal (') that emission limit standards for separate media set at a level 3 . Should not the scope of the IPPC Directive be restricted removed from the individual installation are not the most only to those industries causing multimedia pollution or efficient way for controlling pollution . The proposal focus on key large industrial plants which do actually provides for an obligation to minimize as far as technically emit particularly hazardous substances into several possible , taking into account costs and benefits , the media ? pollution to all media from a particular individual industrial installation , in full consideration of the technical (') OJ No L 188 , 16 . 7 . 1984, p . 20 . developments in that sector . The Commission expects this ( 2 ) OJ No L 129 , 18 . 5 . 1976 , p . 23 . regime to deliver more proportionate , efficient and effective control of industrial pollution . It is for this reason that a programme of Community provisions is not automatically envisaged in the proposal , and for this reason also it is not envisaged that Member States will necessarily adopt such Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard values for uniform application across their territory . The on behalf of the Commission decision by a Member State not to do so would be fully compatible with the proposal . (30 October 1995)
(') COM(93 ) 423 — OJ No C 311 , 17 . 11 . 1993 . Amending COM(95 ) 88 — OJ No C 165 , 1 . 7 . 1995 . Pollution control technology is always developing, hence the dynamic concept of best available technology ( BAT ) in the draft integrated pollution prevention and control ( IPPC ) Directive ('). It is inaccurate , therefore , to say for example that Directives 76/464/EEC and 84/360/EEC represent the state of the art in their respective fields . By adopting the IPPC Directive , with existing limits as minimum values and the requirement to base emission limits on the latest WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 190/95 technological developments , the Council will provide for the by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE ) updating and tightening over time of controls on emissions to air and water from the installations covered under IPPC . to the Commission Further additional benefit will derive from emission limits (28 July 1995) tailored to the individual requirements of the installation , { 96/C 56/22 ) taking into account the requirements of all environmental media in an integrated way , and based on the continually evolving technological possibilities in the sector concerned . The scope of the IPPC Directive is, broadly speaking, limited Subject: European water pollution control — scope of the to large industrial plants causing multimedia pollution IPPC Directive and those emitting dangerous substances into the environment .
The proposal for an IPPC Directive introduces a multimedia , i.e. integrated approach . Under transitional (') Doc . COM(95 ) 88 — OJ No C 165 , 1 . 7 . 1995 . Amending arrangements , it nonetheless takes over all emission COM(93 ) 423 — OJ No C 311 , 17 . 11 . 1993 . standards from Directives 84/360/EEC (') ( air ) and 76/464/EEC ( 2 ) ( water ). This prevents , contrary to an undertaking given , the Council and the Commission from 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/ 13
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 197/95 environmental benefit achieved . It is not, however , possible by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE ) to make any sensible estimate of the total cost of implementation at this stage , given also the length of the to the Commission transitional period to IPPC . (28 July 1995) ( 96/C 56/23 ) (') COM(93 ) 680 final — OJ No C 222 , 10 . 8 . 1994 . ( 2 ) COM(93 ) 423 final — OJ No C 3 1 1 , 1 7 . 1 1 . 1 993 . Amended by COM(95 ) 88 final — OJ No C 165 , 1 . 7 . 1995 . Subject: European water pollution control — cost of transposing the water Directives
Given the two extremes that the IPPC Directive and the ecological water quality Directive represent, costs play a significant role . In connection with the IPPC Directive , it is WRITTEN QUESTION E-2206/95 difficult to estimate the costs of new multimedia standards ; by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE ) the focus , rather, should initially be on the savings and to the Commission benefits for a European environment industry . Incorporation of a third purification stage for achieving (28 July 1995) better ecological water quality has inevitably raised the issue ( 96/C 56/24 ) of the costs of the Directive for treating local authority sewage . The ecological water quality Directive includes the cost of all measures to clean up and rehabilitate water Subject: European water pollution control : EU competence resources and other sources of pollution in the broadest and subsidiarity sense . The new proposal for a bathing water Directive and the 1 . What information does the Commission have on the Directive on the ecological quality of water create a cost of investment to meet the targets of the ecological comprehensive right under Community law . The premise is water quality Directive and the IPPC Directive ? that all citizens have the right to clean bathing water and that practically all stretches of water and all sources of 2 . Are such far-reaching obligations practical if the pollution must, in accordance with the guidelines of the investment costs they generate cannot be realistically ecological water Directive , be logged and cleaned up by the estimated and the problem of cost — as in the case of Member States . local authority sewage — does' not enter the political debate until after the event ? 1 . Is a comprehensive competence for the environment compatible with the Treaty ?
2 . Does this approach really accord with the principle of Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard subsidiarity ? on behalf of the Commission (31 October 1995) 3 . Does the Commission believe it is really possible to manage and monitor Europe-wide protection of the environment from Brussels ? With regard to the proposal for an ecological quality of water Directive ('), the best estimate of the additional 4 . Does the Commission not feel that there is a need for a investment costs necessary to meet the obligations of the new approach, specifically confined to urgent problems Directive is based on an extrapolation of the costs of the requiring a solution at Community level and significant Rhine action programme and is put at some ECU 3 000 stretches of water ? million . Estimates were presented in the explanatory memorandum to the Commission's proposal . Decisions concerning the pace at which measures should be adopted have been left to individual Member States , so the annual Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard cost is impossible to assess . on behalf of the Commission (3 November 1995) The concept of cost benefit is explicitly integrated into the proposal for a Council Directive concerning integrated pollution prevention and control ( IPPC ) ( 2 ), in its definition 1 and 2 . Community environment policy is governed by of best available technology ( BAT ). As stated in the Article 130r of the EC Treaty which makes no distinction explanatory memorandum , the proposal for setting and between environmental issues of different geographical scales . updating emission limit values on BAT is intended to align environmental requirements with technical progress while giving industry greater confidence in the life expectancy of It is also , of course , governed by the principle of subsidiarity the operating conditions of a permit . It is intended that costs in Article 3b of the EC Treaty . However, both the proposal born by industry will in all cases be proportionate to the for a Council Directive concerning the quality of bathing No C 56/14 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
water ( ) and the proposal for a Council Directive on 3 . What are the Commission's views on a voluntary ecological quality of water ( 2 ), with the principle of system , participation in which would lead to a special subsidiarity . They set the minimum standards and award by the European Union ? procedures necessary at Community level in order to meet the requirements of Article 13 Or of the EC Treaty , but they leave many , if not all , of the operational details to the (') OJ No L 31 , 5 . 2 . 1976 , p . 1 . Member States . ( 2 ) OJ No L 135 , 30 . 5 . 1991 , p . 40 . ( 3 ) OJ No L 129 , 18 . 5 . 1976 , p . 23 .
3 . The Commission does not 'manage and monitor Europe-wide protection of the environment from Brussels', nor would it be sensible to do so . Management and monitoring are undertaken at national or regional level by Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard the relevant authorities , within the framework of on behalf of the Commission Community and national legislation . (30 October 1995)
4 . The Commission does not agree with the approach outlined in part 4 of this question . The bathing water Directive 76/160/EEC sets out the quality criteria and the monitoring requirements for bathing waters (') COM(94 ) 36 final — OJ No C 112 , 22 . 4 . 1994 . all over the Community . Every Member State is responsible ( 2 ) COM(93 ) 680 final — OJ No C 222 , 10 . 8 . 1994 . for the implementation of the Directive and therefore for the monitoring of its bathing areas . The results of this monitoring are sent to the Commission which subsequently publishes an annual report concerning the quality of bathing waters .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-22 10/95 1 . The common denominator between bathing water quality and good or high ecological water quality is by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE ) urban waste water which is a frequent polluter of to the Commission both . (28 July 1995) ( 96/C 56/25 ) Concerning bathing water, attention is primarily given to the microbiological parameters . The precise point of discharge of urban waste water is of great importance . The proposed ecological quality of water Directive (*) Subject: European water pollution control : Amendment of uses a broader perspective and takes into consideration the bathing water Directive; overlap with other any pollution which could have an impact upon the environmental requirements ecological quality of the receiving water . This could include microbiological contaminants but will also The bathing water Directive 76/160/EEC (') was originally include high levels of nutrients and other pollutants such intended not to create bathing water areas but to establish as heavy metal . an obligation , in respect of waste water disposal , on the part of local authorities and industry, and to control pollution 2 . Bearing in mind the favourable reactions of the public , from agriculture . A whole series of water Directives with the Commission thinks that the present system is quite such obligations have since been adopted , in particular successful and is not considering replacing it with Directive 91/271/EEC ( 2 ) on urban waste water treatment anything radically different . The proposal for the and the seven specific Directives pursuant to Directive revision of the bathing water Directive ( 2 ) keeps the 76/464/EEC ( 3 ). Nevertheless, the proposed amendment to same structure , though adapting the Directive to present the bathing water Directive does not bring the technical and scientific knowledge . comprehensive right to have bathing water cleaned up and monitored in line with the current position under the law . The attempt to monitor these bathing places from Brussels 3 . The Commission will consider this idea in the future in also seems out of place . There are currently 16 000 addition to the requirements of the bathing water registered bathing places which are to be subject to a Directive . It should be recalled that a voluntary system European monitoring system . of this sort already exists, operated by the Foundation for environmental education in Europe, Denmark ( FEEE ) and the special awards are called ' blue flags'. 1 . How do the two objectives of improved bathing water quality and good or high ecological water quality relate to each other ? (') COM(93 ) 680 final — OJ No C 222, 10 . 8 . 1994 . ( 2 ) COM(94 ) 36 final — OJ No C 112 , 22 . 4 . 1994 . 2 . Should not EU monitoring and testing be confined to supraregional bathing places which are particularly affected by tourism ? 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/15
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2211/95 differing local conditions , differing perceptions of by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE ) environmental problems and of the principle of subsidiarity . to the Commission (28 July 1995) The Commission is of the opinion that this is a general ( 96/C 56/26 ) problem when dealing with environmental protection and equal conditions of competition rather than a specific problem for the Emas Regulation . Subject: European water protection : Framework Directive 76/464/EEC and the eco-audit (') COM(93 ) 423 — OJ No C 31 1 , 17 . 11 . 1993 , as amended by COM(95 ) 88 — OJ No C 165 , 1 . 7 . 1995 . Directive 76/464/EEC ( ] ) and the proposal for the IPPC Directive call for the use of 'the best available technologies and techniques to avoid , if possible , or reduce pollution of the environment'. The Directive allows derogations for Member States which permit greater discharges than those WRITTEN QUESTION E-2221/95 in the strict EU emission standards, if this is not detrimental to the water-quality objectives of the Community . The by Philippe-Armand Martin ( EDN ) eco-audit regulation introduced a new instrument : to the Council environment quality management and certification for (28 July 1995) good environmental behaviour following testing by an independent expert . The conclusion that may be drawn is ( 96/C 56/27 ) that good environmental behaviour is being tested on the basis of compliance with the licensing conditions . However , Subject: Allocation of inulin syrup quotas because of the derogation in Article 6 of Directive 76/464/EEC , a company in a Member State which pursues Council Regulation ( EC ) No 133/94 of 24 January 1994 ( 1 ) the quality objective can receive a test certificate even and Commission Regulation ( EC ) No 392/94 of though it has had significantly lower limit values authorized , 23 February 1 994 ( 2 ) include details of the arrangements for and is hence making less of an effort in terms of protection of declaration and allocation of quotas for the production of the environment, while a company in another Member State inulin syrup . which only just fails to comply with more stringent national or European emission standards is refused a certificate . In the context of the Commission's inquiry into the allocation of production quotas for inulin syrup for the What is the significance , for a certificate pursuant to the 1994/95 marketing year, a check was carried out in France eco-audit regulation , of confirmation of compliance with in July 1995 . licensing conditions if the latter relate to different technical standards in Europe ? The results of this inquiry are important for the development of the chicory fructose sector . (M OJ No L 129 , 18 . 5 . 1976 , p . 23 . What are the results of this inquiry, which dates back almost a year ? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (') OJ No L 22 , 27 . 1 . 1994, p . 7 . (1 December 1995) ( 2 ) OJ No L 53 , 24 . 2 . 1994, p . 7 .
Companies wishing to be registered in Emas ( the Answer eco-management and audit system ) must adopt an environmental policy which provides for compliance with (21 December 1995) all relevant regulations regarding the environment . Compliance with legislation is therefore a prerequisite for The Council would point out to the Honourable Member participation in Emas . A commitment, aimed at the that the checks mentioned in his question are the continuous improvement of environmental performance responsibility of the Commission . As regards the setting of going beyond legal compliance , is required in order to be quotas for the production of inulin syrup , the Council registered in the scheme . would give a reminder that : Where alternate approaches are allowed , such as in — in Regulation ( EC ) No 133/94 , the Council extended the Directive 76/464/EEC and the proposed Directive on sugar arrangements generally until the end of the integrated pollution prevention and control ('), Member 1994/95 marketing year . On that occasion the Council States may choose the most appropriate control method in also decided to extend those arrangements to the order to achieve a high level of environment protection . This production of inulin syrup; allows for differences in environmental legislation amongst the Member States , as the Honourable Member rightly — under Article 1 , point 17, of Regulation ( EC ) indicates in her question , and is also a consequence of No 133/94 , the Member States were directed to assign A No C 56/16 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
and B quotas to undertakings producing inulin syrup in 70 % of total private sector employment in Europe , is their territory . The detailed rules for calculating the explicitly recognised by the Commission in its white paper quotas in question were laid down in Commission on growth, competitiveness and employment ( 1 ). Following Regulation ( EC ) No 392/94 ; from this, the aim of the decision's integrated programme in favour of SMEs and the craft sector ( 2 ) is to capitalise — on 24 April 1995 the Council adopted Regulation ( EC ) fully on the employment creation potential of SMEs No 1101/95 (') which amends the Community sugar by implementation of a comprehensive framework of arrangements and in Article 1 , point 3 , confirms until the interdependent and concerted measures . 2000/01 marketing year the quotas for the production of inulin syrup definitively assigned by the Member States The Commission appreciates the important role which to undertakings producing inulin for the 1994/95 UEAPME plays as a representative organization of SMEs in marketing year . Europe . In this context, the President of the Commission met the Secretary-General of UEAPME on 24 April 1995 , Finally, the Council would draw the Honourable Member's and the Commissioner responsible for SMEs met a attention to the reply the Commission gave him on delegation of UEAPME on 23 February 1995 . 29 September 1 995 to the same question . In accordance with the criteria for the implementation of the (') OJ No L 110, 17 . 5 . 1995 , p . 1 . protocol on social policy , the Commission consults regularly the European organizations representative of the social partners , including UEAPME, also speaking in the name of other organizations representing craft and small and medium-sized enterprises . WRITTEN QUESTION E-2274/95 The Commission will continue to consult UEAPME and by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel ( ELDR ) other organizations and , in this context, will examine to the Commission the possibility of increasing the number of European (31 July 1995) organizations representing business interests , and in ( 961C 56/28 ) particular SMEs, in the consultation mechanisms envisaged for those Community programmes which have a direct bearing on the business sector . It may be mentioned , for Subject: Presence of the UEAPME in the social dialogue instance , the participation of UEAPME as a full member of the Round table of bankers and SME organizations, and as 1 . Is the Commission aware that the European Union of an observer on the committee for the Leonardo Craft Industries and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises , programme . UEAPME, represents small businesses and craft trades in Europe ? As regards the social dialogue leading to the conclusion of agreements at European level in accordance with Article 4 of 2 . Is it aware that 99 % of businesses in Europe are in the the Agreement on social policy and Article 118B of the EC SME category and that 70% of the total workforce is Treaty, the Commission considers that it is mainly for the employed by them ? social partners themselves to agree on their representatives . The meeting held with certain of the social partners on 30 May took place in this context . 3 . Does it consider it right that the UEAPME is not invited to discussions on European agreements to implement the Social Protocol , such as the meeting of (') COM(93 ) 700 . 30 May 1995 at the Commission ( with Mr Santer and Mr ( 2 ) COM(94 ) 207 final . Flynn )?
4 . Is there any point in the social dialogue if the organization representing European small businesses cannot contribute to it ? WRITTEN QUESTION E-23 17/95 5 . Will the UEAPME be invited to future negotiations on by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) the Social Protocol ? and Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE ) to the Commission (1 September 1995) Answer given by Mr Papoutsis ( 96/C 56/29 ) on behalf of the Commission (20 November 1995) Subject: EU funding for the Comillas Foundation
The vital role played by small - and medium-sized enterprises The EU, Unesco and the Interamerican Development Bank ( SME ), accounting as they do for 99 % of enterprises and will contribute to the funding of the Comillas Foundation, 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/17 as also will the Autonomous Community of Cantabria and eastern Europe , Cyprus and Malta , and as the Ariane the Government of Spain , pursuant to the agreement programme has been substantially cut in duration and in reached in early July by the above institutions . funding :
1 . Does the Council believe that there is no point in a In what way will the EU contribute to the future activities of the Comillas Foundation ? programme to encourage multiformity in creative writing and cultural interaction in Europe ?
How will the EU Institutions participate in the governing 2 . What has the Council of Ministers of Culture learnt bodies of the Comillas Foundation and in monitoring its from the European campaign for awareness of books activities ? and reading ( 1993/94 ) organized by the EU and the Council of Europe, and how does it imagine there can be a constructive follow-up to that campaign ?
3 . What general concept of cultural activities led to the Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission reduction and then cancellation of funding for the Ariane programme ? Does the Council perhaps think (27 November 1995) that literary inspiration and creation flourishes only in certain geographical and linguistic environments ?
The Commission informs the Honourable Members that 4 . Does the Council consider that its action and omissions any future activities of the Comillas Foundation could be to date are furthering the aims of Article 128 of the considered in the framework of the Raphael programme , Treaty ? which is currently before Parliament and the Council , and possibly in the framework of the ALFA programme .
There is no provision so far for participation of Community Answer institutions in the governing bodies of the Comillas (20 December 1995) Foundation .
At its meeting on 21 June 1995 the Council was unable to take a decision on the Ariane programme, to which the co-decision procedure with the European Parliament is applicable . It was agreed to consider the possibility of broadening the proposed programme , with greater WRITTEN QUESTION E-2356/95 weight being given to book-related aspects other than translation . by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE/NGL ) to the Council On 28 July 1995 the Commission sent the Council an (1 September 1995) amended proposal concerning the establishment of a ( 96/C 56/30 ) support programme in the field of books and reading through the medium of translation ( Ariane ).
Subject: Ariane programme
On 21 June 1995 the Council of Ministers of Culture failed to approve the Ariane programme to support the dissemination of works of literature and drama and WRITTEN QUESTION E-2437/95 reference works, through translation, despite a unanimous decision one week before by the General Affairs Council to by Bengt Hurtig ( GUE/NGL ) support linguistic diversity in Europe . to the Council (1 September 1995) As , in its decision , the General Affairs Council confirms the ( 96/C 56/31 ) importance to the European Union of its linguistic diversity as an essential aspect of the European dimension, and identity and our common cultural heritage and reiterates the Subject: Translation of Council documents importance it attaches to the equality of the official languages which are also the working languages of the European institutions , as the programme is open to The Commission manages to make all its press information participation by the associated countries of central and immediately available in French and English , closely No C 56/ 18 EN 1 Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96 followed by other languages ; can the Council Presidency say Answer given by Mrs Cresson how long we will have to wait before the same is true of the on behalf of the Commission Council ? (30 October 1995)
Does the Presidency agree that the openness and transparency of Council decision-making is undermined by The Commission is aware of the increasing concern at the the fact that it takes weeks and sometimes more before results of studies indicating falling human sperm counts and information on Council meetings is available in other than recent Danish , German and British scientific reports which French ? identify exposure to certain classes of chemicals as a possible cause .
What steps will the Council be taking to bring about The Honourable Member is requested to refer to the answer changes ? given on this subject to Written Question E-386/95 of Mrs Gyldenkilde (').
In addition , the risk assessment of chemicals on human Answer health and the environment is one of the priority areas in the new environment and climate research programme (20 December 1995) ( 1994—1998 ). Research proposals addressing the effects of man-made chemicals on the human reproductive system are eligible for support under this area of the programme . The Council is aware that the situation regarding the deadlines for the translation of its General Secretariat's press (') OJ No C 179 , 13 . 7 . 1995 . releases is not satisfactory . This is due essentially to the fact that the Council is forced to give top priority to the translation of the documents necessary to carry out its own activities : meetings of the Council and its preparatory bodies . As a result, other documents, including press releases , are often subject to regrettable delays , particularly during the Council's peak work periods , i.e. towards the end WRITTEN QUESTION E-2449/95 of the six-monthly Presidencies . by Monica Baldi ( UPE ) to the Council Allowing for the limited staffing levels of its translation (1 September 1995) departments, the General Secretariat of the Council is ( 96/C 56/33 ) making every effort to reduce the translation times for press releases . Subject: Proposal for a Tenth Council Directive on company law
One of the basic conditions for the establishment of a uniform internal market is the introduction of Community legislation making it easy for companies to adapt their own legal structure to the scale of the Community . WRITTEN QUESTION E-2441/95 by Thomas Megahy ( PSE ) Legislation governing mergers between public limited to the Commission companies from different Member States is of decisive (1 September 1995) importance in this connection . ( 96/C 56/32 ) Tax problems and those stemming from the lack of equivalent regulations on the representation of workers in the organs of public limited companies have already been Subject: Male fertility threat tackled and solved ( Council Directive 90/434/EEC (') of 23 July 1990 ). French men are producing a third fewer sperms than they did 20 years ago . Sperm counts in Scottish men have Although the procedure for mergers of companies within dropped off by over 40% . Now experts have concluded the same State has already been harmonized in the faling sperm counts are a problem across the industrialized Third Council Directive on company law ( Directive world, and exposure to man-made chemicals is the probable 78/855/EEC ( 2 ) of 9 October 1978 ), the provisions thereof culprit . What proposals has the Commission to deal with are still unable to be called on to solve the special problems this problem ? of mergers within the Community . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/19
Accordingly , can the Council say why the proposal for a what reasons are there for effectively protecting this Tenth Council Directive based on Article 54 ( 3 ) ( g ) of the oligopoly against all competition from new operators ? Treaty concerning cross-border mergers of public limited companies ( 3 ) has still not been adopted ? (') OJ No L 47 , 25 . 2 . 1993 , p . 1 .
(•) OJ No L 225 , 20 . 8 . 1990, p . 1 . ( 2 ) OJ No L 295 , 20 . 10 . 1978 , p . 36 , (') OJ No C 23 , 26 . 1 . 1985 , p . 11 . Answer (20 December 1995)
Answer (20 December 1995) 1,2 and 3 . Article 19 ( 1 ) of Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 gives operators who started marketing bananas from 1992 , 3,5 % of the tariff quota of 2,2 million tonnes opened every A proposal for a tenth Directive on company law, year for third-country and non-traditional ACP bananas . concerning cross-border mergers of public limited Article 15 ( 5 ) of the same Regulation defines marketing as companies , was submitted by the Commission to the meaning placing on the market, not including making tiie Council in a letter of 14 January 1985 . product available to the final consumer .
The Council consulted the European Parliament on this The concept of 'new operator' may therefore cover any proposal for a Directive in a letter of 31 January 1985 . natural or legal person who , since 1992 , has undertaken the However the European Parliament has not delivered its commercial risk of marketing bananas ( see 16th recital opinion to date . The Council has therefore been unable to of Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 ). In this connection , examine the proposal . Article 19(1 ) provides that the Commission is to lay down , by the Management Committee procedure, supplementary criteria to be met by operators, including new operators .
Finally, Article 19 ( 3 ) provides that, if the volume of applications from new operators exceeds 3,5 % of the tariff WRITTEN QUESTION E-2471/95 quota , each application shall be reduced by an equal by Werner Langen ( PPE ) percentage . to the Council (1 September 1995) As a result, when the volume of applications from new operators is very high, it is possible that only a limited ( 96/C 56/34 ) quantity may be granted for each application .
Subject: Reform of the organization of the market in 4 and 5 . Pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation ( EEC ) bananas No 404/93 , the tariff quota of 2,2 million tonnes for importers of third-country bananas and non-traditional 1 . Is it true that the Council interprets the term ' new ACP-bananas is distributed as follows : operators' in Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 ( ! ) in the sense of 'once a new operator, always a new operator'? — 66,5 % to operators who previously marketed third-country bananas or non-traditional bananas ; 2 . On what provisions of basic Regulation ( EEC ) — 30 % to operators who previously marketed No 404/93 does the Council base this interpretation , and Community or traditional ACP bananas ; why is the Council departing in the case of the organization of the banana market from the 'new operator' provisions of the organization of the market in other products ? — 3,5 % to new operators who started marketing bananas other than Community or traditional ACP bananas from 1992 . 3 . Is it true that new operators within the meaning of Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 have hitherto received licences for quantities of between 30 and 70 tonnes per year , and is Thus , in distributing the tariff quota the Council has the Council aware that, given the structure of the dollar zone established a balance between operators who previously banana trade , annual quotas of 30—70 tonnes rule out any marketed particularly third-country bananas and those who genuine follow-up competition ? previously marketed essentially Community bananas .
4 . Is it true that the Council sets an annual maximum There is therefore no question of Regulation ( EEC ) quota for the import of bananas from the dollar zone ? No 404/93 protecting de facto an international oligopoly . 5 . Is the Council aware that the dollar zone banana trade is virtually controlled by an international oligopoly, and No C 56/20 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2479/95 WRITTEN QUESTION E-2480/95 by James Moorhouse ( PPE ) by James Moorhouse ( PPE ) to the Council to the Council (13 September 1995) (13 September 1995) ( 96/C 56/35 ) ( 96/C 56/36 )
Subject: Secrecy and the 1996 Intergovernmental Subject: Qualified majority voting in the Council Conference Article 4 (.1 ) of the Council's Rules of Procedure states that In Annex V(c ) of its report to the European Council on the its meetings ' shall not be public' except in the case of certain Functioning of the Treaty on European Union , the Council general policy debates or when the Member States gives statistics relating to the use of Article 189(b ), the unanimously decide otherwise . Could the Council : so-called 'co-decision' procedure . 1 . Indicate whether it considers that Article 4 ( 1 ) of the Rules of Procedure applies by extension to meetings of representatives of Member States in the forum of the Could the Council publish a list showing how many of the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference ? common positions established under Article 189(b ) since the Treaty on the European Union came into effect were 2 . Indicate, if not, who is responsible for the decision subject to a formal vote in the Council , indicating the title of or practice that meetings of Intergovernmental the draft legislation concerned , and the positions of each Conferences should be held in secret ? Member State in each vote ? 3 . Indicate whether it regards individual Member-State representatives as free to publish or discuss publicly Could the Council publish a similar list in respect of papers submitted to an IGC confidentially by another Article 189(c ) — the 'cooperation procedure ' for the period Member State ? since the Treaty on the European Union came into effect ? 4 . Indicate what general policy towards openness the Member States intend to apply in respect of the 1996 IGC , bearing in mind the importance asserted in the Birmingham Declaration of Europe being 'close to its citizens'?
Answer
(22 December 1995) Answer (20 December 1995)
1 . Where the record of votes in the Council is made 1 to 4 . The Council's Rules of Procedure do not apply to public , this is done in accordance with Article 7 ( 5 ) of the Intergovernmental Conferences . Council's Rules of Procedure adopted on 6 December 1993 . They are published at the time of adoption of legislative acts The 1996 Intergovernmental Conference will decide when by means of press releases . Voting statistics are also kept and the time comes , what it deems appropriate, for the conduct will be published regularly in the Review of the Council's of its own business and, if need be, for general policy on Work . openness .
2 . The Council's General Secretariat will send the Honourable Member a list of all legislative acts adopted with negative votes and/or abstentions during the period 6 December 1993 to 31 December 1994 , indicating the WRITTEN QUESTION E-2483/95 delegations that voted against or abstained in each case . by Leen van der Waal ( EDN ) to the Council
3 . The General Secretariat does not have any lists of votes (13 September 1995) taken pursuant to Articles 189b and 189c of the EC Treaty, ( 96/C 56/37 ) but it is willing to draw up such a list and put a complete table at the Honourable Member's disposal as soon as all the data have been collected . Subject: Boycott of celebrations to mark the 3000th anniversary of the foundation of Jerusalem
According to reports in the press, the ambassadors of Spain , France and Italy have informed Israel's Ministry of Foreign 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/21
Affairs, on behalf of the Troika , that the EU will not — no financial backing will be available from Community participate in any way in the celebrations to mark the resources or the national Governments of Member 3000th anniversary of the foundation of Jerusalem . States for events held under the auspices of Jerusalem Moreover, it was made clear to the Ministry that no 3000 financial support would be provided for any event organized in connection with the anniversary . — official invitations to events held under the auspices of Jerusalem 3000 will not be accepted by national 1 . Can the Council confirm these reports ? Governments
2 . Why has the Council decided to boycott the celebrations — mention of the Festival in cultural protocols or to mark the 3000th anniversary of the foundation of agreements will be avoided . Jerusalem ? The Israeli authorities are aware of the Union's position . 3 . Does not the Council believe that the unique fact that the city has been in existence for three millennia justifies a It is for the Festival organizers and the Israeli authorities celebration of a universal character ? to consider how to respond to the EU's concerns about Jerusalem 3000 . Nonetheless , the EU and the national 4 . What conditions would the festivities have to meet in Governments of Member States are perfectly willing, as order to be eligible for EU participation or funding ? appropriate, to accept invitations and contribute financially to events in Jerualem in the coming months which will not take place under the auspices of Jerusalem 3000 and which 5 . What criteria will the Council use to ascertain whether are compatible with EU-policy on Jerusalem . However, the or not events are connected with the 3000th anniversary official programme of Jerusalem 3000 does not specify celebrations for the purpose of deciding whether to which of the events it lists will and will not be under the grant financial assistance ? auspices of the Festival . The EU is , therefore , seeking assurances from the Israeli authorities about the status of each of these events .
Answer (20 December 1995)
According to its Israeli organizers , the Jerusalem 3000 WRITTEN QUESTION E-2489/95 Festival is intended to ' mark 3000 years since King David by Jannis Sakellariou ( PSE ) made Jerusalem the capital of his Kingdom'. The City of to the Council King David was founded in what is now East Jerusalem . EU (13 September 1995) policy on Jerusalem 3000 must, therefore, in compliance with the resolutions of the Security Council of the UN ( 96/C 56/38 ) ( 252/68 , 267/69 , 298/71 , 476/80 ), take account of the Union's long-standing policy of acknowledging de facto Israeli control in West Jerusalem while withholding de jure Subject: Blinding laser weapons recognition ; and opposing the Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem . 1 . Is the Council aware that
The EU must also bear in mind that, according to the — the laser weapons systems developed in the USA and Declaration of Principles agreed between Israel and the codenamed Laser Countermeasure System ( LCMS ), Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO ) on 13 September Saber 203 , Stingray, Outrider, Dazer, Cobra , Perseus , 1993 , bilateral negotiations on the final status of Jerusalem Coronet Prince , Compass Hammer and Cameo Bluejay should begin no later than May 1996 , at which time are among those defined as potentially blinding laser Jerusalem 3000 will still be running . The EU has consistently weapons ? maintained that, in advance of these negotiations , nothing should be done which might prejudge their outcome . — the US Government will be deciding in the next few months whether to bring some of these weapons systems into mass production ? Against this background the EU has concluded that, as currently conceived , the Jerusalem 3000 Festival might — such mass production would be the firset on this scale in emphasise at a critical stage in the Middle-East Peace the USA, if not in the world ? Process the Israeli claim to Jerusalem as its 'eternal and undivided ' capital . It also fears that the multi-religious , cultural and social character of the City may not be properly 2 . What measures does the Council intend taking in this reflected by the Festival . It has accordingly concluded that, matter ? If it has no plans to take any measures, why under these circumstances : not ? No C 56/22 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
3 . Is the Council aware that other countries such as Will the Council attempt to find out why the money has not Russia , China , the Federal Republic of Germany, the United been spent ? Will it consider the possibility of introducing a Kingdom and Israel have research and development system of supervision that would be binding on all the programmes for tactical laser weapons ? Member States ?
4 . Is the Council also aware that more than 20 different European States, led by Sweden, are striving to bring about Answer the prohibition of blinding laser weapons by means of an international agreement ( in the form of a protocol to the (20 December 1995) 1980 Conventional Weapons Convention )? The Honourable Member's attention is drawn to the fact 5 . Does the Council have plans to support this initiative ? that the allocation and use of appropriations in national If so , what are they ? If not, why not ? budgets , and the control of such use , fall within the competence of the Member States .
Answer (21 December 1995) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2502/95 The issue of blinding laser weapons has been carefully by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI ) examined by Council bodies in the context of the common to the Council foreign and security policy . (16 September 1995) On 13 October 1995 , in the context of the Review ( 96/C 56/40 ) Conference for the United nations Convention on Conventional Weapons , an additional Protocol IV to that Subject: Cooperation with the Third World Convention was adopted (' Protocol on blinding laser weapons'), which prohibits the use and transfer of blinding laser weapons . The Italian State Audit Court has found the State budget to be wanting as regards the management of funds for development cooperation . One especially disquieting matter The Member States had previously actively promoted the to have been raised is implementation of the Schengen adoption of such a Protocol, in accordance with the Agreement . common position adopted by the Council on 18 September 1995 . The Council notes that, since the adoption of the The Court notes that whereas the European Union Member common position , certain of the Union's partners have States have for some time been equipped with efficient adopted similar positions to that of the Union . means of action to control immigration from outside the Community, having in some cases entered into an understanding with 'high-risk ' countries , Italy's performance is strangely weak .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2500/95 Italy is in danger of being relegated on to the sidelines of international integration unless it rapidly alters the thrust of by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI ) its measures to promote development in the home countries to the Council of non-Community immigrants . Will the Council therefore (16 September 1995) exert pressure on Italy — which after all is a Member State — to make it come into line more quickly ? ( 96/C 56/39 )
Subject: Environment Answer (21 December 1995) All of the Union Member States are making great efforts to protect the environment . The Italian State Audit Court has published a report on the activities of the Ministry for the The Council would point out to the Honourable Environment in the past year . It is worrying to note that Member, firstly, that the Schengen Agreements involve unused appropriations have increased even though the intergovernmental cooperation which is independent of the Ministry's resources have been cut back ( from Lit 867 European Union and , secondly, that it is not for the Council billion in 1991 to Lit 441 billion in 1994 ). At the end of to approach a Member State on matters of internal 1994 , a total of Lit 3 636 billion had not been disbursed , management on the basis of criticism from a national 48,5 % of which ( Lit 1 764 billion ) being accounted for by body . budget surpluses , which rose by 5,2 % compared with the previous year . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/23
WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 14/95 In particular, the draft joint action contains specific by Michl Ebner ( PPE ) proposals on the printing, dissemination, sale and distribution of tracts, pictures or other material containing to the Council racist or xenophobic ideas . (16 September 1995) ( 96/C 56/41 ) Furthermore , on 5 October 1995 in Luxembourg, the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council adopted a Subject: Ban on nazi and fascist insignia and symbols resolution on the fight against racism and xenophobia in the fields of employment and social affairs . Although there have been celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and hence the end of fascist and Nazi tyranny, there is evidence in Europe today of trends towards racism and xenophobia which cannot be ignored . WRITTEN QUESTION E-2522/95 In this connection I should like to inform the Council that in by Carles-Alfred Gasoliba i Bohm ( ELDR ) early December 1994 a public house in Bolzano ( South to the Council Tyrol — Italy ) was offering a special wine with a portrait of (16 September 1995) Benito Mussolini on the label . Court proceedings were initiated by a member of the Landtag but no action was ( 96/C 56/42 ) taken by the examining magistrate on the grounds that this did not constitute glorification of fascist personalities or Subject: Geographical indications and designations of ideology . In April 1995 the same public house was offering origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs for sale a ' Fiihrer wine' with Hitler's portrait on the label . The Council approved Regulations ( EEC ) No 2081/92 ( ! ) and ( EEC ) No 2082/92 ( 2 ) on geographical indications and In the light of the final report of the Advisory Committee on designations of origin for agricultural products and ' Racism and Xenophobia ' and , in particular, point 6 of the foodstuffs, and on certificates of specific character for report of the Subcommittee on ' Police and Justice ' which is foodstuffs . The adoption of these two Regulations was concerned with the dissemination of racist material, and in considered a very positive step towards a policy of the spirit of the resolution of the European Council of promoting quality in the food sector . Cannes on 26 and 27 June , what does the Council intend to do to prevent such scandalous incidents which could lead to fascist/nazi dictators and their ideology becoming socially However, the implementing measures to put the provisions acceptable which would have very serious consequences at a of these Regulations into practice have never been carried time of growing instability ? out, by the Commission or the Council .
What action does the Council intend to ensure that these Regulations , which at the time aroused great hopes among Answer those working in the sector, will not be mere empty words ? (20 December 1995) Does the Council not think that a policy of promoting quality in agricultural products and foodstuffs is essential in the current international situation of wide open markets , so that the value of quality local and regional products, The Council gives maximum attention to measures to produced specifically by traditional methods , can be combat racism and xenophobia as it appears that, despite all properly appreciated ? efforts to the contrary, this kind of behaviour is still on the increase . (') OJ No L 208 , 24 . 7 . 1992, p . 1 . ( 2 ) OJ No L 208 , 24 . 7 . 1992 , p . 9 . The Council is mindful of the recommendations of the Consultative Commission on Racism and Xenophobia , which formulates very useful guidelines for resolving such problems . Answer (20 December 1995) The Council bodies have just begun examining a draft joint action under Article K.3 to combat racism and xenophobia , further to an initiative from Spain . This draft joint action On 14 July 1992 the Council adopted Regulation ( EEC ) concerns matters to do with the harmonization of the No 2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications Member States ' legislation on certain offences , the and designations of origin for agricultural products and approximation of certain of the Member States' judicial foodstuffs and Regulation ( EEC ) No 2082/92 on certificates and administrative practices and the improvement of of specific character for agricultural products and international judicial cooperation . foodstuffs . No C 56/24 EN | Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
As usual , the Council entrusted the implementation and 3 . Has the Belgian Government given the Conference of management of the measures adopted to the Commission . representatives of the Governments of the Member At the Council meeting held in Brussels on 29 May 1995 the States , which has to confirm the formal appointment of Commission explained to the Council the reasons for the a judge of the Court of Justice , sufficient grounds to delay in the registration procedure . The delay in taking the show that the person in question meets the requirements requisite decisions under Regulation ( EEC ) No 2081/92 was for appointment to the highest judicial offices in the result of the large number of dossiers submitted to the Belgium ? If so , what grounds ? Commission . Simplified rules had to be adopted to process some 1 400 applications for registration received in 1994 , 4 . Is the person in question known to the Council as a the majority of which were incomplete . The applications 'jurisconsult of recognized competence' with a thorough received from Austria , Finland and Sweden since their knowledge of European legislation ? If so, can the accession to the Union in January 1995 also had to be dealt Council provide me with a list of the academic articles with . It is to be hoped that all these problems will shortly be which he has written on the subject of European resolved . legislation ?
5 . If the answers to questions 1 , 2 and 3 are ' no', can the As regards Regulation ( EEC ) No 2082/92 , the Commission Council give a sound reason why the Conference of adopted the Community symbol provided for in Article 12 representatives of the Governments of the Member of the Regulation on 9 September 1994 ( Regulation ( EC ) States should formally appoint the person nominated by No 2515/94 ( ] )). To date , it appears that there have been Belgium ? very few applications for registration under that Regulation .
Answer (M OJ No L 275 , 26 . 10 . 1994 , p . 1 . (20 December 1995)
It is not for the Council to take a position on the questions raised by the Honourable Member .
In accordance with the first paragraph of Article 167 of the WRITTEN QUESTION P-2529/95 EC Treaty, and the equivalent provisions of the ECSC and by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE ) Euratom Treaties , quoted by the Honourable Member, to the Council judges are appointed by common accord of the governments of the Member States . Mr Wathelet was appointed on (13 September 1995) this basis at a Conference of Representatives of the ( 96/C 56/43 ) Governments of the Member States held in Brussels on 13 September 1995 .
Subject: Appointment of a Belgian judge to the Court of Justice
Article 167 of the EC Treaty says that judges and WRITTEN QUESTION E-2533/95 advocates-general of the Court of Justice must be 'chosen by Detlev Samland ( PSE ) from persons whose independence is beyond doubt and who to the Commission possess the qualifications required for appointment to the highest judicial offices in their respective countries or who (20 September 1995) are jurisconsults of recognized competence'. ( 96/C 56/44 )
In early September the Belgian Government nominated as a Subject: Community support for North-Rhine Westphalia judge of the Court of Justice its former Deputy Prime in 1994 Minister and Minister of Defence . How much money was given by the European Union to 1 . Does the Council believe that a person who has been a North-Rhine Westphalia in 1994 , and for what measures, minister for a continuous period of almost 15 years from can acquire overnight, and without any period of 'delousing', sufficient independence with regard to the 1 . the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ), Member State government of which he/she was part ? 2 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee 2 . Can the Council provide a list of precedents showing Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guidance Section , that career politicians have switched from one day to the next from politics to the respectable post of judge or 3 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee advocate-general of the Court of Justice ? Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guarantee Section , 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/25
4 . the European Social Fund ( ESF ), The above amounts relate only to grants awarded for programmes directly managed by Lander ministries . 5 . the research programmes of the European Union , In addition , the Federal Institute for Labour receives 6 . the European Union's energy programmes , resources under Objectives 3 and 4 ( some ECU 140 million in 1994 ), which, to a large extent, will also assist 7 , the European Union's environment programmes and the target groups in North Rhine-Westphalia . 8 . other European Union programmes ? The European Social Fund contributes to the financing of vocational training and qualification measures for the unemployed , people in danger of becoming unemployed Answer given by Mr Santer and people in work . To a moderate degree , the on behalf of the Commission integration of the unemployed into working life can also be promoted through employment subsidies . (1 December 1995)
A breakdown of Community aid granted to North-Rhine 3 . Under the European Agricultural Guidance and Westphalia in 1994 reveals the following : Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) — Guidance Section
1 . Under the European Regional Development Fund Aid granted to North-Rhine Westphalia by the EAGGF (ERDF) Guidance Section in 1994 .
Objective 2 ( 1994—1996 ) North-Rhine Westphalia (in millions of ECU)
Commitment Total costs : ECU 1 298 760 000 , Measures appropriations
Community contribution : ECU 361 370.000 , Measures under Objective 5a — Council Regulation ( EEC ) ERDF : ECU 263 800 000 , No 866/90 (') marketing and processing of First commitment 1994 : ERDF : ECU 80 735 000 . agricultural products 3 220 Priorities supported by ERDF funding : — Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2328/91 ( 2 ) 1 . Diversification of the economic structures by improvement of agricultural assisting small and medium-sized businesses in structures 6 474 particular . — Directives 72/159/EEC and 72/ 160/EEC ( ;') 1 695 2 . Infrastructure creation and expansion , mainly for small and medium-sized enterprises . Subtotal 11 389
3 . Redeveloping disused industrial sites and improving Regional measures the environmental quality around them . — PO 90DE061 01 4 . Evaluation , technical assistance . Total I 1 389
2 . Under the European Social Fund (ESF) (') OJ No L 91 , 6 . 4 . 1990 . ( 2 ) OJ No L 218 , 6 . 8 . 1991 . (') OJ No L 96 , 23 . 4 . 1972 . Under the multiannual programmes for the periods 1994—1999 ( Objectives 3 and 5b ) and 1994—1996 ( Objectives 2 and 4 ), the following ESF grants to North Rhine-Westphalia were approved for 1994 : 4 . Under the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) — Guarantee Section
(ECU) No regional breakdown is available for aid granted from Objective 2 31 066 000 the EAGGF Guarantee Section . Objective 3 43 018 000 Objective 4 8 190 000 5 . Under the research programmes Objective 5b 553 000
Total 82 827 000 Community contribution : ECU 28 726 000 No C 56/26 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
275 participations : large industries : 22 participations , integrated approach to conservation and sustainable Universities : 122 participations , Research : 73 development of all forests in order to contribute to and participations, Small and medium-sized enterprises : influence international debates and actions . Does the 58 participations . Commission have any plans to construct a single ' forests Unit' in order to develop and coordinate all forest-related The Community contribution for the region does not initiatives within and outside the EU ? give any clear indication about the real benefit that companies and other organizations within that region draw from the Community's research and development programmes . The main advantage of the programmes Answer given by Mr Fischler consists in the fact that every single partner has access to on behalf of the Commission the totality of the results of the projects in which it is involved — whatever its financial contribution and (13 November 1995) whatever Community funding it receives . Another major benefit is the creation and development of a European research community infrastructure ( networks for The Commission is well aware of the importance and example ). complexity of the forest debate at Community and world level . There is a growing participation in this debate in which all sectoral policies are becoming involved and which 6 . Energy is becoming increasingly internationalized . Under the Thermie programme, a total of ECU 862 907 has been awarded for four projects . A table setting out The Commission shares the Honourable Member's view these projects will be sent direct to the Honourable that an integrated and holistic approach is needed to Member and to Parliament's Secretariat . meet the challenges posed by conservation , management and sustainable development of all the world's forest Under the SAVE programme , ECU 23 100 has resources . been granted to the Europaische Vereinigung zur Verbrauchsabhangigen Energiekostenabrechnung The Commission considers the best approach is a systematic ( EWE — European Association for Billing of Energy and coordinated implication of all the sectoral policies Costs on basis of Actual Consumption ) in Bonn in involved in meeting the common objectives of conservation , respect of Contract 4 103 l/S/94-144 ( Guidelines for the management and sustainable development of forests in Member States concerning the creation of instruments accordance with the principles adopted in Rio de Janeiro in provided for in Article 3 of the SAVE Directive 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment ( 93/76/EEC )). and Development .
7 . The environment On this basis and in view of the fact that forest issues often come under many different sectoral policies, both at With regard to the funds allocated to the Community's Member State and Community level , the Commission will environment programmes , the Commission is unable to continue to ensure there is coordination and cooperation reply as it does not have statistics at the level of the between those of its departments which are most directly Bundeslander or similar administrative regions . involved in attaining the objectives in question within the framework of Community policies .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2561/95 by Anita Pollack ( PSE ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 77/95 to the Commission by Christine Crawley ( PSE ) (22 September 1995) to the Commission ( 96/C 56/45 ) (22 September 1995) ( 96/C 56/46 )
Subject: Forests Subject: Tibetan nun, Gyaltsen Pelsang In the Commission, actions on forests are currently split between the development, agricultural , environmental Fifteen-year-old Gyaltsen Pelsang is a Tibetan nun . At the policy, research and external trade areas, which poses age of thirteen , in 1993 , she was arrested for planning a problems for the development of an effective , coherent and demonstration in support of an independent Tibet . Since 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/27 then , there is the strongest evidence that she has been ( and Does the Commission accept that this project will continues to be ) held in custody — despite being below the contribute to combating oil pollution Europe-wide whilst age of responsibility . During her time in prison there is supporting jobs in an area of high unemployment . evidence to suggest that a group of EU diplomats , visiting Lhasa in Tibet, were assured by the Tibetan authorities that Does the Commission agree with the company that there is the girl had been released , whereas she was still being held in no equivalent project anywhere in Europe ? custody and without charge or trial . There is also evidence to suggest that while she is being held in detention , her health is significantly deteriorating . Could the Commission state when it is likely to come to a decision on this application ? Would the Commission follow up the case of Gyaltsen Pelsang to confirm whether or not she is still in custody and whether she has received proper medical attention and also ensure that all future EU delegations to Tibet take steps to Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard corroborate the information they are given by the on behalf of the Commission authorities in Tibet and not take it on face value ? (30 November 1995)
No application for funding has been made by Oikkos Ltd to Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan Life, the financial instrument for the environment . Thus it on behalf of the Commission cannot be said that the Commission is giving active (19 October 1995) consideration to an application by this company .
A consistent feature of the Community's policy towards China has been the importance attached to human rights and , therefore , the Commission shares the concern expressed by the Honourable Member . WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 86/95 by Christiane Taubira-Delannon ( ARE ) As a matter of principle , the question of human rights in Tibet is brought up by the Community as a permanent to the Commission theme under the bilateral dialogue with China , be it the (27 September 1995) political dialogue or more specific dialogue on human 96/C 56/48 ) rights , as well as in the international fora .
On different occasions , the Commission has raised with the Subject: Intensification of mining activity in Guyana Chinese authorities the specific case of Gyaltsen Pelsang . Following these demarches , it seems that Gyaltsen Pelsang has been recently released . The Commission is in contact Originally the exploitation of Guyana 's gold-bearing with the Chinese authorities to have this information resources was mainly carried on by small-scale mine and confirmed . SMUs operating on alluvial and eluvial deposits close to water courses .
Over the past five years, mining has intensified and large multinational mining groups prospecting for profitable primary deposits have been showing increasing interest . The current level of activity has already produced many harmful WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 79/95 environmental effects . Pollution caused by the uncontrolled by Richard Howitt ( PSE ) use of pollution products and the absence of any regulatory to the Commission framework is affecting the entire surrounding environment : forest destruction , leaching of soils , muddying of the river (27 September 1995) water consumed by the local population , mercury poisoning ( 96/C 56/47 ) and breaks in biological chains . Such effects are clear proof of the difficulties involved in supervising production units most of which are located in areas where the river is the only Subject: Application from Oikkos Ltd , Essex — oil means of access and communication . reclamation project Studies instigated by the State in 1975 with a view to Will the Commission confirm it is giving active mapping Guyana 's mineral resources uncovered various consideration to an application from Oikkos Ltd of Canvey sites whose gold deposits hold out very encouraging Island , Essex, for funding for an innovative oil reclamation prospects . These have been notified to the industry and will project ? probably be handed over to the mining interests . No C 56/28 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
As mining activity develops across the territory , often close Answer given by Mr Oreja to protected area networks , pockets of pollution are liable to on behalf of the Commission increase and spread unless tools for environmental (16 November 1995) assessment and for monitoring the cohesion of environmental protection measures are devised . The Commission is aware of the problems in the field of I would therefore ask the Commission to spell out doping to which the Honourable Member refers . recommendations to encourage a harmonious development of mining activity in Guyana . The use of drugs in sport contravenes the provisions of directives for health and medicinal products, which are designed to prohibit the use of medicinal products for purposes other than for the diagnosis or treatment of recognised pathological states . This is to prevent their use in Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard unauthorised forms or dosages ( Directive 65/65/EEC ) ( ! ), as on behalf of the Commission last amended by Directive 89/341/EEC ( 2 ), to prevent their (29 November 1995) unauthorized sale ( black market ) or their prescription ( Directive 75/319/EEC ) ( 3 ) or advertisement ( Directive 84/450/EEC ) ( 4 ). The extractive industry is one of the classes of project which must undergo environmental impact assessment when Recent activity in the field of doping is based on the Council Member States consider that their characteristics so require . resolution ' Community action to combat the use of drugs , The Commission is sure the French authorities will comply including the abuse of medicinal products , particularly in with this requirement in the interests of the harmonious sport', dated 3 December 1990 . The resolution stressed that development of mining in Guyana . Community action in this area should complement the work of the Council of Europe and take into account its anti-doping Convention . It also advocated an educational and preventive approach , geared particularly towards young people . The Council invited the Commission to draw up a code of conduct to combat the use of drugs in sport, and the Commission was also asked to propose measures in the areas of :
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2592/95 — training information and health education initiatives by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI ) against the use of drugs in sport ; to the Commission (27 September 1995) — current drug use practices; ( 96/C 56/49 ) — drug-testing methods and cooperation between laboratories ;
Subject: Doping — research on the effects on health of drug-taking .
There have been many cases of pharmacological substances The code of conduct against doping in sport was drafted being used to influence the results of sporting events and by the Commission and approved by the Council in its competitions : this is known as doping . This practice , to resolution of 8 February 1992 ( s ). Although the Community which Parliament drew attention in April 1994 , is has no powers to introduce binding legislation on the testing tantamount to fraud . of sportsmen and sportswomen for the illegal use of performance-enhancing substances, it has been able to take some initiatives . The code of conduct against doping in Recently there have been a number of instances of doping in sport called for cooperation beween sports organizations on a variety of fields ( many of them sports-related ) which , issues related to the status and control of doping . although similar, have been punished in different ways . Even within any one sport, the ban imposed for a given ' offence' can vary between two months and two years . Measures encouraging the prevention of drug dependence and the education of young people are contained in the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision , Given the implications of doping for young people and for under Article 129 of the EC Treaty, adopting a programme sport itself, would the Commission take steps to ensure that of Community action on health promotion, information, consistent provisions and penalties are applied to all education and training within the framework for action in sportsmen in the various Member States and to all sports the field of public health ( 6 ). A common position on the federations ? proposal was reached in the Council on 2 June 1995 . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/29
The Commission has also submitted to Parliament and the producers , a common market organization which operates Council a proposal for a Decision adopting a programme of essentially through a system of direct payments to producers Community action on the prevention of drug dependence will usually involve greater budgetary expenditures than one and a communication on the same subject stressing the need which operates through the support of market prices . for information specially targeted at young people in the Comparisons of budgetary expenditures between Member right places , such as at sports centres ( 7 ). States cannot therefore be used as the sole basis for assessing relative levels of agricultural support . ') OJ No L 22 , 9 . 2 . 1965 . -) OJ No L 142 , 25 . 5 . 1989 . For agricultural structural measures , the Community has ■') OJ No L 147, 9 . 6 . 1975 . 4 ) OJ No L 250 , 19 . 9 . 1984 . made a particular financial effort in the determination of the ■') OJ No C 44 , 19 . 2 . 1992 . budgetary envelopes for Objective 1 regions, in the context ft ) COM(94 ) 202 . of the Structural Funds . An important part of the ~ ) COM(94 ) 223 . Objective 1 regions is constituted by regions in the southern Member States .
Finally, the Commission would point out that in formulating its communications and proposals concerning the reform of a number of common market organizations of WRITTEN QUESTION E-2631/95 particular concern to southern Member States, notably, for wine, rice , fruit and vegetables , it has taken account of the by Mathias Reichhold ( NI ) joint declaration at the Council of September 1993 , which to the Commission stated that ' for those sectors in which the common market (2 October 1995) organization arrangements have not yet been amended , the Council and the Commission undertake to adopt such ( 96/C 56/50 ) provisions as are necessary to maintain farm incomes and Community preference . The conditions and agricultural and financial principles which have been applied throughout the Subject: 1996 Budget agricultural sector will be taken into account in those sectors . Account will also be taken of the context of the Uruguay Round'. On that occasion , the Commission also At the meeting of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural underlined the necessity of complying , in all the sectors Development on 7 and 8 September 1995 , in the context of covered by the common agricultural policy, with the the debate on the 1996 Draft Budget, a number of members financial guidelines established for the coming years . expressed regret that the southern Member States were being placed at a financial disadvantage in the agriculture sector .
Does the Commission agree ?
If so , how does it intend to overcome this WRITTEN QUESTION E-2645/95 discrimination ? by Maartje van Putten ( PSE ) to the Commission (2 October 1995) Answer given by Mr Fischler ( 96/C 56/51 ) on behalf of the Commission (22 November 1995) Subject: Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 — consequences for new importers and exporters of bananas The Commission does not agree that southern Member States are being placed at a financial disadvantage in the agriculture sector . 1 . Is the Commission aware of the document entitled 'Yellow Fever' in which the operation of Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 (') is analysed by 15 European development As far as the European agricultural guidance and guarantee organizations which are members of the European Banana fund guarantee section is concerned , it should be underlined Action Network ? that the level of agricultural expenditure in a Member State is normally a reflection of the type of support applicable to the agricultural products of concern to that Member State 2 . Does it agree with the conclusion reached in that ( for example , whether through direct payments to document that the way in which banana imports are producers or through the support of Community market regulated encourages the vertical integration of economic prices ). Thus, in relation to comparable support levels to activities in the banana market ? No C 56/30 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
3 . Does it agree with the conclusion that the rules make it WRITTEN QUESTION E-2647/95 virtually impossible for new banana exporters or importers by Maartie van Putten ( PSE ) to operate on the European market ? to the Commission (2 October 1995) 4 . What prospects does it see for amending the rules so as ( 96/C 56/52 ) to open up the market without affecting the commitments to banana-exporting ACP States ? Subject: Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 — environmental (!) OJ No L 47, 25 . 2 . 1993 , p . 1 . and social conditions in relation to banana growing
1 . Is the Commission aware of the dreadful social and Answer given by Mr Fischler environmental conditions generally associated with banana on behalf of the Commission growing, particularly on very large plantations ? (10 November 1995) 2 . Does it agree with the conclusion reached by European development organizations that Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 (') has so intensified competition in banana 1 . The Commission is aware of the document the growing and exporting that companies are being forced Honourable Member mentions . Published by a group of to rationalize , to the detriment of employment and the non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) under the title environment, with the result that any scope for investing 'Yellow Fever, proposal for quota allocation for fair trade in more sustainable growing methods has virtually bananas', it analyzes the consequences of the new common disappeared ? organization of the market in bananas . On the basis of this analysis , the NGOs propose that the external aspect of the common organization should be modified by making 3 . Does it not also agree that serious environmental specific provision for access to the market for ' fair trade' damage and deteriorations in working conditions are bananas imported from third countries . Fair trade bananas incompatible with trade measures ? are defined as having been produced in accordance with certain minimum standards regarding the environment and 4 . Is it prepared to investigate the extent to which scope working conditions . for market innovation , opening up new export channels and improving the working conditions under which growers and workers produce and export would be created 2 . Before the common organization for the market in by establishing import quotas for fair trade bananas bananas was set up , the different Member State markets which would give preference to bananas produced under were closed to one another . Establishment of the market conditions which conform to internationally recognized organization went with completion of the single market, basic social and environmental standards ? which is why it took place in 1993 . What applies to most trade within a customs union is also true of bananas , namely the creation of a customs union intensifies trade and for 5 . Would it be prepared to forward the result of such an businesses this may mean more integration-horizontal as investigation to the Council and Parliament ? well as vertical . (') OJ No L 47, 25 . 2 . 1993 , p . 1 . 3 . and 4 . The tariff quota system was introduced with two aims in mind — not to upset existing trade links but at the same time to allow market structures to evolve to some extent . This is reflected in the way the quotas are allocated Answer given by Mr Fischler between the different categories of operators involved , on behalf of the Commission particularly between established operators and newcomers . (22 November 1995) A 3,5 % share has been set aside for newcomers . In view of the number of applications made in this category, individual quotas for newcomers are small . 1 . The Commission is aware of a number of reports concerning the social and environmental conditions under However, operators in this category may sell more than their which bananas are produced , and also of the existence of quota since import certificates are transferable , subject to law-suits brought by plantation workers against chemical certain conditions . Such transferability introduces a certain companies and banana producers seeking damages degree of fluidity which newcomers in the market may use to following health problems associated with certain their advantage . agro-chemicals used in banana production .
2 . The Commission would point out that banana prices within the Community are considerably higher than the 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/31
world price . This pecuniary advantage would facilitate the under the Community Support Framework gives examples adoption of cultivation systems with higher production of the type of infrastructure eligible for funding : costs by those operators who wished to do so . It is more usually low prices which result in cost-cutting exercises — free trade areas — processing, and rationalisation . The Commission believes that the provisions of Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 404/93 are being used as a scapegoat to justify decisions made by — foundation of an Observatory for Inter-Balkan companies as part of their commercial strategy . Economic Cooperation ,
— foundation of a Balkan Trade Centre , 3 . The Community must abide by the rules of the World Trade Organization ( GATT/WTO ). These rules do not permit discrimination between ' like products' on the basis — setting-up of commercial and transport centres/ of the way these products have been produced . depots . Discrimination between products because of different social and environmental conditions in the exporting countries is in breach of the present interpretation of GATT/WTO rules . It also expressly states that it is the responsibility of the civic Developing countries are wary of proposals to attach social and business organizations in northern Greece ( the SBBE — Industrial Federation of Northern Greece — Chambers of or environmental conditions to trade since they fear that such initiatives could be used as a form of protectionism to Commerce etc ., banks, workers etc .) to form an restrict their reports . However, the WTO Committee on independent intermediary body , no later than 31 March Trade and Environment ( CTE ) is currently examining the 1995 , to administer the global subsidies ( failing this , the best means to accommodate environmental concerns within Monitoring Committee will reassess whether it is the multilateral trading system while reserving its open , appropriate to use the global subsidy system ). equitable and non-discriminatory character . The mandate of the CTE allows it to make recommendations on whether 1 . Has the intermediary body been set up ? modifications of the GATT/WTO rules are required in this respect . The Commission is playing a leading role in this 2 . What was the take-up rate for 1994/95 ? debate . 3 . What information can the Commission provide on 4 . The Commission considers that creating a separate progress made towards achieving the goals of the quota for bananas produced in accordance with ' fair trade ' project ? criteria would be incompatible with WTO rules . Community consumers should be able to exercise market power through choosing to purchase ' fair trade ' products , and the Commission has already stated its willingness to investigate ways in which such initiatives could be WRITTEN QUESTION E-2654/95 supported . by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) to the Commission 5 . The creation of a separate quota would not be a (2 October 1995) feasible mechanism for supporting 'fair trade' bananas . However, the Commission is examining the scope for a 'fair ( 96/C 56/54 ) trade' initiative .
Subject: Measure 5.1 of the operational programme for industry
Measure 5.1 of the Greek operational programme for WRITTEN QUESTION E-2653/95 industry covers ' in-company training of workers'. by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) to the Commission 1 . What data is available on the take-up rate for Measure - 5.1 in 1995 ? (2 October 1995) 96/C 56/53 2 . What information can the Commission provide on the individual projects undertaken ?
Subject: Measure 1.3 of the operational programme for industry 3 . Has any progress been made towards setting up a postgraduate department of business administration at the University of Macedonia and an independent school Measure 1.3 ( Private or mixed industrial infrastructure in of postgraduate studies in business administration in northern Greece ) of the operational programme for industry Thrace ? No C 56/32 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2655/95 WRITTEN QUESTION E-2657/95 by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) to the Commission to the Commission (2 October 1995) (2 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/55 ) ( 96/C 56/57 )
Subject: Measure 2.1 of the operational programme for industry Subject: Sub-programme 3 of the operational programme for industry Measure 2.1 of the Greek operational programme for industry ( subsidization of large-scale private investment in excess of Drs 3 billion ) provides for support for businesses Sub-programme 3 ( Modernization of businesses ) of the capable of attaining the same level of organization , quality Greek operational programme for industry includes and — ultimately — competitiveness as similar businesses Measures 3.1 — Aid for selected businesses to improve operating on an international scale in the same sector . The international competitiveness, 3.2 — Technological total investment provision for 1995 is ECU 126 million . modernization of businesses, and 3.3 — Improving health and safety at work . 1 . Have any applications for investment funding been made under the above Measure ? For how much in total ? By which companies ? 1 . What data is available on the take-up rate for the sub-programme in 1995 ? What was the breakdown of 2 . What is the take-up rate to date ? What is the take-up take-up for each measure ? rate forecast for 1995 ?
2 . What information can the Commission provide on the progress made towards achieving the goals of each measure and project ? WRITTEN QUESTION E-2658/95 by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) to the Commission (2 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/58 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2656/95 by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) Subject: Measure 2.3 of the operational programme for to the Commission industry (2 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/56 ) Measure 2.3 ( Large-scale projects ) for the operational programme for industry under the Community Support Framework provides for the following projects : 2.2.1 — an aluminium plant; 2.2.2 — Gold processing plant; 2.2.3 — Energy coproduction plant . Subject: Greek CSF operational programme for industry For all three projects the following provisions apply . The initial stage of the project will comprise conducting an in-depth study of the competitiveness of the plant and its The operational programme for industry under the production processes . The study should be detailed and Community Support Framework for Greece has a total documented in order to provide an accurate picture of the budget of ECU 280 million for 1994 and ECU 420 million plant's viability on the basis of purely economic criteria . If for 1995 . the study cleary demonstrates that the plant is competitive , then , and only then , can the project proceed to the next stages and only with the consent of the programme's 1 . What was the take-up rate in 1994 ? What data is Monitoring Committee . available on the take-up rate for the programme in 1995 ? The total budget for the measure is ECU 8 million and ECU 40 million for 1994 and 1995 respectively . 2 . Have any changes been made to the above programme to improve its efficiency and results ? If so , what are the 1 . What was the take-up rate for Measure 2.3 in 1994 ? main ones ? What is the forecast for 1995 ? For which projects ? 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/33
2 . What stage has been reached in commissioning the 2 . What was the corresponding amount of investment in studies referred to above ? 1992 and 1993 under the previous Community Support Framework ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2659/95 by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2661/95 to the Commission by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) (2 October 1995) to the Commission ( 96/C 56/59 ) (2 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/61 )
Subject: Sub-programme 6 of the operational programme for industry Subject: Measure 1.4 of the operational programme for industry The provisions relating to sub-programme 6 of the operational programme for industry under the Community Measure 1.4 of the operational programme for industry Support Framework state that the sub-programme will under the Community Support Framework covers the provide finance principally for technical assistance to set up ' Regeneration of declining industrial areas'. In more specific and open a 'one-stop shop'. Paragraph 12a of the terms the measure provides for prompt assessment and introduction to the programme stresses that setting up and drafting of strategy papers , immediate confrontation running a 'one-stop shop ' requires special legislation . of industrial firms' structural problems , investment Provision should also be made for the necessary in infrastructure and support for starting up new arrangements to make the running of a 'one-stop shop' businesses . compatible with the existing system of submitting and assessing investment plans . The above legal provisions are to be put before the Monitoring Committee , by the end of 1 . What was the take-up rate for Measure 1 .4 in 1 994 and what data is available for 1995 ? 1994 at the latest, in the context of the supplementary technical document . 2 . What information can the Commission provide on the 1 . Are the abovementioned legal provisions now in progress made towards achieving the goals of this place ? project ?
2 . Is the 'one-stop shop ' now in operation ? Have assessments been made of its performance ? WRITTEN QUESTION E-2662/95 3 . What is the take-up rate to date for sub-programme 6 ? by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) For which projects ? to the Commission (2 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/62 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2660/95 by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) to the Commission Subject: Measure 4.1 of the operational programme for industry (2 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/60 ) Measure 4.1 ( Financial institutions and instruments ) of sub-programme 4 ( Small and medium-sized businesses ) of the Greek operational programme for industry comprises Subject: Measure 2.2 of the operational programme for the following areas for action : 4.1.1 — Mutual guarantee industry funds; 4.1.2 — Venture capital ; 4.1.3 — Aid for credit cooperatives ; 4.1.4 — Interest rate subsidies ; 4.1.5 — Measure 2.2 ( subsidization of private investment under Law Promotion and factoring; 4.1.6 — leasing subsidies . 1892/90 ) of the operational programme for industry under the Community Support Framework, provides for a budget 1 . What was the take-up rate for Measure 4.1 in 1994 and of ECU 35 million in subsidies for 1994 and ECU 35 million what data is available on take-up for 1995 ? in 1995 for eligible businesses . 2 . What information can the Commission provide on the 1 . What was the take-up rate for Measure 2.2 in 1994 ? progress made in the individual areas referred to What is the forecast for 1995 ? above ? No C 56/34 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2663/95 3 . What other information can the Commission provide by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) on progress made towards achieving the goals of measure 1 . 5 ? to the Commission (2 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/63 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2682/95 Subject: Measure 4.2 of the operational programme for by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) industry to the Commission (2 October 1995) Measure 4.2 ( Enhancing the competitivenes of small and medium-sized businesses ) of sub-programme 4 of the 96/C 56/65 ) operational programme for industry comprises the following areas for action : 4.2.1 — Technical assistance for Chambers of Commerce etc .; 4.2.2 — Improving the Subject: Measure 1 .2 of the operational programme for efficiency of existing organizations representing the various industry sectors ; 4.2.3 — Setting up of a register and network to assist small businesses ; 4.2.4 — Promotion of partnerships : joint ventures , cooperatives etc .; 4.2.5 — Promotion of Measure 1.2 ( Industrial infrastructure ) of the operational subcontracting; 4.2.6 — Support for starting up new small programme for industry under the Community Support businesses ; 4.2.7 — Support for small businesses to Framework comprises the following areas for action : 1.2.1 purchase consultant services ; 4.2.8 — Development of craft — Improvement of infrastructure to attract productive businesses . investment ; 1 . 2.2 — Environment policy infrastructure; and 1.2.3 — Private or mixed infrastructure . 1 . What was the take-up rate for Measure 4.2 in 1 994 and what data is available on take-up for 1995 ? The overall budget for Measure 1.2 is ECU 10,5 million and 2 . What information can the Commission provide on ECU 18,5 million for 1994 and 1995 respectively . progress made in the individual areas referred to above ? 1 . What was the take-up rate for Measure 1.2 in 1994 ? What data is available on the take-up rate for 1995 ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2664/95 2 . What information can the Commission provide on the progress made towards achieving the goals of the areas by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) for action referred to above ? to the Commission (2 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/64 ) Joint answer to Written Questions E-2653/95 to E-2664/95 and E-2682/95 Subject: Measure 1.5 of the operational programme for given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies industry on behalf of the Commission (13 November 1995) Measure 1.5 of the operational programme for industry under the Community Support Framework covers ' Support for export ventures' which provides for the promotion of exports through greater involvement of the OPE The goal of the operational programme for industry and ( Organization for the Promotion of Exports ) and the OAEP services referred to by the Honourable Member is to foster ( Organization for the Securing of Export Credits ). Both in the international competitiveness of the Greek economy . regard to the activities of the OPE and the securing of export The considerable volume of legislation needed to pave the credits , which is virtually at an embryonic stage of way for its implementation — a new system of aids ( Law development in Greece , there is a recognized need for 2234/94 ), a new venture capital law , the setting-up of a support and stimulation . An OPE integrated business plan is ' one-stop shop', a new law for granting industrial sites — also to be drawn up by an expert external consultant, which largely accounts for delays in the implementation of is to be approved by the Monitoring Committee for the projects . The overall absorption rate by the end of 1995 is operational programme for industry . reckoned at 22% of the 1994 public spending forecast . However, the approval of a large number of private 1 . What was the take-up rate for Measure 1.5 in 1994 and investment projects in July along with projects concerning what data is available on take-up for 1995 ? industrial infrastructure , services to SME and financial engineering suggest that 1996 — a key year in the 2 . What stage has been reached in commissioning the programme's implementation — could see real progress on business plan project ? the ground . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/35
For the purposes of measure 1.3 ( private or mixed industrial order to prevent any spread of the recent outbreak of infrastructure in northern Greece ), a private non-profit cholera in that country ? company has been set up by representatives of both sides of industry in northern Greece ( associations of manufacturers , exporters , banks , trade unions and chambers of commerce ). It has been accepted by the programme's monitoring committee as the intermediary body that will administer the Answer given by Mr Fischler overall grant for the activities in question . A business plan on behalf of the Commission for this company , which should start work at the end of this (29 November 1995) year , will be drawn up with funding from the programme's technical assistance budget .
In the case of measure 2.3 , the gold-mining project is in the The World Health Organization ( WHO ) is responsible for process of being privatized and may be eligible funding global coordination against the spread of cholera epidemics . under the aid system . Studies on the profitability of the The sanitary principles applied internationally are the object measure's other major projects ( aluminium and energy of the International Health Regulation ( IHR ) ( The WHO , co-production ) have still to be launched . 1983 , International Health Regulation ( adopted by the 34th World Health Assembly in 1981 . Third annotated edition With regard to sub-programme 6 , the Commission is ( Geneva 1983 )) approved by the World Health Assembly currently examining the draft law on the setting-up of a ( WHA ). All Member States of the Community have 'one-stop-shop', which it hopes to see operational in the first accepted without reservations the IHR concerning the half of next year . prevention of transmission of cholera , as described in title I , Articles 2 to 13 , Part V, Chapter II . Furthermore the WHA recommended WHO Member States not to adopt As for measure 1.4 , studies have been completed for restrictions against food trade because of cholera integrated restructuring programmes for industrial areas in ( Resolution WHA 44.6 of the 44th World Assembly of decline . Health , Document 44/ 1 paragraphs 4 and 5 also as press release WHO/ 13 of 22 February 1991 ( Weekly For sub-programme 4 , a new law on venture capital is epidemiological record of 22 February 1991 )). before the Greek Parliament .
In the Community sanitary inspections on imported As regards measure 1.5 , the business plans of the export food products are stipulated by Council Directives credit and export credit guarantee agencies ( the OPE and 90/675/EEC ('), 91 /496/EEC ( 2 ) and 93/43/EEC ( 3 ). In all of OAEO respectively ) have been finalized . them safeguard clauses are established, in case in a territory of a third country a sanitary problem emerges that may The Commission will shortly be sending the Honourable constitute a serious danger for human health . The Member financial progress tables for all the programme's Commission , on its own initiative or at the request of a sub-programmes and measures . Member State , will where appropriate suspend imports from all or part of the third country in question , and fix For details of the projects approved and reports on their specific conditions for food products from all or part of the progress , the Honourable Member is invited to address third country in question . himself directly to the secretariat of the programme's monitoring committee , which is chaired by Greece's Minister for Industry . If a Member State takes temporary precautionary measures , it should inform the other Member States , and in a fixed period , the Commission should put this question to the standing veterinary committee or the standing committee for food , with a view to the extension , change or repeal of the national measures .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2674/95 by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) The Commission has not received any indication from the and Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE ) WHO on the occurrence of an uncontrolled epidemic outbreak of cholera in Morocco, neither has it been urged by to the Commission any Member State to take precautionary measures with (4 October 1995) respect to the imports of foodstuffs from Morocco . ( 96/C 56/66 ) (') OJ No L 373 , 31 . 12 . 1990 . ( 2 ) OJ No L 268 , 24 . 9 . 1991 . Subject: Health checks on Moroccan imports (■') OJ No L 175 , 19 . 7 . 1993 .
What health checks have been established in the European Union in respect of products imported from Morocco in No C 56/36 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2684/95 axes', held on 13 July 1995 that it intended carrying out by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE/NGL ) controls of the levelling of these sections of motorway . The Commission has asked to be informed of the results of these to the Commission controls . (4 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/67 )
Subject: Checks on CSF-funded projects
The Community Support Frameworks provide funding for WRITTEN QUESTION E-2742/95 large-scale projects throughout Europe . However, there are by Christiane Taubira-Delannon ( ARE ) occasions when in some Member States the work is of very poor quality ( e.g. some sections of motorway already built to the Commission in Greece are second rate in every respect — road surface , (12 October 1995) signposting etc .). Can the Commission therefore say how it ( 96/C 56/68 ) has carried out checks so far and how it intends to do so in future to ensure that the projects receiving funds are of a high standard ? Subject: Action to combat Aids in the developing countries
Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission Will the Commission say whether or not it intends to draw up a proper programme to combat Aids in the developing (23 November 1995) countries, with funding significantly greater than that allocated to previous initiatives and with particular respect for the difficulties facing the health services in African In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the countries, which have been further aggravated by the individual Member States are responsible for checking on devaluation of the CFA franc ? Furthermore, has it any plans the standard of public works carried out in their territory to introduce measures as a matter of urgence in order to under the Structural Funds . improve the safety of blood product storage and transfusion in the developing countries ? However , in the case of the public works carried out in Greece under the Community Support Framework ( CSF ), the Commission and the Greek authorities set up a 'joint steering committee' in January 1995 , whose task is to propose a series of measures to improve the arrangements Answer given by Mr Pinheiro for carrying out public works in Greece . A special working on behalf of the Commission group, set up by the Committee to look into quality control , (13 November 1995) considered the following course of action :
— appointment of a consultant to carry out quality control The Community has been involved in the fight against Aids by means of random checks; for over eight years . In 1987, an emergency programme was launched to support the WHO's short-term attempts to — implementation of a comprehensive system to control contain the spread of the epidemic . Action concentrated on and ascertain the quality of the work . prevention, with measures to make blood transfusion safe , better treatment for STDs and education and awareness This working group has already submitted part of its campaigns for the public generally and for young people and conclusions to the Greek Government, which must now those in high risk groups in particular . Support took the take appropriate steps for their implementation . form of technical assistance, training, the supply of equipment and of consumable medical supplies and It should also be pointed out that prior controls of the reagents , research , publications and exchanges of specific features of the public works are carried out by information . Between 1988 and 1994 , over ECU 115 monitoring committees on the basis of technical files which million ( not counting research ) was made available from the give a comprehensive profile of the projects . This method , budget and EDF for schemes in over eighty developing which is applied systematically in the context of the second countries . CSF, will undoubtedly help improve the quality of the projects . The safety on blood stocks is one of the main aims of the Community programme and ECU 28 million has been As regards the quality of the sections of motorway already granted for 40 projects in developing countries . Priority has built, the Ministry of Public Works announced at the been given to countries such as Uganda , Zimbabwe, meeting of the monitoring committee on 'access and road Rwanda and Burundi, with a high incidence of infection . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/37
In 1993 and 1994 , the Commission , together with Member No 2078/92 ( ), and the list of programmes submitted by State experts , looked at the experience gained to map out the Member States awaiting approval ? way ahead for future policy and action . A communication was sent to the Council and Parliament in January 1994 ('). (') OJ No L 215 , 30 . 7 . 1992 , p . 85 . On 6 May last year, the Council confirmed that action should focus on :
— minimizing the spread of the epidemic through Answer given by Mr Fischler prevention , and combating any form of on behalf of the Commission discrimination ; (6 December 1995) — supporting health services to enable them to tackle the epidemic more effectively; Up to 25 October 1995 the Commission has adopted 135 Decisions in relation to agri-environmental programmes in — helping countries deal with the economic and social the framework of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2078/92 . This consequences of Aids : number includes Decisions approving the programmes for the first time and decisions approving modifications and — developing biomedical and socio-economic research . additions to programmes . The list of the 115 programmes approved and of the seven programmes not yet approved by the Commission is transmitted direct to the Honourable The Council also stressed the need for a multi-faceted approach , both financially and technically , and for a Member and to the Parliament's Secretariat under separate substantial increase in the Community's contribution to cover . It must be noted that the seven programmes not health-care generally and Aids more especially in the near approved include programmes announced but not yet future . presented by the Member States , and programmes which are incomplete and for which additional information is awaited from the Member State . On the basis of these guidelines , the Commission intends to step up its action , by setting up specific Aids schemes and routinely including the fight against the disease in wider health programmes and operations in other areas such as human rights and non-discrimination , education , etc . For the ACP countries, the current programming round should open the way for Aids to be included in policy discussions . WRITTEN QUESTION E-2758/95 Whether or not such discussions can be launched , however , by Johanna Maij-Weggen ( PPE ) depends very much on how widespread the disease is in the to the Commission countries concerned . With a few exceptions, those countries with a low incidence of infection are less willing to take (12 October 1995) the necessary measures . Awareness drives will have to ( 96/C 56/70 ) be continued in conjunction with other cooperation partners . Subject: Funding for the Arnhem/Nijmegen region (M COM(93 ) 479 final . 1 . Is it true that around Fl 120 million is available from the Regional and Social Funds — including 36 million from the Social Fund — for the funding of projects in the Arnhem/Nijmegen region of the Netherlands ( an Objective 2 region ) in 1994 , 1995 and 1996 ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 749/95 2 . Is it true that at least ECU 22 million of the Social Fund by David Hallam ( PSE ) allocation ought to have been used by the end of this year, to the Commission but that the project proposals so far submitted total only ECU 7,5 million ? (12 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/69 ) 3 . If the region concerned is unable to submit project proposals in time , will the 1994/95 allocation remain available for 1996 ? Subject: Establishment of agri-environment measures in the EU 4 . If this is impossible because of time limits , could other Objective 2 regions in the Netherlands still submit Can the Commission list the programmes , so far approved , project proposals to use the funding not used by the or agri-environment measures under Regulation ( EEC ) Arnhem/Nijmegen region ? No C 56/38 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
5 . Can the Commission provide an exact list of the (in million ECU) Objective 2 regions in the Netherlands, stating how much money is available per region for the 1994 , 1995 and 1996 1994 1995 1996 Total period , and what the combined cost of the projects so far proposed currently is ( in September 1995 )? Groningen-Drenthe 24,32 25,08 26,60 76 Twente 18,56 19,14 20,30 58 Arnhem-Nijmegen 17,92 18,48 19,60 56 Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies Zuidoost-Brabant 21,40 22,20 23,40 67 on behalf of the Commission Zuid Limburg 13,76 14,19 15,05 43 (IS November 199S) At the end of September 1995 , ECU 119,72 million of In the single programming document ( SPD ) for the Structural Funds subsidies had been approved . That is to Objective 2 region Arnhem-Nijmegen for the period say, that in 10 months of the total commitment period of 24 1994—1996 , an amount of ECU 56 million is available months ( end of 1994 till end of 1996 ) almost 40% has from the Structural Funds : ECU 39,4 million from the already been committed . It is foreseen that this percentage European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ) and ECU will rise to well over 50% by the end of this year . 16,6 million from the European Social Fund ( ESF ).
Initially the following division of the ECU 1 6,6 million from the ESF over the programming period was foreseen :
— 1994 : ECU 5,31 million , WRITTEN QUESTION E-2771/95 by James Moorhouse ( PPE ) — 1995 : ECU 5,48 million , to the Commission — 1996 : ECU 5,81 million . (12 October 199S) ( 96/C 56/71 ) The amount committed in 1994 was only some ECU 26 000 . This low figure mainly reflected the fact that the programme was only adopted in December 1994 and was a Subject: Commitology wholly new experience for the region . So far, a total of some ECU 772 000 has been committed for 1995 , while an In its report to the Reflection Group ( paragraph 52 ), estimated amount of some ECU 3 277 000 of submitted the Commission states that it believes that existing applications has to be decided . In recent months it has commitology procedures 'operate satisfactorily and present become clear that one of the factors responsible for the low no major obstacle to actual implementation'. It also level of ESF commitments is the difficulty of finding public comments that they 'have the definite advantage of more co-financing for projects concerning employed people . A closely involving national government departments', which solution is currently being sought between all the parties ' bear most of the responsibility for applying Community concerned . measures in practice'.
The non-committed ESF funds for 1994 can be transferred Given that the public is excluded from commitology to 1995 or 1996 . A decision on this will be taken shortly . If procedure completely, and the European Parliament is the funds available for 1995 cannot be fully committed in unrepresented in it, could the Commission explain how its that year, a transfer of the remainder to 1996 will be defence of a secretive committee system which makes actual possible . law — namely delegated legislation operating under the anodyne title ' implementing measures' — is at all consistent The SPDs for all five Objective 2 regions in the Netherlands with the importance the same document ( Chapter 2 ) ( Groningen-Drenthe, Twente , Arnhem-Nijmegen , ostensibly attached to ensuring ' more transparency' in an Zuidoost-Brabant and Zuid-Limburg ) contain the EU decision-making process 'closer to the people', where following provision : actions are ' better justified' and legislation 'more accessible'? 'The Commission may decide in agreement with the Member State and after receiving the opinion of the Is there not something of a contradiction here ? monitoring committee , on the transfer of resources from the Structural Funds between the SPDs within a Member State if this latter does not exceed 25 % of the Community contribution to the SPDs in question . Answer given by Mr Santer However this percentage may be exceeded provided that on behalf of the Commission the amount of the modification does not exceed ECU 30 (1 December 1995) million.'
Structural Fund contributions to Objective 2 programmes in The Commission considers that the 'committee procedure' the Netherlands ( in million ECU ) are : could be improved to provide more transparency and 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/39
strengthen democratic legitimacy while preserving the affect the environment . An Objective 5b single existing institutional balance . In particular , simplification of programming document is always accompanied by an the various committee procedures and more involvement of environmental impact assessment . the Parliament are highly desirable . Furthermore , by virtue of Article 8(3 ) of Regulation ( EEC ) At present, the Commission informs the Parliament of all No 4253/88 ( ] ) an environmental authority has been draft legislative acts which are subject to the 'committee appointed within the monitoring committee specifically to procedure'. However, since the introduction of the supervise projects and forestall any adverse environmental co-decision procedure ( laid down in Article 189b of the EC impact . Treaty ), the Parliament has been pressing for a bigger role in the preparation of the implementing legislative measures for With this in mind , and in the interests of preserving the rural acts adopted under this procedure , when the adoption of such measures is entrusted to the Commission . A environment intact, certain restrictions have been placed on Objective 5b programming, with rural tourism measures in temporary solution has been found and endorsed in an Tuscany in particular being confined to : inter-institutional arrangement (modus vivendi) agreed between the Parliament, the Council and the Commission on 20 December 1994 . This makes provision for the — structural improvements to existing rural buildings; Parliament to be informed and its eventual comments to be taken into consideration and refers the matter for — aid grands for farmers only ; examination to the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference charged with the revision of the Treaties . — an official contribution of no more than ECU 50 000 per project .
The Commission therefore believes that enough has been done to ward off property speculation in a fragile environment, given that no new building will be eligible and WRITTEN QUESTION E-2779/95 projects will be of a relatively modest scale . by Marco Celiai ( NI ) to the Commission When monitoring the programme , the Commission will ensure that the rules on rural tourism facilities are complied (12 October 1995) with , and in particular that schemes accepted for ( 96/C 56/72 ) Community co-financing have been assessed in terms of their environmental impact .
Subject: Risk of speculation using Structural Funds on the (!) OJ No L 374, 31 . 12 . 1988 . island of Elba
In the locality of Galenzana , an area of great ecological interest situated in the Commune of Campo on the island of Elba , a natural habitat that is possibly unique along the whole Tyrrhenian coast is under threat of destruction . In the name of rural tourism it seems that the company SCAT WRITTEN QUESTION E-2795/95 planned to use Objective 5b funds to ruin an area that has by Peter Skinner ( PSE ) until now remained untouched . The mountain community to the Commission of Elba and Capri decides on the distribution of Objective 5b funds for the whole island of Elba . (16 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/73 ) Does the Commission not consider that it would be paradoxical if the regional funds were in fact used for purposes that conflict with environmental protection , when Subject: Distribution and resale of EEC surplus beef by the this could be prevented by more careful supervision on the UK Intervention Board part of the bodies responsible ? Can the Commission assure Parliament that the distribution of surplus beef ( and indeed other surplus products ) from EEC stocks in the UK is being carried out correctly and Answer given by Mr Fischler efficiently and according to the European Community's on behalf of the Commission own guidelines ? (24 November 1995) In view of the fact that one of my constituents recently bought three tins of EEC surplus beef for 75 pence at a car The Commission thinks it essential that schemes boot sale in the UK when the tins were marked with the co-financed by the Structural Funds should not adversely words 'No Retail Sale', I would ask the Commission to No C 56/40 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
investigate the distribution process of the above mentioned WRITTEN QUESTION E-2803/95 tins so as to assure Parliament that the Community's by Edith Miiller ( V ) procedures are being followed and that no foul play or fraud to the Commission has been involved . One of the tins has the serial number 3149/92 and an expiry date of March 1998 . It is marked (16 October 1995) ' Stew steak for gravy' and is distributed by the 'UK ( 96/C 56/74 ) Intervention Broad ' and has 12 stars marked on it also with the words 'EEC Aid'. Subject: Pension payments Considering that its resale is in fact illegal itself, may I , therefore , ask that the Commission investigate this matter 1 . The coming years will see a disproportionate increase seriously ? in pension payments for officials of the European institutions by comparison with other expenditure . Can the Commission therefore provide :
( a ) an estimate of the expected pension payments for each Answer given by Mr Fischler of the next ten years , on behalf of the Commission (24 November 1995) ( b ) a calculation of pension claims against the EU acquired up to 1 October 1995 , at 1995 prices and broken down by institution ? The distribution of surplus beefs is in the hands of the Member States which are best able to judge the needs of the 2 . In the circumstances set out in its reply to question 1 poorest sections of their own population . It is they who above , and in the light of budget annuality, transparency decide which products will be distributed , who the and the requirement that a budgetary balance be recipients of the products shall be , and under which achieved(l ), does the Commission not consider it conditions a potential beneficiary is eligible . appropriate to create a separate EU pension fund , the volume of which would reflect the actual level of pension entitlements ? Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3730/87 of 10 December 1987 (') stipulates that the goods shall be made available to certain designated organizations to enable distribution to the most deprived in the Community . Such people receive Answer given by Mr Liikanen the food free of charge or at a price which is in no case on behalf of the Commission greater than that justified by the costs incurred by the organizations implementing the scheme . These (22 November 1995) organizations are designated by the Member State concerned . 1 . The increase in pension payments is due both to an increase in the size of the institutions and to the increased In addition, Commission Regulation ( EEC ) No 3149/92 ( 2 ) age of the personnel . The number of beneficiaries for all lays down in its Article 9 the obligation for the Member institutions taken together is as follows . States to take all necessary measures to ensure that the intervention products made available are put to the use and serve the purpose laid down in the Council Regulation . Retirement Survivors' Year Invalidity pensions pensions pensions
On the basis of experience so far, the Commission is 1986 1 426 1 242 1 260 satisfied with the way in which the UK authorities have 1995 3 624 2 250 1 962 exercised their powers within the framework of the Regulation . The Intervention Board has implemented rules to deter fraud and thus ensure that only eligible people There will be about 8 500 recipients of retirement pensions receive the produce . in 2005 . By definition it is impossible to extrapolate the number of recipients of the other types of pension . The Commission does not have the data needed to calculate total Nevertheless the Commission is contacting the UK pension commitments . authorities to inquire about this particular case . With respect to funding the scheme , until 1980 staff ( ] ) OJ No L 352 , 15 . 12 . 1987 . contributions alone ( 6,75 % of basic salary , raised to 8,25 % ( 2 ) OJ No L 313 , 30 . 10 . 1992 . on 1 January 1993 ) were sufficient to cover all expenditure . Consequently, for a long period the officials' personal contributions covered the entire expenditure without any contributions from the Member States . Today, personal 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/41 contributions cover over one-third of the expenditure as The Commission has no information that would lead it to required by Article 83(2 ) of the Staff Regulations , including envisage any change in the trend of garlic imports by both expenditure on pensions and on all family allowances , comparison with that noted in previous years . which in the Member States are financed by a scheme separate from the pensions scheme . (') OJ No L 170 , 13 . 7 . 1993 .
2 . The Commission believes that charging pension scheme benefits to the budget is the procedure that is most appropriate to the situation of officials and temporary staff of the Community . This view is endorsed by the other institutions .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2816/95 by Frank Vanhecke ( NI ) to the Commission (16 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/76 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2811/95 by Carmen Fraga Estévez ( PPE ) to the Commission Subject: Discrimination against the Dutch language by the (16 October 1995) services of the European Commission in respect of references to addresses in Brussels ( 96/C 56/75 )
The services of the European Commission are continuing their particularly annoying habit of using French street Subject: Garlic imports to the EU names for addresses in Brussels .
As a result of the problems in the Community garlic sector in It is well known that Brussels is an officially bilingual region the past few years due to the , at times , massive imports of ( Dutch and French ) and the capital of our country, the great this product which have led to a collapse in the price for majority of whose population are Dutch speakers . Community garlic , the Commission has had to resort to the safeguard clause in order to regularize the Community market . In order to avoid such problems of market The Commission also uses French even in instances where it distortion in future, can the Commission give a breakdown deals explicitly with Dutch speakers ; this was the case , of garlic imports already effected and planned for this for example, with the recruitment advertisement for the harvest year, by country of origin and by Member State of Alfa programme which appeared in De Standaard of destination ? 12 September 1995 .
When will the Commission get round to taking the action needed to put an end to these linguistic absurdities ? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1995) Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission Extensive investigation is required to provide the ( 11 December 1995) information requested by the Honourable Member concerning garlic imports into the Community broken down by country of origin and Member State of destination and this will be sent to her directly as soon as possible . The Commission is sorry for the error in the address of its Office in Belgium, which occurred in the advertisement referred to by the Honourable Member . As far as 1995 is concerned , these data relate to import licences on the basis of Regulation ( EEC ) No 1859/93 (') and they are contained in a table sent directly to the Its departments have been instructed do comply Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat . Since scrupulously with the rules on its addresses in Brussels . these licences are valid throughout the Community it is impossible to indicate the Member State of destination of the garlic imported . No C 56/42 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION E-28 17/95 Will the Commission now answer the following by Frank Vanhecke ( NI ) questions : to the Commission 1 . Is the restriction on competition in respect of pension (16 October 1995) schemes pursuant to the Dutch Act compatible with the ( 96/C 56/77 ) Treaty ?
Subject: Discrimination against the Dutch language by the 2 . Is the ministerial order making it obligatory to subscribe services of the European Commission to a particular scheme compatible with the Treaty ?
A number of telephone and telefax numbers of Commission (M OJ No C 270 , 16 . 10 . 1995 , p . 1 . services in Brussels were recently changed . Correspondents still unaware of the changes were informed of them by an answering machine . Answer given by Mr Van Miert The telephone message on the answering machine was given on behalf of the Commission solely in French , English and German ( after dialling the Commission's fax number : 02 23501-66 ). (1 December 1995)
Can the Commission say why this message was not given in Dutch ( which is an official working language of the The Commission's answer to the Honourable Member's European Union , the language of the great majority of the previous question ( E-l 19/95 ) referred to the preliminary population of Belgium and , along with French, an official questions of the Hoge Raad der Nederlanden to the Court of language of the Brussels region )? Justice in the Joint Cases C-430 and 431 , Van Schijndel en Van Veen tegen de Stichting Pensioenfonds voor Can the Commission say why this particularly annoying Fysiotherapeuten . On 15 June 1995 the Advocate-General gaffe was not immediately rectified once the competent concluded that the pension fund in question performs a services had been informed of it by fax on purely social function . Referring to the social objectives 12 September ? pursued by the fund and the substantial degree of solidarity between its members , he considered that the pension fund is more akin to a social security institution than to commercial Answer given by Mr Santer pension arrangements . Consequently, he concluded that the on behalf of the Commission pension fund in question , in its relations with its members , does not act as an undertaking but as a social institution (12 December 1995) which the members of the profession have entrusted with responsibility for making their pension arrangements . The message referred to by the Flonourable Member cannot be given in all Community languages for technical reasons The Court has not yet delivered its final judgment in the ( it would be excessively long). abovementioned cases . The ruling is expected shortly . The ruling of the Court may shed some light on the issues raised Dutch is one of the languages in which the message is by the Honourable Member . currently given on the answering machine . If one follows the Advocate-General's reasoning one has to conclude that activities of pension funds , such as that of physiotherapists in the Netherlands , are not covered by WRITTEN QUESTION E-2821/95 Articles 85 and 86 of the EC Treaty . Consequently the State measures related to such funds should not be assessed in by Gijs de Vries ( ELDR ) relation to these Treaty provisions . to the Commission (16 October 1995) As already mentioned in the previous answer the ( 96/C 56/78 ) Commission takes the view that pension funds should probably be considered to be undertakings . Consequently, if they restrict competition by entering into agreements or by Subject: Dutch pensions legislation participating in concerted practices which may affect trade between Member States , their actions would fall within the On 5 December 1994 I tabled a question ( E-l 19/95 ( )) to scope of the competition rules . However, the Commission the Commission on the compatibility of the Company takes the view that a legal obligation to participate in a Pension Fund ( Obligatory Participation Act ) with the pension fund may be justifiable on grounds of general Treaty of Rome . interest provided that the obligation is proportionate to the policy objectives pursued .- The Commission replied to my question relating to Article 59 , but replied only in the abstract to my questions concerning Article 85 . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/43
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2826/95 bear in mind the need for an overall balance between various by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE/NGL ) CIs based on the priorities established in terms of supporting employment, strengthening the transnational nature of the to the Commission initiatives and promoting innovative approaches . In view of (16 October 1995) this, only the aspects related to flooding and drought came ( 96/C 56/79 ) within the scope of Interreg II . C.
The Commission would also remind the Honourable Subject: Use of Structural Fund reserve Member that the breakdown of the CI reserve was debated by Parliament's Committee on Regional Policy on 17 October and that the communication on Interreg II . C. is The EU is to use ECU 1,5 billion of the Structural Fund about to be finalized . It will be published very soon . reserve to compensate farmers afflicted by natural disasters ; ECU 750 million of that amount is for farmers stricken by drought . 2 . The Commission would point out that the Structural Funds are not to be seen as a sort of insurance mechanism or In view of the fact that natural disasters are on the increase an adjunct of national systems of insurance against natural and that the damage they cause is not only the result of hazards . Though Article 5(h ) of Regulation ( EEC ) drought but also of earthquakes , floods and forest fires ; will No 2085/93 (') does provide for the use of the EAGGF the Commission say : Guidance Section to restore agricultural and forestry production potential damaged by natural disasters , it expressly relates to the potential and not production . 1 . what criteria determine that half the reserve is used to Assistance from the Fund is a possibility , where the adverse cover damage caused by drought ? Has an overall effects on production potential of an earlier disaster assessment been made of the proportion involved for continue to obstruct development and the national or each type of natural disaster ? regional authorities concerned , in accordance with the partnership rules , have drawn up a duly substantiated 2 . whether compensation for farmers will extend to request for funding under Communiy support frameworks , damages incurred in previous years, given that in single programming documents or other programmes . numerous instances , such as the fire in Ikaria in 1993 , the drought in Macedonia in 1993 and the floods in Thessaly in 1994 , the EU has made only a token contribution to date ? 3 . The Commission has consistently reminded Member States that they can state their own priorities within CSFs or single programming documents . They can , for example , 3 . whether it will take practical measures in response to the draft structural measures to counter the effects of climatic opinion expressed by Commissioner Franz Fischler that vagaries under the headings of land or pasture the Member States should give greater priority to improvement, irrigation and drainage or the restoration of providing compensation for natural disasters when damaged agricultural and forestry potential . Several Structural Fund resources are allocated ? measures have already been adopted under CSFs for some southern regions : examples include the 1989—1993 Portuguese drought operational programme , the measures to deal with drought and frost damage introduced into the operational programme for Greek agriculture in the same period or the substantial water control measures for farmers Answer given by Mr Fischler in Spain and Greece . In the light of the partnership and on behalf of the Commission inasmuch as measures are geared to restoring or preserving (5 December 1995) production potential ( and not to compensating for lost harvests ), responsibility for establishing priorities rests with the Member States and regions eligible for the Structural Funds , whose requests are examined and , where appropriate , approved by the Commission according to the 1 . On 4 October the Commission decided how the rules and procedures governing the Structural Funds . reserve of the Community Initiatives ( CI ) — an estimated ECU 1 , 665 billion — was to be allocated . Of the total , ECU 415 million was allocated for the third component of Interreg ( Interreg II . C. ) where it will be used to improve (') OJ No L 193 , 31 . 7 . 1993 . international cooperation in water management, with ECU 165 million for combating flooding and ECU 150 million for cambating drought, and to help create a more balanced European development-planning area ( ECU 100 million ). When allocating these resources , the Commission had to No C 56/44 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2829/95 The Annex to the Council's Rules of Procedure also by Frode Kristoffersen ( PPE ) determines when the Council does not act as legislator, viz . in discussions leading to the adoption of internal measures, to the Council administrative or budgetary acts , acts concerning (11 October 1995) inter-institutional or international relations or non-binding ( 96/C 56/80 ) acts such as conclusions , recommendations or resolutions . Consequently, in such instances the Code of Conduct of 2 October 1995 does not apply . Subject: Publication of minutes and declarations made at With regard to current practice , the Honourable Member's meetings at which the Council is acting in its attention is drawn to the fact that in the context of the Code legislative capacity of Conduct the Council agrees to use statements in the minutes sparingly, it being understood that this instrument It has been reported in the media that the Council has must continue to contribute to the efficiency of the discussed the introduction of a new practice , in accordance decision-making process . That practice will not cause with which its minutes and declarations made at its meetings confusion as regards the interpretation and application of would be published in some but not all cases . It appears to legal acts which have been adopted because , as the Court of have been demonstrated, however, that keeping certain Justice has consistently held ( 2 ), 'the true meaning of rules of minutes and declarations secret poses a fundamental Community law can be derived only from those rules problem , in that an unpublished document could relate to themselves, having regard to their context . That meaning the interpretation by one or more Member States of a cannot therefore be affected by such a statement' ( in the Decision or proposal for a legal act adopted by the Council . minutes ). The crux of the problem is that neither the Court of Justice nor the general public is acquainted with the unpublished (') OJ No L 304 , 10 . 12 . 1993 , p. 1 , as last amended in OJ No L 31 , interpretations and they can naturally relate only to legal 10 . 2 . 1995 , p . 14 . acts in the form in which they are published in the Official ( 2 ) Judgment of 15 . 4 . 1986 , Commission v. Belgium, Case 237/84 , Journal of the European Communities . ECR p. 1247 .
Does the Council intend to put a complete stop to the current practice, which can cause confusion as regards the interpretation and application of legal acts which have been adopted , so that the public can be sure that any such act is WRITTEN QUESTION E-2832/95 interpreted and implemented in the same way in all Member States ? by Karl Schweitzer ( NI ) to the Commission (18 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/81 ) Answer (21 December 1995) Subject: Notification of waste shipments on the ' Green List'
On 2 October 1995 the Council adopted a Code of Conduct Shipments of wastes listed in Annex II of Council on public access to the minutes and statements in the Regulation ( EEC ) No 259/93 (^ on the supervision and minutes of the Council acting as legislator . The Code states control of shipments of waste ('Green List') are , like goods, that the Council ' is in favour of public access , in general , to subject to no trade restrictions within the Community . statements which it enters in its minutes when adopting However, under the transitional provisions of the Act of legislative acts'. Accession of the Republic of Austria to the European Union with regard to this Regulation , some of the types of waste contained on the ' Green List' are classified under Austrian That Code of Conduct applies to fields in which the Council rules as hazardous waste until 31 December 1996 . acts as legislator . What procedures are to be followed concerning Community The Annex to the Council's Rules of Procedure (') shipments of waste affecting Austria if a European Union determines when the Council acts as legislator . It does so Member State declines to carry out the notification when it adopts rules which are legally binding in or for the procedure on the grounds that the waste concerned is Member States whether by means of Regulations , Directives contained in the 'Green List' in Annex II of the Council or Decisions, on the basis of the relevant provisions of the Regulation on the supervision and control of shipments of Treaties , in particular on the basic of Article 43 of the Treaty waste , although it is classified as hazardous wastes in establishing the European Community or in the framework Austria ? of the procedures in Article 189b and Article 189c of that Treaty . (') OJ No L 30 , 6 . 2 . 1993 , p . 1 . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/45
Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission on behalf of the Commission (30 November 1995) (30 November 1995)
Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 259/93 on the supervision The Commission has always taken the view that legislation and control of shipments of waste within , into and out of the imposing the use of a given language in relations between Community establishes a system of notification and control economic operators cannot be justified as being in the procedures for shipments of waste . As pointed out by the interest of consumers and may constitute an obstacle to free Honourable Member, shipments of waste listed in Annex II trade within the meaning of Article 30 of the EC Treaty on of this Regulation which are destined for recovery the free movement of goods . Such a requirement, applying operations are in principle excluded from that system . when goods are sold to final consumers, could also prove to However, the Act of Accession provides that transitional be incompatible with Article 30 of the EC Treaty on the provisions shall apply to Austria until 31 December 1996 , grounds that it is disproportionate . allowing Austria to maintain the classification of certain wastes listed in Annex II as hazardous and thus subject to the control procedures . In view of the importance of this matter, the Commission adopted a communication concerning the use of languages in the marketing of foodstuffs ('), the principles of which Consequently, until 1997 the other Member States are may be applied to other types of product . At the same time , required to cooperate in carrying out the notification it adopted a more general communication concerning procedure for those wastes of Annex II which are classified language use in the information of consumers in the as hazardous in Austria in case a planned shipment involves Community ( 2 ). Austria as the Member State of dispatch , destination or transit . To date , the Commission is not aware of any refusal of Member States to cooperate in this respect . Should a A number of complaints against the law referred to by the Member State refuse to cooperate , the Austrian authorities Honourable Member are currently being examined by the could file a complaint on the basis of which the Commission Commission under the procedure provided for in could take the appropriate action and if need be open Article 169 of the EC Treaty . An in-depth examination of infringement proceedings against the Member State the interpretation given to this law and its application will concerned . show whether it is compatible with the EC Treaty, and particularly with Articles 30 to 36 thereof.
(') COM(93 ) 532 . ( 2 ) COM(93 ) 456 .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2833/95 by Gerhard Schmid ( PSE ) to the Commission (18 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/82 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2837/95 by Karl Schweitzer ( NI ) to the Commission Subject: Law on the use of the French language ( Toubon Law ) and free competition in the internal (18 October 1995) market ( 96/C 56/83 )
The French Government has adopted a law ( the 'Toubon Law') requiring foreign suppliers of goods for the French Subject: Shipments of waste : notification and controls market to draft all relevant documentation ( tenders , advertisements , invoices, contracts , correspondence ) exclusively in French . In its opinion ('), the Economic and Social Committee points out that notification is not the same as authorization . 1 . Does the Commission agree that this constitutes a However, a special authorization procedure was created non-tariff barrier to trade , which is incompatible with under Article 4 of Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 259/93 ( 2 ) internal market rules , since , in practice , it has the same ( on shipments of waste ) in response to obstacles to the internal market and administrative costs . effect as many technical standards ?
2 . If so , what steps will the Commission take ? In reply to a question on the freedom of movement of goods and shipments of waste , the Commission indicated 3 . What steps would the Commission take if other ( E-2218/88 ) ( 3 ) that shipments of waste between Member Member States adopted similar laws ? States would no longer be checked at internal Community No C 56/46 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
borders once the latter had been removed . However, those — provisions have been laid down to deal with cases of involved in the handling of waste maintain that, in many illegal traffic or cases where for specific reasons a cases , controls on waste shipments within the Community shipment cannot be completed as planned . are not being carried out at all and the provisions of the Council Regulation on shipments of waste are being infringed as a result . 2 . In the same way as Directive 84/63 1 /EEC , Regulation ( EEC ) No 259/93 leaves to the Member States the practical supervision and control of shipments of waste, i . e . the 1 . To what extent has an authorization procedure instead actual enforcement of the requirements . According to of a notification procedure been created through the use Article 30 , controls may include inspections of of the term 'authorization' instead of 'acknowledgement establishments and undertakings , spot checks of shipments , of notification' in Article 4 of Council Regulation ( EEC ) inspection of documents, confirmation of identity and the No 259/93 on shipments of waste ? physical control of the waste . Such controls may take place in particular at the point of origin or destination of a 2 . What type of controls have been introduced for shipment, at the external frontiers of the Community or shipments of waste within the Community, in during the shipment within the Community . accordance with Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 259/93 , and how reliable are they ? (') OJ No L 326 , 13 . 12 . 1984 .
(M OJ No C 269, 14 . 10 . 1991 , p . 10 . ( 2 ) OJ No L 30 , 6 . 2 . 1993 , p . 1 . ( 3 ) OJ No C 202 , 7 . 8 . 1989 , p . 22 .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2840/95 Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission by Christine Crawley ( PSE ) to the Commission (30 November 1995) (18 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/84 ) 1 . Under the abrogated Directive 84/63 1 /EEC on the supervision and control within the Community of the transfrontier movement of hazardous waste ( 1 ) a planned Subject: Milk shipment only had to be notified to the authorities involved . However under Regulation ( EEC ) No 259/93 on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within , into May I thank the Commission for its reply to my question on and out of the Community a planned shipment has to be milk, E-1947/95 (*). I am now led to believe that the notified and furthermore has to be authorized by all the Commission is considering reviewing the UK's use of 'milk' authorities involved . as in ' soya milk'? Would the Commission update me on this ? Is the term 'coconut milk' to be allowed ? What is the Commission's view of the term 'almond milk'? In itself, an 'acknowledgement of the notification' as provided by Directive 84/63 1/EEC is not very different from an 'authorization ' under Regulation ( EEC ) No 259/93 . (') OJ No C 311 , 22 . 11 . 1995 , p . 22 . However, in order to transpose into Community legislation the requirements of the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal a more stringent notification and control system is Answer given by Mr Fischler needed and : on behalf of the Commission (17 November 1995) — the scope of application is extended to cover also non-hazardous waste when shipped for disposal ;
— the possibilities for the authorities to object to a The present legal position is that the product still known as shipment have been enlarged , in particular regarding ' soya milk' in the United Kingdom does not qualify for shipments destined for disposal ; exemption from the prohibition of using dairy product designations for non-dairy foodstuffs under Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 1898/87 ( J ). Its sale under that — the monitoring of shipments has been improved in that, designation is already illegal in the United Kingdom . within 180 days of the receipt of the waste , the consignee has to issue a certificate that the disposal or recovery operation has actually been executed in conformity with The Commission has in recent months received many letters the information provided by the notifier on the from the United Kingdom as part of a campaign to save the consignment note ; and designation soya milk . The Commission has re-examined 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/47 the matter in the light of the submissions made by those Will the Commission take immediate steps to establish participating in the campaign but has taken the view that no clearly and unambiguously the import procedures which change in the position outlined above would be justified . must be followed , so as to end the current illegal entry on European markets of citrus fruit from other countries , since it is not only endangering Sicilian produce with parasitic and It should be stressed that this milk substitute prepared from cryptogamic infestation but, even more alarmingly, is soya beans may, of course , still be lawfully sold , only the threatening to eliminate the citrus fruit cultivation sector in word ' milk' needs to be removed from packages and Sicily, which is already encountering increasing marketing advertising material . United Kingdom consumers will problems as a result of continually rising costs ? therefore still be able to buy the product of their choice .
The term 'coconut milk ' and its equivalent in the other Member States ' languages is permitted because it is a very long established designation for a natural product which is Answer given by Mr Fischler not a substitute for milk of animal origin . on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1995) The Regulation does not permit the use of the designation 'almond milk ' in English . However, in France and Spain products exist respectively under the designations iait The Commission does not have sufficient details of the d'amande' and ' leche de almendras' which, nevertheless , matter to be able to investigate the problem raised and is not differ fundamentally from soya milk . therefore in a position to answer the question at the moment . ( It would ask the Honourable Member to provide The French product is, according to information available to more details .) the Commission , sold only in powder form to pastry cooks , ice cream makers and confectioners , it is not sold in liquid form direct to the consumer .
(') OJ No L 182 , 3 . 7 . 1987 .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2844/95 by Livio Filippi ( PPE ) to the Commission (18 October 1995) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2843/95 ( 96/C 56/86 ) by Sebastiano Musumeci ( NI ) to the Commission (18 October 1995) Subject: Import and export certificates for certain cereal ( 96/C 56/85 ) products
The entry into force on 1 July 1995 of the agricultural Subject: Citrus fruit cultivation in Sicily agreements concluded as part of the Uruguay Round has affected trade arrangements with third countries . As of Citrus fruit cultivation, a characteristic area of economic 1 July 1995 , import and export licences are required for activity in Sicily, is a major source of employment and all products listed under Article 1 of Regulation ( EEC ) revenue for an area afflicted by endemic economic crisis . No 1766/92 (').
Clandestine imports of Argentine winter lemons ( early Regulation ( EEC ) No 121/94 ( 2 ), relating to the exemption lemons ), which have different organoleptic characteristics from the import levy of certain products in the cereals sector from summer lemons produced in the south , as well as laid down in the agreements between the European oranges from as far as South Africa or from Morocco , Israel Community and the Republic of Poland, the Republic of and Tunisia , are appearing on the Italian market . Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, provides for reduced import levies . These countries are unable to sell their citrus fruit directly in Europe, except through clandestine channels or through Under Regulation ( EEC ) No 3719/88 ( 3 ) laying down rules producer countries such as Spain , which is rumoured to be governing applications for, and the issue of, licences and selling enormous quantities of citrus fruit from Morocco certificates , holders are entitled to transfer ( in full or in part ) and South Africa and under its own brand names on the the rights attached to import licences . It is clear that this European market . encourages and facilitates speculation with import licences, No C 56/48 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96 involving dealing costs and hence affecting cereal import on the strength of the transferability of licences , however, prices . the point could always be re-examined , and the Commission would then decide on an appropriate and legally acceptable 1 . Does the Commission not consider that such purely approach . speculative activities are unacceptable from the point of view of sound administration of preferential import arrangements ?
2 . What steps will be taken in future by those responsible for processing applications to ensure that certificates are WRITTEN QUESTION E-2850/95 allocated in as fair and transparent a manner as by Philippe De Coene ( PSE ) possible ? to the Commission 3 . In order to prevent speculation involving these (18 October 1995) arrangements , in particular those set out in Regulation ( 96/C 56/87 ) ( EEC ) No 121 /94 , would it not be more equitable to waive the general principle of transferability of certificates so that only the holder would have the Subject: Implementation of Directive 76/464/EEC transferable right to import the products in question ? Directive 76/464/EEC ( ] ) requires the Member States to (>) OJ No L 181 , 1 . 7 . 1992 , p . 21 . take the appropriate steps to eliminate or reduce pollution C-) OJ No L 21 , 26 . 1 . 1994 , p . 3 . of the aquatic environment by dangerous substances by (■') OJ No L 331 , 2 . 12 . 1988 , p . 1 . means of a system of authorization for discharges, programmes for the reduction of pollution from area and point sources , etc . At the fourth North Sea Conference in Esbjerg a few weeks ago , it was agreed to reduce all discharges of dangerous and persistent substances into the Answer given by Mr Fischler North Sea to zero within a generation . Given that Directive on behalf of the Commission 76/464/EEC provides an eminently suitable legal (10 November 1995) framework , why is it that, since 1990 , the Commission has submitted no more proposals to the Council for measures to implement this Directive ?
The Commission is bound by undertakings it has given not (') OJ No L 129 , 18 . 5 . 1976 , p . 23 . to restrict access to imports under quotas granted for cereals from Poland , Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic . Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard Clearly the fact that the goods can be imported more on behalf of the Commission cheaply under the quotas may give the holders of import (30 November 1995) licences an incentive to undertake certain speculative dealings, but with two years' experience of implementing this quota-based system the Commission has no knowledge The Commission's 1990 ( ] ) proposal for amending of facts such as those described by the Honourable Council Directive 76/464/EEC on pollution caused by Member . certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment was not accepted by the Council, which was one of the factors which led the Commission to rethink its The import rules currently applicable to these quotas allow approach with regard to this Directive . access for all interested parties , and no restrictions attach to the lodging of applications for import licences — the Commission processes all the applications it receives . Where Thus at the Edinburgh Summit of 1992 , the Commission the aggregate volume of applications in the Community announced its intention to submit a new proposal for the exceeds the available quota volume an allocation coefficient modification of the Directive . It is intended that, together is applied so that each applicant is issued , pro rata , a licence with the proposed Directive on integrated pollution for a fixed proportion of the quantity requested . prevention and control , a streamlined , updated Directive 76/464/EEC will provide comprehensive means of controlling industrial emissions of pollution . Since all interested parties have access to the quotas the system can be regarded as entirely transparent and the fact (') OJ No C 55 , 7 . 3 . 1990 . that licences are transferable does not fundamentally alter the use made of that access . If it were shown that undue advantage was being obtained or speculation taking place 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/49
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2853/95 In view of the fact that this funding is only available under by Roberto Mezzaroma ( UPE ) the 1995 budgetary procedure , it was necessary to set a deadline for posting of applications , which would enable the to the Commission processing, evaluation and selection of projects , as well as (11 October 1995) the conclusion of contracts , to be carried out within this 96/C 56/88 ) budgetary year . The Commission has meanwhile received almost 1 900 applications for funding under this scheme . In the circumstances outlined above , extending the deadline, as the Honourable Member suggests , is not feasible . Subject: European financing for projects to combat social exclusion for 1995 (') COM(93 ) 435 final . ( 2 ) IP(95 ) 918 . In view of the fact that there has been no news about the call for tenders concerning the European financing of projects to combat social exclusion in 1995 and that I myself only found out about it as the result of a meeting, requested by me , with Commission officials , can the Commission say when the call to tender was published and how, specifying to whom it was sent ( organizations , the media , etc .)? WRITTEN QUESTION E-2855/95 by Eva Kjer Hansen ( ELDR ) In view of the fact that the deadlines for submitting to the Commission applications for a specific contribution are very tight and (18 October 1995) that the call for tenders has not been widely publicized , can ( 96/C 56/89 ) the Commission extend the deadline until 30 November 1995 ? Subject: Bee-keeping on Lasso
1 . Does the Commission consider it in keeping with Answer given by Mr Flynn Part 3 , Title I , Chapter 2 , Article 30 of the EU Treaty and EU on behalf of the Commission Directive 92/65/EEC ( ] ) to prohibit EU citizens living on (10 November 1995) L CESo from importing bees from other parts of the European Community , moving bee-hives to the south of Europe in spring to obtain nectar and returning to Lseso in late The Social Affairs Council of 29 June 1995 was unable to summer for heather nectar and wintering; reach agreement on the Commission proposal for a medium-term action programme to combat exclusion and 2 . Does the Commission consider it in keeping with promote solidarity ('). The budgetary authority has Part 3 , Title I , Chapter 2 , Article 30 of the EU Treaty and EU endowed budget line B3-4103 with funding for a broad Directive 92/65/EEC to prohibit EU citizens living on Lseso range of activities to combat social exclusion in 1995 . The from keeping bees that do not belong to the species Apis Commission announced to the Council on 29 June that this mellifera mellifera ( the brown Lses0 bee )? budget would be put to use according to the budget procedure . (') OJ No L 268 , 14 . 9 . 1992 , p . 54 .
Following this , a one-year scheme was announced in August 1995 which will co-finance a limited number of activities seeking to overcome social exclusion . The scheme will be Answer given by Mr Fischler guided by the considerations that all commitments and on behalf of the Commission payments will be compatible with the non-programme (1 December 1995) activities set out in the budgetary remarks for the line , and that the type of multi-annual projects or activities which are envisaged under the proposed programme will not be funded . Council Directive 92/65/EEC lays down the animal health requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals, semen , ova and embryos not subject Information about the scheme was immediately made to animal health requirements laid down in specific available by the Commission ( 2 ). Information was sent to Community rules . The Directive applies to trade in bees the Parliament, to the Member States , as well as to non within the Community ( i.e. between Member States ) and governmental organizations working in the fields of poverty trade in bees with third countries . It does not apply to trade and social exclusion . It was made freely available to all in bees within a Member State . The Directive applies to organizations and members of the public seeking the trade in bees and therefore does not guarantee free information . A Commission representative also attended a movement of bees within the Community in the absence meeting of the social affairs committee of the Parliament in of trade , which would appear to be the case where September in order to answer questions from members . transhumance occurs . No C 56/50 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
As regards imports of bees into Denmark from other since 1 July 1995 by the German and United Kingdom Member States, only those restrictions which are imposed intervention agencies . by Articles 13 to 15 of the Directive 92/65/EEC may be imposed . Article 13 imposes the requirement of a transport document corresponding to the specimen in Annex E of the Directive . Articles 14 and 15 of the Directive provide for the laying down of additional guarantees which may be required in trade after a Member State has presented a WRITTEN QUESTION E-2892/95 voluntary or compulsory control or monitoring programme by Carmen Fraga Estévez ( PPE ) for inter alia European foulbrood varroasis and acariasis or where a Member State has demonstrated to the Commission to the Commission that its territory is free of these diseases . (21 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/91 )
Subject: Refunds for the export of fruit and vegetables WRITTEN QUESTION E-2891/95 The introduction of a new system of refunds for fruit and by Carmen Fraga Estévez ( PPE ) vegetable exports has caused several problems, since before to the Commission the end of the first month all the certificates had been used (21 October 1995) up, which provoked considerable anxiety in the sector . Can ( 96/C 56/90 ) the Commission say how many certificates have been issued for products exported by the tonne and for each Member State since this system came into force ? Subject: Intervention in cereals
The most recent grain harvests have been particularly poor Answer given by Mr Fischler in Spain as a result of the drought which the country is on behalf of the Commission suffering . The Spanish intervention authorities have therefore not kept stocks of grain, and Spanish farmers who (22 November 1995) needed grain had to apply for it to the intervention authorities of other Member States, with consequent problems for farmers and stockrearers . The table below gives details of export licences issued for fruit and vegetables during July and August 1995 , broken To prevent a recurrence of this situation , would it not be down by product and type of licence . possible , in unusual situations such as this, to transfer products between the intervention bodies of different Since applicants were free to decide where to request and use Member States, in order to provide easier access to them for these licences, it would serve no useful purpose to give a farmers and stockrearers ? quantitative breakdown by Member State of issue .
Exports for which licences were issued during the period Answer given by Mr Fischler July/August 1995 on behalf of the Commission (in tonnes) (28 November 1995) Refund not Refund fixed Product fixed in Total in advance advance The Commission is aware of the problem facing Spanish farmers and breeders as a result of the shortage of fodder Tomatoes 2 785 14 646 17 431 cereals on the Spanish market due to the persistent drought . Shelled almonds 110 49 159 To remedy this situation , it has taken the following two Unshelled hazelnuts 25 24 49 measures : Shelled hazelnuts 447 161 608
— supply of 440 000 tonnes of fodder cereals to the Unshelled walnuts 0 0 0 Spanish market, given the issue of a standing invitation to tender for stocks held by the German and Austrian Oranges 1 138 1 222 2 360 intervention agencies; Lemons 7 816 2 692 10 508 Table grapes 5 637 12 922 18 559 — transfer into silos of the Spanish intervention agency of 200 000 tonnes of barley and rye held by the German Apples 2 516 7 465 9 982 intervention agency . Peaches and nectarines 4 570 20 401 24 971 It should be noted that these quantities are additional to the tonnage of products offered for sale for delivery to Spain Total 25 044 59 582 84 627 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/51
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2904/95 Finally, the Commission is not involved in any pilot studies by David Bowe ( PSE ) involving the use of DME in buses either in Copenhagen or elsewhere . to the Commission (17 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/92 )
Subject: Dimethyl ether
Dimethyl ether is a substitute fuel for use in diesel engines WRITTEN QUESTION E-2906/95 which produces very clean emissions and lower noise levels by James Provan ( PPE ) than diesel oil . It is being developed by a Danish Laboratory-Topsoe in Copenhagen jointly with the to the Commission Technical University of Denmark and the oil company (26 October 1995) Amoco . { 96/C 56/93 )
Can the Commission confirm that there has been a visit to Topsoe to see this development and that Topsoe had a Subject: UK fishing boat numbers preliminary meeting with DG XI officials in April of this year ? Recent figures published by the Commission show a large increase in the number of fishing vessels in the last 20 years . If so , what resulted from this meeting and is the Commission These figures do not agree with the number of active fishing involved in any pilot studies in the use of this fuel for fleet vessels known to MAFF, DAFS , and DANI, who state that vehicles such as buses ( in Copenhagen for example )? there were 7 012 vessels .
The Commission figures for 31 December 1993 show 11 055 as the number of fishing vessels appearing on the Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard Cardiff register, which includes active fishing vessels and on behalf of the Commission fishing vessels that had not previously been licensed ; it includes , therefore , yachts and smaller vessels under (28 November 1995) 10 metres plus Channel Islands and Isle of Man boats .
Representatives of the Haldor Topsoe company visited Will the Commission put together some statistics that can be the Commission on 26 April 1995 and extensive a genuine basis for discussing future structural policy ? documentation on the product was submitted . It would appear that dimethyl ether ( DME ) does indeed result in significant reductions in pollutant emissions from diesel engines and that as such should be regarded as one of a number of potential technical solutions . Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission The product DME has not been evaluated directly under the (17 November 1995) on-going auto oil programme ( collaborative technical programme between the Commission and the oil and automobile industries designed to assist in the development The Commission maintains a register of all the fishing of future proposals aimed at reducing vehicle emissions ). vessels in the Community fleet . A fishing vessel is defined in Indeed the scope of this programme was always restricted to Article 3 of Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3760/92 ( ! ) as conventional petroleum-based fuels which because of their any vessel equipped for the commercial exploitation of predominant market share present the most significant living marine resources . The data in the register are supplied short-term problem . However, it is clear that alternative by the Member States themselves . fuels such as DME , compressed natural gas and bio-diesels may offer potential benefits in terms of emissions from diesel engines and it is the Commission's intention to The following table shows the number of United Kingdom evaluate this potential as part of the follow-up to the auto oil fishing vessels in the register each year since 1989, when the programme . register was established .
Date 1 . 1 . 198 9 1 . 1 . 1990 1 . 1 . 1991 1 . 1 . 1992 1 . 1 . 1993 1 . 1 . 1994 1 . 1 . 1995 1 . 7. 1995
Number 9 760 10 494 11 205 10 948 10 976 11 055 10 243 9 983 No C 56/52 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
The register contains data on the physical characteristics of Answer given by Mr Fischler all the vessels, including the length, tonnage and power . The on behalf of the Commission following table shows the current number of vessels , and (23 November 1995) their total tonnage and power , classified by length class .
Council Directive 91/628/EC concerning the protection of Number Power Length Tonnage animals during transport as recently amended by Directive , 10 m 6 988 306 257 19 836 95/29/EC , is not directly applicable in third countries . The Directive, nevertheless , contains provisions designed 10 , X , 15 m 1 431 172 797 18 971 to ensure that operators transporting animals from 15 , X , 24 m 1 057 264 203 75 547 Community territory to third countries respect adequate . 24 m 499 360 666 125 331 welfare conditions for the animals . In particular the authorities of the exporting Member State must ensure that Not available 8 483 99 no animal is transported unless it is fit for the intended
Total 9 983 1 104 406 239 784 journey and unless suitable provisions have been made for its care during the journey and at arrival at the destination . These numbers include part time or inactive vessels . This is important when considering future structural policy, Under rules introduced by Directive 95/29/EC , which because part time vessels contribute to the total fishing Member State must implement by 1 January 1 997, a journey effort, and inactive vessels can often readily resume fishing plan must be prepared and submitted in advance . In operations . Member States must supply the register with addition , improved standards for means of transport are information on the fishing effort of individual vessels or provided . The transport operator also has to provide a groups of vessels , so the part time or inactive vessels can be written undertaking to comply with the requirements of the identified . Directive as far as the destination .
The figures in these tables exclude some vessels registered in the Channel Islands . The figure for the total number of With regard to enforcement, the primary responsibility remains with the Member States . The Commission is , vessels in the United Kingdom fleet as at 1 January 1992 , supplied by the British administration at the time of nevertheless , responsible for the uniform application of the rules within the Community . If it is discovered that the this year's mid-term review of the multiannual guidance Directive is not being properly enforced by the authorities of programmes , was 11 411 . the Member States , the Commission normally intervenes with those authorities and if the matter is not satisfactorily (') OJ No L 389 , 31 . 12 . 1992 . resolved , may open infringement proceedings under Article 169 of the EC Treaty .
The Commission is currently examining the further possibilities which could be available to ensure that WRITTEN QUESTION E-2907/95 Community exporters fully respect the Community's by Giles Chichester ( PPE ) welfare provisions when they transport animals to third to the Commission countries . (26 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/94 )
Subject: Animal welfare during transport WRITTEN QUESTION P-2916/95 What control mechanisms will the Commission propose by John Cushnahan ( PPE ) in order to ensure that the recent Council Decision on to the Commission animal welfare legislation is applied during overseas (17 October 1995) transportation ? ( 961C 56/95 ) If such mechanisms are to be the responsibility of Member States , would this lead to unequal application of the Subject: Fisheries protection and coastal surveillance in legislation ? How, in amending existing Directive Ireland 91 /628/EEC ( 1 ) by 95/29/EC ( 2 ), does the Commission intend to ensure that the legislation is properly and uniformly applied in the 15 Member States , so as to avoid Further to Written Question P-1598/95 f 1 ), what unfair competition in the trade in animals , while ensuring developments , if any , have taken place and has the proper welfare standards are enforced ? Commission decided to provide further additional resources to the Irish authorities ? (') OJ No L 340, 11 . 12 . 1991 , p . 17 . ( 2 ) OJ No L 148 , 30 . 6 . 1995 , p . 52 . (') OJ No C 230 , 4 . 9 . 1995 , p . 53 . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/53
Answer given by Mrs Bonino WRITTEN QUESTION E-2924/95 on behalf of the Commission by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE ) (17 November 1995) to the Commission (26 October 1995) On 13 October 1995 Parliament adopted a resolution ( 96/C 56/97 ) endorsing the proposal for a Council Decision on a financial contribution by the Community towards certain expenditures incurred by the Member States in Subject: Job advertisements in the Flemish press implementing the monitoring and control system applicable to the common fisheries policy ('). On Tuesday, 12 September 1995 a number of Flemish newspapers published job advertisements for the Alfa This proposal , which also takes account of the need to meet programme . the Council's undertakings vis-a-vis Ireland , was adopted by the Council ( Fisheries ) on 26 October 1995 . One of the contact addresses was given only in French . The (•) COM(95 ) 243 . advertisements also gave an old telephone number, which is no longer used , for further information .
Is it true that an outside agency is responsible for the mistakes in this advertisement ? What action does the WRITTEN QUESTION E-2923/95 Commission intend taking against this agency ? by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE ) Does the Commission intend to publish this advertisement to the Commission again ? If so , who will pay the costs ? (26 October 1995) ( 96/C 56/96 ) Answer given by Mr Santer Subject: Commissioners' interests on behalf of the Commission (6 December 1995) My conclusion from Commission President Santer's answer to question E-2336/95 ( J ) and P-1084/95 ( 2 ) is that the European Parliament may only raise questions about The Commission has instructed the relevant departments to Commission members' other interests at the time when they ensure that particulars given in future advertisements for are appointed . subsequent stages of the programme in question are correct . It follows from this that members of the Commission do not take on additional professional and/or financial interests during their period in office; otherwise, there is a complete absence of controls .
Does the Commission share this view ? If not, how does it WRITTEN QUESTION E-2925/95 feel controls can be exercised in respect of any conflict of by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE ) interests ? to the Commission (M OJ No C 300 , 13 . 11 . 1995 , p . 55 . (26 October 1995) ( 2 ) OJ No C 190 , 24 . 7 . 1995 , p . 41 . ( 96/C 56/98 )
Answer given by Mr Santer Subject: Use of languages in the European Union on behalf of the Commission (16 November 1995) Despite the answer by former President Delors to my question E-2076/94 ('), I note that the letterhead of several Commissioners still gives only the French version of their In accordance with Article 1 57 of the EC Treaty all members addresses in Brussels . of the Commission shall refrain from any action incompatible with their duties and may not, during their The fact that the name 'Brussels' is , in most cases , translated term of office , engage in any other occupation , whether into the language of the Commissioner makes this even gainful or not . The members of the Commission have been worse . informed that if there is any change in their declaration of business or financial interests , this should be notified to the Secretary-General . When will the Commission obey its own rules ?
(>) OJ No C 30, 6 . 2 . 1995 , p . 56 . No C 56/54 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
Answer given by Mr Santer WRITTEN QUESTION E-2927/95 on behalf of the Commission by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE ) (6 December 1995) to the Commission (26 October 1995) Some months ago , the Commission reminded the ( 96/C 56/100 departments responsible for printing the letterhead of its Members of the rules on the styling of the address . Subject: Advertising on eggshells
Since then letterheads have been printed in accordance with I understand from a Dutch newspaper that here are plans for these instructions . advertising on eggshells . The article says that this is being done with financial support from the Commission .
Can the Commission confirm this report ? If so, what budget line is being used to finance this project ? What use is this project to the Union ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2926/95 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE ) Answer given by Mr Fischler to the Commission on behalf of the Commission (26 October 1995) (27 November 1995) ( 96/C 56/99 ) In 1993 , the Commission had proposed to the Council to authorize sales promotion statements on eggs and egg packs Subject: Use of languages at the institutions for other items than eggs . The Council accepted this proposal for statements on egg packs only ( Regulation ( EEC ) No 2617/93 ) (') but asked the Commission to present I have tabled a number of questions in the past drawing the a report on the question of advertising on eggs before the Commission's attention to the fact that only the French end of 1996 . versions of Brussels addresses are given in its publications . On several occasions the Commission's answer has been This report will be based upon the results of field studies that while regrettable, the fault lies with an outside agency which started in the United Kingdom in 1994 . The responsible for the publication in question . Commission envisages an extension of these studies to other Member States, including the Netherlands . When the Commission invites tenders for publications of this nature does it specify that the language rules in force in The field studies are carried out with the prior approval of the Union must be respected ? the Commission and national authorities, in collaboration between companies involved in egg marketing and market What action has the Commission taken against outside research . There is no financial support from the Community agencies failing to comply with such rules ? budget, but the studies and subsequent analysis are financed by the advertiser .
(') OJ No L 240 , 25 . 9 . 1993 . Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (5 December 1995) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2936/95 by Thomas Megahy ( PSE ) The Commission has instructed its staff to comply to the Commission scrupulously with the rules relating to the language versions of its addresses in Brussels set out in the reply to the (27 October 1995) Honourable Member's Question No 2076/94 ( ! ) and 96/C 56/101 reminded them that these rules do not apply solely to correspondence but also to all printed matter and publications . It will be sure to remind its staff of these Subject: Directive on zoos instructions, with particular reference to printed matter produced by outside contractors . Following Parliament's resolution B4-383/95 (') of 17 March 1995 calling on the Commission to maintain the proposal for a Directive ( 2 ) which proposed a European (') OJ No C 30, 6 . 2 . 1995 . policy on zoos , and not to replace it with a Council recommendation, when can we except a common position to be put before Parliament ? Will this proposal be issued as a 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/55
Directive , in accordance with the wishes of Parliament, and Answer given by Mr Bangemann not as a recommendation ? on behalf of the Commission (29 November 1995) (') OJ No C 89 , 10 . 4 . 1995 , p . 234 . C-) COM(91 ) 177 — OJ No C 249 , 24 . 9 . 1991 , p . 14 .
Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard Member States have asked the Commission to start work on on behalf of the Commission legislation concerning food supplements . The work is still at (29 November 1995) a preliminary stage . It is intended to produce a discussion paper which will set out the issues to be discussed and give In view of the resolution to which the Honourable Member the opportunity to interested parties to comment on these refers the Commission recently reconsidered its June 1994 issues . The aim will be to identify the key elements in that decision to replace the proposal for a Directive by a proposal area which may be covered by any future Community for a Council recommendation . It, however, came to the legislation . It is stressed that at this stage there are no same conclusion and a proposal for a recommendation will proposals for legislation on the matter . be presented within the next few weeks .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2950/95 by Erhard Meier ( PSE ) to the Commission WRITTEN QUESTION E-2964/95 (9 November 1995) by Peter Skinner ( PSE ) ( 96/C 56/102 ) to the Commission Subject: The LIFE project for an ornithological observatory (9 November 1995) in the Central Enns Valley, Austria 96/C 56/ 104 ) It is clear from a statement from the Styrian regional government concerning LIFE project 95/377 ( LIFE 95/A/A22/377/STK ) for an ornithological observatory in Subject: Quarantine restrictions in the UK for domestic pets the Central Enns Valley , that Styria refuses to cooperate being brought from mainland Europe with the observatory , it will not take responsibility for the project and thus is unable to co-finance it . Following an enquiry from a constituent , I would like to This being so , is the EU still prepared to promote the whole clarify the position of the Commission on quarantine of the LIFE project for an ornithological observatory in the restrictions in the UK for domestic pets being brought from Central Enns Valley ( including its controversial sections )? mainland Europe .
Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission Will there be a review of the compatibility with EU law of UK quarantine rules for domestic pets being brought from (29 November 1995) mainland Europe in view of the present-day situation concerning rabies and modern methods of monitoring ? After negotiations between the Commission and the Land Styria a solution for the Life project Naturreservat Mittleres Ennstal has been reached by dividing the responsibilities for the project . This solution will allow a cooperation between the Styria Government and the Vogelwarte . Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1995) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2957/95 by Ian White ( PSE ) to the Commission The situation is under continuous review particularly in the (9 November 1995) light of favourable developments resulting from the Community funded rabies eradication programme and the ( 96/C 56/103 ) further development of technology for identification and testing of animals . It is the Commission's intention to make Subject: Dietary supplements suitable proposals in this matter at an appropriate time . Does the Commission have any legislative proposals on dietary supplements and if so , on what basis will any discussion paper be issued ? No C 56/56 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2985/95 2 . What, in the Commission's view, are the main by Irene Crepaz ( PSE ) problems that Austria has in taking up this aid ? to the Commission (1 November 1995) ( 96/C 56/105 ) Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies Subject: Amount of Structural Fund aid currently utilized on behalf of the Commission by Austria (30 November 1995) 1 . What percentage/amount of Structural Fund aid intended for Austria has been utilized so far this year ? 1 . At 31 October 1995 , the state of commitments and Can the Commission provide a detailed breakdown for each payments to Austria from the Structural Funds for the of the Austrian Lander ? financial year in course was as follows :
(ECU million)
Forecast spending Commitments Payments Region Total 1995 executed executed 1995—1999 Tranche Single tranche
Objective 1 BGLD 165 60 28 80 Objective 2 STMK 57 97 11 12 NO 22 41 22 41 OÖ 10 76 10 76 VLBG 9 86 9 86
Objective 3 334 00 64 06 64 06 32 03 Objective 4 61 00 11 70 11 70 5 85 Objective 5 ( a ) agriculture 386 00 74 02 Objective 5 ( a ) fisheries 2 00 0 40 0 40 0 20 Objective 5 ( b ) NO 111 60 21 18 OÖ 98 50 18 90 STMK 85 30 16 19
KTN 58 00 11 02
T 34 40 6 61
SLBG 16 00 3 07
VLBG 7 20 1 37
Community Initiatives ( CI ) Interreg 42 68 42 68
Urban 9 77 9 77
SMEs 8 74 8 74
Rechar 1 80 1 80
Resider 5 13 5 13
Retex 2 57 2 57
Employment 23 01 23 01 Adapt 11 57 11 57 Leader 23 27 23 27
CI reserve (') 17 53 17 55
(') For allocation as follows : Interreg : 6.14 — Leader : 3.17 — Employment + Adapt : 4.72 — Urban : 3.5 . 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/57
2 . There is no delay to report in the use of Structural WRITTEN QUESTION E-3021/95 Fund aid to Austria . Under single programming documents by Joan Vallvé ( ELDR ) and Community initiatives, the Commission expects that by to the Commission the end of the year about ECU 400 million will have been committed , from the total ECU 1 623 billion allocated to (13 November 1995) Austria for the 1995/1999 programming period . ( 96/C 56/107 )
Subject: Inclusion of the Ses Salines d'Eivissa i Formentera wildlife area in the Nature 2000 European conservation network
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2997/95 The Ses Salines d'Eivissa i Formentera wetlands are of major by Mark Killilea ( UPE ) ecological importance and contain a significant number of to the Commission priority habitats and species ( Directive 92/43/EEC ( 1 )). It (13 November 1995) has been included on the list of areas covered by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance ( 96/C 56/106 ) ( Ramsar , 1991 ) and has been declared a Special Protection Area for waterbirds under Directive 79/409/EEC ( 2 ), a Natural Area of Special Interest by the Government of the Subject: Charter of rights for the elderly Balearics and a Nature Reserve by the Spanish Government . Its particular geographical location and geological Further to the reply to Written Question No 421/93 ('), ona composition make it the most botanically interesting area in charter for the elderly , what progress has been made by the the Pine Islands and it is also home to a large number and Commission and Member State representatives in defining varity of land-based and marine species for which the Commission has granted priority protection . The area is , common policy objectives in this regard ? however, under threat as a result of plans for urban and tourist development which is not compatible with the In the light of recent events within the EU — assaults and demands of the environment and natural resource attacks on elderly people in a number of Member States , conservation . growing instances of elderly people being returned to the Community from sheltered accommodation due to national Can the Commission say whether or not the Spanish budgetary restraints , the growing number of elderly people Government has submitted a list of areas eligible for who find themselves alone and isolated within society, does inclusion in the Nature 2000 European conservation the Commission not concede that an agreed charter of rights network ( Directive 92/43/EEC )? If it has, can the for the elderly would greatly assist the work of Commission say whether or not the Ses Salines d'Eivissa i organizations and individuals devoted to this field , and that Formentera area has been included ? If the list has not been it would give a much needed and heightened awareness of received or if the area in question has not been included , can the legitimate needs and fears of the elderly in our the Commission say whether or not it intends to include it in communities ? the Nature 2000 network under Article 5 of the above Directive ? (•) OJ No C 264 , 29 . 9 . 1993 , p . 28 . (') OJ No L 206 , 22 . 7 . 1992 , p . 7 . ( 2 ) OJ No L 103 , 25 . 4 . 1979 , p . 1 .
Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard (11 December 1995) on behalf of the Commission (29 November 1995) A declaration of principles concerning older people was adopted by the Council and the ministers for social affairs , The Spanish authorities have already classified the Ses meeting within the Council, on 6 December 1993 ( 1 ). This Salines d'Eivissa i Formentera wetlands as a special declaration calls upon Member States to take account of protection area under Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the certain objectives when framing policies in areas of special conservation of wild birds, so the area is already included in interest to older people . The Commission does not consider the Nature 2000 network . that the adoption of a 'charter' in this matter would represent an improvement on the current situation . There is thus no need to apply Article 5 of Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of (') OJ No C 343 , 21 . 12 . 1993 . wild fauna and flora . No C 56/58 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3030/95 role is crucial to the government's efforts to introduce an by Nel van Dijk ( V ) effective policy of sustainable forestry management . to the Commission One of the components of the programme will focus on ( 13 November 1995) forestry conservation . ( 96/C 56/108 ) The extent to which forestry exploitation in Cambodia can be rationally controlled will depend , in the last analysis , on Subject: Deforestation in Cambodia the Government's political will to implement an effective policy of sustainable forestry resource management . Efforts Is it true that the Cambodian Government has granted to this end will receive active support from the a Malaysian and an Indonesian firm timber felling Commission . concessions for 30 % of the tropical rain forest in Cambodia ( 1 )?
Does this not involve a threat of large-scale deforestation and desertification , notwithstanding a ban on felling and WRITTEN QUESTION E-3048/95 exporting timber ? by Spalato Belleré ( NI ) to the Commission Is the Commission prepared to approach the Cambodian Government and offer it aid in order to cancel these ( 15 November 1995) concessions and to cooperate with the inhabitants of the ( 96/C 56/109 ) rain forest in seeking ecologically , economically and socially acceptable alternatives to large-scale felling ? Subject: Raising the age limit for EC professional training (') NRC Handelsblad , 20 October 1995 . courses
Does the Commission believe that it would be useful to raise the age limit for professional training courses in the EC , especially for intermediate and high-level courses ( for those Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission holding diplomas and degrees ), to take into account the time needed to obtain a qualification , and particular (28 November 1995) circumstances ( such as marriage , children , disabilities , etc .), and in view of the fact that they are to be regarded as professional courses ? It was initially the Khmer Rouge who were responsible for illegal timber felling in the Cambodian forests in areas under their control , the timber being exported subsequently to Thailand . However, since Thailand decided to reinforce Answer given by Mr Flynn controls along its border with areas occupied by the Khmer on behalf of the Commission Rouge , this type of traffic has substantially reduced . (8 January 1996)
The Ministry of Defence in Cambodia is the authority officially responsible for forest protection , but this does not The age of participants on vocational training courses in practice prevent intensive and often uncontrolled jointly financed by the European Social Fund is laid down in exploitation of the country's forestry resources . the Community support frameworks for Objectives 1 and 3 . Age differences , linked to paper qualifications , are taken into account only in respect of measures aimed at young In this connection , 3 private Malaysian firm has reportedly people . been granted a felling concession over an area of 1 million hectares in the north of the country . Any raising of the age limit would entail both alteration of the abovementioned programming documents and Although roughly 45 % of Cambodia still consists of forest, reappraisal of the priorities for action negotiated recently there is very serious concern over the situation and the fact with Member States . that erosion is already occurring in the catchment basin of the large Tonle Sap lake . In the case of measures targeting other beneficiaries , such as the long-term unemployed , employees , women and the The Commission is currently committing an initial sum of socially deprived , no maximum age limit has been laid ECU 3 million for a programme in support of Cambodia's down . environment policy . It will be implemented on a priority basis jointly with the Ministry of the Environment, whose 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/59
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3077/95 clothing sector states that the sector will no doubt continue by Elisabeth Schroedter ( V ) to play an important role in the European economy in the future . to the Commission ( 13 November 1995) ( 96/C 56/110 ) It also makes the point that the production and job cuts likely to be brought about as a result of keener international competition pose a critical problem : in general terms , the Subject: Use of ERDF Funds in Spain which is not consequences of integration will be such as to entail campatible with the Structural Funds Regulation adjustments to improve competitiveness and support ( EEC ) No 2083/93 measures to aid the regions most directly affected . Spain wishes to seal its border with Africa in order to keep out refugees who enter Spain across the Strait of That being the case , has the Commission been making the Gibraltar . necessary new arrangements with a view to implementing the above measures ? If so , what does the procedure According to my information , a wall eight kilometres long involve ? has been built in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta and equipped with barbed wire and video cameras .
This has allegedly been financed largely from ERDF Fund resources . Answer given by Mr Bangemann 1 . Does the concept of Community assistance allow Spain on behalf of the Commission to plan to use ERDF resources in this manner ? (30 November 1995) 2 . In the Commission's view , is this use of ERDF resources compatible with the Structural Funds Regulation ( EEC ) No 2083/93 (')? If so , how does the Commission justify The Commission considers that the integration of the textile using these resources in this manner ? and clothing sector proposed as part of the Uruguay Round will not fundamentally alter the general trends in the (') OJ No L 193 , 31.7 . 1993 , p . 34 . sector .
Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies This industry has embarked upon a process of adjustment in on behalf of the Commission an attempt to meet the challenges of the globalization of markets and increased international competition . (1 December 1995)
As part of the 1994—1999 operational programme for In recent years the Commission has implemented a number Ceuta , the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ) of programmes and made available a number of instruments is co-financing the construction of a direct road link 8,3 km to which the textiles and clothing sector has access . It has in length and 10 m wide to run alongside the frontier with encouraged the sector to make more extensive and efficient Morocco . This road will cross the hill between Biuts and use of these facilities . Cabililla de Benzu thus making it possible to bypass .
Ceuta . There is , however , no question of the ERDF Where possible new initiatives are concerned , the financing the construction of a wall such as that referred to Commission has suggested a number of areas for discussion by the Fionourable Member . by the industry , the Member States and the Community institutions in its communication on the impact of international developments on the Community's textile and clothing sector ( 1 ).
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3079/95 The debate on the subject has thus begun and the results will by Fernando Moniz ( PSE ) make it possible to clarify the aspects on which a consensus to the Commission is needed . The Commission does not envisage taking any (13 November 1995) additional action unless the problems cannot be resolved at national level or would be resolved more effectively at ( 961C 56/111 ) European level .
Subject: Textile and clothing sector in the European Union (') COM(95 ) 447 final .
The recent Commission communication on the impact of international developments on the Community's textile and No C 56/60 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3097/95 Answer given by Mrs Cresson by Salvador Garriga Polledo ( PPE ) on behalf of the Commission to the Commission (19 December 1995) (20 November 1995) (:96/C 56/112 ) The Commission fully shares the Honourable Member's view of the importance of efficient cooperation with the Austrian Government in the field of vocational training, Subject: Desalination plants and the Cohesion Financial among others . This is also why, in the run-up to Austria's Instrument accession , DG XXII welcomed a national expert seconded from Austria , as well as a number of officials for periods of Is the construction of desalination plants one of the training specially designed for them . In the course of 1995 , objectives eligible for financing by the Cohesion Financial four Austrian officials have up to now each spent Instrument ? three-month training periods with DG XXII .
As regards the secondment of a national expert, it should be Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies remembered that the appropriations that the Commission on behalf of the Commission currently has at its disposal for this type of external personnel are fully committed . The request for secondment (6 December 1995) made by the Austrian authorities will not be able to be considered until around the end of the first six months Desalination projects were eligible under the cohesion of 1996 , while bearing in mind the priorities of the financial instrument and remain so under Regulation ( EC ) Commission departments and the applicants ' profiles . No 1 1 64/94 ( 1 ) establishing the Cohesion Fund, which replaces it . However, it should be stressed that the qualifications required of an expert were set out in an agreement between (') OJ No L 130, 25 . 5 . 1994 . the Government of the Member State concerned and the Commission .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 112/95 by Hilde Hawlicek ( PSE ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 113/95 to the Commission by Hilde Hawlicek ( PSE ) (20 November 1995) to the Commission ( 96/C 56/113 ) (20 November 1995) ( 96/C 56/114 ) Subject: Recruitment of an Austrian expert into DG XXII Subject: European Community bodies , in particular decentralized bodies Following the accession of Austria on 1 January 1995 , Austrian nationals are now in a position to work for European Union institutions and bodies . Austria's In connection with my oral question ( H-633/95 ) ('), can the extremely valuable contribution to vocational training and Commission also indicate what criteria were applied for the further training is recognized not only at European but also creation of ' second generation' European bodies, given the at international level . existence of ' first generation ' Community bodies already capable of fulfilling tasks of major importance ? Before the summer of 1995 , the Austrian Ministry of Education had already approached Commissioner Cresson (') Debates of the European Parliament No 4 ( September concerning the possible recruitment by Directorate B of 1995 ). Directorate-General XXII of an expert in the field of vocational training, the recruitment of a national experts being of great importance to Austria as a new Member State, particularly for the sake of more efficient cooperation Answer given by Mr Santer between Austria and the Commission of the European on behalf of the Commission Union in the field of vocational training and further (18 December 1995) training .
When could the recruitment of such an expert be Further to the answer to the Honourable Member's envisaged ? Oral Question H-633 given during Question Time at 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/61
Parliament's September 1995 part-session , it is perhaps ( a ) there are sufficient other wholly effective contraceptive worthwile pointing out that the ( first and preparations available , second-generation ) bodies were set up to perform the specific technical , scientific or managerial tasks defined in ( b ) the contraceptive pill is not a medicament to treat an their respective constituent instruments ( Regulations ( EEC ) illness ? or ( EC ): No 337/75 ( j ), No 1365/75 ( 2 ), No 1210/90 ( 3 ), No 1360/90 ( 4 ), No 2309/93 ( 5 ), No 302/93 ( 6 ), ( EC ) 6 . What is the CPMP's view of the WHO research which No 2062/94 ( 7 ), No 2965/94 ( 8 ), No 2100/94 ( 9 ), refers to an unacceptably high risk ? No 4/94 ( 10 ). 7 . What is the CPMP's view of the research by Professor The Honourable Member is referred to the recitals to those Jick ( Boston University Center ), which refers to a two-fold instruments , which set out the reasons which prompted the risk of thrombosis ? establishment of the bodies concerned . 8 . Is the CPMP aware that the all-clear has been sounded
C ) OJ No L 39 , 13 . 2 . 1975 . by Professor Spritzer, whose research was partly funded to ( 2 ) OJ No L 139 , 30 . 5 . 1975 . the tune of around DM 10 million by the Schering ( 3 ) OJ No L 120 , 11 . 5 . 1990 . company ? How does the Commission deal with this obvious ( 4 ) OJ No L 131 , 23 . 5 . 1990 . conflict of interest ? ( 5 ) OJ No L 214 , 24 . 8 . 1993 . No L ( 6 ) OJ 36 , 12 . 2 . 1993 . 9 . If further research is to be carried out by the CPMP ( 7 ) OJ No L 216 , 20 . 8 . 1994 . ( s ) OJ No L 314, 7 . 12 . 1994 . itself or commissioned elsewhere , n OJ No L 227, 1 . 9 . 1994 . (> 0 ) OJ No L 1 1 , 14 . 1 . 1994 . ( a ) who will carry it out,
( b ) how will it be financed ?
Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission WRITTEN QUESTION P-3 141/95 (14 December 1995) by Hiltrud Breyer ( V ) to the Commission During its meeting of 1 7—19 October 1995 , the attention of (15 November 1995) the scientific committee for human medicines within the ( 96/C 56/115 ) European agency for the evaluation of medicinal products ( the committee for proprietary medicinal products — CPMP ), was drawn to three unpublished studies suggesting an increased ( although still low ) risk of venous Subject: On the conclusions of the CPMP ad hoc working thromboembolism associated with third-generation oral party on contraceptive pills containing Destoden contraceptives ( containing low doses of desogestrel or or Desogestrel gestodene ). Seven products containing these hormones are marketed in Member States . 1 . Why has the CPM postponed the decision on the 'mini pill', and on what grounds ? The studies included a multinational study carried out for the World Health Organization ( WHO ), a cohort study based on record linkage carried out by Professor H. Jick, 2 . What rules on liability and compensation have been and a transnational study carried out by Professor W.O. and are being adopted ? Spitzer .
3 . Pending the final decision of the CPMP , who will be A preliminary discussion with the investigators involved in liable for any cases of thromboembolism or death ? the three studies took place during the meeting of 17—19 October 1 995 . They were requested to fill in a declaration of interest . Members thereafter analysed the data and a special 4 . Will the CPMP carry out its own research, or will its meeting of the CPMP was convened on 26 October 1 995 . At decision be based solely on research carried out by the this meeting, the committee considered that, in view of the industry concerned ? available data , it was not appropriate to withdraw these products . The companies concerned were requested to provide further data which will shortly be reviewed by the 5 . Will the contraceptive pill be subject to the same committee . Messages to doctors and users were proposed in benefit/risk analysis ( Council Directive 75/319/EEC of a CPMP position statement aimed at Member States and 20 May 1975 ) as customary medicaments , even though holders of marketing authorizations . No C 56/62 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
The medicinal products in question are authorized by the Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies authorities of the Member States concerned . Authorization on behalf of the Commission does not affect the civil or criminal liability of the (1 December 1995) manufacturer and the person responsible for placing the product on the market . The risks evoked here are not specific to these products and the studies suggest only an increase in an existing pathology . It is worth mentioning The Alqueva dam scheme is included in the Community that this increase is much lower than that due to pregnancy support framework for Portugal covering the years or smoking . 1 994— 1999 , in which reference is made to the possibility of co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund , the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee The CPMP is not itself conducting medical research . Fund and , where appropriate , the Cohesion Fund . Opinions of this committee are based on studies provided for and requested from applicants or holders of marketing The Portuguese authorities put in a request to the authorizations . This includes all studies carried out by Commission for co-financing of the project from the independent medical teams or organizations such as the Cohesion Fund and also submitted a major project WHO . Further studies could be envisaged in the framework application in the context of the programme to promote of the Biomed programme . regional development potential .
Additional information , including the environmental impact assessment and the opinion of the Portuguese environment body , was also sent to the Commission by the Portuguese authorities on 5 September this year .
The matter is currently being studied by the Commission , WRITTEN QUESTION P-3 153/95 which has yet to reach a final decision . by Joaquim Miranda ( GUE/NGL ) to the Commission ( 15 November 1995) ( 96/C 56/116 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 167/95 by Susan Waddington ( PSE ) Subject: Community financing for the Alqueva dam ( Alentejo , Portugal ) to the Commission (29 November 1995) ( 96/C 56/117 ) The Portuguese media have been referring constantly to the reservations which the Commission allegedly has about the Community financing of the Alqueva dam . Subject: Review of import quotas relating to China — prison labour The important and urgent nature of the project is not compatible with such a mood of uncertainty . Undoubtedly During the current review by the Commission of import this is made worse by the lack of a clear, unequivocal and quotas relating to China , European manufacturers and definitive position on the part of the Commission . If it is true human rights groups alike have shown concern over the that it has these reservations , they would be in sharp continued use of forced prison labour , particularly in the contrast with the position expressed in the past by the footwear and textiles sectors , to produce goods at a previous Commission , in the person of Commissioner Bruce distorted price . Millan . Firstly , what measures has the Commission taken to investigate these claims , and are such factors being taken Can the Commission therefore state , as s matter of urgency into account by the review ? and as clearly as possible , its real position regarding this matter, in particular what doubts , reservations or restrictions it may have about financing the project and , if it Secondly , will the Commission ensure that pressure is placed has some , how and when it intends to overcome them ? firmly on the Chinese Government, taking into account the Council Regulation ( EC ) applying a three-year GSP regime to industrial products originating in developing countries , Can the Commission also say what facts or new to bring an end to what appears to be a long-running circumstances have induced it ( if this is the case ) to change practice that is both a direct infringement of human rights its mind and go back on the promises it made earlier ? and a direct threat to European manufacturers ? 26 . 2 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 56/63
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 169/95 well as by a bilateral agreement on silk, ramie and other by Susan Waddington ( PSE ) non-MFA textile products . Negotiations are currently underway with the Chinese authorities on renewal of the to the Commission MFA agreement due to expire at the end of this year . (29 November 1995) ( 96/C 56/118 ) Articles 9 and 10 of Council Regulation ( EC ) No 3281/94 ( 2 ) applying a four-year scheme of generalized Subject: Review of import quotas relating to China — effect system of preferences ( GSP ) in respect of certain industrial on the textiles sector products originating in developing countries, provide that any Member State, or any natural or legal person or During the present review of EC-wide import quota regimes association not endowed with legal personality, can bring to relating to China , will the Commission confirm that the the Commission's attention a case which would justify procedures being used during the review are identical for the withdrawal of GSP preferences under specified each sector concerned ( e.g. that the procedures used for the circumstances . Until now, no such case has been reported to textiles and clothing sectors are not different from those the Commission . used for analysis of the footwear sector ), and will it outline these procedures in order to illustrate this ? It must however be underlined , that the importance During the present review of EC-wide import quota regimes attached to human rights has been a consistent feature of the relating to China fears have been expressed that different Community's policy towards China . The Commission's procedures are being used for the analysis of the textiles and communication on a long-term policy for China-Europe clothing sectors from those used for analysis of the footwear relations underlines the necessity for a constructive sector, that will in turn unfairly distort the outcome of the engagement of the Community in this area . Most review process . recently the Commission used the opportunity of the Community-China joint committee on October 6 and 9, Will the Commission give its assurance , by outlining the 1995 to express the Community's concern in this regard at procedures being used , that this is not the case ? highest level .
(M OJ No L 67, 10 . 3 . 1994 . Joint answer to Written Questions ( 2 ) OJ No L 348 , 31 . 12 . 1994 . E-3 167/95 and E-3 169/95 given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission (14 December 1995)
The Commission has undertaken to submit a report to the Council before the end of this year on the quantitative WRITTEN QUESTION E-3229/95 restrictions introduced by Council Regulation ( EC ) by Maartje van Putten ( PSE ) No 519/94 ('). This report will cover specifically seven categories of products , namely gloves, footwear, ceramic to the Commission tableware, porcelain tableware , glassware, car radios and (1 December 1995) toys . It will not deal with textile products , as they are not 96/C 56/119 ) covered by the Regulation .
The report will examine whether the economic considerations which form the basis of the Council Decision Subject: Reports on risks of contraceptive pill use of 1994 are still valid :
— the sensitivity of the Community industries concerned , Whereas the European Agency for the Evaluation of and Medicinal Products has stated that earlier reports in the British media on the risks to women from the use of the — the increasing threat posed by imports from China to latest generation of contraceptive pills were premature, the these industries , made more acute by the particular German Health Council has again been making warning characteristics of the Chinese economy . noises , which has further intensified the concern already aroused among millions of women, even though the Danish This analysis is conducted product by product, on the basis and Netherlands Governments, together with health of the same economic indicators for each product organizations in Canada and the US in particular, have category . contradicted the reports . As mentioned above , textiles are not subject to the ongoing review on the Community's autonomous quota system for 1 . Does the Commission agree that the appearance of products originating from China . On the contrary, trade in contradictory reports relating to the use of what is textiles is covered by a bilateral multifibre arrangement an important form of medication for many people is ( MFA ) agreement between the Community and China as not in the interests of consumers, and moreover No C 56/64 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26 . 2 . 96
( independently ) makes an investigation necessary that Answer given by Mr Bangemann will clarify the situation for the public ? on behalf of the Commission 2 . Will the Commission, in cases such as the above , where (16 January 1996) the disclosure of research findings concerning medicinal products of major importance to many European The Commission would refer the Honourable Member citizens is concerned, consider assuming a coordinating to its answer to Written Question P-3141/95 by Mrs role for itself to prevent as far as possible the appearance Breyer ( 1 ). of conflicting reports that unnecessarily cause serious public concern ? (') See page 61 of this Official Journal .