ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3398/96 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (20 November 1996)

Subject: Reduction in the number of languages in which CEDEFOP's vocational training magazine is published

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) is ceasing publication of its vocational training magazine in 7 of the 11 languages used so far.

Since the general task of this Centre is to disseminate relevant documents and information, to exchange information and to compare the experiences of Member States and bodies working in this sector, will the Commission say:

1. Will it not be difficult for the Centre to fulfil its task, if it ceases to publish its magazine in all the official languages of the European Union?

2. Why has publication ceased in 7 of the 11 languages?

3. On what criteria were the 4 languages selected? Is it true that CEDEFOP is being cut off, linguistically, from its social environment?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (10 January 1997)

1. Yes, it is likely that, to some extent, it will be more difficult for the Centre to fulfil its task. However, since many readers of the European journal on vocational training (the journal) are researchers, policy-makers and practitioners involved in transnational cooperation, it is probable that they will be accustomed to working in at least one of the languages used.

2. Publication of the journal in all Community languages has for some time presented considerable technical, timing and financial difficulties for the Centre. To continue this policy after the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, would require the journal to be published in eleven languages, as opposed to the previous nine. In the light of this, and considering the Cedefop budget for 1997, the Centre felt obliged to take the decision to reduce the languages in which the journal was published from nine to four.

3. The decision to publish the journal in English, French, German and Spanish was taken because these are the languages in which it is most widely read and which it is most cost-effective to produce. It should be noted that these four linguistic versions account for 68% of the journal's total subscriptions but only 43% of its publication costs.

The management board of the Centre is aware of the importance of making the journal accessible to as many policy makers, researchers and practitioners as possible in all the Member States and that linguistic barriers may reduce the readership in several Member States. It has proposed therefore to examine the linguistic policy of the publications of the Centre in 1997, and to consider alternative more cost-effective ways of increasing readership. The management board has no grounds for believing that the Centre is being cut off linguistically from its social environment.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2403/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (6 September 1996)

Subject: Decision 94/730/EC establishing simplified procedures concerning the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified plants - the Commission's powers

1. What powers did the Council transfer to the Commission by virtue of the first sentence of Article 6(5) of Directive 90/220/EEC ((OJ L 117, 8.5.1990, p. 15. ))?

2. When and how were these powers transferred?

3. What opportunities are there for Parliament and the Council to monitor the establishment of the criteria?

4. What procedures has the Council laid down for the exercise of these powers?

5. On what principles and rules are these procedures based?

6. Were these principles and rules established unanimously by the Council?

7. What was Parliament's opinion of these principles and rules?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2394/96, E-2395/96, E-2396/96, E-2397/96, E-2398/96, E-2399/96, E-2400/96, E-2401/96, E-2402/96, E-2403/96 and E-2405/96 given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (14 October 1996)

The answers to the Written Questions indicated above raise a number of technical and legal problems concerning the implementing of Directive 90/220/EEC, ((OJ L 117, 8.5.1990. )) and in particular the arrangements for introducing simplified procedures.

The Commission is currently examining the way the Directive has been implemented since entering into force. It will be publishing a report, which will be sent to Parliament and the Council.

It is within this framework that the Honourable Member's questions will be examined, whereupon the Commission may take account of the points raised.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3270/96 by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission (5 December 1996)

Subject: Interim RPI

It is increasingly clear from the media that there are real difficulties in finding universally accepted statistical measurements.

The Commission evaluates the convergence of prices on the basis of the interim retail price index. Does this index coincide with or diverge from the retail price index used by Luxembourg?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3259/96, E-3260/96, E-3261/96, E-3262/96, E-3263/96, E-3264/96, E-3265/96, E-3266/96, E-3267/96, E-3268/96, E-3269/96, E-3270/96, E-3271/96, E-3272/96, E-3273/96 and E-3274/96 given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (21 January 1997)

Under Protocol No 6 on the convergence criteria referred to in Article 109j of the EC Treaty 'Inflation shall be measured by means of the consumer price index on a comparable basis, taking into account national differences.' This requirement is currently met through a process of harmonization based on the national consumer price indices (CPIs).

According to Council Regulation No 2494/95 on harmonized indices of consumer prices (HICPs) ((OJ L 257, 27.10.1995. )), harmonization should be considered as a stepwise approach in two stages. Stage I established in February 1996 a set of interim indices of consumer prices (IICPs). The IICPs are in fact the national CPIs with the coverage of goods and services adjusted to reduce non-comparability, particularly by excluding certain non-market services, such as health, education and owner occupied housing.

National CPIs can thus be seen as coincident with the corresponding IICPs regarding methods, concepts and definitions, apart from the coverage of goods and services. Numerically, the indices differ as a result of these differences in the coverage ((COM(96) 560. )). For most of the Member States, the differences in the inflation rates measured as a twelve month change, whether on an annual or monthly basis, are small, ranging from 0,0 to ±0,2 percentage points. For some Member States (Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom) the differences are bigger, mainly because of housing costs, particularly where interest payments are used in the national CPIs.

Though not strictly comparable, IICPs provide for the time being the most comparable basis for the assessment of inflation convergence among Member States. The Commission will, however, assess inflation convergence during the period before the start of stage three of economic and monetary union, as required by the Treaty, on the basis of comparable HICPs. These will be launched with Stage II of the harmonization of CPIs in February 1997 and will be based on appropriately designed definitions, concepts and methods.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2784/96 by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission (21 October 1996)

Subject: Research into paedophilia

In the light of the recent events in Belgium, does the Commission not agree that research should be carried out into what makes a paedophile?

Answer given by Ms Gradin on behalf of the Commission (3 December 1996)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that research into the causes and treatment of paedophilia might be useful to combat this problem. The new programme of targeted socioeconomic research, part of the Fourth Research Framework Programme, will include comparative educational research, for example into the psychological profiles of paedophiles, their psychological or medical treatment and methods of monitoring and rehabilitating them. As part of this programme, the Commission is also planning a seminar for researchers in the field of paedophilia, with a view to improving understanding of the subject and, ultimately, helping the Commission to define more clearly the details of its research activities in this area.

Finally, the subject of paedophilia could be dealt with under two headings of the work programme of the biomedicine and health research programme, Biomed:

- firstly, research into health services and public health. A project on the prevention of child abuse, involving 10 centres in 9 different Member States, is currently under way as part of the Biomed 2 programme (1994-98);

- secondly, research into bioethics. A call for proposals for research in a number of areas, including this one, has been made.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2821/96 by Angela Sierra González (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (25 October 1996)

Subject: Staff policy and personnel management at the Commission

The Commission is proposing to revise its current staff policy (contracts, duration, competitions, etc.) to make it more restrictive, and any changes made may be implemented retrospectively. The trade unions active within the Commission support the views of the Association of Temporary Staff and have rejected the Administration's position.

What, precisely, are the measures which the Commission is intending to adopt?

What are the practical implications of such measures for the current and future contracts of temporary staff?

Has the Commission taken into account the social difficulties associated with the job insecurity affecting a substantial number of temporary staff currently in post?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (9 January 1997)

On 13 November 1996, the Commission adopted a decision introducing a new policy for temporary staff covered by Article 2(a) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the Communities. This decision introduced both new arrangements and transitional arrangements for staff in place.

The main points of the new arrangements for temporary staff are as follows:

- recruitment of specialized temporary staff to intermediate grades in accordance with more rapid and more flexible selection procedures;

- three-year contracts, renewable once for a maximum of one year if the interests of the service warrant it;

- a rule that periods of service may not be accumulated in order to prevent staff who are not officials from serving too long at the Commission;

- specialized external competitions for recruitment to intermediate grades.

The previous decision, dated 23 February 1994, limited the duration of contracts to three years and staff recruited under those arrangements had to be duly informed that no guarantee would be given that their contracts would be renewed subsequently, so that it was up to them to take the appropriate measures on the basis of the duration of the contract offered. Since the rules on the duration of contracts are more favourable under the new arrangements than under the 1994 decision, they have been applied retrospectively to staff recruited under the earlier arrangements. Contracts of these staff members may be extended within these limits, at the request of their Directorates-General and if the interests of the service warrant it. Moreover, the decision of 13 November 1996 provides that, since the contracts of these temporary staff can be extended, they will be covered by the transitional arrangements put in place until 1999 and that they will be authorized to sit internal competitions in order to be established.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2279/96 by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission (27 August 1996)

Subject: Tristeza disease

The tristeza citrus disease is causing serious damage to agriculture in the Community of Valencia. Some 19 million trees (mainly orange and mandarin), which had been grafted onto Seville orange trees, have died in the Community of Valencia, Murcia and the Ebro delta region. The speed with which the disease is spreading has increased alarmingly in recent years.

Between 50 and 60% of the orange trees in the Community of Valencia are affected by the disease and within two or three years the incidence of the disease will be much greater. This has led to a substantial decline in agriculture in the region as a result of the grubbing up of trees, which has also caused serious economic damage to farmers. Modernization of production structures and farms is needed in order to tackle this situation.

Is the Commission aware of the existence of the tristeza disease and its devastating effects and is it doing anything to resolve this serious problem?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (11 November 1996)

The Commission is aware of the occurrence of citrus tristeza closterovirus in Spain, and has been very concerned for many years with these outbreaks. Indeed, plant health Directive 77/93/EEC ((OJ L 26, 31.1.1977. )) on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community, as last amended by Directive 96/14/EC ((OJ L 68, 19.3.1996. )) contains provisions to prevent the introduction of this pest into the Community and against its spread within the Community.

These provisions include agronomic measures such as the removal of leaves and peduncles as well as measures regarding the movement of host plants of the virus, into and within the Community. Host plants originating in third countries may not be imported into the Community whilst plants of Community origin are subjected to strict quarantine measures including inspection and testing under an official certification programme.

The Commission considers that these provisions will protect the Community from the entry and spread of the virus.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2352/96 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council (27 August 1996)

Subject: Human rights in Turkey

What is the Council's attitude to Iraqi compliance in full with UN Resolution 986 and the re-opening of the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, and the continued violations of the sanctions regime by Iraqi sales of refined fuel to Turkey?

Answer (17 January 1997)

Security Council Resolution 986 permits Iraq to sell oil to the value of USD 2 billion over six months to buy humanitarian goods for its citizens. It further authorizes Turkey to permit transport of these products through the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline.

The European Union is deeply concerned about the suffering of the Iraqi civilian population, and of children in particular, and wishes to see the Resolution implemented. Resolution 986 will come into force on the day after the President of the Security Council announces to the members of the Security Council that he has received the UN Secretary-General's report that conditions are such as to permit implementation of the Resolution. The arrangement will be monitored by UN inspectors in Iraq in order to ensure Iraqi compliance with Resolution 986.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3228/96 by Petrus Cornelissen (PPE) and Peter Pex (PPE) to the Commission (28 November 1996)

Subject: Discrimination against the elderly

1. Can the Commission confirm that EU citizens in the Netherlands who are not Dutch citizens are not eligible for various concessionary rates, for example on ferries and buses ((See the article in the Omlander Courant of 7 October 1996. ))?

2. To what extent does this inequality of treatment violate European rules?

3. If it is clear from the answer to question 2 that this unequal treatment violates European rules, what action will the Commission then consider to put an end to discrimination on grounds of nationality?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (31 January 1997)

The Commission has asked the Member State concerned for information regarding the facts raised to by the Honourable Members. It will inform them of its findings.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3306/96 by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission (5 December 1996)

Subject: 'Hidden economy' and GDP

The media are increasingly reflecting the current difficulty of obtaining universally accepted statistics.

What proportion of GDP in Greece is accounted for by the 'hidden economy'?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3280/96, E-3298/96, E-3299/96, E-3300/96, E-3301/96, E-3302/96, E-3303/96, E-3304/96, E-3305/96, E-3306/96, E-3307/96, E-3308/96, E-3309/96, E-3310/96, E-3311/96, E-3312/96 and E-3313/96 given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (21 January 1997)

It is not possible at this stage to accurately estimate the impact of the hidden economy on gross domestic product, since the methods used differ considerably from one Member State to the next and several Member States also make implicit corrections which are very difficult to assess.

It is intended that the work on the issue of exhaustiveness be completed by the end of 1998, and it should then be possible to compile the estimates requested with a certain degree of reliability and comparability between Member States.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3448/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (9 December 1996)

Subject: Cross-border consumer protection between the Saarland (Germany) and Lorraine (France)

1. Does the Commission consider that cross-border projects such as that planned between the Saarland and Lorraine are worth supporting?

2. Why has no support from the Commission yet been forthcoming for the Saarland-Lorraine project, in spite of its importance for this border region?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (20 January 1997)

1. Budgetary limitations oblige the Commission to give priority to projects involving Member States which do not yet have any information centres for cross-border consumers.

2. The Commission has informed the Verbraucherstelle des Saarlander of the reasons why it was unable to support its project.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2772/96 by Georges Berthu (I-EDN) to the Council (17 October 1996)

Subject: IGC: multi-speed monetary system

During the statement which he made to the European Parliament's Committee on Institutional Affairs on 25 September 1996 Mr Gay Mitchell, Irish Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council, failed to mention the single currency, adhering to the firmly-held position of all parties at the IGC that the matter has already been settled and anyway has no bearing on the conference, which is to deal solely with institutional matters.

Despite this, new developments in the process of establishing monetary union have highlighted the need for a multi-speed system, something which was not officially envisaged when the Treaty on European Union was ratified. The new system raises sensitive institutional questions - to which as yet no answer has been found - such as the respective powers within the Council of the various sub-groups of countries, determined on the basis of their degree of involvement in monetary union.

Would the Presidency not agree that the IGC should tackle this institutional problem, which is fundamental to the very way in which we perceive the Union? Is it prepared to submit the matter to its partners?

Joint answer to Written Questions 2765/96, 2766/96, 2767/96, 2769/96, 2770/96, 2771/96, 2772/96, 2773/96, 2774/96, 2775/96 and 2776/96 (30 January 1997)

The Council cannot comment on the various proposals under discussion in the Intergovernmental Conference.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2925/96 by John Iversen (PSE) to the Commission (8 November 1996)

Subject: East German energy agreement round of 31 January 1996

Has the Commission endorsed the East German energy agreement round's decisions of 31 January 1996 between the German Energy Ministry and German energy utilities represented by VEAG and associated companies?

If so, why?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2701/96 and E-2925/96 given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (27 November 1996)

According to the German authorities the agreements within the 'Energiekonsensrunde Ost' were reached among the ministers of Economic affairs of the Neue Länder, the federal ministry of Economic affairs, representatives of the East German energy industry and representatives of the lignite industry and its owners on 31 January 1996 in Erfurt. The aim was to secure the electricity supply in the East German Länder in the long run and to promote East Germany as an industrial site. The German authorities emphasized that the agreements were exclusively political declarations without any legal commitments. Neither the German government nor the local governments involved entered any commitments. It was also emphasized that, with regard to the agreements, there do not exist any contracts concerning the companies Veag and Laubag or other companies. Alleged arrangements with the Danish ministry of economics were also denied.

However, it was confirmed that Veag intends to offer an annual discount to regional energy distribution companies up to DM 150 millions if electricity beyond their 70% energy demand is purchased from Veag. This discount refers to electricity contracts with a duration of 20 years, agreed in 1990 between the predecessor company of Veag and the regional East German energy suppliers for 70% of their energy demand. Veag's purpose is a better utilisation of its energy plants which are more than 95% lignite-based.

Therefore, the Commission is currently investigating whether Veag offers discounts with regard to economic criteria and in compliance with the EC Treaty competition rules.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2856/96 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (25 October 1996)

Subject: Water supply and sewage disposal projects

In response to my Question E-0393/95 ((OJ C 202, 7.8.1995, p. 17. )) concerning the water supply and sewage disposal problems facing the island of Symi, Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission stated (17.03.1995) that 'The Commission...intends to draw the attention of the Greek authorities to it (i.e. the situation on Symi) at a forthcoming meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the Multifund Operational Programme for the Southern Aegean.'

One and a half years later Symi faces the same problems. Although the MOP for the Southern Aegean is progressing normally and three meetings of the Monitoring Committee have already taken place, the Symi water supply and sewage disposal projects are not being promoted, even though they are ready: the definitive technical study, the budget tables and the technical projects report are all complete.

Given that the state pays up to Drs.100 million to ship water from Rhodes while 80% of the inhabitants have water for only two hours a week, given that the septic tanks are next to the water tanks which poses an obvious risk of infectious disease and, finally, given that water supply and sewage projects are sometimes funded by INTERREG, sometimes by the EZES and sometimes by the EIB, will the Commission say whether it intends to draw the attention of the Greek authorities once more to the need to promote the projects on Symi and to recommend that the Greek Government enter them specifically in a given programme?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (18 December 1996)

The Commission has already drawn the attention of the Greek authorities to the environmental problems of the island of Symi, principally at the technical meetings which precede those of the Monitoring Committee for the multifund operational programme for the Southern Aegean.

Under that programme, work to improve port facilities on Symi and to build 5.7 km of road and a study to plan general development are already in progress.

As regards the supply of drinking water, a preparatory study on the construction of a 160 000 cu. m. reservoir of the artificial lake type to collect surface water will be part-financed from the budget for the Interreg II Community Initiative. The Commission believes that this offers the prospect of a lasting solution to part of the problem to which the Honourable Member refers.

In exercising its responsibilities with due regard to subsidiarity, the Commission will continue to draw the attention of the Greek authorities to environmental problems on Symi and elsewhere in the Aegean.