ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1596/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (6 May 1997)

Subject: Supplementary pensions

According to the conclusions of a report on supplementary pensions adopted on 28 and 29 November 1996 by a high-level working group on freedom of movement for citizens, the prospect of forfeiting entitlement to a supplementary pension poses a serious threat to the free movement and equal treatment of citizens guaranteed in the EC Treaty. The report, which covers all pension problems arising when workers move from one Member State to another, will be included in the closing recommendations of the Working Group on Free Movement in Europe.

Will the Commission ensure that workers cannot be deprived of their established rights when they move to another Member State and withdraw from their original pension scheme? It goes without saying that a worker cannot acquire any rights unless he has completed the minimum qualifying period.

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1578/97 and E-1596/97 given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (16 June 1997)

In its July 1991 communication on supplementary pensions, the Commission identified the obstacles to freedom of movement for workers in connection with supplementary pensions. Since then, various surveys and consultations have been carried out with the involvement of all the parties concerned, namely the governments of the Member States, the social partners and the pension funds, with a view to exploring possible ways of overcoming the obstacles.

At the Commission's request, a high-level group chaired by Mrs Veil has studied the matter and drawn up a report. In the report to which the Honourable Member refers, the group suggests to the Commission that, in the beginning at least, any proposal for legislation be limited to an approach based on the principle of equal treatment between nationals of a country and persons from other Member States, focusing on the following three elements:

a) preservation of acquired rights;

b) cross-border payments;

c) short-term employment in another Member State, with the possibility of membership of the pension scheme in the Member State of origin.

In the light of these recommendations, and after having consulted all the parties concerned, the Commission is planning to put forward specific proposals in the course of 1997. A directive appears to be the most appropriate legal instrument.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1330/97 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (10 April 1997)

Subject: Levy on end-of-service payments in Italy

Apparently the Italian government intends to impose a levy on end-of-service allowances (TFR) in order to increase its revenues in the course of the financial manoeuvring required to bring the annual government deficit within the bounds of 3% of GDP.

According to government spokesmen, this levy on enterprises would subsequently be refunded to the employees concerned.

1. Is the Commission aware of this government measure?

2. If so, what is its opinion of the levy in question? Can it be regarded as a compulsory loan within the meaning of Article 104a of the Treaty of Maastricht, given that the state obliges undertakings to give it part of the TFR before refunding it to employees at an unspecified later date?

3. The prohibition on privileged access by states to financial institutions contained in Article 104a was clarified by a subsequent regulation stating that the prohibition is essential to ensure that public sector financial operations are subject to market discipline. Is this interpretation -which has the effect of tightening budget discipline -correct?

Answer (12 May 1997)

The Italian government has recently introduced additional budgetary measures aimed at bringing the public accounts in line with the deficit target of 3.0% of gross domestic product in 1997.

One of the measures consists in the increase, from 2% to 5.89%, of the tax rate on wage funds ("fond di quienscenza¨). This tax was introduced with the budget law of December 1996 and replaces part of the tax due when the employees leave the enterprises. At the time, it had been debated whether this tax should be treated as a financial advance (no effect on the deficit) or as a new tax (reduces the deficit).

On the issue, Eurostat decided on 21 February 1997 that "... the Italian government, by modifying the tax on wage funds, has introduced a new tax which is calculated on a new basis, with a new date and to be paid by the enterprises instead of the employees. Therefore, the receipt from this tax which is due in 1997 is not a financial advance but a tax which reduces the deficit in 1997¨.

Accordingly, the recent measure is to be regarded as an increase of a tax rate and not as a form of loan establishing provileged access of the Member State to financial institutions.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0876/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (12 March 1997)

Subject: Green Paper on financial services and consumers

With regard to the Green Paper 'Financial Services: Meeting Consumers' Expectations' (COM(96) 209 final), in view of the difficulties for consumers caused by the complexity of many financial services and the legislation on the subject, could the Commission draw up a publication to be widely distributed, making the main provisions contained in the 50 directives on financial matters easier to understand?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (14 May 1997)

The Commission recently launched a series of new initiatives aimed at making more information available to consumers, particularly in the field of financial services.

For instance, the 'Citizens First' initiative, launched in November 1996, is designed to inform individuals of their rights and opportunities in the Community-wide single market. As part of this initiative, three guides were produced on the rights of individuals to work, live and study in another Member State. Four further guides are currently being drawn up that deal with purchasing goods and services within the single market, travelling to another Member State, health protection and equality of treatment as between men and women. As regards the actual question put by the Honourable Member, the guide on purchasing goods and services within the single market will also include a description of fundamental consumer rights in the field of financial services (insurance, banking services and securities).

In this connection, the Commission has also produced and distributed a European consumer guide to the single market that explains the European dimension of consumer protection and provides a concise description of consumer rights in the Community-wide market. The guide contains a section that deals specifically with financial services.

As for the Green Paper 'Financial Services: Meeting Consumers' Expectations' ((COM(96) 209 final. )), referred to by the Honourable Member, its primary objective was to describe fundamental consumer rights in the field of financial services while, at the same time, sounding out interested parties with a view to assessing whether new measures are needed to provide proper protection for consumers. The numerous responses and written comments that the Commission has received attest both to the importance and to the expediency of such action. The Commission is about to publish a communication ((COM(97). )) on the follow-up to the Green Paper and to respond to the concerns voiced by interested parties. The communication will spell out the Commission's priorities in this area and, more particularly, the initiatives it intends to launch, together with the timetable envisaged.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1401/97 by Olivier Dupuis (ARE) to the Commission (22 April 1997)

Subject: UN Decade for the World's Indigenous People

In the light of the UN Decade for the World's Indigenous People, whose first quarter has almost passed, can the Commission indicate the projects through which it has supported the indigenous peoples of Sweden in 1995 and 1996?

Can the Commission list the names of the projects and the amounts of financial support it has given for all the different financial instruments it has at its disposition to support the indigenous peoples of Sweden?

Does the Commission feel that it has adequately reacted to the resolutions of the UN General Assembly which has called upon states and intergovernmental organizations to promote the rights and interests of the indigenous people living in their territories, as reflected by the title of the Decade: 'Indigenous People: Partners in Action'?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1398/97, E-1399/97 and E-1401/97 given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (29 May 1997)

The Commission is contributing to international action to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people.

In 1996, it supported the newsletter published by the European Alliance with Indigenous Peoples, whose aim is to inform a target group of people interested in action taken by the Community on issues affecting indigenous people. In October and November 1996, the newsletter published two articles on the position of indigenous peoples in French Guyana and Finland.

The Commission has not yet adopted a policy on indigenous peoples and development cooperation. However, a number of Community instruments refer to them specifically and to the need to encourage their participation in development projects. One of the objectives set for the conservation of tropical forests is to improve living standards for local people, as they themselves are crucial to forest conservation.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1072/97 by Christine Oddy (PSE) to the Commission (21 March 1997)

Subject: Eastern Zaire - Rwandan refugees

Humanitarian aid to the refugees in Eastern Zaire has been cut off as a result of fighting between the Zairean military and Zairean Tutsi/Banyamolenge rebels. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are now without aid and unaccounted for.

ECHO has drawn up an action plan to establish the aid programme but two essential preconditions are needed for its success:

- access to victims and

- protection for both refugees and humanitarian workers.

What does the Commission propose to do to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches these refugees and that the necessary protection is guaranteed to enable their safe return to Rwanda?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (13 May 1997)

On 11 December 1996 the Commission granted ECU 10.65 million to back the UNHCR's efforts to help Rwandan refugees, including repatriation. The UNHCR and the World Food Programme (WFP) have set up a joint team to handle the logistical side of repatriation.

In spite of the Alliance's promises to allow access to all the refugees, that access has not been facilitated in practice: it was early April before the first food aid got through to some refugees in desperate need.

In addition to the aforementioned grant, the WFP has received ECU 10 million towards its airborne food supply programme. At the WFP's request, the Commission has authorized it to use some of this funding to fly refugees back home.

The Alliance has agreed to the use of Kisangani airport to evacuate the most vulnerable refugees direct to Rwanda. However, negotiations concerning the airborne evacuation between the UNHCR and the Rwandan government were still under way on 7 April, with the latter refusing to let flights land at Kigali.

Once the UNHCR has got the go-ahead to carry out the repatriation plan, the Commission will consider any requests for further financing in the light of logistical requirements.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1183/97 by Christine Barthet-Mayer (ARE) to the Commission (3 April 1997)

Subject: Approximation of excise duty rates on alcohol and alcoholic beverages in the EU single market

Since the single market was introduced on 1 January 1993 the free movement of products containing alcohol, including wine from independent producers, cooperatives and merchants, has been hindered by the lack of harmonized procedures and rates of excise duty. Small producers, particularly wine producers who do not have subsidiaries in the other Member States, are placed at a disadvantage in a market governed by free competition. Under the exemption granted for intra-Community trade involving small quantities of wine in bottles (Directive 92/12/EEC on the movement of products ((OJ L 76, 23.3.1992, p. 1. ))), producers are not able to sell direct to private customers by mail order with a single harmonized invoice for the various Member States but instead have to go through a tax representative paid at a fixed rate, which raises costs, prolongs delivery times and involves more administrative procedures than under the previous customs system.

Is the Commission prepared to seek an effective alternative without delay in order to remedy this intolerable situation, which represents an indirect obstacle to free movement and fair trade in this area?

Joint answer to Written Questions P-1141/97 and E-1183/97 given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (24 April 1997)

The Commission is aware of the difficulties being encountered by traders as regards intra-Community trade involving small consignments of bottled wine.

The cause of the problem raised by the Honourable Member is evidently a lack of harmonization of excise-duty rates. Consequently, the Member States applying a fairly high duty are required, as the destination for intra-Community consignments of wine, to impose quite strict conditions in order to safeguard the revenue accruing to them.

Moreover, the Community legislation applicable to distance selling, particularly Article 10 of Directive 92/12/EEC of 25 February 1992 ((OJ L 76, 23.3 1992. )), does not contain any detailed provisions regarding the formalities to be met. This is a matter for the Member States when they transpose the Directive into national law.

In particular, the tax representation arrangements for distance selling are not compulsory for Member States, which have the option of allowing the consignor or his authorized representative to pay himself the excise duty at the place of destination.

However, the Commission is looking into other ways of simplifying matters. These will be presented in the report on the application of Articles 7 to 10 of Directive 92/12/EEC that will be transmitted to Parliament and the Council in the course of the year.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0341/97 by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission (13 February 1997)

Subject: CMO for olive oil: expenditure on storage measures in France

The Court of Auditors' annual report for the financial year 1995 shows that the 1996 budget provided for EAGGF Guarantee Section expenditure on olive oil totalling ECU 1781 million. Even though this figure is in line with expenditure between 1991 and 1993, expenditure was far lower in 1995, when it stood at only ECU 812.5 million.

Of this expenditure, storage measures had a negative value in 1995, standing at ECU * 94.9 million.

What is the total figure for expenditure on storage measures in respect of olive oil in France?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0320/97, E-0321/97, E-0322/97, E-0323/97, E-0324/97, E-0325/97, E-0326/97, E-0327/97, E-0328/97, E-0329/97, E-0330/97, E-0331/97, E-0332/97, E-0333/97, E-0334/97, E-0335/97, E-0336/97, E-0337/97, E-0338/97, E-0339/97, E-0340/97, E-0341/97, E-0342/97, E-0343/97 and E-0344/97 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (6 March 1997)

The Honourable Member will find the figure he requests in the table below. Total Community expenditure under the 1995 and 1996 budgets was 812.5 and 2007.7 million ecus respectively. The discrepancy with the totals in the table largely relates to payments for olive oil promotion action. The 1995 budget is much lower than for 1996 (and 1994) because the 1994/95 prices package included a decision to move the payment date. This meant that the 1995 budget made no provision for 1994/95 marketing year payments but only for outstanding ones from 1993/94.

(in MECU)

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WRITTEN QUESTION E-1331/97 by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission (21 April 1997)

Subject: Does the Bavarian State Government's loan to Leo Kirch infringe legislation on subsidies?

The Bavarian State Government plans to support the media tycoon Leo Kirch with a loan of over DM 500 million from its own Landesbank. This is presumably the reason why private banks are also going to provide loans: their actions would otherwise make no sense, as an investigation by a British financial analyst has already shown that any potential investor would be strongly advised not to become involved with the Kirch group, since there is no prospect of making any profits, a fact which has already caused the British media tycoon Rupert Murdoch to withdraw.

1. In these circumstances, should the Bavarian State Government's loan be regarded as a hidden subsidy which infringes EU legislation?

2. If the loan is provided, will the Commission institute proceedings?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1997)

Press articles have previously drawn the attention of the Commission to the possibility of a loan to the Kirch-Group from the Landesanstalt für Aufbaufinanzierung. A letter was sent to the German authorities requesting full information regarding the conditions of the loan to establish whether or not state aid could be involved. In the meantime the reply received from the German authorities has made clear that the Kirch-Group is no longer interested in the loan. The file has therefore been closed after examination of all the information received by the Commission.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1451/97 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor (PPE) to the Commission (28 April 1997)

Subject: Spread of tuberculosis in Asia

The distress caused by figures for the spread of tuberculosis in Asia is equalled only by the shock of the forecast figures for the next few years, in which a geometrical progression in the number of Asians suffering from this illness is expected.

Clearly, European solidarity has an important role to play in reducing the current figures of Asians affected by the bacillus and thus reducing future forecasts of 30 million sufferers.

Can the Commission say what European Union aid has thus far been forthcoming for Asian tuberculosis sufferers, and what provision can be expected for European Union action on public health, to prevent the current dramatic forecasts for the next few years from becoming a reality?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (29 May 1997)

The Commission is aware of the public-health impact of such endemic diseases as tuberculosis in certain Asian countries.

As pointed out in the communication from the Commission to the Council and Parliament on policy on cooperation with the developing countries in the field of health ((COM(94) 77. )), programmes to support the development of health and primary health-care systems (PHCS) have been developed since 1994 in the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. True to the definition of PHCS these programmes include control of major epidemics (tuberculosis, malaria and respiratory infections) as well as the other elements of PHCS: protection of mother and child and reproductive health.

In view of the particularly high figures for the prevalence (number of cases) and incidence (number of new cases) of tuberculosis in the Philippines, the project on Women's health and safe motherhood, which aims to improve access to and the quality of health care at community level, has made control of tuberculosis a priority. The programme is to begin this year.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1386/97 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (22 April 1997)

Subject: Disabled access to Eurostar trains

Another European Union Day of the Disabled has recently passed and yet modern high-speed trains, sometimes funded by the EU via TENs funding, are still being introduced with few, if any, measures being taken to improve access for people with mobility difficulties.

What action is the Commission taking to ensure that all citizens of the EU, regardless of disabilities, are able to make the most of transport?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (6 June 1997)

In the assessment of the Commission, modern high speed trains, including Eurostar trains, provide improved accessibility for many people with mobility difficulties, other than those using wheelchairs which are substantially larger than the ISO standard.

However, no public authorities or commercial operators should be complacent about the provision made for people who have to cope with impaired mobility and the Commission agrees that the complementary features that are necessary to ensure more accessible rail travel are not as good as they should, or could, be. For example, staff training, especially regarding seat reservation, could be improved and the computer reservation system does not cope correctly with the needs of passengers with reduced mobility (including elderly passengers).

The Commission is continuing the implementation of its action programme for accessible public transport ((COM(93) 433 final of 26.11.1993. )) and has also launched a new COST ((European cooperation in the field of scientific and technical research. )) action on passenger accessibility to the heavy rail system (COST 335). In addition, implementation of measures announced in the Citizens' Network Green Paper on 'Fulfilling the potential of public passenger transport in Europe' ((COM(95) 601 final of 23.1.1996. )) and in the White Paper on 'A strategy for revitalising the Community's railways' ((COM(96) 421 final of 30.7.1996. )) will also contribute to making all passenger transport increasingly accessible to all citizens.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0435/97 by Stanislaw Tillich (PPE) to the Commission (19 February 1997)

Subject: Structural Funds and the Free State of Saxony

1. Can the Commission state tthe total amount of financial aid allocated to the Free State of Saxony or its bodies under the ERDF, the ESF and the EAGGF (Guidance section) in the years 1994, 1995 and 1996, broken down by fund and budgetary year?

2. Can it also state the individual take-up rate of these appropriations and, where this has been the case, give details of amounts cancelled or yet to be paid giving the same breakdown as for question 1?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (28 April 1997)

The information requested by the Honourable Member is set out below.

No amounts have been cancelled.

OBJECTIVE 1 (in MECU)

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COMMUNITY INITIATIVES (in MECU)

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(1) European Regional Development Fund. (2) European Social Fund. (3) European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund - Guidance section.