ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0179/01

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Fisheries agreements environmental and social impact

The recent Communication on Fisheries and Poverty Reduction(1) supports the pursuit of environmental and social studies prior to intervention with a potential social or environmental impact. How does the Commission intend to carry this out with regard to fisheries arrangements between the EU and third countries?

(1) COM(2000) 724.

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0179/01 and E-0206/01 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2001)

The Commission's bilateral relations in the fisheries sector increasingly take account of the environmental and social aspects of fishing in waters under the sovereignty and/or jurisdiction of our partners.

Before any negotiations are opened, an assessment involving several Commission departments is made of their potential environmental and social impact, in the light of available information. The results of this assessment are sent to the Council and to Parliament.

The Commission is aware that there is room for improvement, and we are doing our best to use our bilateral relations in the fisheries sector to persuade our partners to develop responsible fishing, and subscribe to targeted measures that will improve knowledge of fisheries resources, fishing practices and the needs of the local people.

The Commission also encourages its partners to use the facilities available under the policy of development co-operation to this end.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0219/01

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(5 February 2001)

Subject: Incineration procedures for BSE-infected carcasses in all Member States

Will the Commission investigate the facilities for the safe disposal of BSE-infected carcasses in all 15 Member States?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2001)

The Commission can assure the Honourable Member that the different ways of disposal of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) infected carcasses, including incineration, are being investigated in the Member States. Commission experts from the Food and Veterinary Office carry out regular on-the-spot checks in all Member States to assess the implementation of Community legislation on BSE and related matters.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0114/01

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Supply of arms to Turkey

In October 1999 the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs granted a licence for the sale of machinery for munitions production to Turkey. This will enable the factory in Turkey to produce munitions for Heckler & Koch 33 machine guns. There can be no doubt that these deadly weapons will be used by the Turkish police and army.

In the light of the EU Code of Conduct for arms exports, criterion 2(a) of which says that Member States will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression, the export licence should be refused.

Given the clear signals of Turkey's unpleasant reputation with regard to human rights, the torture reported by international human rights organisations and the military intervention in Kurdish territory, we want the Code of Conduct to be respected.

Does the Council feel that this supply of arms to Turkey is in accordance with the EU's Code of Conduct?

If so, is there not a need to tighten up the Code of Conduct?

If not, what action will the Council take towards Belgium, the Member State in question?

Reply

(14 May 2001)

The European Union's position on arms exports is reflected in the Code of Conduct on Arms Exports adopted on 8 June 1998. Among the criteria established in this Code, the respect of human rights is mentioned as one of the main conditions which need to be fulfilled in order for the authorisation to be granted. Decisions are taken by each Member State individually taking full account of the Code of Conduct. The Council does not receive any information about the grounds on which export licences are granted or refused by Member States. In any case, it does not lie in its purview to exercise any judgement on them. However, Member States have to exchange every year within the Council information about their arms exports, on the basis of which an annual report is established. This allows for a common assessment of the functioning of the Code.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0348/01

by Giuseppe Di Lello Finuoli (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 February 2001)

Subject: Contract awarded by the municipality of Messina for a tramway to be financed with European funding

In its reply of 6 June 2000 to this Member's Question E-1243/00(1) of 14 April 2000, the Commission said it will decide on the financing of the project, implying that the decision had yet to be taken.

According to local media, in October 2000 the President of the Region of Sicily, Mr Vincenzo Leanza, publicly announced that the funding would be granted.

Can the Commission clarify whether any, and if so what, decisions have been taken regarding the financing of the project for the tramway in question?

(1) OJ C 72 E, 6.3.2001, p. 30.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2001)

The Commission has not taken a formal decision on part-financing this project under the Structural Funds because the Region of Sicily has not yet provided it with the information requested on the environmental impact assessment.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0192/01

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Bureaux de change

Does any EU legislation exist, or is any planned, to protect tourists from being cheated by exchange bureaux which provide misleading information about currency values and charge excessive commission fees, or is such a consumer protection measure considered purely a matter for national governments?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2001)

Community legislation on the euro lays down rules for the exchange of banknotes for Member States in the euro area. Under the legislation, it is compulsory to use the official conversion rates; charges are thus displayed separately(1). This legislation will become obsolete when national currencies cease to be legal tender, at the latest 28 February 2002.

Exchange operations for notes of other currencies are not covered by any specific Community legislation. But in certain cases it is possible to invoke general legislation on misleading advertising, namely, Council Directive 84/450/EEC of 10 December 1984 relating to the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning misleading advertising(2).

Consumers should be clearly informed of the cost of operations in order that they can compare and consequently select the foreign exchange office charging the lowest commission. Some Member States have introduced laws to that effect. The Commission does not feel that that there is any need for this type of legislation to be harmonised.

The Commission would draw attention to the fact that the use of cash dispensers is often a cheaper alternative for obtaining local currency.

(1) See answer to Written Question P-0052/99 by Mr Tamino (OJ C 325, 12.11.1999).

(2) OJ L 250, 19.9.1984.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0571/01

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 February 2001)

Subject: Communication of confidential information by the Commission

Article 197 of the EC Treaty constitutes the legal basis for controls on the Commission by the European Parliament and its Members. If necessary, this covers the communication of confidential information by the Commission.

Will the Commission forward to me copies of the audit report of its financial control service on ECHO-Flight and the audit reports of Ernst &Young on the Berlaymont building?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2001)

The audit reports on the two subjects mentioned by the Honourable Member, together with information on the conclusions drawn from those reports, have already been forwarded to Parliament on a confidential basis, in accordance with Article 276 (formerly Article 206) of the EC Treaty.

The Commission forwarded the report on Echo Flight in the context of the 1998 discharge and on 9 February 2001, in the context of the 1999 discharge, it forwarded the confidential audit reports of Ernst & Young to Mrs Theato, who chairs the Committee on Budgetary Control.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0149/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 January 2001)

Subject: 12-mile fishing zone for Greek fishermen

Current Community legislation gives Greek fishermen exclusive fishing rights within an area of six nautical miles as opposed to twelve nautical miles for the other Member States and, in particular, the Mediterranean countries. Greek fishermen do not, therefore, receive equal treatment and are at a disadvantage under the common fisheries policy as their exclusive fishing zone is restricted to a mere three miles as opposed to the other Member States' nine miles.

According to the declaration relating to Article 5(1) of Annex IX of the International Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Community has exclusive competence over the maintenance and management of marine fishery resources and, therefore, the authority to adopt relevant rules and provisions. Will the Commission, therefore, say whether

it will use that competence to eliminate the unequal treatment of Greek fishermen and to grant them also exclusive fishing rights within a zone of 12 nautical miles, or 24 nautical miles, if Parliament's resolution contained in report A4-0018/1999(1), is adopted, which calls for the establishment of a 24-mile economic exclusion zone for fishing?

(1) OJ C 153, 1.6.1999.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 February 2001)

Under customary international law, as codified by Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles measured from baselines determined in accordance with the Convention. The rule applies unchanged to Member States, since they have not transferred their sovereignty in this matter to the Community. The Community is therefore not empowered to take action regarding the breadth of territorial sea adopted by a Member State or regarding the consequences arising from the fact that a Member State has decided not to change the breadth of its territorial sea.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0205/01

by Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission

(2 February 2001)

Subject: Sustainability of fisheries

Considering that there has been little development of indicators to date and that they are necessary to measure long-term sustainability, what indicators is the Commission developing to monitor (a) the state of fisheries and marine ecosystems, (b) policies (response) and (c) fishing activities (pressures)?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0180/01 and E-0205/01 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2001)

Council Regulation (EC) No 1543/2000 of 29 June 2000(1) establishes a Community framework for the collection and management of the data needed to conduct the Common Fisheries Policy.

This Regulation intends to develop a harmonised system of data with the involvement of the scientific community Scientific technical and economic committee for fisheries (STECF), the Member State administrations and the profession Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA). The data collected cover the whole sector and are of a biological and economic nature. The Regulation completes the previous regulations in this area, which include provisions for the collection and management of data relating to fishing vessels, for their activities and catches and for price monitoring.

With the same aim, the Commission and the Member States are participating in a sustainability study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Committee for Fisheries on socio-economic indicators for fisheries, which will be finalised in 2002. In addition, the Commission is launching a study on socio-economic indicators in the fisheries sector with the purpose of acquiring as complete an understanding as possible of the various data connected with the socio-economic aspects of the fisheries sector and of evaluating the comparability of these data within the EU.

A work programme for the establishment of environmental indicators relevant for the integration of environmental protection requirements into the Common Fisheries Policy will be the subject of a forthcoming Commission Communication.

(1) OJ L 176, 15.7.2000.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0207/01

by Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission

(2 February 2001)

Subject: Incentives for sustainable fishing

Is the Commission planning to develop and propose an EU-wide programme of financial incentives to encourage more sustainable fishing practices?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0178/01 and E-0207/01 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2001)

Financial aid to the fisheries sector is provided under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG).

The FIFG provides financial assistance to restructure the fisheries sector and hence to ensure its sustainability. Measures to do this include support for fleet capacity reduction programmes and accompanying measures to minimise the social impact of the restructuring. Temporary cessation of fishing activities are also eligible for assistance when these are necessary for the recovery of the stocks. In addition, financial compensation may be granted to fishermen and vessel owners in order to cover technical adjustments when the Council imposes restrictions on the use of certain gear or fishing methods.

These measures will remain in place at least until 2006.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0139/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(31 January 2001)

Subject: Timeliness of economic statistics

Given that the statistics for GDP, employment and productivity for the euro area are taken into account largely by the foreign exchange market when assessing the value of the euro against the dollar and the yen, and given that they must therefore compete with the figures produced for other areas, will the Commission please state the frequency and actual time-lag between the period concerned and publication of national output, employment, productivity and earnings figures in the United States of America, Canada and Japan?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2001)

A table that gives the release dates for the United States of America, Japan and Canada for the key statistics mentioned in the question is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.

The Commission, in full awareness of the attention devoted by foreign exchange markets to statistics such as the gross domestic product (GDP), employment or productivity, is concerned about the fact that euro area statistics are, in most cases, released later than in the United States, Japan and Canada. Therefore the Commission and the European Central Bank have recently jointly proposed an action plan, which was subsequently approved by the Ecofin Council. The implementation of this plan should lead to improvements in the data collection and statistics compilation in the National Statistical Institutes of the Member States as well as in the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat). These improvements will make a faster release of these key statistics possible.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0075/01

by Gorka Knörr Borràs (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(22 January 2001)

Subject: Linguistic reform in Navarre

In its reply to my Written Question E-1179/00(1), the Commission states that, respect for cultural and linguistic diversity is one of the foundation stones of the Union. As I explained in that question, Navarre is divided into language zones. By means of regional decree No 372/2000 of 11 December, the Government of Navarre altered the conditions for use of the Basque language by the local authorities, and shortly afterwards, on 9 January, it approved an action plan,

stating, in essence, that this native language will not be used by the local authorities in the mixed and non-Basque-speaking zones (almost 90 % of the population). In these areas, Basque will no longer form part of the administration's corporate image and institutional identity (publications, notices, advertisements, road signs, etc.). As regards dealings with the public, the fact that the existing service is to be replaced by a scaled-down translation service will, in practice, make it virtually impossible for people's concerns to be dealt with in Basque.

What are the Commission's views on a situation whereby a government prevents its own administration from using a native language? Many of the applicant states have been required to draw up language laws respecting the rights of citizens. Does the Commission agree that such a situation is a very bad example to those states?

(1) OJ C 53 E, 20.2.2001, p. 92.

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(5 March 2001)

As noted by the Honourable Member, respect for cultural and linguistic diversity in the Member States is a fundamental principle of European integration. The language arrangements applicable in the Member States fall within the competence of the Member States themselves or the relevant public authorities at national level.

This principle also applies to the applicant countries, as they must meet a number of accession criteria (known as the Copenhagen criteria, after the city which hosted the European Council of June 1993 at which they were drawn up). The Commission submits regular reports on the progress made by the applicant countries towards meeting these criteria.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0053/01

by Giuseppe Pisicchio (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 January 2001)

Subject: Situation of Carime

During the 1990s the Bank of Italy authorised the banking group Cariplo to acquire through its subsidiaries a number of important credit institutions in the south of Italy such as Carical, Caripuglia, Carisalerno and Mediocredito Sud, which were seriously in debt, at a cost of only a few hundred billion lire for a network of 400 branches with more than 4000 employees.

The benefits of this operation were twofold. From the point of view of taxation, the outstanding debts could be included in the consolidated balance sheet, while the share capital could be reconstituted by undervaluing the old shareholdings using criteria designed to bring their value down sharply if they were not converted into new ones, making it possible possible to recover the capital used for the purchase of the banks themselves.

The existing institutions taken over by Cariplo were brought together in a single structure, Carime, in which the majority shareholding of 66 % was transferred for ITL 2 300 billion to the Banco Popolare Commercio e Industrial del Veneto in November 2000, which is considerably smaller in size than the bank purchased.

At the time of the transfer, Carime had an overall value of 20 000 billion lire, with investments of 6000 billion lire, mainly in local development, at a time when this is particularly necessary.

In line with the Commission's policy to eliminate factors causing imbalance in competition and access to credit in objective 1 regions, what will it do to overcome the obstacles to the balanced development of the regions of southern Italy caused by the impoverishment of local instruments for gaining access to credit?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(2 March 2001)

All the mergers to which the Honourable Member refers were examined and authorised by the national authority, because they do not meet the conditions for the application of the Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December 1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings(1).

It should however be recalled that an essential condition for the application of the EC Treaty rules on competition is the existence of a prejudicial effect on the trade between Member States. Consequently, it is possible that an issue concerning a national or local situation would not fall within the scope of the above-mentioned provisions.

The situation described by the Honourable Member appears to be essentially of national nature, if not regional, and hence it would be unlikely to affect significantly interstate trade.

In these circumstances it does not fall within the Commission's competence to take measures aimed at resolving the situation described.

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989 republished in OJ L 257, 21.9.1990.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0537/01

by John Hume (PSE) to the Commission

(16 February 2001)

Subject: Agriculture in Northern Ireland

Given that agriculture is the largest industry in Northern Ireland, and given the impact of the current serious crisis, will the Commission carry out a study into the agricultural situation in Northern Ireland with a view to finding ways of resolving the crisis?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2001)

The Commission is indeed aware of the difficulties in the Northern Ireland agricultural sector and its importance in the regional economy. As regards a study of the sector, the Commission attaches great importance to integrated regional development with well founded initiatives supported by studies and evaluation involving the participation of public authorities and economic and social partners.

The Commission approved the rural development plan for Northern Ireland on the 4 December 2000. This plan is funded out of the Guarantee Section of the European Agriculture Guarantee and Guidance Fund (EAGGF) and covers the so-called accompanying measures (aid for less favoured areas, agri-environment and afforestation of agricultural land). This plan includes an ex-ante assessment of these measures and a description of the current situation and the strengths and weaknesses of the agricultural sector in Northern Ireland. The appropriateness of these measures should again be examined at the mid-term and ex-post evaluations for this plan.

On the 20 December 2000 the Commission also approved the Community support framework (2000-2006) for Northern Ireland on the basis of a structural development plan (SDP). The rural development measures within this framework will be co-funded out of the Guidance Section of the EAGGF. This SDP was accompanied by an ex-ante evaluation (prepared jointly by the Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency and a private sector consulting organisation) also covering briefly the strengths and weaknesses of Agriculture and the Rural Economy.

The Commission is also aware of several agriculture-specific studies carried out in the recent past. Given the number of recent relevant studies, the importance of including local actors and the finance available for such studies from the Structural Funds, the Commission does not think it appropriate for itself to undertake such a study at this time.