ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3742/97 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (21 November 1997)

Subject: Conflict between structural funds and environment

Given the over-abstraction from aquifers caused by intensive irrigation around the River Guadiana in Spain and Portugal, is the Commission aware that the structural funding for the construction of Alqueva dam in Portugal will threaten important wetlands including those of the Daviniel National Park, thus acting in contradiction of the biodiversity strategy?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (15 December 1997)

Following Portugal's application for the granting of Structural Fund assistance to the Alqueva project, several assessments were made of the latter's environmental impact, assessments which helped to produce guidelines for the drawing-up of an environmental management plan for the area concerned.

The plan subsequently drawn up by the Portuguese authorities and presented to the Commission includes some minimizing and compensatory measures aimed in particular at lessening the effects of the project on the biodiversity of the region.

On 27 July 1997, in the process of endorsing the programme, and aware as it was of the importance of the environment in the context of the implementation of the project, the Commission provided for the setting up of a number of technical monitoring groups, including one dealing with water issues and one dealing with nature conservancy. The Commission, the authorities with special responsibility for the environment and non-governmental environmental organizations will be represented on those groups. The Commission's presence will, in particular, make it possible to verify that the environmental management plan for the Alqueva area is being implemented properly.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-4034/97 by Bryan Cassidy (PPE) to the Commission (14 January 1998)

Subject: Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996

Does the Commission agree that the producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations which implement Directive 94/62/EC ((OJ L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 10. )) into UK law, exclude non-UK based companies and that this in practice constitutes a barrier to free trade in the EU?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-4030/97 and E-4034/97 given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (23 February 1998)

The Commission is able to inform the Honourable Member that it is currently examining the implementing measures notified by the United Kingdom in respect of the Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC of 20 December 1994 on packaging and packaging waste ((OJ L 365, 31.12.1994. )). The Honourable Member can be assured that the Commission will take appropriate action should the full examination reveal any barriers to free trade. In this regard, the Commission would be pleased to receive any further details from the Honourable Member concerning the alleged barrier to trade.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3842/97 by Enrique Barón Crespo (PSE) to the Commission (5 December 1997)

Subject: Ericsson SA in Spain

Prompted by the liberalization of the EU telecommunications market, the multinational company Ericsson is planning to divide up its production activities in Spain and transfer 1545 employees from the company where they work to another company which is in a fragile economic situation and is not covered by any agreements with workers.

Given that Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson is a European multinational, will the Commission say:

1. whether the provisions of the directive on the information and consultation of workers (European Works Council) have been observed?

2. whether the Community legislation on this matter has been observed?

Answer given by M. Flynn on behalf of the Commission (4 February 1998)

In the absence of detailed information, the Commission cannot judge whether the multinational group Ericsson has respected Council Directive 94/45/EC of 22 September 1994 on the establishment of a European Works Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings and Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees ((OJ L 254, 30.9.1994. )), in the framework of the restructuring operation mentioned by the Honourable Member.

The Commission does not intervene in operations of this kind unless it turns out that Community rules have been ignored or have not been properly transposed by the Member States. It is first and foremost the job of the national authorities to ensure compliance with the relevant national rules and, hence, with any Community provisions that may apply to the cases in question.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3503/97 by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission (10 November 1997)

Subject: UEFA Executive Committee decision not to allow future winners of major cup competition entry into European club competitions

Following a letter which I received in my constituency, I would like to draw the Commission's attention to the UEFA Executive Committee 's decision to disallow the Coca-Cola Cup as a means of qualification for the UEFA. This decision will have far-reaching and damaging consequences for all those involved in UK League football, affecting participation in the Coca-Cola Cup and revenue from sponsorship and television.

What can the Commission do to support the Football League's claim for a European place to be restored to this season's Coca-Cola Cup?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1997)

The Commission is aware of the problems resulting from the changes introduced by the Union of European football associations (UEFA) to the rules on access to the UEFA cup. The investigation of the case is in progress.

For further details, the Commission would like to draw the attention of the Honourable Member to the answer given to written question E-3191/97 by Mr Ford ((OJ C 117, 16.4.1998, p. 163. )).
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3772/97 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (21 November 1997)

Subject: Free access to Schengen manuals

The Schengen Agreement has been incorporated into the new EU Treaty which gives particular prominence to the right of access of European citizens to public documents. Despite all this, reports from Sweden state that the Swedish Government has classified manuals on how controls are to be carried out at the external borders of the Union and exchanges of information between Member States as 'top secret'.

This is quite a serious matter, and there is understandable concern about the reasons that led the Swedish Government to take this decision.

Will the Commission state its views on the above matter and say whether anything comparable has occurred in any other Member of the Union and whether it considers it useful to recommend to the Member States of the Union that they ensure unhindered access to all manuals regarding the Schengen Agreement?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (2 February 1998)

The Schengen arrangements will be integrated into EU law only when the Amsterdam Treaty and its annexed protocols come into force.

However, as most of the documents relating to Schengen are drawn up by the national authorities, access to them is and will remain subject to national law, with due regard for the rules on confidentiality unanimously decided by the Member States that signed the Schengen agreements. This is in accordance with the Commission and Council code of conduct concerning public access to their own documents, which stipulates that the institutions will provide access only to their own documents and will refer applicants to the author of any document from emanating from another institution.

Applications for access to Council and Commission documents relating to Schengen are already covered by the code of conduct. Access to them may therefore be granted, provided that they are not covered by any of the exceptions expressly laid down to protect certain private or public interests or to ensure the confidentiality of the institutions' deliberations.

In the case of Schengen regulatory instruments, once the Amsterdam Treaty comes into force and the Schengen arrangements become part of EU law, the rules governing publication of acts in the Official Journal will apply.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3916/97 by Marianne Thyssen (PPE) to the Commission (11 December 1997)

Subject: Ruling of the WTO panel on hormones

At the conference on food law organised on 3 and 4 November 1997 jointly by the Commission and the European Parliament one of the speakers maintained that the European Community had lost the hormone case before the WTO panel because of poor drafting of the relevant European legislation.

In particular, it had been impossible to use the argument that European consumers did not accept hormones being fed to animals reared for human consumption because no reference was made to this non-acceptance in the preamble of the directive concerned.

Can the Commission agree with this view?

Does the Commission not think there is an urgent need to review European food legislation and if necessary to adapt the wording in order to prevent such problems in future?

Has the Commission already taken action on this matter or does it intend to do so?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (2 February 1998)

The panel of the World trade organization (WTO) charged with examining the Community measures concerning the use of hormones for growth promotion purposes in livestock farming issued its report on 18 August 1997. The Community appealed the report to the WTO appellate body, which issued its report on 16 January 1998.

The line of argument mentioned by the Honourable Member, concerning the impossibility to invoke European consumers' non-acceptance of the use of hormones because such non-acceptance was not mentioned in the preamble of the relevant directive, does not appear as such in the report of the panel. The panel ruled that a reference should have been made in the preamble of the names of the scientists and the scientific studies on which the import prohibition was based. However, the WTO appellate body has now reversed this finding of the panel.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-4114/97 by Yves Verwaerde (PPE) to the Commission (16 January 1998)

Subject: Social policy in the context of EU-ACP relations

What policy and actions does the Commission intend to pursue to support social policies in the context of combatting poverty and increasing employment in the ACP countries?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission (17 February 1998)

On the work that the Commission has done for the campaign against poverty in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, the recent report on Community-ACP cooperation in 1996 is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament's secretariat. This sets out the various types of action at the level of the macroeconomy, sectors, and projects. It is the intention of the Commission to continue the work already started, both in policy and in operations.

The orientations for post-Lomé arrangements clearly demand a commitment to the issue of poverty eradication. Two new communications to Council are being prepared during this semester regarding microfinance and indigenous peoples. Both will provide policy directions regarding aspects of poverty reduction. Microfinance provides the possibility to increase employment and income earning opportunities for very poor people who are excluded from the formal economy. A policy regarding indigenous peoples will provide a framework for addressing the special needs of these vulnerable groups, and opening up development opportunities to them.

The national indicative programmes agreed with ACP states for the 8th European development fund (EDF) have the overall objective of reducing poverty. The priority sectors are varied including food security, social sectors and rural development. Staff will now implement these operations.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-4073/97 by Riccardo Nencini (PSE) to the Commission (14 January 1998)

Subject: Insurance

The Fondiaria insurance company is in the process of reorganizing its own networks as well as those of the Milano Assicurazioni, Polaris and Previdente companies. In the process, an unknown - but, undoubtedly, extremely large - number of direct and indirect jobs will be lost.

In addition to terminating agreements with agents, Fondiaria is sending clients policy termination notices, thus causing upset to the clients themselves and producing extensive disruption.

Does the Commission intend to ascertain whether the above action by Fondiaria violates antitrust legislation and consumer rights?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (9 March 1998)

On the basis of the information currently in its possession, the Commission believes that the restructuring of the Fondiaria group does not create a distortion of competition according to Articles 85 to 94 of the EC Treaty.

It is not possible to give an abstract answer to the question about consumer rights. While the general principle of pacta sunt servanda obviously applies, specific circumstances may allow for cancellation. Contractual clauses allowing for this might be considered unfair in the sense of Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 april 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts ((OJ L 95, 21.4.1993. )) but this cannot be established without close scrutiny. In any event it is not up to the Commission to examine whether companies comply with national measures implementing this Directive.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3177/97 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (13 October 1997)

Subject: Innovative schemes for women in agriculture and in rural areas

With a view to supporting and strengthening the position of women in rural areas, the Commission invited proposals for pilot and demonstration projects for innovative schemes for women in agriculture and women in general (96/C/284/10).

1. Have the assessment and selection of the schemes been completed, and

2. how many and which of the proposals submitted with Greek participation were approved?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (9 December 1997)

1. The assessment and selection of the schemes proposed in response to the invitation to submit proposals referred to by the Honourable Member have not yet been completed.

2. The Commission is therefore not able at present to give the Honourable Member the information he has asked for concerning the Greek proposals.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-4122/97 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (16 January 1998)

Subject: Eco-label

Has the Commission undertaken surveys of consumer perceptions of the EU eco-label in each of the Member States of the European Union? Is so, what did the surveys reveal?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (27 February 1998)

The Commission has not undertaken any survey of consumer perceptions of the Community eco-label in any of the Member States.

At the current stage it appears to be premature to execute such a survey.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3566/97 by Graham Mather (PPE) to the Commission (13 November 1997)

Subject: Commission communication on tax coordination (COM(97) 495)

At the Ecofin meeting of 13 October 1997, this Commission Communication was debated for the first time. The document proposes a package of measures to tackle what it calls 'harmful tax competition'. The Council called on the Commission to bring forward a new Communication, by 12 November at the latest, taking into account the results of this meeting and of the meeting of the Tax Policy Group of 20 October. Ministers unanimously underlined their intention to reach political agreement on this matter at the Ecofin meeting on 1 December 1997.

With regard to the taxation of capital income, Point 19 III of the Communication states that 'every Member State should either operate a minimum withholding tax or provide information on savings income to other Member States'.

1. How would adjustments between the minimum withholding tax in one Member State and the standard capital income taxation rate in a citizen's country of residence for taxation purposes be organized?

2. What studies has the Commission undertaken to determine the cost of making such adjustments?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3563/97, E-3564/97, E-3565/97, E-3566/97 and E-3567/97 given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (3 February 1998)

The Commission would like to draw the attention of the Honourable Member both to its new communication of 5 November 1997 ((COM(97) 564 final. )) and the conclusions of the Ecofin Council meeting of 1 December 1997 concerning taxation policy.

Within these conclusions, the Council approved a text on the taxation of savings containing four points that might form the basis for a new proposal for a directive.

As was anticipated by the Commission in its own above mentioned communication, it is the Commission's intention to present such a proposal very quickly, in principle by April 1998.

The Commission considers it premature to comment at the present stage on the sensitive and delicate questions raised by the Honourable Member.

The Commission is still reflecting and its position will be clearly stated in the proposal for a directive.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3850/97 by Jean-Pierre Bébéar (PPE) to the Commission (5 December 1997)

Subject: BSE - industrial use of tallow

The European Commission Decision 97/534/EC ((OJ L 216, 8.8.1997, p. 95. )) of 20 July 1997 seeks to prohibit the use in the countries of the European Union of 'materials presenting risks as regards transmissible spongiform encephalopathies' of bovine, ovine or caprine origin, with effect from 1 January 1998.

In the European Union companies manufacture oleochemical products based on tallow products intended for use, for example, in textile softeners, paint additives, printing inks or emulsifiers for road asphalt.

Decision 97/534/EC c call into question all the authorizations and approvals of these products as far as the clients are concerned.

Would it be possible, while still protecting public health, to make the Commission decision more specific as regards imports from third countries for the production of non-pharmaceutical and non-cosmetic by-products?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 February 1998)

Commission Decision 97/534/EC of 30 July 1997 on the prohibition of the use of material presenting risks as regards transmissible spongiform encephalopathies prohibits, from 1 April 1998 onwards, the use in the Community for any purpose of specified risk material. The Decision defines 'specified risk material' as:

a) the skull, including the brain and eyes, tonsils and spinal cord of:

- bovine animals aged over 12 months,

- ovine and caprine animals which are aged over 12 months or have a permanent incisor tooth erupted through the gum;

b) the spleens of ovine and caprine animals.

The effect of this Decision on Community tallow production is that slaughterhouse waste used as raw material will not contain the above tissues, but these tissues do not form a significant proportion of the raw material. In addition, fallen stock would not be available for tallow production, but these carcases constitute a very small proportion of the raw material. The effect of Decision 97/534/EC on the production of tallow in the Community will, therefore, be negligible.

As far as imports from third countries are concerned, the Decision only requires that products for food, animal feed, medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes be certified free from specified risk materials. It does not affect tallow products for industrial use.

However, the Commission is aware of the concern in some quarters, referred to by the Honourable Member, that the wording of the Decision could give rise to different interpretations. Accordingly, the Commission intends, in the course of amending the Decision in the light of new scientific advice, to take the opportunity to clarify the text to make it clear that it does not apply to products which carry no health risk.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3384/97 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARE) to the Commission (23 October 1997)

Subject: Application form for the European Environment Agency (Copenhagen)

Official Journal C 294A of 27 September 1997 states that the European Environment Agency is organizing a selection procedure to recruit a deputy director.

The application form attached is in English only (this is true of all the language versions of the Official Journal).

If the Commission is really seeking equal treatment for all citizens throughout the European Union, does it not feel that all candidates for this selection procedure should be able to participate in their mother tongue, and does it not think that candidates whose mother tongue is English will be at a clear advantage in this particular instance?

Is the Commission prepared to take effective and tangible measures to prevent any form of future discrimination, and does it have any plans to provide application forms in all the official languages for this selection procedure?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1997)

As the Honourable Member will be aware, the European environment agency is an independent body over which the Commission has no direct control. Responsibility for all agency staff matters, including recruitment, rests with the agency's management board which delegates the day-to-day tasks and general managerial issues to the executive director. The management board itself has two representatives appointed by the Parliament who may be able to help with further clarification in this matter.

The notice for a selection procedure to recruit a deputy director was published in the Official journal in all the language versions based on the material received from the agency. The texts supplied and published consisted of an application form in English and a notice of the vacancy in all the official languages. The decision whether to publish new application forms is a matter for the agency, but the agency has informed the Commission that all candidates for the post who have applied to the agency will be supplied with identical application forms but in their own language so that equal treatment of all the applications can be assured.

As a general rule, Commission representatives on the management board will uphold principles of equality of opportunity and selection on the basis of the ability, efficiency and integrity of the candidate in relation to the requirements of the post.