ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1360/96 by Jean-Yves Le Gallou (NI) to the Commission (3 June 1996)

Subject: Community subsidies for associations, NGOs and various bodies

For Item B7-5071 (Rehabilitation programmes in southern Africa), can the Commission provide a full list of the associations, NGOs or other bodies benefiting from Community subsidies, together with the exact amount of such subsidies during the last financial year for which the accounts have been closed?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1360/96 and E-1361/96 given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission (21 June 1996)

The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat a table containing the information requested.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1299/96 by Ulla Sandbæk (EDN) to the Commission (31 May 1996)

Subject: EURATHLON programme

How much has been spent on the EURATHLON programme since October 1994? How many and which projects have been granted aid? What criteria apply to the granting of aid?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (23 July 1996)

Under the Eurathlon programme, ((OJ C 262, 7.10.1995. )) the Commission granted aid totalling ECU 0.7 million to 82 selected projects in 1995 and ECU 2 million to 175 selected projects in 1996. The lists of selected projects are being sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.

The eligibility criteria are contained in point 4.1 of the Eurathlon programme, a copy of which is being sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1017/96 by Jessica Larive (ELDR) to the Commission (26 April 1996)

Subject: European day against racism and for fair play

Is the Commission prepared, in close cooperation with the Council of Europe, to organize an annual 'European day against racism and for fair play' as from 1997 (the European year against racism), whereby

1. Ruud Gullit (appointed European ambassador for sport on 12 April) is the central feature in a major pan-European media spectacle;

2. in close cooperation with the Committee for the Development of Sport (Council of Europe) and the Committee of the Regions similar events are held throughout Europe on the same day with the cooperation of national and regional sporting heroes?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (4 July 1996)

The Commission provided financial support for the first meeting on 'Tolerance and fair play' organised by the Council of Europe and the Secretary of State responsible for sporting matters. During the meeting, which was held in Amsterdam on 11 April 1996, Ruud Gullit was appointed ambassador for fair play.

The Commission has proposed to the Council that 1997 be designated 'European Year against Racism'. The Council has not yet acted on the proposal.

The Commission's proposal contains suggestions for various activities and events to be carried out during the European Year not only at Community level but also at national and local levels.

In the same vein, close cooperation with the Council of Europe will be developed so as to avoid duplication of effort and to create the conditions in which the Council of Europe's achievements can be applied to best effect in Community action.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0790/96 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (3 April 1996)

Subject: Incineration of waste paper

What is the Commission's view on the debate as to whether it is better to recycle waste paper or incinerate it to generate energy?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1996)

The waste management policy as developed within the Community gives preference to recycling as compared with energy extraction by means of incineration. ((Council Recommendation 81/792/EEC of 31.12.1981 on the reuse of waste paper and the use of recycled paper (OJ L 355, 10.12.1981). ))

Both approaches form part of long-term development by enabling savings to be made on raw materials, or energy, but in economic terms recycling generally offers a greater return.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1101/96 by Doris Pack (PPE) to the Council (26 April 1996)

Subject: Recognition of the new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by the European Union

In its resolution of 29 February 1996 Parliament requested the Council to resolve as a joint action under Article J.3 of the Treaty of the European Union that full diplomatic recognition of the new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will only be granted if a full and satisfactory settlement is reached between Mr Milosevic and the elected representatives of the people of Kosovo.

The Presidency mentioned in its declaration on 9 April 1996 the respect for human rights of minorities as a precondition for formal recognition.

Nevertheless several Member States have recognized the new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

As you probably know there is clear evidence that the human rights and rights of the Albanian-speaking majority of Kosovo are not respected by the Serbian authorities. On the contrary, there is a continuous repression against the fundamental rights of the people of Kosovo which shows no sign of diminishing.

What kind of timetable, perspectives and initiatives does the Council envisage in the process of recognition of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by the European Union?

Reply (7 August 1996)

As the Honourable Member knows, the declaration issued by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on 9 April 1996 does not refer to a recognition of the new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by the Union. Indeed, it only states that "...the agreement signed yesterday by the FRY and the FYROM authorities ... opens the way to recognition by the Member States, in accordance with their respective procedures, of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as one of the successor States to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia".

Further, the European Union indicates in that declaration that "...hereafter the development of good relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of its position within the international community will depend on a constructive approach by the FRY to"

five main issues, among which "...the granting of a large degree of autonomy for Kosovo within the FRY".

Following this declaration, all the Member States started their internal procedures for recognizing the FRY and possibly elevating their diplomatic relations with it to ambassadorial level, and many of them have already completed these steps. These all did so with express reference to the above mentioned declaration and its terms and conditions.

In conclusions which it adopted on 13 May, the Council states that the Union is disposed to consider - in coordination with the High Representative - the gradual improvement of relations with the FRY and to adopt appropriate measures depending on the latter's attitude, in particular with regard to the criteria established by the Presidency declaration of 9 April concerning the recognition of the FRY by the Member States of the EU, as well as with regard to the right to return for all refugees, and the obligation to readmit nationals.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0161/96 by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Commission (1 February 1996)

Subject: Positive discrimination of candidates for elections

When the industrial tribunal in Leeds ruled on 8 January 1996 that the 'Emily's List' campaign of the British Labour Party involving women-only shortlists in some constituencies for elections to the Commons was illegal, did it base its judgment partly on directive 76/207/EEC ((OJ L 39, 14.2.1976, p. 40. )) and/or Article 119 of the EEC Treaty ((The Guardian, 9 January 1996; De Volkskrant, 10 January 1996. ))?

Does the Commission share the view that 'membership of parliament is... a job' ((De Volkskrant, 10 January 1996 )), and that the allocation of political offices is therefore covered by the scope of directive 76/207/EEC and Article 119?

If so, do the women's quotas on election lists which are used in various Member States by political parties constitute a form of positive discrimination which is an infringement of Community legislation in the light of the judgment of the European Court of Justice in case C-450/93 (Kalanke v. Bremen)?

If Directive 76/207/EEC and/or Article 119 cover the procedures for nominating candidates and electing persons to political office, is the Court's judgment banning the indirect discrimination in favour of women applicable to these areas?

If so, is it then conceivable that the Court may be asked to rule on whether the British single-member constituency system ('first-past-the-post'), which obliges candidates to satisfy a catalogue of stereotype expectations - thereby putting major obstacles in the way of nominating and electing women to political office - constitutes a form of indirect discrimination which infringes the Treaty?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (5 March 1996)

The Commission considers that both Article 119 of the EC Treaty and Council Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions refer only to employment relationships covered by a contract drawn up between the worker and his employer. Given that a candidature for election is not an employment relationship as described above, it does not fall within the scope of either Article 119 of the EC Treaty or Directive 76/207/EEC.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1001/96 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (26 April 1996)

Subject: Attendance by European Commissioners at committees of the European Parliament

Will the Commission produce a league table showing the number of occasions that each respective Commissioner has attended meetings of committees of the European Parliament between the appointment of the new Commission and 31 December 1995?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (29 May 1996)

The Commission would point out that in almost all cases members of the Commission attend parliamentary committees at the invitation of the committees and therefore a league table would have little value.

It would not be appropriate for the Commission to publish statistics about Parliament's bodies. The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the minutes of parliamentary committee meetings which contain an official record of attendance at such meetings.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1589/96 by Wayne David (PSE) to the Commission (12 June 1996)

Subject: Traveller education in Wales

Is the Commission aware that the Welsh Office has recently published a consultation paper entitled 'The Welsh Office and Local Government, Redefining the Relationship'.

In this paper, the abolition of Section 210 funding (whereby the Secretary of State can provide money to local authorities to promote and facilitate the education of gypsies, gypsy children, refugees and displaced persons) is proposed.

Would abolishing Section 210 contravene European law?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (8 July 1996)

The funding of the education of nomads, their children, refugees and displaced persons by local authorities is a matter for the Member States.

Consequently, a possible abolition of Welsh Office subsidies would not infringe European law.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0779/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Council (1 April 1996)

Subject: Fifth action programme Towards Sustainable Development

In connection with the Parliament-Council co-decision procedure concerning the fifth action programme Towards Sustainable Development, whose importance should be stressed, does the Council not consider it advisable to move from a 'strategy' to a proper plan, and would it not be useful to establish balanced cooperation between all the parties concerned, including the various sectors and the DNG?

Reply (18 July 1996)

1. In their Resolution of 1 February 1993 ((OJ C 138, 17.05.1993, p.1. )), the Council and Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council approved the approach and general strategy advanced in the Commission programme. They invited the Commission to come forward with appropriate proposals to give effect to the programme insofar as it pertained to action at Community level, and undertook to decide on these proposals as expeditiously as possible taking account of the information provided by the programme in terms of objectives, targets and time-frames.

2. The Resolution also noted that a review of the programme was envisaged before the end of 1995, in order to establish the extent to which the objectives and priorities it contained were still valid.

3. On the basis of a progress report on the programme's implementation and an updated State of the Environment Report prepared by the European Environment Agency, the Commission recently submitted a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the review of the Programme ((Doc. 5641/96. )). The purpose of the proposal is to reaffirm the Community's political commitment to the approach and strategy of the Programme and to ensure that it is implemented more efficiently through increased Community action in certain priority areas.

It is on the basis of this proposal, which does not alter the nature of the programme, that the Council and the European Parliament are required to comment in accordance with the co-decision procedure.

4. Regarding the Honourable Member's request for balanced cooperation between all the parties concerned, it will be recalled that the aforementioned Resolution concluded with an appeal to all Community institutions, Member States, enterprises and citizens to accept their respective responsibilities to protect the environment and to play their full part in implementing the programme. This appeal is repeated right at the beginning of the proposal for a Decision on the review and the Council will certainly be re-emphasizing the importance it attaches to this element.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1364/96 by Jean-Yves Le Gallou (NI) to the Commission (3 June 1996)

Subject: Community subsidies for associations, NGOs and various bodies

For Item B7-5031 (Training and promotion of awareness of development issues), can the Commission provide a full list of the associations, NGOs or other bodies benefiting from Community subsidies, together with the exact amount of such subsidies during the last financial year for which the accounts have been closed?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (24 July 1996)

The Democracy programme has two distinct but complementary mechanisms for the selection of activities and commitment of funds. One is by direct identification of activities by the Commission itself with respect to the priorities defined by the Community institutions, the Member States, the Organisation on security and cooperation in Europe, Office for democratic institutions and human rights and the Council of Europe (top-down initiative actions), and the other is by selection of the best proposals submitted by the non-governmental organisations (NGO) concerned by particular aspects of the reinforcement of democracy (bottom-up activities).

Lists of the seven top-down initiative actions and the fifty five bottom-up activities under the Tacis Democracy programme 1995 budget are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0130/96 by Luciano Vecchi (PSE) to the Council (7 February 1996)

Subject: The Council's failure to adopt regulations on the cofinancing of projects promoted by NGOs and on decentralized cooperation

The two regulations on the cofinancing of projects promoted by NGOs and on decentralized cooperation were not adopted at the Development Council meeting held in December 1995.

Would the Council state why some Member States called for the establishment of a 'committee' to administer budget headings which have operated perfectly well for many years without the need for any such committee?

Reply (18 July 1996)

The Counicl is actively pursuing its work on the proposals for Regulations on cofinancing with NGOs and on decentralized cooperation. It hopes to be able to adopt common positions in the near future. These common positions will then be forwarded to the European Parliament.

The Council is unable to comment on the position adopted by certain delegations with regard to a procedure inviting a Committee opinion on the annual general guidelines for this policy.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0335/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Council (26 February 1996)

Subject: Private security firms

A great many statistics show that organized crime is spreading throughout Europe and the traditional forces of law and order have insufficient manpower to tackle the problem. This has led to the emergence of numerous private security firms in Europe and has, on the one hand, exposed loopholes in the laws regulating them and, on the other hand, revealed some of these firms to be unreliable, which has simply exacerbated the problem of crime.

Does the Council not consider it advisable to issue a directive laying down common rules and standards for all the Member States in order to bring about an improvement in the quality of service and the guarantees offered by operators in this sector?

Reply (7 August 1996)

The Council has not yet considered whether it is advisable to establish specific instruments for the aforementioned firms. Such work could be contemplated in the context of the more general questions of preventing crime.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1569/96 by Roberto Mezzaroma (UPE) to the Commission (24 June 1996)

Subject: Death penalty

In the State of Utah (USA) thousands of people volunteered to take part in a firing squad after a prisoner who had been condemned to death asked to be executed by this method.

What instruments exist to ensure that such a situation cannot occur in one of the Member States of the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (22 July 1996)

The matter in question does not come within its jurisdiction of the Commission.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1728/96 by Claude Desama (PSE) to the Commission (25 June 1996)

Subject: Postage rates within the EU

Why, now that months have gone by since the accession of the three new Member States, does a letter from Belgium to Austria or Sweden still cost BF 36, instead of BF 16, the rate applying to all the other Member States?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (1 August 1996)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question E-2461/95 by Mr von Habsburg ((OJ C 9, 15.1.1996. )).
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1640/96 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (24 June 1996)

Subject: Demarcation of indigenous territories in Brazil

In January the Brazilian Government adopted a new Decree governing the process of demarcating indigenous territories. As part of the new regulation complaints have been raised against a huge amount of demarcated and proposed demarcated indigenous territories.

These include 15 territories which form part of the Indigenous Land Demarcation Project of the Brazilian Pilot Programme, which is partly funded by the European Commission through the Rainforest Trust Fund.

Is the Commission aware of the actions of the World Bank against the new Decree because of its impact on territories demarcated or being demarcated with World Bank funding?

What action has the Commission taken against the Decree and its possible impact on the pilot programme?

Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (10 July 1996)

The Commission has no knowledge of any action taken by the World Bank against decree 1775. The World Bank does not take direct action but follows the execution of the programmes and if necessary adjusts them to the new situation.

Concerning the actions taken by the Commission, it should be pointed out that the 15 areas under the pilot programme that have been the target of a legal dispute will not be the object of financing until the situation is resolved and the lands demarcated.

The other actions undertaken by the Commission include a permanent dialogue with the Brazilian authorities and a request to the minister of Justice to supply the 'Fundação Nacional de Apoio aos Indígenas' (FUNAI) with the resources to permit a swift resolution of the demarcation process.

The Commission has been supervising the use of the funds made available for the demarcation process.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1546/96 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (17 June 1996)

Subject: Private airlines in Greece

According to Greek and foreign press reports, following the liberalization of the air transport sector and the accompanying increase in the number of private and charter airlines in Greece, a number of infringements of Community law have occurred, for example the illegal registration of aircraft concerning which the particulars required under Community regulations have not been provided, the illegal operation of air transport services, the use of non-approved aircraft belonging to foreign airlines despite rulings to the contrary and infringement of rules concerning admissible noise levels and staffing. The economic soundness of these airlines also appears to be in doubt in view of their repeated delays in paying fees, airport taxes etc.

If the above allegations are true, this means an immediate danger to flight safety and distortion of competition in respect of those airlines which do respect the regulations. Is the Commission aware of this and will it investigate the matter further?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (30 July 1996)

According to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2407/92 ((OJ L 240, 24.8.1992. )) on the licensing of air carriers, it is primarily up to the Member State which has delivered an operating licence to an air carrier to check the financial as well as the technical ability of this carrier to operate under acceptable safety conditions. The Commission, using its general power given by the EC Treaty, controls the proper application of this Regulation by the Member states. However, the Commission is not aware of the infringements of Community rules to which the Honourable Member refers.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1642/96 by Mikko Rönnholm (PSE) to the Commission (24 June 1996)

Subject: Treatment of imports of alcoholic beverages in Chile

The European Commission is currently involved in trade negotiations with Chile, negotiations which also cover alcoholic beverages. Chile has, among other things, imposed a 70% duty on imports of strong alcohol beverages, whereas the tax on corresponding domestic products is significantly lower.

The duty in question clearly discriminates against imported alcoholic beverages and may therefore pose an obstacle to international trade. How has the Commission responded, or how does it intend to respond, to this unsatisfactory state of affairs in the negotiations with Chile?

Answer given Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission (30 July 1996)

In the course of the negotiations on a new co-operation agreement between the Community and Chile, the Commission delegation put the discriminatory Chilean taxation of Community spirits firmly on the agenda. As a result, the Chilean authorities have undertaken to review their draft law and change the levels of taxation on spirits.

However, the final outcome on this issue is still unsure as there are differences of opinion in Chile and Congress will take the final decision. If the Commission's efforts bear no fruit, it has indicated that it reserves the right to raise the issue in the World trade organization (WTO). However, the Commission hopes that Chile will respect the spirit of co-operation which should prevail between two parties entering into a new relationship and that Chile will finally offer an acceptable solution to this problem.