(2000/C 27 E/205) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1724/99
by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission
(29 September 1999)
Subject: Regularisation of the universal postal service in the Galician countryside
Directive 97/67/EC (1) on universal postal services in the European Community  and, consequently, Law
No 24/1998 of the Spanish state  stipulate the obligation at Member State level to operate a universalpostal service and to provide that public service every working day and not less than five days a week.
This obligation is not being fulfilled in the countryside of Galicia, in which almost 50 % of all the inhabited
localities of the Spanish state are situated, but where the Posts and Telegraphs administration systematicallydelivers mail on alternate days only.
This arbitrary practice translates into a large number of lost jobs. It also results in a fictitious reduction in
costs which could, in the future, prevent the authorities concerned from obtaining complementary fundingunder Commission rules.
What action does the Commission intend to take to ensure that the Posts and Telegraphs administration of
the Spanish state operates a full postal service in the Galician countryside?
(1) OJ L 15, 21.1.1998, p. 14.
Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission
(3 November 1999)
The postal Directive 97/67/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997 on
common rules for the development of the internal market of Community postal services and theimprovement of quality of service does indeed oblige the Member States to take measures to ensure thatthe universal service provider guarantees one collection and one delivery every working day and not lessthan five days a week, save in circumstances or geographical conditions deemed exceptional by thenational regulatory authorities, which must then communicate these to the Commission. To date, however,the Commission has received no notification of any exceptional cases of this kind.
Spanish Law No 24/1998 transposes this obligation, which must therefore be met by the postal operator
responsible for the universal service in Spain. It is up to the Spanish authorities to ensure the effectiveapplication of this measure.
Having been notified of the situation in Galicia by the Honourable Member, the Commission will seek
information from the Spanish authorities and remind them of their obligations regarding the universalpostal service. On the basis of the information it receives, the Commission will look into the properimplementation of this Directive in the case in question and determine what action needs to be taken.
(2000/C 27 E/206) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1726/99
by Werner Langen (PPE-DE) to the Commission
(27 September 1999)
Subject: Meat hygiene legislation in Rhineland-Palatinate
As already described in Written Question P-0010/1999 (1), the meat hygiene legislation in the German
Land of Rhineland-Palatinate provides for extremely high inspection costs for animals for slaughter. TheRhineland-Palatinate meat hygiene implementing law infringes EU law as it does not provide for flat-ratecharges as set out in the 1985 EC Directive on fees. The Directive stipulates that any deviations from thestandard rates must be subject to compliance with efficiency criteria, which have to be laid down by law.Slaughter volume is not considered an admissible criterion under EU law, but is recognised as such in29.1.2000 EN C 27 E/167 Official Journal of the European Communities