ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2415/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(5 September 2001)

Subject: Equitable Life and pensions

Equitable Life, a financial investment company in the UK, has had to review and, consequently, downgrade the amount its investors can expect to receive as a pension because of its poor investment strategy.

Thousands of people have thus seen the pension, which they have saved for over many years, considerably reduced.

Does the Commission plan to review the provision of pensions by private companies?

Does it envisage some form of regulation to ensure that pension funds are properly managed and on course to meet their targets, or at the very least that their value is not reduced, thereby leaving recipients badly off in their retirement?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(17 October 2001)

The Commission regrets that many policyholders may see a reduction in the expected benefits of their pensions policies as a result of the difficulties confronting Equitable Life. The Commission is aware that the British Government has announced that a full independent inquiry, headed by Lord Penrose, will be conducted into the circumstances leading to the current situation of Equitable Life. The Commission does not plan to review the provision of private pensions by life assurance undertakings.

The Commission has recently submitted a proposal for a directive of the Parliament and of the Council on the activities of institutions for occupational retirement provision(1). It is intended to apply to institutions operating on a funded basis for the purpose of providing retirement benefits on the basis of an agreement between the employer and the employees. It is not intended to apply to pension schemes taken out by individuals by contract directly with a product provider, usually a life insurance company, and where participation is not related to employment and the exercise of a profession.

One of the primary goals of the proposed directive is to establish a sound prudential framework for the regulation of pension funds to ensure that such funds are properly managed and their beneficiaries interests securely protected throughout the Community. The proposal, which is a priority of the Financial Services Action Plan, is still to be adopted by the Council and Parliament.

(1) OJ C 96 E, 27.3.2001.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2878/01

by Sir Robert Atkins (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 October 2001)

Subject: Financial support to Sabena

Will the Commission make a statement on any discussions held with the Belgian Government in connection with the subsidy given to Sabena Airlines? Does this financial support contravene EU statutes on state aid and if so, what action will the Commission take as a matter of urgency?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 November 2001)

On 5 October 2001 the Belgian Government notified the Commission of its intention to grant a loan of 125 million to Sabena as rescue aid, so as to enable the company to meet its existing cash flow requirements for a period not exceeding three months. The Commission has examined this measure as a matter of urgency, given the precarious position in which the company finds itself.

On 17 October 2001 the Commission decided to authorise the rescue aid on the grounds that, in this instance, all the conditions laid down in the Guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty(1) had been met.

Rescue aid is subject to strict rules. In order to be authorised, it must, among other things, comply with the following five conditions:

- take the form of loan guarantees or interest-bearing loans at market rates;

- be limited to the amount strictly necessary to keep the firm in business (for example by covering wage or salary costs or routine supplies);

- be granted for a period not exceeding six months;

- be warranted on the grounds of serious social difficulties and have no unduly adverse spillover effects on other Member States;

- be accompanied by an undertaking to restructure or liquidate the aid beneficiary, or to reimburse the loans.

The aim of rescue aid is to permit the assisted firm to survive for a short period. This time must be used to assess in detail the prospects for future viability of the economic activities under threat.

The Commission would stress that State aid to the restructuring of airlines is governed by guidelines laying down very strict conditions, including the one time, last time principle. The Commission will scrutinise any proposal for the granting of aid to the restructuring of Sabena in the light of these conditions.

(1) OJ C 288, 9.10.1999.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2822/01

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Council

(10 October 2001)

Subject: Gender mainstreaming in ACP countries

What plans does the Council have for working to ensure that trade policies promote human rights and gender equality in ACP countries?

In the context of deconcentration, and the stated objective of mainstreaming gender in the EU's development cooperation with ACP countries, does the Council agree that at least one member of all delegations in ACP countries should have expertise and responsibility for gender?

Reply

(12 February 2002)

1. The Council Resolution of December 1995, the Council Conclusions of May 1998 and the Council Regulation of December 1998 on Integrating Gender Issues in Development Co-operation set the policy framework for EC Development cooperation and gender equality. For the ACP countries in addition, gender issues are emphasised in the Cotonou Agreement as cross-cutting issues.

2. Pursuant to these Resolutions and instruments the Council warmly welcomes the Commission Communication on the Programme of Action for the mainstreaming of gender equality in Community Development Co-operation.

With a view to further reinforcing the above framework, the agenda of the Council on 8 November 2001 envisages the adoption of Conclusions on the Commission's Programme of Action. It notes that gender aspects will be analysed and integrated within the priority areas contained in the EC Development Policy, inter alia, support for macro-economic policies as well as trade and development (in particular to identify mechanisms ensuring that trade and investments support gender equality).

3. The Council is of the opinion that adequate human resources in terms of quantity, capacity and continuity are crucial for a timely and effective implementation of this Programme of Action over the coming years.

In this context the Council emphasises the need to include training on gender issues in all training activities related to development cooperation and notes that the Commission's internal gender mainstreaming capacities will be established through a number of methods (for instance training and the development of tools).

While the Council supports the Commission's plans for building its internal capacity, tools and methods for gender mainstreaming, it considers that the allocation of adequate human resources within Commission delegations in ACP countries is the responsibility of the Commission.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2310/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(31 July 2001)

Subject: National measures for wine labelling

Given the evidence that wine labelling would materially avoid physical hardship by a number of drinkers able thereby to avoid high levels of sulphites, does the Commission consider that national measures to protect public health under Article 30 of the Rome Treaty would be justified, given that there is no realistic prospect of agreeing a wine labelling regime after 18 years of discussion?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2001)

Given the lack of Community legislation on the labelling of ingredients of alcoholic drinks, despite several proposals from the Commission since 1982, the Commission is in favour of Member States maintaining or adopting national laws on the labelling of ingredients of certain alcoholic drinks, provided these comply with the rules of the EC Treaty.

With regard to wine, however, the following must be noted:

- there is existing Community legislation (a list of the various applicable legal instruments will be forwarded directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat) which governs very precisely and exhaustively the compulsory and optional information to be used in the labelling of wines, but does not provide for the labelling of ingredients. This legislation is about to be replaced, in order to apply the new common organisation of the market in wine adopted by the Council in May 1999 (Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine(1)), by rules which are currently under discussion and will be adopted very soon. The draft version of these new provisions provides for an optional reference to sulphites in wine labelling;

- the Commission has just forwarded a proposal to Parliament and the Council to amend Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs(2), which provides for compulsory labelling, without the possibility of derogations, of the main ingredients or substances which cause food intolerances or allergies. Alcoholic drinks, including wines, are included in this proposal, and sulphites are one of the substances in question.

In the Commission's opinion, therefore, it would not be appropriate to adopt national measures applicable to the labelling of wine ingredients.

(1) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999.

(2) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2832/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(12 October 2001)

Subject: Outstanding payments to teachers in public vocational training institutes and the second Community Support Framework

Some 10 000 teachers paid on an hourly basis who worked in public vocational training institutes in Greece have not yet received their outstanding pay for 15 months work.

1. Given that the public vocational training institutes are mainly funded from the European Social Fund through subprogramme 2.1 of the operational programme for education and initial vocational training, why have the teachers not yet been paid?

2. In the light of the rumours that the money has been misappropriated, what information does the Commission have available?

3. What measures will the Commission take to ensure that the teachers are paid as promptly as possible?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2001)

Initial vocational training was indeed an action supported by the European Structural Fund and included in the operational programme Education and Initial

Vocational Training of the Greek Community Support Framework 1994-1999. The deadline for legal commitments for this programme expired on 31 December 1999, while implementation and payments continue until 31 December 2001. For the abovementioned programme and according to the existing rules, the Commission has paid to Greece the 1999 advanced payment (about 194 million), as well as a second advanced payment (about 125 million). The Greek authorities should submit their final claim for payment and closure of the programme by 30 June 2002. About 86 million of European Social Fund credits still remain to be paid.

According to information received by the Greek authorities, the delay of payments to teachers is due to the exhaustion of the budget of the measure concerning initial vocational training in the end of 1999 and the difficulty of the Ministry of Education to find national resources. The new operational programme 2000-2006 and national credits will cover the implementation cost for 2000 and 2001. In the meantime, in March 2001 the Commission approved the new operational programme Education and Initial Vocational Training for the period 2000-2006 and made an advanced payment to Greece. The Ministry of Education believes that all outstanding payments to teachers will have been made by January 2002.

The Commission is not aware of any misappropriation of credits with regard to initial vocational training in the framework of the programme Education and Initial Vocational Training. The Commission will take all necessary steps to verify the validity of rumours concerning this matter.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2992/01

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 2001)

Subject: Crisis loans to airlines

On 3 October 2001 the Belgian government promised to arrange a short-term loan to the tune of some EUR 125 million for the national airline Sabena in order to forestall the immediate prospect of its bankruptcy. As soon as it heard of the emergency loan to Sabena, the Commission immediately asked the Belgian government for an explanation.

Does the information received by the Commission indicate that the decision was contrary to EU competition law? What measures does the Commission propose to take in relation to the decision? What is the Commission's general line of action regarding the granting of state aids to airlines and routes?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2002)

On 5 October 2001 the Belgian Government notified the Commission of aid to rescue Sabena in the form of a 125 million loan to meet the company's cash requirements for a maximum period of three months. The Commission examined this measure as a matter of urgency, given the difficult position of the company. On 17 October 2001 the Commission decided to authorise the aid, considering that all the conditions laid down in the Community guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty(1) were met in this case.

The Commission does not intend to change its policy on state aids. The general principles underlying its action are expounded in the guidelines applicable to air transport adopted by the Commission in 1994(2) and have been applied consistently. With regard to restructuring aid, these guidelines lay down the single aid principle according to which the Commission will not allow further aid unless under exceptional circumstances, unforeseeable and external to the company.

(1) OJ C 288, 9.10.1999.

(2) Application of Articles 92 (ex-98) and 93 (ex-99) of the EC Treaty and Article 61 of the EEA Agreement to state aids in the aviation sector; OJ C 350, 10.12.1994.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2928/01

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 October 2001)

Subject: Infringement of FFH directive and nature conservation directive by works on the Danube at Thundorf and between Staubingen and Vilshofen (Bavaria)

The construction of one or more barrages on the Danube between Straubing and Vilshofen would severely damage the wetland at the mouth of the Isar, the only one of its kind in Europe. The area concerned is a protected area within the meaning of the European nature conservation directives. Similarly, dyke-building in the Thurndorf area (nature conservation area of Staatshaufen at kilometre 2 278,2 on the Danube) poses a threat to the groundwater in the hinterland.

1. Is the Commission aware that the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and the Federal Environment Agency have not so far been involved in the environmental assessment of the various options, contrary to the claims of the Bavarian Environment Ministry? What measures will the Commission take to ensure that a full report on the ecosystems between Straubing and Vilshofen is drawn up immediately?

2. No environmental impact assessment has been carried out pursuant to Article 6 of the FFH Directive in respect of the dyke-building in progress. What measures will the Commission take to rectify that situation immediately?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(19 December 2001)

1. In addition to other areas already notified before, the Danube meadows between Straubing and Vilshofen were notified on 28 August 2001 by the German Federal Government as areas to be protected in accordance with the Habitat and the Birds Directives(1).

2Both for the running, and the planned development measures the rules under Article 6, paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Habitat Directive fully apply. The Commission will request all the necessary information from the Federal Government in order to be able to evaluate the respect of these rules.

(1) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992 and Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds, OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3190/01

by Christel Fiebiger (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 November 2001)

Subject: Biogeographical meeting on the Continental region (Natura 2000)

On 28 March 2001, at the time when complaint procedure 1998/5119 was dropped, the Commission's Environment DG (Directorate D) informed the Verein zum Schutz der Kahlen Schmücke (association for the protection of the Kahle Schmücke, Thuringia)

that the biogeographical meeting on the Continental region would take place in autumn 2001 and that, should the classification of the Kahle Schmücke as an FFH (fauna-flora-habitat) site prove in any way wanting, the Commission would take steps on its own initiative.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. Has the biogeographical meeting on the Continental region already taken place? (If so, what was the outcome? If not, why not?)

2. Have there been developments in the Commission's thinking regarding the FFH classification of the Kahle Schmücke?

3. By what date will the Kahle Schmücke finally be confirmed as an FFH site?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(10 January 2002)

1. The second bio-geographical seminar for the continental region did not yet take place. The delay is due among other things to the late and unsatisfactory notification of proposed sites of Community interest. The second bio-geographical seminar for the continental region is now planned for October 2002.

2. There are for the moment no new aspects concerning the evaluation of the proposed site of Community importance Kahle Schmücke as far as the Commission is aware.

3. The final confirmation of the sites of Community importance for the continental region as proposed by the Member States will take place within the framework of the establishment of the list of sites of Community importance pursuant to Article 4(2) of the Habitat Directive(1). This will be done after conclusion of the scientific evaluation within the framework of the above-mentioned bio-geographical seminar.

(1) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2798/01

by Theresa Zabell (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Air security

Following the recent events in the USA, numerous security measures have been adopted at airports, to the point that one cannot travel with any pointed object and that hand luggage is subject to frequent checks.

However, what is the Commission's assessment of such measures given that on 12 September 2001, the Tax Value shops in Zaventem airport (Brussels) had numerous knives in a range of sizes for sale to passengers who had already passed the security checks?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 November 2001)

The Commission unreservedly condemns such practices and indeed has recommended that the sale of such dangerous objects should be stopped.

The Commission on 10 October 2001 proposed the adoption and enforcement of common Community security rules for civil aviation by means of a Parliament and Council Regulation(1). The incorporation of these rules into Community law will enable them to be applied in an effective manner and this process will be subject to continuous control.

The common rules will be based on the rules set out in Document 30 of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) and will aim at increased control of both international and domestic flights.

They will chiefly be concerned with:

- control of access to sensitive areas of airports and aircraft;

- control of passengers and their hand luggage;

- control and monitoring of hold luggage;

- control of cargo and mail;

- training of ground staff;

- definition of specifications for the equipment for the above controls;

- classification of weapons and other items which it is prohibited to bring on to aircraft or into the sensitive areas of airports.

(1) COM(2001) 575 final.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3093/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 November 2001)

Subject: Use of resources from the Community Fund for Tobacco Research and Information

Data produced by Directorate-General VI for Agriculture (29th report of the EAGGF for 1999) reveal that the appropriations deducted for the Community Fund for Tobacco Research and Information were under-utilised. Of the 48 717 941 deducted, only 11 896 872 were used.

1. What are the latest figures for deductions and utilisation of resources for the Community Fund for Research and Information on Tobacco?

2. Have any new projects been approved in addition to those referred to by the Commission in its answer to my previous question (E-0247/00(1))? Are there any projects involving Greece?

(1) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 23.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2001)

As regards the total amount deducted for the purposes of the Fund, it should be noted that this is not a true fund into which the deductions made are paid and from which the resources to finance projects are withdrawn. In practice the Commission initiates activities that are financed under the ad hoc heading Community fund for research and information (B1-175). Its appropriations correspond to the estimate of actual incurred costs for the budget year. The Commission ensures that appropriations/expenditure under it do not exceed the product of the deductions.

For 2001 the amount entered in the Community budget (heading B1-175) is 15 000 000: 7 500 000 for research and 7 500 000 for information provision.

Expenditure in 2000 was 3 073 000. Under-utilisation of the deduction is due in part to the absence of new projects and in part to the fact that payment for each project is made progressively as its implementation is verified.

(a) There are no new research projects. The Commission's recent proposals on renewal of the common market organisation for tobacco anticipate a reorientation of the Fund's aims.

(b) On the information side, the Commission on 13 June 2001 called for tenders for a campaign to dissuade adolescents from smoking. On 9 November the scientific and technical committee for the Community tobacco fund met in order to help the Commission make the best choice among the offers submitted.

All projects, whether already executed or in progress, present an interest for Greece.