(2004/C58E/012) WRITTENQUESTIONE-0048/03
byCharlesTannock(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(21January2003)
Subject:Conditionssurroundingthefreedomofmovementofcitizensoftheapplicantcountriesfollowing
accession
AnumberofMemberStateshaveindicatedthatacceptanceofenlargementisconditionaluponrestricted
rights of movement for citizens of applicant countries for a transitional period of seven years afteraccessioninMay,2004.Bycontrast,anumberofMemberStates,includingtheUnitedKingdom,Ireland,Denmark,SwedenandGreece,haveindicatedthattheywillnotseektoimposeanyrestrictions.
CantheCommissionconfirmthatundertheproposalsagreedwiththeapplicantcountriesattherecent
summitinCopenhagenthatthoseMemberStatessuchasGermanyandAustriawhichhaveindicatedthattheywishtoimposerestrictionswillhavetheoptionofrelaxingthemduringthetransitionalperiodandthatthoseMemberStateswhichhaveindicatedotherwisewillhavetheoptionofimposingrestrictionsduringthetransitionalperiodshouldtheyfinditnecessaryordesirabletodoso?
AnswergivenbyMrVerheugenonbehalfoftheCommission
(13February2003)
Duringaccessionnegotiationsthefollowingmeasuresrelatedtothefreemovementofworkersfromnew
intocurrentMemberStateshavebeenagreedforallaccedingcountries,exceptMaltaandCyprus.Itshouldbestressedthatthesemeasureswillonlyapplytofreemovementofsalariedworkers,andthatinrelationtoothercategoriesofcitizens(self-employed,students,inactiveorretiredpeople),Communityprovisionsregardingrighttofreemovementandresidencewillapplyfromthedayofaccession.ThereisaminorexceptionrelatingtothetransnationalprovisionofservicesinvolvingthetemporarymovementofworkersintoGermanyandAustria.
Forthefirsttwoyearsafteraccession,thecurrentMemberStateswilladmitworkersfromthefuture
Member States under national rules, rather than under Community rules on free movement. CurrentMemberStatesmaycompletelyliberaliseaccesstotheirlabourmarketsduringthesetwoyears,butundernational,notCommunity,law.
Twoyearsafteraccession,theCommissionwillreportonthesituationandthecurrentMemberStateswill
havetoannouncewhethertheyintendtocontinuewithnationalmeasuresfortheremainingthreeyearsofthemaintransitionalperiod,orwhethertheyintendtoapplyCommunityrulesonthefreemovementofworkers.ForthemomenttheCommissionhasnotreceivedanyofficialinformationfromcurrentMember
Statesinthisrespect.TheCommissionexpectsthatonlyfewMemberStateswillcontinuetorestrictaccess
tothelabourmarket,whileinothercurrentMemberStates,citizensfromthefutureMemberStateswouldbetotallyfreetogetajob.ThoseMemberStateswouldonlymaintaina‘safeguard’;thismeansthattheycould, in cases of unexpected disturbance on the labour market, or in some region or profession,re-introducerestrictionstemporarily.
ThosecurrentMemberStateswhichdecide,attheendofthefirsttwoyears,tomaintainrestrictions,may
dosoforafurtherthreeyears.AtanytimeduringthisthreeyearperiodacurrentMemberStatemaynotifytheCommissionthatitintendstostopapplyingnationalrestrictions.Inanyevent,attheendofthatthreeyearsperiod,thetransitionalperiodisforeseentoendandtheCommunityrulesonfreemovementofworkerswillapply.
However,incaseofseriousdisturbancesinthelabourmarket,orathreatofsuchdisturbances,Member
Statesmayprolongtheirnationalpoliciesforafurthertwoyears.C58E/12 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Furthermore,astandstillclausewillapply,wherebyaccesstocurrentMemberStatelabourmarketsby
workersfromthenewMemberStatescannotbemorerestrictedthanthatprevailingatthetimeofthesignatureoftheAccessionTreaty.CurrentMemberStatesmustgivepreferencetonationalsofthenewMemberStatesovernon-Communitylabour.
Inaddition,GermanyandAustriahavetherighttoapplyflankingnationalmeasurestoaddressserious
disturbancesorthethreatthereof,inspecificsensitiveservicesectors(suchasconstructionorindustrialcleaning)ontheirlabourmarkets,whichcouldariseincertainregionsfromcross-borderprovisionofservicesinvolvingthemovementofworkers.
AdeclarationtotheAccessionTreatystatesthatcurrentMemberStatesshallendeavourtograntincreased
labourmarketaccessundernationallaw,withaviewtospeedinguptheapproximationtotheacquisandevenanencouragementtoimproveaccessbeforeaccession.
ThesetransitionalarrangementsallowmaximumflexibilitytothecurrentMemberStatestoadmitworkers
from the new Member States, whether under national rules or under Community law on the freemovementofworkers.
(2004/C58E/013) WRITTENQUESTIONE-0259/03
byElspethAttwooll(ELDR)totheCommission
(5February2003)
Subject:TelephonenumbersinGibraltar
WouldtheCommissionpleaseindicatewhetherornottheallocationoftelephonenumbersbySpainto
Gibraltar is in conformitywith European Communitylaw? Couldthe Commissionfurther explain itsattitude to the fact that whilst access from elsewhere in the world to Gibraltar is governed by aninternationalcode,accessfromSpaintoGibraltarisgovernedbyaSpanishprovincialone?
AnswergivenbyMrMontionbehalfoftheCommission
(3June2003)
ThesituationreferredtobytheHonourableMemberresultsfromtherefusalofSpaintorecognisethe
internationaldirectdialling(IDD)codesassignedbytheInternationalTelecommunicationsUnion(ITU)toGibraltar.DuetothelackofrecognitionbySpain,theseIDDcodesarenotprogrammedintheswitchesofTelefónica de España. To allow communications between Gibraltar and Spain, number ranges in the
SpanishnumberingplanfortheprovinceofCadizhavebeenreservedforoperatorsoutsideofSpain.
AllcallsfromSpaintoGibraltarareroutedviathelocalareacodeofCadiz.
TheassignmentandrecognitionofIDDcodesisnotspecificallyregulatedatEClevel.Thelegalityofa
refusaltorecogniseanIDDcodeandtheallocationofnumberrangesinanationalnumberingplanforoperators outsidethe relevant Member Statecan therefore onlybe assessed,onthe onehand, underArticles49,10and82oftheECTreaty,andontheotherhand,inthelightofthenumberingprovisionsoftheServices(
1)andInterconnectionDirectives(2),asamended.TheCommissionhasnottakenadecision
yet onwhether topursue aninfringement case under Articles 49, 10and82ofthe EC Treaty, thenumbering provisions in Directive 90/388/EEC or the Community harmonisation rules (the ONPframework),inparticularthenumberingprovisionsinDirective97/33/EC.
(1) Commission Directive 90/388/EEC of 28June 1990 on competition in the markets for telecommunications
services,OJL192,24.7.1990.
(2) Directive 97/33/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 30June 1997 on interconnection in Tele-
communicationswithregardtoensuringuniversalserviceandinteroperabilitythroughapplicationoftheprinciples
ofOpenNetworkProvision(ONP),OJL199,26.7.1997.6.3.2004EN C58E/13 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion