AnswergivenbyMsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(9September2003)
AccordingtotheinformationavailabletotheCommission,theInternationalMaritimeOrganisationhas
notdealtwiththequestionoftheseaman’sbook,thecompetenceofthenationalauthoritiesissuingthebookortheconditionsofissue.
However,thesubjecthastosomeextentbeendealtwithbytheInternationalLabourOrganisationunder
Convention No 108 on seafarers’ identity documents, adopted in 1958. This Convention gives thecontractingpartiesacertainmarginformanoeuvre,regardingboththecontentoftheidentitydocumentandthepersonseligibletoholdit,andhasservedasthebasisforaseaman’sbookinseveralcountries.Apartfromtheinformationconcerningtheholder,itappearsthat,inpractice,thecontentofthebook
variesdependingontheapplicablenationalprovisions.Itmayormaynotcontaindetailsofperiodsof
serviceatseaorperiodsoftrainingonboard.
ConventionNo108wasrecentlyrevisedbyConventionNo185,adoptedbytheInternationalLabour
Organisation on19June 2003.The new Conventionspecifies the contentandformofthe seafarers’
identitydocument,andminimumrequirementsconcerningtheprocessesandproceduresforissuingit.It
introducesamorestringentsystemforidentifyingseamen,inordertofacilitatetheirmovementsandwithaviewtopreventingactsofterrorism.TheCommissionwillassesstowhatextentthenewConventionwillremoveanyobstaclestothebasicfreedomsoftheinternalmarket.
As the seaman’s book is not explicitly provided for in any international or Community regulations,
practicesandproceduresregardingthecontentanduseofthedocument,andprovisionsrelatingtoits
issue,mayvaryfromoneMemberStatetoanother.TheCommissiondoesnothaveanyinformationontheapplicablenationalrules.
AtthisstagetheCommissionisnotplanningtodrawupalegislativeproposalontheseaman’sbook.It
willconsiderwhetherthereisaneedforCommunitylegislationwhichincorporatestherequirementsof
theILOConventionintoCommunitylaw.
(2004/C58E/162) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2247/03
byJuanNaranjoEscobar(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(7July2003)
Subject:‘One-stopshop’forEuropeanUnionaidandsubsidies
ThepossibilityofobtainingaidorsubsidiesfromtheEuropeanUnionshimmerslikeamiragewhichmany
Europeans,asprivateindividualsorprofessionals,wouldliketoseeconvertedintorealitytogiveafinalboosttoabuddingprojectoraprojectrecentlyembarkedupon.
Veryoften,forwantoftheexpertiseandresolveneededtopinpointtheCommunityaidorsubsidymost
suitedtotheirprojectneeds,theyfailtomaketheirapplication,dumbstruckbyaplethoraofinformation.
Could the European Commission therefore indicate whether it would not consider it appropriate to
introduceaCommunity‘one-stopshop’,responsibleforpointingtotheaidorsubsidy,theprocedureandthe channel bestsuitedtothe applicant’sneeds, toenableEU citizens /dashbe theyprivate individuals,professionalsorenterprises/dashtoapplyfortheaidorsubsidytheyneed.6.3.2004EN C58E/147 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
AnswergivenbyMrProdionbehalfoftheCommission
(12August2003)
Thecurrentfinancialrulesongrantsestablishtheprinciplethat,beforeeligibilitycanbesettled,acallfor
proposalsmustnormallybepublished.Thisshouldsetoutthespecificconditionsonwhichgrantsmaybemadeandtheexactprocedureforsubmittingapplications.ApplicationsaresubmittedtotheindividualDirectorate-General,whichwillthenhavetocheckthatalltheconditionsformakingthegrantaremet.
EachDirectorate-Generalprovidesinformation,onitsownsiteontheEuropaserver,aboutthetypesof
grantadministered,grantsmadeinpreviousyears,itsgrantsworkprogrammeforthecurrentyear,andopencallsforproposals.
Nevertheless,awebsitecontaininginformationonfundingimplementedbytheUnionismadeavailableto
thepublicontheEuropaserver(
1).Itiscurrentlybeingcompletelyreorganisedandupdated.
ThesiteanditsproposedreorganisationareevidenceoftheCommission’scommitmenttotransparency
anditsdesiretoprovidecitizenswithclear,completeandpracticalinformationabouttheprojectfunding
possibilitiesopentothemthroughtheCommunitybudgetandtheconditionsthathavetobemet.
(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgc/info_subv/index_en.htm
(2004/C58E/163) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2253/03
byEnricoFerri(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(8July2003)
Subject:CompetitionsCOM/B/2/01andCOM/A/6/01
RegardingthecompetitionsCOM/B/2/01,andCOM/A/6/01publishedintheOfficialJournal(1)andinthe
lightofArticle255oftheTreatyestablishingtheEC,implementedbyRegulation1049/2001(2)of30May
2001 concerning access to Commission documents, could the Commission provide the following
information:
/dash Among the candidates admitted to the oral exam, how many were already or previously under
contractandworkingfortheEuropeanCommission(asauxiliaries,temporarystaff,officials,etc.)?
/dash WhywasthenumberofsuccessfulcandidatesintheoralexamlowerthanlaiddownintheOJ?(Can
thejuryexplainthereasonsforthischoiceespeciallyinviewofthefactthatthisisoneofthelastcompetitionsbeforetheenlargementoftheEU)?
/dash Wasalistofquestionstobeputtothecandidatesduringtheoralexamdrawnupinadvance,inorder
toguaranteenon-discriminatorytreatment?
(1) OJC167A,12.6.2001.
(2) OJL145,31.5.2001,p.43.
AnswergivenbyMrKinnockonbehalfoftheCommission
(29September2003)
ConcerningcompetitionCOM/B/2/01Amongthe candidatesadmittedtothe oralexam, 73were already orpreviously under contractand
workingfortheCommissionasauxiliaries,temporarystafforofficials.C58E/148 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion