AnswergivenbyMrsWallströmonbehalfoftheCommission
(12September2003)
TheCommissionhasexaminedthecompatibilityofmusselfishingactivitiesintheWaddenSeaandinthe
estuaryoftheRiverEms,LowerSaxony,withDirective92/43/EECof21May1992ontheconservationofnaturalhabitatsandofwildfaunaandflora(‘HabitatsDirective’)onvariousoccasions.
Cases2001/4472and2001/4582concernedmusselfishingactivitiesintheprotectedsiteofCommunity
interest(pSCI)‘HundundPaapsand’(DE2507/301).Bothcaseswereclosedon16October2002,sincetheCommissiondidnotseeaviolationoftheHabitatsDirectiveorofanyotherCommunitylaw.
AccordingtoinformationfromtheGermanGovernment,therehadonlybeenasinglepermitformussel
fishinginthepSCI‘HundundPaapsand’(DE2507-301).Beforethepermithadbeenissued,animpact
assessment according to Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive had been carried out. The latter had
concludedthatsignificantnegativeeffectsofthefishingactivitiesonthepSCIwerenottobeexpected.Thishadalsobeentheexperiencefrompastmusselfishingactivitiesinthearea.
TheCommissionsharedtheviewoftheGermanGovernmentandconsequentlyfoundthatArticle6(3)of
the Habitats Directive had notbeen violated. Since the Commissiondidnotsee a violation ofother
Communitylaw,either,thecaseswereclosed.
(2004/C58E/191) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2550/03
byAvrilDoyle(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(4August2003)
Subject:Capitalfundingforcommunityartsinitiative
CantheCommissionadviseofanyavailablesourcesofEUfundingforacommunityartsgroupthat
promotesracialawareness,socialinclusionandemploymentofthemarginalorlong-termunemployedand
developstheskillsofyoungpeople?
Thefundingrequiredisforcapitalequipmenttobringfacilitiesuptobasichealthandsafetystandards.
AnswergivenbyMrsDiamantopoulouonbehalfoftheCommission
(30September2003)
TheHonourableMemberwillbeawarethattheCommissionworkscloselywiththeMemberStatesto
eliminatediscriminationandpromoteemploymentofallgroups,particularlythoseatriskofexclusion.
Inthecontextoftheopenmethodofcoordination,theCommunityActionProgrammetoCombatSocial
Exclusion2002-2006ismeanttosupportcooperationwhichenablestheCommunityandtheMemberStatestoenhancetheeffectivenessandefficiencyofpoliciestocombatsocialexclusionby:
1. improvingtheunderstandingofsocialexclusionandpovertywiththehelpinparticularofcomparable
indicators;
2. organising exchanges on policies which are implemented and promoting mutual learning in the
contextofnationalactionplans;
3. developingthecapacityofactorstoaddresssocialexclusionandpovertyeffectively,andtopromote
innovativeapproaches.C58E/178 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Further,undertheEQUALCommunityinitiative,financialsupportisgrantedtoDevelopmentPartnerships
whichbringtogetherkeyactorscommittedtodevelopingandtestingnewwaysofdeliveringemploymentandsocialinclusionpolicies.MemberStatesareresponsibleforprovidingfundingaccordingtoEuropeanSocialFundrulesandprocedures.Fundingofcapitalequipmentis,exceptionally,eligibleunderEQUAL,provided it is directly linked and necessary for the success of a Development Partnership, and onlyconstitutesaminorpartofthetotalexpenditure.
However,providingfinancialsupportmainlyforupgradingcapitalequipmentandfacilitieswouldnotbe
possibleeitherundertheCommunityActionProgrammetocombatsocialexclusionorunderEQUAL.
Furtherinformationontheoperationofthese,andotherprogrammes,canbefoundonthewebsite
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/).
(2004/C58E/192) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2561/03
byMaurizioTurco(NI)totheCommission
(4August2003)
Subject:RefurbishmentoftheBerlaymontbuilding
On28AprilthisyearthejudgePatrickCollignonoftheBrusselspublicprosecutor’sofficestartedan
investigation againstunknownpersonsforfinancialirregularities involvedintherefurbishmentoftheBerlaymontbuilding,whichwastheheadquartersoftheEuropeanCommissionuntil1991.
TheBrusselsjudiciarylaunchedtheinquiryafterreceivingadossierfromOlaf,theEUanti-fraudoffice,
whichhasinturnopenedaninquiryintotwocontractswhichapparentlydidnotcomplywithlegislationgoverningpubliccontracts.Therestructuringofthehistoricbuildinghasgoneonforyears,withsoaringcostsandsubstantialdelaysintheprojectschedule.
CantheCommissionsay:
/dash whetherithasanyinformationabouttheinquirybytheBrusselspublicprosecutor’soffice;
/dash whatstepsitwilltaketosafeguardtheUnion’sfinancialinterests;/dash whetherthecontractswiththecompaniesinvolvedintherefurbishmentenvisagedapenaltyinthe
eventofdelaysindeliveryand,ifso,whowassupposedtoquestionanyinfringementandhowmanyandwhatkindofdisputestherehavebeenandwhattheoutcomewas?
AnswergivenbyMrKinnockonbehalfoftheCommission
(7October2003)
On 13November 2002, after prolonged negotiations, the Commissionsigned an agreement with the
BelgianGovernmentandSABerlaymont2000whichsetoutthemainpointsoftheacquisitionbytheCommunityoftheBerlaymontbuildingandthelandsurroundingit.
Thatagreementhasapriceceilingandspecifiedcompletiondates.Itthereforeincludesthesingleamount,
includingallcosts,whichtheCommunitymustpaytosecurethelong-termleaseofthefullyrenovatedbuildingandthedateswhenthebasicbuildingwillbecomeavailableandforprovisionalacceptanceoftheworksnotincludedtherein.ItalsospecifiesthepenaltieswhichtheCommunitywillapplyiftheBelgianGovernmentandSABerlaymont2000failtomeetthesedeadlines.
TheagreementincludesthespecificguaranteesprovidedbytheBelgianGovernmentandSABerlaymont
2000toprotect the Community’sfinancial interests in the event ofsuspectedfraud in the award ofcontractsforworks,suppliesandservicesorduringtheirimplementation.6.3.2004EN C58E/179 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion