ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2134/03

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Council

(26 June 2003)

Subject: Deployment of an EU force in Congo

Endorsing the Council's decision of 5 June 2003 concerning Congo, a number of international organisations have pointed out that the mandate is too limited (geographically) and too short (expiring on 1 September).

Will the Council draw the attention of the United Nations Secretary-General and the Security Council to the desirability of a fresh mandate in respect of these two points?

Reply

(13 October 2003)

The UNSC in its Resolution 1484 (2003) authorised the deployment until 1 September 2003 of an Interim Emergency Multinational Force in Bunia. It was stressed that this force is to be deployed on a strictly

temporary basis to allow the UNSG to reinforce the presence of the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) in Bunia. Answering to this call from the UNSC, the Council of the EU on 5 June 2003 decided to conduct a EU military operation in the DRC, named Artemis, in accordance with the mandate set out in UNSCR 1484(2003).

The mandate, limited geographically and in time, is thus designed to stabilise the situation in Bunia until the UNSG can deploy a reinforced UN presence to Bunia by mid-August 2003. The discussion of such a deployment of a reinforced MONUC, both in terms of manpower and mandate, is taking place in the UNSC for the moment with the active support of EU Member States sitting in the SC. MONUC's mandate already covers the whole of the DRC.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1013/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(27 March 2003)

Subject: Use of funds from the Daphne programme by the municipality of Pistoia

In September 2002, the monitoring committee of the Italian Ministry for Economic Affairs issued a report on the spending of EU funds.

The report reveals the alarming slowness and inefficiency with which EU funds are allocated to projects by some regional authorities.

The grave concerns about the inadequate use of European funds by local authorities have frequently been echoed by the Commission.

Bearing in mind that some local authorities, such as the municipality of Pistoia, urgently need to use European funds to combat the abuse of women and children,

can the Commission state:

1. whether the municipality of Pistoia has submitted projects for the Daphne programme?

2. whether the municipality of Pistoia has secured funding for these projects?

3. whether this funding has been used?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-1004/03, E-1005/03, E-1006/03,E-1007/03, E-1008/03, E-1009/03, E-1010/03, E-1011/03,E-1012/03, E-1013/03, E-1014/03, E-1015/03 and E-1016/03given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(28 April 2003)

The Daphne programme received the following proposals in 2003 alone:

- two proposals from the muncipality of Florence Assessorato Pubblica Istruzione e Politiche Giovanili, Direzione Istruzione;

- one proposal from the muncipality of Pesaro Servizio sociale;

- one proposal from the muncipality of Siena Comitato di ente per le pari opportunita.

The Commission has not yet assessed these proposals and is, therefore, unable to provide the Honourable Member with details of the selection or funding at this stage. Information on the outcome of the assessment process will be sent in July 2003 to all parties which applied to the Daphne programme in 2003.

No proposal was received between 1997 and 2003 for the other municipalities referred to by the Honourable Member (Ancona, Livorno, Macerata, Massa, Perugia, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Terni).
(2004/C58E/068) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1205/03
byAlexandrosAlavanos(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(2April2003)
Subject:OutlawingoftheHADEPpartyinTurkey
TheHADEPpartyhasbeenrecentlyoutlawedbytheTurkishConstitutionalCourtwhichalsobannedover
40ofitsmembersfromanyformofpoliticalactivityoverthenextfiveyears.Inaddition,thepublicprosecutorhasbeenseekingtooutlawtherecentlyfoundedDEHAPparty.
The HADEP party, under the name DEHAP, gathered two million votes in the most recent Turkish
elections,6,2%atnationallevel,whilein12provincesintheKurdishareasitcamefirst,achieving47%inDiyarbakir,Batman,Sirnak,HakkariandBan.
TheEuropeanCourtofHumanRightshasalreadycondemnedTurkeyforoutlawingpoliticalpartieson
numerousoccasionsinthepast.Lastyear(Sadakv.Turkey)theCourtruledthatthisinfringednotonlytherightofsuchpartiesfreelytoexercisetheirmandateandtheirrighttofreedomofexpression,butalsotherightofvoterstofairandfreeelections.
Inviewoftheabove,willtheCommissiontakeactionwithaviewtohavingthisnewandunacceptable
measureoverturned,giventhatitpreventspartiesfromfreelyexercisingtheirmandateandinfringestherighttofreedomofexpressionandrepresentationofmillionsofKurdsinTurkey?
AnswergivenbyMrVerheugenonbehalfoftheCommission
(30April2003)
TheCommissionisawareofthesituationregardingtheHADEPparty,anditssuccessor,theDEHAPparty.
On14March2003aCommissionspokespersonexpressedtheconcernoftheCommissionwithregardtothebanningoftheHADEPparty,asthedecisionappearedtobeagainstthespiritofthecurrentreformagendainTurkey.
AccordingtotheTurkishauthorities,theTurkishConstitutionalCourtdelivereditsjudgementagainstthe
HADEP party after receiving evidence that the party had explicitly aided and abetted the KurdistanWorkers’Party(PKK),whichisconsideredbytheTurkishstatetobeaterroristorganisation.
TheCommissionnotesthat,althoughtheEuropeanCourtofHumanRights(ECHR)hasinthepastruled
againstTurkeywithregardtothefreedomtoexerciseaparliamentarymandateandtherighttofreedomofexpression,somecasesagainstTurkeyhavenotbeenupheld.Forexample,inthecaseoftheRefahPartisi(TheWelfareParty)andothersversusTurkey,theECHRheldthattherewere‘convincingandcompellingreasonsjustifyingRefah’sdissolution’whichcouldberegardedas‘necessaryinademocraticsociety’.
AsaCandidateCountry,TurkeyaimstofulfiltheCopenhagenpoliticalcriteriaaswellasthepriorities
identifiedbytheAccessionPartnership.TheseincludethealignmentofprovisionsconcerningthefreedomofassociationwiththeEuropeanConventiononHumanRightsandMemberStatenorms.TheCommissionwillcontinuetomonitoralldevelopmentsrelatedtothefreedomofassociationinTurkeyandintendstoraisethisissueinitsregulardialoguewiththeTurkishauthorities.
(2004/C58E/069) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1225/03
byMogensCamre(UEN)totheCommission
(2April2003)
Subject:GermangovernmentaidtoworkerstakingupjobsinotherMemberStates
TheDanishnewspaperJyskeVestkystenreportedon15MarchthatabusinessmanfromKielhadhadthe
ideaofsupplyingGermanworkerstoDanishfirms.ThisisashrewdideainthattheGermangovernment6.3.2004EN C58E/51 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Bearing inmindthatsomelocalauthorities,suchasthemunicipality ofMassa,urgentlyneedtouse
EuropeanfundstopromotethesafeuseoftheInternetandencourage,atEuropeanlevel,afavourableenvironmentforthedevelopmentoftherelevantsector,
cantheCommissionstate:
1. whetherthemunicipalityofMassahassubmittedprojectsfortheActionPlanonpromotingsaferuse
oftheInternet?
2. whetherthemunicipalityofMassahassecuredfundingfortheseprojects?
3. whetherthisfundinghasbeenused?
(2004/C58E/043) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1084/03
byRobertaAngelilli(UEN)totheCommission
(31March2003)
Subject:UseoffundsundertheActionPlanonpromotingsaferuseoftheInternetbythemunicipalityof
Perugia
InSeptember2002,themonitoringcommitteeoftheItalianMinistryforEconomicAffairsissuedareport
onthespendingofEUfunds.
ThereportrevealsthealarmingslownessandinefficiencywithwhichEUfundsareallocatedtoprojectsby
someregionalauthorities.
ThegraveconcernsabouttheinadequateuseofEuropeanfundsbylocalauthoritieshavefrequentlybeen
echoedbytheCommission.
Bearinginmindthatsomelocalauthorities,suchasthemunicipalityofPerugia,urgentlyneedtouse
EuropeanfundstopromotethesafeuseoftheInternetandencourage,atEuropeanlevel,afavourableenvironmentforthedevelopmentoftherelevantsector,
cantheCommissionstate:
1. whetherthemunicipalityofPerugiahassubmittedprojectsfortheActionPlanonpromotingsaferuse
oftheInternet?
2. whetherthemunicipalityofPerugiahassecuredfundingfortheseprojects?
3. whetherthisfundinghasbeenused?
(2004/C58E/044) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1085/03
byRobertaAngelilli(UEN)totheCommission
(31March2003)
Subject:UseoffundsundertheActionPlanonpromotingsaferuseoftheInternetbythemunicipalityof
Pesaro
InSeptember2002,themonitoringcommitteeoftheItalianMinistryforEconomicAffairsissuedareport
onthespendingofEUfunds.
ThereportrevealsthealarmingslownessandinefficiencywithwhichEUfundsareallocatedtoprojectsby
someregionalauthorities.
ThegraveconcernsabouttheinadequateuseofEuropeanfundsbylocalauthoritieshavefrequentlybeen
echoedbytheCommission.C58E/36 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
(2004/C58E/050) WRITTENQUESTIONE-0936/03
byDanaScallon(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(26March2003)
Subject:Timberindustry
Is the Commissionaware that the proposed tariff that is to be imposedon American softwoodand
hardwoodtimberbeingimportedintoEuropewouldhaveanegativeeffectonthetimberindustryinIrelandandthatintheopinionofanIrishhardwoodtimberimporter,itwouldresultinclosureofagreatdealofcompaniesinvolvedinthesaidindustry?
InlightofthisserioussituationIwouldasktheCommission’sreasonsforproposingthistaxandfora
reviewofthedecisiontoproposeit.
AnswergivenbyMrBolkesteinonbehalfoftheCommission
(5May2003)
The Honourable Member raises her concern on the negative effect that any eventual imposition of
countermeasuresonAmericanproductswouldhaveonthetimberbusinessinIreland.
Inthatrespect,itwouldbeusefultorecallthecircumstancesrelatingtotheWorldTradeOrganisation
(WTO)incompatibleForeignSalesCorporation/ExtraterritorialIncome(FSC/ETI)legislationwhichprovidesan illegal export tax subsidy to American firms to the tune of roughly USD4000 million per year.Inparticular,followingtheCommunity’ssuccessfulchallengeoftheFSC/ETIlegislationbeforetheWTO,on30August2002theCommunitywasgrantedbytheWTOtherighttoimposecountermeasuresintheformoftariffsonimportsofcertaingoodsfromtheUnitedStatesuptothatamount.However,theUnitedStateshasnotyettakenconcretestepstowardscompliance,althoughboththeAdministrationandseniormembersofCongresshaveindicatedthatthisistheirintention.
At the same time, it must be made clear that the Commission’sobjective in this dispute is not the
impositionofcountermeasuresonAmericanproductsbuttoobtainthewithdrawalofillegalmeasuresthatadverselyaffecttheinterestsofCommunitycompanies.TheCommission’saimis,therefore,toensurethattheUnitedStatescomplieswiththeWTOrulingonFSCwithintheshortesttimepossible.ButiftheUnitedStatesfailstocomply,theCommunitywillhavenootheroptionthantoexerciseitsWTOrights.
Inanattempt,however,tominimisethenegativeconsequencesthatanyeventualcountermeasurescould
createforEuropeanindustry,theCommissionhaslaunchedapublicconsultationexerciseonadraftlistofproductssoastogiveeconomicoperatorstheopportunitytoexpresstheirviewsonthelist.Furthermore,theCommissionhasonlyinsertedonthelistproductsforwhichimportsfromtheUnitedStatesrepresenta maximum 20% of total imports into the Community. The Commission has evaluated numerouscommentsreceived frominterested parties during the publicconsultationperiod. Incarrying outthisanalysis,theCommissionaimedtominimisethenegativeconsequencesthatanyeventualsanctionscouldcreatetoCommunbityinterestswhichwasafterallthestatedobjectiveofthewholeexercise.Followingconsultations,on28March2003,MemberStatesadoptedunanimouslyafinallistofproductsthatcouldbesubjecttoanyeventualcountermeasures.ThisfinallistwillbepostedonthefollowingCommission’swebsiteaddress:http://trade-info.cec.eu.int/europa/index_en.phpwhenformalised.C58E/40 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
Asforthedetectionoftwostrainsofsalmonella(DT108andDT170),thecompetentlaboratoryservices
agreethatthesestrainsarevirtuallyidenticalandhenceextremelydifficulttodifferentiate.
TheCommissionwouldliketoreiteratethatthesolepurposeoftheRapidAlertSystemistoprotectthe
healthofconsumers.TheCommissionpublishesaweeklyoverviewofalertandinformationnotificationsat(http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sfp/ras_index_en.html).CompaniesandbrandnamesdonotfigureontheselistsbutaresuppliedtothecompetentauthoritiesoftheMemberStatessoastoenablethem,wherenecessary,totaketheappropriateprotectivemeasures.
(2004/C58E/224) WRITTENQUESTIONP-2949/03
byGianGobbo(NI)totheCommission
(2October2003)
Subject:Indicationoffrozenproducts
DoestheCommissionconsiderthatitwouldbeappropriatetoadoptrulesrequiringpubliccommercial
establishmentsintheUniontoindicateclearly,forthepurposeofconsumerprotection,anyuseoffrozen
productsinthepreparationoffoodofferedtocustomers?
AnswergivenbyMrByrneonbehalfoftheCommission
(22October2003)
TheCommissiondoesnotconsiderthatitwouldbeappropriatetoobligerestaurants,canteens,etc.to
indicatetheuseoffrozenproductsinthepreparationofthefoodtheyserve,asameasureofthiskindisnotjustifiedfromafoodsafetyperspectiveinparticular.Inanycase,theadoptionofsuchmeasureswouldcomeunderthecompetenceoftheMemberStates.
However,theCommissionplanstomakeitcompulsoryforfoodssoldfrozenordefrostedtobearalabel
tothiseffect,togetherwithawarningthatthefoodinquestionshouldnotberefrozen.
(2004/C58E/225) WRITTENQUESTIONP-2951/03
byBriceHortefeux(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(2October2003)
Subject:DraftREACHregulation
The recent Internet consultation on the Commission’s draft regulation concerning the registration,
evaluationandauthorisationofchemicals(REACH)elicitedover6300contributions.
Thevastmajorityofcontributorsexpressedconcernaboutthefinancialandbureaucraticimplicationsof
thesemeasuresfortheEuropeanchemicalindustry,andalsoaboutthedamagingimpactoncompetitive-ness,employmentandEuropeanknow-how.SMEsinthechemicalindustrywillbeparticularlyaffected.The knock-on effect will mean that the economic impact on sectors downstream from the chemicalindustrywillbestronglyfeltacrosstheboard.Thecessationorrelocationofcertainproductionactivities,combinedwiththedesiretoavoidexcessiveredtapeinEuropewillleadsomeoperatorstodownsizeand/orrelocatesomeoftheirR&Dexpertiseinthelongterm.Lastly,theregistrationofpolymersonthebasisoftheoptionslaiddownbytheregulationcouldstifleinnovationinafieldwhosevibrancyisalmostunrivalled.C58E/208 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 70/155

(2004/C 70 E/162)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2890/03

by Anne Jensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(29 September 2003)

Subject: Aid to factories in the former GDR

Danish suppliers of spring water are currently complaining that there is distortion of competition on the European market owing to the fact that factories located in the former GDR — including Harboe Bryggerier A/S — are receiving aid from public resources. This aid makes it possible to send goods in over the nearest borders at very low prices.

What forms of aid schemes were set up for factories in the former GDR in connection with reconstruction and does the Commission know what aid the firm in question, Harboe Bryggerier A/S, has received?

In the case in point, does the Commission accept the terms on which the aid is provided or are there problems in relation to current rules on state aid?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 2003)

The Commission is not aware of the facts referred to by the Honourable Member. It has asked the Member State concerned for information. Following an assessment of the answer the Commission will deal with any potential illegal aid.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 70/241

(2004/C 70 E/261)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3233/03

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 November 2003)

Subject: Standardisation of European Union studies in education systems

Europe has taken yet one more step towards full convergence, and this time university education has taken centre stage. Thirty-three countries are seeking to create a European area of higher education in which qualifications, studies and the quality of university education will be of equal value, regardless of the university from which the qualification has been obtained or the country in which it is to be put to use.

In view of this it is perhaps time that a standardised approach was taken to European Union studies for university students, so as to enable each and every student in Europe to gain a similar insight into the political entity that is the united Europe, the home they share with their fellow European citizens.

Does the Commission believe that the time has now come to formulate a standardised university syllabus for European Union studies, so that young people entering university in any EU Member State gain a similar understanding of the European Union?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2003)

The Commission would refer first of all to Article 149 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the content of teaching is the responsibility of the Member States.

Moreover, it would be difficult to reconcile the principles of academic freedom and university independence, key principles of higher education, with the standardisation of the syllabus in various areas of teaching or research.

However, the Commission would like to assure the Honourable Member of its keen interest in the teaching of European integration at university. Thus, one of its ongoing projects in the field of education is the ‘Jean Monnet’ project, which aims to promote, using start-up grants, the development of specific courses in Community law, European economic integration, European political science and the history of European integration, all disciplines in which developments in European integration constitute an ever greater proportion of the syllabus.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 70/163

(2004/C 70 E/173)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2925/03

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 October 2003)

Subject: European productivity pact

Historically, Europe and Spain have ranked low on productivity, one of the principal reasons being the absence of any large-scale application of new technology to production processes, unlike the USA, which according to the ILO, is the world's most productive country, with average growth running at 2,2 % for the last seven years.

Europe clearly needs to learn its lesson, and deal with its productivity deficit, something which requires an intra-Community pact at European level to boost Europe's low productivity rates.

Does the Commission believe that following the success of the Economic Stability Pact, it should now put forward a European productivity pact, with a view to making up lost ground vis-à-vis the USA, and enable the Old World to catch up with the productivity rates of the US economy?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(4 November 2003)

The Commission agrees with the assessment that — contrary to the United States in the second half of the 1990s — the Union has failed to create jobs and raise labour productivity growth at the same time. In recent years, the Union has succeeded in raising the employment rate, while, in contrast to the United States, labour productivity growth has slowed down.

In view of the Union's lagging performance in the second half of the 1990s, the Lisbon European Council of March 2000 set the goal for the Union to become within a decade the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. The European Council has also agreed a structural reform agenda, which is known as the Lisbon Strategy.

Since then, the European Council has met annually to assess progress on the ‘Lisbon Strategy’ and to identify priorities for action. The recent ‘Growth Initiative’ by the Italian presidency and the Commission has identified accelerating structural reforms and promoting investment in infrastructure and human capital as key priorities for improving the growth performance of the Union economy. In this sense, a European productivity pact is already operational.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 70/210

(2004/C 70 E/226)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3071/03

by Lissy Gröner (PSE) to the Commission

(20 October 2003)

Subject: Gender budgeting

In the budget debate held in plenary on 23 September 2003, Commissioner Schreyer spoke about the overarching introduction of gender budgeting in the EU budget.

1. What tangible measures has the Commission taken to implement the proposals set out in the Ghilardotti report (A5-0214/2003)?

2. Will gender budgeting be taken into account as early as the 2004 budget?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(21 November 2003)

The Honourable Member is asking the Commission what tangible measures the Commission has taken to implement the proposals set out in the (A5-0214/2003) and if gender budgeting will be taken into account as early as the 2004 budget.

In response to the Parliament's request to distribute information on gender budgeting, the Honourable Member may wish to note that the Commission has already disseminated the opinion of the Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men within the Commission, to the Parliament and in the Member States. This document includes valuable information on the principles, methods and tools of gender budgeting. It is available to a wider public on the Commission web site (1). The Commission might also consider disseminating a brochure on gender budgeting.

Promoting gender equality in economic life is one of the objectives of the Framework Strategy on Gender equality 2001-2005 and the related programme. Although the priority theme for the action programme in 2004 and 2005 is: ‘change of gender roles and stereotypes’, proposals for projects on other themes can also be considered for financial support if the projects meet the conditions required. In this context projects on gender budgeting might be considered.

So far, the public budgets in Europe as well as the household of the Union are to a large extent gender blind.

However, some progress is underway as many programmes within the Community budget, such as the Structural Funds, programmes within education, research, development co-operation etc. explicitly refer to the aim of fighting discrimination and promoting equality between women and men, including the empowerment of women. Gender budgeting requires the development of indicators, and statistical information about the state of affairs. As the Member States administer approximately 80 % of the Community budget, the Commission relies on information from them. Data often exists only in aggregated form, which does not permit a gender-specific analysis. Further efforts are needed at all levels to develop statistics and indicators broken down by sex.

The integration of the gender perspective into the budgetary process is part of the gender mainstreaming strategy and the Commission will continue developing methodologies and tools, including gender statistics and indicators, for the implementation of gender mainstreaming.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equ_opp/index_en.htm