ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0491/98 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission (2 March 1998)

Subject: Floods in northern Greece

The bad weather of 5 February 1998 was especially harsh in the islands of the northern Aegean, eastern Macedonia and Thrace, drowning one person on Thasos and causing widespread damage to the road and rail network, farms, and hundreds of homes, shops and offices which were flooded by the torrential and unprecedented rainfall This devastation comes on top of the events of 2 February 1998 when three people lost their lives on Lesbos.

Will the Commission examine the possibility of providing Community resources to make good the damage caused by this natural disaster?.

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0491/98 and E-0740/98 given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (27 March 1998)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Members to the answer to written question E-440/98 by Mr Alavanos ((See page 105. )).
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0660/98 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (16 March 1998)

Subject: The Netherlands obstructing the international hunt for a drug baron

1. Is the Presidency aware of the dismissal by the Netherlands Minister of Justice (who represents D'66) of the Hague public prosecutor, Mr Arthur Docters van Leeuwen?

2. Is the Council aware of confidential and personal military intelligence report 913 of 21 January 1982 in which the Netherlands' former Minister of Defence and current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr H.A.F.M.O. van Mierlo (D'66) intended to provide training for the intelligence service of the then dictator of Surinam, Desi Bouterse?

3. Does the Council realise that a dictator's military intelligence service is used solely for the purpose of repressing the population?

4. Is the Council aware that the Netherlands Ministry of Justice has requested international assistance in tracing Surinam's ex-dictator Bouterse who is suspected of large-scale international dealing in cocaine?

5. Is the Council aware that ministers Van Mierlo and Sorgdrager made it impossible to arrest Bouterse in Brazil last year?

6. Is the Council aware of the circumstances whereby Mr Charles van der Voort, the public prosecutor responsible for tracing Bouterse, was removed from active service?

7. Does the Council realise that the Hague public prosecutor, Mr Arthur Docters van Leeuwen, is in fact the only person willing to continue with tracing and prosecuting Bouterse?

8. Does the Council not feel that the dismissal of Mr Docters van Leeuwen is simply the latest in a series of steps aimed at frustrating the prosecution of Desi Bouterse?

9. Can the Council make an urgent appeal to the Netherlands to allow Mr Docters van Leeuwen to resume his work and to continue in his efforts to arrest and prosecute Bouterse?

Answer (25 May 1998)

The questions posed by the Honourable Member of the European Parliament relate solely to matters that are internal affairs of the Netherlands.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0467/98 by Allan Macartney (ARE) to the Commission (27 February 1998)

Subject: Definition of time at sea under the MAGP IV

Can the Commission provide details of those Member States which intend to achieve effort targets under the MAGP IV by a reduction in activity (i.e. number of days at sea) and indicate whether the definitions of time at sea in each case correspond with those laid down in the multiannual guidance programmes?

Does the Commission appreciate that such definitions must be common to allow a proper assessment of fishing effort under the MAGP?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (2 April 1998)

The Member States that have indicated their intention to use activity reductions during the period of the multiannual guidance programme (MAGP) IV are Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

For the MAGPs, the activity of a vessel is measured in the number of days spent at sea, as defined in Commission Regulation (EC) No 109/94 ((OJ L 19, 22.1.1994. )) concerning the fishing vessel register of the Community.

This definition applies for all Member States. Over the period of the MAGP IV the Commission will verify for all Member States that the way in which activity is defined and measured is in accordance with Community legislation.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0205/98 by Rainer Wieland (PPE) to the Commission (11 February 1998)

Subject: Financing mother-tongue teaching abroad - mother-tongue teaching in the consular district of Stuttgart (Germany)

In the consular district of Stuttgart (Germany) the Italian government intends to transfer the teaching of 9 600 Italian children from the Italian Cultural Institute to private organizations (Esslinger Zeitung of 4 December 1997; letter from Mr Virga (Stuttgart) to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport of the Land of Baden-Württemberg).

What appropriations are used to fund the mother-tongue teaching of Union citizens living in other countries?

If this teaching is funded by Union appropriations, what is the amount involved and what are the rules for granting and spending the funds?

If this teaching is only partially funded by Union money, is transferring the way the teaching is organized (and the way in which it is performed) to a private body such as an association legally acceptable?

Is this transfer in line with the Commission's political thinking?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (24 March 1998)

The Commission acknowledges the concern expressed by the Honourable Member about the teaching of Italian in the region of Stuttgart, but it has no competence to question the legitimacy of this decision.

According to Article 126 of the EC Treaty, Member States have exclusive responsibility for the content of teaching and the organisation of educational systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity.

Moreover, Council Directive 77/486/CEE of 25 July 1977 on the education of the children of migrant workers ((OJ L 199, 6.8.1977. )), envisages, in Article 3, that Member States shall, in accordance with their national circumstances and legal systems, and in cooperation with States of origin, take appropriate measures to promote, in coordination with normal education, teaching of mother tongue and culture.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0275/98 by Gary Titley (PSE) to the Commission (5 February 1998)

Subject: Satellite jamming and the EC Trade Barrier Regulation

From 1 to 23 July 1997, the transmissions of MED-TV on the EUTELSAT satellite provider, were continuously jammed. The station broadcasts in Kurdish from London under licence from the UK Independent Television Commission.

In November 1997, I tabled a question to the Commission asking if it could confirm that the jamming of MED-TV violated the European Community's Trade Barrier Regulation. I was informed that further information would be required to enable the Commission to carry out the necessary evaluation.

Does the Commission intend to investigate this potential infringement of the EC's Trade Barrier Regulation?

If not, why not?

Could the Commission provide information as to how long such an evaluation would take?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (13 March 1998)

As stated in the previous reply to the Honourable Member's written question E-3670/97 ((OJ C 174, 8.6.1998, p. 95. )) and to written question E-3449/97 by Mr de Vries ((OJ C 174, 8.6.1998, p. 60. )), the Television without frontiers Directive 97/36/EC of Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1997 amending Council Directive 89/552/EEC on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities ((OJ L 202, 30.7.1997. )) provides that Member States shall ensure freedom of reception on their territory of television broadcasts from other Member States (Article 2a(1)).

This obligation is based on one of the four fundamental freedoms laid down in the EC Treaty (the freedom to provide services - Article 59).

In respect of the particular circumstances of the case, the Commission stated that it required further information to enable an evaluation to be carried out, in respect of conformity with Community law. The Commission, in its role of guardian of the Treaties is required to evaluate possible breaches of Community law. The timing of such an evaluation would depend on the complexity of the facts involved, on the assumption that the necessary information was available.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0248/98 by Allan Macartney (ARE) to the Commission (13 February 1998)

Subject: Child welfare in the European Union

What progress has the Commission made in promoting and monitoring the implementation of policies on child welfare in Member States consistent with those set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child? What additional resources have been allocated at European level to assist Member States to meet their obligations under that Convention?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (3 April 1998)

Through budget line B3-4108, measures in favour of families and children, the Commission has co-funded limited activities since 1989 in the area of child welfare and the rights of the child. In recent years the allocation to projects of that nature has been increasing. Among these are seminars on the new instruments for child protection such as the ombudsmen for children, on how to have children formulate their voice, an interdisciplinary course on childrens' rights for people working with children or in governments or about how to create a more children friendly society.

The allocation for budget line B3-4108 is 4 MECU this year. Apart from social and demographic studies which account for around 10% of the budget, this amount is equally shared between actions for families and actions for children. Some of the latter are directly connected to measures linked to the rights of the child and the United Nations (UN) convention.

In the education sector, and further to the Council conclusions of 22 September 1997 on safety at school ((OJ C 303, 4.10.1997. )), the Commission launched in 1997 an initiative ailed at reinforcing co-operation at the European level on issues related to violence in schools and safety at school. Within this context, an amount of 558 300 ECU within budget line B3-1000 (general measures of co-operation in education) was committed to support projects implementing prevention shemes using multidimensional approach whereby different parties (teachers, pupils, parents, local authorities, police, justice) are associated in the search for concrete solutions. This initiative is co-ordinated by a group of experts designated by the Member States and chaired by the Commission. Furthermore, one of the questions to be examined is the role of school in preventing child abuse, within schools and outside.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0534/98 by Raimo Ilaskivi (PPE) to the Commission (2 March 1998)

Subject: Uniform pricing of postal services (continued)

Commissioner Bangemann has replied to my question on this topic (E-3942/97) ((OJ C 223, 17.7.1998, p. 35. )), stating that the practice of the Finnish post office is not in conflict with the proposal for a directive on common rules for the development of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service, on the grounds that the amount charged is in proportion to the additional costs incurred.

In Finland the post office levies a special weekly charge for postal deliveries to summer residents which is not imposed on other residents of the some local authority area. The charge is FIM 25 per week or around ECU 1 per day. When, as in many cases, the delivery of post to summer residents' regular addresses is interrupted during the holiday period, the normal rate is paid for the post to be delivered and the summer resident's postbox is also on the post office's normal delivery route, does the Commission consider that the amount of money demanded by the Finnish post office (ECU 1 per day) in these cases is in accordance with the principles of the above-mentioned directive; in other words, is it in proportion to the additional costs incurred?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (20 March 1998)

In his supplementary question on the pricing of postal services, the Honourable Member indicates that the weekly taxed levied by the Finnish post office on occupants of secondary residences comes to FIM 25.

The Commission has already expressed its general position in its answer to the Honourable Member's earlier Question E-3942/97.

Regarding rates, it falls primarily to the national regulator to judge, on the basis of the relevant accounting figures, whether the tax is in line with national and Community requirements.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0437/98 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (16 February 1998)

Subject: Duty-free concessions

As the Commission has stated many times that tax-free and duty-free sales within the EU will be abolished as planned in mid-1999, would it confirm the date by which it will present the draft directive required to establish the alternative VAT and excise duty schemes which will need to be implemented in all Member States to ensure that the various ferry and airline routes serving non-EU destinations will be able to operate smoothly after abolition?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (10 March 1998)

The Commission would like to point out that the special scheme for intra-Community duty-free sales derogates from the normal rules of taxation. With the expiry of the transitional period, sales at airports and on board aircraft and ferries will become subject to taxation according to VAT and excise rules in the normal way.

For VAT, this means that goods sold on board aircraft and ferries will be taxed in the Member State of departure and goods sold at airports in the Member State will be taxed where the airport is situated. As to excise duties, goods will as a general rule be subject to taxation in the Member State of consumption.

It should be emphasised that, when the Council decided to abolish intra-Community duty-free sales, it did not contemplate that the taxation rules needed to be adapted.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0309/98 by Doeke Eisma (ELDR) to the Commission (10 February 1998)

Subject: Taxation of aircraft fuel

At the Transport Council of 11 March 1997 the Commission was asked to examine the implications of the possible introduction of measures on the taxation of aircraft fuel.

When can the findings of the study be expected?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (10 March 1998)

In May 1997, the Ecofin Council, in response to the Commission's report ((COM(96) 549 final. )) under Article 8(6) of Directive 92/81/EEC of 19 October 1992 on the harmonization of the structures of excise duties on mineral oils ((OJ L 316, 31.10.1992. )), adopted a resolution requesting the Commission to provide further information on all aspects of the introduction of taxation of aircraft fuel. To meet this request, the Commission has launched a study to examine the various effects of the introduction of taxation within the Community. The consortium carrying out this study is due to produce its final report during the late summer of 1998.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0372/98 by Nuala Ahern (V) to the Council (19 February 1998)

Subject: Shipment of high-level radioactive waste from the COGEMA plant at La Hague

What representations has the Presidency received regarding safety concerns about the shipment of high-level radioactive waste from the COGEMA plant at La Hague, via the port of Cherbourg to Japan through the Panama Canal, which is scheduled to begin in January 1998?

Answer (18 May 1998)

1. The Council has no knowledge of specific representations regarding safety concerns about the shipment of radioactive waste from the nuclear plant at La Hague.

2. The Council would like to remind the Honourable Member of Parliament that safety concerns about the shipment of radioactive waste are dealt with by various acts of Community legislation.

3. Directive 96/29/Euratom, of 13 May 1996, laying down the basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation ((OJ L 159, 29.6.1996, p. 1. )), provides a binding legal framework for health protection by laying down strict rules on maximum permitted levels of radiation for the whole population.

4. Directive 92/3/Euratom, of 3 February 1992, on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste between Member States and into and out of the Community ((OJ L 35, 12.2.1992, p. 24. )), deals specifically with the movement of radioactive waste by establishing a strict supervision system.

5. In addition to that, the Member State concerned shall apply the regulations concerning the transport of nuclear materials adopted in the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0358/98 by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission (17 February 1998)

Subject: Budget heading A-7001 (agency staff)

In the 1998 budget, under heading A-7001, ECU 12 200 m are earmarked for agency staff. On average agencies provide relatively poor working conditions and inadequate social protection for their workers.

1. In which areas are agency staff employed?

2. How many people in each area?

3. With which agencies have temporary work contracts been concluded?

4. Who is responsible for the social rights and welfare of these workers?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (2 April 1998)

1. Agency staff employed by the Commission (Brussels and Luxembourg) work mainly in the administrative field: secretaries, multilingual typists and shorthand typists, book-keepers, clerical officers, computer staff, switchboard operators, data entry operators, conference operators, proof readers. A small number also work in the health service (nurses, laboratory technicians) or the educational sector (nursery teachers or child supervisors). The last sector covers technical staff (drivers, messengers, store-keepers and cooks).

2. The Commission employs at all times about 700 agency staff in Brussels and Luxembourg (of which 75% are multilingual secretarial staff, 20% are involved in administrative duties and 5% in other occupations).

3. Following the latest invitations to tender (No 97/15/IX.C.1, published on 24 July 1997 in respect of the Brussels departments and No 14/97/IX PIM, published on 8 August 1997, in respect of the Luxembourg departments), the Commission signed standard-form contracts for the next three years (1998, 1999 and 2000) with the possibility of renewal, with the following agencies:

>TABLE>

4. The contracting firms are responsible for payment and cover of occupational entitlements and social security contributions of the staff supplied to the Commission. The Commission, the agencies and the staff are required to comply with national legislation and, in particular, the Law of 24 July 1987 on temporary work and the supply of staff to clients (published on 20 August 1987 in the Moniteur Belge) and the Law of 19 May 1994 laying down the rules governing temporary work and the temporary loaning of staff (published on 31 May 1994 in the Mémorial du Luxembourg). These two Member States have some of the most comprehensive regulations on the matter in Europe.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0859/98 by Ursula Schleicher (PPE) to the Council (31 March 1998)

Subject: Implications of the ban on tobacco advertising

It is generally acknowledged that the directive pursues an important health policy objective.

1. Why, then, is Article 129 of the EC Treaty not cited as the legal basis?

2. Why do the recitals of the version contained in the common position focus far less on health protection than the Commission's proposal?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0856/98, E-0857/98, E-0858/98, E-0859/98, E-0860/98, E-0861/98 and E-0862/98 (13/14 July 1998)

As the Honourable Member is aware, following a detailed debate in second reading on 13 May 1998, the European Parliament approved the Council's common position on the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products without making any amendments to it. The Council consequently adopted the Directive at its meeting on 22 June 1998.

With particular reference to the questions raised by the Honourable Member, it should be emphasized that, when discussing the Commission proposal, the Council took great pains to produce a text which took into account both the efficient operation of the internal market and the requirements of ensuring a high level of health protection.

The reasoning which guided the Council's work on the proposal for a Directive was explained in detail in the recitals and in the statement of reasons which were sent to the European Parliament before its second reading. It will be for the Member States to adopt appropriate provisions to ensure that the Directive is so implemented as to enable the desired objectives to be attained.

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that it is for the Commission to ensure application of the measures adopted by the Institutions pursuant to the Treaty and that the Court of Justice is competent to interpret them and to ensure that they comply with the Treaty.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0882/98 by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission (26 March 1998)

Subject: Number of reminders

What is the average number of reminders which must be sent to an official of the Commission before a response is forthcoming to an enquiry from a Member of the European Parliament?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0882/98, E-0883/98 and E-0884/98 given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (14 April 1998)

The Commission ensures that all correspondence is answered as quickly as possible. Much depends, however, on whether or not the reply needs to be translated, whether different departments have to cooperate in the drafting, and on the technical nature of the matters raised.

In the interests of effective cooperation between institutions, it has been decided that a letter from a Member of Parliament should normally be answered within three weeks. If a letter from a Member of Parliament is registered by the Commission's mail department on arrival, that department, which is part of the Secretariat-General, will monitor replies and send a reminder to the departments concerned if they fail to answer within the time limit. This procedure will not be affected by the approach of the millennium.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0807/98 by Hedy d'Ancona (PSE) to the Commission (26 March 1998)

Subject: Report entitled 'An appraisal of technologies of political control - interim study', drawn up by STOA (the European Parliament's Scientific and Technological Options Assessment) (PE 166.499./Int.St.)

Has the report entitled 'An appraisal of technologies of political control - interim study', drawn up by STOA (the European Parliament's Scientific and Technological Options Assessment) (PE 166.499./Int.St.) been notified to the Commission?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0807/98, E-0808/98 and E-0809/98 given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1998)

The Commission takes the view that it has no jurisdiction in this matter.