ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2973/96 by Florus Wijsenbeek (ELDR) to the Commission (8 November 1996)

Subject: Discrimination against non-residents by the SNCF

Is the Commission aware that (French) train travellers making a domestic journey who arrive at their destination more than 30 minutes later than the time shown in the timetable because of a train delay are paid 80% of the cost of their railway ticket in compensation for the inconvenience?

Can the Commission explain why travellers who have purchased their ticket outside France and come from abroad and also arrive later at their destination in France are not eligible for the provisions described above?

Does the Commission share my view that this constitutes discrimination against non-residents?

If so, in the framework of free movement of residents of the Union, should such a ruling not apply to all travellers on French Railways who arrive too late at their destination, provided that the cause of the delay cannot be proved to be the responsibility of a railway company other than SNCF?

Lastly, will the Commission consider making this French provision a European one and submit proposals to this end to the Council?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (20 December 1996)

The Commission will study the arrangements in France for reimbursing travellers for the late arrival of trains to see whether they involve discrimination by nationality contrary to the EC Treaty.

The Commission believes, however, that rules on reimbursement for the late arrival of trains or of other forms of transport should be left to the Member States in the interests of subsidiarity, so long as they respect Community law.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2218/96 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (9 August 1996)

Subject: Legislation to safeguard the image of women in advertising

In Italy, as in the rest of Europe, women are used to advertise commercial products. However, they are depicted all too often in such contexts as if they were objects loaded with increasingly explicit sexual connotations.

Can the Commission say whether there are Europe-wide recommendations to define, and hence safeguard, the image and dignity of women and give details of the legislation on the subject, if any, in force in the Member States?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (6 November 1996)

The Commission is aware of the necessity to safeguard the image of women in advertising and the media.

Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 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 298, 17.10.1989. )) stipulates that television advertising should not jeopardize respect for human dignity or include any discrimination on grounds of sex.

The Commission in its third medium-term action programme on equal opportunities for women and men (1991-1995) ((COM(90) 449. )) has defined actions to promote a positive image of women, emphasizing in particular the promotion of a better representation of women in the media industry as well as in the institutional and professional environment of media organisations, the development of innovating programmes which challenge traditional images and the production of recommendations concerning the representation of women in the media industry.

There is a recent resolution of the Council of 5 October 1995 on the image of women and men portrayed in advertising and the media ((OJ C 296, 10.11.1995. )). It calls on the Member States and other bodies to provide for appropriate measures to ensure respect for human dignity and an absence of discrimination on grounds of sex. This Resolution also requires the Member States and other bodies to encourage advertising agencies and the media to promote the development and implementation of voluntary self-regulating codes.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3200/96 by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission (22 November 1996)

Subject: Projects in the Valencia region under Article 10 of the ERDF

On 30 November 1995 the Commission published a call for the submission of pilot urban projects, in the context of the innovative measures under Article 10 of the ERDF. Of the projects submitted, 91 were from Spain.

How many of these projects concern municipalities in the Autonomous Community of Valencia? Which are the municipalities concerned?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3198/96, E-3199/96, E-3200/96, E-3201/96, E-3203/96, E-3204/96, E-3205/96, E-3206/96, E-3207/96, E-3208/96, E-3209/96, E-3210/96, E-3211/96, E-3212/96, E-3213/96, E-3214/96 and E-3215/96 given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (20 December 1996)

The Commission received over 500 applications in response to its call for proposals; of these, 97 were from Spain. The available budget of ECU 60 million will enable the Commission to part-finance some 25 projects throughout the Union.

With regard to the selection procedure, the call for proposals states that: 'a team of independent international experts will assist the Commission services to identify the most innovative ideas in order to select those proposals which correspond most closely to the criteria set. The final number of proposals to be part-financed will be decided by the Commission, taking into consideration overall availability of funds, themes of proposals and distribution of appropriate projects within the territory of the Union.'

Since this procedure is now under way, it is not at present possible to assess the chances of a town being selected or the amount of Community part-finance which it might receive. Equally, no other estimate concerning a Member State or region can be made.

With regard to the number and name of projects which could concern municipalities in the Autonomous Community of Valencia other than those expressly referred to in these Written Questions, the Commission cannot derogate from the principle of confidentiality which applies to this stage of the procedure, particularly since proposals for measures involving more than one local authority may be accepted if that cooperation increases the value added.

The time required for the thorough consideration and careful selection of the exceptionally large number of applications received means that the Commission will not be able to take a decision before the end of the year.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3096/96 by Inger Schörling (V) to the Commission (8 November 1996)

Subject: Banana imports

Bananas are wholesome but the methods of growing them are obnoxious. Where bananas are cultivated the ground is soaked with chemicals to prevent the plant's roots from being attacked. Banana plantations are sprayed both manually and from aircraft. While growing, the stem of each banana plant is wrapped in a plastic bag filled with pesticides. The toxins pollute the ground water and this ultimately disrupts the ecosystem. The people who work the plantations are constantly exposed to toxic chemicals and suffer cancer, sterility, poisoning and other damage.

There are bananas which are grown toxin-free, though the supply is still small. EU rules impede imports of these bananas. What steps will the Commission take to facilitate the import of organically grown produce and, especially, bananas?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (28 November 1996)

The arrangements for import of bananas into the Community do not discriminate in any way according to the method of production. Producers, shippers or marketers of environmentally friendly bananas enjoy exactly the same conditions as traders of bananas produced according to conventional agricultural practice.

Organic bananas are currently available to consumers within the Community, although they are imported in small quantities since the market for organic produce is limited. In addition, in fulfilment of the undertaking to both the Parliament and the Council, the Commission is currently investigating the means of support which could be offered to support the marketing of fair trade bananas on the Community market. Fair trade products are goods produced according to specified criteria concerning the social and environmental conditions of production and trade.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2873/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (31 October 1996)

Subject: Thermie 1993

Follow-up question on the answer of 29 April 1996 to E-0627/96 ((OJ C 217, 26.7.1996, p. 81.)).

Were 'targeted projects' proposed and/or approved pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation 2008/90 ((OJ L 185, 17.7.1990, p. 1.))? If so:

1. what measures are involved?

2. what reasons are put forward?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (7 January 1997)

Targeted projects in the field of solid fuels were approved by the Commission in 1993 pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 2008/90 (the Thermie Regulation). ((OJ L 185, 17.7.1990. ))

1. Following the call for proposals of 22 June 1993, ((OJ C 171, 22.6.1993. )) the Commission approved two targeted projects on hot-gas cleaning.

2. The two projects selected comply fully with the terms of the call for proposals, which was made with the backing of the Thermie Committee.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2553/96 by Kenneth Collins (PSE) to the Commission (8 October 1996)

Subject: Single trade marks for pharmaceutical products

Is it the practice for the Commission to insist that applications for marketing authorizations for pharmaceutical products through the EMEA identify a single trade mark and pack livery for use in all Member States, including in some cases even the colour of the packaging?

If so, will the Commission say on what legal or institutional grounds it bases this practice?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (5 November 1996)

Any authorization to place a medicinal product on the market that has been issued under the centralized procedure introduced by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2309/93 ((OJ L 214, 24.8.1993. )) of 22 July 1993 laying down Community procedures for the authorization and monitoring of medicines for human and veterinary use and setting up a European Agency for the evaluation of medicinal products is valid throughout the Community and assigns, in each Member State, the same rights and obligations as a marketing authorization issued by that Member State. ((Article 12(1) of the Regulation referred to above. )) It includes the wording of the labelling and insert slip in the form required by Council Directive 92/27/EEC. ((OJ L 113, 30.4.1992. ))

It follows that there is in every sense one version of the Community marketing authorization for the entire Community, and that the same conditions are to apply in every Member State. Where a medicinal product has been authorized under the centralized procedure there is thus a single marketing authorization for the entire Community, a single holder of the marketing authorization, a single authorization number, a single summary of the characteristics of the product, a single product denomination, a single form of labelling and a single insert slip.

For obvious practical reasons, the holder of the marketing authorization is authorized to place on the market packagings containing information in only one, or in several languages, provided that the official language(s) of the Member State(s) concerned are among the languages used. As in the case of a medicinal product authorized by a Member State, the outer packaging of the medicine, a sample of which is attached to the authorization file for that medicine, may not be altered without the agreement of the competent authorities. ((See Article 10 of Directive 92/27/EEC. )) Where there is any such change this will apply throughout the Community.

The use of different colours is permitted where packaging sizes differ, provided that the various sizes relate to the dose rate and that, for a given size, the same packaging is used throughout the Community.

These principles have been applied without difficulty to all of the decisions on marketing authorizations so far issued by the Community on the basis of Regulation (EEC) No 2309/93.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3045/96 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI), Spalato Belleré (NI) and Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (18 November 1996)

Subject: Psychiatric care in the European Union

In Italy, the last surviving mental wards are being closed under the Basaglia Law No. 180. It is well known that only a tiny proportion of the alternative facilities intended to replace these wards have been opened.

It is likely that psychiatric care poses a pressing problem in the other European Union countries as well as Italy. Will the Commission provide a picture of the situation in the EU which gives an overview of this major problem, so that it can be tackled efficiently and in a coordinated manner?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (13 December 1996)

In accordance with the framework for action in the field of public health, the Council and the European Parliament have adopted a programme of Community action on health promotion, information, education and training ((OJ L 95, 16.4.1996. )). Mental health is included among the priorities identified in this context. The responsibility for organisation, care arrangements, and financing lies with the Member States.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2829/96 by Lutz Goepel (PPE) to the Commission (16 October 1996)

Subject: Trend in producer prices for milk and the trade in milk quota

The milk quota provisions apply until the year 2000. The Commissioner responsible has announced that proposals for the reform of the milk sector will be made at the beginning of 1997. In order to assess future measures it is necessary to assess the effects of the 1992 reform on the milk sector. The Commission is therefore asked:

1. What has been the trend in producer prices for milk in the Member States since the 1992 agricultural reform?

2. How much milk quota has been sold or leased each year since the marketing year 1992/1993 in the individual Member States and what percentage does it represent in terms of the total quota of the Member State concerned?

3. Since the 1992/1993 financial year, in the individual Member States, what has been the price trend for the sale or leasing of milk quota?

Joint answer to Written Questions P-2828/96 and P-2829/96 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (31 October 1996)

1. The producer price for milk with a 3.7% fat content paid in each Member State since 1992 (in national currency per 100 kg) is as follows:

>TABLE>

2. The Community rules state that, where a farm is sold or let, the reference quantity for that farm has to be transferred with the farm to the purchaser or tenant. Exceptionally, and subject to certain conditions, Member States may authorize reference quantities to be transferred without the corresponding land changing hands. Member States do not inform the Commission of such transfers, with or without land, and the Commission therefore does not have the figures requested by the Honourable Member. For temporary transfers the figures are as follows (in tonnes):

>TABLE>

Member States not shown in this list do not allow the temporary leasing of milk quotas.

3. As Member States do not pass this information on to the Commission, it cannot answer the Honourable Member's question.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2690/96 by José Barros Moura (PSE) to the Commission (15 October 1996)

Subject: Intra-European duty-free sales

Can the Commission say whether any assessment has been made of the foreseeable consequences, particularly as regards employment, of the planned abolition of duty-free sales on internal flights within the European single market?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2573/96 and E-2690/96 given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (20 December 1996)

The decision to put an end to duty-free sales in travel inside the Community was taken by the Council in 1991.

At that time the Council decided to allow intra-Community duty-free sales to continue until 30 June 1999, in order to enable the businesses affected to prepare gradually for the new situation. Member States were to take account of developments in transport infrastructures and of the interests of traders operating on a duty-free basis.

The Commission recently presented a report on the vendor control systems applied by the Member States. ((COM(96) 245. )) The report uses statistical data and other information provided by Member States to carry out an economic analysis of tax-free sales and to identify the fundamental trends in tax-free sales in the Community. The report confirms that the Council decision was justified, and does not suggest any need for further study.

Maintaining duty-free sales inside the Community beyond a transitional period:

- would be contrary to the principles of the single market; and

- might seriously distort competition, not only with businesses selling goods tax-paid, but more especially between the different forms of transport, depending on whether or not they offer duty-free sales.

The same approach holds for regional airports; regional airports are not involved to any great extent in intra-Community international flights, which are the only flights which qualify for intra-Community tax-free treatment.

Turning to the arguments regarding employment, the Commission would point out that the Council decision does not call for the closure of shops located in seaports and airports. These are free to continue to trade but will have to sell on a tax-paid basis to travellers inside the Community and on a tax-free basis only to travellers proceeding to destinations outside the Community.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3160/96 by Mary Banotti (PPE) to the Commission (22 November 1996)

Subject: Red press card

Can the Commission please explain why the head of the Commission's Press Service has taken the serious step of prohibiting access to the Commission's daily press briefing to journalists carrying the International Federation of Journalists' (IFJ) red press card, when the IFJ is simultaneously recognized by the Commission as being competent and representative of journalists through the award of Phare and other contracts and through participation in the Commission's own working and steering groups?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (12 December 1996)

All professional journalists have access to the Commission press room.

The Commission press room is accessible each day to professional journalists accredited to the Commission, Parliament and the Council. There are a number of criteria for the issuance of an accreditation card, one of them being possession of a national press card for countries where such a card exists. For other countries, the card of the International Federation of Journalists is taken into consideration. Access by visiting journalists to the press room is allowed on similar terms.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3502/96 by Miguel Arias Cañete (PPE) to the Commission (9 December 1996)

Subject: Olive oil for the preserved fish industry in the EU

Is the Commission aware of the current discrepancy between the olive oil price paid by the EU's fish preserving industry to use olive oil in its products and the international price?

Can the Commission say what measures it is going to adopt to rectify this situation so that the industry can increase its competitiveness vis-à-vis the same product from non-Community countries?

Will the Commission ensure proposals are submitted at an early date to rectify this situation?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (15 January 1997)

It is true that olive oil prices in the Community have risen considerably over the last two marketing years, mainly owing to the drought in Spain, which drastically reduced production. Fortunately, the situation seems to be on the mend: prices have begun to drop over the last two weeks and, with a good harvest expected this year, the trend looks set to continue, promising an improvement in competitiveness against world prices.

It should also be remembered that Article 20a of Regulation 136/66/EEC on the establishment of a common organisation of the market in oils and fats ((OJ B 172, 30.9.1966. )) provides for aid for olive oil used in the manufacture of preserves.

This aid, which takes the form of production refunds for olive oil used in the manufacture of preserves, currently amounts to ECU 67,18 per 100 kg. It was increased by ECU 5 per 100 kg at the beginning of the 1995/96 marketing year to help offset the foreseeable price increase.

Moreover, as the Honourable Member knows, the Commission is contemplating a reform of the sector, which will take account of all the factors involved in the use of olive oil for preserves.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2493/96 by Jesús Cabezón Alonso (PSE) to the Commission (25 September 1996)

Subject: Statements by the Commissioner for agriculture concerning sheep

On what evidence did the Commissioner for agriculture, Mr Fischler, base his statements towards the end of July 1996 on the possible risks of consuming sheepmeat?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2491/96, E-2492/96 and E-2493/96 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 December 1996)

Scrapie has been notifiable in the Community since 1 January 1993. However, the statistics are kept by the Member States and are not provided to the Commission. The level of infection varies widely and clear statements about the status of most countries cannot be made.

Evidence that bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) can be transmitted experimentally to sheep was published in the scientific press in June 1996. This evidence was the basis for Mr Fischler's statement in July 1996. In order to assess the situation fully, the Commission asked the scientific veterinary committee to give its advice on this matter and on measures to combat the spread of this group of diseases.

The scientific veterinary committee pointed out that scrapie has not appeared to present a hazard to humans. The committee also pointed out that there is no evidence that BSE has naturally infected sheep and goats in any Member State, but this risk cannot be excluded. In the opinion of the committee, the risks can be significantly reduced by prohibiting the use of certain materials in the human food and animal feed chains.

The Commission has prepared proposals with a view to implementing the advice of the scientific veterinary committee.