TheCommissionproposedasinglelevelofsupportbyhectare,takingintoconsiderationanumberof
elements:
/dash needforsimplicityandeaseofuse;/dash themainreasonforsupportisthemultifunctionalroleofnuts.Itisdifficulttoarguethatdifferent
typeofnuts(almondsorhazelnuts,forexample)contributedifferentlytothisrole.
TheproposaloftheCommissiongivesasubstantialhelptowardsachievingenvironmentalandruralgoals
ensuringthecontinuationofsustainableproductioninnon-competitiveand,atthesametime,givesatargetedsupportforcompetitiveproduction.
Therefore,theCommissiondoesnothavetheintentionatthisstagetomakesubstantialmodificationsto
itsinitialproposal.
(1) OJC192E,14.8.2003,p.167.
(2) COM(2003)23final.
(2004/C58E/080) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1374/03
byBartStaes(Verts/ALE)totheCommission
(15April2003)
Subject:(Illegal)timberusedforbuildingstohousetheEuropeanCommission
TheEuropeanCommissionwillcommunicateaproposalforanEUactionplanintheframeworkofForest
LawEnforcement,GovernanceandTrade(FLEGT).Oneoftheissuesintheactionplanwillbepublicprocurement.TheCommissionoccupiesmanybuildingsinBrusselsandshouldassumeitsresponsibilitytoensurethatnotimberfromillegalsourcesisbeingused.
CantheCommissiongivemealistofbuildingsoccupiedbytheCommission,withdetailsoftheowners
foreachofthebuildings,detailsofalltherefurbishment,redevelopmentandnewbuildingoverthelastfiveyearsorprojectedtostartinthenextsixmonths,detailsofhowtheCommissionchecksthecontracts,details of contractors and subcontractors and in particular the companies that are providing theircontractorsandsubcontractorswithtimberandwoodproducts?
AnswergivenbyMrKinnockonbehalfoftheCommission
(19June2003)
SafeguardsareinplacetoensurethatbuildingsprocuredbytheCommissiondonotcontaintimbersfrom
illegalsources.WherefittingoutofnewbuildingsandrefurbishmentofexistingbuildingsareexecutedonbehalfoftheCommissiontheyarecarriedoutstrictlyinaccordancewithBelgianlegislativerequirementsincludingtheprohibitionofcertainmaterials.
Inaddition,andsubjecttothetechnicalparticularsofaproject,compliancewiththerequirementsof
‘ImmeubleType’isalsosought.ThisdocumentistheCommission’sstandardspecificationforbuildingsandsetsoutthestandardsforqualityofspace,useofmaterialsandqualityoftechnicalinstallations.
According tothe current version ‘Improvedforestry-management practices canonlybe encouraged if
invitationstotenderspecifythatwoodmustcomefromforestryoperationswheretherulesofsustainabledevelopmentarefollowed’.
IncircumstanceswheretheCommissioncaninfluencethemarketinrespectofbuildingsitislikelyto
acquire,suchastherenovationoftheBerlaymont,itmakesanexplicitrequirementtothedevelopertoprocuretimberonlyfromsustainablesources.CompliancewiththerequirementsofImmeubleTypeismonitored by the technical staff of the Office for Infrastructures and Logistics /dash Brussels. The finalacceptanceofworkscarriedoutunderbuildingcontractsisconditionaluponthereceiptofdocumentaryevidenceofcompliancewithlegislativeandcontractualrequirements.C58E/62 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
TheresearchrequiredtoprovideamoredetailedanswertotheHonourableMember’squestion,addressing
thespecificpointsraisedinrespectofeachbuilding,wouldbeoutofallproportiontotheresultobtainedandwouldbeinappropriateinthecontextofansweringawrittenquestion.Nevertheless,someoftherequested detailed information on buildings&information on the Commission’s building standard,‘ImmeubleType’,isbeingsentdirecttotheHonourableMembertosupplementtheaboveresponse.
(2004/C58E/081) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1381/03
byGilesChichester(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(15April2003)
Subject:Swedishstateaidtomunicipalhousingcompanies
Thedevelopmentofcross-borderpropertyinvestmentisoneoftherecentgreatbreakthroughsofthe
internalmarket,reachingEUR25billioninjustafewyears.ThisinturnisleadingtotheemergenceofaEuropeanpropertyindustrywhoseincreasinglysophisticatedservicesprovideimportantunderpinningfortheEuropeaneconomy.ItisthedutyoftheCommissiontoensurethatStateaidisnotallowedtodistortcompetitioninthepropertysector.
Lastyear,theSwedishgovernmentgrantedaninitialEUR300millioninsubsidiestomunicipalhousing
companies(MHCs).Thisincludedpurchasingnon-viablehousingfromMHCsforconversiontootherusesandprovidingMHCswithequitycapitalandloanguarantees.ThedistortionofcompetitionensuesfromthefactthatMHCsarenotprovidersofsocialhousing;theycompetewithprivatehousingcompaniesforthesametenants.ThedistortionismagnifiedbythefactthattheSwedish‘utilityvaluesystem’obligeslocaljudgestosettherentofprivatelandlordsatthesamerateasthatofcomparableMHCs.TheStateaidthereforeenablesMHCstobankruptgenuinelyprivatehousingcompaniesbysettingrentsatlevelsthattheirprivatecompetitorscannotmatch.
ThedistortionisparticularlyrelevanttothesubstantialandincreasingEuropeanpropertyinvestmentin
Sweden,becauseallofitis,bydefinition,private.
FollowingacomplaintbytheEuropeanPropertyFederation,theCommissionlaunchedaninvestigation
lastsummer(CP115/02/dashFinancialSupportGrantedtoSwedishMunicipalHousingCompanies)andtheSwedishgovernmentresponded.
1. DidtheCommissionrespondtotheSwedishgovernment’sletterof16October2002andifso,how?2. WhatisthecurrentstateoftheCommission’sinvestigationsconcerningthismatter?
3. WhendoestheCommissionexpecttoconclude?
AnswergivenbyMrMontionbehalfoftheCommission
(15May2003)
1. TheinformationprovidedbytheSwedishGovernmentintheirletterof16October2002isstill
beingassessed;aformalresponsetotheletterinquestionhasthusnotbeenmade.6.3.2004EN C58E/63 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion