(2004/C58E/085) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1458/03
byHiltrudBreyer(Verts/ALE)totheCommission
(29April2003)
Subject:HistoryofEuratomLoanFacility
1. WilltheCommissionlistallpastEuratomloans,withdetailsof:
/dash typeandnameofnuclearfacility,
/dash countryoffacility,/dash amountofloan,
/dash purposeofloan,e.g.safetyimprovementofoperatingfacility;completion;newconstruction,
/dash thenamesoftheutilitiesorcompaniesthathavereceivedEuratomloans?
2. Haveloansbeenusedfortheconstructionofnuclearwastefacilities?Ifnot,whynot?3. Haveanyloansbeensoughtand/orgrantedforactivitiesatreprocessingfacilities?4. WhatisthebudgetforthedevelopmentofeachEuratomLoans?Detailsrequestedonthedifferent
TACISorPHAREgrantsforprojectpreparationforthefollowingprojects,givingamountsandtheuseofobjectivesforeachsub-project:
/dash Mochovce,
/dash Kozloduy5and6,
/dash Khmelnitsky2andRovno4,
/dash Cernavoda2,
/dash Kalinin3.
5. WilltheCommissionlistthestaffworkingonthedevelopmentofEuratomloansandtheannual
budgetoftheirunit,includingsalariesandoverheads?
6. WhatarethefinancialadvantagesforutilitiesinobtainingaEuratomloancomparedtofundingfrom
aprivatebank?ForexampleinthecaseofKozloduy5and6,whatwastheinterestrateandperiodofgracefixedatfortheprojectcomparedtowhatmighthavebeenachievedwithouttheEuratomLoan?
7. Detailsonthefinancialarrangementsarerequested,namely:
/dash Whataretheinterestratesusedfortheloans?
/dash Whatperiodofgraceisusedintheloans?
AnswergivenbyMrSolbesMiraonbehalfoftheCommission
(7July2003)
1. AtablethatprovidesinformationonallEuratomloansgrantedfrom1977until1987issentdirect
totheHonourableMemberandtoParliament’sSecretariat.Sincethen,theonlyloansdisbursedarefortheKozloduy5&6SafetyUpgradeProjectinBulgariadescribedinmoredetailinourresponsetoWrittenQuestionE-1456/03bytheHonourableMember(
1).C58E/68 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
2. Yes.Therewasoneloan(inFrance)thatwasgrantedin1987foraprojectinvolvingtheconstruction
oftwobuildingsatanuclearfacility.Thecomplexwasdestinedfortheprovisionalstorageofwastefuelfromthefacility.Elsewhere,otherprojectsfinancedbyEuratomhadwastestoragefeaturesaspartoftheoveralldesignandconstruction,forexampletheconstructionofelectricalpowerplantsinFranceandItalyincludedwastestoragefacilitiesspecificallydefined.
3. Yes,therewasoneloangranted(intheUnitedKingdom)forareprocessingplant.Thiswasaproject
foraplanttoreprocessuraniumoxidefuelelementsandincludedsomeancillarybuildings.
4. FinancinghasbeenfromvarioussourcesandiscurrentlyobtainedfromTACISorPHAREfunds.
ForthecostsidentifiedasbeingdirectlylinkedtotheEuratomprocedures,theCommissionreferstothe
table,whichissentdirecttotheHonourableMemberandtoParliament’sSecretariat.Thesecostsrelateto
thestudiescarriedoutaspartoftheEuratomprocedure,theworkdonebytheEuropeanInvestmentBank(EIB)inthepreparationofitsopinionandbytheCommissioninpreparingtheloandocumentation.ItistobenotedthattheCommissionsometimesreliedonstudiescommissionedandfinancedbytheEuropeanBankforReconstructionandDevelopment(EBRD).
5. UnitL-3oftheEconomicsandFinancialAffairsDirectorateGeneraliscurrentlyresponsibleforthe
coordination of Euratom lending, which has concentrated on certain non-member states since 1994.
In addition, other departments are involved for their specific competence in the field (in particular,
Environment,Energy,NuclearSafety,Enlargement,ExternalRelations,EuropeAid).InUnitL-3currentlyfourofficialsareassignedmainlytothisinstrument.Itisestimatedthat(in2002)theaveragecost(overallcategories)ofanofficialwasEUR108000.
It should be noted that the Commission effort related to loans in Member States (1977-1987) was
significantlylessastheanalysisofeachapplicationwaslesscomplexandtheworkloadwassharedwiththeEIB.
6. ThemainadvantageisthatEuratom,becauseofitsratinginthemarkets,canraisefinanceatthebest
availableconditionsinthesemarkets.However,thesearenotsubsidies.TheCommissionlendsthefundsattheconditionsitachievesinthemarketwiththeadditionofasmalladministrationfee.
Therepaymentprofileofaloandependsonwhattheborrowerwishestoachieve.Typically,thegrace
periodsagreedfortheEuratomfundingwouldallowforthecompletionoftheprojectandanincomestreamcomingintoexistence.
Thefinancialconditionsarefixedforeachdisbursement.ForKozloduy,thetotalloanisscheduledtobe
disbursedinseveraltranches(abouttwoperyear)overthelengthoftheprojectwithcapitalrepaymenttypicallyplannedtostartabouttwoyearsaftertheendofproject.Conditionscanbedeterminedasthetranchesaredrawndown.Todate,theinterestratepayableontheloanhasbeenafewbasispointsabovetheInter-BankLendingRate(orfixedrateequivalent).Thefirsttranchewasdrawnin2001andthefirstcapitalrepaymentisplannedfor2007.
Theconditionsthataborrowermayachieveforfundingfromothersourceswillvaryaccordingtothe
standingofthatborrowerandtheopportunitiesinthemarket.TheCommissionisnotinapositiontocomparewithwhatmighthavebeenavailableinthiscase.
7. The profile ofeach loanis negotiated with the Borrower within the framework ofthe existing
Decisionanddependentontheavailabilityofthefundsinthemarket.Aloanmaybedisbursedinseveral
tranchesandeachtranchewouldhaveitsownprofile.
The interest rate applied to each tranche mirrors the interest rate on the corresponding borrowing
contractedonthemarket.Euratomaddssomebasispointstocoveritsadministrationcosts.
Normally the Commission would examine the project schedule with the borrower and arrange that
disbursementsbeplannedinlinewiththe(major)milestonesandfinancingrequirements,forexampletocover down payments on contracts. The disbursement schedule would be integrated into the overallfinancingplan.6.3.2004EN C58E/69 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
A grace period is agreed with the Borrower for each tranche, linked to the length of the project
implementation period and the income stream coming on-line, for example, planned commissioningdate+abouttwoyears.
(1) Seepage66.
(2004/C58E/086) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1474/03
byStavrosXarchakos(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(30April2003)
Subject:LanguagepolicyattheEuropeanSchoolsandinEuropeaneducation
InviewoftheforthcomingenlargementoftheEUtoatotalof25participatingcountries,isthereany
proposal,planorintentiontoabolishorreduceteachingofthelesswidespreadlanguagesoftheUnion(Greek, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish, etc) in the curriculum of the European Schools, which are
maintainedbytheCommunitybudget?Hastheideabeenmootedofcreatinga‘Europeanschool-leaving
certificate’forsecondaryeducationintheMemberStates,paralleltothecertificateawardedatpresent?Is there any intention of establishing a ‘European curriculum’ in Belgian state schools (initially) andsubsequentlyextendingittothestateschoolsoftheotherMemberStatesoftheUnion?
AnswergivenbyMrKinnockonbehalfoftheCommission
(19June2003)
1. As the Honourable Member may be aware, management of the European Schools is not the
responsibilityoftheCommission,butratheroftheBoardofGovernorsestablishedundertheEuropean
Schoolsstatute. This includes representatives of each Member State: the Commissionhas just 1 voteamong16.Nonetheless,theCommissioncaninformtheParliamentthat,fromtheverybeginning,theEuropeanSchoolshavetaughtpupilstheirnativelanguageifitisanofficialEuropeanUnionlanguage.Further,languagesectionshavebeenestablishedwhenevertherearesufficientpupilsspeakingaparticularlanguagetojustifythis.Thisprinciplehasbeenrespectedfollowingthelastthreeenlargementsandwillberespected onentry ofthe ten new Member States. All officiallanguages ofthe European Unionwillthereforebetaught(providedpupilsofcategory1or2areenrolled)andthereisnointentionofabolishingorreducingteachingofthelesswidespreadlanguages.Indeed,itisproposedthatnewlanguagesectionsbeestablishedinPolish,CzechandHungarianimmediately.
2. FollowingParliament’sResolutionof17December2002theBoardofGovernorsoftheEuropean
SchoolshassetupaworkingpartytoinvestigatethepossibilityofofferingtheEuropeanBaccalaureateinschoolsthatarenotpartoftheEuropeanSchoolsystem.
This group will also be looking at possibilities for co-operation between the European Schools and
nationaleducationalestablishments.
TheintroductionofaEuropeancertificatealongsidethenationalcertificatewouldrequireadecisionby
eachparticipatingMemberState.
3. ThecontentandorganisationofeducationintheUnionistheresponsibilityoftheMemberStates.
TheBoardofGovernorshasnoauthoritytolaunchaEuropeancurriculuminStateschools.AnydecisiontodosowouldbeamatterfortheMemberStates.TheCommissionforitsparthasnottakenanyactioninrelationtothecreationofaEuropeanschool-leavingcertificateforsecondaryeducationoraEuropeancurriculumandhasnoplanstodoso.C58E/70 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion