AnswergivenbyMrSolbesMiraonbehalfoftheCommission
(23July2003)
On14/15March2002theEcofinandEuropeanCouncildecidedtoestablishaninvestmentFacilitywith
theaimofenhancingEuropeanInvestmentBank(EIB)operationsinMediterraneanPartnerCountries,withtheclearpriorityofprivatesectordevelopment.TheyalsodecidedtoexamineoneyearafterthecreationoftheFacilitywhethertoincorporateitintoanEIBmajority-ownedsubsidiary.
TheFacilitywasestablishedinAutumn2002andthedecisiononwhethertocreateanEIBmajority-
ownedsubsidiary is nowexpected tobe takenin Autumn 2003by the Council, in liaisonwith theCommissionandtheEIBandafterconsultationswithMediterraneanPartnerCountries.Shouldadecisiontocreateasubsidiarybetaken,itslocationwillhavetobechosen.
TheCommissionappreciatestheHonourableMember’sinterestinthismatterandinthelocationofsucha
bankinSicily.Whileitisatthisstageprematuretoenterintosuchconsiderations,thechoiceofthehostcountry and region would obviously be carefully examined in due course, taking into account therespectiveadvantagesofeachpossiblelocation.
(2004/C58E/161) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2235/03
byWilhelmPiecyk(PSE)totheCommission
(7July2003)
Subject:EstablishingresponsibilitywithintheEUfortheissueofseaman’sbooks
Itisstillnecessaryforseafarerstohavewhatisknownasaseaman’sbook,inordertoprovidearecordof
thetimeatseaandtheholder’sidentity.
FreedomofmovementwithintheEuropeanUnionhasmadeitpossibleforpeopletopursueaprofession
throughouttheEUunhindered.
Difficultiesarisewhenitcomestoascertainingwhichauthorityisresponsibleforissuingthisdocument.
TheMemberStatesoftheEuropeanUnionhavenouniformapproachregardingcompetenceinthisarea.Theyhavedifferentcriteriaconcerningtheconditionsforissuingthedocument.
According to the regulations applicable in Denmark, their authorities are only responsible when the
applicantisaDanishcitizen.InGermany,thelawstatesthatseafarersmustsailundertheGermanflag.
Thisappearstocreateproblems.
The IMO (International Maritime Organisation) is currently discussing how responsibility in this area
shouldbedetermined.Noconclusionhasyetbeenreached.
Inthelightofthis,cantheCommissionanswerthefollowingquestions:
1. WhatstagehavetheIMOnegotiationsreached?2. Whencanweexpectaninternationalregulation?
3. DoestheCommissionbelievethattheregulationsinforceintheEUMemberStatesarecompatible
withthefundamentalfreedomsoftheinternalmarket?
4. IstheCommissionconsideringintroducingastandardEuropeanregulationuntilsuchtimeasanIMO
regulationisenacted?C58E/146 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
AnswergivenbyMsdePalacioonbehalfoftheCommission
(9September2003)
AccordingtotheinformationavailabletotheCommission,theInternationalMaritimeOrganisationhas
notdealtwiththequestionoftheseaman’sbook,thecompetenceofthenationalauthoritiesissuingthebookortheconditionsofissue.
However,thesubjecthastosomeextentbeendealtwithbytheInternationalLabourOrganisationunder
Convention No 108 on seafarers’ identity documents, adopted in 1958. This Convention gives thecontractingpartiesacertainmarginformanoeuvre,regardingboththecontentoftheidentitydocumentandthepersonseligibletoholdit,andhasservedasthebasisforaseaman’sbookinseveralcountries.Apartfromtheinformationconcerningtheholder,itappearsthat,inpractice,thecontentofthebook
variesdependingontheapplicablenationalprovisions.Itmayormaynotcontaindetailsofperiodsof
serviceatseaorperiodsoftrainingonboard.
ConventionNo108wasrecentlyrevisedbyConventionNo185,adoptedbytheInternationalLabour
Organisation on19June 2003.The new Conventionspecifies the contentandformofthe seafarers’
identitydocument,andminimumrequirementsconcerningtheprocessesandproceduresforissuingit.It
introducesamorestringentsystemforidentifyingseamen,inordertofacilitatetheirmovementsandwithaviewtopreventingactsofterrorism.TheCommissionwillassesstowhatextentthenewConventionwillremoveanyobstaclestothebasicfreedomsoftheinternalmarket.
As the seaman’s book is not explicitly provided for in any international or Community regulations,
practicesandproceduresregardingthecontentanduseofthedocument,andprovisionsrelatingtoits
issue,mayvaryfromoneMemberStatetoanother.TheCommissiondoesnothaveanyinformationontheapplicablenationalrules.
AtthisstagetheCommissionisnotplanningtodrawupalegislativeproposalontheseaman’sbook.It
willconsiderwhetherthereisaneedforCommunitylegislationwhichincorporatestherequirementsof
theILOConventionintoCommunitylaw.
(2004/C58E/162) WRITTENQUESTIONE-2247/03
byJuanNaranjoEscobar(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(7July2003)
Subject:‘One-stopshop’forEuropeanUnionaidandsubsidies
ThepossibilityofobtainingaidorsubsidiesfromtheEuropeanUnionshimmerslikeamiragewhichmany
Europeans,asprivateindividualsorprofessionals,wouldliketoseeconvertedintorealitytogiveafinalboosttoabuddingprojectoraprojectrecentlyembarkedupon.
Veryoften,forwantoftheexpertiseandresolveneededtopinpointtheCommunityaidorsubsidymost
suitedtotheirprojectneeds,theyfailtomaketheirapplication,dumbstruckbyaplethoraofinformation.
Could the European Commission therefore indicate whether it would not consider it appropriate to
introduceaCommunity‘one-stopshop’,responsibleforpointingtotheaidorsubsidy,theprocedureandthe channel bestsuitedtothe applicant’sneeds, toenableEU citizens /dashbe theyprivate individuals,professionalsorenterprises/dashtoapplyfortheaidorsubsidytheyneed.6.3.2004EN C58E/147 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion