ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0203/99

by Mark Killilea (UPE) to the Commission

(12 February 1999)

Subject: Seals

In April 1997, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, The Irish Sea Fisheries Board, submitted to DG XIV a report on the Physical Interaction between Grey Seals and Fishing Gear. The report was drawn up with financial assistance from the Commission.

Can the Commission indicate whether it circulated this report to fisheries organisations or to the fisheries departments of the governments of the Member States?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 1999)

The Commission finances large numbers of research projects, which makes it difficult for the Commission to circulate or distribute reports resulting from such projects. However, copies of reports are available on request from the Commission.

The Commission believes that the results from research projects should be made available to as wide an audience as possible. Therefore, summaries of research projects funded by the Commission are accessible through Internet.

Furthermore, it is one of the conditions for funding by the Commission of research projects, including the one executed by the Irish sea fisheries board, that the recipient of the funds shall make an effort to distribute the results from the project as widely as possible, in recognised scientific journals or by any other suitable means.

For more information on this same report by the Irish sea fisheries board the Honourable Member is referred to the reply the Commission gave to the Honourable Member's oral question H-72/99, during question time at Parliament's February 1999 part-session(1).

(1) Debates of Parliament (February 1999).
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0226/99

by Sören Wibe (PSE) to the Commission

(3 February 1999)

Subject: ESCB secrecy rules

In its review of how Member States had fulfilled the convergence criteria, the Commission took the view that the Swedish central bank (Riksbank) would have to change its secrecy rules in order meet ESCB requirements.

The Riksbank has since moved in totally the opposite direction. It now publishes the minutes of its meetings immediately, and members of its management board may freely discuss monetary policy issues and express their personal views on such matters.

Can such openness be maintained if Sweden participates in EMU and the Riksbank thus becomes part of the ESCB, or must Sweden tighten up the Riksbank's rules on secrecy, as the Commission has argued?

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission

(10 March 1999)

In its convergence report of 25 March 1998(1), the Commission did not express the specific opinion that present legislation in Sweden regarding confidentiality for the Riksbank is incompatible with the requirements of the EC Treaty. The Commission noted in the convergence report that the draft legislation at this moment did not ensure full integration of the Riksbank in the European system of central banks (ESCB). Such integration would require adaptation of a number of provisions in the Riksbank's Statute as well as modifications to procedures and working methods of the Riksbank. This draft legislation was adopted at the end of 1998 without changes. In the view of the Commission, one aspect of the integration of national central banks in the ESCB is that Member States are obliged to respect the confidentiality regime under Article 38 of the ESCB Statute.

(1) COM(98) 1999 final.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0868/99

by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission

(7 April 1999)

Subject: URBAN Initiative subsidies and municipal projects in Valencia

The Valencia City Council has voted to adopt a "Special Plan for the Protection and Internal Reconstruction" of the Cabanyal-Canyamelar district of Valencia, a former sea-side village which includes the extension of Blasco Ibánèz Avenue to the shore. The scheme involves dividing the district in two, and demolishing over 1500 private houses in a popular art-nouveau style. The whole district has been declared to be a Valencian Community historical site.

Does the Commission believe that the aid received by the Valencian City Council under the URBAN programme is compatible with a redevelopment plan so damaging to the urban fabric of one of Valencia's most outstanding and characterful districts?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 1999)

Under the programme "Urban-España" for 1994-1999, the Commission is part-financing in Valencia the project "Revitalizacion del barrio de Velluters" in the historical centre "Ciutat Vella". The aim of the project is the integrated development of the district via the implementation of measures to improve the infrastructure and the environment, develop the economic fabric and provide social and training facilities.

Information available to the Commission indicates that the urban plan referred to by the Honourable Member, "Plan especial de protection y reforma interior del barrio de Carbanyal-Canyamelar", is a quite different measure, in both its location and its content, from that concerned by the Urban project.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0229/99

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 February 1999)

Subject: CE marking

Given the recent criticism of the CE mark system, does the Commission agree that manufacturers/importers should be required to submit to their national authority (or to the national authority of the EU country of reception for imported goods) a technical file for scrutiny in advance of the placing on the market of the product?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(11 March 1999)

Products which are covered by directives adopted under the "new approach" to technical harmonisation and standards(1) should only be placed on the market if they are in conformity with the essential requirements of the relevant directives, including those on safety. Conformity assessment of products under new approach directives is the responsibility of the manufacturer or the importer, according to procedures identified in the directives, with the aid of notified bodies (independent third parties) when so specified. CE marking is a confirmation by the manufacturer that this process has been completed.

The technical file is an element in this process. It is held by the manufacturer, but must be made available to the national authorities when required.

The Commission is of the opinion that the systematic notification of technical files to the authorities would be undesirable. In the first place, it would create important additional burdens for manufacturers and Member States. Further, for notification to be useful, the files would have to be systematically examined. It is unlikely that this could be achieved without major increases in resources and the risk of delays in the marketing of products, undermining competitivity. It would also undermine the principle that the burden of responsibility for conformity assessment lies with the manufacturer.

The Commission considers that problems of non-conformity are best tackled through better information to manufacturers and importers regarding their obligations and better market surveillance.

The requirements of the directives, including clarification of obligations on market surveillance, are set out in a guide, to be published shortly. Market surveillance is the responsibility of the Member States which should have the necessary powers to ensure the respect of the obligations of Community law, including the safety of the consumer. The Commission is also committed to initiatives to improve market surveillance as announced in the action plan for the single market(2). One such initiative is the programme of mutual visits between Member States, currently under way, which is intended to identify weaknesses and promote improvements in national market surveillance systems.

(1) Council Resolution of 7 May 1985 on a new approach to technical harmonisation and standards, OJ C 136, 4.6.1985.

(2) COM(97) 184 final.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0080/99

by Susan Waddington (PSE) to the Commission

(27 January 1999)

Subject: Regulation of adult entertainment telephone services

It has been brought to my attention that premium-rate adult telephone services subject to regulation in the United Kingdom are being advertised by satellite television companies on unencrypted broadcasts that can be received in the UK and other Member States. As a direct result of these advertisements, some telephone account holders are receiving irregularly high telephone bills, usually because family members have been calling the aforementioned services without the account holder's knowledge or permission. Subsequently, when account holders cannot pay what are often substantial demands because of the number of premium-rate international calls made, their telephone services is withdrawn.

Is the unencrypted advertisement of such services across borders legal? If so, would the Commission consider bringing forward proposals to regulate such advertisements across the single market so as to ensure they reach only the adult audience for which they are intended?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(20 April 1999)

The television without frontiers Directive (Council Directive 89/552/EEC as amended by Directive 97/36/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 1997 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities(1)) provides the legal framework for television broadcasting within the Community.

The Commission is aware of the possible effects that pornographic material may have on minors. As regards the distribution by television of audiovisual material, the Directive establishes a common minimum standard for the protection of minors (Article 22).

As far as the prohibition of the production, distribution and possession of this material is concerned, Member States remain free, under the EC Treaty rules on free movement on goods and services, to apply internal legislation on grounds, where appropriate according respectively to Articles 36 and 56, of public morality, public policy or public health, as long as such prohibitions do not constitute a means of arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between Member States.

Measures at Community level could only be considered if the establishment and functioning of the internal market called for the approximation of the provisions currently applied by the Member States in this field. The Commission is not aware of any circumstances calling for such action but would be interested in any further information that could be supplied.

(1) OJ L 202, 30.7.1997.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0264/99

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(17 February 1999)

Subject: State aid for Spanish electricity companies

According to the calculations of the Spanish Government, the deregulation of the electrical energy market will imply extra costs for the Spanish electricity sector. In order to limit these costs, the Spanish Government has asked the Commission to agree to the allocation of 1.37 billion pesetas to the sector by way of compensation for opening up the Spanish electricity market to competition.

Is this aid compatible with the legal framework of the European Union on free competition?

Will the Commission initiate a procedure or investigation to ensure that this action does not imply a distortion of competition?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission

(18 March 1999)

On 18 February the Spanish authorities notified the Commission of their transitional regime for the electricity market in accordance with Article 24(2) of Parliament and Council Directive 96/92/EC of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity(1), and on 29 January 1999 they made the notification required by Article 93(3) of the EC Treaty.

The Commission is currently examining these notifications; it is therefore too early to arrive at any conclusions regarding the nature of the measure and its compatibility with the Community competition rules or the need for Article 93(2) proceedings.

(1) OJ L 27, 30.1.1997.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0556/99

by Joaquín Sisó Cruellas (PPE) to the Commission

(12 March 1999)

Subject: Young people's addiction to games machines

The Saragossa Association of Reformed Gamblers (Asociación Zaragozana de Jugadores de Rehabilitación - AZAJER) has reported an increase in the number of teenagers from rural areas addicted to games and slot machines. The Association claims that rural societies do not view slot machines as being particularly harmful, nor is it widely felt that addiction to games machines is an illness that should be treated.

Is there any EU initiative aimed at preventing and treating the problem of addiction to games machines?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 1999)

The Commission can inform the Honourable Member that there is no Community initiative aimed at preventing and treating the problem of addiction to games machines.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0711/99

by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(29 March 1999)

Subject: Structural Funds

The regions whose level of income per inhabitant is less than 75 % of that which corresponds to the average Community inhabitant are classed as "Objective 1 regions" and are entitled to substantial Community aid.

In order to work out whether this threshold has been crossed or not, the draft Council Regulation, COM(98) 0131 final(1), laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, stipulates that the figures corresponding to the last three years on which Eurostat has information will be taken into account.

The Director-General of the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) disclosed at the meeting of Parliament's Subcommittee on Monetary Affairs of 17 February 1999 that the statistical data corresponding to the financial years 1994, 1995 and 1996 already included the data corresponding to the hidden economy of the regions analysed, although he did not say exactly what criteria had been followed in order to estimate or assess this type of activity.

What proportion of the regional income corresponds to the "hidden economy" and what proportion to the "regular economy" in Madrid in each of the years in question?

(1) OJ C 176, 9.6.1998, p. 1.
The Ørestadsselskabet consortium is currently building a light rail system in Copenhagen. Following a
Europe-wide call for tenders, the entire civil engineering project was awarded to Ansaldo and thesubcontractor Carlo Gavazzi of Italy, and they are employing Portuguese electricians at much lower ratesof pay than the going rate for Danish electricians. A poorly organised, or non-organised, labour force isthus undercutting the domestic labour force and hence inflicting significant damage on the Danish labourmarket, which has harmful consequences for the Danish social system.
It goes without saying that it is highly unsatisfactory when the labour market of a stable society is
undermined in this way.
Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission
(21 October 1999)
The Commission would recall that Directive 96/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of
16 December 1996 (
1) concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services
aims to ensure fair competition in the context of the provision of transnational services while guaranteeing
respect for workers rights.
When undertakings established in a Member State, in the framework of the transnational provision of
services, post workers to the territory of another Member State, they must comply with certain imperativerules and guarantee certain working conditions in force in the host Member State to these posted workers.These terms and conditions are set out in Article 3 of the Directive, and mainly concern minimum rates ofpay and minimum paid annual holidays which are laid down by law, regulation or administrativeprovisions and/or by collective agreements which have been declared universally applicable insofar asthey concern building work. However, Member States are authorised to impose on undertakings subject tothe Directive the working conditions laid down by collective agreements in respect of activities other thanbuilding work, provided these agreements meet the criteria set out in the Directive.
Directive 96/71/EC has to be transposed into the legal orders of the Member States by 16 December 1999
at the latest.
(1) OJ L 18, 21.1.1997.
(2000/C 27 E/214) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1819/99
by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission
(12 October 1999)
Subject: Europe against Cancer programme
Can the Commission state to what extent funding or subsidies have been awarded (with payments already
disbursed, or not), and to what bodies (public or private), institutions, undertakings, cooperatives orindividuals, in connection with the European against Cancer programme  Action plans 1987-89, 1990-94 and 1996-2000?
Have the actual deployment of the funds and the successful outcome of the initiatives been verified?
Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission
(25 October 1999)
The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.29.1.2000 EN C 27 E/173 Official Journal of the European Communities
(mSv), which is small in comparison to natural background radiation (approximately 3 % of average annual
exposure). These low doses are due to the choice of the plutonium isotopes 237Pu and 244Pu, which havea low radiation toxicity but which behave chemically and have the same biokinetics as other more toxicplutonium isotopes. At these dose levels, no radiation induced effects are expected and none have beenobserved in the people concerned.
Some results of the studies have been published in open literature and further publications are in
preparation. The preliminary conclusion of the studies is that the current understanding of the risks fromintake of plutonium remains valid.
(2000/C 27 E/178) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1606/99
by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Council
(13 September 1999)
Subject: Internet and the Italian Governments draft law on equal access to the media in election campaigns
(par condicio)
The Italian Government has recently brought forward a draft law prohibiting advertising spots on national
and local public and independent television channels during election campaigns; the bill also seeks to
prohibit election advertising on the Internet. This is clearly a violation of citizens rights to freedom ofinformation in that it will ban any kind of election publicity on the Internet just when its use is becomingincreasingly widespread among the general public.
Does the Council not agree that this is a flagrant violation of the citizens right to freedom of information?
How does the Council intend to safeguard the publics right to freedom of information and what measures
will it take to protect European citizens against prohibition of this kind?
Reply
(22 October 1999)
The Council would inform the Honourable Member that the question which he has put is not within its
sphere of competence.
(2000/C 27 E/179) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1608/99
by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission
(7 September 1999)
Subject: Internet and the Italian Governments draft law on equal access to the media in election campaigns
(par condicio)
The Italian Government has recently brought forward a draft law prohibiting advertising spots on national
and local public and independent television channels during election campaigns; the bill also seeks toprohibit election advertising on the Internet. This is clearly a violation of citizens rights to freedom ofinformation in that it will ban any kind of election publicity on the Internet just when its use is becoming
increasingly widespread among the general public.
Does the Commission not agree that this is a flagrant violation of the citizens right to freedom of
information?C 27 E/146 EN 29.1.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0723/99

by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(29 March 1999)

Subject: Structural Funds

The regions whose level of income per inhabitant is less than 75 % of that which corresponds to the average Community inhabitant are classed as "Objective 1 regions" and are entitled to substantial Community aid.

In order to work out whether this threshold has been crossed or not, the draft Council Regulation, COM(98) 0131 final(1), laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, stipulates that the figures corresponding to the last three years on which Eurostat has information will be taken into account.

Currently, only the figures corresponding to the financial years 1994, 1995 and 1996 are available.

What regions in Luxembourg does the Commission expect not to be classed as Objective 1 regions for this three-year period?

(1) OJ C 176, 9.6.1998, p. 1.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0697/99

by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(26 March 1999)

Subject: Structural Funds

The regions whose level of income per inhabitant is less than 75 % of that which corresponds to the average Community inhabitant are classed as "Objective 1 regions" and are entitled to substantial Community aid.

In order to work out whether this threshold has been crossed or not, the draft Council Regulation, COM(98) 0131 final(1), laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, stipulates that the figures corresponding to the last three years on which Eurostat has information will be taken into account.

The Director-General of the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) disclosed at the meeting of Parliament's Subcommittee on Monetary Affairs of 17 February 1999 that the statistical data corresponding to the financial years 1994, 1995 and 1996 already included the data corresponding to the hidden economy of the regions analysed, although he did not say exactly what criteria had been followed in order to estimate or assess this type of activity.

What criteria is the Commission following in order to estimate the "hidden economy" of the various European regions?

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 1999)

As already explained in the answer given to the Written Question P-1784/97 by Mr Pomés Ruiz(2), the underground economy is indeed very difficult to measure and to control. In order to address the issue of the measurement and coverage of "underground" activity in the statistical data, the Member States make many explicit and implicit corrections to their calculations of gross national product (GNP), the precise nature of which varies from one Member State to another.

Eurostat does not directly measure the extent of the underground economy in the Member States. However, the Commission has asked the Member States to supplement the coverage of the underground economy by carrying out a number of procedures to verify and to improve estimates of GNP and gross domestic product (GDP). A description of this work can be found in a report to the Council and the Parliament(3) which describes the responses made to the requirements of the GNP Directive 89/130/EEC, Euratom of 13 February 1989 on the harmonization of the compilation of gross national product at market prices(4), and in particular to Article 7, which calls for special attention to be given to the verification and improvement of the exhaustiveness of the estimates of GDP and GNP, and to the coverage of the underground economy.

The very latest available national GDP figures based on all these efforts have been used in the recently published estimations of regional GDP per capita for the years 1994 to 1996. The national GDP figures have been split between the regions according to the share of their gross value added in the national gross value added figure, as supplied by the national statistical services.

(1) OJ C 176, 9.6.1998, p. 1.

(2) OJ C 45, 10.2.1998.

(3) COM(96) 124 final.

(4) OJ L 49, 21.2.1989.