ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2980/00

by Marie-Noëlle Lienemann (PSE) to the Commission

(20 September 2000)

Subject: Fuel prices in the European Union

The present sharp and probably lasting rise in fuel prices is adding to the problems of European transport firms, which were already experiencing major difficulties following the opening-up of competition without the protection of social legislation, and which are daily having to cope with competition from firms practising social dumping and unacceptable working conditions.

What decision will the Commission propose to help reduce the cost of fuel and fix it at a level which is reasonable while on the other hand encouraging the economic use of fuel, irrespective of the demands of OPEC?

Does the Commission propose to submit soon for a further reading the draft directive on lorry-drivers' working time?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 November 2000)

In order to make road transport more consistent the Commission sent a communication entitled Towards a safer and more competitive high-quality road transport system in the Community(1) to Parliament and the Council on 21 June 2000.

In that communication the Commission:

(a) stated its preparedness to contemplate a temporary exclusion of self-employed drivers in order to free the debates within the Council on the proposal for a Directive concerning the organisation of working time for mobile workers performing road transport activities, and for self-employed drivers(2);

(b) announced the introduction of a proposal for a Council Regulation intended to combat social dumping and to guarantee the suitability of the conditions under which road haulage drivers were employed;

(c) describe the action needed to increase the efficiency of checks on road transport operations and

(d) announced that a proposal for a Directive would be put forward, the aim of which was to introduce common rules on the initial and on-going training of professional drivers.

The Commission does not intend to take any action on lowering fuel prices. Apart from the matter of whether the Commission is so empowered, such action would be ineffective and would not provide the energy-saving incentives desired by the Honourable Member.

Conversely the Commission is contemplating the introduction of a package of measures intended to boost the consistency of road transport before the end of the year. That package will include, in particular, the amended proposal concerning weekend bans on the use of heavy lorries, a proposal concerning the working conditions for professional drivers, the organisation of working time within road transport, an amendment of the Community rules concerning driving time and driver's rest periods, a proposal concerning the professional training of drivers, and action on roadside checks.

(1) COM(2000) 364 final.

(2) OJ C 43, 17.2.1999.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2480/00

by Alonso Puerta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Delay in the approval of the Community support framework for Spain

Before 1 November 1999 the Spanish Government submitted the regional development programme for 2000 to 2006 for the Spanish regions covered by Objective 1 of the European Structural Funds. In accordance with Article 15(4) and (5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds(1), the Commission should have adopted a decision on the contribution from the Funds not later than five months after receiving the plan, in other words by 1 April 2000.

Why is the Commission being so slow to approve the Community support framework for Spain?

Is it the case that the RDP initially submitted by the Spanish Government was incomplete and wanting because it did not contain all the features listed in Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999?

What additional information has the Commission requested?

In particular, has it asked how the Fund contribution is to be shared out in detail among the different Autonomous Communities?

When did the Spanish Government supply the additional information requested by the Commission?

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 2000)

The Commission received the regional development plan for the Spanish regions eligible for objective 1 on 29 October 1999 and, following its initial examination, it informed the Spanish authorities on 22 November 1999 that the plan was admissible under the structural fund regulations(1).

However, in order to facilitate processing of the plan and the subsequent negotiations on the objective 1 Community support framework (CSF) for the 2000-2006 period, the Commission requested additional material from the Spanish authorities on 14 December 1999, including the proposed allocations by region. In reply, supplementary information was received by the Commission on 31 January 2000.

As for the CSFs concerning other objective 1 regions, and in view of the considerable level of budgetary resources involved, the appraisal of the very extensive Spanish proposals, in the light of the provisions of the new Structural funds regulation, required a certain amount of time. The Commission's negotiation mandate was sent to the Spanish authorities on 18 April 2000. The ensuing negotiations concentrated on a number of important issues such as coherence in the overall strategic approach for the 2000-2006 programming period, including a role for the information society, reduction and integration of programmes at regional level and clear definition of financial management and partnership mechanisms for the implementation phase.

These negotiations are now concluded and the decision in principle on the new CSF, which addresses these issues and thus will contribute better to the cohesion process for the Spanish objective 1 regions, was endorsed by the Commission on 26 July 2000 at the same time as those for Greece and Northern Ireland.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2174/00

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 July 2000)

Subject: Improving the living conditions of country women in the mountainous areas of Málaga province (Spain)

The experience of many country women living in mountainous areas in Málaga province (Spain) is one of total isolation which in certain cases stems from a lack of information.

Efforts are therefore being made by the local authorities to overcome such women's isolation and lack of information by dispatching local multi-disciplinary teams whose job is to alleviate unemployment amongst women (which is much higher than the corresponding figure for men) and, in short, to improve the living conditions of women who, on account of extensive shortages and poverty, survive in an environment of permanent hostility.

What scope is there under Community policy for making improvements to the difficult living conditions of the women in question, who, by comparison with working women in other rural areas who enjoy more comfortable living conditions, are the victims of isolation?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 September 2000)

The Commission has already received information on this region in the documents submitted in the context of the rural development programmes and Community Support Framework, which stress the isolation of women, the problems arising from rural unemployment and the need for training and better living conditions.

The rural development programmes make it possible to help women working in agriculture, particularly by aiding investment and the installation of women farmers, by diversifying rural activities towards tourism and crafts in particular, by developing services, including childcare, transport and infrastructure, and by improving living conditions, including the cultural aspects that contribute thereto.

In addition to the rural development programmes, which have to take account of equal opportunities as laid down in Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations(1), the Leader+ Community initiative must include specific measures for rural women. In addition, the European Social Fund offers measures relating more specifically to training and employment, as does the Employment initiative.

While the Commission encourages measures in this field, it is for the national and regional authorities to include them in their programmes and to carry them out with due regard to the principle of equal opportunities.

Moreover, the Spanish Women's Institute, which has branches in every region, has taken many initiatives on training and employment for women. Some of the measures put forward for structural funding will make it possible to part-finance these activities.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3059/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(28 September 2000)

Subject: Manufacturing ban on high-tar cigarettes

Can the Commission indicate if it has carried out an impact study into the loss of jobs caused by a ban on the manufacturing and export of cigarettes containing more than 10 mg of tar, called full-flavour cigarettes.

If not, why is the Commission recommending such a course of action?

Is the Commission aware of a study published jointly by UK & I Operations' representatives of British American Tobacco, the MSF and the AEEU, indicating that 8 300 jobs are at risk in only two manufacturing sites in England?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 2000)

The further proposed reduction from 12 miligram (mg) to 10 mg of the tar level in cigarettes(1) continues a process begun with Council Directive 90/239/EEC of 17 May 1990 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the maximum tar yield of cigarettes(2). On the occasion of the substantial reductions introduced in the 1990 directive, no negative economic or employment consequences were brought to the Commission's attention. The Commission is not aware of any evidence to the effect that the much smaller decrease in tar level presently proposed would have serious economic or employment consequences. These observations have been confirmed in the assessment form attached to the new proposal.

According to the recent report of the World Bank Curbing the epidemic the effect of tobacco control on employment could even be considered as positive (to the amount of 100 000 full-time equivalent jobs in the United Kingdom) because of the money freed up from tobacco purchases and injected into other areas of the economy (World Bank, Washington, 1999).

The Commission is aware of the estimates mentioned by the Honourable Member. Furthermore, the Commission has met representatives of the industry on several occasions during the last months. According to the industry itself, exports from the Community are around 15 % of total production and not all of these cigarettes would exceed the proposed ceiling.

However, in order to allow manufacturers sufficient time to adapt to these new Community standards the Commission has proposed an extended transitional period.

According to the World Health Organisation, tobacco use is responsible for more than 500 000 deaths a year within the Community.

(1) COM(2000) 428 final.

(2) OJ L 137, 30.5.1990.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2767/00

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Habitats Directive and monitoring of by-catches of fishing vessels

Can the Commission state how many countries have established, under the Habitats Directive, a system to monitor the incidental capture and killing of cetaceans (by-catches of fishing vessels) and have taken action to ensure that such incidental capture does not have a significant negative impact upon the species concerned?

What impact has the commitment made by the EU countries under the Bonn agreement (Ascobans) made on the reduction of by-catches, and what assessment of by-catches by pelagic trawlers is being made by EU Member States?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2000)

Within the Habitats Directive, Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora(1), it is made clear that Member States should implement the requirements of Articles 11 and 12.4 dealing with the surveillance and monitoring of fishing activities associated with by-catches of cetaceans. It is the legal responsibility of the Member States to implement these rules and to ensure compliance with them.

Moreover, Member States should draw up a report on the implementation of the measures taken under this Directive where, among other things, mention should be made of the main results of the surveillance referred to in Article 11. These reports should be transmitted to the Commission in the coming months and therefore the Commission is not yet in a position to state how many Member States have complied with the terms of Articles 11 and 12.4.

The Community is not yet a contracting party of the Ascobans Agreement on the conservation of small cetaceans of the Baltic and the North Sea. Member States that are party to this agreement do not have an obligation to report to the Commission on the measures taken under Ascobans commitments. As a consequence, the Commission is not aware of such measures.

The Commission is however aware of the initiative taken by Denmark to implement an action plan for reducing incidental by-catches of harbour porpoises (19. August 1998, J. Nr. SN 1996-402-0035).

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2783/00

by Karin Riis-Jørgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Danish law requiring a security to be lodged when registering companies in Denmark

Denmark has recently introduced a law requiring a security to be lodged when registering companies. This is a security for payment of VAT, schedule A tax, labour market contributions and corporate taxation in cases where the company in question has assets worth less than DKK 125 000. Should the company fail to lodge a security, it cannot be registered in Denmark.

The law is said to have been introduced in order to prevent companies with a weaker capital base than Danish-based private limited companies from trading in Denmark, cf. the European Court of Justice's Centros judgment of 9 March 1999.

Does the Commission consider this new Danish practice requiring a security to be lodged for companies with assets worth less than DKK 125 000 that wish to operate in Denmark to be in conformity with Community rules?

How does it view the fact that a company established in accordance with UK requirements (which are milder than the Danish requirements concerning company capital) cannot benefit from the UK requirements when trading in Denmark because there is now a requirement to lodge a security which is of the same amount as the capital requirement that applies with regard to the establishment of Danish private limited companies but which cannot be applied to companies from other EU countries wishing to set up in business in Denmark?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(23 October 2000)

On the basis of the information currently at its disposal, the Commission is unable to give a definitive answer to the Honourable Member's written question.

As soon as it receives additional information from the Danish authorities, the Commission will be able to make a detailed examination of the provisions in question and decide whether they conform with the principles of the EC Treaty as recalled by the Court of Justice in its Centros judgment, to which the Honourable Member also refers.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3557/00

by Wilhelm Piecyk (PSE) to the Commission

(9 November 2000)

Subject: Wreck of the Ievoli Sun and the role of the RINA classification society

The chemical tanker Ievoli Sun, which has sunk, was given a clean bill of health by the RINA classification society of Italy. The same classification society inspected the oil tanker Erika, which sank last December, and claims not to have noticed the vessel's manifestly dilapidated condition.

Will the Commission therefore state:

1. How it proposes to investigate whether RINA carried out an adequate survey of the Ievoli Sun?

2. Whether it is considering initiating proceedings against RINA in order to have the society's licence withdrawn should its investigations show that the Ievoli Sun was classified as seaworthy despite obvious defects?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2000)

It is regrettable that another tanker vessel has been lost in severe weather off the French coast. There are, however, considerable differences between the two accidents: the Erika broke in two because of structural failure, the Ievoli Suns hull structure appears to have remained intact. The Commission is carefully following the investigations carried out by the flag state, Italy, and the French authorities into the possible causes of the latest accident. In this respect, there is at this moment no evidence available to the Commission suggesting that the accident is the direct consequence of any under performance by the classification society, RINA.

In reply to the Honourable Member the Commission wishes to give the following information:

1. The Commission is not a flag state and has no powers to carry out maritime accident investigations, which are for the flag state and the state where the accident took place. However, the Commission is continuously monitoring the recognised organisations under Council Directive 94/57/EC of 22 November 1994 on common rules and standards for ship inspection and survey organisations and for the relevant activites of maritimes administrations(1), one of which is RINA. In fact the Commission has just received, from RINA, all relevant information about the Ievoli Sun, and is the process of assessing that material.

2. Should there be evidence, from the official investigations or otherwise, that the accident was due to under-performance on the part of RINA the Commission will investigate the possibility of using Article 9 of Directive 94/57/EC, e.g. withdrawal of recognition.

In this respect, however, the Honourable Member's attention is drawn to the proposed amendments to the above-mentioned Directive, introduced in the wake of Erika, to strengthen the qualitative provisions in the Directive and to introduce a further sanction temporary suspension of the licence to operate designed for possible situations as described by the Honourable Member.

The Commission is hoping for the quick adoption of this amended directive.

(1) OJ L 319, 12.12.1994.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2340/00

by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 July 2000)

Subject: PHARE Business Support Programme

In October 1999 the European leather industry, represented by Cotance, submitted a project to the Commission under the PHARE Business Support Programme. It was accepted since it met all the eligibility criteria but it was not ultimately selected.

Could the Commission explain the way in which points were allocated to the Cotance project?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2340/00 and E-2341/00 given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 2000)

The PHARE business support programme (BSP) was designed to strengthen the capacity of sectoral and horizontal business representative organisations in the ten Central and Eastern European Candidate countries to assist enterprises in these countries to prepare for accession, not least regarding their compliance with the internal market acquis.

Two calls for proposals were thus published under the BSP in June 1999 with the aim of co-financing two-year projects, carried out in partnership and twinning between Community and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) organisations. The first call Strengthening of business support organisations in the CEEC has a total amount of 14 million for projects between 0,5 million and 2 million. The second call Strengthening the activities of business support organisations in helping the CEEC companies adjust to the Community acquis has a total amount of 8 million for projects between 0,5 million and 1 million. By the deadline for both calls on 15 October 1999 the Commission had received 98 proposals of which 55 were for call No 1 and 43 for call No 2.

The evaluation of eligible projects was carried out against scores for a set of detailed criteria established on the basis of the selection criteria published in the call for proposals. The project in question obtained 802 points out of a maximum of 1 500 and projects scoring less than 965 points could not be considered for financing. The Commission will forward these criteria direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.

The result of the evaluation was that 17 projects could be selected for financing (nine projects under call No 1 and eight projects under call No 2) of which seven organisations succeeded in obtaining support for projects in the areas of both calls for proposals. The activities or sectors covered by the projects are: chamber of commerce; small and medium sized craft enterprises; the furniture and wood industry; producers co-operatives, social enterprises and participative enterprises; the chemical industry; the food and drink industry; the steel industry; the textile and clothing industry; the business machine and information technology industry and animal production.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3011/00

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(19 September 2000)

Subject: Risks to the Sicilian fishing fleet posed by high diesel fuel prices

In Sicily fishing is one of the main sources of income for the many families working in the midst of the biggest Mediterranean fleets.

Diesel oil, without which fishing is impossible, has recently become prohibitively expensive.

These price increases could paralyse the Sicilian fishing fleet and further jeopardise the already precarious employment situation in the fisheries sector.

Will the Commission therefore take additional and/or compensatory measures to alleviate the severe financial hardship being suffered by fishermen, giving particular priority to those based in Objective 1 regions?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

The Commission carefully monitors oil prices and shares the Honourable Member's concern over the economic impact of the rise in fuel prices, notably on the fisheries sector, which it is well aware is particularly seriously affected owing to the generally high proportion that fuel accounts for in the running costs of fishing enterprises.

Any action taken in response to the situation must not adversely affect the terms of competition between Member States. It is to this end that when it met on 6 September the Commission defined for all sectors affected a general orientation based on the need to devise a long-term strategy.

The Commission is perfectly ready to examine with the Member States the possibilities for action of the types specified in Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector(1). The provisions of Article 88 (ex-93) of the EC Treaty must of course be respected.

(1) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.