ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1797/97 by Christoph Konrad (PPE) to the Commission (27 May 1997)

Subject: Opening times of washing facilities in Germany

1. Is the Commission aware that car-washes and launderettes are not allowed to open in Germany on Sundays and holidays?

2. Does this ban under national law conflict with existing Community law?

3. Irrespective of its answer, does the Commission consider this situation calls for harmonization of the opening times of such service providers on Sundays and holidays throughout the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (7 July 1997)

The compatibility with Community law of the restrictions imposed by a Member State's legislation on the opening of commercial establishments on Sundays is an issue which has been examined on several occasions by the Court of Justice. The Court considers that Article 30 of the EC Treaty does not apply to such national regulations, which are applicable to all economic operators carrying out activities on the national territory (cf. in particular judgements Punto Casa Spa of 02/06/94, C-69/93 and C-258/93, ECR 94 p.I-2355 and DIP Spa of 17/10/95, C-140/94, ECR 95 p.I-3257).

There are no current plans to propose Community harmonisation. Bearing in mind the different cultural and historical traditions, legislation in this field varies from one country to the next.

The Green Paper on Commerce adopted by the Commission on 20 November 1996 ((COM (96) 530. )) launched a wide-ranging debate on the challenges facing commerce on the eve of the 21st century. The question asked by the Honourable Member could therefore be examined in the light of the results of this consultation, and in particular with regard to the opinion which will be delivered by the Parliament.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1689/97 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (V) to the Commission (20 May 1997)

Subject: The EEC-CIH agreement on harbours in relation to the Hidrovia project

From different sources, I have been informed of an agreement signed between the EC Commission and the Intergovernmental Committee on the Hidrovia (CIH). It aims at funding studies on the harbours which should serve the improvement of the Paraguai - Parana waterway.

Given that a European company has been awarded the contract for the above-mentioned study and that the 'Hidrovia' can potentially impact heavily on the La Plata river basin, and in particular the largest wetland in the world the 'Patanal', can the Commission provide information on:

- the agreement signed with the CIH;

- the contract signed with the European company;

- the terms of reference of the studies on harbours?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (11 June 1997)

On 10 December last year the Commission and the Intergovernmental Hidrovía Committee signed a financing agreement entitled 'Establecimiento del Programa de Necesidades de 13 Puertos de la Hidrovía Paraguay-Paraná'.

Following selection under Article 113 of the Financial Regulation the Commission entrusted the work called for under the financing agreement to a European company. The contract was signed on 20 December 1996.

The terms of reference in the chapter on environmental impact include the following points in particular:

- identification of everything liable to produce an impact of whatever kind;

- quantification of the impact on the main surrounding elements (natural communities, water, etc.);

- quantification of the project's impact on the economic and social structures in the sphere of influence of the port;

- proposed corrective measures to minimize any residual impact;

- preparation of a programme for environmental protection, monitoring and control.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1159/97 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (26 March 1997)

Subject: European Commission Mobile Information Display

Why is it, when the Commission's Mobile Information Display visited Southend College in my constituency on 6-7 March 1997, there was no information available on Members of the European Parliament and their role? Is it that the Commission does not consider the Parliament an equal partner in the European Union? Or is it that in an information display comprising a 30-tonne lorry there was insufficient space to include information on MEPs?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (6 May 1997)

The mobile information centre to which the Honourable Member refers did indeed visit South East Essex college in Southend-on-Sea on 6 March 1997. His presence in the mobile information centre attracted a well above average number of members of the public and was very much appreciated. There were an adequate number of relevant publications but perhaps they were not sufficiently brought to the attention of the Honourable Member.

The publications carried on board the mobile information centre are selected in order to satisfy the information needs of those visiting the vehicle. School and college students need to understand the functioning of all the European institutions and the roles of their representatives at a European level. Accordingly, the following publications which contain detailed information on the Parliament and MEPs are always included on board the mobile information centre:

Parliament publications:

The European Parliament Your Voice in Europe Europe at a Glance Constituency leaflet (lists MEPs and includes map of institutions of European constituencies in the United Kingdom) United in Democracy

Commission publications:

Your ministers decide on Europe (fact sheet) Europe in ten points The ABC of Community law Working together: the institutions of the Community

A copy of the video 'the Parliament at work' is given to each school and college visited. The European profiles CD-ROM, which provides detailed information on the Parliament and a profile of each United Kingdom MEP, is also available.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1956/97 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Commission (28 May 1997)

Subject: Palestinians on the Libya-Egypt border

Since October 1995 several hundred Palestinians living in Libya have been forced to live in camps along the border with Egypt. The Libyan authorities only recently closed down a camp of 250 Palestinians.

1. Can the Commission state what is happening to Palestinians in Libya's border region with Egypt?

2. Can the Commission state what has happened to the 250 Palestinians recently removed back to Tripoli?

Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (18 June 1997)

1. According to the information that the Commission has received so far, the problem of the Palestinians staying in the Libyan-Egyptian border has now been completely solved. Reportedly, during the last Arab League ministerial summit in Cairo on 30-31 March 1997, President Arafat obtained the agreement of the Libyan authorities to allow the safe return of the last Palestinians trapped in the border area. Prior to this agreement, most Palestinians affected had managed to find their way out, either to the West Bank and Gaza Strip territory or to other Arab countries.

2. The Commission has not received any reports, particularly from any of the non-governmental organisations that had been active in monitoring this problem, about the fate of the Palestinians readmitted into Libya.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1834/97 by Nicole Fontaine (PPE) to the Commission (27 May 1997)

Subject: Automobile distribution

The Commission has produced a Green Paper on Community competition policy and vertical restrictions.

This provides a basis for consideration by the Commission, which is planning to review, and even re-align, its current competition policy with particular reference to distribution networks. In it, however, the Commission states that automobile distribution is excluded from its considerations.

Does the Commission believe that the motor industry should continue to enjoy specific exemption from the rules? If so, why?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (6 June 1997)

In 1995 the Commission adopted a new block exemption regulation (EEC) 1475/95 for the automobile sector ((OJ L 145, 29.6.1995. )).

The period of application of 7 years is a minimum to ensure legal certainty for the sector. It was therefore decided for the green paper on vertical restraints in Community competition policy ((COM(96) 721. )) not to cover this sector. The discussion on a possible prorogation of the block exemption regulation will be taken up in due course.

Of course, on questions of a general nature regarding vertical restraints, the outcome of the public consultation on the green paper will be taken into account when considering the future of the structure of the distribution system in the automobile sector.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1244/97 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (8 April 1997)

Subject: Petrol price increases

Since the beginning of this year, the oil companies have decided to raise the price of petrol in Italy by between LIT 15 and LIT 20.

However, crude oil prices, expressed in lire, are falling, and there is consequently no justification for the increases.

Will the Commission:

1. issue measures to prohibit any unwarranted increase;

2. open an inquiry to establish whether the current increases are justified;

3. instruct the Community fraud prevention department to investigate the matter of petrol price increases?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (2 June 1997)

In Italy, petrol prices at the pump have been liberalized since 1 October 1993. These prices reflect, in particular, the trend in petroleum product prices quoted on the free market, and they take account of the distribution costs for these products.

Under current Italian law, the Ministry of Industry may call the oil companies to account for unjustified retail prices.

In the context of the transparency of petroleum product prices, the Commission monitors on a weekly basis the prices, exclusive of taxes and duties, charged in the 15 Member States. The Commission can intervene only where the law currently in force in a Member State fails to comply with the rules laid down in the EC Treaty.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1755/97 by José Valverde López (PPE) to the Commission (27 May 1997)

Subject: Automatic distribution infrastructures

Automatic distribution infrastructures are spreading by the day, although there are no regulations governing the sector so as to guarantee the quality of service provided to consumers. Abuses are widespread, but consumers have no means whatever of any news of asserting their rights. What measures is the Commission examining with a view to protecting consumers?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (27 June 1997)

There are various Directives that apply to consumer contracts.

Horizontal Directives designed to protect the consumer in contracts that he/she concludes with a professional, such as the Directive concerning unfair terms ((Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts, OJ L 95, 21.4.1993. )) or the proposal for a Directive on the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees ((Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees, OJ C 307, 16.10.1996. )), cover purchase contracts concluded by means of automatic vending machines. In contrast, the Commission chose to exclude contracts concluded by means of automatic vending machines or automated commercial premises from the Directive on distance contracts ((Directive 97/7/EC of 20 May 1997 on the protection of consumers in respect of distance contracts, OJ L 144, 4.6.1997. )). As regards price indication, exemption from the obligation to indicate the unit price stems from a Parliament amendment that the Commission incorporated into its amended proposal for a Directive on the indication of prices ((Opinion of the Commission amending the proposal of the Commission, doc. COM(97) 136 final, 4.4.1997. )).

The remaining problems are either of a technical nature and do not justify Community intervention, or concern product safety or liability for defective products and are therefore covered by the two European Directives on these subjects ((Council Directive 92/59/EEC of 29 June 1992 on general product safety, OJ L 228, 11.8.1992; Council Directive 85/374/EEC of 25 July 1985 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning liability for defective products, OJ L 210, 7.8.1985. )).
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1201/97 by Anthony WILSON to the Council. Raids on MED TV Kurdish language satellite TV



Official Journal C 391 , 23/12/1997 P. 0052



WRITTEN QUESTION E-1201/97 by Anthony Wilson (PSE) to the Council (4 April 1997) Subject: Raids on MED TV Kurdish language satellite TV Does the Council know whether the decision to carry out raids on the offices and production studios of MED TV, the Kurdish language satellite TV channel, which took place on 18 September 1996, was based on any evidence other than information supplied by the Turkish internal security services? Answer (14 July 1997) The Council has no information on the events mentioned in the question which, moreover, do not fall within its sphere of competence.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1315/97 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (11 April 1997)

Subject: Breach of Community legislation on the environmental impact of the temporary pre-treatment and storage plant for dangerous toxic waste in Campolungo (Ascoli Piceno)

In the commune of Ascoli Piceno, a project for the temporary pre-treatment and storage of hazardous toxic waste has been accepted for funding under EEC Objective 2 without carrying out an environmental impact assessment in accordance with Directive 85/337/EEC ((OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.)).

This project at present contradicts and contravenes all the provisions of the directive referred to above and the plant is to be built close to the River Tronto.

Will the Commission say:

1. what action it intends to take against the flagrant breach of the Community legislation on environmental impact assessment, having already allocated the funds which could be used to develop this waste plant?

2. Whether it intends to ask the region of Marche to state the reasons for this clear breach of the criteria for applying Objective 2?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (5 June 1997)

The single programming document (SPD) for Objective 2 1994-1996 for the Marche region includes a measure for the construction of industrial waste treatment infrastructure.

The feasibility project will be submitted for evaluation by the region's technical bodies and will have to be approved by the government of the Marche region.

In particular through the monitoring committee for the Marche SPD, the Commission will ensure compliance with Directive 85/337/EEC on the evaluation of the impact of certain public and private projects on the environment, ((OJ L 175, 5.7.1985. )) including compliance as regards the submission of this project to an environmental impact assessment before authorization is granted.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1598/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (6 May 1997)

Subject: Subcontracting in the textile industry

With reference to the Commission communication to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions entitled 'The competitiveness of subcontracting in the textile and clothing industry in the European Union' (COM(96)0210), international cooperation and partnership agreements need to be encouraged by coordinating operations more effectively and exploiting the benefits of combined action at regional, national, and European level.

Will the Commission revise the objectives of commercial policy in relation to third countries so as to ensure that the Union will open up its markets if, and only if, third countries do likewise?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (19 June 1997)

With the growing internationalisation of industrial structures, industrial cooperation with third countries is an effective instrument helping to stimulate trade flows between partners in terms of investment, transfer of technology, innovation and, at the second stage, access to markets in those countries. Community undertakings are turning increasingly to this practice to make the most of their competitive advantages.

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's view on the need for international cooperation efforts to be coordinated at regional, national and Community level. In this context, it believes that the creation of trans-European networks and the initiation of dialogue both with local authorities and with the undertakings themselves is the best way to make a success of this policy and to pursue its objectives effectively.

Opening up the markets of third countries is the chief priority of Community commercial policy, the main lines of which are set out in the Commission Communication on 'The global challenge of international trade: A market access strategy for the European Union' ((COM(96) 53. )).

Where bilateral agreements are to be negotiated or renewed, the Council gives the Commission the essential directive of opening up markets.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1262/97 by Franz Linser (NI) to the Commission (11 April 1997)

Subject: Conformity of certain Austrian taxes and levies with Community legislation

On 30 July 1996 Wolfgang Nußbaumer, MEP, addressed a question (P-2271/96 ((OJ C 60, 26.2.1997, p. 58. ))) to you regarding 'Article 33 of Directive 77/388/EEC ((OJ L 145, 13.6.1977, p. 1. )), the Sixth Council Directive of 17 May 1977 on the harmonization of the laws of Member States relating to turnover taxes - Common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment'.

It follows from this directive that, apart from the turnover tax itself, no other taxes, duties or charges, which can be characterized as turnover taxes may be maintained or introduced.

The Commission was not able at that time to answer the question as to how far the Austrian basic levy on compulsory members of the chamber of commerce, the beverage tax and the tourist tax in the province of Vorarlberg conformed with current Community law.

According to the Commission, the information necessary for a detailed assessment of the taxes in question was requested from the Austrian authorities.

I therefore ask you to inform me of the results of this assessment.

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1262/97 and E-1281/97 given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (3 June 1997)

The Commission is not yet in possession of the information it needs in order to decide definitively whether the taxes and levies in question are compatible with Community law.

However, the Austrian legislation regarding the compulsory levy on membership of the chamber of commerce (KU1), to which the Honourable Member refers, is currently the subject of a reference for a preliminary ruling by the Court of Justice (Case C-318/96) on the interpretation of Article 33 of the Sixth Council Directive 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 concerning value added tax ((OJ L 145, 13.6.1977. )). Consequently, it is now for the Court of Justice to provide the Austrian courts with the criteria for interpreting Article 33 that will enable them to decide on the compatibility of the membership levy with Community law.

As for the other two taxes referred to, the Commission is continuing its assessment.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1426/97 by Phillip Whitehead (PSE) to the Commission (23 April 1997)

Subject: Voltage harmonization

Is the Commission aware of the discrepancy between the voltages permitted for electrical supply under CENELEC HD 472 S1 and those specified for the testing of domestic electrical appliances in the European Standards listed under the Low Voltage Directive, and that this discrepancy means that appliances may well be operating at supply voltages in excess of those for which they have been tested?

What action does the Commission propose to take to encourage CENELEC to address the matter?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (20 June 1997)

In 1988, Cenelec, the European committee for electrotechnical standardisation, adopted harmonised standard HD 472 S1 (Nominal voltages for low voltage public electricity supply systems). In different steps and after a transitional period ending in 2003, the nominal voltages of all countries in the European economic area (EEA) will have evolved towards a standard voltage of 230 V +/-10%. More restrictive tolerances may be decided later on.

The Commission understands that Cenelec is fully aware of the need to examine the implications of this harmonisation on the product standards, and especially on the safety standards for electrical equipment covered by Directive 73/23/EEC (low voltage Directive) ((OJ L 77, 26.3.1973. )). Although the latter certainly take into account relatively large safety margins, it seems necessary to evaluate the impact of these changes on the tests of the products. These tests are essentially based on the rated voltage, as indicated by the manufacturer, for avoiding discrepancies affecting the functional characteristics of certain products.

Work is in progress at Cenelec, in close collaboration with the International electrotechnical commission (IEC), in order to consider the introduction of the necessary amendments to the standards in due time.

The Commission is therefore confident that coherence between HD 472 S1 and the standards elaborated by the technical products committees and cited in the low voltage Directive will be adequately verified by the standardisation bodies involved. At this stage, it does not have any cause to intervene with Cenelec.

Moreover, in the present situation, the Commission has not been informed about safety problems as a result from a lack of coherence between HD 472 S1 and the different product standards concerned. Indeed, up to now, none of the Member States has contested, through the application of the safeguard provisions laid down in the low voltage Directive, one or more of the harmonised standards to which the Directive refers. It seems therefore that Member States are of the opinion that the safety margins applied for testing provide for a correct level of overall safety of the electrical equipment.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1408/97 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (22 April 1997)

Subject: European Social Fund assistance for retraining and re-employing workers

On 1 October 1996, the Commission, in reply to Written Question E-2219/96 ((OJ C 365, 4.12.1996, p. 94. )), promised to communicate as soon as possible the information it obtained regarding Lit 4500 billion in funds from the European Social Fund for retraining and re-employing workers of the Iritecna/Fintecna undertakings.

Since a further six months have now elapsed, can the Commission supply the results of the enquiries it has made?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (30 June 1997)

The Commission regrets the delay in replying to the Honourable Member's Written Question E-2219/96, but has had substantial problems in obtaining information from the Italian authorities.

The Iritecna undertaking incorporated Fintecna in July 1993. The new company has received funding to the amount of Lit 4 767 million, of which the sum of Lit 3 023 million was paid between 2 April 1991 and 18 February 1994. Further details are being sent directly to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat-General of the European Parliament.

These resources were used to finance training for unemployed adults and adults employed in large, medium-sized or small undertakings, training for young people and the long-term unemployed, and retraining for adults in employment.

The following 13 companies which are part of the Iritecna holding company have provided training courses part-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF):

Morteo Soprefim SPA Ponteggi Dalmine SPA Italtekna SPA Autostrade SPA FMI SPA Idrotekna SPA Ingegner Leone Nuova Mecfond SPA Castalia SPA Mededil SPA Condotte SPA Infrasud SPA Innse SPA Tagliaferri SPA