ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2528/99

by Jürgen Zimmerling (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 January 2000)

Subject: Cost of reconstruction in Kosovo

According to the latest information, the Council is providing for the sum of 500 million for reconstruction costs in Kosovo. These funds will come, essentially, from the development aid budget. The Committee on Development and Cooperation rapporteur, Mrs Carlotti, has informed us that the sum of 500 million is based solely on estimates.

To what extent is the Balkans coordinator, Bodo Hombach, able to give data on the actual cost of past and future reconstruction in Kosovo on the basis of the information to which he must have access by virtue of his office?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 2000)

In November 1999, a joint assessment carried out by the Commission and the World Bank, was entitled Towards Stability and Prosperity, a programme for reconstruction and recovery in Kosovo(1). Furthermore, the needs assessment for Kosovo is based on various inputs, in particular the Commission's damage assessment mission (carried out by the International management group), as well as statements made by the United Nations (UN) interim administration of Kosovo (UNMIK) and data available from other assessment missions.

With regard to the role of the Stability Pact, it should be stressed that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (and hence Kosovo) is not a member of the Stability Pact. The Commission actively participates in the Working Tables of the Stability Pact. However, given the mandate of the Stability Pact, this would not appear to be the most appropriate forum for assessing the needs in Kosovo.

The Commissioner in charge of external relations remains in close touch with Mr Hombach on matters affecting the region in general.

Finally, the Commission recalls that the funds for Kosovo in 2000 will not come from the development budget as such but will follow this breakdown 60 million carry-overs; 40 million re-deployments; 20 million ECHO; and 60 million already foreseen in the preliminary draft budget (PDB) 180 million flexibility reserve.

(1) Available on the joint website of the Commission and World Bank at the following address: www.seerecon.org./KeyDocuments/KeyOfficialDocuments.htm.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2644/99

by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: URBAN programme

The URBAN programme makes no provision for subsidising specific housing programmes, although housing is a social need of the first order.

Is there any possibility, within the new URBAN programme, of establishing specific programmes on housing? What other alternative approaches could be taken to the problem of housing as a social issue?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(2 March 2000)

Housing is not eligible for the Structural Funds. Housing programmes do not therefore qualify under the Urban Community initiative, which is financed by these Funds.

However, in Annex I to its communication of 13 October 1999 laying down guidelines for projects under the new Urban Community initiative(1), the Commission acknowledges that housing can play in some instances a major role in any attempts to address urban problems with a view to better social cohesion. The Commission states that the programmes must be seen to have taken housing into account where it makes an important contribution to local regeneration. However, it is for the local, regional or national authorities, depending on the country, to bear the entire cost, without assistance from the Structural Funds.

(1) COM(1999) 477 final.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2499/99

by María Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Medi Telecom

With regard to the planned takeover, in the near future, of Medi Telecom by Telefónica Intercontinental SA and Portugal Telecom Internacional (Sgps), what observations have been submitted to the Commission? What will the takeover operation involve? When will the Commission adopt a final decision?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(11 January 2000)

The transaction by means of which Telefónica InterContinental SA (controlled by Telefónica S.A.) and Portugal Telecom Internacional S.A. (controlled by Portugal Telecom S.A.) acquire joint control of Médi-Telecom, a company incorporated under Morocco law, was notified to the Commission pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December 1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings(1) (the Merger Regulation) on 17 November 1999.

Following the established procedure, a notice announcing this notification and inviting third parties to comment was published in the Official journal(2). The deadline for receipt of comments was 6 December 1999. The Commission is not authorised to disclose confidential information provided by those parties in connection with the transaction.

Médi Telecom has been created to install and operate a GSM cellular mobile telecommunications business in Morocco. It will be the second operator in the provision of those services in direct competition with the incumbent operator, which is so far the only player authorised in that market. The provision of Médi Telecom mobile telecommunication services is to be restricted to the territory of Morocco.

The Commission approved the decision on 17 December 1999 as the operation did not raise serious doubts as to its compatibility with the common market.

(1) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989; corrected version OJ L 257, 21.9.1990; as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97, OJ L 180, 9.7.1997, corrigendum in OJ L 40, 13.2.1998.

(2) OJ C 336, 24.11.1999.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2629/99

by Francesco Speroni (TDI), Umberto Bossi (TDI) and Gian Gobbo (TDI) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: Participation of the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi, in the international summit of the left

On Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 November 1999, Romano Prodi, in the capacity of President of the Commission, participated in the international summit of left-wing leaders, together with Jospin, D'Alema, Clinton, Blair et al.

In taking part in this meeting, does Mr Prodi believe he has fully represented the various strands of political and cultural opinion within the EU and its institutions?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2000)

Mr Prodi took part as an observer in a meeting between centre-left Heads of State and Government on Sunday 21 November 1999 on topics directly concerning Europe's development prospects in relation to globalisation. The day before, he had addressed the opening session, which was separate from the formal proceedings of the summit.

His contribution to the meeting can be summarised as a presentation of his vision for and ideas on the European social model and the fight against unemployment.

He has expressed his ideas on numerous occasions, before Parliament and elsewhere. The President of the Commission has a political function to perform. In keeping with the obligations imposed by that function, he retains the right to express his political views in complete independence and on his own responsibility.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2735/99

by Carlo Fatuzzo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Free entry to museums for Community citizens between the ages of 55 and 65

Cultural tourism among the 55- to 65-year old age group in Europe is a source of cultural enrichment, a healthy way of using free time and a source of many new jobs.

Does the Commission intend to issue a directive to boost this type of tourism and to make it more accessible?

In addition, can the Commission ask the Italian minister Mr Melandri to amend the regulation published in the Italian Official Journal No 253, 27.10.1999, which restricts free entry to monuments, museums, archaeological sites, and parks etc. to those over the age of 65, so that it includes Community citizens between the ages of 55 and 65?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 2000)

The Commission is aware of the importance of cultural tourism as a source of potential job creation. However, there is no intention to issue a directive on this matter.

The question of the age group benefiting from free entry to cultural attractions in Italy is a matter for the Member State itself, following the principle of subsidiarity.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2850/99

by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Conversion of driving licences for migrant workers

Council Directive 91/439/EEC(1) of 29 June 1999 on driving licences makes it possible for driving licences issued by the Member States to be converted into driving licences of another Member State. Under certain circumstances, Member States may also extend driving licences issued by other Member States.

1. How do the provisions operate in practice? Does the Commission have any information about this? What problems arise?

2. If the Commission does not have any information about the operation of the directive, will it make inquiries? Complaints about the matter are by no means uncommon, because national authorities are not always aware of the provisions of the directive.

(1) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991, p. 1.

Answer given by Ms de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 2000)

Article 8(1) of Council Directive 91/439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licenses(1) provides that a holder of a driving license may request that it be exchanged for an equivalent license in the country where he has taken up normal residence. Article 8(3) describes the procedure to be followed when a license is exchanged. These provisions were correctly transposed into national law by the Member States and there have been no complaints from the public in relation thereto.

However, the Commission deals with many complaints, petitions and enquiries from people who have problems regarding the recognition or renewal of their driving licenses, resulting from the application of provisions governing the period of validity of driving licenses and the frequency of medical checks. Article

1(3) of Directive 91/439/EEC stipulates that Where the holder of a valid national driving license takes up normal residence in a Member State other than that which issued the license, the host Member State may apply to the holder of the license its national rules on the period of validity of the license, medical checks, mldr. The Commission has brought infringement proceedings against several Member States for failing to transpose this provision properly into national law.

(1) OJ L 237, 24.8.1991.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2743/99

by Emilia Müller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Special aid for France

On the accession of Spain and Portugal, France received special regional development aid for the area adjacent to Spain by virtue of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2615/80(1).

What was the total amount of the aid, in respect of what period was it granted, and for which areas was it intended?

(1) OJ L 271, 15.10.1980, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 2000)

Council Regulation (EEC) No 2615/80 of 7 October 1980 instituting a specific Community regional development measure contributing to the development of certain French and Italian regions in the context of Community enlargement(1) provides for a special programme to be presented to the Commission by each of the Member States concerned. To implement this Community measure, the Council adopted Regulation (EEC) No 2088/85 of 23 July 1985 concerning the integrated Mediterranean programmes (IMPs)(2). This contains provisions on the programming period, the financial assistance from the Community budget and the geographical scope of the IMPs among others.

The financial assistance from the Community budget for the implementation of the IMPs from 1986 to 1992 was fixed at an overall total of EUR 4 100 million, including EUR 844 million for France.

As regards geographical scope, in France the IMPs programme relates to the regions of Languedoc-Roussillon, Corsica, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Aquitaine and Midi-Pyrénées, and the departments of Drôme and Ardèche, with the exception of the conurbations of Marseille, Bordeaux and Toulouse and the built-up coastal strip with all-year-round tourist activity.

(1) OJ L 271, 15.10.1980, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 197, 27.7.1985, p. 1.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2821/99

by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Administrative investigations by the European Anti-Fraud Office at the European Central Bank and the European Investment Bank

Article 4(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999(1) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) requires all institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the European Union to adopt decisions setting out the procedures for internal investigations by OLAF for which the regulation does not already provide.

At its meeting of 8 October 1999 the Council of Economics and Finance Ministers regretted that neither the European Central Bank nor the European Investment Bank had adopted such decisions.

The Council called on the Commission to consider, on the basis of Article 211 of the EC Treaty, what legal steps were needed to ensure the full application of the regulation.

In the meantime the European Central Bank has published a decision on fraud prevention (1999/726/EC)(2), and on 16 November 1999 the European Investment Bank forwarded a decision on cooperation with OLAF.

Does the Commission believe that these decisions satisfy the requirements of Article 4(1) of the regulation?

If not, what steps does it intend to take to ensure that the two Banks comply with the regulation?

(1) OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 291, 13.11.1999, p. 36.

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2821/99 and E-2822/99 given by Mr Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2000)

In the Commission's view, the decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) of 7 October 1999 concerning fraud prevention and the decision notified by the European Investment Bank (EIB) do not correspond to the legal framework established with the creation of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), and particularly the provisions relating to internal investigations contained in Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

By failing to meet these requirements, the decisions also jeopardise the overall cohesion intended by the Community legislator for the protection of the Communities' financial interests.

For that reason, the Commission has lodged two actions with the Court of Justice. These actions were brought on 13 January 2000 in the case of the ECB and 19 January 2000 in the case of the EIB.

The information provided by the Honourable Member relating to the EIB has been forwarded to the European Anti-Fraud Office.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2646/99

by Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: Val del Cerfone E78-E45 road link

The Tuscan region road network department of the Italian National Roads Authority (ANAS) plans to build a four-lane road link between the E78 Grosseto-Fano highway and the E45 Cesena-Orte highway, between Le Ville (Monterchi, Arezzo) and Selci Lama (San Giustino, Perugia).

During the preliminary planning phase (final version of study: 5 February 1999) an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was carried out which considered three possible routes, one through the Sovara valley and the other two in the Cerfone valley. The parameters taken into consideration in the environmental impact assessment were land use, the physical system, the natural system, flora and vegetation, the landscape and, lastly, noise, omitting the fauna, air, climate, material assets and cultural heritage factors and the interaction between them, and thus violating the provisions of Article 3 of Directive 85/337/EEC(1) as amended by Directive 97/11/EC(2). This is particularly serious in view of the fact that one of the most prestigious works of art in world history, the Madonna del Parto by Piero della Francesca, is found in the Cerfone valley, and the whole area affected by the possible E78 route is characterised by important works of art and historical elements, especially connected with the work of art already mentioned. The municipalities involved in the project disagree over the choice of route.

Does the Commission not consider that the environmental impact assessment should be revised to take into account material assets, cultural heritage and their interaction with other factors, as laid down by the Community directives?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(22 February 2000)

The Commission considers that the information given by the Honourable Member does not clearly show that all the factors claimed to be missing from the environmental impact assessment carried out in relation to the four lane road project concerned were identifiable in accordance with article 3 of Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, and, therefore, relevant to the assessment.

In addition, it is not possible to clearly identify the road project concerned. The Honourable Member indicates that it is supposed to link the highway no45 Cesena-Orte and the highway No 78 Grosseto-Fano. However, the second highway does not appear to exist and, on the basis of different details given by the Honourable Member, the project appears to be a road link between S.Giustino (Perugia) on the national road No 45 (S 45 Cesena-Orte) and Le Ville (Arezzo) on the nterregional road No 73 (S 73, which connects the national road Siena-Bettolle S 326 to San Sepolcro).

Not being aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member, the Commission will take the appropriate steps in order to gather detailed information about it and to ensure the observance of relevant Community law.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2451/99

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Overlapping of meetings of the Commission and of the European Parliament

The Commission regularly organises meetings or (press) conferences on dates which coincide with part-sessions of the European Parliament in Strasbourg or Brussels. On Friday 19 November 1999, for example, Commissioner Kinnock held a press conference and working luncheon in The Hague which MEPs were also invited to attend, although the European Parliament was sitting in Strasbourg on that day.

1. Does not the Commission agree that such overlapping of meetings and conferences is undesirable, given that the Commission has to attend meetings of Parliament?

2. Is the Commission aware that press coverage of Parliament's part-sessions suffers as a result of this overlapping because journalists cannot be in two places at once?

3. Does not the Commission share my view that public opinion on Europe in general and on the European Parliament in particular would be more favourable if the institutions took account of each other's calendar of meetings?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(25 January 2000)

Commissioners do seek to ensure that such meetings do not conflict with their presence in Parliament. Like all Commissioners, Mr Kinnock is acutely conscious of the fact that during plenary sessions his first obligation is to answer any Parliamentary debate or questions that fall within his responsibility.

The Commission is aware of the calendar of meetings and will endeavour to avoid undesirable overlaps. It agrees entirely with the Honourable Member that it is important that the European institutions take account of each other's schedules of meetings.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2531/99

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(4 January 2000)

Subject: Foundation of a centre for the promotion of classical studies and the teaching of ancient Greek and Latin at educational institutions

In 1995 a Memorandum was submitted to the Council of Education Ministers of the European Union on the foundation of a centre of studies for promoting the teaching of Latin and ancient Greek studies at educational institutions in the European Union, especially at secondary level. Representatives of the Italian, French, Greek and Spanish Governments stressed that today more than ever before classics constitute an extremely valuable educational tool with which to educate the young who could acquire through this common intellectual heritage a genuine European outlook alongside their legitimate national feelings.

However, five years have now elapsed without the European Union having taken any practical measures to achieve this objective. Moreover, classical studies cannot be allowed to disappear from secondary education in the next century: distinguished figures in classical studies such as Jacqueline de Romilly of the French Academy and Jean-Pierre Vernant, both professors at the Collège de France, have expressed their disappointment at the disappearance of classical studies from secondary education (See Le Monde of 12.11.1999). In view of this situation, will the Commission say what initiatives it intends to take to make a positive contribution towards the establishment of such a centre?

Supplementary answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2000)

During the Education Council of 31 March 1995, the Greek minister submitted a Memorandum on the foundation of a European centre for classical studies. This led to numerous discussions.

The Education Council of 6 May 1996 noted the Greek government's initiative to establish such a centre. The Commission said it was prepared to examine such an initiative, but has not yet received a request from the Greek authorities.

Moreover the Commission, particularly through the Socrates programme, provides regular support for projects in this area. Thus, under Comenius and Erasmus, several cooperation projects between schools or universities have targeted the teaching of classical languages and cultures. Among adult education activities, a project has been launched which aims to construct a European identity through a return to the roots of this identity, using Greco-Latin mythology as a starting point.