ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0157/98 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (2 February 1998)

Subject: Repairs to the Corinth Canal

The Corinth Canal is one of the greatest technical feats in the world and extremely important for the Greek economy. Being 100 years old, it naturally requires a great deal of maintenance work.

Following a collapse in the walls on 18 December 1997, the canal was closed for a lengthy period. The cost of repairs is put at Drs 30 billion. Is there any possibility of Union funding for these repairs and have the Greek authorities submitted a request to that effect?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (4 March 1998)

The Commission has not received any application for financing of the work to which the Honourable Member refers.

However, the Greek authorities can submit such an application following the procedures provided for in the Community support framework (CSF). The Commission is prepared to examine all financing possibilities in partnership with the Greek authorities, subject to the availability of funds under the CSF.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0569/98 by Kenneth Collins (PSE) to the Commission (4 March 1998)

Subject: Legal base of the regulation establishing the European Medicines Evaluation Agency

Does the Commission accept, as a consequence of the Amsterdam Treaty and President Santer's statement to Parliament in February 1997 on EU health policy following the BSE crisis, that the review which is required of the regulation establishing the European Medicines Evaluation Agency will be conducted on the basis of Article 100a of the Treaty, rather than Article 235?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (8 April 1998)

According to Article 71 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2309/93 of 22 July 1993 laying down Community procedures for the authorization and supervision of medicinal products for human and veterinary use and establishing a European agency for the evaluation of medicinal products ((OJ L 214, 24.8.1993. )) the Commission shall publish a general report on the experience acquired as a result of the operation of the procedures laid down in the Regulation within six years. As the Regulation entered into force on 1 January 1995 the Commission will present the report mentioned in Article 71 in the year 2001.

Based on that report it will be considered whether amendments of the Regulation are required. It is established case law that the legal base of a Community act should reflect the content of the act. If the Commission on the basis of the report proposes amendments to the Regulation, the legal base of the proposal would thus reflect the content of such a proposal.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1482/98 by Bertel Haarder (ELDR) to the Commission (7 May 1998)

Subject: Staff regulations for officials of the European Communities

In the light of the critical attitude towards the Union in many Member States and of the current reform of the Staff Regulations for EU officials, will the Commission take the initiative to amend the Staff Regulations for EU officials so that, irrespective of the category of post, such officials seconded to the Commission's and Parliament's information offices in their own country of origin are employed as local staff for the duration of their secondment?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (23 June 1998)

The Commission would point out that it has no plans at present to amend the Staff Regulations in this connection.

A joint high level group is to begin a study of future personnel policy.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0411/98 by Giuseppe Rauti (NI) to the Commission (24 February 1998)

Subject: Safety regulations for flights over inhabited areas

In the light of the disturbing facts emerging about the accident in the Italian Dolomites killing twenty Italian, German, Belgian and Polish tourists and caused by an American aeroplane, in breach of all the safety regulations, does the Commission intend to tighten up the safety regulations relating to low-level flights over inhabited areas? In addition, can the Commission say whether those regulations must be deemed also to apply in their entirety to military flights and training flights and to aircraft from the American military bases established throughout the territory of the European Union?

Since there is a need to discuss this issue urgently will it be put on the agenda for the European Parliament's part-session to be held in Strasbourg from 16 to 20 February 1998 (at which transport regulations are also due to be discussed)?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (8 April 1998)

At present, the national civil aviation regulations of each Member State contain satisfactory rules governing the minimum height with which civil aircraft must comply.

As far as military aircraft are concerned, different rules apply and special zones are usually devoted to low flying exercises.

These rules and the designation of low flying zones also fall within the responsibility of the Member States.

There are, therefore, no current city rules concerning the minimum flying height above populated areas.

The Honourable Member will be aware that Parliament debated this issue and adopted a resolution on 19 February 1998.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1271/98 by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Commission (29 April 1998)

Subject: Equal pay in Denmark

The goal of equal pay for men and women in Denmark is still a long way off.

Figures from the Danish Statistical Office (1995) show that Danish women in the 30-34 age category have an annual average income of DKR 170 500, whilst men in the same age group earn an annual DKR 231 000. In the 35-39 age group, women's annual average earnings are DKR 179 899, whilst men earn DKR 253 400 per year.

The Commission has previously referred to the 1996 code as an EU initiative designed to create better conditions for equal pay. A code of practice is an excellent initiative, but cannot stand in isolation.

Does the Commission not believe that a more forward looking and proactive policy ought to be pursued by the EU and that tougher measures ought to be employed?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (10 June 1998)

The principle of equal pay for male and female workers doing the same work has been enshrined in Community law since the Treaty of Rome (Article 119 of the EC Treaty). It is also the subject of a specific directive, Directive 75/117 of 10 February 1975 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women ((OJ L 45, 19.2.1975. )), which has been transposed by all Member States including Denmark.

These various provisions have given rise to extensive Court of Justice case law. In particular, the Court has interpreted the concept of 'pay' very broadly. But despite these provisions and case law, practice shows that pay differences between women and men remain substantial. The 1996 code of practice referred to by the Honourable Member is designed to further the principle of equal pay in practice.

The Commission also makes the point that the Court has long recognised the direct effect of Article 119 of the Treaty, thus allowing any female worker who feels she is the victim of discrimination to cite this Article in proceedings before any competent national court.

Consequently, as current problems are questions of practice, and in view of all the legal guarantees already provided by Community law, the Commission at the moment is not planning any further legislative initiatives concerning the principle of equal pay.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1669/98 by Monica Baldi (PPE) to the Council (2 June 1998)

Subject: Reintroduction of Latin into the school curriculum

After a long period in which it was no longer taught in many schools, Latin is coming back into vogue, particularly in a number of European countries - such as Germany, Belgium, Finland and Norway- now experiencing a revival of interest in the language that, for centuries, was the vehicle of European culture.

In Italy the Minister of Education, seeking to redefine the curriculum taught to children up to the end of compulsory education, has spoken of a Europe that includes the aspect of Latin culture.

What could the Council do to ensure that, in all the countries of the European Union, Latin is included on the curriculum taught to children up to the end of compulsory schooling, as many European intellectuals have been demanding for so long?

Answer (20 July 1998)

1. Article 126(1) of the Treaty states that 'the Community shall contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by supporting and supplementing their action, while fully respecting the responsibility of the Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity'.

2. The introduction or reintroduction of the teaching of Latin in compulsory education curricula in the Member States is a matter where the Member States are responsible for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems. The Council has not received any proposals from the Commission to encourage cooperation between Member States on this subject.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1661/98 by Rainer Wieland (PPE) to the Commission (29 May 1998)

Subject: Subsidies for the Stuttgart region and for Germany

What subsidies and amounts from all programmes and funding from the European Union, with a break-down by year, type and district, have been allocated since 1990 to the districts of Rems-Murr, Göppingen, Ludwigsburg, Böblingen, Esslingen and the urban district of Stuttgart?

What subsidies and amounts from all programmes and funding from the European Union, with a break-down by year, type and Land, have been allocated since 1990 to the Federal Republic of Germany and the Land of Baden-Württemberg?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (5 June 1998)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1045/98 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (6 April 1998)

Subject: Abolition of the Greek Organisation for SMUs and Handicrafts (Eommex)

Since 1977 the Greek Organisation for SMUs and Handicrafts (Eommex) has been the main organisation supporting SMUs in Greece: it has helped implement many EU programmes (IMPs, the programme for the islands, Star, Valoren, Sprint, Prisma, etc.). Among its other activities, it is currently implementing and managing the following programmes: the operational programme for industry, Horizon, Adapt, and Craft for SMUs; these run until the Year 2000 and are worth some Drs 50 billion. Furthermore, the Commission (DG XVI) has initialled an accord on the implementation of the Eommex business plan for the 1994-1999 period.

Representatives of SMUs allege that the phasing-out of EOMMEX will have adverse consequences for Greek SMUs, and there is concern for the future of the EU programmes which are being implemented by this organisation.

Will the Commission say:

1. Does it consider that the development of SMUs in Greece will be helped by the large-scale cuts in specialized staff and material and technical infrastructures that have been proposed?

2. Does it intend to take steps to ensure that the programmes co-funded and managed by Eommex run smoothly?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (12 June 1998)

The Commission notes the Honourable Member's concern over the future of the Hellenic Organisation of Small and Medium-Sized Industries and Handicrafts (Eommex). However, the implementation of this measure is by independent decision of the Greek government. Moreover, according to the information available to the Commission, it does not apparently involve the abolition of this organisation but a restructuring which concerns solely its regional departments.

It should be noted that the projects co-financed by the Structural funds in favour of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be implemented and managed by seven regional intermediaries which have recently been created in Greece with the agreement of the Commission. Eommex is one of these intermediaries for Attica and the Aegean Islands.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0444/98 by Edward Kellett-Bowman (PPE) to the Commission (27 February 1998)

Subject: Duty-free status of Tenerife

Is the Commission aware of the anomaly created in the EU by the allegation that duty-free sales for travellers between EU countries and the Canary Islands will continue after the 1999 deadline, and is this continuation of duty-free sales not in breach of European duty-free legislation?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (5 May 1998)

Pursuant to the Accession Treaty of Spain to the Community, as implemented by Article 3 of Council Directive 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover taxes: common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment ((OJ L 145, 13.6.1977. )) (VAT) and Article 2 of Council Directive 92/12/EEC of 25 February 1992 on the general arrangements for products subject to excise duty and on the holding, movement and monitoring of such products ((OJ L 76, 23.3.1992. )), the Canary Islands are not part of the fiscal area of the Community. Instead, they are explicitly regarded as third territory.

For travellers destined for the Canary Islands, this means that, by virtue of exportation duty-free sales may continue after 30 June 1999. On return, the traveller shall respect the restrictions in terms of travellers' allowances in the same way as any third country traveller entering the Community.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0563/98 by Ernesto Caccavale (UPE) to the Commission (4 March 1998)

Subject: Misuse of funds from the LIFE programme

In the municipality of Ravenna (Italy), in a coastal area known as Piallassa Baiona, close to the Po Valley regional park, the local authorities have begun and are proceeding with work, in violation of planning restrictions and public fishing rights (planning restriction Sic. ZPS.IT 4700004 - Conventions of Berne and Ramsar), and without the authorisation and agreement of the relevant citizens' committee, on the construction of an experimental waste water processing plant for the desalination of the valley which will have harmful effects on fishing. Given the considerable value of the natural site jeopardised by this work, which is being carried out with funds obtained under the Community LIFE programme:

- will the Commission investigate this matter immediately?

- will it consider the possibility of suspending any funding unduly allocated to this project?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (5 May 1998)

On the basis of the information available, the experimental green filtering system mentioned by the Honourable Member is not part of any project financed in the framework of the financial instrument LIFE.

As far as its potential impact on the special protection area (SPA) 'Piallassa Baiona' is concerned, the Commission will ask further information of the national authorities.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1201/98 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission (24 April 1998)

Subject: US tariffs on tinned tuna in oil

In an increasingly globalized world in which trade (particularly between developed countries) is regulated by the WTO rules and the conclusions of the GATT Uruguay Round,

can the Commission explain why the USA is allowed to levy a 35% tariff on tinned tuna in oil, whereas the maximum levied by the EU is 24%?

Does the Commission not think that this places Community tuna intended for the US market at a clear disadvantage in relation to tuna from third countries imported into the EU?

Can the Commission say what action it is taking in order to redress this severe imbalance?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission (27 May 1998)

It is correct that the United States import duty for canned tuna in oil is 35%. The tariff was bound in the General agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT) at this level before the Uruguay Round. It was not reduced in the context of the trade liberalisation negotiated during the Round, and as a consequence, the United States still has a GATT bound duty rate at 35% for the product in question.

As both the Community and United States duties on this product are applied on a most favoured nation basis, there is no disadvantage for Community exports to the United States in relation to other exporting countries. Nevertheless, it cannot be excluded that the higher rate of duty applied for canned tuna in oil in the United States makes the Community a more attractive market for third countries given its lower duty.

As the United States is respecting its obligations under the GATT World trade organisation (WTO) regarding its tariff bindings, the Community has no basis under the WTO to contest this tariff. However, it will be possible to pursue this issue in the context of the next multilateral tariff negotiation.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1762/98 by Werner Langen (PPE) to the Commission (29 May 1998)

Subject: Price agreement between the French cigarette industry and the French Government

In November 1997 an additional 2.5% duty on tobacco was supposed to be introduced in France on financial and health policy grounds. However, the government agreed with the French cigarette manufacturers on a minimum consumption duty to be levied per unit of 1 000 cigarettes, thus removing the price advantage of multipacks. This agreement was reached without consulting, for example, the Hamburg firm of Reemtsma, which, like some of its competitors, sells various products on the French market.

The price declaration submitted by Reemtsma in relation to imports of two of its products (West and West Light, in packs of 25) was rejected by the French Ministry for Economic Affairs and Finance by reference to the agreement reached with the domestic industry. Approval would be granted only if the price was substantially raised.The two products were not included in the 'arreté d'homologation' (official approval) issued at the end of 1997. There was no response to a further price declaration submitted on 28 January 1998. In a conversation early in March, Reemtsma was quoted a price which would secure approval, but the company rejected that option on market strategy grounds. Further conversations did not produce any progress.

Article 85 of the EC Treaty prohibits

'agreements between undertakings (...) which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition within the common market, and in particular those which:

(a) directly or indirectly fix purchase or selling prices (....)'

In view of the foregoing,

1. Does the Commission regard this direct fixing of a minimum price by the French cigarette industry, by agreement with the French Ministry for Economic Affairs and Finance, as an infringement of the competition laws deriving from Article 3(g) of the EC Treaty in conjunction with Article 85? If so, what steps will it take to remedy the situation?

2. Does the Commission know the grounds on which the French Government permits and justifies this form of horizontal cartel, by means of which the price or minimum price is directly fixed?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (17 June 1998)

The Commission is conducting a detailed investigation of the problem raised by the Honourable Member and will inform him of the outcome as soon as possible.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1556/98 by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Commission (19 May 1998)

Subject: Women-only short lists

The Commission will be aware of the recent discussion in the UK concerning possible measures to increase the number of women sitting in the new Scottish and Welsh Assemblies. In particular, the proposal to ensure equal numbers of women and men in the assemblies would require an amendment to existing national legislation, in this case the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act, in order to avoid a repetition of the action brought against women-only short lists in the Labour Party in 1996.

Senior UK lawyers are reported in the British media to have asserted that such a reform of the Sex Discrimination Act would fall foul of the European Equal Treatment Directive 76/207/EEC.

Would the Commissioner confirm his answer to my previous question on the subject of positive discrimination in selection of election candidates (E-0161/96) ((OJ C 305, 15.10.1996, p. 4. )) that the Equal Treatment Directive 76/207/EEC ((OJ L 39, 14.2.1976, p. 40. )) refers exclusively to employment relationships and that standing for election is not an employment relationship, so that election procedures do not fall within the scope of the Directive?

Would he agree, therefore, that it is wrong to cite European legislation as a legal impediment to national measures aimed at improving the number of women serving in elected bodies at local, regional or national level?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (19 June 1998)

The Commission considers that Council Directive 76/207/EEC of 9 February 1976 on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions refers only to employment relationships covered by a contract drawn up between the worker and his employer. Given that a candidature for election is not an employment relationship as described above, it does not fall within the scope of either Article 119 of the EC Treaty or Directive 76/207/EEC.

The Commission agrees that Community legislation is not a legal impediment to national measures to improve the representation of women in elected bodies.

Council Recommendation 96/694/EC of 2 December 1996 on the balanced participation of women and men in the decision-making process ((OJ L 319, 10.12.1996. )) recommends that Member States should adopt a comprehensive strategy to promote a balanced participation of women and men in the decision making process.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1250/98 by Iñigo Méndez de Vigo (PPE) to the Commission (29 April 1998)

Subject: PHARE-TACIS Democracy Programme

Non-governmental organizations play a major role in helping to secure the objectives of the PHARE and TACIS programmes by means of the PHARE-TACIS Democracy Programme (PTDP). The impressive results obtained demonstrate the success of the NGOs' involvement in a process of such major importance to the EU as its own enlargement.

Does the Commission agree with the conclusions of the assessment report produced by the University of Sussex? Is the Commission going to follow the latter's recommendation and increase the funding for the PTDP?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (15 May 1998)

The Commission agrees that the PHARE and TACIS democracy programme has achieved good results through the participation of many non-governmental organisations.

The report on the evaluation of the programme by ISA Consult and the Sussex European institute has made a valuable contribution to the Commission's reflections on how best to support the development of democracy and the promotion of human rights in Central and Eastern Europe and the New independent states (NIS).

The Commission is obliged to consider the resources available to specific budget lines in the light of the overall priorities for the use of Community resources.