ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2674/00

by Wolfgang Ilgenfritz (NI) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: MAN industrial vehicles Kutschera complaint Proceedings No IV/35.907/f-2

1. When is the Commission likely to take a decision on the proceedings referred to above? Mr Kutschera has contacted us about this matter on several occasions since, in his opinion, no proceedings have yet been initiated against MAN.

2. Are there any specific reasons why no proceedings have been initiated to date?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(26 September 2000)

Mr Kutschera's lawyer has already been informed that further legal proceedings will be taken this year.

In carrying out its duties in the field of competition law, the Commission is obliged to set certain priorities(1). Since Mr Kutschera is seeking legal remedy in Italy and may continue to do so, it has not yet begun work on this case.

(1) Judgment of the Court of First Instance in Case T-24/90 Automec v. Commission [1992] ECR II-2223, at 77 ff.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3506/00

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 November 2000)

Subject: Finland's Natura network

The Commission brought a case against Finland in June. According to its submission, Finland's proposed Natura network does not include enough conservation areas for birds. The Commission refers in its submission to the work Important Bird Areas of Europe recently completed by BirdLife International, a nature conservation organisation.

Did the assessment drawn up during the IBA research project disregard the directive on birds when assessing the adequacy of the Natura network?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(14 December 2000)

Article 4(1) of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds(1) requires Member States to classify in particular the most suitable territories in number and size as special protection areas (SPAs) for the conservation of bird species mentioned in Annex I to the Directive, taking into account their protection requirements in the geographical sea and land area where this Directive applies.

The Court of justice has confirmed that while the Member States have a certain margin of discretion in the choice of SPAs, the classification of those areas is nevertheless subject to certain ornithological criteria determined by the Directive (see Case C-355/90 Commission v Spain). It follows that the Member States' margin of discretion in choosing the most suitable territories for classification as SPAs does not concern the appropriateness of classifying as SPAs the territories which appear the most suitable according to ornithological criteria, but only the application of those criteria for identifying the most suitable territories for conservation of the species listed in Annex I to the Directive. Consequently, Member States are obliged to classify as SPAs all the sites which, applying ornithological criteria, appear to be the most suitable for conservation of the species in question (case C-3/96 Commission v. Netherlands).

The Commission considers that the inventories on important bird areas, the latest of which was published by BirdLife International in March 2000, serve as an important scientific reference in determining the obligations of Member States in classifying SPAs under Article 4 of Council Directive 79/409/EEC.

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3054/00

by Anneli Hulthén (PSE) to the Commission

(28 September 2000)

Subject: Scope for disabled people to take advantage of the freedom of movement in the EU

Pursuant to Article 13 of the Treaty of Amsterdam, all EU citizens must be able to take advantage of the freedom of movement within the Union. However, for people who have various kinds of physical disability and who need special transport facilities and personal assistance, the scope for doing so is still very limited.

What measures does the Commission consider necessary to make it easier for disabled people to travel across Member States' borders? Are we going to be able to see any progress in this area within a reasonable period of time?

Answer given by Mrs. Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 2000)

The concern expressed by the Honourable Member is precisely that which guided the Commission at the time of the adoption on 12 May 2000 of its communication to the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Towards a barrier-free Europe for people with disabilities(1). Indeed, this document stresses that mobility plays a crucial role in ensuring full participation in economic and social activity and that, in contrast, immobility limits the effectiveness of disabled people's rights, including with respect to freedom of movement.

Accordingly, the Commission has identified approximately 40 Community initiatives likely to facilitate accessibility for disabled people to transport and other infrastructures in the short, medium and long term. The Honourable Member is requested to refer to the aforementioned communication for additional information.

(1) COM(2000) 284 final.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2200/00

by Marco Cappato (TDI) to the Commission

(3 July 2000)

Subject: Religious freedom in Greece

Chara Kalomiri, a Greek citizen, is involved in a legal case that raises grave concerns about respect for religious freedom in Greece. After having been accused by the authorities on Mount Athos of directing, from September 1994 to March 1995, a centre of practical psychological philosophy on the Chalcidice Peninsula, she was initially convicted by the Greek courts in 1997 and then, after the Supreme Court had quashed the sentence, convicted a second time after a retrial. The judges gave as grounds for their verdict the fact that the Buddhist place of worship, intended for meditation had not received the requisite authorisation from the Ministry for Education and Religious Affairs, which authorisation is granted only after hearing the opinion of the Orthodox hierarchy.

Does the Commission not consider that, as respect for religious freedom is a fundamental human right and a principle common to all the Member States, urgent action should be taken pursuant to Articles 6 and 7 of the TEU and Article 13 of the TEC to prevent any infringement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and any discrimination on the grounds of religion, with particular reference to Greece?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 2000)

Having examined the Honourable Member's question, the Commission considers that the action of the Member State in question does not fall within the scope of Community law. The Court of Justice has consistently refused to judge the respect of fundamental rights by the Member States when they are acting outside the scope of Community law. Consequently, and regardless of whether or not a fundamental right has been violated, the Commission does not have jurisdiction in this case to open infringement proceedings within the meaning of Article 226 (former Article 169) of the EC Treaty against Greece.

The Commission would also draw the Honourable Member's attention to the possibility that, after exhausting the national avenues of appeal against the conviction, the citizen in question could bring a case before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2803/00

by Feleknas Uca (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(4 September 2000)

Subject: Torture in Turkish prisons

The increasingly critical situation in Turkish prisons at the present time is alarming. In recent months, revolts and torture have been the order of the day. Prisoners are protesting above all against the Turkish legal authorities' plans to build isolation cells (F-type cells) along German lines.

The most recent example of the situation was the torture and massacre which took place on 5 July 2000 when inmates revolted at the Burdur prison. Since prisoners have long been tortured during journeys to and from court, the inmates at Burdur attempted to prevent 11 prisoners being brought to court as witnesses on 5 July. The Turkish military police responded with unimaginable cruelty and savageness. One prisoner, for example, had an arm torn off, which was not sewn back on but thrown to a dog as food.

1. What is the Commission's view of the situation of prisoners in Turkey?

2. What practical measures has the Commission envisaged to bring an end to torture in Turkish prisons?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(3 October 2000)

Prison conditions in Turkey remain a major cause for concern. Violent clashes between detainees and guards or security forces, mutiny and hostage taking still occur. Ill-treatment of detainees notably during transfer between prisons is also reported. The detention conditions for juvenile delinquents also deserves the highest priority.

The authorities are currently in the process of restructuring the whole prison system. Eleven prisons of a new-type (so-called F-type) should be built by the end of 2000. In these prisons, small cells for one to three prisoners will replace the current big dormitories. The other prisons should be converted to room system with cells for two, four and six prisoners also by the end of 2000. While the authorities have indicated that the new type prisons will respect the basic international requirements, some fear exist that the new system will isolate prisoners with no possibility to socialise. In these conditions, the authorities, while embarking on this restructuring, should act with caution in order to avoid further violence in prisons. They should continue to co-operate on this matter with the committee for the prevention of torture (CPT), which paid a visit to Turkish prisons in July 2000.

As part of the accession process and in order to fulfil the political Copenhagen criteria, Turkey has to improve the situation in its prisons. This implies notably that ill treatment in prisons should be completely abandoned.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2512/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(2 August 2000)

Subject: Special marketing terms for eggs

Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1274/91(1) implementing Regulation (EEC) 1907/90(2), which sets marketing standards for eggs, recognises five Special Marketing Terms: Eggs from cages hens, Free range, Semi-intensive, Deep litter, and Perchery (Barn) eggs.

Following the adoption of Council Directive 1999/74/EC(3) of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens, what plans does the Commission have to review Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1274/91?

Does it intend to make the Special Marketing Term (SMT) Eggs from caged hens a mandatory term to apply to eggs produced in cage systems as set out in Chapters II and III of Council Directive 1999/74/EC? Does it intend to reduce the outdoor stocking density for hens which produce eggs marketed as free range eggs?

(1) OJ L 121, 16.5.1991, p. 11.

(2) OJ L 173, 6.7.1990, p. 5.

(3) OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 53.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(28 September 2000)

As the Honourable Member may know the Commission in its communication on the protection of laying hens(1) indicated its intention to propose, in addition to the proposal for minimum standards for the protection of laying hens, the obligation to label each table egg indicating the type of farming.

On the other hand, when adopting the Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection on laying hens(2), the Council requested the Commission to submit before 1 January 2002 a proposal adapting the marketing standards applicable to eggs taking into consideration in particular the possibility of introducing compulsory labeling.

Concerning this possible modification, two steps must be followed for the adaptation of the marketing standards. First, Council Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 of 26 June 1990 on certain marketing standards for eggs(3) must be amended in order to introduce compulsory labeling of the type of farming on eggs. The Commission adopted on 6 September 2000 a proposal(4) to amend the Council Regulation in this respect. Second, Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1274/91 of 15 May 1991 introducing detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 on certain marketing standards for eggs(5) must be adapted in order to lay down technical details like outdoor stocking densities. In this context, the Commission consults all concerned, including consumers, producers, trade and manufacturers.

(1) COM(98) 135 final.

(2) OJ L 203, 3.8.1999.

(3) OJ L 173, 6.7.1990.

(4) COM(2000) 522.

(5) OJ L 121, 16.5.1991.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2877/00

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(14 September 2000)

Subject: Merger of the publicly-owned shipyards Bazán and Astilleros Españoles and reauthorisation of Astano to construct merchant vessels

The chairman of the Spanish public body Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI), an organisation grouping publicly owned undertakings, recently announced the decision to merge two enterprises, namely Bazán, a constructor of military vessels whose main shipyard is in El Ferrol (Galicia), and Astilleros Españoles, a constructor of merchant vessels of which the Astano shipyard, also in El Ferrol, is a branch. The chairman of SEPI justified this decision on the grounds that Bazán has a large number of orders while the other enterprise does not; he also invoked the need to respond to competition from Korea, in the light of the circumstances which will soon prevail following the EU's decision to abolish state aid.

This decision by SEPI, which, its chairman appears to believe, is unlikely to meet opposition from the Commission on grounds of competition guarantees, has created a new situation, which should logically lead to the lifting of the ban on vessel construction which Astano has been labouring under for some years. This ban has caused a considerable economic depression in El Ferrol.

In view of all the above circumstances, does the Commission intend to facilitate the merger on the terms proposed? Will the Commission lift the ban on vessel construction by Astano, while also continuing to authorise it to construct off-shore naval installations, in which it has achieved a widely recognised level of specialisation?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

The recently announced merger of the military yards of Bazan and the merchant shipyards of Astilleros Españoles has not been notified to the Commission. The Commission has asked Spain to provide all relevant information about the operation in order that the Commission can assess whether any state aid is involved and, if so, whether this is compatible with the state aid rules for shipbuilding that apply.

As the Commission has explained in several replies to previous similar questions by the Honourable Member (E-94/00(1) and E-660/00(2)), the merger can have no impact on the current limitations on the activities of the Astano yard. The continued closure of the yard to shipbuilding was a key condition of substantial state aids for the publicly-owned merchant shipyards in Spain approved by the Commission in 1997. This condition must continue to be respected.

(1) OJ C 280 E, 3.10.2000, p. 176.

(2) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 84.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2654/00

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Labelling and monitoring of animal skins

Investigations by a number of international organisations have shown that in Asia up to 2 million pets, primarily cats and dogs, have been rounded up under appalling conditions and then killed for their skins in a repulsive manner. Many of these skins are exported and thus appear in European shops. Moreover, it has been established that many of these skins are not labelled as cat or dog skins in an effort to disguise their origin.

Is there a ban on the import of cat and dog skins?

If so, what law is that ban based on and how are the relevant checks organised?

If not, are checks carried out to determine whether skins are falsely or misleadingly labelled?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(13 October 2000)

In the Community a comprehensive set of legislation exists that covers a wide range of issues relating to animal welfare within its borders. However, given that trade in cat or dog skins is not forbidden under the CITES Convention(1), there is no ban in the Community on the import of such products.

When hides and skins are imported into the Community, customs officials usually carry out visual checks in order to verify whether the information provided on labels, if any, corresponds to reality. The purpose of those checks is twofold: to verify whether those products fall under the CITES Convention, and to ensure the correct customs classification with a view to establishing the appropriate customs tariff.

(1) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2761/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: EU dairy farming subsidies

Could the Commission provide me with a full breakdown of EU subsidies for:

(a) dairy farming milk production,

(b) dairy farming milk distribution, and

(c) dairy farming

per Member State per year, for the last five years?

Could the Commission also identify any other sources of European Union funding to support milk?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2000)

Within the common market organisation for milk and milk products, milk production has so far only been supported indirectly through intervention buying for butter and skimmed milk powder and through export refunds and internal subsidies for certain dairy products. In the context of Agenda 2000 it has been decided that direct support to dairy farming will be introduced from 2005.

Tables indicating the annual Community expenditure on support for milk and milk products, per Member State and per budget heading for the period 1995-1999, are sent direct to the Honourable Member and Parliament's Secretariat.

In the context of the policy of support for investments in the agricultural sector, including for the marketing and processing of agricultural products, the Community has supported investments aimed at modernising installations, the improvement of quality and the achievement of environmental objectives. These investments have been supported in accordance with certain conditions, in particular the avoidance of increased production capacity given the surplus situation in the sector.

Concerning the amounts of aid granted during 1995-1999 relevant for the milk sector, the data are not currently available because they form part of the structural fund programmes, which are not yet closed.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2993/00

by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Council

(25 September 2000)

Subject: Pakistan

In the light of the recent creation of a national commission to protect women's rights and help raise their status in Pakistan, will the Council assist this commission in securing the necessary legislation to guarantee improved conditions for the women of Pakistan?

Reply

(20/21 December 2000)

The Council shares the concern expressed in the question put by the Honourable Member regarding the improvement of the situation of women in Pakistan. In development projects which are financed or cofinanced by the Community and carried out by the majority of the NGOs in Pakistan, the Council tries, in general, to take account of the gender dimension so as to improve women's living conditions. In the sectoral social programmes under way priority is already being given to improving the quality of education, health and family-planning services and to easier access for women and girls to protection and education systems.

However, to date, the Council has not received any specific request for the provision of assistance to the new Pakistan commission to protect women's rights and help raise their status. Nonetheless, the Council can assure the Honourable Member that it will give favourable consideration to any request along these lines.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2754/00

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(2 August 2000)

Subject: Expanding the activities of the Inter-Services Group responsible for the outermost regions

The conclusions of the Commission's report on the application of Article 299(2) of the Treaty call for the activities of the Inter-Services Group (which is responsible for coordinating the Commission's work in that area) to continue and to be expanded.

With exceptional dedication and efficiency the Group has provided full support for the outermost regions in a way which may be described as positively exemplary. However, it is seriously understaffed in certain areas and this applies in particular to its agriculture department, which requires a much larger staff on account of the importance of agriculture to the outermost regions and the extreme complexity of Community legislation.

What action does the Commission intend to take in order to strengthen the Inter-Services Group (in accordance with the conclusions of its own report) and, in particular, the team responsible for agricultural matters?

Joint answer to Written Questions P-2754/00 and E-2889/00 given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2000)

As can be seen from the initiatives it has taken, the Commission attaches great importance to the question of the most remote regions and the implementation of Article 299(2) (formerly Article 227(2)) of the EC Treaty. In this context, it is aware of the key role played by the Group on the most remote regions and anxious to ensure that it functions smoothly.

As the Honourable Member is aware, the Commission has embarked on a far-reaching plan to modernise its administration in order to increase its effectiveness in serving the Community. Rationalisation of working arrangements and better use of resources are among the essential strands of the reform policy launched by the Commission and receive its constant attention.

The Honourable Member can rest assured that, in the decisions it takes under its autonomous powers of internal organisation, the Commission will see to it that the Group on the most remote regions continues to function smoothly.