ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3304/97 by Raymonde Dury (PSE) to the Commission (20 October 1997)

Subject: Reducing the number of road accidents

Can the Commission estimate the economic cost of deaths in Belgium resulting from traffic accidents and can it say how it recommends reducing the number of injuries and deaths caused by road accidents throughout Europe?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3304/97 and E-3305/97 given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (15 December 1997)

In 1994, 1 543 people were killed in traffic accidents in Belgium and 73 338 were injured. Based on the number killed by million inhabitants over the period 1991-1994, the position of Belgium is worse than the European average, and that of seven other Member States. It is however difficult to make precise comparisons between Member States as there are a number of factors, such as the quality of infrastructure, which are not comparable.

The Commission has calculated that the direct cost of road accidents (including the cost of police and emergency services, vehicle repairs, and lost economic output), is 45 000 MECU per year for the Community as a whole. When divided by the total of 45 000 road fatalities in the Community per year, this gives a simple average of 1 MECU per death.

The Commission has adopted a communication 'Promoting road safety in the EU - The programme for 1997-2001' ((COM(97) 131 final. )) which sets out in detail the Commission's plans to build on the successes of the first action programme which ran from 1993-1996. The Commission's actions will focus on three areas: information gathering and dissemination in order to identify and to monitor the situation; initiating and supporting measures to avoid accidents, with an emphasis on the human factor and its interface with environment; and initiating and supporting measures to reduce the consequences of accidents when they occur. If the measures proposed in the action programme are implemented, the Commission believes that a reduction of 18 000 fatalities per year could be achieved by the year 2010.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3458/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (31 October 1997)

Subject: JRC in Ispra

By dint of much hard work, many staff members of different nationalities at the Ispra JRC obtained a degree and, after having passed a series of competitions, have reached grade A. However, many Italian officials are unable to pass such competitions, despite having the necessary qualifications.

Furthermore, reports from the unions at Ispra and the opinions expressed by the Director-General of the JRC are generally complimentary about the Italian staff.

How is it that, while Article 24 of the Staff Regulations encourages officials to improve their skills and states that such training shall be taken into account for promotion purposes, this does not happen - or happens only rarely - in the case of Italian staff, while it does for staff of other nationalities?

How can the Commission justify this situation, not least in the light of the White Paper in which it advocates further training, when in practice further training does not lead to improved career prospects?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (11 December 1997)

The Commission has a specific procedure which ensures that each year the most deserving officials are selected for promotion. It also regularly institutes a procedure which allows officials and agents to be assessed as to their suitability for promotion to a higher category. Irrespective of nationality, personnel may also take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Commission to follow training courses which will enhance their skills and the services they provide.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3032/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (1 October 1997)

Subject: Community Environmental Law

In its communication 'Implementing Community environmental law' (COM(96) 0500 final - CES 455/97) the Commission takes the view that, since many parts of the Community are lagging behind in implementing the Community's environmental law, action to improve the current situation should be stepped up.

Its proposal to put forward recommendations for harmonizing the environmental inspection system with the support of IMPEL (Implementation Community Environmental Law) and the European Environment Agency is welcome.

Will the Commission beef up its own monitoring and inspection powers (Article 155 of the Treaty) by creating the machinery needed to help carry them out?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (13 November 1997)

The proposal in the communication on implementing Community environmental law ((COM (96) 500 final, 22.10.96. )) stated that the inspection authorities in the Member States could produce and publish annual reports on the experience acquired during the carrying out of their inspection tasks, which themselves would be the subject of guidelines issued by the Commission. Work on the preparation of these minimum criteria has commenced with the involvement of the IMPEL network. Reporting on the performance of inspection authorities against these criteria will enable monitoring to occur. As the communication stated, 'further consideration would be given as to whether there might be a need for a limited Community body with auditing competencies' once experience with the minimum criteria has taken place.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3397/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (23 October 1997)

Subject: Human rights

'The rules here are not clear, either as regards the right to take photographs of women or on other matters'. That was the first comment by Emma Bonino, the Member of the Commission responsible for human rights, who was detained for several hours by the fundamentalist Taliban militia while on assignment in Kabul. Mrs Bonino told the American television station CNN that she, along with the entire delegation travelling with her, had been arrested near a women's hospital that she had just visited. The decision to arrest the delegation seems to have been taken because some of its members photographed the women and filmed them with television cameras, acts apparently prohibited by the Taliban version of Islamic law.

Will the Commission report forthwith on the sequence of events?

Is it true that some members of the delegation took photographs and shot films although they were forbidden by law to do so?

Will any changes be made to the ECHO programme?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino behalf of the Commission (2 December 1997)

The incident that occurred on 29 September 1997, while the member of the Commission in charge of humanitarian aid and her delegation were visiting a clinic in Kabul, had its origin in a misunderstanding between the press people accompanying her and the religious police. The incident was closed with the apologies of two members of the Taliban administration.

During her humanitarian assessment mission to Afghanistan, the member of the Commission could verify that huge humanitarian needs remain, and therefore, the urgency of continuing the assistance to the people of Afghanistan both in the Taliban controlled territory and in the Northern Alliance controlled region.

The Commission will continue to provide funding to United Nations agencies and programmes, international relief organisations and European non-governmental organisations to assist the population of Afghanistan, provided that this aid can be distributed freely, without harassment, and in accordance with international humanitarian conventions.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3425/97 by Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (PPE) to the Commission (31 October 1997)

Subject: Norwegian salmon farms in the Tana Fjord

The Norwegian State has granted permits, contrary to the recommendations of the regional environmental authorities and the Finnish-Norwegian border waters commission, for the rearing of salmon in the Tana Fjord in bag-shaped netting enclosures. This authorization for the rearing of salmon in the Tana Fjord is all the more surprising since the Norwegian State, in conjunction with the Norwegian environmental protection organization, demanded the closure of the fish farming establishment at Inari (Finland) on the grounds that it posed a threat to the naturally occurring strain of salmon in the Tenojoki (Tana) river. The Finnish State did in fact close the Inari fish farm.

In the light of the above the Norwegian State has shown great irresponsibility in permitting the farming of fish in netting enclosures in the Tana Fjord. Such installations increase the risk of spreading fish diseases and impairing the genome quality of the naturally occurring Tenojoki salmon. The Norwegians' activities pose a threat not only to the natural Tenojoki salmon, but also to livelihoods in the fishing and tourist industries in the Tenojoki valley. The destruction of the natural salmon stock would have incalculable consequences for the whole valley.

What measures can the Commission take to clarify the fishery situation in the Tenojoki and to protect the natural Tenojoki salmon and the whole of the Tenojoki valley from destruction?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (11 December 1997)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question P-2907/97 by Mrs Hautala ((OJ C 134, 30.4.1998, p. 35. )).
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3254/97 by Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza (PSE) to the Commission (20 October 1997)

Subject: Hold-up in legislation to reduce noise

Last June plenary unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Commission to submit, by the end of this year, a framework directive on environmental noise and a global directive on machinery used in the open air.

Can the Commission say whether it intends to comply with this request?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (19 November 1997)

Further to the results of the consultation organised by the Commission on the green paper 'Future Noise Policy' ((COM(96) 540. )), and in particular to the resolution adopted by the Parliament, the Commission has started preparation of the framework directive on environmental noise. At the present stage, it appears that several topics are not sufficiently well defined and need further technical and scientific discussions to prepare a soundly based proposal. This preparatory work is foreseen for 1998 and the proposal is scheduled for the beginning of 1999.

As regards the framework directive on noise emission by equipment used outdoors, adoption by the Commission is foreseen for the end of this year.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-3713/97 by Franco Malerba (UPE) to the Commission (12 November 1997)

Subject: Genoa's port policy

Articles have appeared in the press on the Commission's decision concerning unlawful practices by the Genoa port services - rates of pilot services and provision of temporary manpower.

Following the reforms adopted in Italian legislation and the change in the status and management of the port of Genoa in recent years, does the Commission think it is still formally lawful to retain such practices which the Commission considers detrimental to competition and the development of activities at the port of Genoa?

Does the Commission have evidence that the situation at the port of Genoa is common to other Italian or European ports (and has it taken its decision accordingly)?

Does the Commission have statistics on the liberalization of European ports, and has the move towards open competition increased or decreased traffic and employment?

What will the Commission do in the immediate future and with what instruments to commit the Italian Government and the port of Genoa to liberalization?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (9 December 1997)

The Honourable Member is referring to Decisions 97/744/EC and 97/745/EC, which were adopted by the Commission on 21 October 1997 and deal respectively with the provisions of Italian ports legislation relating to employment ((OJ L 301, 5.11.1997. )) and the system of reductions on tariffs for piloting in the Port of Genoa.

In the first of these, the Commission calls on Italy to amend the provisions of port reform Laws Nos 84/94 and 647/96 which, while partly liberalising the market, still reserve for the old dockers' companies the substantial privilege of providing temporary labour. This confers on them undue competitive advantages. In the second Decision, the Commission requests Italy to terminate the system of reductions, which discriminates between ferry operators. It is for Italy to adopt the appropriate measures implementing the Commission Decision, at the latest two months after it was notified.

The Commission has not received any other complaints concerning similar infringements in Europe, nor does it have specific statistical studies concerning the economic effects of liberalisation in this sector. Nevertheless, it would point out that employment in Italian ports has continued to decline (by more than 15 000 units) while the monopoly of the old dockers' companies has been in place. It is also clear that, following the initial measures liberalising the sector taken by Italy after the Port of Genoa judgment ((Case C-179/90 Merci Convenzionali Porto di Genova [1991] ECR I-5889. )), the port has experienced considerable growth in its activities.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3517/97 by Niels Sindal (PSE) to the Commission (12 November 1997)

Subject: Road safety

How many people were killed or injured in road accidents in Denmark in the last year for which statistics are available, and how can these figures be interpreted in relation to the number of fatal accidents per million registered cars (a) in Denmark and (b) in Europe overall?

What is the estimated economic cost of fatal road accidents in Denmark?

What does the Commission suggest can be done to reduce the number of road accident deaths and injuries?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (18 December 1997)

In 1994 546 people were killed in traffic accidents in Denmark and 9757 were injured. Based on the number killed by million inhabitants over the period 1991-1994, the position of Denmark is better than the European average. Clearly, it is difficult to make precise comparisons between Member States as there are a number of factors, such as the quality of infrastructure, which are not comparable. The figures given above are, however, a clear indication of the relative rate of deaths and injuries and, as national, local and police authorities and safety organisations continually emphasise, there is always room for further improvement.

The Commission has calculated that the direct cost of road accidents (including the cost of police and emergency services, vehicle repairs, and the lost economic output from those killed), is 45 000 MECU per year for the Community as a whole. When divided by the 45 000 fatalities per year this gives us an average of one MECU per death and associated injuries. In Denmark the '1 MECU test' would produce a cost for road deaths of about 550 MECU per year.

The Commission has adopted a communication 'Promoting road safety in the EU - The programme for 1997-2001' ((COM(97) 131 final. )) which sets out in detail the Commission's plans to build on the successes of the first action programme which ran from 1993-1996. The Commission's actions will focus on three fields: information gathering and dissemination in order to identify and to monitor the situation and thereby promote focused improvements; initiating and supporting measures to avoid accidents, with an emphasis on the human factor and its interface with environmental features like road and junction design, traffic signals etc.; initiating and supporting measures to reduce the consequences of accidents when they occur - by means of achieving further improvements in vehicle design and crash resilience, for example. In addition, the Commission actively advocates cost-free changes in behaviour which would save a large number of lives and reduce the seriousness of injuries. If in Denmark, for instance, front and rear seat belt wearing was at the level of the countries in which it is most usual, reliable estimates put the number of lives that would be saved at 76 every year.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3544/97 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor (PPE) to the Commission (12 November 1997)

Subject: Winter holiday programme for the elderly

The success of the winter holiday programme for the elderly announced by the Spanish welfare authorities was demonstrated by the fact that on the first day 80% of the available places were booked.

Given that this age group enjoys holidays every year, which, in addition to their recreation and leisure value, provide a useful boost to the economies of tourist areas during the low season, it would be worthwhile to consider extending such programmes to greater numbers of older people in other European Union countries.

Is the Commission in any way involved in the abovementioned winter holiday programme for the elderly in Spain and does it believe this programme should be extended to other European countries to enable their elderly citizens to enjoy the benefits of the mild southern climate during the winter?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (12 December 1997)

The Commission is aware that the seasonality issue, which affects many tourism destinations experiencing over-concentration in the peak season, is one of the principal challenges facing the tourism sector.

A number of initiatives have been taken at national level to help redress some of the problems caused by seasonality, among which is the winter holiday programme for the elderly in Spain.

As for the possibility of extending the programme to other Member States, the Commission believes that this and other similar initiatives could be usefully explored in the context of exchanges of experiences and co-operation involving the Commission, the Member States and the industry.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3240/97 by Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza (PSE) to the Commission (20 October 1997)

Subject: Traffic accidents

In view of the large number of traffic accidents which occurred in a Member State this summer, can the Commission say:

1. whether the number of traffic accidents in Spain is more than, less than or the same as in other Member States;

2. whether the financial cost of these accidents has already been estimated;

3. what changes it recommends to reduce the number of accidents and road deaths?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (2 December 1997)

In 1994, 6 248 people were killed in traffic accidents in Spain and 114 525 were injured. Based on the number killed by million inhabitants over the period 1991-1994, the position of Spain is worse than the European average, and proportionately worse than that of nine other Member States. Clearly, it is difficult to make precise comparisons between Member States as there are a number of factors, such as the quality of infrastructure, which are not comparable. The figures given above are, however, a clear indication of the relative rate of deaths and injuries.

The Commission has calculated that the direct cost of road accidents (including the cost of police and emergency services, vehicle repairs, and lost economic output), is 45 000 MECU per year for the Community as a whole. When divided by the total of 45 000 road fatalities in the Community per year, this gives a simple average of 1 MECU per death and associated injuries. In Spain, the '1 MECU test' would produce a cost for road deaths of about 6 000 MECU per year.

The Commission has adopted a communication 'Promoting road safety in the EU - The programme for 1997-2001' ((COM(97) 131 final. )) which sets out in detail the Commission's plans to build on the successes of the first action programme which ran from 1993-1996. The Commission's actions will focus on three areas: information gathering and dissemination in order to identify and to monitor the situation and thereby promote focused improvements; initiating and supporting measures to avoid accidents, with an emphasis on the human factor and its interface with environmental features like road and junction design, traffic signals etc.; and initiating and supporting measures to reduce the consequences of accidents when they occur -by means of achieving further improvements in vehicle design and crash resilience, for example. In addition, the Commission actively advocates cost-free changes in behaviour which would save a large number of lives and reduce the seriousness of injuries. If in all Member States, for instance, front and rear seat belt wearing was at the level of the countries in which it is most usual, something like 6,000 lives would be saved every year.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3855/97 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission (5 December 1997)

Subject: The future of science parks in the European Union

As some of the science parks scattered around Europe begin to review their achievements and future prospects, those responsible for running the parks are expressing the view that there is a lack of balance between what the parks offer and what is expected of them by many of the companies they are designed to serve. It sometimes seems that the whole basic model for science parks needs to be redefined.

Does the Commission feel that the time is right to suggest a joint review of the future of science parks, which would also take account of experience and assessments from outside the Community?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (28 January 1998)

For several years, the Commission has been keeping a close eye on the development of technology parks as part of its Innovation Programme and regional policy. Technology parks are designed to promote technological innovation and serve as support structures for regional economic development.

In the last fifteen years or so, these structures have multiplied throughout the European Union and have now attained a certain maturity, although there are considerable variations between regions. As the Honourable Member rightly points out, the concept is still evolving in response to technological progress, especially in the information and communication technologies. For example, we are currently witnessing the emergence of multi-centre or 'virtual' parks.

Technology parks are grouped into national associations which regularly organise forums where the members can compare notes on development, the structures which have been created and the tools which are available to the businesses concerned.

Furthermore, the International Association of Science Parks, which brings together a large number of parks in Europe and other parts of the world, organises useful forums for reflecting on the future of technology parks, and the Commission maintains a keen interest in their deliberations.