ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3760/00

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 December 2000)

Subject: Rules governing debt collection

In Italy the business of debt collection is at present governed by Article 115 of the Act consolidating the public safety laws (T.U.L.P.S.), adopted under Royal Decree No 773 of 18 June 1931.

In Ministerial Circular 559/C 22103.1205 of 2 July 1996 the Italian Ministry of the Interior restricted the operations of debt collection agencies to the territory of the province where an agency's licence was issued and its head office is based.

Can the Commission say whether the above restriction is compatible with the Treaties and the Community legislation whereby Member States have undertaken to refrain from obstructing the freedom to provide services, the heading under which debt collection for third parties in fact falls?

Supplementary answergiven by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2001)

As announced in its initial answer to this written question, the Commission sent a request for information to the national authorities concerning Italian rules in the field of extrajudicial debt collection activities in Italy.

This request for information, which was made in February 2001, has so far remained unanswered.

The Commission feels that doubts remain about the compatibility of the Italian rules with Articles 43 (ex Article 52) and 49 (ex Article 59) of the EC Treaty, which sanction the abolition of restrictions on the fundamental freedom of establishment and the fundamental freedom to provide services in the internal market respectively.

The Italian rules do, in fact, stipulate the general obligation for prior authorisation to carry out such an activity and that the validity of this authorisation is limited only to the province in which it has been issued by the provincial police authorities.

In the light of the relevant legal provisions in this matter and in the absence of any other information, it would appear in particular that this arrangement applies to all operators with no distinction made between those established in Italy and those providing services and that no account is taken therefore of obligations already fulfilled by operators in their Member State of origin.

The Commission, having formally recorded the written question by the Honourable Member in the register of complaints, will decide in the near future whether to send a letter of formal notice to Italy under the infringement proceedings laid down in Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0023/01

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 January 2001)

Subject: Industrial fishing

Will the Commission assess the effects that industrial fishing of pelagic species is having on the lamentable state of demersal species in the North Sea?

In particular, has a proper assessment been made of by-catches of demersal species in this area when nets smaller that 16 millimetres are used for industrial fishing?

Could the extensive catches of pelagic species in the North Sea be connected with problems in the food chain that may have been caused by the catastrophic situation affecting demersal species?

Will the Commission take measures to ensure proper control over this type of fishing in other areas where the Community fleet operates?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(2 March 2001)

The main industrial fisheries affecting demersal species in the North Sea are those for Norway pout which are conducted mainly by Denmark and Norway with nets of mesh size equal to or greater than 16 mm. In these fisheries, a by-catch predominantly of haddock and whiting is taken. This by-catch consists mainly of juveniles of the species concerned.

The other major industrial fisheries in the North Sea are targeted on sprats and sandeels. By-catches of demersal fish by these fisheries is very low.

According to a report of November 2000 of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) by-catches of whiting have varied since 1987 between 51 000 tonnes and 3 000 tonnes per year. In the period 1996 to 1999, by-catches have varied between 5 000 tonnes and 3 000 tonnes. For haddock since 1987, by-catches have varied between 11 000 tonnes and 2 000 tonnes per year.

For equity, these quantities should be compared to those of haddock and whiting discarded by those fleets using nets of 80 or 100 mm mesh size which land their fish for human consumption. Since 1987, discards of haddock has varied between 80 000 tonnes and 33 000 tonnes while discards of whiting have varied between 54 000 tonnes and 13 000 tonnes.

There is much discussion on possible effects on the food chain of removal of large quantities of Norway pout, sandeels and sprats from the North Sea and elsewhere. However, the Commission is unaware of definitive scientific results which indicate that current catch levels have created deleterious effects. The only exception to this position concerns an apparent lack of breeding success of a species of seabird off the east coast of Scotland. In response to this, fisheries for sandeels were closed in the appropriate area of the North Sea.

The Community already has in place measures to control the activities of vessels conducting industrial fisheries. These are mainly contained in (EC) No Regulation 850/98 of 30 March 1998 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms(1) and, in particular, Annexes I and II thereof.

(1) OJ L 125, 27.4.1998.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0344/01

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 February 2001)

Subject: Extension of the Athens underground railway

The Greek Government has decided to extend the existing Athens underground railway line from Ethniki Amyni, its current terminus, to Stavro Aghias Paraskevis, in order to facilitate connections with Athens's new airport. The government claims that for reasons of speed and economy it has decided to dispense with four of the five originally planned stations in the new section of the extension, which would have served the districts of Holargos, Aghias Paraskevis etc.

Additionally, it appears that the Community appropriations which will be used to fund this extension have already been authorised for use on the extension of the underground railway to Aigaleo, a primarily working-class area of Athens, whose railway line has been postponed until much later. This would amount to sacrificing connections for impoverished areas of the city to an attempt to serve the airport; it should, however, be pointed out that the utility of this attempt is highly questionable, since the planned Stavro station is several kilometres away from the airport.

Has the Commission been informed of these important changes, and what is its assessment of them?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(19 April 2001)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to his Written Question E-3658/00(1).

(1) See page 25.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0007/01

by Lord Inglewood (PPE-DE) to the Council

(18 January 2001)

Subject: European Defence and Security Policy and NATO

Do the decisions taken at Nice with regard to the European Defence and Security Policy look seemlessly and coherently into the wider framework for defence and security policy already in place as part of NATO?

Reply

(14 May 2001)

In reply to the question raised by the Honourable Member, it can be recalled that the Presidency report approved by the Nice European Council comprehensively deals with the relationship between the European Security and Defence Policy and NATO, as did the previous reports to the European Council on ESDP.

First of all, NATO remains the basis of the collective defence of its members and will continue to play an important role in crisis management.

Secondly, the Council would remind the Honourable Member that in the progress report drawn up by the Presidency and annexed to the conclusions of the Helsinki European Council it is established that the European Union should have the autonomous capacity to take decisions and, where NATO as a whole is not engaged, to launch and then conduct EU-led military operations in response to international crises in support of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).

The development of the ESDP will contribute to the vitality of a renewed Transatlantic link. This development will also lead to a genuine strategic partnership between the EU and NATO in the management of crises with due regard for the two organisations' decision-making autonomy.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0290/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 February 2001)

Subject: Gender equality programmes

Can the Commission list those organisations which receive money to promote positive discrimination based on gender?

What videos have been created by the Association des femmes de l'Europe méridionale? What money was supplied by the EC to fund them? Can the Commission suply copies to the DG IV library so that such videos are available to Members?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(28 March 2001)

The Commission has funded several organisations under the medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for men and women (1996-2000) established by Council Decision 95/593/EC of 22 December 1995(1), in order to allow for the exchange of information and experience on good practice at transnational level and/or to identify and develop good practice and transfer of information and experience to promote the integration of equal opportunities for men and women.

The Commission will submit a final report on the implementation of the programme to the Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions before 31 December 2001.

In the interim, the Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat the directories of projects funded in the financial years 1996-1999 and a list of the organisations funded in financial year 2000.

The Association des femmes de l'Europe méridionale (AFEM) has produced a video entitled Femmes et hommes, décidons ensemble. Le PE: une antichambre de la parité with the aim of promoting a positive image of women's and men's roles in society. The Commission co-funded the production of the video for an amount of 23 112. The ownership, title and industrial and intellectual property rights of the video are vested in the beneficiary. Therefore, all requests for copies should be addressed to AFEM, for the attention of Mr Yannick Ladroyes, 48, rue de Vaugirard F-75006 Paris (fax number: 33.(0)1.43.25.93.87).

(1) OJ L 335, 30.12.1995.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0961/01

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 March 2001)

Subject: Health problems with the third generation contraceptive pill

The Dutch consumers' association is advising women and girls not to take the third generation contraceptive pill. The book Nieuwe Medicijnen (New Medicines) says that this lighter pill affords a much greater risk of thrombosis than the second generation pill. The third generation contraceptive pill was on the agenda of the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMA) in late February 2001. It appears that the re-evaluation of this type of pill was not positive because of possible health problems, such as a significantly higher risk of thrombosis.

In April the EMA is organising a hearing with the companies involved, one major feature of which will be the Wyeth report (report GMR 29549, December 1997) written by Axel Olson (of Wyeth). In addition, the companies in question will apparently be submitting a more recent report.

Can the Commission make public the Wyeth report?

Is it true that in May the EMA will be taking a final decision on the admissibility of, and any changes to, the patient information leaflet included with this sort of pill?

Does the Commission agree that transparency in this question when the health of millions of women and girls is at stake is the first requirement?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 2001)

In October 1995 and in January 1997, the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) published two position statements of the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) on the third generation contraceptive pill or pill containing gestodene or desogestrol. These documents are available on the EMEA website: http://www.emea.eu.int.

The Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) indicated that the risk of venous thrombosis was greater for females taking the third generation contraceptive pill than those taking the second generation contraceptive pill which contains levonorgestrel. Therefore the CPMP considered it necessary to re-evaluate the data available to ensure that they are not confusing or biased.

In order to carry out this re-evaluation, the CPMP is examining the initial data, the recent information available and the data provided by the marketing authorisation holders of third generation contraceptives.

The CPMP is currently conducting a scientific analysis of all the data. During its last meeting in February 2001, it advised that a subsequent hearing of the marketing authorisation holders was necessary.

Following this hearing and when the scientific evaluation of the data is completed, the EMEA will publish the CPMP recommendations on use to complement the two aforementioned position statements. They will be also be made public on the EMEA website.

It should be noted that such a recommendation is not an irrevocable act.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0118/01

by Mauro Nobilia (UEN) to the Commission

(18 January 2001)

Subject: Right to reimbursement of illegally paid interest on loan contracts in Italy

Law No 108 of 7 March 1996 set down a threshold above which interest rates are deemed to be usurious. This law also determined the procedures for calculating this threshold, which are based on a calculation of the actual overall average rate for each quarter with reference to the figures for the previous quarter.

Credit institutions do not seem to have complied with this requirement when fixing interest rates for loans taken out after the date of entry into force of the abovementioned law.

On 17 November 2000 the Court of Appeal ruled that all loans with interest rates higher than those laid down in the law were illegal and therefore subject to cancellation, regardless of the date of the contract. This means that even loans concluded before the entry into force of the law are subject to this ruling.

Subsequently, the Italian Government introduced a decree establishing that the valid interest rate for loans should be that set at the time of the contract, thereby excluding the possibility of repayment of sums unduly paid prior to the entry into force of the law. The decree also stipulates that interest illegally paid after April 1997, the date of entry into force of the law in question, should not be repaid by banking institutes.

Finally, the decree stipulates that all fixed-rate loans still active on 2 January 2001 with rates higher than those permitted under the law should be automatically renegotiated at a rate calculated on the basis of the annual average rate for long-term treasury bonds over the last 25 years.

Will the Commission say:

1. Whether the information set out above is accurate?

2. If so, is the approach adopted by the government not tantamount to protecting a cartel?

3. Does the decree issued by the Italian Government not represent a breach of Community rules on consumer protection and access to consumer credit?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(19 February 2001)

In the Commission's answer to the Honourable Member's Written Question P-4157/00(1), it already informed him of the initiative it had taken regarding Italian Law No 108/96 on usury. As part of that initiative, it wrote to the Italian Government on 16 January, requesting it to provide all the information relevant to the appraisal of Decree-Law No 304 of 29 December 2000 in terms of Community law.

(1) OJ C 174 E, 19.6.2001, p. 241.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0151/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 January 2001)

Subject: Economy class syndrome

The so-called economy class syndrome hit the headlines recently when a young British woman died in a London airport immediately after her flight from Sidney. According to medical studies that have been published, at least 25 people have died over the last eight years as a result of this syndrome, which is observed after long-haul air journeys. The causes of these deaths can in most cases be traced to the formation of blood clots, which are believed to be caused by long periods of immobility. The UK Government has already issued instructions to the airlines obliging them to warn passengers of the danger of the formation of blood clots.

What information does the Commission have on this subject and what does it intend to do prevent similar events occurring in the future?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0151/01, E-0155/01, E-0191/01, E-0233/01, E-0349/01 and P-0353/01 given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2001)

The Commission is well aware of recent reports and developments in the field of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and cabin conditions, and is taking passengers' concerns very seriously. It has examined various reports, in particular that of the Select Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Lords.

On the basis of a preliminary assessment, the Commission has not found real substance in the extreme claims about health risks from air travel. However, it takes the danger of health risks most seriously, in particular that of DVT, the more so as data is poor on the incidence of the complaint.

Consequently, as a first precaution, the Commission sent a letter to the presidents of the Association of European Airlines, the European Regions Airlines Association and the International Air Carrier Association, urging their members to take precautionary measures in relation to DVT. In this letter, airlines were urged to act rapidly to minimise the risks by informing passengers when they make reservations or order tickets, on the risks, on predisposing factors and on precautionary measures to take before long flights and advise them, once on board the aircraft, on what to do to lessen the chance of thrombosis.

A number of airlines have already introduced, on their own initiative, pre-boarding warnings and/or in-flight advice (leaflets, videos, in-flight magazines showing exercises, recommending what to do and what to avoid, etc).

The next thing is to obtain balance assessments of health risks. The Commission will, as soon as possible, set up expert groups, one on the effects of DVT and the other on air quality and cabin conditions. They will scrutinise existing research and then draw conclusions on risks to health, the need for further research and on measures that the different actors involved should take.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0010/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(17 January 2001)

Subject: Recreational sea angling

Sea anglers in the UK have been faced with diminishing catches over the past 10 years.

Does the Commission have any plans to implement measures to give more recognition to these anglers, in particular as recognition of the employment they provide and the contribution they make to the economy?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2001)

The general objectives of fisheries conservation policy are to protect and conserve available and accessible living marine aquatic resources, and to provide for rational and responsible exploitation on a sustainable basis. A number of fish stocks have been declining while efforts and investments have been made to conserve stocks, improve the environment, strengthen competitiveness, and add value. Furthermore, it is recognised that many coastal areas, particularly those dependent on fisheries, suffer from socio-economic weakness and one of the main aims of fisheries structural policy is to contribute to the revitalising of areas dependent on fisheries and aquaculture.

Recreational fishing and sea angling are activities which can contribute to the economic benefit of communities and as such have been supported by Community Structural Funds through financial support for fishing tourism, hatcheries for restocking, stock enhancement schemes, vessel reconversions, improved port facilities, and studies. These types of projects may be cofinanced in the future with the support of Community Structural Funds.

It should also be noted that in Article 2 of the basic Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture(1), Member States shall ensure that non-commercial activities do not jeopardize the conservation and management of resources covered by the common fisheries policy.

(1) OJ L 389, 31.12.1992.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0354/01

by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(6 February 2001)

Subject: Moroccan fisheries agreement negotiations

I have been told at first hand from the highest level of the Moroccan Government that the round of talks on signing a fresh fisheries agreement, which began last Thursday between the Commission and Moroccan Government representatives broke off on Friday, with no date set for their resumption, when Mr Smidt, the Commission's Director-General for Fisheries, announced that he was returning to Brussels for the weekend.

This kind of behaviour, which makes a laughing-stock not only of Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler, who is strongly in favour of the agreement, but also Commission President Romani Prodi himself, who gave his word to the Moroccan authorities that the Commission would be fully committed to the negotiations, would appear to suggest that Mr Smidt is not the best person to carry these talks into their next round.

Is Mr Fischler aware of these facts, and has he been in receipt of any protest on the part of the Spanish Government in this connection?

The fishing fleet has now been forced to remain tied up for fourteen months. Does the Commission intend to make changes in the negotiating team, so as enable an agreement to be concluded?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(28 February 2001)

The Commission agreed with the Moroccan authorities to hold a one-day meeting on 25 January 2001 in order to continue the negotiations on a future fisheries agreement, the previous session having ended on 9 January 2001.

During this meeting, on 25 January 2001, some progress was made and the Moroccan side introduced new proposals that the Commission needed to examine carefully. Therefore both parties agreed to have another technical meeting the following week. This explains why the Commission officials returned to Brussels.

The discussions remain open and both delegations are continuing their efforts to reduce the distance between their respective positions on the key issues.