ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2147/96 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (2 August 1996)

Subject: Article 10 Programme

Could the Commission outline the number of applications it has received under the Article 10 Programme 1994-99 according to the number of partners in each Member State of the European Union?

What special action has been taken to ensure equal participation from local and regional authorities in the most recent accession countries of Finland, Sweden and Austria?

Answer given by Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (19 September 1996)

The Commission has received some 900 applications, 840 of them eligible, concerning pilot schemes under Article 10 of the Regulation concerning the European Regional Development Fund ((OJ L 193, 31.7.1993. )). The following table provides a breakdown by field and Member State.

>TABLE>

(*) RIS stands for 'regional innovation strategies'. RTT stands for ' regional technology transfer' (regional pilot schemes). IS 1 stands for 'information society - area 1 (strategies). IS 2 stands for 'information society - area 2 (regional pilot schemes). NSE stands for 'new sources of employment'. 'Culture' comprises interregional cooperation networks for economic development with a cultural slant. (**) Finno-Swedish projects

A special effort was made in the three new Member States to promote December 1995's Directoria, an event which provided 72 delegations from local and regional authorities and agencies in these countries with an opportunity to learn about Article 10 programmes and seek potential partners. It is also worth noting that the application forms and associated check-lists were drawn up in all eleven Community languages.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2578/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (11 October 1996)

Subject: Public health

The Community action programme on health monitoring provides for the establishment of a network for the collection and dissemination of health data and indicators making use, inter alia, of the new opportunities provided by telematics and new tools for the analysis of health data and the drawing up of reports, studies and other documents on the subject. The new system will be based on criteria such as speed of access to European health data and indicators, such as those in the possession of Member States and international organizations, and the greatest possible degree of flexibility in order to enable appropriate adjustments to be made to the system and to ensure that data are comparable and may be progressively harmonized.

With a view to the above, would the Commission not agree that it is extremely important for know-how available in the Member States and the Community committees which deal with health and safety statistics to be put to good use during the selection of 'domains' and 'sections' for the indicators, and for the Consultative Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health at Work to be asked for its opinion?

Furthermore, part A of the annex should be included in the proposal, so as to ensure that it contains details of the domains within which the various indicators fall.

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (6 November 1996)

The Commission considers it important to use expertise available in the Member States and in Community bodies concerned with health and safety. A recital to that effect has been included in the preamble of the amended proposal for a decision on a health monitoring programme ((COM(96) 222 final. )). In addition, as indicated in paragraph 94 of the communication concerning a Community action programme on health monitoring in the context of the framework for action in the field of public health ((COM(95) 449 final. )), the Commission intends to have recourse, where appropriate, to the advice of relevant committees, including the advisory committee on safety, hygiene and health protection at work.

Annex A of the communication has been included as Annex II in the amended proposal, as the Honourable Member suggests.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2346/96 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (27 August 1996)

Subject: European finance given for mental health

What amount of money has been allocated to psychiatric/mental health institutions from the Community budget over the last ten years? Please identify the amounts sent to which institutions and/or Member States and for what reasons.

What facilities or use was this money intended for?

Does the Commission have evidence that the money was spent on the stated purpose?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (24 October 1996)

The 'Programme of Community action on health promotion, information, education and training within the framework for action in the field of public health (1996-2000)' ((OJ L 95, 16.4.1996. )), adopted on 29 March 1996, provides only for actions to promote mental health, not support for mental health-related care.

In the framework of the Helios II Programme for the disabled, pursuant to Decision No 93/136/EEC ((OJ L 56, 9.3.1993. )) of 25 February 1993, these activities closely involve disabled people, their families, representative organisations, experts, researchers, professionals working in the field, voluntary helpers and the two sides of industry. In the context of this programme, which provides for the exchange of information and good practices between various European partners to promote the integration of and equal opportunities for disabled people, there is no provision for funding psychiatric and mental health institutions.

However, in implementing this programme the Commission works closely with the European Regional Committee of the World Federation for Mental Health which, in addition to belonging to the European Forum for the Disabled, represents the 'psychological deficiency' sector and the views and needs of the persons involved in this area. The Commission also supports an annual programme of European activities designed by the non-governmental organisations for the exchange of experience and good practices in the field of mental health.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2506/96 by Frode Kristoffersen (PPE) to the Commission (23 September 1996)

Subject: Dialogue between the Commission and the national parliaments

In its answer to an earlier question (H-0542/96) ((Debates of the European Parliament N° 4-487 (July 1996). )) on information for the national parliaments, the Commission pointed out that it regards the Member States' Permanent Representatives in Brussels as the 'normal' channel for transmission of documents to the authorities of the Member States. However, in a working document of 25 July 1996 (PE 218.746) the European Parliament's Committee on Institutional Affairs proposes to change this practice so as to ensure that proposals for various EU initiatives are transmitted direct to the national parliaments (preferably by electronic means) and the national parliaments are thus informed of the proposals at the same time as the European Parliament is. It also proposed a more systematic practice of the Members of the Commission appearing before national parliaments (or presenting major new Commission proposals).

Can the Commission, further to its answer of 16 July 1996, state whether it regards a dialogue with the national parliaments as a valuable part of the effort to increase public interest in the workings of the European Union and, if so, whether it is contemplating action to strengthen contacts with the national parliaments, including following the recommendations in the working document?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (24 October 1996)

The Commission can only confirm that it considers that the normal initial channel of transmission to national authorities is for the moment the permanent representatives of the Member States in Brussels.The Commission has received demands from national parliaments that it should make available legislative proposals immediately after we submit them to the Council and the European Parliament. The most recent demand is from the Danish Parliament which has asked that the Commission should make these texts available electronically. This would of course be possible technically but, since it raises a question of relations between national governments and national parliaments, the Commission has raised the question with the Council and is awaiting its reaction.

Members of the Commission and senior officials do from time to time attend committee meetings of national parliaments at their invitation to explain proposals. However, the Commission would point out that its primary constitutional responsibility is to the European Parliament.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2180/96 by Susan Waddington (PSE) to the Commission (2 August 1996)

Subject: Slowness in dealing with Complaint No P/93/4742

By letter of 28 July 1993 the WESCO company (Cerizay, France) lodged with the Commission a complaint concerning difficulties with the Italian authorities over a postal charge on a mail order sales catalogue. DG XV replied in May 1996.

Does it have to take the Commission three years to respond to Community citizens?

The Commission says in its letter to the company that if it should bring forward any new information providing evidence of a further offence, a new complaint would be registered and treated with all due despatch.

Is this likely to mean another three years?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (3 October 1996)

By letter dated 28 July 1993, the company Wesco drew the Commission's attention to Circular No 13 prot. DCSP/1/1/1594/ST/76 of 21 August 1978 from the Italian Postal Ministry, which stated that a party wishing to qualify for a preferential rate for mail-order sales was required to provide a certificate from the Italian Chamber of Commerce attesting specifically to the fact that it carried on that type of activity. The letter was registered as a complaint on 7 September 1993.

A party wishing to obtain such a certificate had to have either a legal representative or a place of business in Italy. This condition was incompatible with Article 30 of the EC Treaty. The Commission contacted the Italian authorities on several occasions to inform them of this fact. In particular, a number of letters were sent to the Italian authorities in connection with this matter, which was on the agenda for the meeting on 3 and 4 October 1994 between the Commission representatives and the representatives of the Italian authorities and on that for the 'follow-up' meeting on 16 and 17 January 1995.

Following the Commission's intervention, the circular objected to by the complainant was amended by Circular No DSP/1/12724/102/95 of 2 August 1995, which now stipulates that enterprises with their place of business in another Member State qualify for the preferential rate subject to presentation of a certificate from their Member State of origin equivalent to that required from Italian enterprises.

With this circular, which was notified to the Commission by the Italian authorities on 9 January 1996, the obstacle objected to has been removed. Consequently, the Commission has decided not to take any further action on the complaint and, by letter of 23 March, it informed the complainant of the removal of the obstacle at issue and of its decision but stated that it remained at Wesco's disposal should the company encounter any further obstacles to its commercial activity.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2275/96 by Susan Waddington (PSE) to the Commission (27 August 1996)

Subject: The situation in Myanmar

In June 1996 the Danish Consul of Greek extraction, Mr Nichols, died under mysterious circumstances in a prison in Myanmar. He had been sentenced by the Burmese authorities to three years in prison because he had been arrested with two fax machines in his possession, and these machines are only allowed in Myanmar with official authorization. The Burmese authorities said that his death was due to illness, but refused to cooperate in any way to establish the circumstances of his death.

This incident is not unique in Myanmar. The human rights situation in the country is steadily deteriorating. Every day the Burmese authorities arrest scores of members of the National League for Democracy and forced labour has assumed enormous dimensions.

Last January (20 January 1996) the Commission decided to investigate the scale of this forced labour and the human rights situation in Myanmar, given that this is a country which benefits from the Community system of generalized preferences. Denmark, for its part, has already proposed that a list be drawn up of sanctions that could be imposed by the European Union.

Will the Commission say how far its investigations have progressed and when it intends to complete them and publish its findings?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (3 October 1996)

The Commission's investigations, the first of their kind, are proceeding in strict accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 3281/94. ((OJ L 348, 31.12.1994. )) At the current stage of legal and factual analysis of the practices being denounced, the Commission cannot say how long the investigations will take or forecast the outcome of the hearings scheduled for the end of September. It will be acting as swiftly as possible while fulfilling its duty to abide strictly by the procedures laid down. At any rate it wishes to draw the attention of the Honourable Member to the fact that the investigations under way are focusing on forced labour, to the exclusion of all other considerations, and cannot formally take account of other human rights violations, however reprehensible they may be.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2677/96 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (15 October 1996)

Subject: Illegal dumping of waste into Lake Koroneia

Lake Koroneia in Langadha is being used as an illegal dump for industrial waste from the whole region of Langadha. This is having a particularly devastating effect on the commune of Kavallarion.

In view of:

(a) the uncontrolled dumping and disposal of waste by local factories in the Langadha region, in defiance of Community legislation;

(b) the existence of urban waste sewage networks operating without biological purification facilities;

(c) the allegations and strong protests made by inhabitants of the commune of Kavallarion, the municipal council and local environmental protection associations;

(d) the failure to take any measures whatsoever to deal with this situation;

(e) the fact that this dumping is having a devastating effect on the environment and public health (the water of the Lake is very saline and alkaline, making it unsuitable for any purpose whatsoever;

Will the Commission say:

1. What measures it has taken to ensure that the Greek authorities properly implement Community legislation;

2. How it will view a request by the commune of Kavallarion for the construction of a biological purification plant; and

3. How it intends to respond if violations of Community law are ascertained?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (22 November 1996)

1. The Commission has been informed of the environmental problems affecting Lake Koroneia through a complaint it has received. In the course of its examination of the matter, the Commission has approached the Greek authorities and requested all the relevant information. Within the limits of the powers attributed to it under the EC treaty, the Commission will ensure that Community environment law is properly applied in this case.

2. As for cofinancing a waste water treatment plant in the municipality of Kavallariou, should the Greek authorities make such a request, the Commission would take account of the amount of funding available and of the relative priority of the project on the basis of the criteria laid down in Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste water treatment ((OJ L 135, 30.5.1991. )) and of the limits laid down in the other water protection Directives. For instance, it would take into consideration the number of inhabitants, the type of pollutants in the waste water and the environmental sensitivity of the lake.

3. If the Commission finds that the Community rules in this area have been infringed it will, if necessary, institute infringement proceedings under Article 169 of the Treaty.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2814/96 by Raymonde Dury (PSE) to the Commission (16 October 1996)

Subject: Moonlighting at the Commission

With more than 18 million unemployed in the European Union, any unemployed person is a potential prey to unscrupulous employers who do not care to comply with the rules on social security payments, particularly since the absence of tax harmonization has encouraged Member State Governments gradually to transfer taxation to captive labour revenue. In some countries the practice of moonlighting now accounts for 20% or more of GDP. It affects employers in all sectors of society, including firms which work for the public authorities - and even for the European public authorities, as witness press reports such as the Carte Blanche' which appeared in the Belgian newspaper 'Le Soir' on 3 and 4 August 1996 under the title 'Moonlighting at the Commission?'

What is the Commission's reaction to the state of affairs described in this 'Carte Blanche'?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (3 December 1996)

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that, in the case referred to in 'Le Soir', the party concerned had been engaged by the Commission as the supplier of a service against payment of a fee.

The nature of the employment relationship between the Commission and the party concerned is now being examined by the relevant Belgian courts, for which reason the Commission feels obliged to reserve its position pending their decision.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2827/96 by Antoni Gutiérrez Díaz (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (16 October 1996)

Subject: Privatization of public enterprises

Is there any legislation, recommendation or guideline of the Commission prohibiting, limiting or laying down conditions regarding the privatization/sale of public enterprises in a Member State for the purpose of reducing the public debt of that State?

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (21 November 1996)

With the exception of the competition rules, there are no Community rules prohibiting, limiting or laying down conditions regarding the privatization or sale of public enterprises by a Member State.

Transactions linked to the privatization of public enterprises are recorded as financial transactions in accordance with European economic accounting standards and principles (European System of Accounts). Accordingly, privatization receipts have no impact on the general government deficit, but they do reduce the public debt.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2521/96 by Fernand Herman (PPE) to the Commission (25 September 1996)

Subject: Advisory Committee on Public Contracts

The Advisory Committee on Public Contracts, created by decision of 26 July 1971, has, since 26 May 1987, been accompanied by an Advisory Committee on the Opening-up of Public Procedurement, made up of 25 members who are not government experts.

The value of the services rendered by the Advisory Committee on the Opening-up of Public Procurement to DG III and DG XV would appear to be undeniable, particularly given the growing number of infringements of European rules and the increasingly urgent need to review current directives to incorporate the Marrakesh Protocol of 15 April 1994 and the memorandum of understanding with the USA. However, this committee has not been convened since March 1995.

Can the Commission give the reasons for this abrupt lapse into inactivity?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (15 November 1996)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that the opinions given by the Advisory Committee on the Opening-up of Public Procurement during the eight years of its existence proved very useful in assessing the economic, technical, legal and social realities of public procurement. This is indeed the reason why the Commission sought the Committee's opinion on 7 December 1994 on the draft directives necessitated by the agreement on public procurement concluded at Marrakesh on 15 April 1994.

As Committee members are appointed for two years, their last term of office expired in October 1995. The Commission has endeavoured to ensure that the composition of the Committee reflects the sort of questions that might be submitted to it for an opinion. As constituted at the time, the Committee met the Commission's requirements during the essentially legislative phase of Community procurement policy. Now that the legal framework is in place, the main task in future will be to ensure that the framework is transposed, the resulting obligations correctly applied and real economic effects produced.

In a notice published in the Official Journal, ((OJ C 336, 14.12.1995. )) the Commission invited all persons with the relevant experience to submit applications to become members of the Committee in its new composition.

The Commission is currently examining the applications sent in or the names identified by other sources with a view to drawing up a new list of members with the professional experience the Commission will require over the next two years.

The Honourable Member's attention is also drawn to the fact that the Advisory Committee for Public Works Contracts, set up by Decision 71/306/EEC, ((OJ C 185, 16.8.1971. )) and the Advisory Committee on Telecommunications Procurement, referred to in Article 44 of Directive 93/38/EEC, ((OJ L 199, 9.8.1993. )) continue to assist the Commission. The former meets regularly, while the latter will meet soon in view of the anticipated development of competition on this market and the implementation of the rules governing the liberalization of this sector.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2186/96 by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz (V) to the Commission (2 August 1996)

Subject: Tariff quotas on pet food originating in the Faroe Islands

In the Official Journal of 6 July 1996 the Commission published Regulation (EC) No 1302/96 ((OJ L 167, 6.7.1996, p. 8. )) concerning 'annual Community tariff quotas of dog or cat food and fish food, originating in, and coming from the Faroe Islands'.

1. Is the raw material for the finished products covered by the regulation the meat from those sea mammals slaughtered by Faroe fishermen year after year in the most cruel manner in spite of worldwide protests?

2. If not, what are the raw materials for the finished products designated by the regulation?

3. If so, how does the Commission view the fact that sea mammals protected by international conventions are slaughtered for the manufacture of pet food, and what action will the Commission take to stop this?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (26 September 1996)

Commission Regulation (EC) 1302/96 ((OJ L 167, 6.7.1996. )) of 5 July 1996 amending Regulation (EEC) No 641/92 on rules of application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 478/92 for annual Community tariff quotas of dog or cat food and fish food, originating in, and coming from the Faroe Islands, to which the Honourable Member refers, applies to only one of the two tariff quotas provided for in Council Regulation No 478/92/EEC, namely a tariff quota of 5000 tonnes of fish food under CN code 2309 90 41. The other tariff provided for in the aforementioned Council Regulation, relative to 1000 tonnes of dog and cat food under CN code 2309 10 11, was deliberately omitted because:

- this product can freely be imported into the Community since 1 January 1996 (under the GATT Agreements);

- the Faroe Islands have not exported this product for years, and the company producing it has been declared bankrupt.

Contacted by the Commission regarding the remaining quota (5000 tonnes of fish food under CN code 2309 90 41), the Faroe Island authorities certify that no whale meat is used in the composition. These products are composed of about 75% meal or fish oil; the remainder consists of binders (starch) and vitamins.