ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0492/99

by Ludivina García Arias (PSE) to the Commission

(25 February 1999)

Subject: Inclusion in the budget of public aid used to subsidise the electricity sector's transition costs

Amongst the new provisions introduced under Decision No 3632/93/ECSC(1) establishing Community rules for state aid to the coal industry was one to the effect that public financing mechanisms such as the aid provided by the Spanish OFICO (Electricity Compensation Office) which are used to compensate for coal producers' operating losses and other exceptional costs by means of a percentage deducted from the amounts invoiced to electricity consumers "shall be authorised only if they are entered in the Member States" national, regional or local public budgets', in order to increase the transparency of the aid and hence improve the monitoring thereof.

Does the Commission not therefore consider that the same principle should be applied (on the basis of the principles of equal treatment and of the transparency and monitoring of public aid) to the transition costs incurred by the electricity sector in the process of opening itself up to competition?

How would the Commission legally justify different treatment of the two types of aid?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 1999)

The Commission is examining the notifications given by different Member States of the schemes they intend to apply in order to offset certain costs arising in connection with Parliament and Council Directive 96/92/EC of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity(2).

The legal basis for examining such costs is different from that for aid to the coal industry (ECSC Treaty), and this may justify separate solutions. Under Articles 92 and 93 of the EC Treaty, and unless specifically provided for, there are no particular rules on how aid that has been declared compatible with the common market should be financed. Accordingly, the financing arrangements involve, in principle, an economic policy decision falling within the remit of the Member State concerned.

(1) OJ L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 12.

(2) OJ L 27, 30.1.1997.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0418/99

by Michl Ebner (PPE) to the Commission

(1 March 1999)

Subject: Bank charges on exchange transactions

Since the beginning of this year the exchange rates of the EU-11 currencies have been fixed, so that banks have lost the profits resulting from fluctuating exchange rates. In order to offset this loss, banks have apparently raised the rate of commission they charge on exchange transactions. As a result it is now not unusual for banks to charge 3 % or more in commission.

Can the Commission say:

1. whether it will be calling as a matter of urgency for the indirectly proportional staggering of the rate of commission, i.e. a reduction of the rate as the size of the amount exchanged increases;

2. whether it would not make sense generally to impose a maximum bank charge of 1,5 % for exchange transactions?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 1999)

Community legislation requires banks to apply from now on the definitively fixed exchange rates between the national currency units of the euro zone and to ensure full transparency as regards charges. Consequently, they may no longer apply differing buying and selling rates for their foreign exchange business within the euro zone. Even so, in order to cover their costs, they introduced at the end of 1998 new charges specially for exchange transactions. On balance, this may result in price increases in individual cases (e.g. when a minimum charge is imposed which, if expressed as a percentage, can prove very burdensome in the case of small amounts). The Commission has urged the main European banking federation on several occasions not to charge excessively for transactions between national currency units of the euro zone, as this would seriously damage public confidence in the euro. Besides, the Commission is currently taking a comprehensive look at how prices are formed.

Nevertheless, the Commission cannot itself intervene and impose rules regarding pricing arrangements. That is to say, it can neither prescribe a maximum charge of 1,5 % nor require banks to introduce a degressive staggering of charges. However, direct action can be taken if the new charges give rise to distorsions of competition. This matter is also being looked into at the moment.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0400/99

by Robin Teverson (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 March 1999)

Subject: EU food aid

Would the Commission please list the total value of EU food aid to non-EU countries as it has evolved over the last five years? In addition, would it provide a list of the value of this food aid by recipient country and, if possible, by the donor EU Member State over the same period?

Is it also possible to have a list of the nature of EU food aid (i.e. grain, milk, processed goods) and an explanation of how this aid system works (i.e. eligibility, decision process)?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(20 April 1999)

The total value of EU food aid over the last five years, broken down according to the nature of the aid, is shown in tables which have been sent directly to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat of Parliament.

Decisions on food aid and food security are currently adopted on the basis of Council Regulation (EC) 1292/96 of 27 June 1996 on food aid policy and food aid management and special operations in support of food security(1).

The countries eligible for operations of this type are listed in the Annex to the Regulation. Allocations worth more than EUR 2 million must first be approved by a management committee (composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the Commission's representative) before any decision is taken by the Commission.

(1) OJ L 166, 5.7.1996.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0705/99

by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(26 March 1999)

Subject: Structural Funds

The regions whose level of income per inhabitant is less than 75 % of that which corresponds to the average Community inhabitant are classed as "Objective 1 regions" and are entitled to substantial Community aid.

In order to work out whether this threshold has been crossed or not, the draft Council Regulation, COM(98) 0131 final(1), laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds, stipulates that the figures corresponding to the last three years on which Eurostat has information will be taken into account.

The Director-General of the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) disclosed at the meeting of Parliament's Subcommittee on Monetary Affairs of 17 February 1999 that the statistical data corresponding to the financial years 1994, 1995 and 1996 already included the data corresponding to the hidden economy of the regions analysed, although he did not say exactly what criteria had been followed in order to estimate or assess this type of activity.

What proportion of the regional income corresponds to the "hidden economy" and what proportion to the "regular economy" in Castille and León in each of the years in question?

(1) OJ C 176, 9.6.1998, p. 1.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0995/99

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission

(20 April 1999)

Subject: Harmonisation of Fire Safety Regulations in the European Union

When will the Commission come forward with a fire safety directive to ensure the safety of Europe's citizens when staying in hotels, apartments and other such accommodation?

Is it not a matter of extreme urgency now to propose such legislation?

Does the Commission not consider it a matter of embarrassment to it as an institution, and to the EU as a whole, that such basic regulations do not already exist?

Joint answer

to Written Questions E-0994/99 and E-0995/99 given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 1999)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question E-0854/98 by Mr Harrison(1).

(1) OJ C 13, 18.1.1999, p. 10.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0018/99

by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission

(19 January 1999)

Subject: Language costs

Could the Commission please indicate the total cost of interpretation and translation within the Institutions of the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 1999)

Expenditure relating to translation and interpreting planned by the Community institutions in the 1999 budget totals some EUR 686 million, broken down by institution as follows:

>TABLE>
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0348/99

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 February 1999)

Subject: Operational Programme on the modernisation of the public administration in Greece

Will the Commission say what has been the take-up rate so far in respect of measures 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 of subprogramme 2 on the organisational and administrative modernisation and improvement of infrastructures and of measures 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of subprogramme 3 on financial and social systems in the Operational Programme on the modernisation of the public administration in Greece?

Will it also say which specific projects have been carried out under the above measures?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(21 April 1999)

The operational programme for modernisation of public administration has an overall budget of [fmxeuro]305,4 million of which [fmxeuro]120,9 million is from the European regional development fund (FEDER) and [fmxeuro]47,7 million is from the European social fund (ESF). According to the information provided by the Greek authorities, so far payments for the programme as a whole are [fmxeuro]134,4 million, an absorption rate of 44 %. Budgetary commitments of [fmxeuro]230,8 million, 76 % of the total, have been made.

With regard to the specific measures mentioned, a table indicating the financial situation is forwarded direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament.

With regard to the progress of the implementation of specific projects under the above measures, the Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the Greek ministry of public administration.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1053/99

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 April 1999)

Subject: Foreign language lectors in Italy

What is the Commission's view of the ongoing claims of discrimination made by foreign language assistants against the Italian authorities?

Is the Commission satisfied that the judgments handed down by the ECJ are being respected in full by the Italian authorities?
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0383/99

by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission

(19 February 1999)

Subject: Implementation of Joule-Thermie Programme within the 4th Framework Research Programme

Will the Commission quantify any disparities between the actual expenditure up to the end of the Programmes and the indicative amounts set out in Annex II to the Council Decision on the Specific Programme on Energy Research in the 4th Framework Programme (94/806/EC)(1), as partly reported in Court of Auditors Special Report No 17/98(2) and, in particular, whether the large shortfall of approx. ECU 70 million as at December 1997 for renewables under Joule was actually made up by the end of 1998?

Will the Commission explain any such disparities?

In particular, as a result of controversy in 1995/1996, Commissioner Cresson guaranteed that the proportion allocated for renewable energy research would be achieved. Will the Commission indicate the implications of failure to reach the target proportion if that is in fact the case?

(1) OJ L 334, 22.12.1994, p. 105.

(2) OJ C 356, 20.11.1998, p. 39.

Joint answer

to Written Questions P-0382/99 and P-0383/99 given by MrsCresson on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 1999)

In addition to the [fmxeuro]153.3 million, quoted in the Court of auditors special report no 17/98, in 1998, the JOULE programme has committed [fmxeuro]97 million in favour of projects in the field of renewable energies.

The total amount of Community funding for this area is [fmxeuro]250.3 million, which corresponds to 58.8 % of the budget, compared to the indicative percentage of 58.6 % in Annex II of the Council Decision 94/806/EC of 23 November 1994 adopting a specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration, in the field of non-nuclear energy (1994 to 1998)(1). Regarding the separated allocation for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the breakdown of Table 2 in the Court of auditors special report is fully in line with the footnote included in Annex II of the above mentioned Council Decision.

(1) OJ L 334, 22.12.1994, p. 105.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0265/99

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(17 February 1999)

Subject: Aid for shipyards

Why is it that the Commission is initiating proceedings against Spain on the subject of public aid for shipyards at the same time as favouring unfair competition from South Korea in the naval sector, for which aid from the International Monetary Fund is being used?

How, in these conditions, can European shipyards possibly stand up to competition from Korean shipyards?

What does the Commission think about this unfair competition from South Korea?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission

(18 March 1999)

It is true that the Commission has initiated an investigation into the [fmxeuro]111 million special tax credit (ESP 18 451 million) granted last year by Spain to its public-sector shipyards, which it believes may be incompatible with its 1997 decision exceptionally authorising aid, which would otherwise breach the Community rules forbidding state aid for shipbuilding, to be given for restructuring. This might constitute distortion of competition within the Community.

The IMF loans are intended to stabilise the reserves of South Korea's central bank. It is up to the IMF to see that the international aid is used properly and ensure that Korea complies with the conditions for release of successive tranches

Together with the Member States, who are members of the IMF, the Commission keeps a watchful eye on the way South Korea uses the aid it receives from international institutions. In particular, it checks that loans are not used for illegal subsidies to shipyards and that Korea continues to abide by its international obligations. If it receives evidence of unfair practices it is prepared to take action using the available commercial policy instruments. In this connection, implementation of the OECD agreement would clearly have given the Commission extra leverage against such practices

Despite the devaluation of the Korean currency and extremely aggressive pricing by Korean shipyards following the financial crisis in Asia, Community shipyards managed to perform well on the world market last year, taking 29 % of new orders (compensated tonnage)as against South Korea's 22 % (January-September 1998).
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0213/99

by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission

(12 February 1999)

Subject: Meat inspection fees pursuant to Directive 93/118/EC - my question E-2988/98

According to the Commission the lump-sum fees for meat inspections laid down in Directive 93/118/EC(1) can be exceeded when higher fees have in fact been incurred (see answer to my question E-2988/98(2)). In Germany these fees are usually levied at district authority level.

Is each individual district authority entitled to set fees to cover its own costs, or can fees be set only on a uniform federal basis, with average rates that will cover costs?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 1999)

The question raised by the Honourable Member is the subject of a case pending before the Court of Justice (Case C-374/97 - A. Feyrer v Landkreis Rottal-Inn). The Commission must therefore await the judgment of the Court before replying.

(1) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993, p. 15.

(2) OJ C 297, 15.10.1999, p. 40.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0471/99

by Gaetano Carrozzo (PSE) to the Commission

(24 February 1999)

Subject: EU footwear imports and infringement of Community directives

What measures will the Commission take to curb infringements of customs regulations by footwear exports to the EU from the Far East?

These illegal exports are causing a serious production crisis in various industrial areas in Italy with adverse effects on employment in the sector.

If the Commission is aware of these infringements, what steps will it take to tighten customs controls and provide adequate protection for European products?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission

(19 March 1999)

The Commission is actively taking the appropriate measures to combat fraud in importation of footwear products from Asia. In particular, the Council has recently mandated the Commission to conclude a double-checking system for the importation of certain footwear products from Vietnam. This system is designed to secure the genuine Vietnamese origin of the products in question and therefore to stamp out fraudulent practices of mis-declaration of origin or transhipment from other Asian countries. The system requires an international agreement with Vietnam. The Commission is negotiating the terms of such an agreement with the authorities of Vietnam and hopes to conclude an agreement by April 1999.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0669/99

by José García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission

(26 March 1999)

Subject: Structural Funds

Regions whose per capita income is less than 75 % of the average Community per capita income are described as "Objective 1 regions" and they receive significant amounts of Community aid.

To determine whether or not this threshold has been exceeded, the draft Council Regulation COM(98) 131 final(1) laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds states that the figures corresponding to the last three years for which Eurostat has data available will be used.

At the moment the only figures available are those for the 1994, 1995 and 1996 financial years.

What are the figures for those years for Rioja?

(1) OJ C 176, 9.6.1998, p. 1.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0204/99

by Manuela Frutos Gama (PSE) to the Commission

(12 February 1999)

Subject: Protection for small and medium-sized electricity consumers as a consequence of liberalisation in the energy sector

Does the Commission consider it consistent with the objectives of the Treaty that the outcome of the Electricity Directive in Spain in the coming decade for SMEs and domestic consumers should be a limit on any fall in charges to 1 or 2 % agreed between undertakings and the authorities and a fixed 4,5 % increase in charges to offset costs linked to the transition to competition, regardless of developments in other energy market parameters?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(12 April 1999)

The liberalisation of the electricity market according to Directive 96/92/EC of the Parliament and the Council of 19 December 1996 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity(1) is introduced with a gradual approach. The share of "eligible customer", i.e. customers which may choose their electricity supplier, has to represent in the first step at least a Community average of large industrial customers with more than 40 GWh yearly consumption and is successively extended to a larger share of also smaller customers. It is true that during this gradual opening period the benefit of liberalisation tends to be larger for those consumers which are already "eligible". However, the Commission expects that through the further extension of the eligible customer segment also to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as through eligible distributors and newly entering electricity traders and suppliers, the liberalisation will become more and more beneficial also for small consumers.

In this context, the Spanish electricity law fully complies with the market opening schedule of the Directive, and goes even further, with reductions for smaller customers. As liberalisation progresses, the Commission hopes that its benefits will also be shared to a greater extent by residential consumers.

On the question of the cost of transition to competition in Spain, the Commission is still examining the case pursuant to both Article 24 of the Directive (stranded costs) and to the state aids rules under the EC Treaty. Therefore, for the time being, the Commission can only refer the Honourable Member to the replies it gave to oral questions H-161/99 by Mr Izquierdo Collado and H-162/99 by Mrs Garcia Arias during question time at Parliament's March 1999 post-session.

(1) OJ L 27, 30.11.1992.
Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission
(6 September 1999)
The attention of the Commission was drawn by the Honourable Members letter of 22 June 1999 to
alleged state aid of the Land Bavaria in favour of Vion VvaG.
As explained in a letter dated 16 July 1999 the Commission has asked the German authorities for a
statement and information about the alleged state aid. The German authorities have not yet answered this
letter.
The Commission will inform the Honourable Member about the results of the investigation.
(2000/C 27 E/050) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1394/99
by Jannis Sakellariou (PSE) to the Commission
(1 September 1999)
Subject: Paul van Buitenen
According to a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung of 7.6.1999, the EU official Paul van Buitenen who,
through his report to the Commission last December, played a decisive part in the exposure of cases ofcorruption and fraud, has been transferred to a department which does not match his qualifications andskills (counting light bulbs).
1. Has van Buitenen in fact been transferred to the materials procurement department, and since when
has he been employed there and for what work is he specifically responsible?
2. If such a transfer has taken place, was it the Commissions intention to disqualify van Buitenen from
an appropriate position by transferring him in this way for disciplinary reasons?
Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission
(16 September 1999)
1. Mr Van Buitenen was transferred to a new post, in the interests of the service, by decision of the
Appointing Authority (AIPN) of 9 April 1999, with effect from 16 April 1999.
In the Commissions view, his new post does match his professional qualifications. It requires sound
practical experience in the field of accounting as well as a thorough knowledge of the financial regulationand the use of computer tools, all of which Mr Van Buitenen possesses.
In this post he is responsible for a new, centralised accounting team for the Buildings Policy and
Management Unit. This team is responsible for general and analytical accounting, including outside thebudget. The annual budget it is required to manage amounts to approximately EUR 210 million, plusaround EUR 29 million more for its activities outside the budget. Mr Van Buitenens first job is to set upthis new team, which will be about ten strong.
2. It was decided to create this post last year, and the vacancy notice was published in March 1999
independently of Mr Van Buitenens assignment to the post. His transfer to such a post cannot be seen as apunishment.29.1.2000 EN C 27 E/43 Official Journal of the European Communities