ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1660/00

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(18 May 2000)

Subject: Regeneration of Ballymun, Dublin, Ireland

The redevelopment of one of the most deprived areas of Dublin, Ballymun, involves the demolition of hundreds of buildings and the relocation of 10 000 residents. The redevelopment covers an area of about 280 acres, and some of the projects are part-funded by the URBAN initiative. The regeneration scheme involves the development of a business and technology park on 100 acres of land.

Since, pursuant to Council Directive 85/337/EEC(1) and subsequent amendments (97/11/EC)(2), any new developments in existing urban areas covering over 2 hectares must be assessed through an EIA, does the Commission take the view that the overall redevelopment of Ballymun should be assessed through an EIA?

Does it intend to bring legal proceedings against Ballymun Regeneration Ltd. for failing to tender and have an EIA carried out of the whole development at Ballymun?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 2000)

In 1999, the Commission received several complaints concerning a claimed failure to submit the entire redevelopment of Ballymun to environmental impact assessment pursuant to Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as modified by Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997. The Commission made enquiries of the Irish authorities in 1999 and has since received a response. The Irish authorities contend that the plan for the overall redevelopment does not come within the scope of Directive 85/337/EEC, pointing out that the redevelopment is being carried out by way of a series of separate projects, some but not all of which have been made subject to environmental impact assessment pursuant to this Directive. The Commission has referred the information in this response to complainants, and is currently considering the extensive comments and observations received. The Commission expects to make a decision on the matter in the coming months. Where legal action is decided following a complaint, it relates to the Member State and not to a legal entity such as the company cited by the Honourable Member.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2455/00

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Car pricing in Ireland and the EU

Is the Commission aware of the exorbitant cost of motor vehicles in Ireland by comparison with other EU Member States and can it state how much of this price difference is due to government tax and how much due to the failure of competition in the market?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(13 September 2000)

The current block exemption regulation Commission Regulation (EC) No 1475/95 of 28 June 1995 on the application of Article 85(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of motor vehicle distribution and servicing agreements(1) provides, in Article 11, that the Commission regularly evaluates the application of this Regulation, with a particular view on price differentials between the different Member States and on the quality of service to final users. To this end, the Commission has, since 1993, monitored car price differences in the Community in its biannual report on car prices. Article 11 also requires the Commission to draw up a report on the evaluation of the Regulation before 31 December 2000. In this report, the Commission will analyse the different factors leading to car price differentials.

In contrast to what has been observed by the Honourable Member, the Commission's regular reports on car prices have not revealed that car prices before tax in Ireland are particularly high in comparison to other Member States, except perhaps

for certain models(2). In this respect, the Commission has found that in Member States with a high taxation on car purchase, such as Ireland, prices before tax are relatively low. With regard to prices after tax, it has to be noted that car purchase taxation has remained an issue on which the Member States decide, as they have so far excluded this issue from Community actions concerning fiscal harmonisation in the single market.

(1) OJ L 145, 29.6.1995.

(2) See for example the most recent press release IP/00/781 of 13 July 2000.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1402/00

by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission

(5 May 2000)

Subject: European Commission and European Central Bank

Will the Commission please indicate what meetings have taken place at senior level between staff of the European Commission and the European Central Bank, that information to include:

(a) the dates of those meetings;

(b) the venues of those meetings;

(c) the identities of those attending the meetings;

(together with a summary of the issues discussed on each occasion).

Can the Commission also indicate if the European Central Bank is entirely independent of the Commission, or whether the European Central Bank can in any shape or form be said to be influenced by the Commission?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(23 June 2000)

The Commission entertains numerous contacts at staff level with the staff of the European Central Bank (ECB) on the phone, in writing and at meetings. These contacts are a natural consequence of the respective tasks of the two institutions and serve to strengthen the efficiency of their work.

One type of contact is the participation of Commission representatives in certain ECB sub-committees or working groups, where staff from the ECB and the national central banks prepare decisions or positions of the decision-making bodies of the ECB. The Commission is usually invited to the banking supervisory sub-committee, the working group on payments systems, and the working group on statistics.

In turn, the Commission invites staff members of the ECB to certain meetings organized by the Commission, where ECB representation is desirable, like the banking advisory committee or the meetings on macro-economic forecasts. Besides this, staff members frequently organize ad hoc meetings on subjects of common interest. An example is a meeting held on 6 April 2000 in Brussels on the preparation of legislation against counterfeiting of euro banknotes, chaired by the Director general for Economic and financial affairs.

Finally, it may be recalled that Commission staff at senior level meet regularly with senior representatives of the ECB in the economic and financial committee. Senior staff members of both institutions also meet frequently at international fora (International monetary fund, Organization for economic cooperation and development, etc.).

Like in any other area, the Commission fully respects the provisions of the EC Treaty in its relations with the ECB.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1448/00

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (PSE) to the Commission

(10 May 2000)

Subject: Financial support from DG Trade for Brazilian non-governmental environmental organisations

In 1997 the Commission (DG Trade) concluded contracts with several Brazilian non-governmental environmental organisations pledging them financial support for projects. The NGOs have now been waiting for three years for news and, above all, the financial support. One example is the contract with Ecotropia, reference number BR97/023/B7-6201/04.

Could the Commission reply to the following questions:

1. What are the general aims underlying the support for the projects carried out by the Brazilian NGOs?

2. What has happened thus far? Has an assessment of the support measures been carried out?

3. What is the explanation for the non-provision of financial support?

4. Will the Commission take steps in the near future to comply with its obligations under the contracts?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(29 June 2000)

The project mentioned by the Honourable Member is one component project within a large commitment made in 1997 (Brazil Package, B7-6021/97/0542). The package consists of 12 non-governmental organization (NGO) projects, dealing with environmental matters, supported by a central project management unit. Unfortunately the package has not yet been implemented and no contracts have so far been signed with the partner NGOs.

The aims of the projects to be carried out by the partner NGOs in this package are related to the conservation and sustainable use of tropical forests in Brazil through a variety of actions.

The projects have not yet been started and therefore no assessment has been carried out. The Commission has not entered into a contract with any of the partner NGOs, but they were informed that their projects had been accepted for funding. A number of preparatory measures were undertaken, notably a mission to finalise planning of the component projects. The main one is the need to create the legal basis for the project management unit and define implementation procedures because there are no previous similar cases in Brazil. Such procedures are currently under negotiation.

As stated previously, the Commission does not have contractual obligations vis-à-vis the partner NGOs as no contracts have been signed. It is however pursuing all efforts with the Brazilian authorities to unblock the situation.

The delay experienced in the implementation of this project is a serious issue. However this problem should not obscure the fact that four other NGO projects amounting to 3,9 million have been funded from the tropical forestry budget line in Brazil between 1997 and 1999, and over 22 million were committed for Brazil from the NGO co-financing line.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2657/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Vehicle stopping distances

Is the Commission aware that air brakes on trucks have an in-built lag in operation of up to 0,3 of a second between the time that the brake pedal is depressed and the brakes begin to function, and that this equates, at just 30 miles per hour, to one car length before the brakes begin to take effect?

Is the Commission also aware that if a car and a laden truck travelling at the truck's limited speed (56 miles per hour) brake at the same moment, then when the car has come to rest the truck will still be travelling at 30 miles per hour?

Is the Commission also aware that the present standards required for brake efficiency are based on the level of retardation provided rather than stopping distances? Since this is the case, does the Commission agree that in order to reduce the present unacceptably high level of nose-to-tail crashes (deaths and injuries) between trucks, and between trucks and other smaller vehicles, that the effective following distances must be increased?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(28 September 2000)

It is true that stopping distance and braking efficiency vary between passenger cars and heavy commercial vehicles. This is the reason why the test procedures and the limit values differ between these types of vehicles. Council Directive 71/320/EEC of 26 July 1971 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the braking devices of certain categories of motor vehicles and of their trailers(1) as last amended by Commission Directive 98/12/EC of 27 January 1998(2), stipulates in Annex III, item 2.3 that in the case of the actuation time of 0,2 second, the time elapsing between the beginning of actuation of the control pedal and the moment when the pressure in the brake cylinder reaches 75 % of its asymptotic value shall not exceed 0,6 second. It is true that the traditional air brake systems for heavy vehicles have relatively long reaction times, but they must meet this requirement. The situation for most new vehicles has dramatically improved since the introduction, some years ago, of electrical operation of brakes, reducing brake reaction times to the almost instantaneous.

Both stopping distance and deceleration are regulated in Annex II of the above mentioned Directive, as well as many other safety aspects of brakes, for example downhill behaviour and hot performance. Working party 29, on the construction of vehicles, of the United Nations' economic commission for Europe, also regulates deceleration and stopping distance. It is important that vehicles have stable and predictable behaviour during braking. A requirement only regulating vehicle stopping distance could increase the risk of spinning.

(1) OJ L 202, 6.9.1971.

(2) OJ L 81, 18.3.1998.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2240/00

by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 July 2000)

Subject: Tourism

What measures does the Commission intend to propose to the Member States of the European Union in view of the decline in tourist numbers?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2176/00 and E-2240/00 given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(19 September 2000)

Under the implementation of the subsidiarity principle, it is up to the Member States' local, regional or national authorities to know, study, analyse and, where appropriate, to remedy the structural causes that may cause a diminution of tourists in the Costa del Sol, or elsewhere.

The Commission, in its role of catalyst of the different policies and Community instruments, can help Member States authorities develop the tourism potential. Recently, the Commission has published, in its Internet site, a guide entitled EU schemes in support of tourism. An Internet road-map for the tourism sector.

The Commission works currently, under the mandate of the Council, and in co-operation with experts chosen by the Member States, for the development of European tourism in the areas of information, training, quality of tourist products and promotion of the environmental protection and sustainability in tourism. To this end four working parties have been set up that will issue for the end of 2001 a final report with conclusions and recommendations, on the basis of which the Commission will analyse its policy relating to tourism for the coming years.

In order to provide guidelines to European tourist companies and destinations on how to implement an integrated quality management strategy in coastal, urban and rural destinations, the Commission has carried out three studies. These select the best practices and draw conclusions and recommendations with a view to implementing the integrated quality strategy.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2325/00

by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Commission

(30 June 2000)

Subject: Migrants Forum

I understand that the Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs took over the management of Community subsidies for the European Union Migrants Forum from the Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs as of 1 January 2000. In this year's budget, 800 000 was earmarked under budget line A-3040 towards the operating cost and the work programme for this organisation.

As vice-chairman of the Committee on Budgetary Control I received a copy of an open letter, dated 8 March 2000, signed by a number of interested associations including ATMF (Association des Travailleurs Marocains en France), FTCR (Fédération des Tunisiens pour une Citoyenneté des deux Rives), ATIME (Association des Travailleurs de Turquie), AJM (Asociación de Trabajadores e Inmigrantes Marroquíes en España), ELELE (Maison des Travailleurs de Turquie) and CFAIT (Conseil des Associations Françaises de Turquie), in which allegation of mismanagement are made. I understand that the Commission also received a copy of this letter following the Annual General meeting on 16/17 December 1999.

News has also reached me, through reliable contacts in Denmark, that in addition to the concerns voiced in the open letter, the budget was allegedly re-directed to fund an election campaign in Morocco and to pay for private expenses.

Is there any basis for these allegations?

If so, what action has been taken by the Commission, including the recovery of funds?

How does the Commission ensure that this body and others funded under A-3 Community subsidies are effective in meeting their objectives?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2000)

The Honourable Member is correct that the Directorate general for Justice and home affairs took over the management of matters relating to the Migrants' Forum from 1 January 2000 under the direct responsibility of its Director general.

The Commission also received the open letter of 8 March 2000 and has been given a detailed written reply from the executive committee of the Migrants' Forum covering each point.

The Commission will undertake a full audit of the activities and accounts of the Forum in the near future and will at that time address the allegations of misuse of funds drawn to its attention by the Honourable Member. It will then decide on any action to take. Should any irregularity be revealed, the Commission will take all appropriate steps at its disposal to remedy the situation in addition to informing the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

With regard to the Commission's role in ensuring that the funding is effectively spent, the Migrants' Forum has a contractual obligation to report to the Commission on its activities and does so regularly. This contractual obligation extends to annual submission of accounts which are then assessed by the Commission. A Commission official is also an observer on the executive committee of the Forum and the board of management.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1644/00

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: National operational programme

Can the Commission explain why it has referred the national operational programme back to the Italian authorities?

Does it not consider that this will result in considerable delays for the regions (particularly Objective 1 regions) that are supposed to draw up programming supplements, thus seriously jeopardising the use of resources for the 2000-2006 period?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2000)

The information given by the Honourable Member does not enable the Commission to identify the programme in question.

The Community support framework for the Italian Objective 1 areas for the 2000-2006 programming period, approved in principle by the Commission on 14 April 2000, will be implemented through 14 operational programmes, seven regional and seven national.

The need for closer examination of a specific programme, e.g. a sectoral one, does not prejudice approval of the other programmes, regional or sectoral. If the content of an as yet unapproved sectoral programme has a significant bearing on implementation of the regional programmes, these must nonetheless incorporate procedures taking due account of it.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1666/00

by Mario Mauro (PPE-DE) to the Council

(5 June 2000)

Subject: Violation of children's rights

On 3 May 2000 the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (Social Affairs Committee for Minors) made arrangements for the transfer to Switzerland of Izabayo Fidencie, a Ruandan child who had been found on Italian territory without the appropriate documents living with Nshimiyimana Juvenal, who claimed to be the girl's father, despite documentary evidence establishing beyond doubt that he was not acting in good faith.

The appeal lodged with the Lazio Regional Administrative Court against the decision taken by the Social Affairs department of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in this dramatic case without carefully examining the evidence provided by the Ruandan Government, which demonstrates that Nshimiyimana Juvenal was not telling the truth, shows that the administrative provision adopted was of a superficial nature.

The European Union has always claimed to be committed to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular affirming its commitment to fundamental social rights and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Furthermore, Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states in all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration and declares the child's right to a family, not the right of anyone to have a child.

1. What steps does the Council of Ministers of the European Union intend to take to ensure that Italy ascertains who Izabayo Fidencie's parents actually are and entrusts her to the care of her legal or natural parents?

2. What steps does the Council of Ministers of the European Union intend to take to ensure that in the light of the new evidence produced and pending the judgement of the Lazio Regional Administrative Court, Italy suspends the transfer to Switzerland of Izabayo Fidencie?

Reply

(26 September 2000)

It is not for the Council to interfere when Member States exercise their powers to remove aliens from their territory.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1592/00

by Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 May 2000)

Subject: Breakdown of the URBAN Community initiative by Member State and outermost region

Will the Commission say what amounts have been distributed to each Member State and outermost region from the funds provided for under the URBAN initiative?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(20 June 2000)

On 28 April 2000 the Commission adopted guidelines for the URBAN II Community Initiative(1). The total contribution from the European Regional Development Fund over the period 2000-2006 will be 700 million.

The Commission has also set the indicative allocation between Member States of the available commitment appropriations:

>TABLE>

The precise breakdown of these amounts within each Member State will be decided by the national authorities. These decisions have not yet been notified to the Commission.

(1) OJ C 141, 19.5.2000.