ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2215/97 by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission (19 June 1997)

Subject: Creation of enterprises by women

In view of the growing presence of women in the world of work, can the Commission supply up-to-the-minute figures on the number of enterprises created over the last few years by women, for the Union as a whole and for each Member State?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (15 July 1997)

Available statistics on the number of enterprises created by women in the Community as a whole and in each Member State are provided by the annual report of the European observatory for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and Eurostat, through its publication 'Enterprises in Europe'. The statistics provided on women entrepreneurs indicate that out of the 17 million enterprises in the Community, 20-30% are run by women, of all the new enterprises created 25-35% are created by women, assisting spouses in SMEs have a participation rate of 60-80% and the survival rate of businesses run by women - after a 5 year period - is about 52%.

It is very important to note that women entrepreneurs and assisting spouses are most common in smaller enterprises. The sectors of business activity women entrepreneurs most frequently choose are the retail and service sectors whereas men prefer manufacturing. The relatively low rate of survival (52%) is reflected in the choice of sector (services) and the lack of start-up assistance offered to small businesses and more particularly women entrepreneurs.

Another point worth mentioning, due to its significance to society, is that women entrepreneurs tend to exhibit more socially oriented goals. As for the available statistics on women entrepreneurs in each Member State, statistics gathered reflect the available statistics on national level.

Due to the fact that more quantitative and up to date statistics are required (the available statistics date back to 1994-1995) in order better to identify the sector, the third multiannual programme for SMEs (1997-2000) (Council Decision 97/15/EC ((OJ L 6, 10.1.1997. ))) stresses the importance of statistical data so as to identify the number of enterprises, their size, structure and demography. Specific credits are intended to be foreseen for the elaboration of statistics in the proposed budget of 1998 on budget line B5-3201.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1466/97 by Giovanni Burtone (PPE) to the Commission (30 April 1997)

Subject: Agreements with Mediterranean non-member countries

In March 1996 I called for the blocking of a trade agreement with Morocco, which would inevitably have led to a crisis in the agricultural sector and, in particular, in the Sicilian citrus fruit sector.

Member States are now going ahead with ratification of such agreements with Mediterranean non-member countries, giving rise to discontent among and opposition from farmers.

Has the Commission considered the impact and serious consequences of such agreements (especially with Morocco) on EU regions (in particular, Sicily), which have traditionally relied on such sectors of production and which are now faced with competition that is distorted by the lower labour costs in the Mediterranean non-member countries in question?

If the trade agreements with Mediterranean non-member countries are not suspended, does the Commission intend to introduce a policy of aid to producers who suffer as a result of unfair competition? If so, on the basis of what criteria?

Answer given by M. Fischler on behalf of the Commission (9 June 1997)

The Commission has held negotiations for new Euro-Mediterranean agreements with certain countries following the specific mandates adopted by the Council. The mandates include the guidelines for the negotiations on agricultural concessions. In the course of the negotiations, the historical trade flows and the situation of the internal market have been carefully examined by the Commission before proposing new concessions. It should be noted that the concessions on citrus fruits are granted within the limits of tariff quotas and that the preferential imports are subject to entry prices (entry prices have been reduced for Moroccan and Israeli oranges). The Commission believes that the concessions agreed so far with the Mediterranean countries (Morocco, Israel, Tunisia and the Palestinian authority) will permit the continuation of the historical trade flows but should not unduly affect Community imports of citrus fruits in general.

The market organisation for fruit and vegetables has been recently reformed. It foresees various means of support for Community fruit and vegetable farmers, mainly through the producers' organisations. This reform is being implemented at present. The Commission believes that such a regime will enhance competition in the fruit and vegetable sector and that this sector will also be capable of facing competition from imported products.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0624/97 by Ana Miranda de Lage (PSE) to the Council (10 March 1997)

Subject: Reform of the UN

The United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly argued for the need to reform the UN to enable it to rise to the new challenges and realities following the end of the Cold War.

The Members States of the European Union, in particular those forming part of the Security Council, have always supported such a reform.

The replacement of the Secretary-General, in which one country was able to steer the process, provided clear evidence of the extraordinary influence of the USA in the running of the UN, to a large extent due to the inability and lack of will of the Member States of the Union to present a solid, united front.

Following his appointment, Mr Annan's first official visit was to the US. The settling of the debt was one of the items on the agenda. However, according to reports on the meetings held, the Ghanaian high official made certain promises to Congress regarding consultation on any future reforms.

In view of the above, the question arises as to what extent these promises are compatible with the competencies of the United Nations Security Council and, more especially, to what extent the submission of the new Secretary General to the US legislature in talks on the necessary reform of the UN and the clear exclusion from these talks, at least for the time being, of the EU Member States forming part of the UN Security Council is acceptable to those states?

Answer (6 August 1997)

As the Honourable Member of the European Parliament correctly pointed out, the European Union has always supported the United Nations. The EU believes it necessary to strengthen the coordination between humanitarian activities and development programmes, as well as the mutually supportive relations between the two activities and conflict prevention and peace support endeavours.

In this spirit the European Union became, from the beginning of the present ongoing negotiations, a very active participant in the UN reform debate and submitted last year and this year two position papers, one on the financial reform of the UN and one on the UN reform in the economic and social areas. The purpose of the EU proposal for financial reform was to find a method which is objective and universally acceptable to all UN Member States, and would create a long term financial basis, based on fair rates of contribution to both regular and peace-keeping scales of assessment. The counterpart of this last proposal must therefore be the commitment of all Member States to acquit their arrears and pay their future contributions promptly and in full. In its second position paper the EU has given an outline of a reform in the economic and social areas that would provide a framework to respond to the new tasks and challenges awaiting the UN. The European Union considers that the reform of the United Nations is not about cost-cutting: it is about strengthening and revitalising the organisation.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1178/97 by Gastone Parigi (NI) to the Commission (3 April 1997)

Subject: Farm prices 1997/1998

The Commission's proposals regarding intervention for the 1997/98 marketing year provide for a reduction of Lire 4000 billion, a large percentage of which (Lire 2700 billion) concerns arable land. The planned reductions are for cereals (- 7.3%), oilseeds (- 4.2%) and land for set-aside (- 27%).

The government's tax policies, price trends and their impact on production costs, and the 7% increase in the structural, social and regional funds - which in itself will take up the overall increase of 3% in agricultural spending - mean that the situation of Italian farmers will deteriorate sharply.

Since it was agreed that the reform of the CAP would take effect only after 1999, will the Commission maintain agricultural intervention at current levels for the 1997/98 marketing year?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (6 June 1997)

On 5 March 1997 the Commission adopted a proposal on farm prices for the marketing year 1997/98 ((COM(97) 89. )), the general thrust of which is that there should be no innovation pending reform of several sectors of the CAP. The Member of the Commission with special responsibility for agriculture presented this proposal to a special meeting of Comagri in Strasbourg on 12 March.

In making this proposal, the Commission drew attention to the budgetary situation in 1998, and in particular to the fact that the aim of limiting the budget increase to 3% could be achieved only by maintaining agricultural expenditure at more or less its present level. To manage that, in view of the likely trend of expenditure in certain sectors such as beef and veal, the Commission recalled its proposal in the previous year, when it advocated a reduction in aid for arable crops as a solution to financing the crisis in the livestock sector ((COM(96) 422. )).

This solution was not adopted by the Council, if only because Parliament had not given its opinion, but in its October 1996 conclusions the Council indicated that it would consider it when establishing the 1998 budget.

Knowledge of the 1998 budget currently available suggests that the status quo proposed for the farm prices for 1997/98 respects the budgetary equilibrium, assuming that the reduction in aid for arable crops is adopted. This proposal has accordingly been maintained.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1791/97 by Anne Poisson (UPE) to the Commission (27 May 1997)

Subject: Production of European Union official documents in braille

The European Union, the European Parliament and other agencies and institutions produce and distribute a number of official documents providing information.

Unfortunately they are not accessible to everyone, especially the blind.

At present there are 7.4 million blind and partially sighted people in Europe, which amounts to 2% of the population.

In the interests of better public access to information, can the Commission say when and to what extent official documents will be available in braille?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (4 July 1997)

The Commission is very sensitive to the difficulties which partially sighted European citizens can experience in gaining access to official documents.

The spread of standards such as the standard generalised mark-up language (SGML) for structured information retrieval enables technical solutions to be devised for making certain documents available in Braille.

Taking account of the demands already made on the Commission's resources, it is at present unlikely that all official documents will be made available in Braille in 11 languages.

Nevertheless, for some time all official documents relating to the integration of disabled persons (programmes, reports, resolutions, European guides) as well as the Helioscope and Helios Flash publications have also been accessible to the blind and partially sighted on diskette in all possible languages. Anyone interested may obtain from the Commission a diskette version of the document required in order to easily transform it into Braille or print adapted for the partially sighted.

The Commission will raise the question of extending this approach to other documents with the Managment Committee of the Publications Office in order to decide on a common approach for the European institutions.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1690/97 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (20 May 1997)

Subject: Slaughter of sheep in France for Eid-el-Kabir festival

Is the Commission aware that thousands of British sheep were slaughtered in France on 17 and 18 April in the name of the Muslim festival of Eid-el-Kabir?

These animals were slaughtered in open fields, by untrained people. They were held down while their throats were cut and left to bleed slowly to death.

This barbaric and despicable cruelty has outraged millions of civilized people.

Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler has made it clear in two letters to me that ritual slaughter in the open air is illegal under EU law, and must only be performed in an abattoir.

Will the Commission immediately take steps to prosecute the French authorities under Article 169?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1690/97 and E-1788/97 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (18 June 1997)

The Commission has received information that on 17 and 18 April 1997 sheep were slaughtered in France in the open air in connection with the Muslim festival of Eid-el-Kabir and that amongst them there were sheep born in the United Kingdom. Directive 93/119/EEC ((OJ L 340, 31.12.1993. )) requires ritual slaughter to be performed in an abattoir and imposes certain requirements on the treatment of animals before and at the time of slaughter.

The Commission has received complaints from animal welfare organisations about this matter and will give further consideration to the issues raised.

If it appears that the French authorities did not comply with Directive 93/119/EEC, then the Commission will consider taking further action to ensure the respect of Community law including, if appropriate, opening infringement proceedings under Article 169 EC Treaty.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-2207/97 by Honório Novo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (13 June 1997)

Subject: Relocation of the GIP (Grundig Industries Portugal) audio equipment factory in Braga

I am grateful for the Commission's reply (E-1414/97 ((OJ C 373, 9.12.1997, p. 122. ))) of 27 May 1997 but I do not feel that it answers the question I asked on 3 April 1997 concerning the possible relocation of the Grundig factory to Hungary.

There is indeed certain information to hand which indicates that Grundig intends to close down its factory in Braga and to transfer part or all of its manufacturing capacity to Hungary or some other non-EU country. If this occurs it will constitute a clear case of business relocation which will harm a disadvantaged region of Portugal and jeopardize the social and economic cohesion of the EU. In view of this I am returning to the topic and would like an answer to the following question.

If, under the current legislative and regulatory framework of the Structural Funds, Grundig were to submit an application for investment in Hungary or any other country that is not an EU Member State in respect of manufacturing capacity to replace that currently available in Braga, would the Commission support such an application?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1876/97, P-2207/97 and E-2223/97 given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (14 July 1997)

Concerning a possible intention of Bosch to establish itself in Braga, the Portuguese authorities have informed the Commission that meetings had been organised with Bosch on a possible investment in Portugal in the area of electronic products in the automobile industry. Such a project has however not been officialised and there are no negotiations at present.

The Commission would point out that the present legislative and regulatory framework of the structural funds only applies to existing Member States. In addition, the Phare programmes developed in Hungary do not aid direct investment to industry.

Relating to the supplementary question on the sale of buildings, the Commission's enquiries of the Portuguese authorities after its reply to the Honourable Member's written question P-3533/96 indicate that as yet there is no confirmation of any possible sale by Grundig of buildings which had benefited from assistance in the framework of PEDIP I. It is recalled, that as indicated in the reply to written question P-3533/96 Grundig has fulfilled its contractual obligations to the Portuguese authorities.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1440/97 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (28 April 1997)

Subject: Additions to cod liver oil

Can the Commission please clarify the situation with regard to additions of vitamins to cod liver oil as a result of European Union regulations.

Is this in fact the case, and if so, what additions have been made and why?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (5 June 1997)

There are no Community rules providing for the compulsory addition of vitamins to cod liver oil.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1363/97 by Joaquín Sisó Cruellas (PPE) to the Commission (21 April 1997)

Subject: Worker participation and competitiveness

According to a study carried out by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in the Union on the role of direct participation in the organizational changes taking place in Europe, European businesses lag behind those in the United States and Japan as regards competitiveness and flexibility. Recent data confirm that the proportion of large firms with high-yield production units in the United States (40%) is more than twice that in the European Union.

Since only a few high-yield production units in the European Union pursue a policy of worker participation and bearing in mind that despite what the experts say the managers of many European organizations are reluctant to choose direct worker participation as the linchpin of new forms of work and flexibility, can the Commission say:

- what are the principal steps being taken to increase the competitiveness and flexibility of European businesses, which are already lagging behind their main US and Japanese competitors?

- whether an information campaign or any other similar measures are being carried out to inform and encourage European firms as regards the main aspects of direct worker participation?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission 13 June 1997)

The Commission is indeed aware of the importance of direct participation of employees in relation to competitiveness. In its green paper 'Partnership for a new organisation of work' ((COM(97) 128. )), adopted on 16 April 1997, the Commission called on workers and managers, trade unions and employers to develop a new organisation of work, based on high skills, high trust and high quality. The increased participation of employees is a key element in the new form of integrated work organisation, since efficient production requires enhanced levels of both trust and commitment in firms.

The aim of the green paper is to launch a Europe-wide debate and raise people's awareness of an issue that is crucial for the future of the Community's hopes that the outcome of this debate will be a new framework for the modernisation of working life based on partnership.

The green paper is being given a wide circulation and it is hoped that it will be discussed at local and national level, as well as at European level, in particular within the social dialogue.

The green paper calls for comments before the end of November. It is proposed to arrange a major European conference early in 1998.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2001/97 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission (9 June 1997)

Subject: Food aid to North Korea

What is the Commission position on food aid to North Korea?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission (4 July 1997)

According to the United Nations world food programme (WFP) and the Food and agriculture organization (FAO), North Korea is a country with a large structural food deficit and insufficient resources to import the food needs of its population. The seriousness of the situation was confirmed by independent experts, who visited North Korea in March on behalf of the Commission.

On 23 May 1997, the Commission therefore launched a significant food aid package worth 46.3 MECU (approximately 155 000 tonnes) in support of the victims of famine. Of this quantity, 65 000 tonnes of food aid products have been made available to the WFP in response to the appeal launched in April 1997 for 203 000 tonnes. The remaining 90 000 tonnes of food aid products will be delivered directly by the Commission to North Korea where it will be handled by the WFP, and distribution monitored by an independent technical assistance team financed by the Community. The Commission is also preparing a separate nutritional programme for children in co-operation with the United Nations children's fund, and public health support measures. Prior to this decision, the Community had already committed almost 10 MECU for humanitarian assistance and food aid since 1995.

The recently launched package of aid has been prepared by the Commission on purely humanitarian grounds and is being delivered through multilateral agencies and non-governmental organisations.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1372/97 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission (21 April 1997)

Subject: Experiments on animals to monitor marine biotoxins in bivalve molluscs

According to press reports the Commission is considering the possibility of proposing that the ban on animal experimentation to monitor marine biotoxins (DSP, PSP and ASP) be postponed.

Can the Commission say whether:

1. such reports are true?

2. it might not be advisable to validate other alternative methods?

3. it does not consider that at present and in view of the advances made in this field in recent years and the prospects for validation, the funding of research and the activities of the Community Reference Laboratory for marine biotoxins to find alternative methods might be an important objective for the laboratory?

4. it considers the phosphatase inhibition method to monitor marine biotoxins in the DSP group to be an alternative to bivalve mollusc bioassay using rats? Could it be validated? What would the validation procedure be?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (29 May 1997)

Directive 91/492/EEC laying down the health conditions for the production and the placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs ((OJ L 268, 24.9.1991. )) stipulates that the paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) content in bivalve molluscs must be checked using the biological testing method, in association if necessary with a chemical method for detection of saxitoxin. If the results are challenged, the reference method is the biological method. Similarly, the Directive provides for the customary biological testing methods to be used to test for diarrhetic shellfish poison (DSP).

The Commission may, after receiving the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee, recognize other analysis methods providing an equivalent level of consumer health protection. The Community Reference Laboratory for marine biotoxins is working in close cooperation with the national reference laboratories and the Commission to identify and validate new analysis techniques not requiring animal tests.

The Commission does not intend to prohibit the analysis techniques laid down in Directive 91/492/EEC until scientific evidence shows that an equivalent level of consumer health protection can be guaranteed by alternative techniques.