ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3396/02

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 November 2002)

Subject: Experimentation on chimpanzees

What is the Commission's view on continued experimentation on chimpanzees at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre in the Netherlands, the only remaining facility in the European Union still using chimpanzees for experiments?

The laboratory situated near The Hague is planning one final experiment on six healthy infant chimpanzees by infecting them with the incurable hepatitis C virus. I urge the Commission to intervene to prevent this one final experiment at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2003)

Experimentation on animals falls under Council Directive 86/609/EEC on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes(1). The Directive states that animal experiments shall not be performed if another scientifically satisfactory method is reasonably and practicably available (Article 7.2). The choice of the animal species should also be carefully considered (Article 7.3).

The implementation of the Directive is the responsibility of the national authorities, in this case the Dutch authority. So far, the Commission has not received any information that indicates that the proposed experiment is in breach of the Directive.

The Commission is aware that the use of non-human primates such as chimpanzees in experiments is a sensitive issue. In the upcoming revision of the Directive, this issue will play an important role.

(1) OJ L 358, 18.12.1986.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/429

(2004/C 78 E/0449)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2791/03

by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 September 2003)

Subject: Problem of double accounting in emissions trading

From 2008 national AAU (BSA) amount will be adjusted to take account of cross-border transfers of emission allowances so as to ensure that a selling country's AAU (BSA) amount is decreased and that of the buying country increased by the quantity transferred. The selling country's authorities will correspondingly have that much less to allocate in the next emissions trading period. Given that the authorities presumably cannot treat firms differently, according to whether they sell emission allowances within their home country or beyond its borders, a seller's emission allowance in the next period should logically be reduced in every case. This would also be consistent with the principle that emission reductions should be taken into account only once.

However, a firm can choose between the strategies of selling and banking emission allowances so as to derive greatest benefit. If a firm is able to bank its emission allowance in order to secure a better (or unchanged) share in the next period, the authorities should treat firms which have banked emission allowances and firms which have sold them in the same way and hence in both cases deduct the amounts sold or banked from their new initial allocations (unless allowances have been banked purely because of fluctuations in a firm's output for reasons related to the business cycle). Otherwise it would be in a firm's interest to postpone selling and bank emission allowances, in which case it would obtain twice as much to sell in the next period.

Does the Commission see a problem as regards equal treatment of firms? Should the Member States all give instructions for the amounts of emission allowances banked or sold to be deducted from the next allocations for the firms concerned, thus ensuring that the problem of double accounting would not arise? Should this matter be raised when the directive is reviewed?
No C 147/38 Official Journal of the European Communities 17.6.81 
CORRIGENDA 
Corrigendum to the answer to Written Question No 1936/80 
by Lord O'Hagan to the Commission of the European Communities 
(Official Journal of the European Communities No C 93 of 23 April 1981) 
The table on page 12 is to read as follows: 
(million ECU) 
Market development (') 
Milk for school children 
Disposal of butterfat (2) 
Improvement of milk quality 
Total 1977 
7-5 
7-5 1978 
101 
10-3 
33-0 
53-4 1979 
37-4 
300 
27-4 
15 5 
110-3 1980 
provisional 
26-7 
45-7 
29-8 
7-9 
1101 
(') Advertising, sales promotion, market research inside and outside the Community, technical 
back-up outside the Community. 
(2) Butterfat for ice cream and concentrated butter.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3612/95 by Jean-Yves Le Gallou (NI) to the Commission (12 January 1996)

Subject: Community grants to associations, NGOs and other bodies

With regard to the new Item B3-1010 (Youth for Europe II), could the Commission give a complete list of associations or bodies which receive Community grants and the exact amount of these grants during the last financial year for which accounts have been closed?

Suplementary joint answer to Written Questions E-3611/95 and E-3612/95 given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (29 March 1996)

With regard to centralised actions, 473 projects involving 344 beneficiaries have received a total of ECU 6.7 million in grants. These projects related to youth initiatives (Action A.II.1), periods of voluntary service (Action A.II.2), European cooperation between training structures for youth workers (Action B.II), exchanges with non-member countries (Action D), information for young people (Action E.1), and multilateral activities by European youth organisations ((The list was forwarded directly to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat-General of the Parliament. )). ECU 264 321 has been allocated to 15 projects involving cooperation between youth structures in Member States1 and ECU 557 814 to the Eurodesk project, a transnational information network for young people.

With regard to decentralised actions, ECU 2.5 million was allocated to national agencies to cover their operating costs and for the supporting measures required for implementing the programme (launching the programme in the different Member States, thematic meetings, etc). The national agencies received ECU 12.4 million directly for intra-Community youth exchange activities (Action A.I) and for support and training for youth workers involved in exchanges (Action B.I); for these appropriations, they have until 31 May 1996 to finalise their reports to the Commission. The Commission does not yet have lists of projects supported by each Member State.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1818/95 by David Morris (PSE) to the Council (26 June 1995)

Subject: France's administration of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons

In cases such as that of David Hessner, of 17 Queensway, Dukinfield in my constituency, has the Council considered the problem of Member State nationals for whom the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons is inoperative because of France's levying a customs fine in addition to imposing a prison sentence?

Joint Reply to Written Questions E-1817/95, E-1818/95 and E-3532/95 (10 October 1996)

1. The Council has not been called upon to comment on the application by the Member States in certain specific cases, including the one raised by the Honourable Member, of the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, which was concluded at the Council of Europe in 1983.

The Council therefore has no information enabling it to say to what extent Member States might or might not have refused the transfer of sentenced persons in certain particular circumstances.

2. The Council is, however, considering the possibility of examining and adjusting the instruments that exist with regard to judicial cooperation in criminal matters, including those concerning the enforcement of foreign judgments.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3209/95 by James Fitzsimons (UPE) to the Commission (29 November 1995)

Subject: EU aid to universities in Ireland

Could the Commission provide details of the amount of money received by each university in Ireland under the EU's R & D budgets and the Structural Funds over each of the last five years (1990 to 1994 inclusive)?

Supplementary answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (13 May 1996)

The answer to the Honourable Member's question is extensive and comprises several lists; these will be sent to the Honourable Member directly as well as to the Parliament's Secretariat.

The data is taken from various databases since there is no centralized computer system integrating all the research and structural fund programmes.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0679/95 by Peter Crampton (PSE) to the Commission (10 March 1995)

Subject: Commission proposals in the field of immigration, home and judicial affairs, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the field of immigration, home and judicial affairs were put forward by the Commission in 1994?

Supplementary joint answer to Written Questions E-0662/95, E-0663/95, E-0664/95, E-0665/95, E-0666/95 E-0667/95, E-0668/95, E-0669/95, E-0670/95, E-0671/95, E-0672/95, E-0673/95, E-0674/95, E-0675/95, E-0676/95, E-0677/95, E-0678/95, E-0679/95, E-0680/95, E-0681/95, E-0682/95, E-0683/95, E-0684/95, E-0685/95, E-0686/95, E-0687/95, E-0688/95, E-0689/95, E-0690/95 and E-0691/95 given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (15 November 1996)

Further to its answer of 10 April 1995, the Commission can now give the following information.

The table below gives the number of proposals for legislation transmitted by the Commission in 1994 for adoption in the various areas to which the Honourable Member's questions relate.

Some were designed to implement new measures and others to update earlier legislation. They may also relate to the management of certain common policies (for example, commercial policy, common agricultural policy, fisheries, customs union).

Consolidation proposals are also included. Proposals amending proposals transmitted earlier are not included.

The statistics and list are taken from the Commission's APC database, to which Members of the European Parliament can have access, like the other institutions and the public.

>TABLE>
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0670/95 by Peter Crampton (PSE) to the Commission (10 March 1995)

Subject: Commission proposals in the field of external affairs, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the field of external affairs were put forward by the Commission in 1994?

Supplementary joint answer to Written Questions E-0662/95, E-0663/95, E-0664/95, E-0665/95, E-0666/95 E-0667/95, E-0668/95, E-0669/95, E-0670/95, E-0671/95, E-0672/95, E-0673/95, E-0674/95, E-0675/95, E-0676/95, E-0677/95, E-0678/95, E-0679/95, E-0680/95, E-0681/95, E-0682/95, E-0683/95, E-0684/95, E-0685/95, E-0686/95, E-0687/95, E-0688/95, E-0689/95, E-0690/95 and E-0691/95 given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (15 November 1996)

Further to its answer of 10 April 1995, the Commission can now give the following information.

The table below gives the number of proposals for legislation transmitted by the Commission in 1994 for adoption in the various areas to which the Honourable Member's questions relate.

Some were designed to implement new measures and others to update earlier legislation. They may also relate to the management of certain common policies (for example, commercial policy, common agricultural policy, fisheries, customs union).

Consolidation proposals are also included. Proposals amending proposals transmitted earlier are not included.

The statistics and list are taken from the Commission's APC database, to which Members of the European Parliament can have access, like the other institutions and the public.

>TABLE>
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2460/95 by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Council (1 September 1995)

Subject: Polish amphetamine in Denmark

According to Interpol, large quantities of amphetamine are illegally produced in Poland and smuggled into, inter alia, Denmark and Sweden, where it is sold or distributed to the rest of the EU.

Since combating drugs is one of the Union's main priorities, can the Council state what information the Europol drugs unit for instance has on the scale of illegal amphetamine production and what initiatives the EU intends to take not only to stop the smuggling but also to get rid of the illegal amphetamine production infrastructure in Poland?

Answer (20 May 1997)

Interpol's information on the production of amphetamines in Poland is confirmed by the Europol Drugs Unit (EDU). The manufacture of synthetic drugs in clandestine laboratories is a matter of particular concern.

This problem was discussed during the meeting of Member States of the European Union with the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CCEE) and the Baltic States, organized in the context of the work of the Working Party on Drugs and Organized Crime.

The Polish authorities have been following recent developments very closely and the law enforcement agencies in the countries concerned are collaborating bilaterally with the Polish authorities. Additional Liaison Officers from European Union countries are being assigned to Poland.

The Polish authorities have received the cataglogue produced by the EDU (Logo Project) describing the external appearance of tablets seized with the aim of identifying likely distribution networks.

The CCEE, including Poland, have been invited to attend the Presidency's seminar in Eindhoven on 28-29 April which will address means of tackling the production of and illicit trade in synthetic drugs.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0688/95 by Peter Crampton (PSE) to the Commission (10 March 1995)

Subject: Commission proposals in the field of transport, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the field of transport were put forward by the Commission in 1994?

Supplementary joint answer to Written Questions E-0662/95, E-0663/95, E-0664/95, E-0665/95, E-0666/95 E-0667/95, E-0668/95, E-0669/95, E-0670/95, E-0671/95, E-0672/95, E-0673/95, E-0674/95, E-0675/95, E-0676/95, E-0677/95, E-0678/95, E-0679/95, E-0680/95, E-0681/95, E-0682/95, E-0683/95, E-0684/95, E-0685/95, E-0686/95, E-0687/95, E-0688/95, E-0689/95, E-0690/95 and E-0691/95 given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (15 November 1996)

Further to its answer of 10 April 1995, the Commission can now give the following information.

The table below gives the number of proposals for legislation transmitted by the Commission in 1994 for adoption in the various areas to which the Honourable Member's questions relate.

Some were designed to implement new measures and others to update earlier legislation. They may also relate to the management of certain common policies (for example, commercial policy, common agricultural policy, fisheries, customs union).

Consolidation proposals are also included. Proposals amending proposals transmitted earlier are not included.

The statistics and list are taken from the Commission's APC database, to which Members of the European Parliament can have access, like the other institutions and the public.

>TABLE>
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0370/96 by Carlos Costa Neves (ELDR) to the Commission (22 February 1996)

Subject: POSEIMA - Regulation (EEC) 1600/92

In view of the new situation regarding prices on the world market and the consequences of the CAP reform, there has been a drop in the level of aid granted under Regulation (EEC) 1600/92 ((OJ L 173, 27.6.1992, p. 1. )), notably for cereals, to the point where in some cases no aid is being granted at all.

It can therefore be said that the system established for the calculation of aid has been rendered ineffective and is unable to meet the political objectives of POSEIMA.

In the case of the Azores, the situation is serious since the economy as a whole is dependent on the agricultural sector, particularly livestock production. The price increases to date and those expected for bread and animal feedstuffs are unacceptable for the population and for the economy of the archipelago.

It is therefore a matter of the utmost urgency that a technical solution be found to restore the level of aid to its former level and avoid a recurrence of this situation in future, if the objectives of POSEIMA are to be met.

Can the Commission say whether it is currently seeking a solution to this problem and when such a solution might be found?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (4 March 1996)

Council Regulation (EEC) No 1600/92 of 15 June 1992 on specific measures in respect of certain agricultural products for the Azores and Madeira establishes special supply arrangements. Under these arrangements and on the basis of local needs for direct consumption or processing, products from non-member countries may be imported duty free or, in the case of Community produce, with the same advantage that would result from exemption of import duties for produce from the world market. Aid is granted for this purpose.

Calculations of the amount of aid take account of the level of export refunds.

Aid levels have fallen markedly in recent years following the adjustment of export refunds. The Portuguese authorities have therefore asked for measures to counter the adverse effects of the fall in aid for Madeira and the Azores. The Commission is now examining this request.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-0213/96 by Mair Morgan (PSE) to the Commission (31 January 1996)

Subject: Staffing and managing the 'Youth for Europe III' programme

As the Commission is now aware of the need to tackle the problems caused by the delay in adopting the 'Youth for Europe III' programme, could it please state the exact number of extra staff to be employed, the date on which they will be taking up their posts, as well as details of how exactly the 'Youth for Europe III' programme management system will be reorganized and improved?

Now that the Youth Secretariat has been allocated ECU 15 million to fund the European Voluntary Civilian Service, does the Commission intend appointing extra staff for its pilot project?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (27 February 1996)

With regard to the first part of the question, the Commission can only reaffirm its intention of providing the Youth for Europe programme with the staff necessary to ensure its efficient operation. In doing so, of course, account must be taken of the overall situation in the Commission with regard to new posts. The number of staff will only be known once the internal staff allocation procedure is completed. It is therefore difficult to specify the date on which new staff will take up their duties. The Commission will keep Parliament informed of developments on this point.

With regard to improvements and to the reorganisation of the programme's management system, the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States:

* is reinforcing the role of the national agencies;

* is developing new services in order to improve access to the programme and the quality of projects, particularly by establishing advisory posts in the national agencies with the task of assisting young people in preparing their projects;

* is intensifying the training of national agency staff in order to adapt their skills to the new programme;

* has undertaken the computerisation of the entire network of national agencies and the development of computer tools for the effective management and monitoring of the programme;

* has developed effective and reliable information tools, particularly through the setting up of the Eurodesk network and cooperation on the Young People's Card and youth hostels;

* is preparing for the decentralisation of some activities linked to exchanges with non-member countries;

* is developing more effective evaluation methods and tools.

With regard to voluntary service, the answer to the question is yes.

The Commission will forward directly to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament's Secretariat-General the organisation chart of DG XXII, which is responsible for the programme, the Vade-mecum of the Youth for Europe programme and the procedures for implementing the Youth for Europe programme.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0876/96 by Clive Needle (PSE) to the Commission (17 April 1996)

Subject: ESF Objective 3 and 5b

Is there a correlation between Objective 3 and Objective 5b in the European Social Fund?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1996)

The Structural Fund Regulations (and in particular Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/93 of 20 July 1993) ((OJ No L 193, 31.7.1993. )) provide that, within the framework of Article 123 of the EC Treaty, the European Social Fund (ESF) shall have the priority task of providing support for Objectives 3 and 4 throughout the Community and, in addition, of providing support for, among others, Objective 5b.

In accordance with these same Regulations, the ESF shall contribute, among other things, and in accordance with the specific provisions governing its operations, to the attainment of Objective 3 throughout the Community and, in collaboration with the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) -Guidance Section - and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to the attainment of Objective 5b in the regions concerned.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0481/96 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (1 March 1996)

Subject: Commission statement on the Greek-Turkish crisis

The distinguished Brussels correspondent of a major Athens daily newspaper, Mr Daratos, reports that:

The statement issued by the Commission last Wednesday (7 February 1996) expressing its 'total solidarity with Greece' was distributed in French only.

The manner in which the Commission's press service dealt with the same matter is also of interest in that it published the Spanish agency EFE's comments on the Commission's statement in its internal bulletin of European news agency reports but not those made by the Athens News Agency (APE).

1. Why was the statement not distributed the same day in English and German as normal?

2. Why was the APE's report, which was published in English and French, not included in one of the three or four summaries of Community news bulletins that the Commission issues every day?

3. What does this strange omission signify in political terms?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (3 April 1996)

1. The statement to which the Honourable Member refers was sent in French to the press agencies as soon as it was adopted on the evening of 7 February 1996. It was forwarded the same day in Greek to correspondents of the Greek press in Brussels. The other language versions were available the following day from the Spokesman's Service of the Commission.

2. The Telexpress collection of dispatches is distributed four times a day exclusively for internal Commission information. The dispatches included are selected from the press agencies directly linked to the Spokesman's Service and available on line. The Commission's subscription to the APA does not include on line service.

3. From the above it is clear that there was no omission on the part of the Commission regarding the distribution of the statement in question.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0504/96 by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission (1 March 1996)

Subject: Slaughter of the Russian bear

Is the Commission aware of the barbaric slaughter of the Russian bear by Russian poachers across Siberia, due to the gradual breakdown of measures protecting endangered wildlife in this area?

Does the Commission have any proposals to make regarding this worrying situation?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (19 April 1996)

The Commission shares the Parliament's concern about the worrying situation of the Siberian bear. The main objective of the Tacis programme is to assist the economic reform process in the New independent states. Although a substantial component of the programme is directed towards the environment, it does not include wildlife protection.