do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1774/96 by Erich SCHREINER to the Commission. Sponsorship for the Vienna marathon
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, SCHREINER
Subjects: Austria, budget













EUR-Lex - 91996E1774 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1774

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1774/96 by Erich SCHREINER to the Commission. Sponsorship for the Vienna marathon  


Official Journal C 385 , 19/12/1996 P. 0035 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1774/96 by Erich Schreiner (NI) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: Sponsorship for the Vienna marathonAccording to press reports (Kurier of 22 March 1995) the European Commission owes the organizers of the Vienna marathon held in June 1994 öS 286 000.14 in sponsorship money. Have these debts since been discharged? If so, under which budget heading and in which financial year were they paid?If not, when, under which budget heading and in which financial year will these debts be paid?Who authorized Mr Pirzio-Biroli to sponsor the Vienna marathon with EU taxpayers' money, when and to the tune of how much?If Mr Pirzio-Biroli provided this sponsorship without authorization, does the Commission intend to demand reimbursement of öS 286 000.14 from Mr Pirzio-Biroli?If not, why not?What sanctions does the Commission usually impose on officials who grant sponsorship on behalf of the Commission without authorization?Is it usual for the Commission to pledge sponsorship of sporting events and then forget to honour its pledges?If so, what measures will the Commission take in this case?If not, why did it do so in the case of the Vienna marathon?Does the Commission intend to sponsor sporting events in all the future Member States?If so, in which countries will what sports events be sponsored and when?Can the fact that the Vienna marathon and the referendum (on Austria's accession to the EU) were held in the same month be discounted as a decisive factor influencing the Commission's generosity?Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (16 September 1996)The Commission, through its delegation in Austria, co-financed the Vienna Marathon in 1994.As the Honourable Member is aware, the Commission has a budget line for sport activities called Eurathlon. The procedure for an organisation to be subsidised for this kind of activity is the same as for other activities, i.e. the delegation (now the representation) makes a commitment proposal which is sent to Brussels for approval. Due to a number of administrative problems, there were some regrettable delays in this case, especially concerning the final payment, but this has been completed.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1773/96 by Erich SCHREINER to the Commission. Rights for the German-Austrian minorities in Slovenia
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, SCHREINER
Subjects: accession to the European Union, anti-discriminatory measure, ethnic group, protection of minorities, rights of minorities













EUR-Lex - 91996E1773 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1773

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1773/96 by Erich SCHREINER to the Commission. Rights for the German-Austrian minorities in Slovenia  


Official Journal C 305 , 15/10/1996 P. 0121 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1773/96 by Erich Schreiner (NI) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: Rights for the German-Austrian minorities in SloveniaThe European Union is about to conclude a Europe Agreement with Slovenia. This agreement is also supposed to guarantee protection for minorities in Slovenia. Whilst the Slovenian constitution recognizes the Italian and Hungarian ethnic groups and, to a limited extent, the Gypsy and Sinti groups as well, it does not recognize the German-Austrian minority of some 6 000 to 7 000 people, most of whom settled in the towns of Marburg, Cilli and Pettau in Lower Styria, after surviving expulsion and the death camps in 1945/46. The Ljubljana Government is still having difficulties according minority status to this German-Austrian section of the population although it is enjoyed as a matter of course by the Slovenian minority in Carinthia.What measures does the Commission intent to take to help the German-Austrian minority in Slovenia obtain the recognition it is due as an ethnic minority?Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (26 July 1996)The Commission would point to a 1993 evaluation by the Council of Europe, which found that Slovenia did respect the rights of minorities.The Commission takes the same view and believes that minorities in the country are protected by the constitution.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1737/96 by Antonio TAJANI to the Commission. Trade in olive oil with Tunisia
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, TAJANI
Subjects: Tunisia, agreement (EU), extra-EU trade, marketing, olive oil, tariff quota, trade relations













EUR-Lex - 91996E1737 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1737

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1737/96 by Antonio TAJANI to the Commission. Trade in olive oil with Tunisia  


Official Journal C 297 , 08/10/1996 P. 0133 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1737/96 by Antonio Tajani (UPE) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: Trade in olive oil with TunisiaI would like to restate my Written Question E-0470/96 ((OJ C 280, 25.9.1996, p.33 )) following Mr Fischler's reply of 27 March 1996 on behalf of the Commission.The Euro-Mediterranean Agreement between the EC and Tunisia was signed on 17 July 1995. Articles 37 and 38 of that agreement make provision for measures to end any form of discrimination with regard to marketing and the disruption of trade between the parties.Five months later, on 25 December 1995, the Tunisian Government issued Decree No 95/2593 introducing a special levy on exports of oil not covered by the preferential arrangements, thereby effectively blocking trade with the EC.Given that the ONH (Office National de l'Huile) exerts monopolistic control over the tariff quota for olive oil, blocking access thereto contrary to the provisions of Regulation (EEC) No 3463/87 ((OJ L 329, 20.11.1987, p.3. )), would the Commission not agree that it should:1. take steps to ensure that Community undertakings are exempt from the effects of Decree No 95/2593;2. guarantee that, once the above effects no longer apply, the Tunisian authorities will not place bureaucratic obstacles in the path of Community undertakings;3. reconfirm that Community undertakings have a right of access to the quota on the same terms.Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (16 July 1996)The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1779/96 by Abdelkader MOHAMED ALI to the Commission. Impact of the new information technologies on employment
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, MOHAMED ALI
Subjects: Structural Funds, access to information, impact study, information technology, labour market, new technology, teaching, vocational training













EUR-Lex - 91996E1779 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1779

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1779/96 by Abdelkader MOHAMED ALI to the Commission. Impact of the new information technologies on employment  


Official Journal C 385 , 19/12/1996 P. 0036 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1779/96 by Abdelkader Mohamed Ali (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: Impact of the new information technologies on employmentThe application of the new technologies in the future information society opens up enormous scope for professionals, business men and potential users. However, the speed of the introduction of these new media, whilst creating technical jobs, may have a substantial impact on employment.Does the Commission intend to carry out a study on the impact of the new information technologies on employment, to ascertain the number of jobs created and the number lost, because of the replacement of people by machines?Is the Commission taking account of the need to recycle highly qualified employees by means of specialized training programmes which would, as far as possible, enable men and women affected by the technological changes in their work environment not to be excluded from the process of renewal?Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (23 September 1996)The Commission believes that the new information technologies in the information society will have an important effect, both quantitative and qualitative, on employment across the economy.Several studies have already been launched to examine the relationship between employment and information technology.This issue is equally at the core of the work of the information society forum set up by the Commission, and which includes representatives from all sectors concerned and which presented its first annual report to the public on 9 July 1996. Furthermore, a high level group of experts, set up by the Commission, submitted its interim report in January 1996 (Building the European information society for us all).The Commission will use this work, as well as a series of other studies, to put together a green paper 'People first: living and working in the European information society'.This document, along with other communications on the information society currently under preparation, will seek to clarify the impact on employment and will stress the challenges from these developments in the information society to education and training.The Commission considers vocational training related to new technology a necessity. In the context of the structural funds such an approach is already followed, particularly under measures related to the adaptation to industrial change, for example under the European social fund's objective 4 and the Community initiative programme Adapt.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1793/96 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Implementation of Directive 91/492
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: ALAVANOS, European Parliament
Subjects: Greece, delivery, health control, labelling, live animal, marketing, mollusc, packaging, public health, veterinary inspection













EUR-Lex - 91996E1793 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1793

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1793/96 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Implementation of Directive 91/492  


Official Journal C 365 , 04/12/1996 P. 0034 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1793/96 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: Implementation of Directive 91/492Directive 91/492 ((OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p.1.)) lays down the health conditions for the placing on the market of live bivavle molluscs (shell-fish). The Directive stipulates that dispatch and purification centres must comply with its provisions by 31 December 1995. Since the main objective of the Directive is to safeguard public health:1. Will the Commission say whether the existing dispatch centres in Greece meet the requirements laid down in Directive 91/492, and2. In view of allegations that quantities of shell-fish are marketed in bulk and exported for immediate consumption on foreign markets (primarily Italy) without meeting the conditions laid down in the Directive, can the Commission confirm or deny this information and what measures does it intend to take?Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (5 August 1996)Directive 91/492/EEC set a deadline for the Member States to bring centres for the dispatch of live bivalve molluscs up to scratch. The Commission agreed with the Member States that the inspections provided for in Article 6 of the Directive would not begin until after the deadline expired on 31 December 1995. It has scheduled a series of visits to the Member States for 1996 and 1997 to assess the competent authorities' implementation of the health guidelines. The results of these inspections will be the subject of a report to the Standing Veterinary Committee. Pending that report, the Commission has no information on whether Greece's centres for the dispatch of bivalve molluscs comply with the Directive.Directive 91/492/EEC allows shellfish to be dispatched in bulk from the harvesting area to a purification or dispatch centre in the same Member State or in another, provided they are accompanied by the origin document provided for in Chapter II of the Annex to the Directive. These products cannot be marketed until they have been packed and labelled in accordance with the conditions laid down in Chapters VII and X of the Annex. It is for the competent authorities to make sure that the rules are properly applied. Pending the above-mentioned report, and in the absence of any complaints on the matter, the Commission has no information on whether Community law is being breached in the manner described by the Honourable Member. The matter will, however, be accorded particular attention during the inspections scheduled by the Commission.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1799/96 by Joan VALLVÉ to the Commission. Lower award of 'blue flags' for Balearic Islands beaches
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, VALLVE
Subjects: Balearic Islands, Denmark, consumer information, harbour installation, marine pollution, non-governmental organisation, pollution control measures, quality of the environment













EUR-Lex - 91996E1799 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1799

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1799/96 by Joan VALLVÉ to the Commission. Lower award of 'blue flags' for Balearic Islands beaches  


Official Journal C 345 , 15/11/1996 P. 0106 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1799/96 by Joan Vallvé (ELDR) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: Lower award of 'blue flags' for Balearic Islands beachesThe EU awards 'blue flags' to beaches and coastal leisure centres which have particularly high standards of water quality, environmental protection or user safety. This year, it has given awards to a total of 45 beaches and 18 coastal leisure centres in the Balearic Islands.However, these figures mean that eight less 'blue flags' than last year have been awarded to Balearic Islands beaches, although the number of awards for coastal leisure centres has increased by one.Can the Commission explain the reasons for the withdrawal of these awards, with specific details for each of the eight cases?Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (1 August 1996)The Commission would like to remind the Honourable Member that the Blue Flag scheme is run by a non-governmental organization entitled the 'Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe' (FEEE) with headquarters in Denmark. This organization coordinates a network of national operators responsible for the scheme in their particular Member State. Blue Flags are awarded by the European jury - in which the Commission is represented - to beaches which satisfy the requirements standards laid down by the scheme. Only those beaches proposed by the national jury of each Member State are considered to be candidates.With regard to the beaches of the Balearic Islands, and compared with last year, 14 beaches forfeited their Blue Flag while 6 new ones were awarded it, resulting in an overall loss of eight flags. The reasons why some beaches were not proposed by the Spanish jury this year may be requested from the Spanish organization 'Asociación de Educacion Ambiental' (ADEAC) responsible for the scheme.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1759/96 by Leen van der WAAL to the Commission. Violation of the human rights of religious minorities in Morocco
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, VAN DER WAAL
Subjects: Morocco, association agreement (EU), constitution, freedom of religious beliefs, human rights, religious discrimination, religious group













EUR-Lex - 91996E1759 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1759

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1759/96 by Leen van der WAAL to the Commission. Violation of the human rights of religious minorities in Morocco  


Official Journal C 345 , 15/11/1996 P. 0104 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1759/96 by Leen van der Waal (EDN) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: Violation of the human rights of religious minorities in MoroccoThe European Evangelical Alliance has sent me a report of December 1995 by Middle East Concern stating that converts from Islam to Christianity are increasingly suffering persecution at the hands of the police and the courts in Morocco. This is odd in that religious freedom in Morocco is guaranteed under the constitution and Morocco is a signatory to as number of international human rights agreements. There appears, then, to be a discrepancy between the policy of the national authorities aimed at tolerance and the application of this policy by the local authorities.1. Can the Commission confirm Middle East Concern's information about the position of religious minorities and the discrepancy between the policy of the national authorities and the behaviour of the local authorities in Morocco?2. What action does the Commission intend to take under the association agreement, to which the european Parliament recently gave its assent, in response to this situation?Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (26 July 1996)1. Under Article 6 of the Moroccan constitution, Islam is the state religion but the state guarantees freedom of worship.However, under Islamic law, it is strictly forbidden to change religion and Article 220(2) of the 1962 Moroccan penal code also prohibits conversion in certain circumstances. As a result, a number of Moroccan citizens have been prosecuted for practising Christianity.2. Respect for human rights and democratic principles is not only a source of ongoing concern for the EU but also something which all signatories to the declaration of the Barcelona Conference, including Morocco, expressly agreed to uphold.The Commission, acting with the Member States, will certainly pass on its misgivings to the Moroccan authorities in the forthcoming political talks on the new association agreement. The agreement will not come into force until it has been ratified by all Member States.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1782/96 by Jessica LARIVE to the Commission. Child labour
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, LARIVE
Subjects: EU aid, Unicef, child labour, child protection, children's rights, schooling, working time













EUR-Lex - 91996E1782 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1782

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1782/96 by Jessica LARIVE to the Commission. Child labour  


Official Journal C 305 , 15/10/1996 P. 0122 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1782/96 by Jessica Larive (ELDR) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: Child labourChild labour is a growing problem worldwide. The footballs used in the Euro 96 football championships in England, for example, were made by Pakistani children.1. Is the Commission aware that not only these footballs, but almost all the footballs made in the world, are the product of child labour in Pakistan, and that there is also some suggestion that children are being ill-treated in the process?2. Does the Commission agree with the questioner that a simple ban on this practice would have a disastrous effect on the children concerned?3. Is the Commission prepared to provide financial support for attempts by UNICEF, for example, to offer children compensation in the form of education for the hours of work lost, as is being successfully done in Nepal?Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (22 July 1996)The Commission has not received factual evidence which would support the Honourable Member's assertion that footballs used in the 1996 European football championships were made by children.However, the Commission is fully aware of the problem of child labour which exists in a variety of industries, not only in Pakistan but throughout Asia and beyond. The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that a ban on imports is not the best way to address the problem of child labour.The Commission is at present actively preparing, at the request of the government of Pakistan, and in collaboration with the International labour organization (ILO) and the United Nations children's fund, projects in Pakistan which will support and extend the work already being carried out there under the ILO international programme for the eradication of child labour (IPEC).
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1783/96 by Susan WADDINGTON to the Commission. human rights situation in Kashmir
Date: 1996-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, WADDINGTON
Subjects: European political cooperation, India, Pakistan, Red Cross, bilateral relations, forced disappearance, fundamental rights, human rights, international organisation, non-governmental organisation













EUR-Lex - 91996E1783 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E1783

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1783/96 by Susan WADDINGTON to the Commission. human rights situation in Kashmir  


Official Journal C 305 , 15/10/1996 P. 0122 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1783/96 by Susan Waddington (PSE) to the Commission (3 July 1996)Subject: human rights situation in KashmirIn view of the alleged continued abuse of human rights in Kashmir that has lead to the 'disappearance' of many individuals, as in the case of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, what action is the Community taking to put pressure on the Indian Government to ensure that fundamental human rights are protected and that individual cases of abuse and 'disappearance' are thoroughly investigated?Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (22 July 1996)The Presidency of the Council in the United Nations human rights committee (Geneva, April 1996) clearly presented the position of the Community on the subject:'The human rights situation in Kashmir remains a cause for serious concern; the European Union welcomes, however, measures taken by India to increase transparency and other measures to prevent human rights violations there and encourages India to continue those efforts. The European Union welcomes in particular the agreement to allow the ICRC to carry out its work in Kashmir and looks forward to access being granted to Kashmir to other humanitarian organisations and to NGO's.The European Union condemns all violence and hostage-taking. We call on the government of Pakistan to take effective measures to prevent armed infiltrations from territories under its control. Dialogue between India and Pakistan should resume without delay and concrete measures should be taken by both parties to defuse the current tense situation. The European Union notes the declared willingness of both sides to talk and encourages them to do so. We take note of the intention of the government in New Delhi to organise free elections in Kashmir.'The Commission and the Member States have evolved a common position vis-à-vis the two countries involved, which are both official partners of the Community, which consists of supporting bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan on the issue which takes account of the aspirations of the Kashmiri people; encouraging India to improve the human rights situation in Kashmir and to initiate a genuine political process and urging Pakistan to ensure that external support for the violence is brought to an end.The Commission feels that promoting transparency and international scrutiny of events in Kashmir - which implies freedom of access for interested non governmental organizations and the media - can help improve the human rights situation.