WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1627/97 by Bárbara DÜHRKOP DÜHRKOP to the Commission. URBAN Programme
Date: 1997-05-14
Institutions: DUEHRKOP DUEHRKOP, European Parliament
Subjects: Basque Country, EU initiative, EU programme, Spain, development plan, urbanisation

22. 1. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 21/75

(98/C 21/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1627/97

by Ba·rbara Du¤ hrkop Du¤hrkop (PSE) to the Commission

(14 May 1997)

Subject: URBAN Programme

10  January  1997  was  the  deadline  for  the  submission  of  urban  development  projects  under  the  1997-1999
URBAN programme.

How many projects have been submitted by the Spanish authorities?

How many of those were originated by the Basque Country Autonomous Community? To which localities do
they relate and what are their intended objectives?

Which projects has the Commission selected amongst all the ones submitted by the Spanish Government?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 1997)

On  9  January  1997  the  Spanish  authorities  submitted  a  programme  under  the  Urban  Community  Initiative
(1997-99) comprising 12 projects. Of these projects, none concerns municipalities located in the Autonomous
Community of the Basque Country.

The Commission is examining the application. However, the Spanish authorities are at present reformulating the
text  of  the  programme  originally  submitted.  The  Commission  considers  that  a  decision  approving  this
programme is unlikely to be taken until the last quarter of this year.

(98/C 21/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1632/97

by Johanna Maij-Weggen (PPE) to the Commission

(14 May 1997)

Subject: American ban on investing in Burma

Can the Commission confirm that the American President has signed a law banning American businesses from
investing in Burma because of the adverse situation regarding democracy and human rights in that country?

How  can  the  Commission  prevent  businesses  in  the  US  making  their  investments  via  European  firms  and
European Member States?

Would it not be appropriate, in the wake of the Union(cid:146)s lifting of the preferential system for Burma, for the
Commission to submit a proposal as soon as possible for an end to investments on the part of the Union so that,
together with the US, maximum pressure can be put on Burma?

Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 1997)

On  22  April  1997,  the  United  States  (US)  President  announced  his  decision  to  impose  a  ban  on  new  US
investment in Burma, invoking the so-called Cohen-Feinstein amendment to the Appropriations Act for the fiscal
year 1997.

The new sanctions prohibit US persons from new investment in Burma. The details, including the definition of
US  persons  and  new  investment,  have  been  specified  in  an  executive  order  published  on  20  May  1997.  The
Commission is at present examining in depth the executive order to further analyse the potential impact of this
decision.

The withdrawal of privileges under the generalized scheme of privileges (GSP), on the other hand, is in no way
linked to the sanctions imposed by the Community in its common position on Burma adopted on 28 October
1996  and  prolonged  for  a  second  six  -month  period  on  29  April  1997.  The  withdrawal  of  GSP  privileges  is
exclusively based on the provisions of the Council Regulation (EC) No 3281/94 and 1256/96 (1), Articles 9-12
and clearly not related to the common foreign and security policy (CFSP).