WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1779/97 by Karl von WOGAU to the Commission. Obstacle to free movement of services
Date: 1997-05-27
Institutions: European Parliament, VON WOGAU
Subjects: Alsace, freedom of navigation, freedom to provide services, inland waterway shipping, pleasure craft, ship's flag, tax system, vehicle registration

C 21/94

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22. 1. 98

network (1) gives responsibility to the executive director of the Agency for all staff matters and the executive
director, in turn, is accountable to the management board of the Agency for his activities. This means that the
Commission is not responsible for the Agency’s recruitment procedures and is not able to comment on the details
of the selection process, including the competition for the recruitment of three (cid:145)A(cid:146) grade staff and two (cid:145)B(cid:146) grade
staff which was published in the Official journal on 11th April 1997.

The question has been passed onto the executive director for a detailed response on behalf of the Agency.

(1)  OJ L 120, 11.5.1990.

(98/C 21/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1774/97

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(27 May 1997)

Subject: Producers ineligible for compensation

The  Greek  Ministries  of  Agriculture  and  Finance  have  decided  to  interpret  EU  Regulation  2328/91 (1)  as
excluding  from  the  programme  for  compensation  for  damage  caused  by  heavy  rain  and  floods  between
September  and  December  1996  (cid:145)any  person,  and  members  of  their  family,  who  have  been  convicted  or  are
awaiting  prosecution  for  offences  under  public  criminal  law,  before  their  release  of  before  final  judgment  is
passed.(cid:146)

As the compensation is awarded following the Commission(cid:146)s approval and given that such a decision excludes
certain producers and is also problematic in procedural terms, will the Commission say whether it has approved
the particular interpretative text excluding producers from the compensation programme? Does it consider the
above text to be a valid interpretation of EU Regulation 2328/91?

(1)  OJ L 218, 6.8.1991, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 July 1997)

The Commission has begun to examine the national aid scheme notified by Greece for repairing the damage
caused by heavy rain and floods between September and December 1996 to ensure that it is compatible with
Articles 92 to 94 of the EC Treaty governing aids granted by the Member States.

However, since the national decision defining the recipients of this aid referred to by the Honourable Member
was not notified to the Commission, it is requesting further information from the Greek authorities.

(98/C 21/196)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1779/97

by Karl von Wogau (PPE) to the Commission

(27 May 1997)

Subject: Obstacle to free movement of services

The Mannheim Convention of 17 October 1868 declares the Rhine to be an (cid:145)international waterway(cid:146) and vessels
using it must therefore fly the flag of one of the bordering States. This provision also applies to the owners of
pleasure craft.

Owners of pleasure craft who register their vessels in Strasbourg are required to pay a tax to obtain a French
nationality certificate in order to be able to fly the French flag and sail on the Rhine. This tax is intended for
navigation on the high seas and in international waters and amounts to FF 10 000 annually. Pleasure craft owners
registering their vessels in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands or Switzerland do not pay a special tax in order to
use the Rhine.