WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2470/97 by Freddy BLAK to the Commission. Free movement of labour
Date: 1997-07-16
Institutions: BLAK, European Parliament
Subjects: free movement of workers, migrant worker, pay, pension scheme, social security, social-security benefit, tax on income, telematics, unemployment insurance, work contract

17. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 82/87

(98/C 82/147)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2466/97

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Commission

(16 July 1997)

Subject: Flights of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel from the Sellafield nuclear complex, Britain

The 12 June issue of Sellafield Newsletter, produced by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL), states that Carlisle
airport  in  Cumbria  has  recently  been  used  to  transport  mixed  oxide  (MOX)  nuclear  fuel  from  the  Sellafield
complex (cid:145)to a customer in Europe(cid:146). According to BNFL, (cid:145)the transports involved a total of five flights and were
all conducted in complete safety(cid:146).

Was the Commission given prior notice of these flights? Will it give details of any data which BNFL provided on
the safety measures covering these flights?

What is the Commission(cid:146)s policy on the transport of MOX fuel in general?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(15 September 1997)

The transport of radioactive material is organised in accordance with the regulations of the International atomic
energy agency (IAEA) and implemented, for air transport, by the technical instructions of the International civil
aviation organisation (ICAO), in force in all Community Member States.

No specific notification had to be made to the Commission concerning air transport of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel.

The policy of the Commission is to ensure that the rules applicable to international air transport of radioactive
material are respected.

(98/C 82/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2470/97

by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Commission

(16 July 1997)

Subject: Free movement of labour

Has the EU, in connection with the introduction of the free movement of labour, considered helping the Member
States by drawing up a set of rules guaranteeing effective and mutual exchanges of information on periods of
employment and incomes with a view to preventing fraud with social benefits including unemployment benefits?
How will the Commission  guarantee taxation  either in the country  in which the work is  performed or  in  the
country in which the wage earner has his permanent residence?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(15 September 1997)

Article 51 of the EC Treaty requires the Council to adopt such measures in the field of social security as are
necessary to provide freedom of movement for workers.

Within this framework (1), the Commission and the Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant
Workers have developed the Telematics in Social Security (TESS) programme, the main objective of which is to
speed up the granting and calculation of social benefits for migrant workers.

The  information  necessary  to  establish  entitlement  to  social  benefits  and  to  calculate  the  amounts  due  are
exchanged  between  the  competent  institutions  of  the  Member  States  using  standardised  forms.  The  TESS
programme projects will allow exchanges of information on paper to be replaced by telematic exchanges, thanks
in particular to the development of common standards for the identification of insured persons, identification