WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2766/97 by Christoph KONRAD to the Commission. State aid from the Kingdom of Belgium to the Forges de Clabecq steel company
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, KONRAD
Subjects: Belgium, European Commission, State aid, Walloon region (Belgium), application of EU law, bankruptcy, cessation of trading, control of State aid, exchange of information, iron and steel industry

C 102/114

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3. 4. 98

(98/C 102/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2765/97

by Irene Soltwedel-Scha¤fer (V) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Promoting children•s theatre

Drama can play an important part in the personal development of children. It encourages self-confidence, team
spirit and creativity in a very special way. For this reason, the promotion of children’s theatre takes on particular
significance.

What has the Commission done in the past three years to promote children’s theatre in the European Community?

What projects has it supported through the various directorates-general, under which promotional programmes?

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 1997)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that artistic disciplines, and in particular the theatre, can
foster the development of the individual from a very early age.

The Commission recalls that, within the framework of its cultural activities, cooperation projects in the theatre,
including children’s theatre, have been supported in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Community
programme in support of cultural cooperation projects › the Kaleidoscope programme (Decision 719/96/EC (1))
› and under the pilot project of the same name which preceded it.

Alarge number of projects in the theatre have been supported in the last three years, including performances,
further training projects and European network projects to strengthen and improve the quality of cooperation and
exchanges between European theatres and professionals in the theatre. Six projects (2) centred mainly around
children’s  theatre  (a  list  of  these  projects  is  being  sent  direct  to  the  Honourable  Member  and  Parliament’s
Secretariat).

European educational projects supported by the Commission under the Socrates programme, Chapter II (School
Education (Comenius)), also attach much importance to the theatre. Several European educational projects which
involve at least three schools in three different Member States, gave rise to performances by their pupils and
teachers, sometimes in several languages.

(1)  OJ L 99, 20.4.1996.
(2)  Successful projects of a pluridisciplinary nature (for example a festival or a network extending to projects in children’s theatre), are not

included in this total.

(98/C 102/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2766/97

by Christoph Konrad (PPE) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: State aid from the Kingdom of Belgium to the Forges de Clabecq steel company

1.
On 18 December 1996 the Commission ruled that subsidies amounting to BEF 3 billion from the Kingdom
of Belgium to the Forges de Clabecq steel company were incompatible with the common market. Belgium was
required  to  reclaim  the  subsidies  within  two  months  of  the  decision.  Does  the  Commission  know  whether
repayment has duly taken place? If repayment of the subsidies should prove unenforceable, is the Commission
prepared  to  examine  whether  the  distortion  of  competition  caused  by  subsidies  must  not  be  alleviated  by  a
reduction in capacity?

2.
On 13 June 1997 the Belgian daily Le Soir reported that in the possible sale of Forges de Clabecq to a
private company the Walloon Region was prepared to grant the company an extra BEF 1.8 billion. Does the
Commission find this further subsidy incompatible with the steel aid code, and what steps does it intend to take to
bring about the necessary reduction in capacity?