WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3208/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Council. Abolition of duty-free areas in the EU
Date: 1997-10-15
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: customs regulations, duty-free sale, economic consequence, free zone, job cuts

C 158/60

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

The Commission can therefore provide only a general answer on the eligibility of the investment in question,
namely  that  priority  can  be  granted  to  investments  in  products  produced  organically  in  accordance  with
Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on
agricultural products and foodstuffs, on condition, however, that such products are not subject to the exclusions
provided for by Commission Decision 94/173/EC.

(1)  OJ L 142, 2.6.1997. This Regulation is the recasting of Regulation (EEC) No 866/90, to which the Honourable Member refers.

(98/C 158/75)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3208/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Council

(15 October 1997)

Subject: Abolition of duty-free areas in the EU

It has been decided that the duty-free areas in the EU will be abolished in less than two years. This decision is
expected to have major economic implications, including a severe impact on employment.

Has any study been carried out into the precise economic implications of abolishing the duty-free areas and into
the number of jobs that will be lost, directly or indirectly, at a time of particularly severe unemployment in the
EU?

Answer

(20 January 1998)

The  Community  does  not  intend  to  abolish  the  duty-free  areas  mentioned  in  Articles  166  to  181  of  the
Community Customs Code (Council Regulation (EC) No 2913/92 (cid:150) OJ No L 302, 19.10.1997).

The question no doubt relates to the abolition of duty-free sales after 30 June 1999, for which the Council would
ask  the  Honourable  Member  to  refer  to  its  Reply  to  Written  Question  No  1515/97  and  the  replies  to  Oral
Questions Nos H-0133/97, H-0508/97 and H-0707/97.

(98/C 158/76)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3210/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(16 October 1997)

Subject: Underground railway in Thessaloniki

There is much debate in Greece about the possible construction of an underground railway in the northern port
area  of  the  city  of  Thessaloniki.  It  was  recently  announced  that  construction  was  to  be  suspended  following
notification from the Commission that the regulations governing the award of public works contracts in the EU
had been infringed.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s official position on the construction of the underground railway in Thessaloniki and
what exactly are its objections to the work being carried out?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 1997)

The Commission received a complaint concerning the procedure for awarding the concession for an underground
railway  at  Thessaloniki,  and  is  currently  looking  into  the  matter.  It  is  investigating  whether  the  procedure
followed complies with Directive 93/37/EEC concerning the coordination of procedures for the award of public
works contracts (1) and with the provisions of the EC Treaty and, more specifically, whether the tenders selected
for the negotiation phase satisfy not only the technical but also the economic and financial requirements laid
down in the tender specifications.