WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3195/97 by Bernie MALONE to the Commission. SLIM
Date: 1997-10-16
Institutions: European Parliament, MALONE
Subjects: advisory committee (EU), consolidation of EU law, freedom to provide services, midwife, occupational migration, recognition of diplomas, right of establishment, single market

25. 5. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 158/53

Should the Commission not investigate this project and take the necessary measures to prevent this Habitat area
from being damaged?

(1)  OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 3.
(2)  OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(15 December 1997)

The Belgian authorities have designated an area of 5670 hectares named (cid:145)Demervallei(cid:146) as special protection area,
pursuant to Article 4 of Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds.

According to Article 7 of Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora,
such areas shall benefit from the provisions of Article 6 paragraphs 2.3 and 4 of the same Directive according to
which national authorities shall avoid the deterioration of natural habitats and of habitats of species in those
areas. Any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site but likely to
have a significant effect thereon is subject to a detailed procedure further described in this article.

The Commission will investigate the matter with the Belgian authorities with a view to determining whether the
proper procedure was applied in the present case.

The project is proposed for European regional development fund (ERDF) financing under the single programme
document  of  Limburg.  No  payment  as  yet  has  been  made.  On  the  basis  of  the  available  information,  the
procedures to be followed under national legislation are not completed yet. Moreover, adjustments to the project
with a view to mitigate its environmental impact are still under discussion.

(98/C 158/65)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3195/97

by Bernie Malone (PSE) to the Commission

(16 October 1997)

Subject: SLIM

Can  the  Commission  clarify  what  effects,  if  any,  the  SLIM  process  will  have  on  the  role  of  the  European
Midwives(cid:146) Liaison Committee and its Advisory Committee, vis-a‘-vis the Commission?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 1997)

Firstly, the European Midwives(cid:146) Liaison Committee › the European professional midwives(cid:146) organisation › has
no  institutional  links  with  the  Commission.  It  should  be  distinguished  in  this  respect  from  the  Advisory
Committee on the Training of Midwives, set up to liaise with the Commission by Council Decision 80/156/EEC
of 21 January 1980 (1) at the time of adoption of the following sectoral directives: Council Directive 80/154/EEC
concerning  the  mutual  recognition  of  diplomas,  certificates  and  other  evidence  of  formal  qualifications  in
midwifery and including measures to facilitate the effective exercise of the right of establishment and freedom to
provide services1 and Council Directive 80/155/EEC concerning the coordination of provisions laid down by
law, regulation or administrative action relating to the taking-up and pursuit of the activities of midwives.1

As  regards  the  impact  of  SLIM  (Simpler  Legislation  for  the  Internal  Market)  on  the  role  of  the  Advisory
Committee on the Training of Midwives, the Commission indicated in its communication to the Council and
Parliament on the SLIM initiative (2) that it would present proposals in 1997 designed to rationalise the workings
of the various advisory committees on the training of doctors, nurses, dentists, veterinary surgeons, midwives
and pharmacists. The Commission is currently engaged in work on this issue and has not yet reached an official
conclusion on the matter.

(1)  OJ L 33, 11.2.1980.
(2)  COM(96) 559 final.