do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3249/97 by Freddy BLAK to the Commission. Cosmetic products and the working environment
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: BLAK, European Parliament
Subjects: application of EU law, approximation of laws, consumer information, cosmetic product, marketing standard, occupational safety, product quality, public health, self-employed person, working environment

C 174/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

(98/C 174/63)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3245/97

by Rijk van Dam (I-EDN), Frits Castricum (PSE)
and Georg Jarzembowski (PPE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Guidelines for state aid to ports

In its communication, (cid:145)The Development of Short Sea Shipping in Europe: Prospects and Challenges(cid:146), of 5 July
1995, the Commission envisages (cid:145)the establishment of guidelines on how to apply the State aid provisions of the
Treaty to the port sector(cid:146).

Two  years  on  from  the  publication  of  the  communication,  can  the  Commission  say  when  it  will  be

1.
presenting the guidelines on State aid to ports?

How does the Commission check whether the Member States(cid:146) State aid to ports accords with the provisions

2.
of the Treaty?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(15 December 1997)

The Commission(cid:146)s recent green paper (1) on ports and maritime infrastructure, which will address a number
1.
of issues relevant to the port sector with emphasis on public financing of infrastructure and state aid. The issuing
of state aid guidelines for the port sector will, to a large extent, depend on the outcome of discussions with the
other Community institutions, Member States, Parliament and other interested parties following the publication
of the green paper.

The examination of state aid to ports at present depends largely on the type and purpose of the aid, which
2.
may vary from social aid to financial support for infrastructure. As regards the latter, the Commission has always
taken the view that public investment in infrastructure does not generally constitute aid within the meaning of
Article 92 of the EC Treaty, as long as the infrastructure remains open to all users in the public interest on the
basis of normal non-discriminatory access. Public financing of superstructure on the other hand, the use of which
is limited to certain companies, would normally fall under Article 92 of the EC Treaty.

(1)  COM(97) 678 final.

(98/C 174/64)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3249/97

by Freddy Blak (PSE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Cosmetic products and the working environment

The hairdressing profession has pointed out that hairdressers(cid:146) health is impaired because of the large amounts of
cosmetic products they use.

Will the Commission state whether it has looked into this problem or intends to do so?

Does  it  consider  the  Council  Directive  on  the  approximation  of  Member  States(cid:146)  laws  relating  to  cosmetic
products to be a satisfactory basis for providing adequate information to people working professionally with
cosmetic products and protecting them against health problems?
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2050/97 of 20 October 1997 determining the reductions to be applied in certain Member States to the compensatory payments under the aid scheme for rice producers
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, aid system, aid to agriculture, common agricultural policy, rice, utilised agricultural area













EUR-Lex - 31997R2050 - EN






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31997R2050

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2050/97 of 20 October 1997 determining the reductions to be applied in certain Member States to the compensatory payments under the aid scheme for rice producers  


Official Journal L 287 , 21/10/1997 P. 0012 - 0012 





COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2050/97 of 20 October 1997 determining the reductions to be applied in certain Member States to the compensatory payments under the aid scheme for rice producersTHE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 of 22 December 1995 on the common organization of the market in rice (1), and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 6 (5) thereof,Whereas Article 6 (5) Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 lays down that where the areas given over to rice in a given year exceed a specific base area, a reduction in the compensatory payment shall be applied to all producers in the base area in question for the same production year;Whereas Article 6 (1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 613/97 of 8 April 1997 laying down rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 as regards the conditions for granting compensatory payments under the aid scheme for rice producers (2), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1305/97 (3), lays down that any reductions shall be determined on the basis of the information provided in notifications from the Member States, after verification thereof;Whereas the notifications received from the Member States show that the base area was exceeded by 4,98 % in Spain and by 13,52 % in Greece; whereas the reduction to be applied in accordance with the above provision is therefore five times the overrun recorded for Spain and six times for Greece;Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Cereals,HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:Article 1 The amounts of the compensatory payments fixed in Article 6 (3) of Regulation (EC) No 3072/95 shall be reduced as follows:>TABLE>Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 20 October 1997.For the CommissionFranz FISCHLERMember of the Commission(1) OJ L 329, 30. 12. 1995, p. 18.(2) OJ L 94, 9. 4. 1997, p. 1.(3) OJ L 177, 5. 7. 1997, p. 11.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3275/97 by Florus WIJSENBEEK to the Commission. Court decisions in Belgium
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, WIJSENBEEK
Subjects: Belgium, EU national, infringement of EU law, redemption, school fees, university













EUR-Lex - 91997E3275 - EN






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91997E3275

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3275/97 by Florus WIJSENBEEK to the Commission. Court decisions in Belgium  


Official Journal C 134 , 30/04/1998 P. 0129 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3275/97 by Florus Wijsenbeek (ELDR) to the Commission (20 October 1997)Subject: Court decisions in BelgiumIs the Commission aware that in 1985 the European Court of Justice prohibited Belgian universities from asking foreign students to pay higher tuition fees than Belgian students (Case C-293/83, 13.2.1985)?Is the Commission also aware that three years later there was another ruling from the Court that any student who had been overcharged could claim back the excess amount (C- 24/86, 2.2.1988) and that following this decision the court in Antwerp ordered the Belgian state in 1988 to repay thousands of guilders (30.6.1988, No 1582)?Finally, is the Commission aware that despite that ruling the Belgian state has still failed to repay its debt, regardless of repeated requests - including requests via the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs - from the students who had been overcharged?Does the Commission not regard it as unacceptable that a Member State can ignore for such a long time a ruling in favour of a citizen of another Member State?Does the Commission intend to take any action? If so, what action?If not, why not?Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (21 November 1997)The Commission is fully aware of the case law to which the Honourable Member refers.Further to this case law, the Commission launched infringement proceedings against Belgium based inter alia on the fact that Belgium continued to prevent some Community students from recovering unduly paid university fees (minerval). The Court of Justice held that Belgium was in breach of European law: ' ... by restricting in an ad hoc manner the possibility of obtaining reimbursement of minervals unduly paid under Community law only to Community nationals who commenced legal proceedings before 13 February 1985 ...' ((Judgement of 3May 1994, Commission v/ Belgium, case 47/93. Rec. 1994, p. 1-1593. )).The Commission considers that Belgian legislation is still not in conformity with Community law as regards the right to recover illegal fees, and the Commission has launched infringement proceedings based on Article 171 of the EC Treaty for failure to implement the Court's judgement. These proceedings are currently under way.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3236/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Commission and European Environment Agency (EEA)
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: European Environment Agency, administrative powers, operation of the Institutions, personnel administration, recruitment, staff













EUR-Lex - 91997E3236 - EN






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91997E3236

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3236/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Commission and European Environment Agency (EEA)  


Official Journal C 158 , 25/05/1998 P. 0067 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3236/97 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (20 October 1997)Subject: Commission and European Environment Agency (EEA)The Commission is in fact involved in the administration of the EEA although in her Reply of 18 September 1997 to my question (E-2575/97) ((OJ C 82, 17.3.1998, p. 109.)), Mrs BJERREGAARD, indicated that the Commission simply makes proposals regarding the overall budget and the agency staff complement which are entered in the preliminary draft budget of the EU each year.In view of this:1. Can the Commission give a breakdown of EEA staff by nationality?2. How many auxiliary and temporary contracts at each level does the EEA intend to give in 1998 once the budget already submitted on its behalf by the Commission has been approved?Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (5 December 1997)The Honourable Member will know that the European environment agency is an independent body over which the Commission has no direct control, and that responsibility for all agency staff matters, including recruitment, rests with the executive director of the agency who is accountable to the agency's management board. TheCommission is represented on the management board of the agency, but is not involved in the administration, functioning or operations of the agency. The Commission, therefore, has no competence in the area of staff recruitment to the agency and is not in a position to provide the information requested.The Honourable Member may wish to consult Mr Scoullos (University of Athens) and Mr Wynne (Lancaster University), the two representatives of the Parliament on the agency's management board. Finally, it should also be recalled that the Parliament has the opportunity to comment on budgetary and staffing matters in the framework of the annual procedures to approve the budget of the agency.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3270/97 by María ESTEVAN BOLEA to the Commission. Processing of used oil at cement works
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: ESTEVAN BOLEA, European Parliament
Subjects: cement, industrial waste, used oil, waste disposal, waste incineration, waste management

C 117/168

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 4. 98

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(25 November 1997)

The Commission is conducting a detailed investigation of the problem raised by the Honourable Member and
will inform him of the outcome as soon as possible.

(98/C 117/229)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3270/97

by Mar(cid:14)·a Estevan Bolea (PPE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Processing of used oil at cement works

Is it permitted to burn waste oil at cement works, as if it were just a fuel, when the owners of the works do not
have a licence to process such oil?

Answer given by Mrs. Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(10 November 1997)

Cement works cannot dispose of waste oils without obtaining a permit to this effect. According to Article 6 of
Directive  75/439/EEC  of  16  June  1975  as  amended  by  Directive  87/101/EEC  of  22  December  1986  on  the
disposal of waste oils (1), any undertaking which disposes of waste oils must obtain a permit. Where necessary,
this permit shall be granted after examination of the installations. Member States were required to ensure that the
measures adopted pursuant to the Directive were applied to the undertakings existing at the time of notification of
Directive  87/101/EEC  within  seven  years  of  the  said  notification,  i.e.  13  January  1994.  Regarding  new
undertakings, the measures must be applied from their establishment.

(1)  OJ L 42, 12.2.1987.

(98/C 117/230)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3271/97

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallstro¤m (PPE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Consequences of abolishing tax-free shopping

Why does the Commission oppose the carrying out of an independent study on the effects of the abolition of
tax-free shopping on, for example, employment?

Since the Commission does not consider there to be any justification for carrying out this study, does it then base
its own view of the consequences of ending tax-free shopping simply on a gut feeling?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(17 November 1997)

The Honourable Member is referred to the answers given by the Commission to Written Question E-2777/97 by
Mr Ilaskivi (1) and to Oral Questions H-552/97 by Mr Andersson and H-0409/97 by Mrs Banotti at question time
in the June 1997 and July 1997 (2) session of Parliament.

(1)  See page 65.
(2)  Debates of the European Parliament (June and July 1997).
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3269/97 by María ESTEVAN BOLEA to the Commission. Used tyres
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: ESTEVAN BOLEA, European Parliament
Subjects: inflammable product, pneumatic tyre, self-employed person, storage of waste, waste management, waste recycling

8. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174/33

No distinction is made in these figures between those which were incinerated with energy recovery and those
incinerated without energy recovery.

The United Kingdom incinerated 102 000 tonnes of used tyres with energy recovery in 1996 (4). Official figures
are not available to the Commission for Spain, Ireland, Luxembourg or Finland.

(1)  Total for Wallonia and Flanders, excluding Brussels region.

Figures for Flanders (100) for 1994.

(2)  Figures for 1993.
(3)  Per annum figures 1993-1995.
(4)  United Kingdom Industry/Government Scrap Tyre Working Group 2nd Annual Report.

(98/C 174/69)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3269/97

by Mar(cid:14)·a Estevan Bolea (PPE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Used tyres

Article 5(2)(d) of the proposal for a Council Directive on the landfill of waste (COM(97) 0105) stipulates that
whole used tyres may not be accepted in a landfill with effect from two years from the date of entry into force of
the Directive and shredded used tyres may not be accepted with effect from five years from that date (1).

Can  the  Commission  say  what  measures  and  procedures  it  has  laid  down  to  ensure  compliance  with  the
requirements of the above proposal for a Directive?

(1)  OJ C 156, 24.5.1997, p. 10.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 1997)

A priority waste stream working group on used tyres, which was set up by the Commission in 1991, proposed a
ban on landfilling of tyres in its final conclusions of September 1993. As mentioned by the Honourable Member,
this has been taken into account in the new proposal on landfill of waste in order to prevent landfilled tyres from
making the sites unstable and to reduce the risk of fire. Furthermore, the ban on landfilling of whole tyres and
shredded tyres aims to encourage the recovery of tyres and thus to save resources.

When  the  time  for  implementation  of  the  landfill  directive  expires  Member  States  will  communicate  to  the
Commission their national implementing measures, which the Commission will examine in the usual way.

(98/C 174/70)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3272/97

by Gianni Tamino (V) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Fifth framework programme

To repeat the query not dealt with in the answer to my Written Question E-1873/97 (1) of 29 May 1997 (see point
2 of the question), will acceptance of projects be (cid:145)linked to compliance with the 50% reduction in the use of
animals in experiments announced by the Commission in the fifth programme on the environment(cid:146)?

(1)  OJ C 45, 10.2.1998, p. 115.
Council Decision of 20 October 1997 concerning the extension of common position 96/635/CFSP on Burma/Myanmar
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Myanmar/Burma, common position, human rights, international sanctions, military regime, the EU's international role













EUR-Lex - 31997D0688 - EN






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31997D0688

Council Decision of 20 October 1997 concerning the extension of common position 96/635/CFSP on Burma/Myanmar  


Official Journal L 293 , 27/10/1997 P. 0001 - 0001 





COUNCIL DECISION of 20 October 1997 concerning the extension of common position 96/635/CFSP on Burma/Myanmar (97/688/CFSP)THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article J.2 thereof,Having regard to common position 96/635/CFSP of 28 October 1996 defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union, on Burma/Myanmar (1),Having regard to Decision 97/290/CFSP (2) which extended that common position for a period of six months until 29 October 1997,Whereas, in the light of point 6 of common position 96/635/CFSP, that common position should be further extended,HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:Article 1Common position 96/635/CFSP is hereby extended until 29 April 1998.Article 2This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal.Done at Luxembourg, 20 October 1997.For the CouncilThe PresidentF. BODEN(1) OJ L 287, 8. 11. 1996, p. 1.(2) OJ L 120, 12. 5. 1997, p. 4.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3254/97 by Carmen DÍEZ DE RIVERA ICAZA to the Commission. Hold-up in legislation to reduce noise
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: DIEZ DE RIVERA ICAZA, European Parliament
Subjects: EC Directive, drafting of EU law, noise, noise level, noise pollution, noise protection, nuisance, proposal (EU)

25. 5. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 158/71

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(9 December 1997)

The Commission was informed on 19 June that Greece had adopted Presidential Decree No 133 (1) transposing
the Directive in question. This Decree was subsequently amended by Presidential Decree No 164/97 (2).

Following the transposal of the Directive into Greek law, the infringement proceedings initiated against Greece
for failing to meet one of its obligations under the EC Treaty have been closed.

(1)  Greek Official Gazette No 121/A/1997.
(2)  Greek Official Gazette No 145/A/1997.

(98/C 158/91)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3254/97

by Carmen D(cid:14)·ez de Rivera Icaza (PSE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Hold-up in legislation to reduce noise

Last June plenary unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Commission to submit, by the end of this year,
a framework directive on environmental noise and a global directive on machinery used in the open air.

Can the Commission say whether it intends to comply with this request?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(19 November 1997)

Further  to  the  results  of  the  consultation  organised  by  the  Commission  on  the  green  paper  (cid:145)Future  Noise
Policy(cid:146) (1), and in particular to the resolution adopted by the Parliament, the Commission has started preparation
of the framework directive on environmental noise. At the present stage, it appears that several topics are not
sufficiently  well  defined  and  need  further  technical  and  scientific  discussions  to  prepare  a  soundly  based
proposal. This preparatory work is foreseen for 1998 and the proposal is scheduled for the beginning of 1999.

As regards the framework directive on noise emission by equipment used outdoors, adoption by the Commission
is foreseen for the end of this year.

(1)  COM(96) 540.

(98/C 158/92)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3256/97

by Riccardo Garosci (UPE) to the Commission

(9 October 1997)

Subject: Increase in VAT rates in Italy

What  position  is  the  Commission  adopting  and  what,  if  any,  steps  does  it  intend  to  take  vis-a‘-vis the Italian
Government,  which  recently  increased  the  rates  of  VAT,  in  blatant  contrast  with  the  EU  guidelines  on
harmonizing tax rates?

In particular the Italian motor vehicle industry, which is so important as a source of jobs, would be helped if the
VAT on cars purchased by companies were deductible.
97/689/CFSP: Council Decision of 20 October 1997 supplementing Joint Action 96/406/CFSP concerning action by the Union to support the electoral process in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU aid, Eurostat, joint action, observer, organisation of elections













EUR-Lex - 31997D0689 - EN






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31997D0689

97/689/CFSP: Council Decision of 20 October 1997 supplementing Joint Action 96/406/CFSP concerning action by the Union to support the electoral process in Bosnia and Herzegovina  


Official Journal L 293 , 27/10/1997 P. 0002 - 0002 





COUNCIL DECISION of 20 October 1997 supplementing Joint Action 96/406/CFSP concerning action by the Union to support the electoral process in Bosnia and Herzegovina (97/689/CFSP)THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article J.3 thereof,Having regard to the conclusions of the Dublin European Council meeting on 13 and 14 December 1996,Having regard to Joint Action 96/406/CFSP of 10 June 1996, concerning action by the Union to support the electoral process in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1),Whereas the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) decided on 26 September 1997 that the Organization would undertake supervision of Republika Srpska Assembly elections;Whereas the OSCE has requested European Union support to finance supervision of these elections;Whereas Joint Action 96/406/CFSP should be further supplemented,HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:Article 1This Decision is directed towards the continuation of European Union support for the activities carried out by the OSCE, pursuant to the General Framework Agreement for Peace.Article 21. In respect of the Republika Srpska Assembly elections, the support referred to in Article 1 shall take the form of the provision of a contingent of EU supervisors to oversee the electoral process under the aegis of the OSCE, including polling and counting.2. EU long-term supervisors shall stay in the region for a period of up to 74 days. EU short-term supervisors shall stay in the region for a period of up to 17 days.3. The supervision activities shall be financed from the amount referred to in Article 3 (1) of Decision 97/224/CFSP. Article 3 (2) and (3) of that Decision shall apply.Article 3The Council shall review the implementation of this Decision.Article 4This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.It shall take effect as from 26 September 1997.Article 5This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal.Done at Luxembourg, 20 October 1997.For the CouncilThe PresidentF. BODEN(1) OJ L 168, 6. 7. 1996, p. 1. Joint Action as amended by Decision 97/153/CFSP (OJ L 63, 4. 3. 1997, p. 1) and supplemented by Decision 97/224/CFSP (OJ L 90, 4. 4. 1997, p. 1).