WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3323/97 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Commission. Replacement of pipes in water supply systems
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, MUSCARDINI
Subjects: construction costs, drinking water, health legislation, lead, pipeline transport, public health, quality standard, toxic substance, water supply

30. 4. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134/137

Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(27 November 1997)

Subtitling  of  television  programmes,  in  some  Member  States,  is  the  standard  method  for  translating  foreign
language  programmes  to  the  domestic  language.  Subtitling  also  serves  as  the  principal  means  to  adapt
programmes for the deaf.

Among the incentives established by the MEDIA II programme is a support scheme in the form of loans for the
transnational  distribution  of  audiovisual  programmes  including  television  programmes.  As  a  general  rule,
however the costs of dubbing and subtitling are not repayable. Thus, although Council Decision 95/563/EC of
10 July 1995 on the implementation of a programme encouraging the development and distribution of European
audiovisual works (MEDIA II › Development and distribution) (1996-2000) (1) does not provide expressly any
objectives  towards  supporting  adaptation  of  programmes  for  the  deaf,  the  programme  does,  through  its
incentives for increasing transnational distribution of television programmes, contribute indirectly to an increase
in programmes adapted for this group.

(1)  OJ L 321, 30.12.1995.

(98/C 134/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3322/97

by Esko Seppa¤nen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Threat  posed  to  the  unique  natural  salmon  stock  in  the  Teno-joki  (Tana)  river  by  the  Norwegians(cid:146)

proposals for salmon farms

The  Norwegian  State  has  granted  licences,  against  the  recommendations  of  the  regional  environmental
authorities  and  the  Finnish-Norwegian  border  waters  commission,  for  the  rearing  of  significant  quantities  of
salmon in bag-shaped enclosures in the Tana Fjord.

By permitting the rearing of salmon in such enclosures in the Tana Fjord the Norwegian State has shown great
irresponsibility. The  farming  of salmon  in  these enclosures in the  Tana  Fjord increases  the  risk of  spreading
salmon  diseases  and  impairing  the  quality  of  the  genome  of  the  naturally  occurring  Teno-joki  salmon.  The
destruction of the natural salmon stock would have incalculable consequences for the whole of the Teno-joki
valley.

What  measures  does  the  Commission  propose  taking  to  prevent  the  environmental  risk  posed  by  Norwegian
salmon › whose market share is after all the largest in the EU › to the valley of the Teno-joki flowing into the
Tana Fjord?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(27 November 1997)

The  Commission  would  refer  the  Honourable  Member  to  its  answer  to  Written  Question  P-2907/97  by
Mrs Hautala (1).

(1)  See page 35.

(98/C 134/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3323/97

by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Replacement of pipes in water supply systems

The  Italian  press  has  recently  given  great  prominence  to  reports  from  Brussels  that  the  Union  is  planning  to
replace pipes in water supply systems installed after a certain date. The reason is that the pipes are allegedly
dangerous because their lead content exceeds normal limits. Can the Commission: