WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3575/97 by Bárbara DÜHRKOP DÜHRKOP to the Commission. Abolition of the compulsory examination to obtain a hunting licence in Spain
Date: 1997-11-04
Institutions: DUEHRKOP DUEHRKOP, European Parliament
Subjects: Spain, competence of the Member States, environmental protection, hunting regulations, protection of animal life, protection of plant life, wildlife

C 134/176

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

30. 4. 98

(98/C 134/240)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3575/97

by Ba·rbara Du¤hrkop Du¤ hrkop (PSE) to the Commission

(4 November 1997)

Subject: Abolition of the compulsory examination to obtain a hunting licence in Spain

Further to my question H-0727/97 (1), the Spanish Parliament, in amending Law 4/1989 on the conservation of
rural  areas  and  wildlife,  has  abolished  the  requirement  to  pass  an  examination  in  order  to  obtain  a  hunting
licence.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s assessment of this change in the law?

(1)  Debates of the European Parliament (October 1997).

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(25 November 1997)

The Commission(cid:146)s powers are limited by the EC Treaty and it can only object to a Member State(cid:146)s legislation
where it contravenes Community law.

Community environmental legislation, while it does contain provisions concerning hunting, sets no requirements
in relation to examinations which must be passed by hunters before they obtain a hunting licence.

Therefore, the Commission has no powers to intervene in this matter and does not consider it appropriate to
comment.

(98/C 134/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3594/97

by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission

(13 November 1997)

Subject: The umpteenth example of discrimination against an Italian citizen

The mayor of Aiseau/Presles has been treating an Italian citizen in an overbearing and racist way. The Italian has
been living and working in the town since 1957 and has made a significant contribution to social life and sports
there, as well as the integration of all residents of different nationalities, not just the Italian community.

The mayor has abused his authority by expropriating a piece of land belonging to Mr Scanderberg, which had
been used free of charge by young footballers in the town. Without going into detail about the serious nature of
the actions carried out by the mayor and the judicial authorities, I should mention that Mr Scanderberg has said
on several occasions that he wanted the land to be used to build a sports centre which would enable all the young
people in the town to find in sport and athletics a source of balanced cultural and social development.

In view of the judgment handed down by the Charleroi Court of First Instance on 14 July 1997, which satisfied
Mr Scanderberg(cid:146)s requests, can the Commission prevail upon the Belgian authorities to safeguard the rights of
Community citizens resident in the Kingdom of Belgium against any abuse?

Can the Commission also ask the Minister of the Interior to request clarification of the behaviour of the mayor of
Aiseau/Presles vis-a‘-vis a Community citizen, ask the Ministry of Justice to ascertain whether there have been
infringements in the procedure followed by the judicial authorities in backing the mayor(cid:146)s action and to check
whether he actually resorted to coercion to prevent Mr Scanderberg from regaining possession of an asset which
rightly belongs to him?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(6 January 1998)

The Commission has no jurisdiction to deal with the question asked, which is a matter solely for the national
authorities concerned.