WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3774/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Council. Necessary conditions for the introduction of the euro in the EU Member States
Date: 1997-11-24
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: EU Member State, Economic and Monetary Union, exchange rate, national currency

C 158/190

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

In response to the difficulties faced by the neediest sections of society, the Commission and Bulgarian authorities
agreed,  in  January  1997,  an  initial  20  MECU  Phare  emergency  social  assistance  programme  (ESAP1)
channelling  direct  financial  assistance  to  particularly  poor  households  and  to  selected  socio-educational
institutions managed by the ministries of labour, education and health.

By a second 20 MECU Phare programme (ESAP2), signed by the Commission and the Bulgarian authorities on
16 October 1997, the Community is providing further direct support to needy families and institutions and, in
conjunction with the United Nations development programme (UNDP), a number of urban renovation projects
which will stimulate job creation possibilities in five selected municipalities.

During  the  course  of  1997,  Bulgaria  received  programme  funds  totalling  1.8  MECU,  provided  by  the
Commission. The funds were distributed by four European non-governmenal organisations (NGOs) in the form
of medicines to medical institutions, a supplementary food programme, food parcels to the most vulnerable and
school  meals.  In  March  1997,  the  Commission  also  requested  the  Phare-funded  Civil  society  development
foundation, as a direct and practical response to the social crisis, to re-direct grant funding towards Bulgarian
NGOs active in socio-humanitarian spheres. Latest figures indicate that approximately ECU 630 000 has been
channelled in this way while further direct funding totalling ECU 250 000 is expected to be contracted before the
end of the year.

(98/C 158/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3774/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Council

(24 November 1997)

Subject: Necessary conditions for the introduction of the euro in the EU Member States

A  heated  controversy  has  broken  out  at  European  level  about  the  important  issue  of  whether  or  not  it  is
compulsory for the currencies of Member States of the Union to enter the Exchange Rate Mechanism at least two
years before these countries introduce the euro.

Will the Council say whether the currencies of the countries which wish to adopt the euro at some point are
obliged  to  participate  in  the  Exchange  Rate  Mechanism,  or  whether  Member  States  are  not  specifically  and
categorically required to do so if they wish to adopt the single currency and enter the third pase of Economic and
Monetary Union (EMU)?

Answer

(16 February 1998)

Those Member States which fulfil the necessary conditions for adoption of the single currency will be designated
on the basis of Article 109j(4) of the EC Treaty.

Subsequently, those Member States with a derogation which fulfil the necessary conditions on the basis of the
criteria set out in Article 109j(1) of the Treaty shall have their derogations abrogated under the conditions laid
down in Article 109k(2).

(98/C 158/258)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3792/97

by Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(26 November 1997)

Subject: Police action at the demonstration in favour of employment on 20/11/97 in Luxembourg

Police units visited the headquarters of the UGT, CC. OO. and CSIF trade unions in Etremadura on 5 November
1997,  demanding  information  about  persons  intending  to  take  part  in  the  demonstration  which  the  European
Trade Union Confederation has called for 20 November 1997 in Luxembourg.