WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3822/97 by Roberto MEZZAROMA to the Commission. Sign language
Date: 1997-11-28
Institutions: European Parliament, MEZZAROMA
Subjects: EU Member State, EU financing, communications policy, facilities for people with disabilities, means of communication, non-governmental organisation, physically disabled person

C 174/138

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

The Commission is aware of the preoccupations of Member States regarding the impact of the introduction of the
euro  on  agricultural  markets.  As  the  Honourable  Member  acknowledges,  the  creation  of  the  euro  area  zone,
particularly given the expectation of participation of a large number of Member States, will considerably lessen
the importance of the agrimonetary mechanisms in the third stage of EMU. Given that the decision has not yet
been  made  on  the  list  of  participants  in  EMU,  it  would  be  premature  to  present  any  proposals  now  for  any
alterations to the compensation mechanism, which is currently in operation. The Commission will return to this
topic once the configuration of Member States participating in EMU is known.

(98/C 174/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3822/97

by Roberto Mezzaroma (UPE) to the Commission

(28 November 1997)

Subject: Sign language

There  is  a  need  for  a  common  sign  language  to  ensure  that  Europe(cid:146)s  deaf  and  dumb  citizens  are  able  to
communicate wherever they are in Europe. At present a different sign language is used in each country, which
creates serious problems with regard to communication and to training people to work with the deaf and dumb.

What  action  does  the  Commission  intend  to  take  to  solve  this  problem  while  taking  into  account  both  the
Member States(cid:146) respective cultural traditions and the need to facilitate communication with and between the deaf
and dumb?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 1998)

In  1995,  the  Parliament  allocated  the  amount  of  500  000  ecus  for  measures  related  to  sign  languages  in  the
Community.

The Commission then took steps to ask the non-governmental organisation, the European Union of the deaf, to
set  up  sign  language  projects  in  1996  and  1997  which  had  to  take  into  account  the  1988  Resolution  of  the
Parliament to help promote the right of deaf people to use sign language. The results of the 1996/1997 projects
were examined at a special conference on sign languages, held in Brussels in September 1997. This conference
aimed  inter  alia,  at  harnessing  public  support  for  deaf  people  to  use  their  chosen  medium,  sign  language,  to
participate on an equal basis in society. That is an aim which the Commission shares.

However,  given  that  there  are  as  many,  or  perhaps  even  more,  sign  languages  than  spoken  languages  in  the
Community and that deaf people are educated in the sign language of their region, which reflects that region(cid:146)s
particular history and culture, there are no plans to propose a common sign language for the Community.

(98/C 174/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3825/97

by Roberto Mezzaroma (UPE) to the Commission

(28 November 1997)

Subject: Protection of artists in Europe

What does the Commission intend to do- or has it already done -to ensure a decent standard of living for those
artists, writers, journalists, sculptors, painters and musicians who have promoted the arts in their own countries
and in Europe by their efforts, thus contributing to its gradual integration;in particular, what is done to ensure that
those artists who do not earn enough to make a living, and who do not receive welfare payments or have access to
suitable premises in which to exercise their talents, receive financial support to provide them with an adequate
standard of living?