do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3968/97 by Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS to the Commission. The year 2000 problem
Date: 1997-12-12
Institutions: European Parliament, PAPAYANNAKIS
Subjects: Economic and Monetary Union, computer system, economic convergence, euro, monetary integration, single monetary policy, technical barriers to trade, technological change

C 196/42

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

22. 6. 98

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 1998)

Respect  for  human  rights  and  fundamental  freedoms  in  China  is  still  a  matter  of  constant  concern  to  the
Commission. It has never failed, where it believes there is justification, to express its concern about the human
rights situation in Tibet in particular.

The Commission has no precise information on the facts reported by the Honourable Member. Should they be
confirmed, the Commission › as in the past › would undoubtedly raise any infringement of human rights or
assault on human dignity as part of the bilateral dialogue with China.

(98/C 196/59)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3967/97

by Reimer Bo¤ge (PPE) to the Commission

(12 December 1997)

Subject: Need for a general directive on animal feedstuffs

Does the Commission agree that given the large number of directives currently in existence there is a need for a
general feedstuffs directive to create a clearly defined and manageable framework for EU legislation in this field?

If so, what key objectives and principles does the Commission feel should be covered as a matter of priority?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 1998)

The  Commission  agrees  with  the  Honourable  Member  that,  because  of  their  large  number,  the  directives
governing feedingstuffs should be recast into a single directive as soon as convenient.

Work did start with this aim in view but it has had to be suspended, unfortunately, because of other more pressing
problems.

The Commission agrees that the current legislation should be recast mainly with a view to simplification but
without abandoning the objectives that saw its introduction in the first place, i.e. protection of animal and human
health,  environmental  protection,  maintaining  feed  quality  and  providing  information  for  livestock  rearers.
Simplification should result in the adoption of rules that, because they are transparent, can be better applied by
the various operators and by the feedingstuffs industry in particular.

(98/C 196/60)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3968/97

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(12 December 1997)

Subject: The year 2000 problem

The London Times of Sunday 23 November reports that a team of specialist consultants submitted a report to
President  Clinton,  according  to  which  the  simultaneous  introduction  of  the  euro  and  the  reprogramming  of
computers required for the transition to the date 2000 ((cid:145)the year 2000 problem(cid:146)) poses insurmountable problems
for Europe, both of a technical and economic nature.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3958/97 by Johanna MAIJ-WEGGEN to the Commission. Arms exports in Sweden
Date: 1997-12-12
Institutions: European Parliament, MAIJ-WEGGEN
Subjects: Sweden, common security and defence policy, export, military equipment, report

C 174/156

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

Labelling of the country of origin is not compulsory at Community level, though some Member States do require
it.

If the textile products imported into the Community from Bangladesh fail to satisfy the Directive(cid:146)s labelling
provisions, the parties concerned may lodge a complaint with the Commission.

(1)  Commission Directive 97/37/EC of 19 June 1997 adapting to technical progress Annexes I and II to Directive 96/74/EC of the European

Parliament and of the Council on textile names, OJ L 169, 27.6.1997.

(98/C 174/232)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3949/97

by James Nicholson (I-EDN) to the Commission

(12 December 1997)

Subject: Conscientious Objectors in Greece

Although Greece has recently enacted a law to recognise conscientious objection, interest groups claim that there
is still discrimination against the practice as persons currently imprisoned for their pacifist beliefs have not been
released. It is also claimed that the new law (2510/97) does not take account of matters such as the development
of conscientious objection during the period of military service.

What  is  the  opinion  of  the  Commission  on  the  law  governing  military  service  with  regard  to  conscientious
objection in Greece?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 1998)

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission(cid:146)s answer to written question E-868/96 by Mr Gianni
Tamino and other MEPs (1).

(1)  OJ C 280, 25.9.1996.

(98/C 174/233)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3958/97

by Johanna Maij-Weggen (PPE) to the Commission

(12 December 1997)

Subject: Arms exports in Sweden

Is  the  Commission  aware  that  in  May  1997  the  Swedish  government  forwarded  a  report  to  the  Swedish
Parliament entitled Swedish Arms Exports in 1996?

Can the Commission investigate which governments of EU Member States also provide their parliaments with
such information on arms exports from their countries?

Is  the  Commission  willing  to  request  these  annual  reports,  to  combine  them  and  to  forward  them  with  an
inventory and comments to the European Parliament?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 1998)

The Commission is aware of and welcomes the Swedish government(cid:146)s report (cid:145)Swedish arms exports in 1996(cid:146)
which was submitted to the Swedish Parliament.

Through  public  information  the  Commission  is  also  aware  that,  in  different  forms,  some  Member  States(cid:146)
governments notify their national parliaments on licensed arms exports.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3955/97 by Yvan BLOT to the Commission. Use of mother tongue by Commission Members in plenary
Date: 1997-12-12
Institutions: BLOT, European Parliament
Subjects: European Commissioner, mother tongue, official language, parliamentary sitting, use of languages

C 158/196

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

(98/C 158/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3955/97

by Yvan Blot (NI) to the Commission

(12 December 1997)

Subject: Use of mother tongue by Commission Members in plenary

On 5 November 1997 Commission Member Mr Van den Broek spoke in plenary exclusively in English. If all
Members of the Commission were to do likewise, dropping their national language, English would become the
de facto official language of the Commission.

For reasons of principle, viz. the equal status of the official languages within the European Union, would it not be
preferable  for  each  Commission  Member  to  use  his  or  her  mother  tongue  when  addressing  the  European
Parliament in plenary sitting?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(22 December 1997)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that, when its Members address another Community
institution, their only obligation is to use one of the official languages of the Community.

(98/C 158/266)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3991/97

by Enrico Ferri (PPE) to the Council

(15 December 1997)

Subject: Continuation of duty-free sales

The  continuation  of  duty-free  sales  is  not  legally  incompatible  with  the  rules  of  the  single  market,  because
providing economic advantages and incentives to encourage tourism and employment and safeguard consumers
is one way in which Member States exercise their shared and non-individual sovereignty.

Airports and ports are common free areas not only for intra-Community, but also for intercontinental contacts.

Free zones including the Republic of San Marino, the Principality of Monaco, and so forth have been and remain
established within the Community area by international agreement.

The single market and the euro will need in any event to be tested over a trial period, a process in which future
new Member States should likewise be involved. From that point of view, duty-free sales could constitute an
essential building block of the (cid:145)common home(cid:146).

Will the Council therefore reconsider the 1991 decision and refrain from abolishing duty-free sales or, failing
that, will it allow such sales to continue on a temporary basis, not least to provide the necessary testing-ground
for the single currency?

The Council would ask the Honourable Member to refer to the Reply to Written Question No E-1515/97.

Answer

(16 February 1998)