WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4054/97 by Bartho PRONK to the Commission. Net contribution by Netherlands in 1997
Date: 1997-12-15
Institutions: European Parliament, PRONK
Subjects: EU publication, European Commission, Netherlands, financing of the EU budget, net contributor

22. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 196/69

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 1998)

With regard to the independence of the central bank:

In accordance with Article 109j of the EC Treaty, the Commission will assess in its convergence report whether
the statutes of the Banca d(cid:146)Italia are compatible with Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty and with the Statute of
the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). Under Article 108, (cid:145)Each Member State shall ensure, at the latest
at the date of establishment of the ESCB, that its national legislation including the statutes of its national central
bank is compatible with this Treaty and the Statute of the ESCB.(cid:146)

Leaving aside the work under way within the Commission on assessing the statutes of the Banca d(cid:146)Italia, the
Commission is not aware of any initiatives prejudicial to the independence of the Banca d(cid:146)Italia or of any plan by
the Italian Government to replace its Governor.

With regard to the need for structural reforms:

In its latest annual economic report and in its broad economic policy guidelines, the Commission supported the
idea  of  reducing  the  tax  burden  and  speeding  up  structural  reforms.  Such  a  policy  helps  promote  economic
growth  and  hence  job  creation.  These  reforms  are  necessary  in  most  Member  States,  irrespective  of  the
introduction of the euro.

Furthermore, in its conclusions regarding Italy(cid:146)s convergence programme, the Ecofin Council on 19 January
1998 welcomed first the major reforms launched or carried out by Italy since the July 1997 examination of the
convergence programme, which looked at tax and budgetary procedures, and second the additional measures
taken to reform the social security system in 1995.

(98/C 196/94)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4054/97

by Bartho Pronk (PPE) to the Commission

(15 December 1997)

Subject: Net contribution by Netherlands in 1997

What is the expected amount of the Netherlands(cid:146) net contribution to the European Union budget in 1997?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(19 January 1998)

The  Commission  does  not  produce  estimates  of  budgetary  balances,  i.e.  the  difference  between  budget
contributions to and budget expenditure received by the Member States. Consequently, no data for the budgetary
position of the Netherlands in 1997, which the Honourable Member is seeking, is available. The reasons for the
Commission(cid:146)s position on this matter are discussed in detail in a document presented by the Commission to the
EcoFin  Council  of  13  October  1997  entitled  Budget  contributions,  EU  expenditure,  budgetary  balances  and
relative prosperity of the Member States. This document is now available on the Europa site of the World Wide
Web in the 11 official languages.

(98/C 196/95)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4062/97

by Fernand Herman (PPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Medical treatment

Regulation 1408/71 (1) on social security stipulates that the authorization to receive more effective treatment in
another Member State cannot be denied to Union citizens if that treatment is not offered within a period which
takes  account  of  their  age  and  state  of  health.  In  1978  the  Court  of  Justice  confirmed  that  obligation
(Case 117/177).