do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4030/97 by Bryan CASSIDY to the Commission. Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: CASSIDY, European Parliament
Subjects: United Kingdom, free movement of goods, national implementing measure, packaging, trade restriction, waste disposal, waste recycling

C 187/112

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(30 January 1998)

There are limitless ways to load vehicles and an infinite number of types and shapes of objects to load on to
vehicles. The Commission consequently considers that Community legislation on this matter would either be so
general to cover all options as to be of little effective value, or so detailed as to require thousands of pages of law.
The Commission does not, therefore, intend to compile proposals for such legislation.

The Commission is not aware of grounds for questioning the adequacy of national legislation on the securing of
loads  on  lorries  and  there  are  no  current  plans  for  Commission  action  on  this  matter.  Naturally,  there  is
continuing need for proper application and effective enforcement of the national laws that are relevant to such
matters.

(98/C 187/172)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4030/97

by Bryan Cassidy (PPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996

Does the Commission agree that the UK should be taken before the European Court of Justice in order to test
whether the UK packaging regulations constitute a barrier to free trade in the EU?

(98/C 187/173)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4034/97

by Bryan Cassidy (PPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996

Does the Commission agree that the producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations which
implement  Directive  94/62/EC (1)  into  UK  law,  exclude  non-UK  based  companies  and  that  this  in  practice
constitutes a barrier to free trade in the EU?

(1)  OJ L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 10.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-4030/97 and E-4034/97
given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 1998)

The  Commission  is  able  to  inform  the  Honourable  Member  that  it  is  currently  examining  the  implementing
measures  notified  by  the  United  Kingdom  in  respect  of  the  Parliament  and  Council  Directive  94/62/EC  of
20  December  1994  on  packaging  and  packaging  waste (1).  The  Honourable  Member  can  be  assured  that  the
Commission will take appropriate action should the full examination reveal any barriers to free trade. In this
regard,  the  Commission  would  be  pleased  to  receive  any  further  details  from  the  Honourable  Member
concerning the alleged barrier to trade.

(1)  OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4003/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. EU budgetary revenue derived from the taxation of fishing vessels
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: budgetary resources, fishing agreement, fishing licence, fishing permit, fishing regulations, fishing vessel, own resources













EUR-Lex - 91997E4003 - EN






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91997E4003

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4003/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. EU budgetary revenue derived from the taxation of fishing vessels  


Official Journal C 196 , 22/06/1998 P. 0052 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-4003/97 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (14 January 1998)Subject: EU budgetary revenue derived from the taxation of fishing vesselsAccording to information supplied by the associations of shipping vessel owners in the EU Member States, each owner wishing to acquire a fishing licence is required to pay a sum of money part of which is paid to the Community budget, while the rest goes to the Member States of the Union.Will the Commission say where this revenue appears in the Community budget, how much it amounts to for 1997 and whether the Commission services are considering further increasing this tax on fishing vessels in the Union?Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (12 February 1998)Owners of Community vessels wishing to obtain a fishing licence under a fishing agreement concluded between the Community and a third country:- pay no licence fee where reciprocal agreements are involved. Reciprocal agreements are agreements under which, in exchange for fishing opportunities granted to Community vessels in the waters of a third country, the Community grants fishing opportunities in its waters to that third country's vessels. Such agreements concern the North Sea, the Baltic and the North Atlantic;- pay a licence fee in the case of agreements on access to an area in exchange for financial compensation. Agreements with financial compensation are those under which a third country grants fishing opportunities to Community vessels in exchange for financial compensation paid by the Commission and for a fee charged to the owner of the vessel requesting the licence. That fee is paid in its entirety by the vessel's owner to the third country. Such agreements have been concluded with South Atlantic and Indian Ocean countries and members of the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP).Thus, a vessel owner requesting a fishing licence for his vessel does not pay money to the Commission and no amount of that nature therefore appears in the Community budget.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4036/97 by Bryan CASSIDY to the Commission. Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: CASSIDY, European Parliament
Subjects: United Kingdom, application of EU law, infringement procedure (EU), packaging, waste disposal

C 304/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

(98/C 304/10)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4025/97

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Financial instruments for regional policy funds

When does the Commission envisage starting studies into possible use of new financial instruments to provide
funds for regional policy?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 1998)

In the context of Agenda 2000 and the revision of the current structural funds regulations for the period after
1999, the Commission is undertaking a number of studies on the possibilities of using new financial instruments.
It will prepare a report on future cohesion policy support and the use of different financial assistance instruments,
with particular attention to the idea that, in the future, financial support should strike a more judicious balance
between grant aid and other types of funding, such as loans (with or without interest subsidies), loan guarantees
or equity participation, depending on the nature of the investment at hand.

The Commission will consider how the grant financing aid element of structural funds interventions might be
partly replaced, or used to leverage other (eg private) resources, to reduce the burden on the Community budget
but  still  achieve  the  cohesion  impact  desired.  As  part  of  this  exercise,  a  study  on  the  impact  of  financial
engineering measures within a selected number of existing European regional development fund programmes is
currently under way.

After a policy appraisal within the Commission, discussions with the European investment bank (EIB), European
investment  fund  and  selected  institutions  in  Member  States  are  expected  to  develop  technically  the  different
schemes which may be identified. The outcome of these studies and discussions will take into account the new
mandate given to the EIB, following the Amsterdam European Council, to encourage small and medium sized
enterprises (SME) development, possibly making use of venture capital with involvement of the private banking
sector.

(98/C 304/11)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4036/97

by Bryan Cassidy (PPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996

Can the Commission confirm that it is opening infraction proceedings against the UK over its implementation of
the Directive 94/62/EC (1) and list the Commission(cid:146)s complaints?

(1)  OJ L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 10.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 1998)

The Commission is able to inform the Honourable Member that there is a current infringement procedure against
the United Kingdom concerning the partial implementation of Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC of
20 December 1994 on packaging and packaging waste.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4034/97 by Bryan CASSIDY to the Commission. Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: CASSIDY, European Parliament
Subjects: United Kingdom, free movement of goods, national implementing measure, packaging, trade restriction, waste disposal, waste recycling

C 187/112

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(30 January 1998)

There are limitless ways to load vehicles and an infinite number of types and shapes of objects to load on to
vehicles. The Commission consequently considers that Community legislation on this matter would either be so
general to cover all options as to be of little effective value, or so detailed as to require thousands of pages of law.
The Commission does not, therefore, intend to compile proposals for such legislation.

The Commission is not aware of grounds for questioning the adequacy of national legislation on the securing of
loads  on  lorries  and  there  are  no  current  plans  for  Commission  action  on  this  matter.  Naturally,  there  is
continuing need for proper application and effective enforcement of the national laws that are relevant to such
matters.

(98/C 187/172)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4030/97

by Bryan Cassidy (PPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996

Does the Commission agree that the UK should be taken before the European Court of Justice in order to test
whether the UK packaging regulations constitute a barrier to free trade in the EU?

(98/C 187/173)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4034/97

by Bryan Cassidy (PPE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations, UK 1996

Does the Commission agree that the producer responsibility obligations (packaging waste) regulations which
implement  Directive  94/62/EC (1)  into  UK  law,  exclude  non-UK  based  companies  and  that  this  in  practice
constitutes a barrier to free trade in the EU?

(1)  OJ L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 10.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-4030/97 and E-4034/97
given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 1998)

The  Commission  is  able  to  inform  the  Honourable  Member  that  it  is  currently  examining  the  implementing
measures  notified  by  the  United  Kingdom  in  respect  of  the  Parliament  and  Council  Directive  94/62/EC  of
20  December  1994  on  packaging  and  packaging  waste (1).  The  Honourable  Member  can  be  assured  that  the
Commission will take appropriate action should the full examination reveal any barriers to free trade. In this
regard,  the  Commission  would  be  pleased  to  receive  any  further  details  from  the  Honourable  Member
concerning the alleged barrier to trade.

(1)  OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4043/97 by Jesús CABEZÓN ALONSO to the Commission. Release of Cuban dissidents
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: CABEZON ALONSO, European Parliament
Subjects: Cuba, common foreign and security policy, dissidence, freedom of association, freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, imprisonment, political discrimination, political prisoner, political rights

16. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187/113

(98/C 187/174)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4040/97

by Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Candidates for European City of Culture

Which cities have so far submitted their candidacies for nomination as European City of Culture from the year
2000?

(98/C 187/175)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4041/97

by Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: European City of Culture: the criteria

Does the Commission intend to produce a proposal laying down criteria to ensure that the Council of Ministers of
Culture of the European Union designates the city or cities which will hold the title of European City of Culture
from the year 2000?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-4040/97 and E-4041/97
given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(6 February 1998)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the Commission proposal for a European Parliament
and  Council  decision  establishing  a  Community  initiative  for  the  European  City  of  Culture  event,  and  in
particular Articles 2 and 3 of the decision (1).

(1)  OJ C 362, 28.11.1997.

(98/C 187/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4043/97

by Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Release of Cuban dissidents

Has the Commission made representations of any kind to the Cuban authorities to secure the release from prison
of  Cuban  citizens  Marta  Beatriz  Roque,  Rene· Go·mez,  Vladimiro  Roca  and  Re·lix  Bonne,  who  have  been
imprisoned merely for joining groups of internal political dissidents in Cuba?

Answer given by Mr Mar(cid:14)·n on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 1998)

The European Union made two official representations in July 1997, through the Presidency(cid:146)s representative in
Havana,  to  request  the  release  of  the  four  dissidents  mentioned  by  the  Honourable  Member.  These
representations were supported by the Commission and made on its behalf under the Union(cid:146)s common foreign
and security policy.

In recent communications with the Cuban authorities, the Commission representatives made it clear that release
of the four dissidents and, more generally, a change in the authorities(cid:146) repressive attitude towards fundamental
rights of expression and association are essential if the Union is to consider stepping up its cooperation with
Cuba.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3997/97 by Michl EBNER to the Commission. Upper age limit for bus drivers
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: EBNER, European Parliament
Subjects: European driving licence, approximation of laws, bus, driving licence, older worker, public transport, retirement conditions, traffic regulations













EUR-Lex - 91997E3997 - EN






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91997E3997

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3997/97 by Michl EBNER to the Commission. Upper age limit for bus drivers  


Official Journal C 223 , 17/07/1998 P. 0041 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3997/97 by Michl Ebner (PPE) to the Commission (14 January 1998)Subject: Upper age limit for bus driversThe upper age limit for bus drivers in Italy is 65 (Article 135(6) of the road traffic code), whereas in other EU countries, such as Austria and Germany, the limit is 70.This rule also applies if the bus driver in question holds a driving licence from a country in which the upper age limit is 70.Against this background, does the Commission intend to standardize age limits for bus drivers in the foreseeable future?Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (27 February 1998)Directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences ((OJ L 237, 24.8.1991. )) came into effect on 1 July 1996.Article 6 harmonises the minimum, but not the maximum, age conditions for the issue of driving licences.In addition, Article 7.2 of the Directive establishes that 'Without prejudice to provisions to be adopted by the Council in this regard, each Member State shall retain the right to determine, on the basis of national criteria, the period of validity of the driving licences which it issues'.As far as the recognition of the validity of a driving licence of a holder that takes up residence in another Member State is concerned, Article 1.3 of Council Directive 91/439/EEC states that 'Where the holder of a valid national driving licence takes up normal residence in a Member State other than that which issued the licence, the host Member State may apply to the holder of the licences its national rules on the period of validity of the licences, medical check and tax arrangements and may enter on the licence any information indispensable for administration'.This means that if a holder of a German driving licence for category D (buses) takes up normal residence in, for example, Italy, then Italy may apply its national rules governing the period of validity of the licence upon that German bus driver's licence.As Council Directive 91/439/EEC came into effect recently, the Commission has no plans at present to propose additional legislation on driving licences such as the harmonisation of the maximum age of bus drivers.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4040/97 by Jesús CABEZÓN ALONSO to the Commission. Candidates for European City of Culture
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: CABEZON ALONSO, European Parliament
Subjects: EU initiative, European symbol, cultural cooperation, cultural event, town

16. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187/113

(98/C 187/174)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4040/97

by Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Candidates for European City of Culture

Which cities have so far submitted their candidacies for nomination as European City of Culture from the year
2000?

(98/C 187/175)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4041/97

by Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: European City of Culture: the criteria

Does the Commission intend to produce a proposal laying down criteria to ensure that the Council of Ministers of
Culture of the European Union designates the city or cities which will hold the title of European City of Culture
from the year 2000?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-4040/97 and E-4041/97
given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission

(6 February 1998)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the Commission proposal for a European Parliament
and  Council  decision  establishing  a  Community  initiative  for  the  European  City  of  Culture  event,  and  in
particular Articles 2 and 3 of the decision (1).

(1)  OJ C 362, 28.11.1997.

(98/C 187/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4043/97

by Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Release of Cuban dissidents

Has the Commission made representations of any kind to the Cuban authorities to secure the release from prison
of  Cuban  citizens  Marta  Beatriz  Roque,  Rene· Go·mez,  Vladimiro  Roca  and  Re·lix  Bonne,  who  have  been
imprisoned merely for joining groups of internal political dissidents in Cuba?

Answer given by Mr Mar(cid:14)·n on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 1998)

The European Union made two official representations in July 1997, through the Presidency(cid:146)s representative in
Havana,  to  request  the  release  of  the  four  dissidents  mentioned  by  the  Honourable  Member.  These
representations were supported by the Commission and made on its behalf under the Union(cid:146)s common foreign
and security policy.

In recent communications with the Cuban authorities, the Commission representatives made it clear that release
of the four dissidents and, more generally, a change in the authorities(cid:146) repressive attitude towards fundamental
rights of expression and association are essential if the Union is to consider stepping up its cooperation with
Cuba.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4064/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. IRAP
Date: 1998-01-14
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: Italy, VAT, corporation tax, investment cost, production cost, tax harmonisation, tax on employment income, tax on income, wage cost

C 223/50

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 7. 98

(98/C 223/59)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4064/97

by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: IRAP

The  Italian  Finance  Minister  has  brought  in  a  new  tax,  (cid:145)IRAP(cid:146),  which  does  not  exist  in  any  other  European
country. It is calculated not on the basis of revenue from production as in the rest of Europe, but on the basis of
the costs incurred in production, including labour and investment costs.

Can the Commission assess whether this may obstruct the attempts at fiscal harmonization currently under way
in the EU?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-4063/97 and E-4064/97
given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 1998)

According to the available information, the gross tax base for the new local tax called IRAP (Imposta regionale
sulle attivita· produttive) will normally include the sum of gross income from sales and services rendered by the
taxpayer. The IRAP net tax base could be different from net income as a consequence of the non-deductibility of
certain categories of costs.

The Commission would recall that, apart from the two 1990 directives 90/434/CE of 23 July 1990 on the common
system  of  taxation  applicable  to  mergers,  divisions,  transfers  of  assets  and  exchanges  of  shares  concerning
companies of different Member States (1) and 90/435/CE of 23 July 1990 on the common system of taxation
applicable  in  the  case  of  parent  companies  and  subsidiaries  of  different  Member  States1,  there  is  no
harmonisation at the Community level in the field of direct taxation. Any further step in this direction, even for an
improved functioning of the internal market, requires a unanimous decision of the Council under Article 100 of
the EC Treaty.

Therefore, the Member States are substantially free to choose and design their systems of direct taxation, subject
only  to  the  condition  that  the  general  obligations  arising  from  the  Treaty,  in  particular  those  of  non-
discrimination  and  equal  treatment,  are  respected.  On  the  basis  of  the  question  raised  by  the  Honourable
Member, these obligations do not appear at first sight to be affected by the introduction of the IRAP.

(1)  OJ L 225, 20.8.1990.

(98/C 223/60)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4076/97

by Marie-France Stirbois (NI) to the Commission

(14 January 1998)

Subject: Assistance to job creators

Can the Commission supply a comparative analysis of the assistance and social security contribution exemptions
which the various Member States make available to unemployed persons wishing to set up companies or work on
a freelance basis?

In its opinion, what impact do such heterogeneous arrangements have on competition?