WRITTEN QUESTION No. 315/98 by Maj THEORIN to the Council. The EU Code of Conduct
Date: 1998-02-09
Institutions: European Parliament, THEORIN
Subjects: arms control, arms trade, code of conduct, conventional weapon, export, marketing standard, military equipment

C 223/166

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 7. 98

(98/C 223/215)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0315/98

by Maj Theorin (PSE) to the Council

(9 February 1998)

Subject: The EU Code of Conduct

One priority of the British Presidency has been to present a Code of Conduct for the arms trade. Such a conduct
ought to be legally binding.

Will the EU Code of Conduct apply to export and licensed production of a comprehensive list of goods and
technologies  including  major  conventional  weaponry,  all  types  of  small  and  light  weapons,  police  and
paramilitary equipment and services, and dual-use technologies?

Answer

(27 April 1998)

The proposal by France and the United Kingdom for a Code of Conduct for arms exports aims at setting high
common standards for exports from all EU Member States of conventional arms and technologies for military
use.

The  proposal  has  been  examined  for  the  first  time  on  17  February  1998  by  the  competent  Council  Working
Group. It is therefore not possible at this stage of the process to indicate what will be the extent and the degree of
precision of the scope of application of the Code, as it is finally adopted by the Council.

(98/C 223/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0328/98

by Antonio Trizza (NI) to the Commission

(10 February 1998)

Subject: Olive oil storage contracts for the 1997/98 marketing year

Olive  oil  storage  contracts  for  the  1997/98  marketing  year  are  governed  by  the  provisions  laid  down  in
Commission Regulation (EC) No 94/98 (1) of 19 January 1998.

The aid provided for under that Regulation is granted only to oils complying with Commission Regulation (EEC)
No  2568/91 (2)  of  11  July  1991  on  the  characteristics  of  olive  oil  and  olive-residue  oil  and  on  the  relevant
methods of analysis.

The betasisterol content of some Italian virgin oils is often lower than the legal limit (93%) laid down in that
Regulation.

Would the Commission not agree that the above system penalizes oils which, for wholly natural reasons linked to
environmental conditions (such as climate or long storage periods), have a lower betasisterol content?

How does it intend to put an end to this injustice?

(1)  OJ L 9, 15.1.1998, p. 25.
(2)  OJ L 248, 5.9.1991, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler behalf of the Commission

(24 February 1998)

As part of the measures to ensure and safeguard the quality of olive oil, the Commission enacted Regulation
(EEC) No 2568/91 referred to by the Honourable Member, whose provisions on the characteristics of olive oils
are updated regularly to take account of recent developments in olive oil chemistry. Under the Regulation olive
oils may be classified in different categories, and its provisions are mandatory without exception both as regards
marketing and for eligibility for the various measures provided for by the market organisation for olive oil, for
example, consumption aid, export refunds, intervention, and storage contracts.