WRITTEN QUESTION No. 394/98 by Daniela RASCHHOFER to the Commission. Use of Structural Funds resources to achieve compliance with the Maastricht Criteria
Date: 1998-02-24
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Portugal, Spain, Structural Funds, Treaty on European Union, fraud against the EU

9. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 310/41

(98/C 310/49)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0394/98

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(24 February 1998)

Subject: Use of Structural Funds resources to achieve compliance with the Maastricht Criteria

Mr  Friedmann,  President  of  the  Court  of  Auditors,  recently  remarked  that  Spain  and  Portugal  were  using
Structural Funds resources to achieve compliance with the Maastrich Criteria.

Is  there  any  concrete  evidence  to  suggest  that  Member  States  are  using  money  from  the  Structural  Funds  to
achieve compliance with the Maastricht Criteria?

If so, what is it?

If not, how can Mr Friedmann(cid:146)s statement be explained?

Have inquiries been made into this matter?

What were the findings of any such investigations by the Court of Auditors?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-0219/98 and E-0394/98
given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission

(22 April 1998)

The Commission has no information on investigations carried out by the Court of auditors on this subject, nor
any other evidence which would support the statement attributed to the President of the Court of auditors.

(98/C 310/50)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0226/98

by Armelle Guinebertie‘re (UPE) to the Commission

(13 February 1998)

Subject: Community derogation for tax reduction on fuels used by fire and emergency services

At present, local authorities are responsible for financing both investment and operating costs of departmental
fire  services.  This  represents  a  substantial  financial  burden,  at  a  time  when  tax  on  fuels  is  increasing  and  is
therefore  affecting  the  operation  of  fire  and  emergency  services.  These  services  are  exempted  from  road  tax
requirements; they should also be granted a tax reduction on fuel.

However, the French Government considers that such tax reductions for fire services are not applied in any other
EU  Member  State  and  that  such  a  request  for  a  Community  derogation,  which  would  require  unanimous
approval, is not in line with the aim of harmonizing tax within the EU.

How  does  the  Commission  view  the  idea  of  introducing  measures  to  reduce  tax  on  fuel  used  by  fire  and
emergency services?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(15 April 1998)

The taxation of mineral oils in the Community is governed by the provisions of Council Directive 92/81/EEC on
the harmonization of the structures of excise duties on mineral oils (1).

That Directive contains no Community provision which allows specific exemptions or reductions in duty for
public  service  vehicles  such  as  those  mentioned  by  the  Honourable  Member.  However,  it  is  possible  for  a
Member State to request a derogation using the procedure set out in Article 8(4) of the same Directive. Any such
request is subject to approval by the Commission and all other Member States.