WRITTEN QUESTION No. 521/98 by Shaun SPIERS to the Commission. Local Exchange Transfer Schemes (LETS)
Date: 1998-03-02
Institutions: European Parliament, SPIERS
Subjects: EU national, European social policy, France, United Kingdom, anti-discriminatory measure, associative movement, freedom of association, job creation, local employment initiative, social economy

9. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 310/77

(98/C 310/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0514/98

by Edouard des Places (I-EDN) to the Commission

(19 February 1998)

Subject: The internal market and the agricultural guidance law

In France the draft agricultural guidance law, which has been submitted by the Minister of Agriculture to the
farming associations, provides, in title I, for the introduction of (cid:145)Territorial Farming Contracts(cid:146) (CTE).

These  contracts  would  be  signed  with  the  administrative  authority,  cover  all  farming  activity,  comprise  a
programme of measures taking into account production targets for goods and services, area management and
environmental protection and would be consistent with national and regional guidelines.

The explanatory statement for Article 3 on the establishment of a fund to finance the CTE clearly specifies that
this fund will initially be financed by national appropriations and subsequently by appropriations generated by
adjustment of CAP aids resulting from the reform.

Does  the  Commission  think  that  supplementary  aids  granted  under  these  CTE,  which  would  give  rise  to  a
distortion of competition between producers of the various Member States, would be in conformity with the rules
relating to the internal market?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 March 1998)

Under the third paragraph of Article 93 of the EC Treaty, the Commission must be informed, in sufficient time to
enable it to submit its comments, of any plans to grant or alter aid. If, following a preliminary examination, it
considers  that  such  a  plan  is  not  compatible  with  the  common  market  having  regard  to  Article  92,  the
Commission is to initiate the procedure provided for in paragraph 2 of Article 93 of the EC Treaty. The Member
State concerned may not put its proposed measures into effect until this procedure has resulted in a final decision.

The Commission endeavours to make sure that the Member States comply with the provisions of Community
legislation when granting aid in the agricultural sector.

However,  since  it  has  not  yet  been  informed  under  the  aforementioned  Article  of  the  aid  referred  to  by  the
Honourable Member, the Commission is not in a position to comment on the substance of this aid.

(98/C 310/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0521/98

by Shaun Spiers (PSE) to the Commission

(2 March 1998)

Subject: Local Exchange Transfer Schemes (LETS)

Is  the  Commission  aware  of  the  case  of  two  UK  expatriates  living  in  France  who  were  fined  by  a  court  for
participating in a LETS? LETS schemes allow their members to help each other in return for symbolic units of
exchange that can later be bartered for other services such as baby-sitting, gardening or minor building repairs.
The system is a growing aspect of the co-operative or social economy. 240 LETS schemes have been approved
by the French Ministry of Labour, and there are many others across the EU.

Does the Commission have any plans to promote LETS schemes, which can play a major role in strengthening
civic society and combatting social exclusion? Does it plan any studies to examine their extent across the EU?
Has it any plans to discourage Member States from discriminating against LETS schemes?