WRITTEN QUESTION No. 735/98 by Rinaldo BONTEMPI to the Commission. Second request for an agreement on social security between the European Union and the Principality of Monaco
Date: 1998-03-02
Institutions: BONTEMPI, European Parliament
Subjects: EU national, France, Italy, Monaco, agreement (EU), frontier worker, job access, social security

C 304/152

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

(98/C 304/230)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0735/98

by Rinaldo Bontempi (PSE) to the Commission

(2 March 1998)

Subject: Second request for an agreement on social security between the European Union and the Principality of

Monaco

Following  Written  Question  E-4012/96 (1)  requesting  an  agreement  on  social  security  between  the  European
Union and the Principality of Monaco, the Commission stated its commitment to seeking the conclusion of such
an agreement.

Although more than a year has passed, the agreement still has to be initialled and EU citizens working in the
Principality of Monaco are encountering more and more obstacles. A particular problem is that faced by frontier
workers  who,  after  working  in  Italy,  France  and  the  Principality,  are  not  able  to  aggregate  their  periods  of
contribution when claiming their pensions.

Italian frontier workers are further penalized in that, thanks to an agreement between France and the Principality,
residents of the neighbouring communes in France are hired first, along with Monegasque citizens.

Does the Commission intend, in the near future, to conclude a cooperation or association agreement between the
European Union and the Principality of Monaco which includes arrangements in the social sector applying the
Community  coordinating  rules  laid  down  in  Regulation  (EEC)  No  1408/71 (2)?  What  are  the  reasons  for  the
delay?

(1)  OJ C 138, 5.5.1997, p. 165.
(2)  OJ L 149, 5.7.1971, p. 2.

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1998)

The Commission is aware of the difficulties in obtaining social security benefits encountered by Community
citizens moving to Monaco, taking account of the particular status of that country.

The Commission has studied the possibility of proposing an agreement of the same type as that envisaged in the
case  of  San  Marino.  However,  an  agreement  of  this  nature  would  go  well  beyond  the  framework  of  social
security, and it has not yet been possible to draw up a proposal.

(98/C 304/231)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0736/98

by Se·rgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(2 March 1998)

Subject: Application for Cohesion Fund resources for a project for cleaning up the catchment area of the rivers

Lis and Sei(cid:231)a (Portugal)

On 6 January 1998 the Commission replied to my Question P-3932/97 (1) on the catchment area of the rivers Lis
and Sei(cid:231)a (Portugal)/Cohesion Fund, stating that it had received an application for cofunding the first phase of a
cleaning up project and would consider this application on the basis of the technical and economic assessment of
the  project,  the  resources  available  under  the  Cohesion  Fund  for  Portugal  and  the  priorities  fixed  by  the
Commission and the Member State concerned.

Will the Commission say what progress has been made in assessing this application and establishing priorities
and whether any decision has yet been made?

(1)  OJ C 187, 16.6.1998, p. 94.