WRITTEN QUESTION No. 745/98 by Glyn FORD to the Commission. Cheque book eugenics
Date: 1998-03-18
Institutions: European Parliament, FORD
Subjects: application of EU law, equal treatment, family benefit, free movement of workers, maternity benefit, racial discrimination

C 310/122

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

9. 10. 98

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

(16 April 1998)

The (cid:145)main roads(cid:146) operational programme in the Community support framework (CSF) for Greece for 1994-99
provides part-financing only for construction of two sections of the (cid:145)western axis(cid:146): the ring roads around Agrinio
and Preveza. The Greek authorities intend to propose part-financing the remainder of this route from the CSF for
2000-06.  To  this  end,  when  the  current  CSF  was  recently  amended,  they  proposed,  and  the  Commission
accepted, the part-financing of studies on this route, including the environmental impact statements. As far as the
Commission is aware, these studies have not yet begun.

The  environmental  and  technical  studies  on  the  ring  roads  around  Agrinio  and  Preveza  have,  however,  been
completed and the environmental terms approved in accordance with the legislation in force.

(98/C 310/163)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0745/98

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(18 March 1998)

Subject: Cheque book eugenics

Will the Commission investigate the policy pursued by the (cid:145)Front National(cid:146) in Vitrolles, whereby white French
families are paid FRF 5000 to have a child, in order to ensure that there is no discrimination against citizens of the
European Union, in particular black European citizens who have the misfortune to live in Vitrolles?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 1998)

The Commission has not received specific complaints concerning racial policies by the authorities of Vitrolles
against black European nationals.

Nevertheless,  the  Commission  wishes  to  highlight  that  Article  48  of  the  EC  Treaty  and  Regulation  (EEC)
No 1612/68 of the Council of 15 October 1968 on freedom of movement for workers within the Community (1)
provide for the principle of equal treatment as regards social advantages between nationals and other European
workers and the members of their families. Thus, if the authorities of Vitrolles were to refuse child allowances to
non-French European workers or to the members of their families while granting them to French nationals, such
discrimination would be contrary to Community law. However, the implementation of national legislation, if
any, prohibiting racial discrimination is a matter of national competence.

Furthermore, as announced in its recent Action plan against racism, subject to ratification of the Amsterdam
Treaty, the Commission intends to make a legislative proposal in this area before the end of 1999.

(1)  OJ L 257, 19.10.1968.

(98/C 310/164)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0751/98

by Allan Macartney (ARE) to the Commission

(18 March 1998)

Subject: Assistance measures for foreign inward investment within the Community

Can the Commission provide statistics on the scale of assistance measures which Member State governments
give  to  companies  based  in  other  Member  States  in  order  to  encourage  foreign  inward  investment?  Are  any
national  statistics  available  for  the  Member  States  which  show  the  difference  between  assistance  measures
provided for national companies and those which come from other Member States?