WRITTEN QUESTION No. 945/98 by Jesús CABEZÓN ALONSO to the Commission. Nicaragua's foreign debt
Date: 1998-03-30
Institutions: CABEZON ALONSO, European Parliament
Subjects: EU policy, Nicaragua, debt reduction, external debt, international cooperation, sustainable development

C 310/148

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

9. 10. 98

the safety and health of workers must be ensured as far as possible in the light of the objectives of the Directive.
This means that police force activities largely fall outside the scope of Community law on the health and safety of
workers at work and are therefore covered by substitute measures of a strictly national nature.

The Commission does not feel that any provisions of Community law have been violated. The responsibility for
solving the problem raised by the Honourable Member lies exclusively with the Italian authorities.

(1)  OJ L 183, 29.6.1989.

(98/C 310/204)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0937/98

by Jose· Escudero (PPE) to the Commission

(16 March 1998)

Subject: Cultural cooperation with Latin America

Can  the  Commission  provide  information  on  the  arrangements  for  participating  in  cultural  cooperation  with
Latin  America  through  the  existing  funds?  Are  there  public  tendering  procedures  or  aid  and/or  cofinancing
programmes for approved and published projects which would enable citizens and cultural organizations to gain
access to participation in and the distribution of such funds?

Answer given by Mr Mar(cid:14)·n on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 1998)

Between 1992 and 1997 the Commission provided a total of ECU 3.5 million to finance a number of cultural
cooperation  projects  with  Latin  American  countries.  The  main  areas  of  cooperation  were:  Latin  American
cultural identity and cultural dialogue, the common heritage of Europe and Latin America, the image of Latin
America in Europe, the cultural heritage and cultural tourism.

Furthermore,  in  accordance  with  Article  5  of  Council  Regulation  No  443/92  (EEC)  of  25  February  1992  on
financial and technical assistance to, and economic cooperation with, the developing countries in Asia and Latin
America (1), the Commission devotes particular attention to the cultural aspects of all the development projects it
finances  in  Latin  America.  As  regards  applications  for  and  allocation  of  project  financing,  the  Commission
applied the rules and standards in force at the time.

(1)  OJ L 52, 27.2.1992.

(98/C 310/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0945/98

by Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(30 March 1998)

Subject: Nicaragua(cid:146)s foreign debt

In  Nicaragua(cid:146)s  budget  for  1997,  servicing  foreign  debt  accounted  for  11.2%  of  GDP,  while  the  international
cooperation funds received amounted to 8% of GDP.

The  annual  burden  posed  by  servicing  and  repaying  debt  represents  a  substantial  percentage  of  the  amount
gained through exports, which places a constraint on Nicaragua(cid:146)s opportunities for development.

Foreign debt currently stands at $6108.5 million, 66.9% of which corresponds to bilateral debt.

How  is  the  Commission  cooperating  with  Nicaragua  with  a  view  to  cancelling  the  balance  and  servicing  of
Nicaragua(cid:146)s foreign debt, which would make it possible to lay the foundations for sustainable development in
that country?