WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1479/98 by Bartho PRONK , Ria OOMEN- RUIJTEN to the Commission. Holiday pay and bad-weather payments
Date: 1998-05-13
Institutions: European Parliament, OOMEN-RUIJTEN, PRONK
Subjects: Germany, Netherlands, application of EU law, bad weather, bonus payment, labour law, paid leave, services company, transnational corporation

22.2.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 50/41

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(13 July 1998)

The Commission confirms that the report covering the period 1991-1992 (published in 1994) was the last
submitted to the Parliament and made available to the public.

The Commission is currently preparing a report on the operation of Euratom safeguards covering the years 1993
to 1997 which it will submit to the Parliament and will make available to the public.

(1999/C 50/057)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1476/98

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Destruction of national highway by landslide in Greece

(13 May 1998)

In its answer of 19 April 1995 to my question (E-749/95 (1)) concerning the destruction of the national highway
and railway line by a landslide in Greece, the Commission stated that (cid:145)it is too early yet for the Commission to
state its position on the question of part-financing works to re-establish the road and rail links, since expert
appraisals and the necessary technical studies must be conducted to determine the reasons for the landslide, any
responsibilities involved, recommendations for technical measures and the cost of these.(cid:146)

Three years have now passed since the Commission(cid:146)s answer, will it, therefore, say:

1. whether it has the data to determine the reasons for the landslide, the responsibilities, the recommendations

for technical measures and the cost of these, and

2. whether part-financing is available for the works to re-establish the road and rail links?

(1) OJ C 270, 16.10.1995, p. 10.

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

(2 July 1998)

The accident that occurred in February 1995 at Malakasa, on the main road to Pathe, was due to subsidence which
the geological and geotechnical surveys carried out in the 1980s failed to predict.

New geotechnical surveys were carried out after the accident which indicate that a drainage system to drain away
underground water in the affected area must first be built before work on rebuilding the motorway can start. The
Greek Ministry of Public Works has costed the work at GRD 5 000 million. This project is part-funded under the
(cid:145)Main Highways(cid:146) Operational Programme in the 1994-99 Community Support Framework for Greece. The
Ministry also believes that the contract to carry out the work will be concluded shortly.

(1999/C 50/058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1479/98

by Bartho Pronk (PPE) and Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE) to the Commission

Subject: Holiday pay and bad-weather payments

(13 May 1998)

I have received a complaint from the Netherlands-Germany Building Export Foundation to the effect that Dutch
building firms which have posted workers to Germany are having to pay premiums in respect of holiday pay both
in the Netherlands and in Germany. This is very expensive, particularly for small companies, and it is claimed that
it has led in some cases to bankruptcies.

1.
Is the Commission aware of this? Does the Commission consider that this double payment is contrary to the
freedom to provide services, since it leads to distortions of the market and of competition, with no benefits to the
workers concerned?