WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1499/98 by Daniel VARELA SUANZES- CARPEGNA to the Commission. The information society and social and economic cohesion
Date: 1998-05-13
Institutions: European Parliament, VARELA SUANZES-CARPEGNA
Subjects: EU financing, European Regional Development Fund, Structural Funds, economic and social cohesion, information, information policy, new technology, organisation of work, small and medium-sized enterprises, structural policy

5.2.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 31/45

horsemeat is not usually consumed since these horses are often exported to other countries where they are
slaughtered for human consumption. Separation of sporting or recreational animals from meat-producing animals
is not easily achieved. Any system of control would need to be both straightforward and reliable. However,
simply relying on documentation (especially if such documentation just takes the form of a declaration by the
horse(cid:146)s owner) will not fulfil these requirements. Indelibly marking with microchips, branding and tattooing have
all been suggested and discussions are still under way as to whether such marking systems are likely to be feasible
and effective. It is clear that any solution will have to be valid for the whole Community and not for specific
Member States.

The Commission is also considering various options to facilitate the authorisation of veterinary medicinal
products in certain circumstances. Any solutions will also have to consider products, which were on the market
before Council Regulation (EEC) 2377/90 came into force.

Before maximum residue limits were introduced to enforce consumer protection, a system of (cid:145)withdrawal
periods(cid:146) was used. This was abandoned as general strategy because it was difficult to control and to enforce.

The Commission is seeking a solution to the problems, which takes the principles of consumer protection into
account.

(1) OJ L 121, 29.7.1964.
(2) OJ L 317, 6.11.1981.
(3) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.

(1999/C 31/058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1499/98

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission

Subject: The information society and social and economic cohesion

(13 May 1998)

When she appeared before Parliament(cid:146)s Committee on Regional Policy on 23 January 1997 in connection with
the presentation of the Commission Communication on cohesion and the information society (COM(97) 7 final of
22 January 1997), Mrs Mathies, Commissioner, said that the information society should form an integral part of
Community structural policy. On this subject the Committee on Regional Policy, by means of report A4-0399/97,
has expressed its concern at the fact that only 2 % of expenditure under the Structural Funds goes to investment in
the telecommunication sector. It puts forward the view that expenditure on the information society should be
included in the (cid:145)mainstreaming(cid:146) of the Structural Funds and it calls on the Commission to secure close
cooperation and coordination between the different programmes and activities in the area of information and
communication technologies (ICTs).

Could the Commission say how it has incorporated these requests into its final proposals on the reform of the
Structural Funds for the new 2000-2006 period (proposals which were adopted by the College of Commissioners
on 18 March 1997), with particular reference to the configuration of Objectives 1 and 2, the establishment of the
selection criteria and funding under those objectives?

(1999/C 31/059)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1503/98

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE) to the Commission

Subject: The information society and social and economic cohesion

(13 May 1998)

In its Communication on cohesion and the information society (COM(97) 7 final of 22 January 1997) the
Commission states that (cid:145)the information society also offers a great potential for the development of new forms of
employment and high-skilled jobs, especially by providing SMEs, as the main dynamic source of employment
creation, growth and competitiveness, with the instruments to innovate and adapt to a rapidly changing economic
environment(cid:146) (page 4). According to the Communication the access of SMEs to such potential should be
facilitated, since SMEs represent the backbone of regional economic structures, especially in least-favoured
regions (page 4). This should make it possible to prevent the establishment of a technocratic elite which would