WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2815/98 by Fernando FERNÁNDEZ MARTÍN to the Commission. Floods in China
Date: 1998-09-17
Institutions: European Parliament, FERNANDEZ MARTIN
Subjects: China, EU aid, Red Cross, aid to disaster victims, disaster area, emergency aid, flood, humanitarian aid, natural disaster, watercourse

C 135/122

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.5.1999

(1999/C 135/145)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2811/98

by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission

(17 September 1998)

Subject: Salary of the President of the ECB

According to press reports neither the President of the ECB, Mr Duisenberg, nor the other ECB staff know
what their salaries will be.

1. Will the Commission state the precise salaries of ECB staff?

If not, what are the reasons for withholding this information from EU citizens and for breaching the

2.
principle of transparency?

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission

(14 October 1998)

Under the Protocol (No 3) on the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European
Central Bank (ECB), the terms and conditions of employment of the members of the Executive Board, in
particular their salaries, pensions and other social security benefits, are to be the subject of contracts with
the ECB. They are to be fixed by the Governing Council on a proposal from a committee comprising three
members appointed by the Governing Council and three members appointed by the Council. The members
of the Executive Board do not have the right to vote on these matters (Article 11.3. of the Statute).
Regarding ECB staff, their conditions of employment, in particular their salaries, pensions and other
social security benefits, are to be laid down by the Governing Council, on a proposal from the Executive
Board (Article 36.1.).

The Commission is not in a position to comment on the salaries of ECB staff and of members of the
Executive Board since it has no power to fix their terms and conditions of employment.

(1999/C 135/146)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2815/98

by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE) to the Commission

(17 September 1998)

Subject: Floods in China

The recent floods in China caused when the Yangtze river burst its banks have left more than 3 000 people
dead and destroyed 5 million homes, affecting more than 230 million people. The total damage is put at
around ECU 18 billion due to the destruction of cultivated land, infrastructure, school buildings and
materials, industrial installations, housing etc.

What contribution has the Commission made to international aid in the form of food, medical products,
educational material and emergency aid? Will the Commission continue its assistance in the coming
months?

What is the initial, perhaps provisional assessment of the damage caused, particularly as regards the
environment?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 1998)

The extensive and continous rains of the last five months in China have caused serious flooding that is
now affecting an estimated 223 million people in 29 provinces in central, south east, and northern China.
The Yangtze River has reached record levels and in many areas the floods are being described as the worst
in living memory.