WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3802/98 by Sérgio RIBEIRO to the Commission. Closure of the Nestlé factory in Matosinhos (Portugal)
Date: 1998-12-22
Institutions: European Parliament, RIBEIRO
Subjects: Portugal, State aid, cessation of trading, financial aid, investment aid, job cuts, multinational enterprise, transfer of businesses

28.6.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 182/127

(1999/C 182/173)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3802/98

by Sérgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 December 1998)

Subject: Closure of the Nestlé factory in Matosinhos (Portugal)

According to Nestle’s Director of Public Relations, the company’s Longa Vida factory in Matosinhos (Portugal)
is to be closed and production is to be transferred to either France or Spain.

This decision will put over 100 workers out of a job and it follows on from other decisions taken by Nestlé,
which has already closed its Rajá and Findus factories and has already made approximately 70 workers
redundant at its Longa Vida factory.

The decision is all the more significant in view of the fact that Longa Vida is a modern industrial plant which
has received financial support from the Portuguese Government and the European Union in order to enable
investment to be made which, over the last five years, has totalled over 3 000 million escudos.

Since this is yet another case of relocation (in this particular instance within the territory of the Community)
and since substantial amounts of Community support are apparently involved, would the Commission say
whether or not it is aware of the situation, whether there are any framework contracts to which it is party or of
which it is aware, and whether the Nestlé company has received any further financial support in connection
with its relocation?

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

(22 January 1999)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings
as soon as possible.

(1999/C 182/174)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3810/98

by Ulla Sandbæk (I-EDN) to the Commission

(22 December 1998)

Subject: EU’s actions on endocrine-disrupters

The Commission indicated to Parliament in October that it would be looking at recommendations for short-,
medium- and long-term EU actions on endocrine-disrupters. What is the Commission’s proposed timetable for
considering and approving those recommendations and then for taking action on them, in particular the
short-term actions?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 1999)

The Commission is currently considering the components of an overall strategy for monitoring and preventing
the risks associated with chemicals which can act as endocrine disrupters.
intends to present a
communication on this subject in the course of the first half of 1999.

It

The Scientific Committee for Toxicity, Ecotoxicity and the Environment (SCTEE) is also currently preparing a
scientific opinion on this subject, the title of which will be along the lines of ‘Opinion of the SCTEE concerning
the effects on human health and the environment of endocrine disrupters, focusing on ecotoxicological test
methods.’ This opinion should be adopted in the course of 1999.