WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3801/98 by Sérgio RIBEIRO to the Commission. Breaking of the contract between Texas-Samsung and the Portuguese Government
Date: 1998-12-22
Institutions: European Parliament, RIBEIRO
Subjects: Portugal, cessation of trading, electronic component, financial aid, type of business

21.5.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 142/151

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(26 January 1999)

It is not Commission policy to answer hypothetical questions.

(1999/C 142/201)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3801/98

by Sérgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 December 1998)

Subject: Breaking of the contract between Texas-Samsung and the Portuguese Government

Last week the semi-conductor manufacturer Texas Instruments-Samsung Electronic (TISE) informed its
748 employees that its factory at Maia (Portugal) would cease operations by 31 March 1999.

Quite apart from the devastating effect which this decision will have on the local community, the decision
was stated by the company to be irreversible and it represents the breaking of contractual relations with the
Portuguese Government which are based on a framework contract signed in July 1995 for the period up to
2004, under which substantial financial incentives were made available to joint ventures. Although the
Portuguese Government had already known a week earlier that the company intended to break the contract
unilaterally, it was the company itself which made a public announcement regarding the decision, whilst
details of the contract itself have not been divulged on the grounds that to do so could jeopardise the
negotiating process, in which the most important thing appears to be the repayment of the financial
incentives offered to the company under the framework contract.

Given this situation, which is particularly serious from various perspectives and particularly from the
point of view of the local community, would the Commission state, as a matter of urgency, whether or not
it is aware of the framework contract, whether Community funds are involved and what precautions were
taken to protect public money provided by either the Community or the Portuguese State?

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 142/202)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3804/98

by Shaun Spiers (PSE) to the Commission

(4 December 1998)

Subject: Multiannual programme for cooperatives, mutuals, associations and foundations

What plans does the Commission have to bring forward programmes to replace the multiannual
programme for cooperatives, mutuals, associations and foundations? They are eagerly awaited by social
economy organizations.

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission

(12 January 1999)

The Commission is considering a proposal for a multi-annual programme in favour of cooperatives,
mutual societies, associations and foundations. This proposal is still subject to further discussion within
the Commission. The outcome of the Commission’s numerous studies of the sector and its dialogue with
representatives of the cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and foundations will be taken into
consideration in the final elaboration of the proposal.