WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1667/99 by Roberta ANGELILLI Unfair exclusion of a soprano from the National Academy of St Cecilia
Date: 1999-09-22
Institutions: ANGELILLI, European Parliament
Subjects: EU law - national law, Italy, artistic profession, dismissal, labour law

29.1.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 27 E/161

envisages the despatch of an international team to investigate alleged violations of international humani-
tarian law of the type to which the honourable members rightly draw attention.

(2000/C 27 E/197)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1667/99

by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission

(22 September 1999)

Subject: Unfair exclusion of a soprano from the National Academy of St Cecilia

Mrs Mar(cid:237)na Mauro, a soprano who has worked for the National Academy of St Cecilia for many years, has
not had her contract renewed and has been given no justification. This eventuality is envisaged only if staff
have been the cause of artistic, professional or disciplinary disputes. The soprano(cid:146)s right to be employed
derives from Article 1(3) of the CCNL (collective wage agreement) which states that artistes who have
taken part in the annual selection process in three consecutive years and proved themselves suitable (cid:129) and
hence were given contracts for each season in those three years (cid:129) take precedence in the subsequent
seasons, without having to take part in the annual selection process organised by the Academy. Mrs Mauro
has also ascertained that other sopranos have been taken on and been given a contract for the next three
years although they were lower down the list of suitable candidates.

Can the Commission say whether it does not consider that:

1. Mrs Mauro has been the victim of discrimination;

2. her unfair exclusion for the coming academic year infringes her acquired rights, thereby damaging her

personal and professional image as a singer;

3.

there is an urgent need to reinstate Mrs Mauro in her role as member of the choir, without her having
to undergo further selection procedures for auxiliary staff who have not acquired any rights of
seniority?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(26 October 1999)

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member that there is no Community rule governing
the conditions for the renewal of fixed-duration employment contracts.

Neither does the case in question come within the remit of Article 13 (ex Article 6(a)) of the EC Treaty
(anti-discrimination). In the absence of any link with Community law, the case falls within the exclusive
remit of any national legislation which may be applicable.

(2000/C 27 E/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1686/99

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 September 1999)

Subject: Infringement of Community insurance legislation and distortion of competition in Greece

The incorporation of Community insurance legislation into Greek national law was until recently totally
inadequate, producing distortion of competition and damaging several companies. Even now that the legal
vacuum has been filled, the supervisory authority, i.e. the Greek Government, is not implementing the
provisions and rules of the insurance directives, which has created distortion of competition and a risk that
the insurance market may collapse under enormous deficits since four public companies and another four
private companies alone have a total deficit of more than Drs 65 billion.