WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1819/99 by Raffaele COSTA 'Europe against Cancer' programme
Date: 1999-10-12
Institutions: COSTA Raffaele, European Parliament
Subjects: cancer, fund (EU), use of aid

29.1.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 27 E/173

for tenders,

The (cid:216)restadsselskabet consortium is currently building a light rail system in Copenhagen. Following a
Europe-wide call
the entire civil engineering project was awarded to Ansaldo and the
subcontractor Carlo Gavazzi of Italy, and they are employing Portuguese electricians at much lower rates
of pay than the going rate for Danish electricians. A poorly organised, or non-organised, labour force is
thus undercutting the domestic labour force and hence inflicting significant damage on the Danish labour
market, which has harmful consequences for the Danish social system.

It goes without saying that it is highly unsatisfactory when the labour market of a stable society is
undermined in this way.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 1999)

The Commission would recall that Directive 96/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of
16 December 1996 (1) concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services
aims to ensure fair competition in the context of the provision of transnational services while guaranteeing
respect for workers(cid:146) rights.

When undertakings established in a Member State, in the framework of the transnational provision of
services, post workers to the territory of another Member State, they must comply with certain imperative
rules and guarantee certain working conditions in force in the host Member State to these posted workers.
These terms and conditions are set out in Article 3 of the Directive, and mainly concern minimum rates of
pay and minimum paid annual holidays which are laid down by law, regulation or administrative
provisions and/or by collective agreements which have been declared universally applicable insofar as
they concern building work. However, Member States are authorised to impose on undertakings subject to
the Directive the working conditions laid down by collective agreements in respect of activities other than
building work, provided these agreements meet the criteria set out in the Directive.

Directive 96/71/EC has to be transposed into the legal orders of the Member States by 16 December 1999
at the latest.

(1) OJ L 18, 21.1.1997.

(2000/C 27 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1819/99

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 October 1999)

Subject:

(cid:145)Europe against Cancer(cid:146) programme

Can the Commission state to what extent funding or subsidies have been awarded (with payments already
disbursed, or not), and to what bodies (public or private),
institutions, undertakings, cooperatives or
individuals, in connection with the (cid:145)European against Cancer(cid:146) programme (cid:129) Action plans 1987-89, 1990-
94 and 1996-2000?

Have the actual deployment of the funds and the successful outcome of the initiatives been verified?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(25 October 1999)

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