WRITTEN QUESTION P-1932/99 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Allegations in the Mitrokhin papers about an Italian spy network working for the Soviet Union's secret services.
Date: 1999-10-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Economic and Monetary Union, economic consequence, economic growth, euro, euro area, financial market, foreign currency

C 170 E/128

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2000

(2000/C 170 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1930/99

by Michael Cashman (PSE) to the Commission

(14 October 1999)

Subject: Prosperity of euro countries

Can the Commission report on the success of the Single Currency to date? How does the prosperity of the
euro countries, and EU non-euro countries, compare with the rest of the world?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(9 November 1999)

As a result of economic and monetary union (EMU) the Member States which have adopted the euro as
the single currency are able to return to the path of growth and to benefit from the positive impact of the
expansion in the international use of the euro.

These Member States have already thoroughly overhauled their public finances. This culture of stability,
adopted in order to comply with the (cid:145)Maastricht criteria(cid:146) and move to the euro, is beginning to bear fruit.
1998 returned the best economic results of the decade: 2,8 % growth and 1,7 million net jobs created. The
economic fundamentals of the euro zone are satisfactory: low inflation, low interest rates. The Commis-
sion(cid:146)s autumn forecasts, which are now being prepared, will probably confirm that Europe is in the
process of reversing the trend of rising unemployment.

The euro is already standing shoulder to shoulder with the dollar on the international bond markets. The
statistics available for the first half of 1999 show that euro issues account for some 44 % of total world
bond issues. By comparison, the proportion of issues in the eleven euro zone currencies was 30 % of the
total in 1997. The euro is therefore more than a simple sum of the currencies it replaces. It is becoming a
major international currency. The constitution of a wide, deep and liquid European financial market means
that businesses in the Community can obtain finance more easily. For example, the corporate bond market
has expanded rapidly since the beginning of the year. The share of companies in total euro bond issues is
three times their share in 1998 in European currencies. This trend will also help increase Europe(cid:146)s
importance on the monetary stage and by extension redress the balance of the international monetary
system.

(2000/C 170 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1932/99

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 October 1999)

Subject: Allegations in the Mitrokhin papers about an Italian spy network working for the Soviet Union(cid:146)s

secret services

The Mitrokhin papers forwarded by the British Government have revealed that a dense spy network used
to operate in Italy employed by the secret services of a foreign State hostile to Italy and free Europe. It
used to monitor and put pressure on the institutions of the Italian State and even reached the highest
political and government levels.

What steps will the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi, take to shed light on this affair as swiftly
as possible?

Will Mr Prodi use his influence with the Italian Government to ensure that all the information needed to
ascertain the truth is made known and, if necessary, call on the governments of other Member States to
supply any documentation connected with the revelations contained in the Mitrokhin papers?

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(18 November 1999)

The Commission feels that the question raised by the Honourable Member is primarily a matter for the
Member State concerned, which is responsible for justice on its territory. Under Title IV of the EC Treaty,
measures may be taken to facilitate cooperation in criminal matters. Work is currently under way on
finalising a Convention on mutual assistance between the Member States in criminal matters (1). When the
Convention enters into force, it should simplify and speed up cooperation, irrespective of the crimes or
infringements being prosecuted. For its part, the Commission has no plans to take any initiative in this
context relating specifically to counter-espionage.

(1) OJ C 251, 2.9.1999.

(2000/C 170 E/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1933/99

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 November 1999)

Subject: Progress in implementing the operational programme concerning education and initial training

under the Community Support Framework for Greece

From the Commission(cid:146)s answer to one of my previous questions (1) it emerged that there were problems
involved in implementing the operational programme concerning education and initial training under the
Community Support Framework for Greece and that appropriations were moving very slowly. Can the
Commission say what
take-up rate of scheduled appropriations is? Have the problems
associated with the implementation of the programme been overcome and, if not, to what are such long
delays attributable?

the current

(1) H-411/97, Debates of the European Parliament (June 1997).

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 1999)

There has been considerable recent acceleration in the implementation of the operational programme
(OP) in question.

As far as the European social fund is concerned, 100 % of the planned appropriations have now been
committed and 78,86 % have already been paid to Greece. The European regional development fund
(ERDF) has committed 82 % and paid 48 % of the planned ERDF credits. All ERDF credits will be
committed before 31 December 1999.

All national legal commitments have to be undertaken by the end of 1999, while implementation can
continue until December 2001. A final internal reprogramming of the OP (cid:145)Education and initial training(cid:146)
will be made in this year, with a view to correcting programming and ensuring full absorption of all
available credits.

Most of the problems of the past, which had seriously delayed the financial
programme, seem to have been overcome.

implementation of the

(2000/C 170 E/155)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1940/99

by Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR) to the Commission

(4 November 1999)

Subject: Measures implementing the new ultraperipheral policy pursuant to Article 299(2) of the Amster-

dam Treaty

Implementing Article 299(2) of the Amsterdam Treaty, the new legal basis of the arrangements for
integrating the ultraperipheral regions, will require a considerable initial effort, coordination of the various
services involved, and ongoing adaptation of the arrangements to match Community policies as they
develop in the future.