WRITTEN QUESTION P-2265/99 by Ari Vatanen (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Article 141 of Finland's accession treaty.
Date: 1999-11-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Greece, Serbia, discrimination on the basis of nationality, humanitarian aid, non-governmental organisation, psychiatric institution, terms for aid

C 203 E/160

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2000

redeployment. The first results of the study are expected by the beginning of 2000. The Commission will
communicate these immediately to the Member States and determine what follow-up action will be
necessary.

As for the question of possible unequal starting positions of competing companies due to the fact that
some are state owned, whereas others are privately owned, the Commission will actively monitor the
behaviour of competitors in the electricity industry, as it does in other industries. The Commission(cid:146)s role is
to ensure that state owned companies (cid:129) or any company for that matter (cid:129) do not have undue
advantages, for instance because of state aid that is not available for other companies. The Commission
examines mergers and acquisitions and other dealing on the competitive market in this light.

(2000/C 203 E/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2265/99

by Ari Vatanen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 November 1999)

Subject: Article 141 of Finland(cid:146)s accession treaty

In Article 141 of Finland(cid:146)s accession treaty it is stated that, where serious difficulties remain resulting from
Finland(cid:146)s accession, the Commission may authorise Finland to grant direct national aid.

During the five-year transition period, Finland has been able to pay transitional aid. At the end of 1999
the transitional period will come to an end and the payment of this aid will cease. It has been calculated
that if compensatory aid is not paid, the incomes of farmers raising livestock and growing greenhouse
produce and open-air vegetables in southern Finland will fall immediately by between 30 % and 90 %.

In the conclusions of the Luxembourg summit in 1997 it was stated that agricultural production should be
possible throughout the territory of the EU, even in unfavourable conditions. If the payment of the aid
under Article 141 is discontinued, the aid gap between southern Finland and the rest of the country will
grow to intolerable levels. This would also undermine the credibility of the EU, particularly in the eyes of
farmers.

What measures does the Commission propose to take to ensure that this aid pursuant to Finland(cid:146)s
accession treaty can continue to be paid?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 1999)

The Commission is examining a report which has been presented by Finland on the difficulties facing
agriculture in Southern Finland, together with a notification in accordance with Article 143 of the Act of
Accession and Article 88 (ex-Article 93) of the EC Treaty of a national aid programme under Article 141
of the Act of Accession.

Once this examination is complete, the Commission will take the appropriate measures.

(2000/C 203 E/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2266/99

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 November 1999)

Subject: Expulsion of the Greek section from the (cid:145)MØdecins sans FrontiŁres(cid:146) NGO

The Greek section of the (cid:145)MØdecins sans FrontiŁres(cid:146) NGO was recently expelled on the grounds that it
helped both sides involved in the Kosovo crisis without permission. This has prompted serious concern
about the implementation of the principle that urgent humanitarian aid should be distributed to a
population in distress without ethnic or religious discrimination (cid:129) a principle that the European Union
itself subscribes to. Given that the activities and programmes of (cid:145)MØdecins sans FrontiŁres(cid:146) are funded
largely by the European Union.