WRITTEN QUESTION E-2262/99 by Ward Beysen (ELDR) to the Commission. Directive 96/92.
Date: 1999-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU employment policy, common commercial policy, electrical industry, labour market, liberalisation of the market, private sector, public sector, restriction on competition

18.7.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 203 E/159

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(10 January 2000)

The Commission is very concerned about the welfare of animals and gives it a high priority.

Community rules exist in respect of the protection of horses when they are kept for farming purposes,
during transport and at the time of slaughtering.

In accordance with the new protocol on the protection of animal welfare annexed to the EC Treaty, the
Community and Member States shall pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals in formulating
and implementing the Community(cid:146)s agriculture, transport, internal market and research policies.

On the other hand, and in particular with reference to animal welfare, Community competence does not at
present extend to the use of horses in historic and traditional events within a Member State, and as a
consequence, this is a matter within the sole jurisdiction of the Member State concerned.

(2000/C 203 E/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2262/99

by Ward Beysen (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Directive 96/92

The liberalisation of energy markets is producing a wave of concentration, and the first international
mergers or take-overs have already been announced. What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of these develop-
ments, and to what extent is account being taken of their implications for employment?

Directive 96/92 (1) lays down basic principles concerning the liberalisation of the European electricity
market, seeking to ensure that, from the point of view of economic operators, this process takes place on
equal terms in the various Member States. The Commission(cid:146)s second harmonisation report summarises
aspects which remain to be dealt with in order to ensure such equivalent liberalisation, but does not
mention the distortion of competition by the various ownership structures of electricity companies in the
European Union. In view of the differences in the capital costs of private companies quoted on stock
exchanges and public enterprises, private enterprise increasingly faces unequal competitive conditions,
both when acquiring new businesses and when directly offering products and services on the market. How
will the Commission correct this distortion?

(1) OJ L 27, 30.1.1997, p. 20.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 1999)

As the Honourable Member rightly points out, the Commission has to make sure that liberalisation is
carried out whilst taking into account legitimate concerns about employment prospects in the electricity
industry. It is clear that restructuring will take place, but it is clear as well, that there is a pressing need to
introduce competition into this sector. The liberalisation process increases competitiveness of Community
industry, and will thus have a positive impact on employment in energy intensive industries. Furthermore,
it provides positive benefits to individual citizens. According to the preliminary results of a study just
received by the Commission, electricity prices for households between 1996-1998 fell just as quickly as
industrial prices.

Member States have the primary responsibility in the field of employment, but the Commission acknowl-
edges the need for it to play a leading role in this respect and has launched a study on this subject. The
objective of the study is not to measure the quantitative effects on employment in the electricity industry.
This is impossible taking account of the growth in employment in the energy intensive industries as a
result of lower electricity prices, and would provide a distorted picture. The objective is however to
disseminate and learn from experiences in countries where liberalisation of the electricity industry has
already taken place and to guide Member States as to retraining of workers, creation of new employment
in new sectors within the electricity industry, description of job profiles most at risk and good ways of

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.