WRITTEN QUESTION E-2406/99 by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Senior EURO Pass.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU national, carriage of passengers, elderly person, intra-EU transport, tariff preference

C 225 E/126

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

Given the specific difficulties (cid:129) noted in the Treaty (cid:129) which ultraperipheral regions face, and the cost of
insular status, above all as regards agricultural and fishery products:

(cid:129) what are the Commission(cid:146)s reasons for proposing this fresh cutback in the Poseima programme, and

(cid:129) what are the mechanisms it is using to ensure that the programme(cid:146)s appropriations are being fully

taken up?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 January 2000)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that the amounts given under budget heading
B1-321 (Poseima) are forecasts of the expenditure necessary for carrying out the measures required under
that
therefore, be construed as a cutback in the
programme.

item (cid:129) the reduction in appropriations cannot,

As regards the specific issues raised, the Commission would point out that the proposed reduction is due
entirely to the fact that the forecasts are based on the actual extent (in percentage terms) to which the
supply balances have been implemented in the last few years. The rate of take-up of the appropriations is
dependant on how effectively and correctly the beneficiary areas themselves have implemented the supply
balances, or any other of the measures provided for in the legislation.

It should also be noted that this item is exclusively concerned with agricultural products. Fishery products
do benefit from the measures in the Poseima programme (cid:129) they are covered by other budget headings.

(2000/C 225 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2406/99

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Senior EURO Pass

Can the Commission provide information on the current status of its consideration of the introduction of a
Senior EURO Pass or EURO Card for senior citizens which would grant a range of concessions (including
transport) across the European Union following the study completed by AGE Concern with Commission
support?

Is the Commission considering making proposals with a view to the introduction of such a scheme of
concessions in the Member States?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(28 January 2000)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question E-1054/99 by
Mrs Billingham (1), to the reply it gave to Oral Question H-1023/98 by Robert Evans during question time
at Parliament(cid:146)s November 1998 part-session (2) and to the reply it gave to Oral Question H-1148/98 by
Niall Andrews during question time at Parliament(cid:146)s December 1998 part-session (3).

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) members of the liaison group for older people have not come
forward in support of the suggestions in the final report of the study, for example in the context of the
preparation of the United Nations international year of older persons.

In this light, the Commission has no present intention to come forward with any proposals for a senior
EURO pass or over sixties card.

(1) OJ C 348, 3.12.1999.
(2) Debates of the European Parliament (November 1998).
(3) Debates of the European Parliament (December 1998).