WRITTEN QUESTION E-2478/99 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Clinic Clowns: projects to provide psychological help for seriously ill children.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, child, health policy, medical institution, palliative care, performing arts, psychology, young person

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/143

Local environmental organisations maintain that:

1.

2.

3.

the documents submitted to DG XI for the approval of the project do not reflect the true facts in the
area concerned and that the accompanying maps are not in fact up to date;

environmentally valuable areas have in the meantime been excluded from the areas coming within the
Regional Park of the Lambro Valley in which Lake Alserio is situated and subject to environmental
restrictions;

the Trust administering the Regional Park of the Lambro Valley, which is one of the beneficiaries of
the funds, ought to be replaced by government officials.

Does the Commission intend:

(a)

(b)

to check that the documents submitted tally with the actual situation in the area in which the
measures are to be carried out?

to freeze the funds granted by LIFE Natura 1999 to the project to clean up Lake Alserio pending such
a check?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(17 January 2000)

The LIFE-Nature project (cid:145)Actions of environmental restoration of Alserio Lake(cid:146) financed in 1999 targets the
conservation of the site of Community importance (cid:145)Lago di Alserio(cid:146) code IT2020005 (515 hectares of
surface area) proposed under article 4 of Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of
natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1).

The Commission has verified that the boundaries of the project area do fall within those of the (cid:145)Lago di
Alserio(cid:146) and thus comply with the criteria set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 1404/96 of 15 July 1996
amending Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92 establishing a financial instrument for the environment (Life) (2).

The Commission is aware that parts of the site of Community importance have not been included in the
nature reserve, and would thus not be covered by the management plan of the reserve. Nevertheless, to
guarantee a coherent approach the project includes the preparation of a management plan for the entire
site of Community importance. This plan will be formally adopted by the authorities before the project
ends.

The Commission has also no reason to doubt the other elements of information in the project proposal.
The project was carefully evaluated and revised before the final decision. The Commission does not
therefore consider it necessary to investigate the matter further or to freeze co-financing granted.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 181, 20.7.1996.

(2000/C 225 E/156)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2478/99

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject:

(cid:145)Clinic Clowns(cid:146): projects to provide psychological help for seriously ill children

Over the last ten years projects, usually called (cid:145)Clinic Clowns(cid:146) and aiming to provide psychological and
moral support for seriously ill children and adolescents, have been successfully carried out in various
Member States of the European Union such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Austria. By placing
the emphasis on humour, people including medical and non-medical staff give patients psychological and
moral support in addition to the treatment provided by medical experts.

C 225 E/144

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

Organising and carrying out these admirable projects, which involve hospitals, universities, doctors,
psychologists, entertainers and voluntary workers, is very costly. It has been proved that from the medical
point of view too it is useful for patients, especially children and adolescents, to receive psychological and
moral support.

Can the Commission state:

1. Whether it has already provided funding for this type of project, which is usually called (cid:145)Clinic
Clowns(cid:146)?

Does it intend to earmark funds for European projects for the development of deserving projects of

2.
this kind in all Member States of the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(19 January 2000)

1.

No, the Commission is not funding any (cid:145)Clinic Clowns(cid:146) project under its public health programmes.

2.
In accordance with the provisions of European Parliament and Council decisions concerning public
health programmes, calls for proposals are published annually in the Official Journal and it is at that stage
that interested persons or organisations should indicate the projects for which they wish to apply under
these programmes.

(2000/C 225 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2482/99

by Liam Hyland (UEN) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: EU(cid:146)s response to the crisis in the pigmeat market

As the Commission will recall, prices for pigmeat in 1998 were severely hit by the combination of internal
supply and world market trading conditions. Despite market support measures, they ended the year 40 %
lower than the equivalent periods in 1996 and 1997. The Commission stated that the consensus view was
that the mechanisms were deemed to be sufficient when effectively used.

Will the Commission now give its up-to-date assessment of the market in pigmeat for the EU as a whole as
we approach the end of 1999 and, in particular, indicate its current assessment of the effectiveness of the
mechanisms which it considered were sufficient to deal with the crisis?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(18 January 2000)

It is regrettable that the pigmeat market has suffered since summer 1998. The main reason for the poor
prices is the continuous oversupply of pigmeat. It is also true that for certain periods there were difficulties
in export markets, but poor exports can hardly be blamed for poor pigmeat prices as exports have
continuously increased. In 1997 exports of pigmeat increased by 13 %, in 1998 16 %, and in 1999 the
increase is estimated to be more than 20 %.

Pig farmers all over Europe expanded their herds after exceptionally good years of 1996 and 1997, which
resulted in record high production. Production increased in 1998 by 1,2 million tonnes or by 8 % reaching
a total of 17,6 million tonnes. Production is expected to increase in 1999 by 2 % and to remain at a high
level in 2000. Export markets cannot be expected to absorb this kind of supply increase, as the volume of
the world market has traditionally been just over 3 million tonnes.