WRITTEN QUESTION E-2466/99 by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Council. Travel to European Parliament part-sessions in Strasbourg.
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of the European Union, European Parliament, European official, allowances and expenses, road transport, seat of institution, transport accident

3.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 280 E/49

Reply

(13 March 2000)

On 22 December 1994 the Schengen Executive Committee approved a form for a certificate to carry
narcotic drugs and/or psychotropic substances for the purpose of medical treatment (1).

The certificate, based on Article 75 of the Schengen Convention, allows residents of any of the countries
applying the Schengen acquis to travel to other countries applying the Schengen acquis, lawfully carrying
on their person a medically prescribed quantity of narcotic drugs and/or psychotropic substances for
30 days(cid:146) treatment.

These are very special situations involving a limited number of people whose state of health is such that
they have to take medicine on a regular basis. Such medicine is prescribed by a doctor in their country of
residence, who uses for that purpose the special certificate provided for in Article 75 of the Convention.
The authorities in each country applying the Schengen Convention can check up on the certificate by
contacting the central office in the country in which it was issued.

Once the Schengen acquis, now incorporated into Community law, becomes applicable in Sweden, these
arrangements will apply there.

(1)

SCH/Com-ex (94) 28 rev. and SCH/Stup (94) 21.

(2000/C 280 E/048)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2466/99

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Council

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Travel to European Parliament part-sessions in Strasbourg

Parliament holds part-sessions in Strasbourg once a month. To that end, a huge number of officials and
other staff are required to travel from Brussels or Luxembourg to Strasbourg. A large proportion of those
travelling on (cid:145)mission(cid:146) in this way go by car.

(cid:129) How many staff overall travel every month from Brussels or Luxembourg to Strasbourg?

(cid:129) How many of the staff in question go by car?

(cid:129) How high are the total costs (including the cost of overnight stays, meals, etc.) resulting from the

(cid:145)removal(cid:146) to Strasbourg?

(cid:129) Are there records concerning, or is it known, whether or how often Council staff are involved in road

accidents during such journeys?

(cid:129) Is it known whether there have already been cases of death or serious injury resulting from road

accidents during such journeys?

(cid:129) Are there records of costs arising from accidents?

(cid:129) Do the accident statistics for the days of travel to and from Strasbourg deviate from those for other

days?

Reply

(16 March 2000)

The replies to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s questions concerning the journeys made by Council officials to
Strasbourg in connection with European Parliament part-sessions are set out below.

Each month when a part-session is held, an average of 21 officials travel to Strasbourg from Brussels. Of
these, about 10 go by car. The average total amount incurred in mission expenses is EUR 13 285 per part-
session month.

C 280 E/50

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

The Council has, to date, received no reports of any road accidents involving its staff during such journeys.

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that members of the Council Working Party on
General Affairs also travel regularly from Brussels to European Parliament part-sessions in Strasbourg.

(2000/C 280 E/049)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2467/99

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Travel to European Parliament part-sessions in Strasbourg

Parliament holds part-sessions in Strasbourg once a month. To that end, a huge number of officials and
other staff are required to travel from Brussels or Luxembourg to Strasbourg. A large proportion of those
travelling on (cid:145)mission(cid:146) in this way go by car.

(cid:129) How many staff overall travel every month from Brussels or Luxembourg to Strasbourg?

(cid:129) How many of the staff in question go by car?

(cid:129) How high are the total costs (including the cost of overnight stays, meals, etc.) resulting from the

(cid:145)removal(cid:146) to Strasbourg?

(cid:129) Are there records concerning, or is it known, whether or how often Commission staff are involved in

road accidents during such journeys?

(cid:129) Is it known whether there have already been cases of death or serious injury resulting from road

accidents during such journeys?

(cid:129) Are there records of costs caused by accidents?

(cid:129) Do the accident statistics for the days of travel to and from Strasbourg deviate from those for other

days?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(21 January 2000)

In 1998, which is the last full year for which complete figures are available, Commission officials from
Brussels and Luxembourg undertook 2705 missions to Strasbourg in connection with duties related to the
meetings of the European Parliament. These missions cost a total of € 1,3 million in the year, and 124 of
them took place by car. The Commission is not aware of any accidents during missions to Strasbourg by
car. The Commission does not, therefore, have any details relating to accidents, injuries or deaths.

The Commission does not have detailed accident statistics for the relevant stretches of the Belgian,
Luxembourg and French road systems which would enable calculations of relative accident rates to be
made.

(2000/C 280 E/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2472/99

by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Council

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Common Air Traffic Control area throughout the EU

Is the Council aware that, because of its failure to agree a common Air Traffic Control area throughout the
EU with a common EU-wide capacity plan, average flight-time delays are set to rise to 50 minutes?