WRITTEN QUESTION P-2670/99 by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Resignation of the Director-General of Social Affairs and Employment.
Date: 2000-01-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU employment policy, European Commissioner, European social policy, termination of employment

C 280 E/100

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

(2000/C 280 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2670/99

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(11 January 2000)

Subject: Resignation of the Director-General of Social Affairs and Employment

We have heard that the Director-General of Social Affairs and Employment has recently resigned.

Could the Commission provide information concerning the reasons for this resignation and the impact
which the resignation will have on the establishment of the Commission(cid:146)s position during the preparations
for the Lisbon Council meeting on employment and competitiveness in Europe?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2000)

Allan Larsson, the Director-general of the Employment and social affairs Directorate general, has not
resigned. Mr Larsson has announced his intention to leave the Commission when he completes five years
in his post later this year, as he is entitled to do.

The Commission is currently preparing its contribution to the Lisbon European Council. All services are
contributing in the normal way.

(2000/C 280 E/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2676/99

by Malcolm Harbour (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: State aid to the car industry

The Commission has indicated that state aid to the car industry will be the subject of a special
investigation.

When will this study be completed and how will the Commission ensure that car companies wishing to
establish new plants in the European Union are not placed at a competitive disadvantage against aid offers
from non-EU countries, inducing them to resite their operations outside the Union?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(8 February 2000)

The Commission introduced a Community framework for state aid to the motor vehicle industry in 1989
(the (cid:145)car framework(cid:146)) with the twofold aim of increasing the transparency of aid flows and imposing strict
discipline in the granting of such aid in order to reduce distortion of competition to a minimum.

The current framework entered into force on 1 January 1998 for a three year period. The framework
stipulates that at the end of that period, the Commission will decide whether to extend it, in particular in
the light of the status of the proposed multisectoral framework.

The Commission has recently started work on the future of the car framework. An independent consultant
has been appointed to assist the Commission. Extensive discussions will be held with the Member States
and the automotive industry. The Commission should be able to adopt a final decision on the future of the
car framework in July 2000.

Regarding unfair competition from third countries offering aid packages with the view to obtaining
relocation of activities, recent experience shows that often when a car manufacturer is considering the
location of an investment project (for which the targeted markets are in Western Europe) the alternative is
either to invest in the Community or to develop new operations in the applicant countries.