WRITTEN QUESTION P-0161/00 by Ole Andreasen (ELDR) to the Commission. Information policy.
Date: 2000-01-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, EU financing arrangements, France, aid to disaster victims, emergency aid, flood, third country

3.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 280 E/189

The Commission is aware of the newspaper article to which the Honourable Member refers but would
point out that the criticism voiced in it related to a preliminary draft which had not been approved by the
Commission.

The Honourable Member will find that his concerns are fully met by the text of the proposal for a
Regulation on public access to Parliament, Council and Commission documents. The proposal improves
and amplifies the scope of the rules currently in force in the institutions, extending them to cover
incoming documents in their possession.

The redefinition of the proposal(cid:146)s scope in no way prevents individuals or bodies from participating in the
decision-making process or deliberations of the institutions. Such participation is indispensable to decision-
making in a democratic system.

(1) COM(00) 30 final.

(2000/C 280 E/219)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0159/00

by Carl Lang (TDI) to the Commission

(26 January 2000)

Subject: Flooding in the South of France

In reply to a question by my colleague Mr Jean-Claude Martinez (E-2395/99) (1), the Commission indicated
that no emergency aid was paid by the Community to Member States in response to natural disasters but
that it intended to provide ERDF or EAGGF appropriations for affected areas under certain conditions.

How will the Commission ensure that these notoriously bureaucratic and lengthy procedures are

1.
implemented rapidly?

How can the Commission justify excluding an affected area from such aid on the grounds that it is

2.
no longer situated in an area eligible for structural funds under the programmes for 2000-2006?

3.
Given the profound injustice of a situation in which the Commission grants emergency aid to third
countries while at the same time, refusing it to Member States of the European Union, will it remedy
matters, for example by re-entering the appropriation under an amending budget for 2000?

(1) OJ C 225 E, 8.8.2000, p. 124.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2000)

The Honourable Member should refer to the information memo adopted by the Commission on 12 January
2000 (1) and also to its contribution to the debate during the plenary session of Parliament in January
2000 (2).

SEC(00) 40.

(1)
(2) Debates of the European Parliament (January 2000).

(2000/C 280 E/220)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0161/00

by Ole Andreasen (ELDR) to the Commission

(26 January 2000)

Subject: Information policy

At the European Council meeting in Helsinki of 10 and 11 December 1999, it was decided that the
Commission should be invited to study the general question of the Union(cid:146)s information policy.

C 280 E/190

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

How does the Commission plan to proceed with this study? Will it ask an external body to carry out the
study? If not, which service or directorate-general will be responsible for the study? Will the Commission
involve the European Parliament? If so, in what way, and which bodies or committees will it contract?
How will the Commission coordinate this study and its recommendations with the work done by
Commissioner Kinnock on a Communication on Strategic Reform?

What is the timetable for the study?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2000)

The Commission has taken note of the conclusions regarding information policy as agreed at the European
Council meeting in Helsinki of 10-11 December 1999 and has started its preparations for a communica-
tion on the (cid:145)Dialogue with Citizens(cid:146). The new strategy will be based on partnerships with Member States
and the civil society and make use of appropriate decentralized networks in the Member States. The
Parliament will be fully associated in the process.

The new communication strategy which will be developed in the perspective of the broader reform of the
Commission will be presented in the near future.

(2000/C 280 E/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0162/00

by Fran(cid:231)oise GrossetŒte (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Common VAT system (cid:129) Deductions

(26 January 2000)

Articles 17-19 of Directive 77/388/EEC (1) constitute a major source of controversy and interpretational
problems for businessmen.

Does the Commission agree with the interpretations put forward in respect of the following issues:

(cid:129) Article 17 of Directive 77/388/EEC would never authorise the deduction of VAT charged on

expenditure incurred with a view to the acquisition of shares in another company;

(cid:129) when a taxable person(cid:146)s business activities involve simultaneously activities which are exempt from
taxation and activities which are subject to taxation, the structure of Directive 77/388/EEC is such
that, as regards the calculation of the proportion which is VAT deductible, the criterion of actual
assignment must be applied rather than a general proportion for deduction calculated;

(cid:129) while, pursuant to Article 17(6) of Directive 77/388/EEC, deduction of VAT on the purchase of cars is
restricted, even where such vehicles are used exclusively for a business activity subject to taxation,
delivery or subsequent hire to which VAT is applied by the taxable person must take account of the
VAT not deducted at the previous stage;

(cid:129) Directive 77/388/EEC provides for a common system for deliveries of goods or provision of services
for the taxable person(cid:146)s own use, but the Member States may derogate from that common system in
application of Article 17(6) of the Directive;

(cid:129) the deduction of VAT provided for in Article 17 of Directive 77/388/EEC may be subject to an act of
the tax authorities subsequent to the time when the right of deduct arose, determining the amount of
the VAT due and authorising reimbursement of the tax paid;

(cid:129) where a retailer decides to embellish the pavement area outside his shop by installing a bench and
plant containers with a view to attracting customers, the VAT payable on the cost of such embellish-
ment of the pavement area is deductible, even though the work involved does not exclusively benefit
his customers;