WRITTEN QUESTION E-0251/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Statement by Commissioner Liikanen.
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU industrial policy, administrative formalities, business start-up, international competition, simplification of formalities, small and medium-sized enterprises, social-security harmonisation, start-up

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/111

(2000/C 330 E/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0251/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Statement by Commissioner Liikanen

In the 4 October 1999 edition of Cordis Focus, Commissioner Liikanen is on record as stating, (cid:145)It is not
acceptable that it costs three times as much and takes seven times as long to start a new business in the
European Union as in the US(cid:146).

What causes does the Commission identify as creating this cost differential? What measures is it intending
to take to sweep away those business burdens? Is it intending, consequently, to stop introducing Social
Chapter legislation?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(31 March 2000)

It is clear that the differences between the time necessary and the cost involved in establishing a new
enterprise in the Community and those that arise for an equivalent operation in the United States are not
acceptable.

The extent of this differential does,
in fact, vary between Member States and depends on differing
administrative traditions and differing responses to problems that have arisen from time to time in
unregulated commercial activity. However, the overwhelming view in all of the Member States is that
procedures need to be simplified and costs reduced. The Commission has assisted the Member States to
address the problem in a number of ways. The report of the business environment simplification task force
((cid:145)BEST(cid:146)) (1) focuses on this particular issue in its fourth recommendation, where it calls on Member States to
take initiatives to facilitate the creation of enterprises. In the follow-up to this report, under the (cid:145)Action
Plan to promote Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness(cid:146) (2), the Commission is required to monitor and
evaluate progress on implementation of the business start-ups recommendation (3) and to share informa-
tion about best practice.

In the framework of the concerted actions, where the Commission assists the Member States to identify
and exchange best practice on matters central to enterprise policy, considerable attention has been paid to
the question of business start-ups. The Commission recommendation on improving and simplifying the
business environment for start-ups, referred to in the BEST report, summarised the good practice identified
during the first concerted action that was directly concerned with this theme. As outlined in the recent
report on concerted action (4), there is evidence of progress in this area. The French (cid:145)Centres de formalitØs
d(cid:146)entreprises(cid:146), for instance, have radically simplified procedures for start-ups. Moreover, there is encoura-
ging evidence of Member States learning from each others(cid:146) experience. The Portuguese (cid:145)Centro de
Formalidades das Empresas(cid:146) network, for example, has been consciously based on the French model.

The concerted actions have also identified good practice in the areas of finance, training and support
services for start-ups.

Moreover, the Commission is reinforcing the evaluation of the impact of proposed Community legislation
on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through its business impact assessment system.

The Commission is also launching a benchmarking initiative in the field of entrepreneurship and
innovation. First discussions will take place at the Industry Council
in May, first results are expected
under the French Presidency.

In the green paper on innovation (5), specific problems for the start-up of innovative companies were
highlighted. A variety of measures under the innovation action plan (6) describe existing measures, namely
for new technology based companies. A pilot action was launched in early 1999 with the specific objective

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21.11.2000

to identify economic areas which provide the best environment for successful launch and growth of start-
up and spin-off companies. This pilot action will also promote the validation and transfer of novel
strategies demonstrating best practices from the regions of the Community for the creation of innovative
companies. As far as the question refers to (cid:145)Social Chapter legislation(cid:146), the Commission would refer the
Honourable Member to Article 137(2) (ex Article 118) of the EC Treaty.

To this end, the Intergovernmental Conference adopted Declaration no 26, which states that: (cid:145)The High
Contracting Parties note that in the discussions on Article 118(2) (now 137(2)) of the Treaty establishing
the European Community it was agreed that the Community does not intend, in laying down minimum
requirements for the protection of the safety and health of employees, to discriminate in a manner
unjustified by the circumstances against employees in small and medium-sized undertakings.(cid:146)

(1) European Communities (1998). (cid:145)Report of the Business Environment Simplification Task Force(cid:146) Office for Official

Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg. ISBN 92-828-3418-2.

(2) Council Conclusions on the Action Plan to Promote Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness 29.4.1999.
(3) Commission Recommendation 97/344/EC of 22 April 1997, on improving and simplifying the business environ-

ment for business start-ups, OJ L 145, 5.6.1997.

(4) Report from the Commission to the Council and the Parliament on Concerted Action with the Member States in the

field of Enterprise Policy. COM(1999) 569 final.

(5) COM(95) 688 final.
(6) COM(96) 589 final.

(2000/C 330 E/125)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0259/00

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: EU radon gas levels

Can the Commission state whether it has figures for the levels of radon gas present in public buildings and
dwellings throughout the European Union and can it state whether or not these levels of gas create a
possible hazard to public health in the Union?

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

(23 March 2000)

The Commission has carried out a survey of levels of natural radioactivity in Member States which was
published in the form of an Atlas (Radiation Protection, 1993, Natural sources of ionizing radiation in
Europe, EUR 14 470). It continues to collect information from national surveys.

With regard to the possible hazard to public health, the Commission published in 1990 Commission
Recommendation 90/143/Euratom of 21 February 1990 on the protection of the public against indoor
exposure to radon (1). In this Recommendation a reference level for remedial action of 400 becquerel per
cubic meter is proposed for existing buildings.

The percentage of dwellings exceeding this level
significant in some Member States (Finland, Sweden) and in certain regions.

is in general very small, but the problem is more

(1) OJ L 80, 27.3.1990.