do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0249/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Pension liabilities.
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European official, administrative expenditure (EU), commitment of expenditure, management accounting, pension scheme, regulations for civil servants, supplementary pension

C 330 E/110

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 2000)

The fixing of guarantee thresholds for tobacco of variety group VII (Katerini) in Italy by Council Regulation
(EC) No 660/1999 of 22 March 1999 amending Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 (1) for the 1999, 2000 and
2001 harvests is justified by one of the basic objectives of the 1998 reform of the common organisation
of the market (COM) in tobacco: the need to reorientate production towards the varieties most sought after
on the market.

Under Article 9(4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation
of the market in raw tobacco (2) Member States can ask the Commission for authorisation to transfer part
of their guarantee threshold allocations between the various groups of varieties. The Commission examines
the requests for transfer and checks that they do not give rise to additional expenditure for the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and do not result in an increase in each Member
State(cid:146)s overall guarantee threshold.

To date, the Commission has received no request for transfer for Italy concerning group VII (Katerini), but
a transfer remains possible until the deadline for concluding cultivation contracts.

(1) OJ L 83, 27.3.1999.
(2) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.

(2000/C 330 E/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0249/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Pension liabilities

What are the present liabilities for the European Communities staff?

What are the estimates of the same for 2020?

What reforms leading to a private-based system are under consideration?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(17 March 2000)

A recent estimate puts the pension liabilities for the staff of the Communities, including those of the
Commission, Parliament and the Council at € 14 100 million at the end of 1997 and € 22 200 million
(excluding inflation) at the end of 2020.

These estimates result from an actuarial calculation based inter alia, on a real interest rate of 2,5 % for the
whole period. The mortality table was developed by the actuary Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG)
for the purpose of the evaluation.

The liabilities have been determined as the (cid:145)defined benefit obligation(cid:146) that would be required to be
disclosed in the employer(cid:146)s balance sheet under International accounting standard 19.

The Commission is not considering any proposals relating to the pension scheme that would lead to a
private-based system.
Commission Regulation (EC) No 288/2000 of 7 February 2000 establishing the standard import values for determining the entry price of certain fruit and vegetables
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: agri-monetary policy, citrus fruit, fruit vegetable, import price, perennial vegetable, pip fruit

8. 2. 2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 33/1

I

(Acts whose publication is obligatory)

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 288/2000

of 7 February 2000

establishing the standard import values for determining the entry price of certain fruit and
vegetables

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(2)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

In compliance with the above criteria,
the standard
import values must be fixed at the levels set out in the
Annex to this Regulation,

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 3223/94 of
21 December 1994 on detailed rules for the application of the
last
import arrangements
amended by Regulation (EC) No 1498/98 (2), and in particular
Article 4 (1) thereof,

fruit and vegetables (1), as

for

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Whereas:

(1)

Regulation (EC) No 3223/94 lays down, pursuant to the
outcome of the Uruguay Round multilateral trade nego-
tiations, the criteria whereby the Commission fixes the
standard values for imports from third countries,
in
respect of the products and periods stipulated in the
Annex thereto.

The standard import values referred to in Article 4 of Regula-
tion (EC) No 3223/94 shall be fixed as indicated in the Annex
hereto.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on 8 February 2000.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 7 February 2000.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 337, 24.12.1994, p. 66.
(2) OJ L 198, 15.7.1998, p. 4.

L 33/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 2. 2000

to the Commission Regulation of 7 February 2000 establishing the standard import values for determining the
entry price of certain fruit and vegetables

ANNEX

CN code

0702 00 00

0707 00 05

0709 10 00

0709 90 70

0805 10 10, 0805 10 30, 0805 10 50

0805 20 10

0805 20 30, 0805 20 50,
0805 20 70, 0805 20 90

0805 30 10

0808 10 20, 0808 10 50, 0808 10 90

0808 20 50

Third country
code (1)

Standard import
value

(EUR/100 kg)

052
204
212
624
999
052
628
999
220
999
052
204
628
999
052
204
212
600
624
999
204
999

052
204
464
600
624
999
052
600
624
999
039
400
404
720
728
999
064
388
400
528
720
999

109,0
57,0
104,9
216,4
121,8
137,7
166,1
151,9
190,9
190,9
130,2
70,8
144,3
115,1
32,3
40,2
41,1
37,7
61,3
42,5
60,0
60,0

61,4
71,4
136,2
72,4
70,3
82,3
62,1
70,7
66,2
66,3
83,4
96,1
90,0
65,8
73,7
81,8
70,0
111,8
112,8
99,5
66,3
92,1

(1) Country nomenclature as fixed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2543/1999 (OJ L 307, 2.12.1999, p. 46). Code ‘999’ stands for ‘of

other origin’.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0247/00 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Withholding of the premium for tobacco producers for the Community Tobacco Fund.
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Regulation, EU production, Greece, common organisation of markets, production aid, tobacco, tobacco industry

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/225

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(14 February 2000)

The Commission fully shares the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency in the area of education, which are
part of
the promotion of a Europe of knowledge based on lifelong education and training. The
Commission supports, inter alia, the Presidency(cid:146)s initiative to set up a new rolling agenda in order to
give greater continuity and effectiveness to the Council(cid:146)s work in the areas of education and training. It
expects that this will increase the impact of the Community action programmes Socrates and Leonardo,
one of whose main objectives is to strengthen the European dimension of education and training.

As far as the respective roles of the Member States and the Commission in promoting these objectives are
concerned, it should be pointed out that the Community(cid:146)s responsibilities in the area of education are
clearly defined in Article 149 (ex-Article 126) of the EC Treaty. This Article stipulates that the Community
(cid:145)shall contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member
States and,
if necessary, by supporting and supplementing their action, while fully respecting [their]
responsibility for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and
linguistic diversity(cid:146).

(2000/C 225 E/262)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0247/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Withholding of the premium for tobacco producers for the Community Tobacco Fund

In its resolution of 17.7.1997 (1) on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco, the European
Parliament called on the Commission to supply information on the activities so far of the Tobacco
Research and Information Fund as a precondition for any agreement to increase the resources available to
it.

1.
Has any information been published about the use of the resources withheld between 1993 and
1988 by the Tobacco Research and Information Fund? Which programmes have been funded for Greece
so far?

2.
Given that no implementing regulation has been issued to increase the deduction decided by Council
Regulation 1636/98 (2) on the Community Tobacco Fund, does the Commission intend to examine the
possibility of not withholding the premium for tobacco producers for the above Fund in 1999?

(1) OJ C 286, 22.9.1997, p. 237.
(2) OJ L 210, 28.7.1998, p. 23.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 March 2000)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.
2000/192/EC: Commission Decision of 7 February 2000 concerning the conclusion of an Agreement amending the Agreement between the European Community and Australia on trade in wine (notified under document number C(2000) 224)
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Australia, agreement (EU), trade agreement, trade promotion, wine

7.3.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 60/23

COMMISSION

COMMISSION DECISION

of 7 February 2000

concerning the conclusion of an Agreement amending the Agreement between the European
Community and Australia on trade in wine

(notified under document number C(2000) 224)

(2000/192/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Decision 94/184/EC, of 24 January 1994, concerning the conclusion of an
Agreement between the European Community and Australia on trade in wine (1), and in particular Article 3
thereof,

Having regard to the Agreement between the European Community and Australia on trade in wine signed
in Brussels and in Canberra respectively on 26 and 31 January 1994 (2),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

The Commission negotiated, on behalf of the Community, an amendment of the aforementioned
Agreement aiming to extend, until 30 June 2000, the provisional authorisation granted to Australian
wines treated with cation exchange resins.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Wine
Committee,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Agreement amending the Agreement between the European Community and Australia on trade in
wine is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision.

This Decision and the Agreement referred to in Article 1 shall be published in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

Article 2

Done at Brussels, 7 February 2000.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 86, 31.3.1994, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 86, 31.3.1994, p. 3.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0252/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Secondary employment.
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, European official, duties of civil servants, holding of two jobs

C 374 E/46

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

28.12.2000

(2000/C 374 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0252/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Secondary employment

How many Commission staff are engaged in secondary employment that required approval according to
the Staff Regulations and how many were instructed to cease or refrain from specified employment of this
kind?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(24 March 2000)

Article 12 of the Staff Regulations provides that officials must abstain from any outside activities which
may reflect on their position. Furthermore an official wishing to engage in an outside activity whether
gainful or not, or to carry out any assignment outside the Communities must obtain permission from the
appointing authority. Permission shall be refused if the activity or assignment is such as to impair the
official(cid:146)s independence or to be detrimental to the work of the Communities.

The number of outside activities for which permission has been required in the last five years is 677. They
related mainly to teaching engagements in universities, appearances at conferences and seminars,
participation in different kind of Boards of academic, administration or artistic foundations, societies and
other organisations whose activities are not in conflict with the interests of the Commission or the
Communities. There have been four occasions on which permission to engage in outside activities was
sought and authorisation has been refused.

(2000/C 374 E/054)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0254/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Commissioners(cid:146) cabinets

Will the Commissioners list the members of their cabinet?

What are the total salaries for each cabinet?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(16 March 2000)

The list of all members of the Commission(cid:146)s cabinets is being transmitted directly to the Honourable
Member and the General secretariat of the Parliament. It is available in published documents.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0238/00 by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Structural fund additionality.
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Structural Funds, United Kingdom, Wales, principle of additionality

C 374 E/42

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

28.12.2000

(2000/C 374 E/048)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0238/00

by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Structural fund additionality

The legal definition of additionality requires that the appropriations of the Funds may not replace public or
other equivalent structural expenditure. However, in the UK, this only needs to be demonstrated on a UK
basis.

The European component of structural funds for Wales is paid from the EU into the UK Treasury. The
annual budget allocation awarded to the National Assembly for Wales is calculated by the Treasury using a
mechanism which has not been adjusted to take into account the additional sums which will be available
to West Wales and the Valleys under the Objective 1 programme from January 2000. What this means in
effect is that EU schemes in Wales have been paid for out of the Wales budget for education, health, social
services and so on.

Given the stated intention of the Commission to target the Structural Funds in a more effective and
concentrated way between 2000 and 2006, would the Commission consider introducing a mechanism that
would reveal to what extent additionality was implemented on a regional basis within the Member States
and therefore to what extent the funds were being used to maximum benefit in the targeted areas?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(31 March 2000)

There is no requirement under the regulation for Member States to apply the principle of additionality on
a regional basis.

The rules are set out in the general regulation on the structural funds (1) that was agreed by the Council
in June of last year and which establishes the frame of reference for the Commission and the Member
States for the implementation of the programmes for the period up until the end of 2006.

Apart from the provisions with regard to additionality, the regulations also required the Member States,
firstly, to ensure that Community resources are spent only in the eligible regions to which they have been
allocated and, secondly, that these resources are cofinanced by national resources within the limits
provided. The programming document adopted by the Commission contains the necessary confirmation
on both of these aspects.

(1) Regulation EC No 1260/1999 of 21.6.1999 (cid:129) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2000/C 374 E/049)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0239/00

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

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Territorial employment pacts

Following the adoption of the territorial employment pacts, can the Commission say:

1.

Exactly how many pacts have been established in the cohesion countries?

2. Give an assessment of their progress hitherto in each of the cohesion countries?

3.

Set out the underlying principles of the new pacts for the period 2000-2006?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0236/00 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The future of wood-burning ovens.
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, catering industry, food hygiene

28.12.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374 E/41

Decision No 1692/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines
for the development of the trans-European network does not add any legal obligation in respect to the
application of the EIA Directive. Article 8 states that (cid:145)TEN projects(cid:146) are ruled by and subject to Directive
85/337/EEC. Since such Directive covers all the projects for which the development consent had been
granted after 3 July 1988, there is no legal obligation for Member States to submit projects approved
before 3 July 1988 to the EIA procedure as set out in Directive 85/337/EEC, even if the project concerns
the trans-European networks.

The Commission has no intention to prohibit an increase of traffic at Malpensa airport for environmental
reasons. This issue remains within the competence of the Member States which may adopt specific
operational rules or limit the exercise of traffic rights at Community airports for environmental reasons on
the basis of Article 8.2 or 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for
Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes (3).

(1)

For the purposes of Directive 85/337/EEC,
(cid:145)project(cid:146) means (cid:145)the execution of construction works or of other
installation or schemes; other interventions in the natural surroundings and landscape including those involving
the extraction of mineral resources(cid:146) (Article 1).

(2) Article 2.1 of Directive 85/337/EEC.
(3) OJ L 240, 24.8.1992.

(2000/C 374 E/047)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0236/00

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: The future of wood-burning ovens

Can the Commission confirm that there are no plans to ban the use of wood-burning ovens such as those
used to cook traditional pizzas?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(29 February 2000)

The Commission has no plans to introduce legislation or other measures which may potentially lead to a
ban on wood burning pizza ovens.

Although there have been reports in certain newspapers and other media that new hygiene legislation may
be introduced to this end there is no truth in these reports. Food businesses that are involved in preparing
and cooking pizzas are covered by Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on the hygiene of
foodstuffs (1) that was adopted unanimously in June 1993, and which Member States have to implement by
15 December 1995. It requires food equipment in contact with food to be in good condition, clean and
properly maintained. There are no specific measures for pizza ovens.

The Honourable Member is also referred to the Commission(cid:146)s answer to Written Question P-2771/99 (2) by
Mr Mastella.

(1) OJ L 175, 19.7.1993.
(2) OJ C 330 E, 21.11.2000, p. 49.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0250/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Funds for federalist organisations.
Date: 2000-02-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, European Movement, fund (EU), promotion of the European idea, support policy

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/1

I

(Information)

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

(2001/C 81 E/001)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0250/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 February 2000)

Subject: Funds for federalist organisations

A number of organisations, whose political goal is the unification of the continent of Europe, receiving
funding from the Communities budget lines.

Will the Commission identify which bodies (cid:129) endorsing the creation of a European superstate, federal
entity or ever-closer union (cid:129) have received such funding, from which budget line, for the past two years?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 2000)

Under line A-3021 of the Commission(cid:146)s budget the budgetary authority authorises the Commission to
spend money on (cid:145)grants to organisations advancing the idea of Europe(cid:146) to cover their running costs.

The names of the beneficiaries and the amount of their grant are communicated by the Commission to
Parliament each year in the (cid:145)Report on Beneficiaries of Part A Grants(cid:146). The list for 1998 can be found on
Europa, the Commission(cid:146)s Internet server, at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgc/info_subv/beneficiaries_en.htm.

The list of beneficiaries of a grant under line A-3021 for 1999 will be communicated to Parliament before
the end of May 2000. In the meantime, apart from the 14 organisations listed by the budgetary authority
in its remarks on budget line A-3021, a list of the beneficiaries is sent direct to the Honourable Member
and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

The Commission will have to let the Honourable Member decide for himself which of these organisations
come within his definition of (cid:145)federalist(cid:146).

The Commission(cid:146)s choice of which projects to finance is based on the finality of the action itself and not
on the political goals of the organisation supporting the projects. The Commission is therefore not in a
position to inform the Honourable Member which of the organisations receiving a grant for a project have
as their objective the creation of a federation, since it does not hold the requested data.

Furthermore, the Commission supports actions of the European Movement and of International federation
of Europe Houses (FIME), which aim to animate a dialogue on European concepts (ideas), as requested by
the European Parliament and stipulated in the commentary of the budgetary line B3-301.