WRITTEN QUESTION E-0346/00 by Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Competence in connection with the economic agreement drawn up by the Spanish government's representatives in the Basque Country.
Date: 2000-02-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Basque Country, control of State aid, infringement procedure (EU), restriction on competition, tax relief

28.12.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374 E/57

contribution. This is the framework within which the Community can contribute to combating the social
exclusion of all vulnerable individuals and groups, including travelling people, and the Commission has
outlined possible proposals in this area in its communication (cid:145)Building an inclusive Europe(cid:146) (1).

In addition, the recent proposals on combating discrimination adopted by the Commission on 25 Novem-
ber 1999 will forbid discrimination on grounds of racial or ethnic origin in employment, education, social
protection and social security, social advantages and access to goods and services (2). In combating both
direct and indirect discrimination in these fields, the Community will contribute to eliminating some of the
barriers to inclusion faced by the Roma and other travelling people. The Commission has called on the
Council and the Parliament to make rapid progress on this package of proposals.

(1) COM(2000) 79 final.
(2) COM(1999) 564, 565, 566 and 567 final.

(2000/C 374 E/066)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0346/00

by Jaime Valdivielso de CuØ (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Competence in connection with the economic agreement drawn up by the Spanish government(cid:146)s

representatives in the Basque Country

On 18 January the Spanish Government reached an agreement with the authorities of the Autonomous
Community of the Basque Country on the economic and tax agreement drawn up by the central
government representatives in that region. Furthermore, this agreement has the approval of the bordering
autonomous communities.

Will the Commission continue with infringement proceedings against the central government(cid:146)s representa-
tives despite the fact that the supposedly adversely affected autonomous communities have approved the
agreement?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(13 April 2000)

The Commission opened proceedings under Article 88(2) (former Article 93) of the EC Treaty against tax
measures in the form of (cid:145)tax holidays(cid:146) and tax relief introduced by the Basque provinces, not on account of
complaints brought by the neighbouring autonomous communities but of doubts regarding their compat-
ibility with the common market in the light of Article 87 (former Article 92) of the EC Treaty. The fact
that the neighbouring communities have approved the agreement does not affect the proceedings initiated
in the interests of competitors of the firms in receipt of aid.

(2000/C 374 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0355/00

by Ward Beysen (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Copyright directive

The Commission(cid:146)s proposal on revising the directive on copyright and associated rights is currently before
the Council. The proposal affords enormous advantages in that it strikes a balance between copyright
holders, on the one hand, and users and the technology sector, on the other; however, there may be an
inherent risk of giving a complete technical monopoly to copyright holders. What action is the
Commission intending to take to avoid requirements being imposed in respect of technical systems in
exceptional cases, i.e. instances where copying is, in fact, permitted?