WRITTEN QUESTION P-0787/00 by Pat Gallagher (UEN) to the Commission. Socrates funding for minority language projects.
Date: 2000-03-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, facilities for people with disabilities, minority language, television, translation

C 303 E/208

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

24.10.2000

Furthermore, Community law does not detract from the powers of the Member States to organise their
social security systems. In the absence of social security harmonisation at Community level, it is therefore
for the legislation of each Member State to determine the conditions concerning the right or duty to be
insured with a social security scheme and the conditions for entitlement to benefits. These principles result
from settled case-law of the Court of Justice, referred to in points 17 and 18 of the judgment given on
28 April 1998 (C-158/96).

It follows from the above that Community law cannot prevent the Netherlands (cid:129) whose social security
system is based on a condition of residence (cid:129) from making access to its legislation on exceptional medical
costs (AWBZ) subject to the condition of being resident in the Netherlands.

As regards the principle of legitimate expectations, it cannot be interpreted in such a way as to exclude
any amendment to the law which is compatible with Community law.

(1) OJ L 28, 30.1.1997.

(2000/C 303 E/239)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0782/00

by Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 March 2000)

Subject: Information for consumers on the health benefits of certain food products

Current legislation on food consumption does not allow consumers to be informed of the specific benefits
which some foodstuffs have for their health. Modern consumers are clearly facing disinformation which
may lead to an insufficient vitamin intake.

Bearing in mind how important it is to be able to reduce the risk of suffering certain illnesses thanks to the
consumption of certain foodstuffs, and to purchase foodstuffs safely, will the Commission make any
changes to the legislation in force in relation to nutritional
information so that consumers may be
informed of the specific benefits which certain food products have for their health?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(13 April 2000)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written question E-0232/00 by
Mrs Thomas-Mauro (1).

(1) See page 164.

(2000/C 303 E/240)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0787/00

by Pat Gallagher (UEN) to the Commission

(9 March 2000)

Subject: Socrates funding for minority language projects

Could the Commission state what European funding is available, and under which budget lines and
programmes, to support the production of Irish language subtitles for television programmes?

The production of these subtitles is in particular aimed at assisting the deaf.

24.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 303 E/209

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(7 April 2000)

The Socrates programme does not include a budget heading specifically for Irish-language subtitling for
television programmes.

However, the MEDIA II programme (1996-2000) to promote and develop the European audiovisual
industry places particular emphasis on supporting multilingual works and the quality dubbing and
subtitling of European programmes, in minority languages too, so that they can be broadcast to a wide
audience.

This support for dubbing and subtitling is granted in the form of a subsidy (as opposed to most of the
other funding in the programme, which takes the form of loans repayable on certain conditions), as part of
the existing support systems, in particular those concerned with distribution.

The action lines of the MEDIA programme, as defined by Council Decisions 95/563/EC and 95/564/EC (1),
do not provide for financial support to be granted directly to television stations for the dubbing or
subtitling of European programmes.

However, one action line of the programme is support for the coproduction by several European partners
of independent works (fiction, documentaries, animation) for broadcasting by a number of European
television stations. Several projects involving Irish partners (producers or broadcasters) have been
supported under this action line, e.g. the series (cid:145)Ros Na Run(cid:146), produced by the production company
EO Teilif(cid:237)s, the TV film (cid:145)Le Dernier Mot(cid:146), a French-Irish coproduction by CinØtØvØ, and two documentary
series produced by Concordia Cyf: (cid:145)Celtic Radicals(cid:146) and (cid:145)The Glory Game (cid:129) Football(cid:146)s conquering Celts(cid:146). As
part of these projects, some of the funding granted was for producing dubbed or subtitled versions in the
Irish language, to be broadcast by TnaG.

(1) OJ L 321, 30.1.1995.

(2000/C 303 E/241)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0797/00

by Lousewies van der Laan (ELDR) to the Commission

(16 March 2000)

Subject: Requirement that Dutch citizens return to the Netherlands in connection with sudden claims to

benefits from certain types of collective insurance

1.
Is the Commission aware of the practical effects on Dutch citizens of KB 746, which requires them
to move back to the Netherlands if they wish to continue to benefit from certain types of collective
insurances?

Does the Commission agree that this constitutes a de facto restriction on the free movement of

2.
persons in the European Union?

3. What steps will the Commission take to ensure that Dutch citizens can continue to reside in the
place of their choosing in the European Union without incurring undue and unforeseen costs as a result of
the new legislation?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(13 April 2000)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written question P-0706/00 by
Mr Staes (1).

(1) See page 207.