WRITTEN QUESTION E-0947/00 by Rosa Miguélez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Income and social protection of women employed in shellfish harvesting.
Date: 2000-03-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, European social policy, Galicia, competence of the Member States, fisherman, mollusc, social-security contribution

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/9

As this phenomenon is becoming increasingly widespread and commonplace throughout the Union,
I would like to ask the Commission to outline its view on this matter and to reveal whether any legislation
to limit the introduction of commerce into state schools is in the pipeline.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

The Commission is aware of the importance of the issue raised by the Honourable Member, and of the
positive and negative aspects of these commercial practices, as can be seen from the study entitled
(cid:145)Marketing in schools(cid:146), which was financed by the Commission and has been available on the Internet (1)
since late 1998.

Where the use of such practices results in misleading advertising or hidden advertising messages, the
provisions of Council Directive 84/450/EEC of 10 September 1984 relating to the approximation of the
laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning misleading advertising (2)
apply.

However, in line with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, the Commission does not believe
that adopting more specific legislation at Community level
is the best solution to this problem. The
Commission has therefore already contacted the parties concerned, including consumer organisations, to
encourage them to start talks on a set of non-binding rules for commercial practices which target children
and young people.

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/library/surveys/sur03_en.html.
(2) OJ L 250, 19.9.1984.

(2001/C 72 E/010)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0947/00

by Rosa MiguØlez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(29 March 2000)

Subject: Income and social protection of women employed in shellfish harvesting

In Galicia 8 500 women manually harvest shellfish under licence from the Fisheries Ministry of the
Galician regional government. The 1993 Fisheries Law of Galicia obliged the women to register for social
security purposes with the RØgimen Especial del Mar (Mar(cid:237)ners(cid:146) Special Scheme) as independent self-
employed workers. In view of the very low incomes (on average Ptas 300 000 per annum) they earn, there
has traditionally been a tacit agreement between the government and the sector under which the workers
were not obliged to pay the corresponding social security contributions, which would be in the region of
Ptas 168 000 per annum, or 56 % of their total income.

The Galician regional government recently stated that unless the women were able to show evidence that
they had joined the Mar(cid:237)ners(cid:146) Special Scheme (Mar(cid:237)ners(cid:146) Social Security Institute), their licences would not
be renewed. The workers have called for negotiations with the regional and national governments aimed at
agreeing contributions based on income earned or amount of time worked (an average of four hours per
day for between eight and ten days per month, ten months per year).

What are the Commission(cid:146)s views on workers being asked to pay 56 % of their income in social security
contributions?

Is the Commission aware of other cases in the European Union where workers contribute over 50 % of
their income to the social security system?

Could the Commission, at the request of the Member State concerned, provide help to ensure that these
women are able to continue working without losing a disproportionate amount of their limited incomes?

C 72 E/10

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2000)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that the level of social security contributions is a
matter for the Member States alone.

The information available to the Commission on Social Security is contained in the publication (cid:145)Mutual
Information System on Social Protection in the Member States of the European Union(cid:146) (MISSOC), where
details of the various benefits in each Member State may be found. This publication is directly accessible
on the Internet at the following address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/soc-prot/missoc98.

The Commission cannot envisage an aid mechanism which would pay a portion of social security
contributions. Such a scheme could not be financed from any of the Commission(cid:146)s budget headings.

(2001/C 72 E/011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0956/00

by Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 March 2000)

Subject: Abandonment of cultivated land

The gradual loss of income which has been affecting nut producers in Catalonia has resulted in an ongoing
process of abandonment of cultivation in the countryside of the region, amounting over the 1990s to
39,4 % of all cultivated land. This process of rural dereliction is creating social and economic problems and
increasing fire and soil erosion risks.

What measures does the Commission intend to take for repopulation and conversion of production in the
rural areas of Catalonia and to ensure that cultivated land is no longer left abandoned? Does the
Commission intend to dedicate structural measures to this end?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 2000)

The new rural development policy adopted by the Council in June 1999 has become the second pillar of
the common agricultural policy. An essential element of the European model of agriculture, it aims by
promoting job maintenance and creation to provide a solid and sustainable framework securing the future
of rural areas. The main policy foci are a stronger agriculture and forestry sector, greater competitiveness
on the part of rural areas, and protection of the environment and rural heritage.

Among the structural measures included in Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on
support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and
amending and repealing certain Regulations (1) are aid for afforestation of agricultural land, compensatory
allowances in less favoured areas and areas with environmental restrictions, and agri-environmental aid.
These should help meet the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concerns. Agri-environmental measures for the period
1995-1999 presented by Spain and approved under Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 of 30 June
1992 on agricultural production methods compatible with the requirements of protection of the environ-
ment and maintenance of the countryside (2) already permitted aid to nut growers on the terms set in the
relevant programmes.

As is fully consonant with the subsidiarity principle,
it falls to Member States to present their rural
development programmes. For non-Objective 1 zones such as Catalonia EAGGF Guarantee aid may be
requested for structural action as indicated above. In addition to the action envisaged, programmes must
describe the situation in the zone, its specific problems, and the proposed strategy and its priorities.