WRITTEN QUESTION E-1215/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Parliamentary dependants.
Date: 2000-04-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, European Commissioner, pension scheme, retirement conditions, sales promotion

C 53 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

In accordance with the conclusions of the 1999 Helsinki European Council, an accession partnership will
be drawn up with Turkey on the basis of previous European Council conclusions while containing
priorities on which accession preparations must concentrate in the light of the political and economic
criteria and the obligations of a Member State, combined with a national programme for the adoption of
the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146). Appropriate monitoring mechanisms will be established.

(2001/C 53 E/132)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1215/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 April 2000)

Subject: Parliamentary dependants

How many British politicians, excluding members of the European Parliament, are in receipt of monies
from the European Communities, be they pensions or otherwise sourced?

Who are they? What level of finances are involved in each case? What requirement remains on such
individuals to support the policy of their former employers?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(25 May 2000)

The Commission takes the Honourable Member(cid:146)s reference to (cid:145)British politicians(cid:146) to refer to former
Members of the Commission.

The following former members of the Commission of British nationality currently benefit from a pension
which commenced when they reached retirement age: George Thompson, Roy Jenkins, Stanley Clinton
Davis, Francis Cockfield, Ivor Richard, Bruce Millan, and Ralf Dahrendorf. The total cost involved is
currently of the order of £ 245 000 net per annum. The transitional allowance to which Sir Leon Brittan
was entitled was suspended, at his request, from 1 January 2000.

There is no (cid:145)requirement(cid:146) that former Members of the Commission (cid:145)support the policy of their former
employers(cid:146). Ex-Members of the Commission are bound by the provisions of Article 213 of the Treaty and
by their Oath of office (cid:145)to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance, after they have
ceased to hold office, of certain appointments or benefits. In the event of any breach of these obligations,
the Court of Justice may, on application by the Council or the Commission, rule that the Member
concerned be, according to the circumstances, (cid:133) deprived of his right to a pension or other benefits in its
stead(cid:146). There is also an obligation to inform the Commission of all changes that might modify the level of
entitlement (Article 43 of the Staff Regulations and Regulation No 422/67/EEC, 5/67/Euratom of the
Council of 25 July 1967 determining the emoluments of the President and members of the Commission
and of the President, Judges, Advocates-General and Registrar of the Court of Justice (1)).

(1) OJ L 187, 8.8.1967 and amendments.

(2001/C 53 E/133)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1216/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL), Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE), Johannes Blokland (EDD), Dorette
Corbey (PSE) and Theodorus Bouwman (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(14 April 2000)

Subject: Reopening of the (cid:145)Iron Rhine(cid:146) railway link through De Meinweg nature conservation area on the

Dutch-German border

Can the Commission confirm that in late March 2000 Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany agreed
link between the port of Antwerp and the Ruhr area in

1.
to re-open the (cid:145)Iron Rhine(cid:146), the former rail
Germany?