WRITTEN QUESTION E-1311/00 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Grants for town twinning.
Date: 2000-04-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, Lower Normandy, South West (England), twinning

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(2001/C 53 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1309/00

by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission

(27 April 2000)

Subject: China(cid:146)s accession to the WTO

What plans have been developed to ensure that a significant European and multi-lateral
technical
assistance package is established as a flanking measure to China(cid:146)s forthcoming accession to the WTO
aimed at improving the administrative and legal capacity in China to implement fully the obligations of
China(cid:146)s WTO membership? In particular, what discussions have taken place to ensure that the EU and the
US provide properly co-ordinated assistance in this field?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(13 June 2000)

In order to help make China(cid:146)s further integration into the world economy as smooth as possible, the
Commission has put in place a series of co-operation projects. These are designed to contribute to building
the capacity of China(cid:146)s government and administration in areas directly related to the implementation of
its impending commitments under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Commission attaches great
importance to the fact that technical assistance for implementation is provided in a spirit of co-operation
and partnership with China and covers more than just surveillance from the Community side.

Five projects, with a budget totalling around € 22 million, have already been tabled (cid:129) some are already
underway, and others are due to come on stream in the months ahead.

In particular, a framework programme in support of WTO accession, providing training for Chinese
officials who will be dealing with the implementation of China(cid:146)s commitments, will come on stream later
this year.

Projects under way cover the development of a modern and effective system for the protection of
intellectual property rights, the establishment of a framework for transparent and non-discriminatory
public procurement, as well as the collection and provision of statistics.

Finally, a broad-based initiative to assist in the reform and restructuring of the financial services sector is
due to start at the end of this year.

In addition, support for economic and social reform will continue to be a priority for co-operation funding
in the future.

The Commission is examing how to enhance existing programmes should this prove necessary in the light
of the first experience with the five projects mentioned above.

To date, the Commission is not aware of any concrete plans by the United States to provide WTO-related
technical assistance to China. However, the Commission is seeking to coordinate its cooperation activities
with the United States and other donors active in this area, with a view to avoiding overlaps and
developing synergies between respective programmes.

(2001/C 53 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1311/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(27 April 2000)

Subject: Grants for town twinning

In May 1999 The Dorchester (cid:129) Bayeux Twinning Society in the UK applied to the Commission for a grant
for a twinning event. It was not until well after the event that they were informed that they had been
awarded a grant of € 1 200 towards expenses. The Society was told to re-submit its application in order to

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receive payment of the grant. Four months later the Twinning Society had still heard nothing back from
the Commission. Upon contacting the relevant Directorate-General directly, they were informed by a
female official there that she did not have sufficient staff to make out the cheque, or the authority to
appoint anyone to do this.

Will the Commission look into this matter and subsequently indicate what measures it intends to take to
improve the efficiency of its facilities for awarding grants for twinning?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 2000)

The Commission acknowledges that it has failed to answer within a reasonable deadline.

However, a contributing reason for the delay was technical difficulties in transferring the grant to the
applicant.

The account number indicated by Dorchester was not suitable to receive electronic payment. Thus, the
procedure had to be carried out through another bank, which meant an additional delay.

Now, the Commission is glad to inform the Honourable Member that the payment has been executed.

(2001/C 53 E/159)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1312/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(27 April 2000)

Subject: Omnipaque/Iohexol and arachnoiditis

Omnipaque (or Iohexol as it is also called) is a dye that is injected into patients to enable doctors to carry
out a myelogram.

This dye is linked with arachnoiditis, a progressive, debilitating and extremely painful disease. The
symptoms take a long time to manifest themselves, with the result that many patients do not connect
them with the original dye. Indeed, many patients are mistakenly diagnoses as having arthritis.

In 1997/1998 Senator Traficant put a bill before the House of Representatives in the USA to have this dye
banned, stating that it had been proven to cause arachnoiditis.

Will the Commission indicate whether it has received details of other cases relating to the after-effects of
this dye?

Will the Commission also indicate what investigations, if any, it has carried out into this dye and its after-
effects. If the Commission has not as yet carried out any investigation into this dye, does it intend to do so
in the near future?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 2000)

Omnipaque is a medicinal product whose active substance is iohexol. It is an iodised contrast agent used
in various radiological examinations. Authorisations to place it on the market have been granted by the
national authorities, which are thus also responsible for its follow-up, including pharmacovigilance.