WRITTEN QUESTION E-1350/00 by Jean-Louis Bernié (EDD) to the Council. The Commission's challenging of the principle of assumption of employment for performing artists laid down in Article L 762-1 of the French Labour Code.
Date: 2000-05-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law - national law, France, application of EU law, artistic profession, social security

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/29

The additional training appropriations will be funded within the current envelope of Title A-7 (decen-
tralised expenditure on support staff and administration). The appropriations requested for Title A-7 in the
2001 preliminary draft budget are set at the same nominal level authorised in the 2000 budget.

At the proposed € 7,5 million level, provision for staff training will still only amount to about 0,05 % of
total employment costs. This contrasts with provision in Member State administrations which is typically
much higher.

As Reform proceeds and detailed proposals for necessary improvements in personnel policy are produced
for consultation later this year it will be relevant to give consideration to increasing provision for training
as an investment in improved efficiency and management. All analysis relating to such possible develop-
ments will naturally be available for parliamentary consideration.

(2001/C 81 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1350/00

by Jean-Louis BerniØ (EDD) to the Council

(3 May 2000)

Subject: The Commission(cid:146)s challenging of the principle of (cid:145)assumption of employment(cid:146) for performing

artists laid down in Article L 762-1 of the French Labour Code

France is threatened with legal proceedings before the European Court of Justice for its refusal to waive the
(cid:145)assumption of employment(cid:146) for foreign artists referred to in Article L 762-1 of the French Labour Code.

Is this measure not excessive, given that to apply this article exclusively to French artists in effect

1.
puts them at a disadvantage in their own country?

In fact, it means that those who employ foreign artists would no longer have to pay social costs but

2.
would have to do so when employing French artists.

3.
This downwards harmonisation will prejudice French performing artists. Is this not tantamount to a
sentence of death for this specifically French provision which offers performing artists one of the highest
standards of social protection in Europe?

Reply

(29 September 2000)

Article 211 of the EC Treaty requires the Commission to ensure that the provisions of the Treaty and the
measures taken by the institutions pursuant thereto are applied. The Council
is therefore unable to
comment on the way in which Community law provisions are implemented by Member States, especially
when such implementation is or shortly will be the subject of proceedings before the Court of Justice of
the European Communities.

(2001/C 81 E/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1356/00

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: Modification of specific aids to the dried fruit and nuts sector

The Union of Small Farmers and Stockbreeders of MÆlaga province (Spain) has expressed its concern that
the dried fruit and nuts sector could cease to exist in the near future, as a result of the decision to change
the existing system of aids and replace it by a new system proposed by the Commission which could lead
to the disappearance of the sector, which provides a livelihood for 200 000 households. In MÆlaga
province alone, elimination of the aids would affect over 15 000 producers.