WRITTEN QUESTION P-1497/00 by Mathieu Grosch (PPE-DE) to the Commission. EU-Switzerland agreement and effects of the fourth motor vehicle directive on that agreement.
Date: 2000-05-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Switzerland, agreement (EU), motor vehicle insurance, third-party insurance

C 72 E/66

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2000)

Drawing up programmes is one of the main activities under Socrates, thus contributing to the achievement
of objectives set in Article 149 of the EC Treaty (formerly Article 126),
in particular developing the
European dimension in education and promoting cooperation between educational establishments. It is
explicitly provided for in Decision No 576/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of
23 February 1998 amending Decision No 819/95/EC establishing the Community action programme
Socrates (1) and must be achieved (cid:145)while fully respecting the responsibility of the Member States for the
content of teaching and the organization of education systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity(cid:146).

The objective of the (cid:145)Gay and Lesbian Education Equity(cid:146) project is to encourage the equal treatment of
homosexuals and lesbians in educational establishments and to combat prejudices and discrimination in
future generations. This project was submitted to the 1999 selection board under action 3.1 of the
Comenius programme by a partnership of several well-known European universities. Combating all kinds
of discrimination in education is one objective of this action. The proposed activities are eligible under this
objective, and the application submitted was of a high quality in technical terms. The decision to fund the
project was taken in accordance with the selection procedure for action 3.1 and was approved by the
Comenius subcommittee.

Projects under action 3.1 are monitored to make sure that the proposed activities are implemented in
accordance with the work schedule in the application and that the objectives of the project are achieved.

(1) OJ L 77, 14.3.1998.

(2001/C 72 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1497/00

by Mathieu Grosch (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: EU-Switzerland agreement and effects of the fourth motor vehicle directive on that agreement

In the seven sectoral agreements that the European Union is going to conclude with Switzerland wide-
ranging rules relating to transport and the free movement of persons will be introduced.

At the same time, in the near future the proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive on the
legislation on motor vehicle liability insurance and modifying
coordination of
Directives 73/239/EEC (1) and 92/49/EEC (2) (fourth motor vehicle liability directive) will be adopted at
third reading.

the Member States(cid:146)

The compromise proposal by the Council and the European Parliament envisages an extension of the
scope of this directive to those third countries whose national insurance bureau belongs to the Green Card
system.

1. Would the Commission be prepared to include the definitive (or provisional) substance of the
directive in the negotiations with Switzerland over the matters left over from the seven agreements, and
thus extend the scope of this directive to Switzerland, whose national insurance bureau belongs to the
Green Card system?

2. What form would the procedure for implementing this directive in conjunction with Switzerland
otherwise take?

(1) OJ L 228, 16.8.1973, p. 3.
(2) OJ L 228, 11.8.1992, p. 1.

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/67

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(16 June 2000)

The Commission welcomed the formal adoption on 16 May 2000 of Parliament and Council Directive
2000/26/EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to insurance against civil
liability in respect of the use of motor vehicles and amending Directives 73/69/EEC and 88/357/EEC
(Fourth Motor Insurance Directive) (1). The Directive is designed to improve the present arrangements for
settling claims by individuals who, while staying temporarily in a Member State other than their Member
State of residence, suffer loss or injury caused by a vehicle registered and insured in Member State other
than the Member State of residence. The aim is to rectify a shortcoming of existing legislation by providing
a rapid and pragmatic mechanism, where liability is not contested before the courts, for the insurer of the
person causing the accident to compensate the injured party, thereby protecting drivers passing through
the country who are involved in an accident.

The new provisions will apply not only to accidents occurring in a Member State but also to accidents
involving two Community nationals and occurring in a third country that is a member of the Green Card
system, including Switzerland.

After publication of the Directive in the Official Journal, Member States will have twenty-four months in
which to transpose it into national law.

It should also be mentioned that the Agreement between the Community and Switzerland on non-life
insurance relates only to the freedom of establishment of non-life insurance companies and does not
concern motor vehicle insurance. However, the Joint Committee provided for in the Agreement may look
into whether Switzerland ought not to apply the provisions of the Fourth Motor Insurance Directive.

(1) Not yet published.

(2001/C 72 E/079)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1499/00

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(15 May 2000)

Subject: Risk posed by NATO warplanes to nuclear power stations in Western Slovakia

NATO aircraft have, according to numerous accounts by the local population, been seen and heard flying
over the high-risk nuclear power stations in Western Slovakia.

Any NATO aircraft which came down could be a threat to the nuclear power stations at Jaslovske
Bohunice and Mohovce which in all comprise five obsolete USSR-technology WWER 440 reactors, none
of them with appropriate secure containment, plus the Jaslovske Bohunice A1 nuclear plant which was
damaged in 1977, with unprotected buildings, inadequate stores containing high-level radioactive sub-
stances and nuclear waste, 20 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel which cannot be manipulated, and an even
higher quantity of spent fuel rods in cooling ponds, which have accumulated since the early Eighties.

Western Slovakia, with these two nuclear power station sites, is being used by NATO military aircraft as a
transit and in-flight refuelling zone, and the population of this small poor country is understandably highly
alarmed at these dangerous round-the clock flights over the nuclear installations. A disaster at the heart of
Europe, which might be even worse than Chernobyl, cannot be ruled out.

What is the Council(cid:146)s assessment of this grave problem?

What steps has the Council taken to avert this potential catastrophe?