WRITTEN QUESTION E-1732/00 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Commission policy on implementation of the EU budget for 2000 in respect of the promotion and safeguard of regional and minority languages.
Date: 2000-05-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, European symbol, financial year, heritage protection, implementation of the budget, information society, minority language, regional culture

C 81 E/82

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

1990 and the Commission gave an opinion on this submission. The general data provided information on
a reference accident which was the loss of cooling to the HAL feed vessel. It was concluded that in the
event of an unplanned release of this type and magnitude the doses likely to be received by the population
in Ireland, or any other Member State, would not be significant from the point of view of health. The
updated review of safety of the storage of liquid high level waste at British Nuclear Fuel Limited (BNFL)
Sellafield (HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, February 2000) does not provide information that would
be cause for reconsideration of this assessment.

It is the responsibility of the respective Member States to require similar assessments to be carried out for
the storage tanks in operation at United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority Dounreay, Compagnie
gØnØrale des matiŁres nuclØaires La Hague, Commissariat (cid:224) l(cid:146)Energie Atomique Marcoule, and Forschungs-
centrum Karlsruhe, with regard to the potential exposure of members of the public and resulting health
effects.

Bearing in mind that there are multiple containment layers, a breach of containment could nevertheless
lead to significant levels of radioactivity in rivers or in the marine environment. It is thus appropriate to
look into a possible detriment to the environment, in addition to man. The Commission has undertaken a
research programme on effects on animal and plant life in the region and corresponding ecological
detriment, and on the development of a rationale and methodology for setting standards of protection,
with a view to establishing environmental quality standards. Such standards could then be applied to the
assessment of the consequences of a major spillage of liquid radioactive wastes.

(2001/C 81 E/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1732/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Commission policy on implementation of the EU budget for 2000 in respect of the promotion

and safeguard of regional and minority languages

The two EU budgetary authorities, Parliament and the Council, agreed to set aside a number of budget
headings under the Community budget
for 2000 to promote and safeguard minority and regional
languages.

Specifically, under budget line B3-1003N (preparatory actions for promotion of the linguistic diversity of
the Community in the information society), with € 2 million total funding, it was indicated that in today(cid:146)s
information society, the purpose of this heading was to promote the linguistic diversity of the Community,
including regional and minority languages, and to provide financing for preparatory measures with a view
to the designation of 2001 as European Year of Languages, including sign languages.

In its reply to my written question E-0466/00 of 19 April 2000, the Commission stated that it intended to
use the entire € 2 million sum that was finally agreed for preparatory measures for the European Year of
Languages. The Commission also stated that at the end of April 2000 it intended to issue a call for
proposals for preparatory measures for the joint monitoring of the Multilingual Information Society (MLIS)
and Info 2000 programmes and that,
languages would be considered,
including regional and minority languages, on condition that this was justified by the objectives of the
proposed measures and that they complied with the criteria laid down in the call for proposals.

in principle, proposals for all

Will the Commission give details both of the source of the funding and of the total amount it plans to
make available for preparatory measures for 2000 for the MLIS and Info 2000 programmes, given that, as
stated in the reply to my previous question, it intends to use the entire sum set aside under budget heading
B3-1003N for preparatory measures for the European Year of Languages in 2001?

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/83

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2000)

information society(cid:146) (MLIS) and INFO 2000 programmes ended in late
The Community(cid:146)s (cid:145)Multilingual
1999. Having taken account of the results of their interim assessment, and having consulted the Member
States (Infocom Committee) and Parliament (Culture Committee) the Commission has taken steps towards
preparatory action on the joint follow-up to those activities in order to promote European digital content
on the worldwide web.

The budgetary authority has allocated €10M under budget heading B5-344 for the year 2000, which has
enabled a call
for proposals to be launched concerning preparatory activities intended to promote
European digital content on the worldwide web (1) on the three topics specified in order to prepare the
joint follow-up to MLIS and INFO 2000: easing access to venture capital for start-ups and small and
medium-sized businesses (SMBs) whose activities are linked to the Internet; demonstrating how to turn
public-sector information to account; making the linguistic and cultural adaptation of digital products and
services easier.

In parallel to the this the Commission, on 24 May 2000, approved a draft Council decision adopting a
multiannual Community programme intended to spur the development and use of European digital
content on the worldwide web, and to promote linguistic diversity in the information society (2). Useful
information on these activities may be found on Europa (3).

These activities are distinct from those initiated by the Directorate-General for Education and Culture, but
will be conducted in close coordination with the latter. The preparatory activities begun, which will
represent a significant contribution towards promoting linguistic and cultural diversity in the information
society, could, in particular, illustrate the events planned as part of the European Year of Languages.

Finally, as regards the languages covered, the activities proposed could include action on any language,
more especially minority and regional, where so justified by their aims.

(1) http://www.cordis.lu/econtent.
(2) COM(2000) 323.
(3) http://europa.eu.int/com/information society/policy/index fr.htm.

(2001/C 81 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1735/00

by Dominique Souchet (UEN) to the Commission

(20 May 2000)

Subject: Aid for re-engining of fishing vessels

Council Regulation (EC) 2792/1999 (1) of 17 December 1999 lays down the detailed rules and arrange-
ments regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector.

The Regulation establishes a framework for all measures to be carried out in the fisheries sector, one of the
clear objectives of which is the preservation and long-term viability of aquatic resources.

Article 6 of the Regulation deals with the arrangements for fleet renewal and modernisation of fishing
vessels, stipulating that entries and exits from the fleet are to be managed in such a way that the capacity
does not exceed the annual objectives fixed in the multiannual guidance programme, for the whole fleet
and for the segments concerned.

Paragraph 2 of the same article states that (cid:145)Member States can submit a request for a clearly identified and
quantified increase in the capacity objectives for measures to improve safety, navigation at sea, hygiene,
product quality and working conditions provided that these measures do not result in an increase in the
exploitation rate of the resources concerned(cid:146).