WRITTEN QUESTION E-1759/00 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. European cooperation project on adult education.
Date: 2000-05-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, France, Portugal, Spain, adult education, cooperation in the field of education

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/81

There is no fixed programme for the meetings of these working parties. As a general rule the Working
Party on Tax Questions meets once or twice a week. The Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) has
met 20 times since it was set up. Under the Council Conclusions of 9 March 1998 the Group must meet
at least twice a year at high level to facilitate the political direction of the Group(cid:146)s proceedings.

There are also the Working Party on Tax Fraud and the High-level Working Party on Taxation, which have
just concluded their proceedings.

Finally, there are working parties and committees at the Commission that work in the field of taxation.

(2001/C 89 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1757/00

by Alejandro Cercas (PSE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Aid to the dried fruit and carob sector

The Commission has acknowledged that, in view of the continuing impact of imports, there is a need for
aid to be provided for the dried fruit and carob sector using the instruments referred to in the Rural
Development Regulation. This does not meet the needs of the dried fruit and carob sector since the
Member States have already drawn up their RDPs and the latter do not have the necessary budgetary
means to assure the survival of the sector. Moreover, it is a problem affecting the market and should be
dealt with using market related measures which are equally applicable throughout the regions concerned
so as not to lead to distortions of competition between producers.

Therefore, does the Commission not consider that there are sound reasons for maintaining the aid
provided for the dried fruit and carob sector?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2000)

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission(cid:146)s answers to Written Questions E-524/00 by
Mr Pittella and others (1), P-989/00 by Mr Martinez (2), E-1356/00 by Mr HernÆndez Mollar (3) and to the
reply it gave to Oral Question H-428/00 by Mr Esteve during question time at Parliament(cid:146)s May 2000
part-session (4).

(1) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 57.
(2) OJ C 53 E, 20.2.2001, p. 50.
(3) OJ C 81 E, 13.3.2001, p. 29.
(4) Debates of the European Parliament (May 2000).

(2001/C 89 E/083)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1759/00

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: European cooperation project on adult education

(31 May 2000)

The trade union (cid:145)Sinorquifa (cid:129) Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Qu(cid:237)mica, FarmacŒutica, Petr(cid:243)leo e GÆs do
Norte(cid:146)
(CGTP-IN), representing workers in the chemical, pharmaceutical, oil and gas industries, has
concluded a partnership protocol with the (cid:145)Syndicat CGT Energie et Mines, Midi, PyrØnØes, Toulouse(cid:146) and
the (cid:145)Federaci(cid:243)n de Qu(cid:237)mica (cid:129) CCIG/Galicia(cid:146) within the framework of the PACE project
(European
Programme of Advanced Continuing Education), established as part of the Grundtvig/Socrates/Leonardo
da Vinci programmes.

C 89 E/82

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

They submitted their applications accordingly.

Can the Commission provide a progress report on the above applications?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(14 July 2000)

The Commission drew up the selection proposals on the basis of the assessment of applications submitted
for the Grundtvig programme for 2000. The PACE project (Project No: 88131-CP-1-2000-0-ES-Grundtvig-
ADU) is included in these proposals.

Proposals concerning the projects selected were submitted for the opinion of the Socrates Committee on
26/27 June 2000, and the final results will be communicated to the project coordinators in August 2000.

(2001/C 89 E/084)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1765/00

by Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Use of the portion of premium withheld from tobacco growers for research purposes

Is the Commission aware that since 1999 2 % (1993-1998: 1 %) of the premium paid to tobacco growers
has been withheld for research purposes?

To what use is this money put?

The money is intended for funding research relating to tobacco growing in Europe. The Land Institute for
Plant Production in Forchheim/Baden takes part in such research programmes. More than DEM 300 000
has still not been paid in respect of research contracts dating from 1997-1999, yet the Institute is vitally
important for tobacco-growing in Germany.

Furthermore, no new programmes have probably been launched in this research sector in the past three
years. How, then, will the accumulated reserves and future revenue be used?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 2000)

Council Regulation (EEC) No 1636/98 of 20 July 1998 (1) amended Article 13 (establishing a Community
Tobacco Fund) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of
the market in raw tobacco (2), widening the purposes of the Fund and raising to 2 % the deduction from
the premium paid to growers on each crop. At present this yields around € 19 million. The Commission
has prepared a new implementing Regulation (3) for the Fund to replace the old one.

In practice the Commission launches projects financed using an ad hoc line, Community fund for research
and information (B1-175). Its appropriations correspond to the estimate of actual incurred costs for the
year in question.

The Fund has not financed any new projects since 1997 but the appropriations available have allowed
financing of the projects in progress which were selected following two calls for proposals in 1994 and
1996. These are multiannual projects financed in annual instalments. The Commission plans to launch
new projects in the coming months.