WRITTEN QUESTION P-1948/00 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Restitution of real property expropriated by the Yugoslavian Communist regime.
Date: 2000-06-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Slovenia, accession negotiations, discrimination on the basis of nationality, expropriation, indemnification

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/155

(2001/C 72 E/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1946/00

by Luis Berenguer Fuster (PSE) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Assessment of the costs of transition to competition in the acquisition of a Spanish electricity firm

According to information in the Spanish press, the purchase price of HidrocantÆbrica by Uni(cid:243)n Fenosa
increased by Ptas 200 000 million as a result of the assessment of its CTCs.

In the Commission(cid:146)s opinion, is this relevant to an assessment of the compatibility of these aids with the
Treaty?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2000)

It was widely reported in the press that the acquisition of a Spanish electricity firm to which the
Honourable Member refers did not go ahead in the end because the Spanish authorities were unwilling
to authorise it. Under the circumstances, the Commission takes the view that the question as to the
impact, if any, of the operation on the costs of transition to competition (CTCs) in the Spanish electricity
market is of no relevance.

In such an operation the purchase price is freely determined by the parties involved, who value the target
business in the light of their own criteria. Such criteria could in no way commit the Commission, which
has not yet taken any decision on CTCs from the viewpoint of state aid.

(2001/C 72 E/196)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1948/00

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 June 2000)

Subject: Restitution of real property expropriated by the Yugoslavian Communist regime

Slovenian law provides at present that real property expropriated by the Communist regime must be
restored to its rightful owners or their heirs and successors.

Under that law only persons who were Yugoslavian citizens at the date of expropriation are deemed to be
entitled to such restitution.

As a result, all persons who did not have Yugoslavian citizenship at that time are barred from restitution,
even though they are Italian citizens or nationals of other Community Member States.

Objective discrimination of this kind based on a citizenship requirement for recognition of the right to the
restitution of expropriated property is clearly in breach both of the general principles of international law
and of
individuals on grounds of
nationality in the exercise of their property rights.

the specific Community rules prohibiting discrimination against

Can the Commission state:

(cid:129) whether, during the negotiations in progress between the Community and the Republic of Slovenia
with a view to an association agreement with the latter, an item has been placed on the agenda
requiring the removal from the Slovenian legal system of all discrimination against European citizens
in the implementation of the procedure governing the restitution,
in kind or equivalent, of real
property expropriated by the Yugoslavian Communist regime?

(cid:129) if this issue is already the subject of negotiations, what stage has been reached in those negotiations?

C 72 E/156

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(4 July 2000)

The accession negotiations embrace all areas of Community legislation and policy, that is the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146),
which each applicant will have to adopt and implement fully by the time of accession to the Union.
Property restitution is not covered by the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146) and the matter is not currently being dealt with in the
accession negotiations.

The Commission is following the developments with regard to restitution of property in the context of its
bilateral relations with Slovenia. This issue has recently been raised at the last meeting of the Community-
Slovenia Association Council held in Luxembourg on 14 June 2000 where the Commission recommended
to Slovenia to speed up the process of property restitution and to clarify the legal situation in this respect.

(2001/C 72 E/197)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1949/00

by Ulla Sandb(cid:230)k (EDD) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Biomedical ethics and bioethics

the aims of

and Council Decision No 182/1999/EC (1) of
One of
22 December 1998 concerning the fifth framework programme for research is (cid:145)the study of problems
relating to biomedical ethics and bioethics in the context of respect for fundamental human values.(cid:146)

the European Parliament

I have the impression, however, that this area has gradually been downgraded in terms of priority. While
the fourth framework programme for research had an allocation of € 30 million, the fifth framework
programme has only € 10 million. Of this sum only € 2,5 million had been distributed at the time of the
last disbursement, which means that only very few projects can benefit.

Firstly, how and to what extent was the GAEIB(cid:146)s opinion No 10 taken as the basis for the current priorities
in this area and, secondly, how does the Commission envisage biomedical ethics and bioethics being
retained as a research sector?

(1) OJ L 26, 1.2.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2000)

The Honourable Member correctly points out that under the fifth framework programme for research the
level of financial support so far attributed to the study of problems relating to (cid:145)biomedical ethics and
bioethics in the context of fundamental human values(cid:146) has been at a lower level than in the previous
framework programme.

This is mainly due to the limited funding available for the whole area of generic activities in the
programme (cid:145)Quality of life and management of living resources(cid:146) (QoL) of which research on biomedical
ethics and bioethics is just one part.

As outlined in the Commission(cid:146)s communication of January 2000 on the European research area (1), the
Commission attaches great importance to the development of a shared vision on ethical issues in Europe,
especially in the context of life sciences. Research on bio-ethics will play an indispensable role in this
context.

Opinion No 10 of the Group of advisors for the ethical implications of biotechnology had indeed drawn
the attention of the Commission to the necessity of research.