WRITTEN QUESTION E-1718/00 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE), Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE), Stefano Zappalà (PPE-DE), Mario Mantovani (PPE-DE), Vittorio Sgarbi (PPE-DE), Luigi Cesaro (PPE-DE), Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE), Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE), Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Giuseppe Gargani (PPE-DE), Francesco Musotto (PPE-DE), Guido Viceconte (PPE-DE), Giorgio Lisi (PPE-DE), Mario Mauro (PPE-DE), Giuseppe Nisticò (PPE-DE), Marcello Dell'Utri (PPE-DE), Guido Podestà (PPE-DE), Raffaele Fitto (PPE-DE), Umberto Scapagnini (PPE-DE), Pier Casini (PPE-DE) and Raffaele Lombardo (PPE-DE) to the Council. The euro crisis.
Date: 2000-06-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: economic growth, economic policy, euro, euro area, exchange rate, job creation

C 81 E/80

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(4 July 2000)

The Italian authorities sent the Commission their Objective 2 zoning proposal on 1 October 1999. On
11 October the Commission informed them that it was unacceptable since it did not meet the requirement
of Article 4(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions
on the Structural Funds (1) that at least 50 % of the population covered by Objective 2 must live in zones
meeting the criteria of paragraphs 5 and 6 of that Article. Only 29,6 % of the total population proposed in
fact did so.

The Commission therefore asked Italy to send with all speed an amended proposal in line with the Council
Regulation. New zones meeting the Community criteria and with a population of at least 1 510 000 would
have to be included and zones of equivalent population not meeting them dropped.

In the case of the Province of Turin the Commission has pointed out to Italy that the zones in greatest
difficulty in it could perfectly well be presented for Objective 2 eligibility on the basis of paragraphs 7 to 9
of the said Article 4.

The Commission has several times pointed out to Italy the need for immediate transmission of a revised
proposal in order not to penalise the areas in question. As soon as it has been received the Commission
will give top priority to rapid adoption.

Italy is the only Member State for which it has not been possible to adopt Objective 2 zoning.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2001/C 81 E/097)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1718/00

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE), Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE),
Stefano Zappal(cid:224) (PPE-DE), Mario Mantovani (PPE-DE), Vittorio Sgarbi (PPE-DE),
Luigi Cesaro (PPE-DE), Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE), Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE),
Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Giuseppe Gargani (PPE-DE), Francesco Musotto (PPE-DE),
Guido Viceconte (PPE-DE), Giorgio Lisi (PPE-DE), Mario Mauro (PPE-DE),
Giuseppe Nistic(cid:242) (PPE-DE), Marcello Dell(cid:146)Utri (PPE-DE), Guido Podest(cid:224) (PPE-DE),
Raffaele Fitto (PPE-DE), Umberto Scapagnini (PPE-DE), Pier Casini (PPE-DE)
and Raffaele Lombardo (PPE-DE) to the Council

Subject: The euro crisis

(7 June 2000)

The undeniable crisis affecting the euro has been, and is, a cause for great concern in all the countries are
participating in the single currency, and in the EU in general.

Can the Council as a matter of urgency provide the European Parliament and, more generally, European
citizens, with an adequate explanation of the measures that have been, or are to be, taken to put an end to
a situation which we all hope is transitory, but which nevertheless has been dragging on for many
months?

Reply

(28 September 2000)

The Euro 11 group, on 8 May, issued the following statement:

The Euro 11 Ministers and Commissioner, and the President of the ECB share the view that growth is
very robust in the euro area; an increasing number of jobs is being created. The ECB is committed to

13.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/81

ensure that this growth will remain non-inflationary. Ministers are determined to speed us ongoing
fiscal consolidation and structural reforms towards a knowledge-based, full-employment economy
according to the orientations set by the special European Council
in Lisbon, thus increasing the
growth potential of our economies.

In this context, we share a common concern about the present level of the euro which does not reflect
the strong economic fundamentals of the euro area.

Although the Council itself has not taken a position on the recent developments of the external value of
the euro, it may be pointed out in the above context that in the broad guidelines of the economic policies
of the Member States and of the Community for 1999/2000, adopted on 12 July 1999 (1), the Council
underlined that strong, sustainable growth and employment constitute the main priority and that growth
and stability-oriented macroeconomic policies and comprehensive and co-ordinated economic reforms are
the main means.

(1) OJ L 217, 17.8.1999, p. 34.

(2001/C 81 E/098)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1726/00

by Nuala Ahern (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Assessment of the hazards posed to neighbouring EU states by the storage of radioactive liquid

waste at Sellafield in the United Kingdom

What assessment has been made of the hazards posed to EU states adjacent to the United Kingdom by the
build-up and storage of high-activity radioactive liquid wastes at Sellafield in Cumbria, UK, resulting from
the reprocessing of spent irradiated nuclear fuel?

(2001/C 81 E/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1727/00

by Nuala Ahern (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Research into the dangers to the environment of a breach-of-containment accident at a number of

nuclear plants

What research has been done by the Commission, Euratom or the Joint Research Centres on behalf of the
Commission, into the dangers to the environment of a breach-of-containment accident at the high-activity
liquor (HAL) storage tanks in operation respectively at:

(a) BNFL Sellafield,

(b) UKAEA Dounreay,

(c) Cogema La Hague,

(d) CEA Marcoßle,

(e) KFK Karlsruhe?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1726/00 and E-1727/00
given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2000)

The high active liquor (HAL) storage facility at Sellafield has been in place since 1955. In connection with
the incorporation of high level waste concentrate into glass in the Windscale vitrification plan (WVP) in
1990, a submission of general data under Article 37 Euratom treaty for this plant was made in January