WRITTEN QUESTION P-2006/00 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission. Improper use by the Valencia regional government of Community funds for the development of the information society.
Date: 2000-06-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community of Valencia, EU financing arrangements, information society, local government

C 89 E/126

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

The Commission:

(cid:129) Would it, therefore, ascertain whether the facts set out above are accurate?

(cid:129) Would it consider whether it would be appropriate to approach the Commune of Naples, as the
competent body, to ensure the city(cid:146)s zoo is retained, if necessary on a different site, at no cost to the
Commune?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 2000)

The Commission notes the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concern about the problems that the (cid:145)Giardino zoologico
de Napoli(cid:146) is facing concerning the end of its lease. Unfortunately the Commission has no competence to
intervene in a matter concerning a commercial
lease between a limited-liability company and another
company and it would therefore not be appropriate for the Commission to approach the Commune of
Naples regarding an alternative site for the Zoo.

In April of last year Council Directive 1999/22/EC relating to the keeping of wild animals in zoos (1) was
adopted. The objective of this Directive is to protect wild fauna and to conserve biodiversity and it is only
in this context that the Commission can intervene. The Directive will be implemented by the Member
States through the adoption of measures for the licensing and inspection of zoos in the Community,
enabling the role of zoos in the conservation of biodiversity to be strengthened.

(1) OJ L 94, 9.4.1999.

(2001/C 89 E/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2006/00

by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Improper use by the Valencia regional government of Community funds for the development of

the information society

On 21 June 1996 the Valencia regional government issued a resolution by means of which the Valencia
Office for the Information Society (OVSI) was set up for the purpose,
inter alia, of (cid:145)coordinating and
supervising the implementation of the project designed to incorporate the Valencia region into the
information society in the way described in the Memorandum signed in Brussels on 28 November 1994(cid:146).

Since it was set up, however, the OVSI has been challenged in political, economic and business circles for
its failure to perform satisfactorily the tasks for which it was established. This has led to the resignation of
a regional government minister for alleged perversion of the course of justice and complaints from traders(cid:146)
associations concerning unfair competition in the (cid:145)Renove(cid:146) plan, which is part of the Infoville programme
(an aspect of the regional government(cid:146)s telecommunications master plan).

Is the Commission aware of these facts?

Could the Commission provide information regarding the type and the amount of Community funding
which the Valencia regional government has received for the OVSI Foundation and the Infoville
programme (or any of the programmes run by the regional government(cid:146)s Infocentre), with particular
reference to headings B5-330 and B5-331 relating to the information society?

Is the Commission intending to open an inquiry in order to establish whether or not the Valencia regional
government is using the Community aid in question correctly and in accordance with the Valencia region
information society development objectives for which purpose they were allocated?

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/127

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2000)

The Commission was not previously aware of the information supplied by the Honourable Member.

On 8 July 1998, the Commission received a formal application for grant from the OVSI Foundation, for an
amount of € 10 000 on a total budget of € 60 000. The objective was to support the organisation of the
second summer school on regional policy of information society and telecommunication which was to be
held in Alicante from 21 to 24 September 1998.

The proposed project was found to be in line with the goals set out in the work programme of ISAC and
after assessment by ISAC/IS2, it was decided to grant a subvention on the budget line B5-331. Payments
were made according to existing rules and the final report and financial statement clearly showed that the
funds granted were indeed used for the organisation of the event as described in the application.

The 1994-1999 operational programme for the Valencia region supported by the European regional
development fund did contain a measure in support of the information society. The OVSI Foundation was
one of the potential beneficiaries of this measure. However, given that, apart from large investments, the
Commission is not involved in the selection of individual projects for structural fund assistance, it does not
have details of the use made of any grants in favour of the Foundation in question.

The Commission has requested the relevant information from the Spanish authorities.

(2001/C 89 E/138)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2013/00

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council

Subject: Tourism and European small businesses charter

(22 June 2000)

The European Council meeting in Lisbon called on the Council of Ministers and the Commission to draw
up a European small businesses charter and ensure that their needs are met, recognising that their
contribution, in terms of job creation, is the most important.

Will the Council take account of the specific situation with regard to tour companies, given the seasonal
nature of their work and their particular importance in stimulating employment and the development of
less-favoured areas of Europe?

Reply

(23 October 2000)

The European Council meeting in Lisbon on 23/24 March 2000 set the European Union the objective
of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of
sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.

In the context of that objective, the European Council meeting in Lisbon asked the Council and the
Commission to draw up a European Charter for small companies to be endorsed in June 2000 which
should commit Member States to focus in the abovementioned instruments on small companies as the
main engines for job-creation in Europe, and to respond specifically to their needs.

In response to that request, the Council meeting on General Affairs on 13 June 2000 adopted the
European Charter for Small Enterprises and submitted it for approval to the European Council meeting in
Feira on 19/20 June 2000, which welcomed its adoption.