WRITTEN QUESTION E-2089/00 by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission. European Year of Languages.
Date: 2000-06-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European cultural event, cultural heritage, cultural promotion, official language, public awareness campaign

8.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/9

1997 (1). However, at the end of 1999, Greece answered four questionnaires regarding the implementation
of four Community waste directives. The answers are rather succinct and do not give a general picture of
waste management practice in Greece.

According to those answers, 280 000 tons of hazardous waste were generated in Greece (the year is not
indicated), out of which 95 760 tons were recycled, though Greece indicated that it has no installation for
the processing or disposal of hazardous waste. The hazardous wastes are reported to be either temporarily
stored or exported for final disposal in other countries.

As the Commission has no means to inspect Greek waste management facilities or otherwise to verify the
above-mentioned figures, it has no general information on cases of environmental pollution which are due
to faulty waste management. It cannot confirm the number of some 3 000 unauthorised landfills operating
in Greece which is sometimes quoted in scientific publications. There are some complaints on environ-
mental impairment by waste, which the Commission examines. It is however not possible to verify to what
extent such cases are representative.

2.
The Commission is of the opinion that a number of Community requirements are not being met by
Greece and has taken action under Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty. The most important
aspects concern the absence of a management plan for hazardous waste, the absence of legislation to
comply fully with the Directive on packaging and packaging waste and the absence of programmes for the
management of batteries and for the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) waste.

(1) COM(97) 23 and COM(1999) 752.

(2001/C 136 E/009)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2089/00

by Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 June 2000)

Subject: European Year of Languages

The April 2000 part-session saw the adoption of
Commission(cid:146)s decision to declare 2001 the European Year of Languages.

the report by Mr Gra(cid:231)a Moura approving the

This decision does not explicitly refer to those languages which are official only in part of the Union(cid:146)s
territory:
it remains with the Member States to decide whether languages in this situation should be
included in the actions proposed under the decision.

Given that these languages are part of the Union(cid:146)s cultural heritage and that it is therefore essential to
protect and promote them, what action does the Commission intend to take to guarantee the participation
in the European Year of Languages of languages which are official in part of the Union(cid:146)s territory?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2000)

The target languages mentioned in Article 1 of the proposal for a decision establishing the European year
of languages (1) (EYL) are the official languages, together with Letzeburgesch and Irish and other languages
identified by the Member States for the implementation of the decision. The Commission will respect the
Member States(cid:146) decision on which languages additional to those explicitly mentioned should be covered.

However, a large part of the activities to be carried out in the context of the EYL should be neutral from
the point of view of target languages. The European information campaign will have as a key theme the
importance of linguistic diversity, as well as the promotion of language learning in general. The campaign
will promote the learning of all languages.

C 136 E/10

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

The Commission believes that, where specific languages are to be targetted, as wide a range of languages as
possible should be covered.

(1) OJ C 56 E, 29.2.2000.

(2001/C 136 E/010)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2095/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(30 June 2000)

Subject: Award of multimedia mobile telephony (UMTS) licences by the Member States

In view of the differences in proceeds from the award of multimedia mobile telephony licences in different
countries, e.g. only ESP 87 000 million (€ 520 million) was obtained in Spain, while the United Kingdom
in ESP 6,3 billion (€ 37 863 million) and France expects to take in
auction procedure brought
ESP 3,28 billion (€ 19 232 million) using a concession price, does the Commission intend to make
provision for an EU procedure to coordinate rules on the award of licences for UMTS-type services, taking
due account of the far-reaching budgetary implications of the different systems, which in this particular
case were extremely prejudicial to Spain(cid:146)s public finances and potential public investments?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2000)

The Commission is following closely developments in the Member States concerning the licensing of third
generation mobile networks (i.e. UMTS-type services).

Under existing Community legislation, the licensing process must follow the principles of objectivity, non-
discrimination, proportionality and transparency, and should ensure optimal use of spectrum as scarce
resource, and foster the development of innovative services and competition.

Within these boundaries there is a large margin of discretion for Member States to determine what
procedures to follow in attributing licences. Auctions are one approach and so-called (cid:145)beauty contests(cid:146) are
another. Both are in principle compatible with Community law, provided they are well designed and
conducted and ensure objectivity and transparency.

In view of the number of Member States that have already awarded licences for third generation mobile
networks, it would not be feasible to introduce a co-ordinated procedure for the award of such licences.
However, the Commission will continue to monitor the process closely.

The proposed new regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services, published
by the Commission on 12 July 2000 (1), does address the issue of coordination on spectrum issues. The
new framework emphasises the need for effective management of radio spectrum by Member States.
Spectrum is becoming a scarce resource, and the need for its effective management has been stressed
repeatedly by interested parties in the various public consultations that have been carried out by the
Commission over the last 18 months.

The provisions of the proposed spectrum decision (2) will allow the Commission to identify best practices
and to examine how these can be applied throughout the Community.