WRITTEN QUESTION E-2231/00 by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The Colombian government's request for support for the Colombia Plan.
Date: 2000-07-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Colombia, EU financing, establishment of peace

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/165

If the Greek Government wishes to grant such aid at national level, it must notify the relevant statutory
provisions at the draft stage in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 88(3) of the Treaty
(formerly Article 93). The Community rules set no deadline for notification but, without a specific
justification, the Commission does not approve applications for aid schemes submitted more than three
years after the causal event.

(1) OJ C 28, 1.2.2000.

(2001/C 89 E/186)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2220/00

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 July 2000)

Subject: Pelagic trawls

Will the Commission list the Member States which authorise the use of pelagic trawls in EU waters?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2000)

All Member States except Spain allow pelagic trawling in Community waters. However, Greece has no
vessels equipped with mid-water otter trawls or pair trawls. Luxembourg and Austria have no fishing fleets.

(2001/C 89 E/187)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2231/00

by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 July 2000)

Subject: The Colombian government(cid:146)s request for support for the (cid:145)Colombia Plan(cid:146)

Can the Commission confirm that the Colombian government has asked the EU for help in implementing
the (cid:145)Colombia Plan(cid:146)?

Is the Commission aware that the CGTD trade union in Colombia is of the opinion that the plan will not
contribute to peace, social justice or sustainable development in Colombia?

Is the Commission aware that NGOs and the civil society are not
implementing the plan?

involved in drawing up and

What is the Commission(cid:146)s opinion of the (cid:145)Colombia Plan(cid:146) and does the Commission intend to support it,
despite the criticism?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2000)

The Colombian government has asked the international community to support (cid:145)Plan Colombia(cid:146) in its
various components, as well as its peace efforts. While expressing wide support for the peace efforts of
President Pastrana, the Commission has put emphasis on the need to tackle the root causes of the current
conflict, namely social inequalities, and the lack of respect for the rule of law. The Commission is aware of
the negative stance taken by several non governmental organisations (NGOs) both in Colombia and in the
Union on (cid:145)Plan Colombia(cid:146), particularly on its military component.

C 89 E/166

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

The Commission would, of course, welcome an increased involvement of civil society in the formulation
and implementation of projects and programmes, and has conveyed this message to the Colombian
authorities.

(2001/C 89 E/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2238/00

by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission

(29 June 2000)

Subject: Charges on use of credit cards in the euro zone

Credit card users are not required to pay extra charges for individual transactions inside each country.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. Can credit card users really be charged for use of their cards in other Euro-zone countries?

2.

If so, given that there is no exchange risk involved, should the charge be the same for all transactions
or a percentage of the amount paid?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2000)

Two types of commission are generally charged on the crossborder use of credit cards: firstly, a service
commission because the service is rendered outside the Member State where the card was issued;
this covers the costs incurred by the banks in using international authorisation and recovery networks,
which is not the case for domestic transactions; and secondly an exchange commission to cover exchange
risks.

Exchange commissions have not been charged on transactions between two Member States in the euro
area since 1 January 1999. They remain applicable to transactions outside that area.

Service charges can take different forms: either a flat fee per transaction or a percentage of the amount
(this is more common), or a combination of the two.

Credit card issuers are required to be transparent vis-(cid:224)-vis their clients, whom they must inform of the rates
obtaining for crossborder transactions, but they are free to apply such rates.

It is for each bank to determine the relevant costs in the light of competition in their field. In its
communication on retail payments in the internal market (1), the Commission expressed the wish that as
far as possible transactions within the market be invoiced identically with domestic transactions; this is not
yet the case, with the exception of Belgian issuers.

(1) COM(2000) 36 final.