WRITTEN QUESTION P-2389/00 by Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Commencement of work on a sewage treatment plant in Ulea (Murcia, Spain).
Date: 2000-07-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Region of Murcia, Spain, environmental impact, infringement of EU law, water treatment

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/193

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(26 September 2000)

First, it should be stressed that (cid:145)safety tests(cid:146) as mentioned of (cid:145)ecstasy(cid:146) as well as similar illegal drugs fall
within the competence of
involved in the
implementation of such measures. The reference to Article 153 (ex Article 129a) of the EC Treaty is not
applicable here since this article is not intended to cover illegal substances.

the Member States, and that

the Commission is not

The Community action plan on drugs (2000-2004) (1) encourages the Member States and the Commission
to develop innovative approaches to the prevention of the abuse of synthetic drugs, taking into account
the specificities of synthetic drug users. On-site testing of (cid:145)ecstasy(cid:146) may form a part of this preventive
approach provided that it is allowed by the legislation of the Member States.

According to the draft 2000 annual report on the state of the drugs problem in the Community produced
by the European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction (EMCDDA), on-the-spot pill testing has
been implemented in different forms in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Austria. In some Member
States pill testing operates in a legal (cid:145)grey area(cid:146), since collecting, analysing and storing illegal drugs, even
for test purposes, is a violation of the law. On the other hand, a Berlin court ruled that the handling of
narcotics during a drug test was not punishable, and in Austria pill testing is being performed under a
research project.
In the Netherlands, criteria for good testing practice have been developed, clearly
distinguishing the monitoring from the harm-reduction function.

The EMCDDA has commissioned a study on on-site pill-testing interventions in the Community. This
research will draw up an inventory of existing on-site pill-testing programmes and examine their
objectives,
the projects is to assess how
prevention and harm-reduction measures can be tied in with pill-testing work. The results of the study
are expected this autumn.

target groups, methods and pitfalls. The ultimate goal of

(1) COM(1999) 239 final.

(2001/C 89 E/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2389/00

by Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(7 July 2000)

Subject: Commencement of work on a sewage treatment plant in Ulea (Murcia, Spain)

The latest developments in Ulea are evidence of the worrying situation there, with the regional government
and town council determined to press ahead with the construction of a sewage treatment plant with
European funding despite opposition from local citizens and the unfavourable views expressed by the
Commission, which suspects possible irregularities and has given leave for a complaint to be filed against
the installation.

Given that this plant contravenes European environmental rules and directives, does the Commission not
see the urgent need for decisions and specific measures vis-(cid:224)-vis the Spanish authorities, in order to put to
an end to the uncertainty surrounding the application of the rules in question?

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

(7 September 2000)

The Commission was not aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member.

It has yet to receive any complaint that Community directives have not been complied with in respect of
the project the Honourable Member is referring to.

C 89 E/194

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

Accordingly, on the basis of the information supplied, the Commission is unable to identify an infringe-
ment of Community law in this particular case.

(2001/C 89 E/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2408/00

by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 July 2000)

Subject: Currency speculation

Would the Commission be prepared to take an initiative to form a global alliance of governments with the
objective of ending currency speculation?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(20 September 2000)

Free movement of capital is a principle enshrined in the EC Treaty, of which the Commission is the
guardian. While it is involved in assessing the implications of the globalization of financial markets for the
financial sector of the Member States, the Commission along with other international organizations has
analyzed the idea of introducing capital controls to limit speculation.

Free capital movements contribute to an efficient allocation of resources in the world economy allowing
international investment to find the highest rate of return. In this way, liberalized capital flows foster a
higher level of economic growth and a more even distribution of growth around the world. Any measure
to limit the movement of capital must take account of these important considerations. Moreover, the scale
of international capital flows has grown enormously in the last 20 years, making it difficult to distinguish
between flows that might be termed purely speculative and those that occur for reasons of investment and
trade. Even if speculative flows could be readily identified, the experience of capital controls suggests that
they are rarely effective in the medium term, as investors find means to circumvent them.

Because of these considerations, any attempt to re-introduce capital controls or other measures impeding
the free movement of capital should not be supported.

(2001/C 89 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2409/00

by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 July 2000)

Subject: Americans with Disabilities Act

Is the Commission aware that the United States, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, judges must
take a person(cid:146)s disability into account when passing sentence? Does any Member State have similar
legislation? Would the Commission be prepared to put forward a proposal to encourage all Member States
to incorporate into their national legislation a measure similar to the (cid:145)Americans with Disabilities Act(cid:146)?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 2000)

The Commission is not aware of any specific legal provisions in force in the United States that impose
certain obligations on judges with respect to disabled persons. It also does not know of any similar
measures in the Member States, and does not intend to put forward any such proposals.