WRITTEN QUESTION E-2379/00 by Christine De Veyrac (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Community programmes concerning education, vocational training and youth.
Date: 2000-07-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, access to EU information, educational exchange, vocational training, youth exchange scheme

C 103 E/140

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 2000)

The proposal for a directive of the Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of electricity from
renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market (1) to which the Honourable Member refers
reflects the Commission(cid:146)s traditional position on the role of hydro power. This type of energy is clearly a
renewable energy source, but electricity produced from large hydroelectric installations (i.e. with a capacity
above 10 megawatt (MW)) is in general competitive and does not need particular public support. Member
States thus can make allowance for electricity produced from large hydroelectric installations for achieving
their national target in consumption of electricity produced from renewable energy sources as indicated in
the annex to the proposal. The targets for consumption contained in the annex are not binding but
indicative and the Commission(cid:146)s proposal leaves it to Member States to promote (cid:129) within the limit of the
definition in Article 2(1) (cid:129) the types of renewable energy sources that are best suited to their particular
circumstances. Consequently, it does not follow from the proposal for a directive that Finland in any way
would have to substitute electricity production from hydroelectric installations with a production based on
the burning of wood.

All
forms of hydropower are furthermore included in the provisions on certification of origin, as
consumers should have the right to know if their electricity is produced from renewable sources of
energy. However, in the case of hydroelectric installations, guarantee certificates have to specify whether
their capacity lies above or under 10 MW.

Also, large hydroelectric installations do not benefit from the more technical provisions of the proposal,
e.g. priority access to the grid, as this is not needed to assure economic viability on the market. In
conclusion it may be said that the Commission with its policy promoting renewable energy sources tries to
focus public support to the types of renewable energy sources where it is most needed and justified in
economic terms.

(1) COM(2000) 279 final.

(2001/C 103 E/156)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2379/00

by Christine De Veyrac (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 July 2000)

Subject: Community programmes concerning education, vocational training and youth

I regularly receive visitors aged from 13 to 18. As well as giving a presentation on the daily activities of an
MEP, I speak to them about the numerous Community programmes in the areas of education, vocational
training and youth.

This reveals that what should be merely a reminder or additional
completely new to them.

information is in fact, very often,

This state of affairs is found not only in France but also in countries such as Germany.

How does the Commission explain the fact that this information has not got through to schools?

What solutions does the Commission recommend as a remedy for this?

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/141

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 2000)

More than a million young people have so far taken advantage of the Community programmes to study,
train and further their personal development in a Member State other than their own. This is a huge
success, but the Commission is aware of the need to maintain and strengthen the communication activities
in this area.

The Community programmes Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth are managed in accordance with the
subsidiarity principle.
In each participating Member State is appointed a national agency, which is
responsible for most of the contact with the potential participants in the programmes. The main priority
is given to ensuring that precise and operational information is available at the place where young people
already seek information on education and career questions, that is careers advisers at schools, and youth
information centres.

As a back up, the programmes are also promoted in communications activities directed to the general
public, by means such as the Internet, publications, and presentations at youth fairs.

With the recent launch of the new generation of programmes 2000-2006, the Commission is currently
making new agreements with national agencies, which will include a strengthening of communication
activities.

(2001/C 103 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2381/00

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) and Giorgio Lisi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Mucilage in the Adriatic sea

(13 July 2000)

What initiatives does the Commission intend to take to deal with the mucilage emergency in the Adriatic
sea, a phenomenon which is damaging the operations of fishermen and tourist and business operators in
the region?

How does it intend to protect the fishing world, which has already been hit by numerous problems such as
expensive fuel, excessive penalties for violations of administrative rules and the fact that there has been no
rationalisation of the fisheries sector legislation, resulting in a single text?

Does the Commission intend to implement emergency measures?

In addition, is the Commission aware of problems connected with the biological rest period, which should
be implemented at various periods relating to the times of birth and growth of various types of fish in the
Adriatic and no longer, as is currently the case, at inconsistent and random periods laid down by decree?

Finally, what part will the Commission play in the setting of criteria for the distribution of assistance for
fishery products traders, in connection with the 1999 stoppage caused by the war?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 2000)

The increased frequency and importance of mucilaginous algae blooms, during the last decades, in the
is the result of excessive input of nitrogen and phosphorus from intensive agriculture
Adriatic Sea,
(fertilisers) and from large urban populations, Milan in particular. Under certain conditions, the nitrogen
and phosphorus act as nutrients and stimulate the occurrence of vast quantities of marine plankton
(diatoms) which manifest themselves as this mucilage. The Commission has stimulated scientific research
into problems of this nature occurring in both the Adriatic and other areas to provide a basis for
establishing codes of good practice to reduce nutrient inputs to the sea.