WRITTEN QUESTION E-2365/00 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Issuing of permits to exercise the profession of tourist guide in Greece.
Date: 2000-07-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, access to a profession, mutual recognition principle, professional qualifications, recognition of diplomas, tourist profession, vocational training

C 81 E/192

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

Replying to written question E-3111/95 from Mr Ullmann and Mr Kreissl-D(cid:246)rfler (2), the Commission has
already stated that
(cid:145)the only obligation incumbent on Member States is to inform residents in an
appropriate manner whereas the choice of the way in which this information is carried out is left entirely
to the discretion of the Member States themselves(cid:146). Consequently, the fact that the local authorities go
about contacting and informing Community nationals in different ways is not in itself contrary to the
Directive.

Article 13 of the Directive requires the Commission to report to the European Parliament and the Council
on the application of the Directive within a year of the holding in all the Member States of the municipal
elections organised on the basis of the provisions of the Directive, in this case no later than March 2002.
The Member States(cid:146) information campaigns will be evaluated in this report.

(1) OJ L 368, 31.12.1994.
(2) OJ C 79, 18.3.1996.

(2001/C 81 E/246)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2365/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 July 2000)

Subject: Issuing of permits to exercise the profession of tourist guide in Greece

Greek tourist guides face administrative and penal sanctions in exercising their professional duties in many
EU Member States, as they have not been issued with permits to exercise the profession. This is because no
criteria have been laid down for this purpose and because there is no organisation with responsibility in
this field in Greece.

According to your answer to my Written Question E-2775/99 (1) (cid:145)(cid:133) the current authorities in Greece
which are competent to issue these certificates are the prefects, in accordance with Presidential decree 33/
1993(cid:146); however, the Greek Ministry of Development and in particular the Greek Tourist Board have to far
persistently refused to lay down criteria to certify the tourist guide profession and the conditions for the
issue of a special pass certifying that the holder is a tourist guide.

Given that the lack of permits makes it difficult for Greek tourist guides freely to exercise their profession
in another Member State, what measures does the Commission intend to take to ensure that the legislation
is enacted to set up a mechanism which becomes operational as soon as possible to certify the profession
of tourist guide and to issue permits to exercise this profession?

(1) OJ C 225 E, 8.8.2000, p. 204.

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(21 September 2000)

the Commission would like to point out

With regard to the administrative and penal sanctions imposed on Greek tourist guides in several Member
that, although Member States which regulate the
States,
profession of tourist guide must authorise professionals meeting the conditions of professional experience
laid down by Directive 1999/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 June 1999
establishing a mechanism for the recognition of qualifications in respect of the professional activities
covered by the Directives on liberalisation and transitional measures and supplementing the general
systems for the recognition of qualifications (1) (repealing and replacing Council Directive 75/368/CEE of
16 June 1975 (2)) to exercise this profession, these professionals must still satisfy the other conditions and
formalities required under the legislation of the host country, such as entry in a professional register or the
acquisition of a professional licence, provided that these requirements are justified under Community law
for the provision of services. The requirement of a professional
licence in the host Member State is
therefore a separate matter from the possession or lack of possession of a licence in the country of origin.

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/193

It

Greek tourist guides cannot benefit from the Directive unless the Greek authorities, i.e. the prefects, issue
certificates documenting the nature and duration of the professional activity exercised in the country of
origin.
is up to the Greek authorities to determine the conditions for issuing these certificates.
The Commission cannot oblige the Greek authorities to institute a tourist guide licence on their territory,
since this is a matter of internal organisation within the Greek administration. However, the Greek
authorities cannot use internal organisational difficulties to justify any refusal to issue these certificates to
Greek tourist guides wishing to exercise their profession in another Member State. Such a refusal would
prevent the Greek nationals concerned from being covered by the Directive and would contravene
Community law. The Commission has not until now been informed of any such refusal to issue certificates
documenting the nature and duration of the professional activity exercised in Greece. The Commission is,
of course, willing to examine any cases the Honourable Member would care to communicate and, where
necessary, make use of the means conferred on it by the EC Treaty to put an end to such a situation.

(1) OJ L 201, 31.7.1999.
(2) OJ L 167, 30.6.1975.

(2001/C 81 E/247)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2372/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(13 July 2000)

Subject: Repayment of interest-free loans

Is the Commission aware of the practice by certain disreputable finance companies of offering interest-free
loans for the purchase of consumer goods over twelve months or so, but then insisting that an agreement
is signed to repay the loan over two or three years and making it as difficult as possible to set up
arrangements to repay the loan within the time concerned?

Will they propose legislation to outlaw this practice?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(13 September 2000)

the practice mentioned by the Honourable Member.
The Commission has not been informed of
Apparently this would be a problem of misleading timetables linked with offers for an interest free loan
in credit advertisements, the agreement finally proposed not maintaining the promised timetable.

Various elements could be considered to examine the problem.

Article 3 of Directive 87/102/EEC of 22 December 1986 concerning consumer credit (1) refers in turn
explicitly to Council Directive 84/450/EEC of 10 September 1984 relating to misleading advertising (2) and
to the rules and principles applicable to unfair advertising.

Directive 87/102/EEC, in its Article 4, section 2, foresees a written statement of the timetable and Article 8
provides the consumer with a right to discharge his obligations before the time fixed by the agreement.
However, Article 2, section 1, (c) and (g), allows the exclusion of (cid:145)credit granted or made available without
payment of interest or any other charge(cid:146) and of (cid:145)credit agreements under which the consumer is required
to repay the credit by a maximum number of payments within a period not exceeding 12 months(cid:146) from
the scope of the Directive, but practically no Member State has used these exemptions.

The specific problem should be submitted to the authorities of the Member State competent for the
supervising and control of the national provisions on consumer credit and unfair advertising.

(1) OJ L 42, 12.2.1987.
(2) OJ L 250, 19.9.1984.