WRITTEN QUESTION P-2504/00 by María Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Commission. Microcredit and women entrepreneurs.
Date: 2000-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, early-stage capital, entrepreneur, exchange of information, microloan, principle of subsidiarity, woman

C 81 E/206

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

(2001/C 81 E/263)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2502/00

by Karin Riis-Jłrgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Classification of medical equipment

Further to my question No. P-1622/00 (1) and your answer of 16 June 2000, I would come back to the
matter of erroneously classified medical devices.

In brief, the product in question has been wrongly classified. The UK(cid:146)s Medical Device Agency (MDA) has
admitted that this is the case. The MDA, however, is not taking any action against the company concerned,
even though it continues to market and sell its product despite its erroneous classification.

The Danish health authorities have, in fact, also complained to the UK health authorities.

Obviously, this situation creates distortion of competition for a Danish manufacturer of a similar product
(cid:129) which is correctly classified.

Given that the MDA is now aware of the erroneous classification and has received a complaint from the
Danish manufacturer concerning the disparity in the terms of competition, how does the Commission
propose to proceed on the matter?

What action can a company take in regard to a national authority which does not intervene, for reasons
unknown, to prevent distortion of competition despite acknowledging that the product is erroneously
classified?

(1)

JO C 46 E, 13.2.2001, p. 207.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf on the Commission

(20 September 2000)

In view of the additional information provided by the Honourable Member on the classification of certain
medical devices,
if
appropriate, take the necessary action to ensure a coherent enforcement of Council Directive 93/42/EEC
of 14 June 1993 concerning medical devices (1) so as to eliminate any potential market distortion.

investigate the allegation with the British authorities and,

the Commission will

As to the action that may be taken by companies with regard to national authorities that do not fulfil their
obligations of market surveillance and enforcement, use should be made of the legal or other remedies
available at national level in the Member States concerned.

(1) OJ L 169, 12.7.1993.

(2001/C 81 E/264)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2504/00

by Mar(cid:237)a Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Microcredit and women entrepreneurs

With reference to the Commission(cid:146)s reply to my Oral Question H-0546/00 for Question Time on 5 July
2000 (1) and given the situation in my country, where women wishing to start up a business of any kind
need sustainable capital of at least PTA 500 000, how many European women have actually received some
form of microcredit, and in which Member States?

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/207

Are the Member States and competent regional offices implementing the microcredit policy in such a way
as to ensure that women benefit from it, or are those benefits diluted and brought under the general co-
financing terms laid down, with the result that they are lost?

(1) Question answered in writing on 5.7.2000.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(19 September 2000)

The Commission does not have any data available, either overall or from each Member State, on the
number of women in Europe having received microfinance. Such microfinance programmes are usually
run by the Member States themselves in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity.

Nevertheless, it should be pointed out that from 1987 to 1995 the Commission supported the Programme
on Local Employment Initiatives for Women (LEI). 1 619 projects were assessed to analyse the progress of
women assisted under this programme. The NOW initiative was launched on the basis of the experience
gained from the LEI programme to support projects for businesses set up by women. A CD-ROM
produced on entrepreneurship among women contains a detailed description of the NOW projects.
A copy of this study on CD-ROM has been sent directly to the Honourable Member and to the General
Secretariat of the Parliament. Other assessments have been carried out on the support provided by the
Structural Funds. However, these assessments provide aggregated information on business start-up aid
without specifying whether or not this is microfinance.

(2001/C 81 E/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2505/00

by Luigi Cocilovo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Liberalisation before the event

The Directorate-General for Competition has instituted infringement proceedings against Italy concerning
the legislative decree transposing the 1997 Postal Services Directive, with particular reference to certain
categories of postal services regarded as (cid:145)distinct and separate(cid:146) from the traditional services.

The infringement proceedings hinge on a concept of (cid:145)distinct and separate services(cid:146) that departs from the
criteria, including for example price, set out in the Postal Services Directive now in force but in some
respects anticipates the future rules governing postal services, as laid down in the proposal for a second
postal services directive, submitted to Parliament on 22 June 2000.

Does the Commission not consider that the proceedings in question are seeking at this juncture, and only
where Italy is concerned, to pursue a still more thoroughgoing measure of liberalisation than could be
pursued in the other Member States under the new directive, and even in that event not before 2003?
Does it not believe that this situation discriminates against Italy and might serve to create a further
disparity in terms of competition on a market now integrated to a high degree?

(2001/C 81 E/266)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2506/00

by Giovanni Procacci (ELDR) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Universal scope of the postal service

The Directorate-General for Competition has instituted infringement proceedings against Italy concerning
the legislative decree transposing the 1997 Postal Services Directive, with particular reference to certain
categories of postal services regarded as (cid:145)distinct and separate(cid:146) from the traditional services.