WRITTEN QUESTION E-2453/00 by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Northern Ireland peace programme.
Date: 2000-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community support framework, EU programme, Northern Ireland, peacekeeping

8.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/39

connection and other grid system costs at the European level,
Member State level comply with certain general principles.

it should be ensured that the rules at

Article 7 of the proposal therefore lays down that all the costs and benefits associated with the connection
of a new RES installation must be defined on the basis of standard rules and in accordance with objective,
transparent and non-discriminatory criteria; the costs of the system installations, such as grid reinforce-
ments, are shared between all generators benefiting from them (the arrangements for sharing must be
made on the basis of standard rules and in accordance with objective, transparent and non-discriminatory
criteria); Member States adopt rules providing for compensation where generators connected subsequently
to the grid derive benefits (connection or reinforcement) associated with a party connected earlier which
bore the cost of the operation.

The question of establishing the connection costs for RES-E generators associated with the laying of an
underwater cable between an isolated region such as the Shetland Islands and the Scottish mainland, as
mentioned by way of example by the Honourable Members, must be considered in the light of the
provisions on security of supply. Moreover, without prejudice to the rules of the Treaty, and in particular
Articles 87 and 88 (formerly Articles 92 and 93), the public authorities concerned could subsidise such a
project.

The Commission is therefore of the opinion that its proposal for a Directive establishes a regulatory
framework for RES-E generators which is consistent with Community policy in favour of remote and
isolated areas.

(1) COM(97) 599 final.

(2001/C 136 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2453/00

by John McCartin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Northern Ireland peace programme

Is the Commission aware that the Northern Ireland Peace Initiative which expired at the end of 1999 has
still not been renewed and can the Commission inform Parliament when the next programme will be
available for new applications?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

The Community special support programme for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the
border counties of Ireland (PEACE I) ran from 1995 to 1999 in the form of a Community Initiative.

In March 1999, the European Council in Berlin decided that (cid:145)in recognition of the special efforts for the
peace process in Northern Ireland, the PEACE programme will be continued for five years with an amount
of € 500 million, of which € 100 million will be allocated to Ireland. This programme will be implemented
in full respect of additionality of structural fund interventions(cid:146) (1).

For the period running from 2000 to 2004, the PEACE programme has been renewed in the form of an
operational programme under objective 1 of the structural funds (2).

In application of the structural funds regulations, the British and Irish authorities jointly presented to the
Commission a draft PEACE II programme in April 2000. This text is now being discussed in the light of
the Community support frameworks for Ireland and Northern Ireland.

C 136 E/40

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

The joint PEACE II programme is expected to be adopted in the autumn. This should enable projects to be
financed on the ground by the end of 2000.

(1) Point 44 (b) of Presidency Conclusions (cid:129) Berlin 24/25 March 1999.
(2) Article 7 (4) of Council Regulation (EC) No1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the

Structural Funds (OJ L 161, 26.6.1999).

(2001/C 136 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2465/00

by Mary Banotti (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: European standards for the embalming and transfer of remains

The question of repatriation of human remains within the EU was dramatically brought to my attention
with the case of the transfer of the body of a person who died suddenly in Portugal to Ireland. The body
arrived in such an advanced state of decay that the family were unable to view the body before the funeral,
thus causing unnecessary added stress to the family concerned.

Given that EU citizens are moving more and more frequently between Member States both for work and
leisure and that inevitably there will be an increase in the number of transfers of remains from one EU
Member State to another, would the Commission consider looking into the provision of a regulation
governing standards in the field of embalming and transfer of remains in order to avoid such distressing
circumstances arising in the future?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

The Commission regrets the distress suffered by the family of the dead person to whom the question
refers.

Regulations governing the transfer of remains of dead persons are laid down in the International
Agreement of Berlin (1937, No 4391 League of Nations Treaty Series) and by the Agreement on the
transfer of corpses of the Council of Europe concluded in September 1973. As stated in its reply to
Written Questions E-0144/95 and E-0428/95 by Mr White (1), the Commission, following extensive
consultations with all parties concerned, concluded that detailed harmonisation of national rules in this
area over and above what already exists is neither desirable nor necessary and would not be justified from
the point of view of subsidiarity and proportionality.

(1) OJ C 202, 7.8.1995.

(2001/C 136 E/044)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2483/00

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Euro information campaign

How much of the € 32 million allocated to the Prince programme in 2000 will be spent on the euro

1.
information campaign, and how much will be spent in 2001?

In its communication on communications strategy in the last phases of the completion of EMU

2.
(COM(2000) 57 final), the Commission states that:

The campaign the euro, one currency for Europe was launched in 1996 as part of the Prince
programme (information programme for the European citizen) and more than € 117 million has
been commited in the last four years. In 1998/1999 around two-thirds was spent through agreements.