WRITTEN QUESTION E-2384/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Council. Time limits for answers to parliamentary questions.
Date: 2000-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of the European Union, European Parliament, interinstitutional relations (EU), written question

C 103 E/142

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

Under Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban wastewater treatment (1) all urban
areas of more than 10 000 inhabitants should be equipped with means by which nitrogen and phosphorus
are removed from their wastewater emissions. Under Council Directive 91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991
concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (2) all
areas of intensive agriculture should be subject to efficient action programmes to reduce inputs of
nitrogen. The Commission is maintaining legal pressure on national authorities to ensure the correct
implementation of these measures.

The sanctions imposed on fishermen for violation of the conditions of fisheries protection regulations do
not lie within the competence of the Community but emanate from the Italian legal system rather than
from Community legislation. Council Regulation (EC) No 1626/4 of 27 June 1994 laying down certain
technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean (3) and subsequent
amendments specifies the conditions under which certain fishing activities should take place. Little can be
done at Community level with regard to the price of oil.

The conditions for biological closures are established under national legislation of which the Commission
is aware. If the Honourable Members consider that details of this legislation are inappropriate, they might
approach the Italian authorities to redraft the legislation and submit the redraft by accepted channels to
the Commission for perusal.

Under the current rules (Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down the
detailed rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector (4)),
Member States can grant compensation for temporary suspensions of fishing due to unforeseen events on
the terms set out in Article 16 of that Regulation. However, budget resources for this type of intervention
are strictly limited and a Member State would have to assess the scale of the problem and judge what
priority such compensation should have. Finally, if it decides to grant compensation it must send the
Commission the relevant scientific justification beforehand.

(1) OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.
(2) OJ L 375, 31.12.1991.
(3) OJ L 171, 6.7.1994.
(4) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2001/C 103 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2384/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Council

Subject: Time limits for answers to parliamentary questions

(24 July 2000)

In view of the delayed replies from the Council to parliamentary questions numbers E-0570/00, E-0571/
00, E-0572/00, and E-0573/00 tabled on 14 February 2000, and number E-0917/00 tabled on 8 March
2000, would the Council please state its current policy on time limits for answering parliamentary
questions?

Reply

(7 November 2000)

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that it answered this question when it replied to
Questions E-1299/00, E-1300/00 and P-1541/00. It reaffirms that it will maintain the balance described
on that occasion regarding the formulation of replies to questions put to it by Members of the European
Parliament.