WRITTEN QUESTION P-2669/00 by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Delays in the provision of funding for Alzheimer's disease pilot projects.
Date: 2000-07-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, EU programme, disease of the nervous system

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/207

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(4 October 2000)

Following the outbreaks referred to by the Honourable Member, most Member States have
1. and 2.
reviewed or applied new or updated measures for the prevention and control of legionellosis on their
territories. These range from guidance to direct legislation depending on the groups being addressed and
the nature of the controls required. The policies of the Member States and the Commission attempt to
adapt to information gleaned from new outbreaks to ensure the high level of protection of public health.

Member States are responsible for the implementation of national measures for the protection of public
health. Given the sporadic nature of outbreaks of legionellosis of this type, evaluation of the efficacy of
these measures will only be possible over a long period.

3. Member States are already required by Decision 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of
communicable diseases in the Community (1) to report outbreaks, and on the basis of information available
through the network to consult each other in liaison with the Commission with a view to coordinating
their efforts. In this framework, the Commission has supported for many years, and continues to support
the surveillance of travel associated cases and clusters/outbreaks of legionellosis in the Community to
provide Member States with rapid information for control and prevention.

The Commission is also currently collaborating with experts from Member States on the prevention and
control of legionellosis and the Commission will consider the need for any future action at a European
level against this background.

(1) OJ L 268, 3.10.1998.

(2001/C 103 E/237)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2669/00

by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 July 2000)

Subject: Delays in the provision of funding for Alzheimer(cid:146)s disease pilot projects

In 1999 an amendment to the Budget was approved which involved the allocation of € 2,5 million to the
heading entitled (cid:145)Pilot projects to improve the quality of life of persons suffering from neurodegenerative
diseases, such as Alzheimer(cid:146)s disease and related conditions, and those assisting them in a non-professional
capacity(cid:146).

However, the Commission has not so far published any kind of notice inviting applications for such
funding and (according to information received from the Alzheimer Europe organisation) it apparently
intends to transfer the amount which was earmarked for Alzheimer(cid:146)s disease pilot projects to the general
budget for health-promotion initiatives. This would seriously jeopardise the survival of a number of
European organisations which act on behalf of the 4,8 million people in the European Union who suffer
from Alzheimer(cid:146)s disease.

Will the Commission answer the following questions:

1. What is the reason for this delay in the allocation of resources? Is it because a decision has really been
taken to transfer those resources to the budget heading concerned with general health-promotion
initiatives?

2. Will the Commission provide a report on the programmes of Alzheimer Europe and other similar

associations for which funding has been approved but not yet made available?

C 103 E/208

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2000)

The Honourable Member is invited to refer to the Commission(cid:146)s answer to written question E-2402/00 by
Mr Staes concerning the use of the € 2,5 million foreseen in the budget.

1.
Budget line B3-4307, which was voted in August 1999, after the inter-institutional agreement of
6 May 1999, is in breach of the provisions of that agreement and in particular Article 37. Indeed, the
Commission has set out the reasons underlying the Commission(cid:146)s refusal to implement this budget line
(letter of 11 July 2000 from the Commissioner in charge of the budget to Mr Wynn, Chairman of the
Parliament(cid:146)s committee on budgets). In this light, the Commission cannot commit this budget line and will
not seek to recycle the funds allocated.

In addition from the Commission(cid:146)s perspective, it has been clarified that it does not possess within the
Directorate general for Health and consumer protection the administrative resources to manage this
budget-line.
In keeping with this Commission(cid:146)s commitments to matching human resources, sound
financial management and policy priorities and in the light of severe understaffing in this service, the
Commission will propose increased human resources in follow-up to the Peer review process. The
Commission hopes that the Honourable Member and his fellow Members of Parliament will support the
staffing requirements of the Directorate general for Health and consumer protection set out in the context
of this process.

It might be possible for actions in relation to particular health interventions, such as on Alzheimer(cid:146)s
disease, drawing from the experience accumulated so far, to be undertaken under the new public health
strategy after its adoption by the Parliament and the Council. With regard to research aspects linked to
Alzheimers disease, funding opportunities also exist under the Directorate general Research and the 5th
framework programme for research.

Clearly, working together to tackle Alzheimer(cid:146)s disease and related conditions is an important element in
our joint attempts to prepare and implement a new public health strategy and the Commission would
encourage those dedicated representatives of organisations dealing with neurodegenerative diseases to work
closely with its services.

56 Alzheimer-related projects were submitted in 1996, 1997 and 1998 by Alzheimer Europe and
2.
similar associations and selected for funding. The budgetary commitments and initial payments have been
made for all. Moreover, the final payments have been made for almost 80 % of these projects. For the
remaining projects, either the final reports and financial statements have not yet been received, or
processing is under way, or supplementary information has been requested from the contractors.

(2001/C 103 E/238)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2670/00

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(25 July 2000)

Subject: Violation of press freedom in the Turkish-controlled northern part of Cyprus

The Denktash regime banned publication of the newspaper Avrupa two months ago and imprisoned the
editor-in-chief, Sener Levent, along with five other Turkish Cypriot journalists, on charges of (cid:145)incitement to
hatred of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Turkish army(cid:146), in violation of the principle of
press freedom and human rights in the Turkish-controlled northern part of Cyprus. A further 75 (cid:145)charges(cid:146)
were brought against them at the trial of 23 June, each bearing a five-year prison sentence. It might be
recalled in this connection that, some time ago, the Turkish Cypriot journalist Kutlu Antali was murdered
in the same area, and it might also be noted that all these incidents have occurred at a time when intense
efforts are being made to achieve some progress in the procedure leading to Turkey(cid:146)s accession to the
European Union, while at the same time involving the Turkish Cypriot side in the negotiations on Cyprus(cid:146)
accession to the EU.