WRITTEN QUESTION P-2754/00 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission. Expanding the activities of the Inter-Services Group responsible for the outermost regions.
Date: 2000-08-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: farming sector, peripheral region, personnel administration, reassignment, service

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/167

(2001/C 113 E/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2754/00

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(2 August 2000)

Subject: Expanding the activities of the Inter-Services Group responsible for the outermost regions

The conclusions of the Commission(cid:146)s report on the application of Article 299(2) of the Treaty call for the
activities of the Inter-Services Group (which is responsible for coordinating the Commission(cid:146)s work in that
area) to continue and to be expanded.

With exceptional dedication and efficiency the Group has provided full support for the outermost regions
in a way which may be described as positively exemplary. However, it is seriously understaffed in certain
areas and this applies in particular to its agriculture department, which requires a much larger staff on
account of the importance of agriculture to the outermost regions and the extreme complexity of
Community legislation.

What action does the Commission intend to take in order to strengthen the Inter-Services Group
(in accordance with the conclusions of its own report) and,
in particular, the team responsible for
agricultural matters?

(2001/C 113 E/177)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2889/00

by Isidoro SÆnchez Garc(cid:237)a (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 September 2000)

Subject: Concern at the proposed transfer of Mr Ciavarini Azzi from the Commission(cid:146)s Interdepartmental

Working Party to the Directorate-General for regional policy

The chair of the Commission(cid:146)s Interdepartmental Working Party, Mr Giuseppe Ciavarini Azzi, is shortly to
be transferred to the Directorate-General for Regional Policy as advisor on ultraperipheral regions, a
decision which follows the departure of the Working Party(cid:146)s coordinator, Rafaela Lodice, and her assistant.

Given that the ongoing dismemberment of the Interdepartmental Working Party in the space of a few
months could lead to its being devalued, which would be to fly in the face of the undertakings to
reconstitute and strengthen the group, given by President Prodi in the conclusions of the 14 March report
on the ultraperipheral regions, what are the Commission(cid:146)s reasons for transferring Mr Ciavarini Azzi?

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-2754/00 and E-2889/00
given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(10 October 2000)

As can be seen from the initiatives it has taken, the Commission attaches great importance to the question
of the most remote regions and the implementation of Article 299(2) (formerly Article 227(2)) of the EC
Treaty. In this context, it is aware of the key role played by the Group on the most remote regions and
anxious to ensure that it functions smoothly.

As the Honourable Member is aware, the Commission has embarked on a far-reaching plan to modernise
its administration in order to increase its effectiveness in serving the Community. Rationalisation of
working arrangements and better use of resources are among the essential strands of the reform policy
launched by the Commission and receive its constant attention.

The Honourable Member can rest assured that, in the decisions it takes under its autonomous powers of
internal organisation, the Commission will see to it that the Group on the most remote regions continues
to function smoothly.