WRITTEN QUESTION E-2814/00 by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission. Cooperative enterprises.
Date: 2000-09-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: cooperative, structural expenditure

3.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 103 E/221

The Commission is aware of media reports that European companies seek participation in the Chinese oil
and petrochemical industry. The Commission is also aware of concerns which have been expressed about
the effect on Tibet(cid:146)s environment of exploration activities there. However, the Commission has no means
and no competence to influence investment decisions by individual European companies.

(2001/C 103 E/259)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2805/00

by Imelda Read (PSE) to the Commission

(4 September 2000)

Subject: Japanese Automotive Manufacturers Association

Since December 1999, the European Commission has invited the Japanese Automotive Manufacturers
Association (JAMA) to the European Commission(cid:146)s Motor Vehicle Working Group and, since February
2000, to the Motor Vehicle Emissions Group. This is particularly welcome because neither JAMA, nor any
Japanese car manufacturer, was involved in the discussions relating to Auto-Oil I and II.

Can the European Commission indicate when JAMA, an association representing 33 000 direct and
approximately 150 000 indirect jobs in the European Union and producing over 1 million vehicles in the
EU, could be invited to join other working groups and/or committees, such as the European Enhanced
Safety Vehicle Committee? Such involvement would permit JAMA, and its members, to contribute their
expertise for the benefit of European consumers.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

As correctly indicated by the Honourable Member, the Commission has invited the Japanese Automotive
Manufacturers Association (JAMA) to participate in meetings of its motor vehicle working group. This
initiative has been taken by the Commission in a spirit of transparency and openness towards an
important economic sector in the automotive industry.

JAMA was invited for the very first time to participate in the motor vehicle working group meeting held
in June 1999. It was further invited to all subsequent meetings of the same group and, as from February
2000 onwards, also to meetings of the ad hoc motor vehicle emissions group (MVEG).

The Commission will of course continue to invite JAMA to participate in these meetings in the future. It is
also the Commission(cid:146)s intention to invite JAMA to participate in all forthcoming meetings of its other ad
hoc working groups, which directly report to the motor vehicle working group.

It should further be observed that the Commission does not manage the European enhanced safety vehicle
committee. The Commission can therefore not commit itself to invite JAMA to participate in this
committee(cid:146)s meetings.

(2001/C 103 E/260)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2814/00

by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission

(5 September 2000)

Subject: Cooperative enterprises

Acknowledging the importance that the Commission places on cooperative enterprises, what steps is it
taking to promote development of cooperative enterprises through the social and regional funds?

C 103 E/222

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.4.2001

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

In its communication (1) concerning the direction of the programme of the structural funds for the period
2000-2006, the Commission attaches great importance to the social economy sector (co-operatives,
mutuals, associations) with respect to employment creation.

One of the guidelines for 2000 (guideline 12) invites Member States to (cid:145)promote measures to exploit fully
the possibilities offered by job creation at local level and in the social economy, especially in new activities
linked to needs not yet satisfied by the market, and examine, with the aim of reducing them, any obstacles
in the way of such measures(cid:146).

In accordance with the principle of partnership, the Commission ensures that the Member States take
account of these agreed orientations in the programming documents for the regions that are eligible under
objectives 1 and 2 during the period 2000-2006.

As far as the European fund for regional development is concerned cooperatives are entitled, as are any
other enterprise irrespective of their legal form, to benefit from co-financing.

The European social fund contributes to the actions undertaken in pursuance of the European employment
strategy and the annual guidelines on employment. Its activities are therefore of particular relevance for the
cooperative sector.

The activities of the above-mentioned funds are managed by the national administrations and are not
analysed by legal form of enterprise (i.e. by implementing instrument). It is therefore not possible to
provide the Honourable Member with accurate statistical
information on the numbers of cooperative
enterprises participating in social and regional funded projects.

The Commission maintains regular links with the representative organisations of the cooperative sectors at
the European level and remains open to their requests, on behalf of their members, for information
regarding European social and regional funds.

(1) OJ C 267, 22.9.1999.

(2001/C 103 E/261)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2816/00

by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission

(5 September 2000)

Subject: Local taxation

Can a Member State or a region of a Member State which levies local taxation apply two different methods
of local taxation?

For example, in the implementation of local taxation on the commercial sector can one or two specific
commercial activities be treated differently from all other commercial activities or do they all have to be
treated equally?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

Since there is no Community legislation on this matter, Member States have sole competence for the
introduction of direct local taxes, including those levied on businesses.

However, such legislation must not contain discriminatory measures that
infringe the fundamental
freedoms provided for in the EC Treaty (freedom of establishment, freedom to supply services, free
movement of persons, goods and capital).