WRITTEN QUESTION P-3109/00 by Freddy Thielemans (PSE) to the Commission. Implementation of project ALA/92/47 and ALA/92/35 to protect the town of Montero against flooding.
Date: 2000-09-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Bolivia, EU financing, flood

C 151 E/64

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2000)

Under the terms of the Community provisions currently in force in this area (Article 12(3) of the Sixth
Council Directive 77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States
relating to turnover taxes (cid:129) Common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment (1), the
standard minimum 15 % rate applies to the catering industry. Increased rates were dropped following the
adoption of Directive 92/77/EEC (2) on the approximation of VAT rates.

However, Article 28(2)of the Directive allows Member States to apply a reduced rate for catering on a
temporary basis on certain conditions.

Specifically, Member States who were obliged to increase their standard rate by more than 2 % on 1 January
1991 and those where a reduced rate was already being applied to the catering industry can apply, or
continue to apply, a reduced rate.

The application period for the exemptions is linked to the transitional period which came into force on
1 January 1993.
though it could be extended
automatically until the definitive VAT arrangement came into force. The changeover was particularly
difficult to implement and it now seems likely that the transitional arrangement will continue to be applied
for several years.

It was intended to last until 31 December 1996,

The catering industry could have benefited from the possibility of a reduced rate for other Member States,
if the Council had not amended the Commission(cid:146)s proposal when negotiating Council Directive 1999/85/
EC of 22 October 1999 amending Directive 77/388/EEC as regards the possibility of applying on an
experimental basis a reduced VAT rate on labour-intensive services. (3) The Council restricted the scope of
the proposal to a list of services which did not include the catering industry.

The Commission(cid:146)s new VAT strategy (4) on the rationalisation of VAT rates will include a review of the
temporary exemptions on rates and their period of validity. It will be carried out following an assessment
of the experience of labour-intensive services.

(1) OJ L 145, 13/6/1977. Directive last amended by Council Directive 1999/85/EC of 22 October 1999 (OJ L 277,

28.10.1999).

(2) Council Directive 92/77/EEC of 19 October 1992 supplementing the common system of value added tax and

amending Directive 77/388/EEC (approximation of VAT rates) (OJ L 316, 31.10.1992).

(3) OJ L 277, 28.10.1999.
(4) COM(2000) 348 final.

(2001/C 151 E/076)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3109/00

by Freddy Thielemans (PSE) to the Commission

(27 September 2000)

Subject: Implementation of project ALA/92/47 and ALA/92/35 to protect the town of Montero against

flooding

EC funding (project No ALA/92/47 and ALA 92/35) and an agreement between Bolivia and the EC mean
that the town of Montero could enjoy better protection against flooding. The requisite work has however
fallen behind schedule, and will not be completed by 30 September 2000, when the technical assistance
contract expires, although the funding agreement with Bolivia has not yet run out. I am informed that the
Commission(cid:146)s services refuse to extend the deadline for completing the work (for which funding is
guaranteed), a refusal which might make all the effort invested hitherto entirely pointless.

Is the Commission aware of the fact that a possible refusal to extend the deadline will mean that all the
work already carried out will come to nothing? Why are the Commission services refusing to extend the
project until the work is completed?

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/65

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 2000)

The essential aim of the project was to involve the national authorities in developing a working method
and management policy to guarantee the maintenance and durability of the works, on the obvious
assumption that improvement and repair works would still be needed and would continue well beyond
the lifetime of the project. Since it was necessary, among other things, to protect large areas of the banks
of a river the morphology of which was constantly changing, the general objectives of the project included
a dynamic approach, based on observation and study of the development of the watercourse following the
various operations carried out, in order to draw the necessary conclusions for improving future operations.

This is the basis on which the national administration was prepared for taking over the project and
carrying out with its own means and capacities the successive adjustments which would be needed.

The financing agreement has to have a longer period of validity than the project and attendant contracts in
order to allow the administrative conclusion of the project before the agreement expires. The Community
funding provided for protecting the town of Montero has formed the subject of two financing agreements,
signed in April 1993 (emergency works) and July 1993 (protection of the town of Montero). The project
was due for completion in six years. The technical assistance contract was extended by a rider for a further
six months up to 30 September of this year.

(2001/C 151 E/077)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3111/00

by Albert Maat (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 September 2000)

Subject: Commission proposal for an egg classification system

At the beginning of September, the Commission submitted a proposal for compulsory indication of the
farming method on eggs as of 1 January 2001. This proposal radically alters the existing classification
system for eggs. The preparation time seems rather brief if the new system is to enter into force on
1 January 2001. The first question, therefore,
is: when does the Commission intend to consult the
European Parliament about the proposal?

It is very important that such a radical change in the classification system should have the support of
operators in the industry. The second question is: has the Commission consulted the industry while
drafting the proposal, and if so, how and with what outcome?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(23 October 2000)

The proposal (1) for amending Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 on certain marketing standards for eggs (2)
would introduce compulsory labelling for all methods of egg production, not only for battery-laid eggs.

The common organisation of the market in eggs stipulates that marketing standards are to be adopted by
the Council, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission (Article 2(2) of Regulation
(EEC) No 2771/75) (3), but does not refer to Parliament being consulted. Parliament was nevertheless
informed of the proposal.

The Commission informed the public of
its intention to introduce compulsory production-method
labelling in its March 1998 communication to the Council on the protection of laying hens (4). While the
majority of producers and consumers are prepared to accept the principle of compulsory labelling, at an