WRITTEN QUESTION P-3468/00 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. European shipbuilding industry.
Date: 2000-10-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: South Korea, World Trade Organisation, control of State aid, dumping, extra-EU trade, shipbuilding, trade dispute

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/179

(2001/C 151 E/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3467/00

by Robert Sturdy (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 October 2000)

Subject: Legal levels of swine fever compensation

The Eastern Region of the United Kingdom is currently suffering a prolonged bout of Classical Swine Fever
(CSF). Pig producers with unaffected holdings within a certain range of an affected holding are in what is
known as an exclusion zone and are unable to market their pigs. When these stationary animals become
too large, they must be slaughtered on animal welfare grounds, with compensation available for producers
forced to take such action.

Can the Commission verify the statement made by a Commission official, Joachim Heine, to Robert Sturdy,
MEP, that the Commission could approve any UK proposal to compensate producers for an amount up to
the market value of each pig slaughtered on animal welfare grounds within the exclusion zone?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2000)

For the kind of measure addressed by the Honourable Member, state aid has to be assessed under
section 11.4 of the Community guidelines for state aid in the agriculture sector (1). This section lays
down the conditions for an aid for combating animal and plant health diseases to be compatible with these
guidelines and with Article 87(3)(c) (ex Article 92) of the EC Treaty. According to these rules, and subject
to all other requirements being fulfilled, compensation may be granted up to the normal value of animals
slaughtered. Overcompensation of the losses should, however, be excluded.

On 18 October 2000, the Commission approved the United Kingdom Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme
(state aid NN 95/2000).
It appeared from the analysis of the notification submitted by the British
authorities that the aid scheme fulfilled all the conditions described above and that it could benefit from
the derogation provided in Article 87(3)(c) of the EC Treaty. As far as the compensation for the value of
pigs slaughtered on animal welfare grounds within the exclusion zone is concerned, the Commission
authorized flat rate compensations for pig producers of GBP 10 per pig for pigs in batches averaging 45
kilogram (kg) or less (liveweight), of GBP 30 per pig for pigs averaging between 46 kg and 100 kg per
batch, and of GBP 50 per pig in batches averaging over 100 kg per batch. These are the rates for which
the British authorities had sought approval.

(1) OJ C 28, 1.2.2000.

(2001/C 151 E/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3468/00

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: European shipbuilding industry

(30 October 2000)

The European Shipbuilders(cid:146) Association has lodged a formal complaint with the Commission against the
subsidies and unfair competition employed by South Korea in the shipbuilding industry.

Will the Commission say whether this complaint meets the requirements needed for it to be able to take
action against South Korea at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)?

C 151 E/180

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

If so, will the Commission say when it will take a decision on the complaint and take action at the WTO
accordingly with a view to penalising and doing away with South Korean subsidies and dumping, so as to
protect the legitimate interests of the European shipbuilding industry?

Will it explain the various stages involved in the proceedings at the WTO?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(22 November 2000)

lodged a
On 24 October 2000, the committee of European Union shipbuilders associations (CESA)
complaint under the trade barrier regulation (TBR) Council Regulation (EC) No 356/95 of 20 February
1995 amending Regulation (EC) No 3286/94 laying down Community procedures in the field of the
common commercial policy in order to ensure the exercise of the Community(cid:146)s rights under international
trade rules, in particular those established under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO) (1) in
order to eliminate certain trade practices caused by the subsidisation of commercial shipbuilding in Korea
and which adversely affect Community sales of commercial vessels. The issue raised in the complaint has
been for years an unresolved problem in the bilateral relations between the Community and Korea.

The Commission has from then 45 days to decide on the initiation of a Community examination
procedure and to publish accordingly a notice in the Official journal. The examination procedure may
take five months, and in the light of the conclusions of the investigation, the Commission may decide to
resort
first require to enter into
consultations with Korea in order to find a satisfactory solution. If after 60 days from the request for
consultations, there is no settlement, the Community may request the establishment of a panel.

to WTO dispute settlement.

the Community will

In such a case,

(1) OJ L 41, 23.2.1995.

(2001/C 151 E/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3472/00

by John Bowis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 November 2000)

Subject: Health Observatory monitoring

What monitoring is the Health Observatory planning to carry out on epilepsy, Parkinson(cid:146)s disease and
other neurological conditions?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(14 December 2000)

The present action programme on health monitoring and the future action programme on public health
aim at developing and making available adequate, reliable and comparable data sets and indicators of
public health in order to report on the health status within the Community. The Commission foresees that
neurological conditions will be part of the European health monitoring system when this system is put in
place.

A project entitled (cid:145)Monitoring neurological diseases in Europe(cid:146) has already been completed and the
Commission will provide the Honourable Member and Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat with a copy of this report.