WRITTEN QUESTION E-3417/00 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Recruitment of staff for the Commission IT Directorate.
Date: 2000-11-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, communications industry, discrimination on the basis of nationality, information technology industry, promotion, recruitment, restriction on competition, telecommunications industry

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/51

Reply

(8 March 2001)

1.
The Council has no knowledge of the events described by the Honourable Member. In any case, the
questions raised concern compliance with Community rules on free movement. They are a matter for the
Commission, as guardian of the Treaties.

2. With regard to the question of racism, the Council would draw attention to the Joint Action of
15 July 1996 adopted by the Council concerning action to combat racism and xenophobia (1).

(1) OJ L 185, 24.7.1996, p. 5.

(2001/C 174 E/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3412/00

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(7 November 2000)

Subject: Support for information on EMU in Sweden

In 1998 the Commission paid a contribution of € 84 317 to the Sweden in Europe Foundation (answer to
my question E-1694/00 (1)).

The Sweden in Europe Foundation is a body with strong party political links and the aims it is working for
include Swedish membership of the EMU. In the interests of democracy and pluralism will the Commission
consider paying a financial contribution to the (cid:145)No to the EU(cid:146) popular movement, and its political
campaign against Swedish membership of the EMU?

(1) OJ C 72 E, 6.3.2001, p. 102.

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2000)

While it is correct, as the Commission informed the Honourable Member, that a grant of € 84 317 was
made to the Sweden in Europe Foundation, this occurred in 1998, before any partnership agreements had
been signed with the Swedish public authorities.

The Commission does not reject a project a priori, provided that it satisfies the conditions for eligibility
and the criteria for award and that the information disseminated is presented in an objective way, which is
in keeping with Swedish tradition.

Two agreements were signed in 1999 and 2000, since when the Commission(cid:146)s policy has been to award
no further direct grants to external institutions or organisations.

(2001/C 174 E/052)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3417/00

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Recruitment of staff for the Commission IT Directorate

(7 November 2000)

According to Svenska Dagbladet of 18 November 1999 there is a clear link between the nationality of the
head and key senior staff in the Commission(cid:146)s IT directorate.

C 174 E/52

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

Under its French Director-General Verrue, in November 1999 more than one in five senior posts in DG
XIII were occupied by French nationals. It also turns out that staff of other nationalities have not moved up
the hierarchy as fast as the French have.

There are fears that with French occupants in senior posts in the IT Directorate, French undertakings such
as Alcatel, Bell and France Telecom will have a greater voice in IT, telecommunications and communica-
tions matters.

Does the Commission share these fears, and what is it doing to ensure the more even distribution among
the Member States of senior posts in DG XII?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2000)

The Commission acts solely in the interest of the service and without regard to nationality when
appointing officials. This principle is guaranteed under the staff regulations. Furthermore, the Commission
thinks that the highest premium should be given to merit and that balanced representation of all
nationalities of the Union at all levels of the institution(cid:146)s staff hierarchy is essential in order to reflect the
cultural richness and the cohesion of the multinational public service of the Union.

Officials of the Commission are undertaking their professional duties in full respect of staff regulation
which states (cid:145)an official shall carry out his duties and conduct himself solely with the interests of the
Communities in mind; he shall neither seek nor take instructions from any government, authority,
organization or person outside his institution(cid:146).

The Commission would furthermore like to draw the attention of the Honourable Member, to the newly
published (cid:145)Code of good administrative behaviour for staff of the European Commission in their relations
with the public(cid:146) which states that:

Staff shall always act objectively and impartially, in the Community interest and for the public good.
They shall act independently within the framework of the policy fixed by the Commission and their
conduct shall never be guided by personal or national interest or political pressure.

(2001/C 174 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3423/00

by Ioannis Mar(cid:237)nos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 November 2000)

Subject: Fuel tax charges in Greece

In July 2000 the European Union published a very interesting outline of tax charges on various products
in the Member States, entitled (cid:145)Excise Duty Tables(cid:146) (issued by the Taxation and Customs Union Directorate-
General). This document includes a reference to fuel prices in Greece, showing that in the category of (cid:145)gas
oil used for industrial or commercial purposes(cid:146) Greece levies duty of € 252,55/1 000 litres, while the
minimum duty (cid:129) under Council Directive 92/82 (1), adopted on 19 October 1992 (cid:129) is € 18/1 000 litres.
The same applies to the category (cid:145)gas oil used for heating purposes(cid:146), where in Greece it appears that a tax
of € 252,55/1 000 litres is levied. Finally, the situation in the category of (cid:145)liquid petroleum gas and
methane(cid:146) is similar: the directive referred to above suggests no minimum tax, while Greece levies € 13,69/
1 000 kilos.

Could the Commission state whether these data, as presented in the document referred to above, are really
correct, and give its view on the level of fuel taxation in Greece, particularly in view of the fact that the
Greek Government consistently maintains that fuel tax charges in Greece are among the lowest in Europe,
and that there is no way to reduce them? According to Eurostat(cid:146)s data, this statement is not true. Given
that tax on industrial fuel oil
is the fourth highest in the world, the question arises as to how any
improvement in the international competitiveness of Greek industry, which is in any case the worst in the
EU, may be achieved.