WRITTEN QUESTION E-3545/00 by Ursula Schleicher (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Wine flasks.
Date: 2000-11-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, amendment of a law, packaging product, wine

C 163 E/158

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(12 December 2000)

Holding the Olympic Games in 2004 presents Greece with both an opportunity and a challenge. The
Structural Funds, although not directly involved during the previous programming period 1994-1999,
have already been contributing substantially to preparing for the Games by part-financing major public
work such as Spata airport, the outer ring road for Athens and the underground railway, as well as the
motorways linking Greece(cid:146)s main cities to the capital. These projects have a major role to play and will
help to make the Olympic Games a success.

In the context of implementing the Community support framework (CSF) for the current programming
period 2000-2006, it is likely that some of the infrastructure projects to be part-financed will be indirectly
useful to holding the Olympic Games. However, the main selection criterion remains the positive impact
on sustainable socio-economic development in the Member State, which means that facilities purely for
sports cannot be funded.

Selecting projects under the CSF is the responsibility of the authorities managing the various operational
programmes to be approved by the Commission after negotiations with the Member State concerned.
At this stage, it is thus not possible for the Commission to assess the volume of investment which will
indirectly benefit the Games.

Checking the use made of the funds earmarked in the various operational programmes for sectors such as
the environment, culture and rural development is the responsibility of the Monitoring Committee for each
programme. However, within the limits of its competence in the matter, the Commission will be closely
following the way in which these programmes are implemented.

(2001/C 163 E/178)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3545/00

by Ursula Schleicher (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(15 November 2000)

Subject: Wine flasks

In the German media, especially in the German wine producing area of Franconia, a Commission proposal
is causing a considerable stir. From what I hear the Commission is about to remove the existing protection
for the traditional bulbous wine flasks used in Germany/Franconia, Portugal and northern Italy, in the
course of a review of existing legislation. Apparently the Management Committee for Wine is dealing with
the matter.

Is there any truth in these press reports (including Bild of 9 October 2000 and VWD (Economic

1.
News Agency) of 12 October 2000)?

2. Why does the Commission think it necessary to change the existing legislation and allegedly remove
the protection for specially protected bottle shapes?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(14 December 2000)

Following the adoption by the Council and Parliament of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 of 17 May 1999
on the common organisation of the market in wine (1), the Commission is required to adopt new
implementing rules on several subjects including the designation, presentation and protection of wine
sector products. These will have to take account of the new rules adopted at the time of the reform of the
market organisation, one of whose objectives is the simplification of Community legislation.

With regard to the press reports mentioned by the Honourable Member, the Commission wishes to point
out that, while it is true that the working paper distributed to the Management Committee for Wine does
not state that bottles of the (cid:145)Bocksbeutel(cid:146) type are reserved for certain wines from certain regions of the
Community, it is not true to say that the Community wants to abolish the exclusive right to use this type
of bottle. The question is rather whether it is necessary for this right to appear explicitly in the new
legislation.

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/159

This question, like many others, is currently being examined and discussed in the Commission and in the
Management Committee for Wine and no decision has been taken for the moment regarding the final
content of the implementing rules.

In addition the Commission wishes to point out that bottles of the (cid:145)Bocksbeutel(cid:146) type or similar are
currently reserved, in the case of Community wines, for the wines of certain regions of Germany, Greece,
Italy and Portugal listed in the Community legislation.

(1) OJ L 179, 14.7.1999.

(2001/C 163 E/179)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3549/00

by Rijk van Dam (EDD) to the Commission

(15 November 2000)

Subject: Netherlands levy on land-surface materials

The Netherlands Government intends to introduce a levy on land-surface materials. Sea sand from the
Netherlands area of the continental shelf and imports of finished products from abroad are exempt from
this levy. The Ministry of Transport and Communications has had an economic and environmental impact
study carried out. Another study, by the Netherlands Economic Institute in Rotterdam, has shown that this
action will divert significant volumes of traffic into road transport in countries bordering on the Nether-
lands at the expense of inland waterway transport in the Netherlands.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. Does it consider, in relation to transport both in the European Union and its Member States, that
every effort must be made to implement sustainable policies making the greatest possible use of
modes of transport that put least pressure on the environment?

2. How,

in the light of

the foregoing, does the Commission assess the measure adopted by the

Netherlands Government?

3. Does the Commission consider that Member States should only introduce measures that will have a
serious impact on the situation in other Member States after careful consultation with those States?

4.

Is the Commission prepared to bring its position on this matter to the attention of the Netherlands
Government?

(2001/C 163 E/180)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3550/00

by Johannes Blokland (EDD) to the Commission

(15 November 2000)

Subject: Netherlands levy on land-surface materials

The Netherlands Government intends to introduce a levy on land-surface materials. Sea sand from the
Netherlands area of the continental shelf and imports of finished products from abroad are exempt from
this levy. The Ministry of Transport and Communications has had an economic and environmental impact
study carried out. Another study, by the Netherlands Economic Institute in Rotterdam, has shown that this
action will, in particular, destroy job opportunities in border regions as a consequence of lost exports?

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. Does it consider that the action taken disrupts the operation of the internal market?

2.

Is the action taken, viz. exempting sea sand and imports of finished products from abroad, compatible
in the Commission(cid:146)s opinion with WTO rules on international trade?