WRITTEN QUESTION E-3780/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Objective 2 aid to Hainaut.
Date: 2000-12-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, Province of Hainault, Province of West Flanders, Structural Funds, transfer of businesses

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/139

The Community can provide value added in three areas. On the technical side, without duplicating the
work of such international bodies as the World Road Association,
the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the
Community can devise a methodology for overall tunnel safety assessment, taking account of all factors
affecting safety levels, so as to encourage greater safety in certain tunnels without producing detailed
requirements for alterations. The Commission is also assessing the expediency of introducing a European
regulatory framework for new tunnels. On the operating side,
it is important that tunnels be rapidly
equipped with automatic hazard and accident detection systems, and with automatic vehicle alert and fire
extinguishing systems. Further research work is required, and the Community programme will be called
upon to help move things forward. On the financial side, major tunnels which provide more direct traffic
routes are of Community interest, and the Community may thus be expected to draw upon available
sources of funding to make a financial contribution towards work to make them safe. To this end, part of
the trans-European transport networks budget could be earmarked for improvements to the oldest tunnels.

(2001/C 174 E/143)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3780/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(4 December 2000)

Subject: Objective 2 aid to Hainaut

The awarding of Objective 2 aid to the Walloon province of Hainaut is leading to the relocation of firms
which have been established for many years in the neighbouring province of Western Flanders.

The businesses operators in question acknowledge that the removal of their activities to Hainaut is entirely
dependent on their obtaining Objective 2 subsidies. If these business operators do not obtain any European
aid, they will keep their operations in Western Flanders. In order to be considered for such aid they have
to have their company headquarters in Hainaut.

I should be glad if the Commission would answer the following questions. For the sake of completeness I
should add that these questions were first submitted to the Commission in mid-March 2000 (Written
Question E-0951/00). Since then the Commission has merely said that the information in question still
had to be gathered.

How many applications have been made since 1 January 2000 for Objective 2 aid for new economic

1.
operations in Hainaut, and to what do they relate?

2. When and where were the company headquarters of these firms registered?

3.

(a) How many of these firms were formerly operating in the province of Western Flanders?

(b) How many of these firms are currently operating in Western Flanders?

Have the firms in question expressly been asked whether their relocation from Western Flanders to

4.
Hainaut is dependent on the award of Objective 2 aid?

(a)

(b)

If so, how many (cid:145)West Flanders(cid:146) operators would choose to move their operations to Hainaut without
Objective 2 aid?

If not, will the Commission ask these business operators to what extent their relocation is dependent
upon Objective 2 aid?

Is the Commission prepared to take measures to prevent the relocation of West Flanders firms to

5.
Hainaut?

(a)

If so, what measures?

(b)

If not, why not?

C 174 E/140

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2001)

The Honourable Member is asked to refer to the additional answer to his Written Question E-0951/00 (1).

(1) See page 3.

(2001/C 174 E/144)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3784/00

by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Secret protocol to the St Malo Declaration

At the St Malo Summit of 3 and 4 December 1998, the French and British Governments issued a joint
Declaration on European defence. According to the Declaration, the EU (cid:145)must have the capacity for
autonomous action, backed up by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and a
readiness to do so, in order to respond to military crises(cid:146). At the same time, the Declaration said that
collective security was a matter for NATO and that NATO had a predominant role in the territorial
defence of Europe.

According to a newspaper article which appeared in the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad on 8 March
2000, there was allegedly a secret protocol attached to the Declaration, which laid down that the European
Parliament should never be involved in the shaping of the future European Security and Defence Policy.

Are the Council and its Secretary-General aware of the existence of any such protocol to the St Malo

1.
Declaration?

2. Will the Member States, the European Commission and the European Parliament be informed about
the contents of the protocol?

Reply

(12 March 2001)

1.
The Franco-British Declaration on European defence to which the Honourable Member refers was
adopted by the Heads of State or Government of France and the United Kingdom at the bilateral Summit
held in St Malo on 3 and 4 December 1998.

The European Council met on 11 and 12 December 1998 in Vienna. On that occasion it welcomed

2.
the Franco-British Declaration made at St Malo.

3.
The Council does not know of any secret protocol attached to the Franco-British Declaration on
European defence and stating that the European Parliament should never be involved in the establishment
of the future European Security and Defence Policy.

4.
The European Council has on several occasions recalled that the development of the Common
European Security and Defence Policy is an integral part of the strengthening of the Common Foreign and
Security Policy, on which the Parliament is kept regularly informed under Article 21 of the Treaty on
European Union.