WRITTEN QUESTION E-4088/00 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission. The floor coverings industry.
Date: 2001-01-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, floor coverings, innovation, vocational training

C 187 E/130

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

Article 152.5 (ex Article 129) of the EC Treaty States that (cid:145)Community action in the field of public health
shall fully respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the organisation and delivery of health
services and medical care (cid:133)(cid:146). The Commission will however consider possibilities for promoting exchange
of information on the best treatment for vCJD, which could be addressed within the framework of the new
public health programme (3) currently under discussion in Parliament and Council.

(1) R. G. Will et al., The Lancet 1996: 347;921-25, also available on www.cjd.ed.ac.uk/lancet.htm).
(2) Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE).
(3) OJ C 337 E, 28.11.2000 and COM(2000) 285 final.

(2001/C 187 E/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4088/00

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 January 2001)

Subject: The floor coverings industry

Has the Commission studied training provision in the floor coverings industry? Does the Commission have
any plans for improvements in such provision?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(8 March 2001)

The floor covering industry would potentially deal with a large and diversified area, including parquet
flooring, carpet laying, thermo-plastic tiles, ceramics etc. each requiring different skills and training.
Activity at European level is currently looking generally at training provision in the construction sector.

The Leonardo da Vinci programme provides support for innovation in vocational training. In the period
1995-1999 (first phase), it financed one project concerning the floor covering industry (cid:145)Vocational training
for tilers in Europe (1995) (cid:129) contractant: Assopiastrelle(cid:146). Moreover, several other projects fostered
innovation in training in the construction sector in general.

(2001/C 187 E/138)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4090/00

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Improving the EU(cid:146)s trade relations with Mercosur and Chile

(10 January 2001)

The recent holding in Madrid of the First European Union, Latin America and Caribbean Business Summit,
which was attended by 19 European and Latin American businessmen, was an appropriate occasion for
discussing practical measures intended to improve the European Union(cid:146)s trade relations with Mercosur and
Chile.

During their courtesy visit to the leader of the Spanish Government the summit participants called for
Spain to take on the job of improving those relations by means of practical, effective measures, in view of
the special role played by Spain as an intermediary between the two economic blocs.

In response to a request made at the abovementioned summit should the Commission not propose that
a monitoring centre be set up in Madrid, the role of which would be to put forward initiatives and
proposals designed to enable business circles in the European Union and in Mercosur and Chile to improve
trade relations between the two economic blocs?