WRITTEN QUESTION P-0041/01 by Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission. Closing down the Europartnership programme.
Date: 2001-01-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, aid to undertakings, inter-company cooperation, less-favoured region, small and medium-sized enterprises

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/245

(2001/C 174 E/263)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0029/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(17 January 2001)

Subject: Cancer prevention

In its programme of action against cancer the Commission provided for prevention measures, including
measures to combat smoking, considered to be a cause of lung cancer. Anti-smoking campaigns have been
conducted in all the Member States and, wherever the message is acted on by the general public, it results
in a drop in the death rate. The harmful substances involved, commonly referred to as (cid:145)tar(cid:146), result form
tobacco combustion. Reducing and eliminating tar would reduce the risks and would thus be an effective
form of prevention.

Is the Commission aware that (cid:145)bogart(cid:146) cigarette holders are available on the market, containing

1.
microfilters which can retain up to 80 % of the tar inhaled, depending on the type of cigarette.

Is it aware of any research conducted in this specific area to determine whether or not such

2.
microfilters can reduce tar levels?

If so, does it not consider that such filters could be included among the prevention measures to

3.
reduce tobacco consumption and, in effect, cancer?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(28 February 2001)

While the Commission is not aware of the products in question nor of the particular research on filters
referred to by the Honourable Member, the Commission would, of course, be pleased to receive additional
information about those products.

(2001/C 174 E/264)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0041/01

by Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission

(16 January 2001)

Subject: Closing down the Europartnership programme

Small and medium-sized enterprises operating in economically disadvantaged regions (cid:129) particularly those
coming under Objectives 1 and 2 (cid:129) have found the Community Europartnership programme to be a
useful means of establishing cooperation between companies operating in regions with development
problems which are a long way away from central markets.

The two annual events held under the programme have given local entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs from
other European regions an extremely valuable opportunity for transnational cooperation, and this has been
particularly true of the Mediterranean, which is an important area in strategic and development terms.

Despite the programme(cid:146)s success, the Commission has now decided to close it down.

Would the Commission state:

1. what are the real reasons for this decision?

2. whether it would not agree that by closing down the programme it is further penalising economic

operators in such regions?

3. whether any thought is being given to partnership measures or programmes to promote business

activity in such disadvantaged areas?

C 174 E/246

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(14 February 2001)

1.
The Commission has been reviewing its priorities. In this context it has decided that it would no
longer be appropriate to be directly involved in the management of Europartenariat events. This decision
must be seen in the wider context of the reorientation of the Commission towards concentrating on core
activities rather than direct actions.

2.
The Commission is of the view that this decision should not have a negative impact on local actors,
nor should it be seen as a negative attitude of the Commission vis-(cid:224)-vis the intrinsic added value of such
events designed to facilitate co-operation between enterprises. In the Commission view, it does neither
prejudge their future development.

The Commission remains convinced that there are many economic players at local, national, or Commu-
nity level who remain prepared to organise such events, with or without the direct financial intervention
of
the Commission. The Council Decision 2000/819/EC of 20 December 2000 on a multiannual
programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship, and in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) (2001-2005) (1) provides for the Commission to develop actions to promote the organisation of
Europartenariat-type business co-operation events.

3.
The Commission will however not prepare a specific programme to financially support Europarte-
nariat-type events. It will continue its efforts aimed at facilitating co-operation between companies and
promoting internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterpises (SMEs) by other means, e.g. by its
innovation programme or the opportunity offered to candidate countries to participate in the multiannual
programme.

In the context of regional policy, support to SMEs remains an objective eligible for structural funds.

(1) OJ L 333, 29.12.2000.

(2001/C 174 E/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0043/01

by Mar(cid:237)a Rodr(cid:237)guez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(16 January 2001)

Subject: Disposal of carcasses of ruminants as part of action to combat BSE

The Commission will no doubt be aware of the reports that have appeared in the media about the
dumping of over three hundred animal carcasses in a disused quartz mine in Mes(cid:237)a, Galicia, without any
tests first having been carried out on the brain tissue of the animals concerned.

This infringement of Community law is made all the more serious by the fact that it was perpetrated by
the Xunta (the Galician autonomous government) itself,
in that the dumping was carried out by the
company which it has commissioned to collect dead cows for subsequent incineration.

The Spanish Ministry for Agriculture has shown a quite alarming passivity during this scandal, indicating
that it does not intend to take any action against the Xunta given that, in the Minister(cid:146)s opinion, nothing
needs to be done to rectify what the Xunta had been doing to combat BSE.