WRITTEN QUESTION E-0101/01 by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Changeover to the euro for SMUs and SMIs.
Date: 2001-01-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: euro, public awareness campaign, small and medium industries, small and medium-sized enterprises

18.9.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 261 E/39

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 2001)

The commercial practice of airlines offering different advantages to loyalty scheme participants depending
on their place of residence does not appear to infringe the provisions of the (cid:145)third air package(cid:146), since
pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2409/92 of 23 July 1992 on fares and rates for air services (1)
Community air carriers may set passenger air fares freely, and the advantages granted to passengers under
loyalty schemes are an element of such fares.

The Commission has never found that frequent
in breach of
Community competition law. However, in its examination of alliances between airlines the Commission
has identified the combining of the frequent flyer programmes operated by the parties to the alliance as a
factor making it more difficult for third parties to compete with the parties to the alliance and has
proposed remedies to alleviate this effect (2).

flyer programmes are,

in themselves,

(1) OJ L 240, 24.8.1992.
(2) See, for example, Commission notice concerning the alliance between Lufthansa, SAS and United Airlines, OJ C

239, 30.7.1998.

(2001/C 261 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0101/01

by Brice Hortefeux (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 January 2001)

Subject: Changeover to the euro for SMUs and SMIs

The changeover to the single currency presents a real challenge for SMUs, SMIs and extremely small
enterprises, particularly cottage industries. According to a survey by Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, only 25 %
of European firms are currently basing their accounts on the euro. Several studies indicate that many firms,
particularly SMUs, SMIs and cottage industries are not ready for the changeover to the euro. Several ill-
informed firms are even considering waiting until 2002 to start doing their accounting in euro. The
switchover to the euro will, however, be rapid, given that national currencies must be withdrawn from
circulation during the first two weeks of January 2002.

Can the Commission sum up the specific measures it recommends in order to facilitate the

1.
changeover to the euro for SMUs, SMIs and cottage industries?

Is the Commission not concerned that the business sector appears to be lagging behind in its

2.
preparations for the changeover to the euro?

3.
Does the Commission not consider that it should target a practical information campaign at SMUs,
SMIs and the cottage industries to supplement the campaigns which are to be conducted by each Member
State?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(4 April 2001)

1.
The euro impacts on most aspects of a company. As in the case of most companies, small and
medium-sized undertakings and small and medium-sized businesses (SMUs and SMIs) will therefore have to
adapt their computer and accounting systems, for example, consider the consequences for their business
and marketing policy (e.g. new psychological prices), check that their cash registers are compatible (e.g.
whether they can deal with payments involving a mixture of euros and the national currency or whether
they comply with the round-off rules) and inform their staff about the details of the changeover to the
euro (e.g. raise awareness of the new pay slip).

C 261 E/40

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.9.2001

The Commission conducts regular surveys on the subject, which suggest that much still remains to
2.
be done. It has repeatedly warned the national authorities of the problem. The Commission recommenda-
tion of 11 October 2000 contains several measures aimed at greatly increasing awareness among
economic operators regarding preparations for the euro (1). By and large, some of these recommendations
are currently being implemented (e.g. early switchover of accounts and non-cash means of payment).

3.
The Commission budget for providing information on the euro is mostly used to cofinance national
communications programmes targeting, among others, SMEs. It is also being used to help fund a number
of transnational campaigns aimed at SMEs, particularly in partnership with the association of Chambers of
Industry and Commerce (Eurochambres).

(1) OJ C 303, 24.10.2000.

(2001/C 261 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0110/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(1 February 2001)

Subject: Air pollution and climate change

The world climate conference held recently in The Hague ended without agreement on a strategy to
combat air pollution. The climate is therefore likely to continue deteriorating, causing great damage. A
scientific report on climate change drawn up by the scientists of the IPCC (UN) has raised the alarm over
the predictable disastrous consequences of such change unless action is taken as soon as possible to
eliminate the causes. Meanwhile, even Europe is experiencing increasingly often climatic phenomena
which devastate the environment and human lives, such as floods and heavy snowfalls which cause
landslides or avalanches even in places which are usually immune from such occurrences.

1.

Does the Commission share the fears expressed by the UN experts?

2. What is its opinion on the (cid:145)disagreement(cid:146) of The Hague and on the incapability of the world political
system of overseeing the globalisation of environmental emergencies and of making decisions on every-
one(cid:146)s behalf?

Does the Commission intend to maintain the objective established in Kyoto of a 5 % reduction in

3.
carbon dioxide emissions by the end of 2008?

4. What measures does it intend to propose to the governments, in the wake of this failure, to prevent
(cid:129) as far as possible (cid:129) such dreaded environmental disasters?

Does it not consider it would be advisable to urgently refer back to the United Nations this issue

5.
which failed to be resolved in The Hague?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2001)

The Commission regards the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) as an important warning that climate change is happening faster and to a more serious degree than
originally expected. The report clearly stresses the importance of acting quickly and of making substantial
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Final negotiations focused mainly on the relationship between the Kyoto mechanisms and domestic action
((cid:145)supplementarity(cid:146)) and on land-use change and forestry ((cid:145)sinks(cid:146)). However, there was not enough time to
fully evaluate last-minute compromise proposals on the use of sinks in terms of their impact on countries