WRITTEN QUESTION E-0267/01 by Richard Corbett (PSE) to the Commission. URBAN II Programme.
Date: 2001-02-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, EU control, EU programme, European Commission, economic and social cohesion, less-favoured region, reflation, town planning, urban area

C 235 E/166

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

(2001/C 235 E/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0265/01

by Richard Corbett (PSE) to the Commission

(8 February 2001)

Subject: City guides

In answering Written Question E-3650/00 (1), did the Commission assume that this was purely a Spanish
matter? Will the Commission reconsider its answer in view of the fact that this guide is promoted across
Europe, with misleading distance-selling?

(1) OJ C 151 E, 22.5.2001, p. 198.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2001)

The Commission is fully aware of the cross-border character of the case as described by the Honourable
Member in his Written Question E-3650/00 and did not assume that it was a purely internal Spanish
matter. Thus the Commission would like to refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written
Question E-3650/00 and repeats that it is not within the Commission(cid:146)s competencies to take action.

With regard to legal issues and in order to be more specific the Commission considers that the way the
City Guide in question is promoted according to the description of the Honourable Member may
constitute misleading advertising. Such a case could fall within the scope of Council Directive of
10 September 1984 relating to the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions
of the Member States concerning misleading advertising (1). The purpose of this Directive is to protect
(cid:145)consumers, persons carrying on a trade or business or practising a craft or profession and the interests of
the public in general against misleading advertising and the unfair consequences thereof(cid:146) (Article 1 of this
Directive). According to the information contained in the Honourable Member(cid:146)s question, the (cid:145)small
traders(cid:146) who are invited to be included in the City Guide belong to the group of persons protected by this
Directive. However,
it is for the national authorities, and not the Commission, to take action under
applicable national law, into which the above mentioned Directive has been transposed.

Directive 97/7/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 1997 on the protection of consumers in
respect of distance contracts (2) and of the Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in
consumer contracts (3) aim at protecting consumers, but do not appear to apply to the situation as
described in the Honourable Member(cid:146)s question.

(1) OJ L 250, 19.9.1984.
(2) OJ L 144, 4.6.1997.
(3) OJ L 95, 21.4.1993.

(2001/C 235 E/193)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0267/01

by Richard Corbett (PSE) to the Commission

(8 February 2001)

Subject: URBAN II Programme

What is the Commission(cid:146)s timetable for the assessment of bids under the new URBAN II Programme?

21.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/167

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2001)

In the Communication from the Commission laying down guidelines for the URBAN II Community
Initiative (1), Member States were invited to present their proposals for URBAN II programmes within six
months after its publication, i.e. before 20 November 2000.

Programme proposals have been received from mid-November onwards to reach a total today of 36. Of
these, 28 have been declared admissible by the Commission while the remaining eight have necessitated
further work on the part of the national authorities. Those that have been judged admissable are currently
being examined in depth by the Commission in the light of the requirements of the Structural Funds
regulation and the URBAN II guidelines. In principle the Commission has to take a decision within five
months of receipt of the admissible proposal.

It is expected that a first set of programmes will be approved before July 2001.

(1) OJ C 141, 19.5.2000.

(2001/C 235 E/194)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0268/01

by Richard Corbett (PSE) to the Commission

(8 February 2001)

Subject: Opel (cid:129) Netherlands

Following the fines imposed by the Commission on Opel last September, is the Commission satisfied that
Opel has now ceased to hinder cross-border trade in its products?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(16 March 2001)

The Commission has currently no information to indicate that Opel has not now ceased to hinder cross-
border trade in its products following the adoption by the Commission of its decision establishing an
infringement of Article 81(1) (ex Article 85) of the EC Treaty in this respect and imposing fines.

The decision against Opel Nederland B.V. and General Motors Nederland B.V. helps to secure the right of
consumers to buy a new car in the Member State of their choice. It obliges Opel Nederland to refrain from
repeating or continuing any of the measures objected to, and to refrain from applying any measures
having equivalent object or effect. The Commission would not hesitate to act should it become aware of
any violation of this obligation.

(2001/C 235 E/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0269/01

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Kidnapping of Israeli citizen Elchanan Tenenboim

(2 February 2001)

Four months after the kidnapping of Elchanan Tenenboim by the Lebanese Islamic movement, Hezbollah,
there is still no news regarding the Israeli citizen. Despite countless humanitarian appeals by major NGOs