WRITTEN QUESTION E-0368/01 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. Gender balance in the EuropeAid Cooperation Office.
Date: 2001-02-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU body, administrative structures, appointment of staff, cooperation policy, foreign policy

C 235 E/188

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Moreover in December 1997 Council adopted a Resolution on a Code of Conduct for business taxation (1),
which led to the establishment of the Code of Conduct (Business Taxation) Group. In the report to the
Ecofin Council in November 1999 the 10 % manufacturing rate was identified as a tax measure with
harmful features and the rollback of this measure has to take place in accordance with the Council
Conclusions of the November 2000 Ecofin meeting.

(1) OJ C 2, 6.1.1998.

(2001/C 235 E/220)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0367/01

by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2001)

Subject: EU funds linked to anti-Semitic literature

Is the Commission aware of any EU funds used in Palestine to produce literature of an anti-Semitic nature?
If so, what is the Commission doing to investigate this?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 2001)

The Commission rejects any attempt to promote intolerance and ethnic hatred or to hinder the efforts by
the different parties committed to peace in the Middle East. In this context, anti-Semitic content in books,
whatever its nature, is particularly regrettable.

None of the projects in support of the Palestinian Authority financed by the Commission have supported
the production or distribution of books, including schoolbooks. As regards projects financed bilaterally by
Member States, the Commission has no right to monitor or interfere, and therefore the relevant Member
States would have to be addressed individually.

The Commission has always focused its assistance in promotion of a culture of peace, tolerance and
human rights in the Middle East. In this regard, Article 2 of the Union-Palestinian Interim Association
Agreement clearly states that mutual co-operation between the Parties (cid:145)has to be based on the respect of
democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the universal declaration on human
rights, which guides their internal and international policy (cid:133)(cid:146). On the basis of these principles, the
Commission chooses whether or not to fund a proposed project. So far, no request has ever been made for
the printing or distribution of books, including schoolbooks.

(2001/C 235 E/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0368/01

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2001)

Subject: Gender balance in the EuropeAid Cooperation Office

Did the Commission follow any particular procedures, intended to ensure a gender balance, when the
Directors in the new EuropeAid Cooperation Office were appointed?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(20 April 2001)

The EuropeAid Cooperation Office was set up on 1 January 2001. This followed the decision taken by the
Commission on 16 May 2000 (1) to reform the management of the Community(cid:146)s external assistance
programmes. The reorganisation took place within the RELEX family, involving the former SCR (Joint

21.8.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/189

Relex Service) and some of the staff of the Directorate-General for External Relations and the Directorate-
General for Development.

The six directors of the former SCR, a director from the Directorate-General
for Development and
a principal adviser administratively attached to the Directorate-General for Administration and due for
reassignment were redeployed and assigned to the new administrative body in the interests of the service.

The Commission is aware of the present situation regarding gender balance in the Office. Every effort is
being made to apply equal opportunities policy when filling vacant posts, particularly at middle manage-
ment level, in the Office.

(1) SEC(2000) 814.

(2001/C 235 E/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0370/01

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 February 2001)

Subject: The common organisation of the market in flax

Is the President of the Commission aware that since 1993 in Spain, following the Constitutional Court(cid:146)s
judgment of 28 May 1992 in Case 79/92, scrutiny of the documents concerned, and the granting and
monitoring of subsidies deriving from the common organisation of the market in flax fall within the
exclusive competence of the regional authorities of the Autonomous Communities of Spain?

Does the President of the Commission know that the report addressed to OLAF on 19 December by the
prosecutor with special responsibility for the case of flax in Spain mentions several times that since 1993
scrutiny of the documents concerned, and the granting and monitoring of subsidies deriving from the
common organisation of the market in flax has fallen within the exclusive competence of the regional
authorities of the Autonomous Communities of Spain?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Yes, the Commission is aware that, in accordance with the division of responsibilities characteristic of
Spanish law, the granting and monitoring of the payment of subsidies deriving from the common
organisation of the flax market fall within the exclusive competence of the regional authorities of the
Autonomous Communities of Spain. The special prosecutor(cid:146)s report mentions this division. That said, in
the Commission always deals formally with the central
its relations with the national authorities,
authorities even if this means that these authorities have to deal in turn with the authorities under whose
jurisdiction the matter comes.

(2001/C 235 E/223)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0371/01

by Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(15 February 2001)

Subject: Brescia-Padova motorway concession company and the Valdastico motorway

Last May, without having issued a public call for tenders, the agreement between the company holding the
concession for the Brescia-Padova motorway and the Azienda Nazionale Autonoma Strade (ANAS), the
public agency responsible for managing Italy(cid:146)s national road network, was extended for a further nine
years (until 2011).