WRITTEN QUESTION P-0586/01 by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission. Birth defects in Sicily.
Date: 2001-02-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Sicily, congenital disease, early childhood, health policy, public health

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/77

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(18 May 2001)

By its letter of 19 January 2001 to the Greek authorities, the Commission initiated the procedure laid
down in Article 24 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 of 19 December 1988 laying down
provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards coordination of the activities of the
different Structural Funds between themselves and with the operations of the European Investment Bank
and the other existing financial instruments (1). The measures in question have been part-financed to date
under subprogramme No 5 (cid:129) national land registry (cid:129) of the environment operational programme for the
1994-1999 programming period. This subprogramme represents a Community contribution of € 104 025
million.

The Article 24 procedure, which has just begun, consists of several stages. The Commission has received
the Greek authorities(cid:146) reply to its letter referred to above and is considering it carefully in order to decide
what action to take.

The Commission has indeed noted, in particular on the basis of the data transmitted to it in December
2000, that there seem to have been delays and weaknesses in implementing the project. There have been
major amendments to the contracts for land registry studies, which have pushed up the cost, and there are
no commitments on a schedule or specific results, which creates uncertainty about completion of the
project.

land registry under the
For the 2000-2006 programming period the sum proposed for the national
Community support framework is € 164.1 million. The Commission considers that it would be premature
to launch the second phase of this project until the Article 24 procedure concerning the previous period
has been completed. It is essential to draw conclusions from previous experience before committing
Community funds to continuing this project.

The Commission has re-examined its answers to Written Questions E-3332/97 by the Honourable
Member (2), P-3617/97 by Mr Hatzidakis (4) and E-4155/97 by Mr Hatzidakis (3) concerning the land
registry in Greece and finds no contradiction with its current position, since the answers given in 1997
were based on the data available at the time.

The Commission would, however, clarify the first sentence of the second paragraph of its answer to
Written Question E-4155/97. It should read:
(cid:145)Work is currently underway on a total of 3,4 million
stremata (40 % of the 8,5 million stremata covered by the first three land registry studies under the second
Community support framework (CSF-II)).(cid:146)

(1) OJ L 374, 31.12.1988.
(2) OJ C 158, 25.5.1998.
(3) OJ C 223, 17.7.1998.

(2001/C 318 E/079)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0586/01

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(21 February 2001)

Subject: Birth defects in Sicily

The paediatrics department of the Muscatello hospital in Augusta has published data for the year 2000
concerning birth defects in Sicily. The situation in the industrial triangle of Augusta-Melilli-Priolo is deeply
disturbing, since the rate of birth defects is around 6 %, whereas the World Health Organisation (WHO)
considers that rates of 2 % and above should be seen as a danger signal.

Are there any provisions for Community rules and/or measures to protect the health of those living in
highly industrialised areas? Are there any Community measures for the prevention and treatment of birth
defects?

Will the Commission take steps to remedy the serious situation described above?

C 318 E/78

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2001)

The Commission contributes to the protection of human health in relation to birth defects in various areas,
such as:

(cid:129) environmental

legislation,

in particular in relation to the control of chemical and physical agents

which are potential teratogens;

(cid:129) legislation in the field of health and safety at work;

(cid:129) actions in the field of public health, in particular in relation to prevention (health promotion, actions
on alcohol, tobacco, etc.) and surveillance of birth defects. The Commission is currently supporting
the Eurocat project-Epidemiological Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies in Europe. This project has
been awarded a Community grant within the framework of the Community action programme on
rare diseases 1999-2003. The Sicilian Registry of Congenital Malformations is partner in this project.
As regards treatment of birth defects, article 152 (ex Article 129) of the EC Treaty stipulates that
Community action in the field of public health shall fully respect the responsibilities of the Member
States for the organization and delivery of health services and medical care;

(cid:129) the Community is active also in the area of research in order to improve scientific knowledge about
birth defects. In particular, under the Fourth framework programme for Research and Development
a concerted action on the (cid:145)Evaluation of prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies by fetal
ultrasonographic examination(cid:146) was financed by the Commission. Two Italian centres from Florence
and Padua are participating in this project and it is coordinated by the University of Louis Pasteur,
Strasbourg, France.

(2001/C 318 E/080)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0588/01

by Florence Kuntz (UEN) to the Commission

(1 March 2001)

Subject: European Union aid to Armenia

Could the Commission state:

(cid:129) all the budget headings under which applications may be made for aid projects and/or projects to

promote economic and cultural development in Armenia;

(cid:129) all the Community programmes and actions in favour of Armenia, and their contents;

(cid:129) all the EU appropriations, actions and programmes exclusively in favour of Armenia for the 2000 and

2001 financial years?

Can the Commission provide the results in figures, broken down by action, programme and budget
heading, of the EU(cid:146)s aid policy towards Armenia and say what impact it believes this policy has had?

(2001/C 318 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0634/01

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission

(6 March 2001)

Subject: Aid for Armenia

According to figures concerning American aid for Armenia published in the Washington Post, per
capita aid to Armenia over the last year amounted to USD 42, which is one of the highest levels of