WRITTEN QUESTION E-0488/01 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Lancashire Carrefour.
Date: 2001-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: England, national school, project evaluation, promotion of the European idea, rural region

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/61

their conformity (1) obliges
telecommunications terminal equipment and the mutual recognition of
manufacturers to ensure that their products do not affect the public(cid:146)s health when installed for their
intended purpose. Article 7(2) of
this Directive furthermore allows Member States to regulate the
installation of radio transmitters so as to ensure that the health of the public is not affected.

The Community has provided guidance to Member States to exercise their responsibilities in this matter.
On 12 July 1999, the Council recommended (1999/519/EC) to Member States the limits to be applied for
exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields (0 Hz to 300 GHz) (2). Full compliance with the
basic restrictions and reference levels included in the Recommendation will ensure a high level of user
protection against the acute and long-term effects of non-ionising radiation. Obviously, these rules have to
be enforced locally and Member States should ensure that the protection objectives adopted by the
legislator are respected in all cases.

Today, electromagnetic radiation is specifically included in the Fifth framework programme for research
and technological development, which finances five research projects with funding totalling € 9 million.
These projects, which focus essentially on the potential carcinogenic effects of radiofrequency fields (RF),
were begun at the start of the year 2000 and will yield their findings in around four years from now.

To support the studies under way, future calls for proposals for the key action (cid:145)Environment and Health(cid:146)
will concentrate on the other potential effects on health.

The Commission has also recently asked its Scientific Steering Committee to deliver an update of its
previous opinion published in June 1998 on health risks associated with electromagnetic fields regarding
new technological developments and conditions of exposure. This will be published in July 2001 and used,
if necessary, to draw up new Community legislative proposals in the field.

(1) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999.
(2) OJ L 199, 30.7.1999.

(2001/C 318 E/063)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0488/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Lancashire Carrefour

As part of the (cid:145)Action aimed at young people(cid:146) programme run by DG X, the Lancashire Rural Information
and Promotion Carrefour was one of five targeted to assess the provision of information on Europe to
rural schools.

1.

2.

How many Lancashire schools were approached and which age groups were covered?

How many replied?

3. What were the questions?

4. What report has the Commission compiled as an analysis of the responses from the UK?

5. Will the Commission provide me with a copy of the correspondence sent by DGX and a copy of its
conclusions

What is the budget and purpose of the Carrefour? What does the Commission intend to do to remedy the
failings identified by this questionnaire?

C 318 E/62

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 2001)

Fifty-three schools in Lancashire and Cumbria received a postal questionnaire. The age range was

1.
from 11 to 18.

2.

3.

The reply rate for the postal questionnaire was 30 %.

The main areas covered in the questionnaire were:

(cid:129) What were the schools(cid:146) main sources of Union information?

(cid:129) How often were the sources used?

(cid:129) Were the schools charged?

Schools were asked to:

(cid:129) evaluate the sources in terms of media, access, cost, quality, relevance.

(cid:129) supply information on how they used and disseminated the information.

(cid:129) supply information on what Union information they required and in what formats/media.

At the end of the project a Project Report was produced. A summary of its conclusions was
4.
published on page 29 of a booklet entitled (cid:145)Rural information and promotion carrefours: At the very heart
of Europe(cid:146).

The contents of the questionnaire are as described in point 3. Individual responses have not been

5.
kept.

The budgets of the carrefours all differ. The subsidy from the Commission to the Lancashire Carrefour was
ECU 10 000 in 1997 when the project was completed; now it is € 15 000.

The purpose of
the carrefour is to provide information on the Community and its policies and
programmes to the public in rural areas; to encourage dialogue and cooperation between the various
parties active at regional level, and between the different regions of Europe; to participate in the debate on
the Union, and to provide feedback to the Commission on the impact of its activities.

One of the major points raised by schools concerned inserting Union awareness into the national
curriculum. However, the national curriculum is a matter for the British government.

The Central Bureau for International Education and Training (part of the British Council) coordinates the
provision of information on the Union to the education sector in the United Kingdom.

(2001/C 318 E/064)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0490/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Jean Monnet Chairs and Centres

What are the criteria for establishing Jean Monnet Chairs and Centres?

Does the Commission review the nature of the material taught rather than simply assess the volume
bearing a European element? Does it assess the history of the staff in terms of their longstanding
commitment to teaching about Europe?

What is meant by (cid:145)European integration studies(cid:146) in this context?

Can the Commission provide me with a list of those Centres and Chairs in the United Kingdom and their
course curricula?