WRITTEN QUESTION E-0531/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Plastic dermatology.
Date: 2001-02-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: alternative medicine, care for the elderly, health policy, medical research, medical specialisation, skin disease

C 235 E/220

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

(2001/C 235 E/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0521/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Scandals in the former security service

In the autumn of 1997, the then Commission President took action on the scandals which had come to
light in the Commission(cid:146)s security service. (cid:145)Group 4/Securitas(cid:146), which was responsible for the contract on
internal and external security at the Commission, had acted incorrectly on a large number of points.

The case was referred to the Belgian public prosecutor who, according to Swedish media reports, requested
in Autumn 1998 that the diplomatic immunity of eight officials be lifted.

Has the Commission followed the Belgian public prosecutor(cid:146)s investigation and have the officials whose
immunity was lifted received any sentence from the Belgian legal authorities?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(10 April 2001)

In 1998, the Commission transmitted UCLAF(cid:146)s investigative report to the Belgian authorities so that
further action could eventually be taken on the suspected irregularities in the (cid:145)Group 4/Securitas(cid:146) case.

In the course of the investigations carried out by the Belgian judicial authorities in this matter, and upon
their request, the Commission waived the immunity from legal proceedings of eight officials or (where that
was the action requested by the judicial authorites) authorised them to disclose relevant information in
reply to any questions put by those national authorities. The national authorities have also been granted
access to Commission buildings and documents.

At present, the judicial procedure is still at the investigation stage. According to Belgian penal procedural
law, the decision whether or not to prosecute the persons involved is taken only when the initial
investigative stage is finished. Such a decision would naturally be entirely at the discretion of the Belgian
authorities.

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is closely following the national proceedings in this case.

(2001/C 235 E/258)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0531/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(22 February 2001)

Subject: Plastic dermatology

The International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Dermatology was set up recently in Italy to promote the
aims of plastic dermatology, a discipline which makes use of
(cid:145)non-invasive methods with a pure
dermatological and medical approach in order to improve the skin appearance and to preserve its health(cid:146).

1.
Is the Commission aware of this new discipline? If it is, can it say whether it exists in other EU
Member States? If it does not, would it not agree that provision should be made in the scientific research
programme for an assessment of such treatment, which, assuming it is effective, has the great advantage of
being non-invasive?

2. What action does it suggest be taken to publicise and promote this discipline in the other EU
Member States?

3. Would it not agree that university courses in this specialisation, involving treatment aimed at keeping
the skin healthy, removing blemishes and combating the effects of ageing, can help to make people
healthier and enhance their sense of physical well-being?

21.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/221

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2001)

1.
The Commission is aware of this new discipline. However, no precise information is available on the
newly set up International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Dermatology, nor on the spread of this
discipline across Europe in terms of research. The Commission would appreciate it if this information
could be passed on by the Honourable Member.

Even though there is no specific provision made in the current Quality of Life programme, relevant
research proposals can be submitted to area 7.2 iii + iv of Generic Research and technological
development (RTD) Activities (clinical trials, retrospective and prospective studies) (1).

2.

It is not for the Commission to publicise a particular medical discipline or practice.

3.
The Commission cannot give an opinion as it does not have access to the relevant information to do
so. In regards to research on combating the effects of ageing, reference is made to the specific key Action 6
on (cid:145)The Ageing Population and Disabilities(cid:146) of the Quality of Life programme.

(1) http://www.cordis.lu/life/home.html.

(2001/C 235 E/259)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0535/01

by Wilhelm Piecyk (PSE) to the Commission

(16 February 2001)

Subject: Problems encountered in the funding of town-twinning schemes

Under the town-twinning scheme involving Scharbeutz in Germany and Navajas in Spain, pupils from
a secondary school in Scharbeutz paid a visit to the Spanish town from 9 to 18 October 2000. The close
relationship between the two towns, which has existed for 14 years and which has involved regular visits,
has largely been funded by Commission grants. As part of the preparations for the visit in 2000, an
application for a grant was submitted to the appropriate Commission department in the spring of 2000.
Since experience has shown that decisions on applications are taken at a relatively late stage (cid:129) although
they had been approved in all previous cases (cid:129) the organisers worked on the principle that the same
procedure would apply this time as well. The application for a grant submitted by the Navajas authorities
was eventually rejected, but not until 20 September 2000 (cid:129) i.e. at a very late stage, given the scheduled
dates referred to above and the commitments already made. The visit did, however, take place, because of
the commitments made and despite the lack of a grant, but the organisers are now finding it difficult to
balance the books because of the Commission(cid:146)s failure to award the expected grant.

Partly with regard to the plans to reorganise this sector, I should like the Commission to answer the
following questions:

1.

Is it true that the appropriations entered in the budget to promote visits as part of town-twinning
schemes and conferences and seminars in 2000 had already been exhausted by the spring of 2000? If
so, why was the application not rejected earlier, so that alternative arrangements might have been
made for the visit referred to above?

2.

Is there any possibility of a grant being awarded retrospectively to fund this youth-exchange visit?

Answer given by Ms Reding on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2001)

The Commission initiative to fund town-twinning projects has, in a sense, been the victim of its own
success because the interest shown by local players in this initiative has far exceeded the budget available.
In August 2000, the Commission informed those concerned of this situation through a notice published in
the Official Journal (1).