WRITTEN QUESTION E-0880/01 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Seismic activity in the EU countries and Commission initiatives.
Date: 2001-03-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Greece, earthquake, research project

C 318 E/142

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

Today the European Union is providing economic assistance for the reforms in Ethiopia and is
encouraging this country in its policy of economic openness and privatisation. However, it is reported
that these planned privatisations include factories and other property which used to belong to Community
nationals but which were summarily confiscated after 1974-1975 by the regime then in power.

Will the Commission give the total amount of EU aid allocated to Ethiopia? What is its position on the
confiscated property of Community citizens? Was account taken of the nationalisation of property in the
negotiations for granting Communty aid after 1991-1992 when Mengistu left the country? Does the new
Ethiopian Government intend to pay compensation to the EU citizens whose property was nationalised or
to return it to them? What does the Commission intend to do in order genuinely to satisfy the demands of
Community citizens whose property was confiscated by the previous Ethiopian regime?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Under the 8th European Development Fund (EDF) the allocation for Ethiopia amounted to € 294 million.
In October 2000, the Commission decided to reduce the NIP amount to € 250 million over five years.
During the last three years, EDF disbursements were as follows: 1998: € 76 million, 1999: € 55,2 million
and 2000: € 30,1 million

However, after the peace with Eritrea in March 2001, the Commission notified the Ethiopian government
of an increase in the indicative resources allocated under the 9th EDF, amounting to € 384 million for
envelope A and € 154 million for envelope B.

The Community is aware of the problem of property confiscated without compensation by the previous
Ethiopian Government. From a legal point of view the Commission has no mandate to represent
Community citizens(cid:146) cases vis-(cid:224)-vis the Ethiopian authorities. The Commission cannot but advise affected
citizens to contact their relevant national diplomatic representation in Ethiopia which will follow up on
these claims.

in discussions with the Ethiopian Government

Notwithstanding,
the Commission has, on various
occasions, expressed the need to create an environment that is conducive to private sector development
and domestic as well as foreign direct investment. For obvious reasons such a favourable environment
requires, amongst other things, an appropriate solution to cases in which private property was nationalised
without compensation by the previous regime.

The Commission in its contacts with the Ethiopian authorities will continue to raise this problem.

(2001/C 318 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0880/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 March 2001)

Subject: Seismic activity in the EU countries and Commission initiatives

The EU has been struck by a number of large earthquakes over the last few years: the country worst
affected is Greece, since according to data provided by the Commission, eight of the fifteen most
destructive earthquakes in the EU between 1980 and 1995 occurred there. The most recent earthquake in
Athens killed 140 people, but also caused incalculable material damage. Recently great concern has been
caused by strong rumours that a large earthquake is imminent, concern heightened by doubts about the
level of preparation of the state mechanism for dealing with such a contingency.

Will the Commission say what initiatives are being drawn up at European level with Commission funding
relating to the study of seismic activity in the Union and the development of an earthquake warning
network? Exactly how much money has the Commission made available for studying seismic phenomena in

13.11.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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the Union over the last twenty years, a period during which very destructive earthquakes have occurred,
for instance in Athens (1981 and 1999), Kalamata (1986), Aigion, Grevena and many other places?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(15 May 2001)

The threat of seismic activity is an important issue. The Commission has been funding activities in this
field since 1986. Since then, a budget of around € 40 million has been allocated to fund to 60 research
projects. These projects cover basic seismology (such as the study of seismic phenomena and movements),
applied geotechnical seismology and paraseismic engineering (antiseismic design of
foundations and
structures).

The Commission has made budgets of around € 10 million available for studying seismic phenomena, and
€ 15 million for studying seismic movements (including observation and forecasting networks). Inter-
national cooperation on activities in this field should also be noted: three Community-Japanese seminars
financed by the Commission (in Crete in 1997, Reykjavik and Kyoto in 1999) have strengthened
cooperation between the Community and Japan. The Community-Medin seminar (Mediterranean Disaster
Information Network) in Brussels in 2000 was also organised in the context of cooperation between the
Community and the United States.

Events in this field usually involve the participation of many Greek scientists. Around 25 groups of Greek
scientists (from universities, research centres, consultancy firms) are working on projects under the Fourth
and Fifth framework programmes. Under the Fifth framework programme (1998-2002) three major
research projects (Corseis, DG Lab-Corinth Facility and 3F-Corinth), the principal theme of which is the
continuous monitoring of the seismology and geochemistry in the Gulf of Corinth, have been allocated
a total budget of € 3.5 million.

In the field of civil protection, the Commission has also cofinanced Greek pilot projects on urban planning
in seismic regions and on the post-seismic assessment of building safety, and a Portuguese pilot project on
public information. Two pilot projects are currently being financed as part of the Community Action
Programme in the field of civil protection (1): a Greek project on the post-seismic assessment of building
safety, and an Italian project on the radar-satellite surveillance of the ground and infrastructure. These
projects are all being carried out in close collaboration with the civil protection authorities in the Member
States concerned, so as to make for practical use of the results in disaster prevention and management
measures.

(1) OJ L 327, 21.12.1999.

(2001/C 318 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0883/01

by Toine Manders (ELDR) to the Commission

(27 March 2001)

Subject: Satellite dishes

Satellite dishes are a user-friendly means of receiving cross-border broadcasts, and they therefore contribute
to bringing together the different cultures and languages within the Union. Because they are not very
expensive, more and more families are expressing an interest in them. However, sometimes there are
obstacles to use by private individuals, e.g. because of administrative formalities, taxes or the imposition of
collective decisions taken by management bodies of blocks of flats. In some cases it is essential to have
a dish in order to receive certain foreign stations. Sometimes, for example in Belgium, the tax on satellite
dishes is more than a cable subscription. The taxes could therefore create insurmountable barriers for the
use of satellite dishes and hence for the free movement of services within the internal market.

Can the Commission explain how, in its opinion, consumers can benefit from the freedoms of the

1.
internal market with regard to this aspect of everyday life?