WRITTEN QUESTION E-1205/01 by Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission. Organisational and restructuring problems of the Finmeccanica group.
Date: 2001-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, economic concentration, industrial restructuring, merger control

C 364 E/60

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

the plan, describing it as
The agency responsible for Byzantine monuments has protested against
uncivilised and fearing that, apart from the aesthetic damage caused by the building attracting some 6 000
spectators and thousands of cars, the impact in terms of the safety, stability and pollution of the
monument will also be disastrous.

1. What steps will the Commission take to save the monument and the surrounding area, which has
been earmarked for reafforestation?

Did the environmental impact assessment take account of the adverse effects of the project on this

2.
cultural monument? Were alternative proposals considered?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2001)

Article 151 (ex 128) of the EC Treaty gives the Community competence to encourage cultural cooperation
in the
between Member States and to support and supplement their action (financially if necessary)
following areas:

(cid:129) improvement of the knowledge and dissemination of the culture and history of the European peoples;

(cid:129) conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage of European significance;

(cid:129) non-commercial cultural exchanges;

(cid:129) artistic and literary creation, including in the audiovisual sector.

Accordingly, the issue raised by the Honourable Member does not fall within the competence of the
Community, but is a matter solely for the Member State.

As for the environmental aspects, Directive 85/337/EEC, as amended by Directive 97/11/EC (1), contains
no precise reference to this type of installation. However, taking the view that this project could be
considered an (cid:145)urban development project(cid:146) (point 10(b) of Annex II to the Directive) the Commission sent
the Greek authorities a letter on 15 February 2001 asking for details of the environmental assessment
under way for the project.

The Greek authorities have yet to reply.

(1) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of

certain public and private projects on the environment (OJ L 73, 14.3.1997).

(2001/C 364 E/065)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1205/01

by Francesco Turchi (UEN) to the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Subject: Organisational and restructuring problems of the Finmeccanica group

The industrial restructuring plans for the Finmeccanica group have aroused serious concerns among the
personnel of the group and its associates, Alenia Aerospazio, Alenia Difesa and Alenia Marconi Systems,
an Italo-British joint venture for military electronics run by a British managing director.

The group has announced losses equivalent to ITL 230 billion in its Italian operation alone, in a situation
that values production at 1 577 billion and the acquisition of new orders at 1 168 billion. It has produced
a restructuring plan that would seriously affect
Italian employment, with the redundancy of 400
employees, mainly in the factories at Gugliano and Fusaro.

Can the Commission confirm whether there is a dominant position in the British representative on the
group(cid:146)s internal management, which is otherwise established on the basis of parity?

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/61

Can it also carry out an investigation of the asset-stripping plan in the research and production sectors of
Alenia Marconi Systems, to prevent the creation of a new subsidiary having an adverse effect on Italian
employment in the industry concerned?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(5 July 2001)

As regards the structure of control of the undertakings mentioned, the Commission found in its decision of
28 August 1998 in case M.1258 GEC Marconi/Alenia (1) that GEC-Marconi and Finmeccanica S.p.A.
(through its wholly owned subsidiary, Alenia Systems S.p.A.) had each joint control over Alenia Marconi
Systems within the meaning of Article 3(1)b of Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December
1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (2) ((cid:145)Merger Regulation(cid:146)).

The Commission believes that GEC Marconi(cid:146)s rights in Alenia Marconi Systems have been transferred to
BAe Systems as a result of the subsequent acquisition of GEC Marconi by BAe.

The Commission attaches the greatest importance to the social consequences of corporate restructuring
but, apart from this assessment strictly limited to the Commission(cid:146)s mandate under the Merger Regulation,
the Commission has no information concerning the question raised and has no other legal base to
undertake investigations concerning individual restructuring operations, unless the restructuring is financed
by State aid.

(1) OJ C 306, 6.10.1998.
(2) OJ L 395, 30.12.1989 as amended by OJ L 257, 21.9.1990.

(2001/C 364 E/066)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1208/01

by GØrard Caudron (PSE) to the Council

(11 April 2001)

Subject: Closure of healthy undertakings

The brutal and cynical announcements of closures at Danone and Marks and Spencer demonstrate to those
who might still have had any doubts that the era of the (cid:145)mixed economy(cid:146) and the (cid:145)European social model(cid:146)
is dead.

Restructuring in undertakings as a result of genuine economic problems would be understandable, but it is
not possible to accept restructuring in healthy and prosperous undertakings which have only one single
objective: increasing the profits of those who own capital.

If agricultural crises can prompt our officials to take action, voluntary acts of (cid:145)vandalism(cid:146) which, in the
name of money, destroy entire families should cause our European leaders to act at least as decisively,
particularly given that the absence of any reaction will cause this trend to accelerate in the future.

For this reason, I ask you most earnestly what you intend to do.

Reply

(27 September 2001)

The Council is aware that restructurings of undertakings such as those mentioned by the Honourable
Member in his question may have serious economic and social consequences for employees and their
families.

However, the legislative nature of the Council(cid:146)s role (cid:129) which is similar to the European Parliament(cid:146)s (cid:129)
does not allow it to intervene in the implementation of European legislation, which is the responsibility of
the Member States under the supervision of the Commission and, where necessary, the Court of Justice;
nor does it allow the Council to comment on cases involving particular undertakings.