WRITTEN QUESTION E-1161/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Implementation of the Bathing Water Directive.
Date: 2001-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, EU environmental policy, bathing water, infringement of EU law, national implementing measure

C 340 E/182

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(1 June 2001)

On the basis of the information available to the Commission all Member States except Denmark,

1.
Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom deliver identity cards to their nationals.

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question E- 3070/98

2.
by Mrs Banotti (1) and E-1303/96 by Mrs Maij-Weggen (2).

In the performance of its duties under the Treaties, the Commission does not acquire information of

3.
the kind requested. It is therefore unable to answer the question.

(1) OJ C 289, 11.10.1999.
(2) OJ C 373, 9.12.1997.

(2001/C 340 E/209)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1153/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Application of the common fisheries policy

(10 April 2001)

What are the principal differences, if any, between the regimes applied under the common fisheries policy
in the western waters of the EU and other areas (such as the Mediterranean)?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 June 2001)

The principal difference between the regimes applied in the Common Fisheries Policy in Community
waters of the Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic and those applied in the Mediterranean is that in the latter
area, the system of Total Allowable Catches (TAC) and associated quotas does not apply, except with
respect to bluefin tuna.

The reason for non-application of TACs is that most fisheries in the Mediterranean, in particular fisheries
for bottom-living species, catch a mixture of many species of fish in which no one species or group of
species is predominant. Under such conditions, the TAC system is very difficult to implement in an
effective manner.

(2001/C 340 E/210)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1161/01

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Subject: Implementation of the Bathing Water Directive

What is the Commission(cid:146)s policy regarding the enforcement of the provisions of the Bathing Water
Directive in instances where the Member States have taken all the necessary measures but still do not
comply with the legal requirements?

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/183

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

(21 June 2001)

Article 4(1) of Council Directive 76/160/EEC of 8 December 1975 concerning the quality of bathing
water (1) provides that Member States should take all necessary measures to ensure that, within ten years
following the notification of that directive, the quality of bathing water conforms to the limit values set out
in accordance with Article 3, or in other words with effect from 10 December 1985.

If, despite any Member States(cid:146) efforts and initiatives, the quality of bathing water at a specific location does
not meet the values required by the directive, the Commission considers that bathing in any such water
constitutes an infringement of the directive and may activate an infringement procedure on that matter.

(1) OJ L 31, 5.2.1976.

(2001/C 340 E/211)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1164/01

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Compensation for the transfer of football players

(19 April 2001)

The recently negotiated football transfer fee system states that the calculation of compensation for the
transfer of a player will depend not on the training costs of an individual player but on the league and the
type of club.

What precautions has the Commission taken to ensure that this will not financially disadvantage lower
division clubs, for example in the Vauxhall Conference in the UK, who are much more dependent on
income from transfer fees than top level clubs?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 2001)

According to the general principles of the undertaking submitted by International Federation for Football
Associations (FIFA) on 5 March 2001,
it is FIFA(cid:146)s responsibility to implement inter alia a system of
training compensation for players aged under 23.

The system will be based on a categorisation of clubs in accordance with their training costs to be
established by FIFA under objective criteria.

The Commission made clear that the aim of the new system should be the encouragement and rewarding
of the training efforts of clubs, in particular, those of small and amateur clubs without limiting freedom of
movement of players in a disproportionate way.

The attention of the Honourable Member is also drawn to the joint reply made by the Commission to
Questions E-1052/01, E-1053/01 and E-1054/01 by Mr Ford (1).

(1) See page 157.