WRITTEN QUESTION P-1334/01 by Theresa Zabell (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Special arrangements for sportsmen and sportswomen.
Date: 2001-04-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: access to education, competence of the Member States, education policy, educational system, professional sport, vocational retraining

C 318 E/236

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(1 June 2001)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that proposals for the reorganisation of air traffic
management are due in order to address the inefficiencies of the existing system and to consolidate the
safety level of air transport. The report of the High Level Group on the Single European Sky, which was
finalised in November 2000, provides the basis for these proposals.

The Commission would not wish, however, that the dispute over Gibraltar airport should stand in the way
of early adoption of these proposals, as has happened with a number of other proposals in the air
transport field. The subject was raised at the European Council of Stockholm of 23/24 March 2001 and
further discussions between the two Member States concerned were encouraged, expecting to make further
progress on this issue in time for the G(cid:246)teborg European Council in June 2001.

Technical work to prepare proposals has continued nevertheless, and the Commission expects to be in
a position to deliberate on these proposals before the end of the Swedish Presidency. In that respect, the
Commission will examine the suggestion put
forward by the Honourable Member amongst other
suggestions in order to find a constructive solution to this issue.

(2001/C 318 E/258)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1334/01

by Theresa Zabell (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Special arrangements for sportsmen and sportswomen

(26 April 2001)

In order to be able to pursue professional careers once their sporting careers are over, sportsmen and
sportswomen try to combine the latter with college studies.

This (cid:145)double life(cid:146) requires a major effort on their part, since their daily sports practice and frequent
travelling to take part in competitions and championships mean that they have real difficulties in attending
classes on a regular basis and following courses of study.

Do universities in any Member State offer any kind of special arrangements for sportsmen and
sportswomen, enabling them to reconcile the demands of studying with their sporting careers? If so,
what benefits and/or advantages do the sportsmen and sportswomen enjoy vis-(cid:224)-vis other students?

If not, does the Commission intend to take any action in this area?

Answer given by Ms Reding on behalf of the Commission

(12 June 2001)

The Commission shares
sportswomen to be able to reconcile their studies and their sporting careers,
promote their future switch to alternative employment.

the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concern about

the need for

sportsmen and
in particular in order to

Accordingly, the Helsinki Report on Sport (1) stressed that Community action could, among other things,
within the context of its educational and training programmes, focus on the objective of (cid:145)promoting the
subsequent switch to other employment and future integration onto the labour market of sportsmen and
women(cid:146).

The Commission does not have full information on the opportunities that are offered to sportsmen and
sportswomen in order to pursue studies in each Member State. However, it is aware of certain initiatives,
such as those taken in France. This Member State has introduced a full set of measures (cid:145)in order to
promote the success of sportsmen and sportswomen in sport and work(cid:146), comprising financial assistance,
measures granting easier access to competitive examinations, loans to those who set up a business, etc.
Similar measures have been adopted in other Member States, such as Belgium.

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/237

The Commission respects the responsibility of the Member States for adopting measures, where necessary,
in order to make it easier for sportsmen and sportswomen to reconcile their studies and their sporting
careers. Under the principle of subsidiarity, the Commission could not taken any initiatives to adopt
legislation in this area. However,
it encourages the Member States to introduce the most favourable
mechanisms for taking account of the specific needs of top sportsmen and sportswomen in the national
school and university systems.

(1) The Report from the Commission to the European Council with a view to safeguarding current sports structures
and maintaining the social function of sport within the Community framework (cid:129) The Helsinki Report on Sport (cid:129)
COM(1999) 644 final.

(2001/C 318 E/259)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1335/01

by Luckas Vander Taelen (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 April 2001)

Subject: Environmental impact of the 2004 Olympic Games infrastructure on Schinias

Answering to my Written Question E-2394/00 (1) of 26 September 2000, the Commission said that it had
the measures taken to ensure the
already requested information from the Greek authorities about
protection of the natural sites threatened by the infrastructure development for the 2004 Olympic Games.

In view of the very recent decision by the Greek Couuncil of State to annul part of the Presidential Decree
which grants national park status to the Schinias area, because of the unlimited building developments
permitted in the middle of the site, does the Commission now agree with the Greek courts that stronger
action is needed to protect the valuable habitats, in particular by relocating the proposed Rowing and
Canoeing Centre to one of the two viable alternative sites which were originally proposed by the Greek
Government itself in an earlier tender document?

Would not the selection of the Schinias area for the Rowing and Canoeing Centre actually conflict with the
inclusion of this area in the scientific reference list of areas qualifying for classification as special protection
areas under the Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) (2), and would it not also constitute an extremely important
negative precedent opening the door for large construction projects in other Greek national parks and
protected areas?

What measures has the Commission taken to prevent the indoor Table Tennis Stadium in the Veikou Park
from damaging that protected forest area and the Olympic Village from threatening the Parnitha National
Park?

(1) OJ C 136 E, 8.5.2001, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.

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

(13 June 2001)

As mentioned in the answer to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s Written Question E-2394/00, the Schinias
marshes have not been proposed by Greece under either the Birds (Council Directive 79/409/EEC of
2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds) or the Habitats (Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May
1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1)) directives for inclusion in the
Natura 2000 network. However, given that the site has been included in relevant scientific reference lists,
the Commission has sent a letter to the Greek authorities in the context of the formal complaint lodged in
2000, asking for specific information on this planned Olympic project. The Commission seeks to ensure
the compatibility of the planned development with the conservation value of the site.

information brought to Commission(cid:146)s
Further to the reply of Greece and in the light of additional
attention,
the situation.
Information gathered is currently under evaluation in order for the Commission to decide on the follow-
up to be given to this matter.

in March 2001 an on-the-spot appraisal of

the Commission carried out