WRITTEN QUESTION E-1396/01 by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission. Directive for a general framework for informing and consulting employees.
Date: 2001-05-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, impact study, small and medium-sized enterprises, type of business, worker consultation, worker information

C 364 E/100

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

As regards savings from reductions in fatalities, the discrepancies in definitions and measurement among
the Member States is even bigger than for time savings. The values in use range from € 35 000-1 700 000
per fatality, representing a 48-fold difference. After harmonising for the definitions, the EUNET (1) project
reduced this difference to a factor of 4.5 and indicated a weighted average value of € 770 000 per fatality
(1995 prices). The 2nd Community programme on road safety (1997-2001) introduced the criteria of € 1
million for life saved.

The Commission also follows with interest the on-going work of Western European Road Directors on
project evaluation and impact assessment.

(1)

For more information, see final report of EUNET (cid:145)Socio-economic and spatial
impacts of transport(cid:146), Fourth
framework Transport Research programme, forthcoming at http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/extra/reports.html.

(2001/C 364 E/109)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1394/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 May 2001)

Subject: Corporation tax

What is the revenue raised by public authorities from corporation or other profits taxes on companies in
each year in each Member State, expressed as a proportion of GDP in each case? What conclusions does
the Commission draw from these figures concerning the debate over whether we need certain minimum
corporation tax rates to stop a so-called (cid:145)chase to the bottom(cid:146)?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(4 July 2001)

A table presenting taxes on corporate income as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) for the
Member States for the period 1980-2001 is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s
Secretariat.

The Commission is not of the view that there is empirical evidence to suggest the existence of a so-called
(cid:145)race to the bottom(cid:146).

The Commission has in its recent Communication on tax policy concluded that the setting of tax rates in
this field is a matter for the Member States.

(2001/C 364 E/110)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1396/01

by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 May 2001)

Subject: Directive for a general framework for informing and consulting employees

Has the Commission conducted an impact assessment of the proposed directive for a general framework
for informing and consulting employees? If it has, what were the results? If not, does the Commission
consider it to be responsible legislative practice to proceed with the adoption of a new directive without
being fully aware of its consequences?

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/101

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(12 July 2001)

Before adopting its proposal for a Council Directive establishing a general framework for informing and
consulting employees in the European Community (1), the Commission conducted, as is current practice,
an evaluation of its impact on businesses and in particular on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The Honourable Member will find the results of this evaluation in an annex to the Commission(cid:146)s proposal.

(1) OJ C 2, 5.1.1999.

(2001/C 364 E/111)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1398/01

by Lu(cid:237)s Queir(cid:243) (UEN) to the Council

(7 May 2001)

Subject: Situation of Portuguese hostages in Cabinda

Seven Portuguese citizens continue to be held in Cabinda (cid:129) two of them since 24 May 2000 (i.e. in
captivity for exactly 11 months) and the others since 9 March 2001.

According to the information available the situation in Cabinda has sharply deteriorated, particularly on
account of increased military pressure from Angola.

The author of this question takes the view (which is shared by the European Union as a whole) that the
non-use of military force has been essential to the success of the diplomatic efforts undertaken in such
situations.

A single example will suffice: about a year ago the EU called upon the Government of the Philippines not
to take military action in its attempts to free a sizeable group of hostages who had been kidnapped in that
country. The fact that they were successfully released proves that the EU was right to issue such a call.

There is no historical or political link between the situation in the Philippines and what is going on in
Cabinda, but there is an obvious connection from the humanitarian point of view. In both cases the EU(cid:146)s
duty is to do all it can to protect the lives of the hostages (who are European citizens) and to secure their
early release.

At a time when there are no journalists in the area (since they were all expelled by the Angolan
Government) and in view of the military operations which have been engaged in by the Angolan armed
forces and which, for the above reasons, have been carried out in the absence of any monitoring by the
international community, a European special envoy should be sent to Cabinda (cid:129) preferably Mr Javier
Solana, in his capacity as High Representative for the EU(cid:146)s common foreign and security policy. The
purpose of such a visit would be to assess the actual political and military situation in Cabinda and to
promote, on the EU(cid:146)s behalf, whatever efforts are needed in order to secure the release of the Portuguese
hostages.

Is the Council willing to countenance such a visit, which would constitute an initiative equivalent to the
one it promoted in the case of the hostages held in the Philippines and which is becoming increasingly
important in view of the length of time for which the hostages have been held, the seriousness of the
situation and the fact that the hostages are Europeans?