WRITTEN QUESTION E-1395/01 by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission. Cancellation of March call for TEN telecom projects.
Date: 2001-05-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, European Commission, administration of the Institutions, award of contract, trans-European network, transmission network

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/39

Member States have received them? What methods will the Commission employ to enable the aids to be
put to wider and more intensive use? Has the range of aids been restricted, or is the Commission currently
considering whether to authorise other kinds of aid? What advantages would be accorded to Objective 1
regions where the aids are concerned?

4.
How do its three Members concerned, Mr Lamy (trade), Mr Monti (competition), and Mr Liikanen
(enterprise), work together in this area within the Commission? How are responsibilities split among them,
and how do they coordinate their activities?

Reply given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(13 July 2001)

1.
At the request of the Committee of EU Shipbuilders(cid:146) Associations (CESA), a procedure against certain
Korean subsidies was initiated under the Trade Barriers Regulation in December 2000. In the light of a
detailed inquiry into Korean and Community shipyards, the report of 8 May 2001 concluded that the
Korean shipyards had received subsidies, that these had caused the Community industry considerable
injury (particularly in the container and oil products and chemical carriers sectors), that the Commission
should immediately approach the Korean authorities with a demand to withdraw the subsidies or eliminate
the injurious effects thereof and that, if no amicable settlement was reached within a few weeks, the
Commission should open proceedings under the Understanding governing the WTO(cid:146)s dispute settlement
procedure.

2.
In the light of the conclusions of the said report, and unless negotiations with the Korean authorities
provide a solution by the beginning of July 2001, the Commission will decide whether the time has come
to initiate proceedings in the WTO.

3.
The Community legislation governing aids to shipbuilding is Council Regulation (EC) No 1540/98 of
29 June 1998 establishing new rules on aid to shipbuilding (1). Subject to specific conditions, the following
investment aid for innovation, regional
aids are lawful: aids in the event of closure and restructuring,
investment aid, research and development aid and aid for protecting the environment. This year the only
case of aid notified to Commission has been one of aid granted for research and development

Aid linked to contracts is also authorised as long as it is in line with the 1981 OECD Understanding on
Export Credits for Ships.

In consultation with the industry the Commission is currently looking into the possibility of adjusting the
provisions on aid for research and development.

4.
The three Members of the Commission with responsibilities in this field (the Commissioners for
Trade, Competition and Enterprise and the Information Society, including the fourth Commission report to
the Council on the situation in world shipbuilding) (2), collaborated actively in deciding the Commission(cid:146)s
position in this matter, in keeping with their respective areas of competence.

(1) OJ L 202, 18.7.1998.
(2) COM(2001) 219 final.

(2002/C 40 E/035)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1395/01

by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission

(10 May 2001)

Subject: Cancellation of March call for TEN telecom projects

Could the Commission explain the cancellation of
for TEN telecoms projects (for
submission in June)? What arrangements have been made for the dispersal of the 2001 budget in light of
this cancellation? What arrangements will be made for further calls for projects in 2001?

the March call

C 40 E/40

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

Unlike in 1999 and 2000, there was no call for proposals foreseen for TEN-Telecom for March 2001 with
closing date in June. Instead an earlier call was launched in October 2000 (2001 budget) with deadline of
29 January 2001 in order to avoid the rush at the year end for the corresponding budget commitment.
Two calls for proposals are still foreseen for 2001, one with closing date 7 September (partly to commit
the remaining budget 2001 and part of the 2002 budget) and another one to be launched end of October
2001 with closing date at the end of January 2002 (remaining part of 2002 budget).

(2002/C 40 E/036)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1409/01

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: China(cid:146)s status as a developing country

(14 May 2001)

In the report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the implementation of
the communication (cid:145)Building a comprehensive partnership with China(cid:146) (1), the Commission describes China
as unique for a developing country in that it has enjoyed unprecedented growth, which has brought
prosperity to many areas. China has also become a donor of development aid donor to other countries in
Asia.

Does the Commission consider that China has (cid:129) and must retain (cid:129) the status of a developing country, in
the light (inter alia) of its accession to the WTO?

(1) COM(2000) 552.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(5 July 2001)

As explained in the Commission(cid:146)s September 2000 Report on the implementation of
the 1998
Communication (cid:145)Building a Comprehensive Partnership with China(cid:146) (1), China is unique for a (cid:145)developing(cid:146)
country: it does not have all the characteristics of a developing country, but neither does it have all the
qualities of a developed country.

In the context of World Trade Organisation (WTO) accession, the Commission(cid:146)s approach has been to
consider whether China should qualify for developing country status for each sector in which case it
should enjoy the benefits foreseen by the WTO Agreement.

(1) COM(2000) 552 final.

(2002/C 40 E/037)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1428/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Another terrorist attack in Israel

Today(cid:146)s newspaper(cid:146)s carry reports of yet another terrorist act committed by a Palestinian suicide bomber in
the town of Kfar Saba in Israel. It confirms that every time that negotiations between Israel and the
Palestinian Authority are due to be resumed the extremists boycott
them. This shows both the
inconsistency of the Palestinian leaders as valid diplomatic partners and the continuing inability of the
international community (the EU is practically not involved at all) to take tangible action to re-establish
peace and security in the region.