WRITTEN QUESTION E-1457/01 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Disciplinary action against staff.
Date: 2001-05-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, European official, administrative sanction, budgetary discharge

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/117

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2001)

In 1997 the Stockholm Institute for Transitional Economics was awarded a contract (following a tender
procedure) for assistance to the Russia-Europe Centre for Economic Policy. The contract is funded from the
budget line B7-520 ((cid:145)Assistance to partner States in eastern Europe and central Asia(cid:146)) and it has a total
value of € 2 149 824. A further contract was awarded in 1999 with total value of € 2 548 668. Lastly,
a contract for € 123 244 was awarded last year.

In 2000, the Institute also received a payment of € 440 700 from budget line B6-641.

Support from budget line B7-520 for activities in eastern Europe and central Asia finances a very wide
variety of projects and schemes, and over 500 contracts with consultants, experts, authorities and
institutions are involved for the period covered by the Stockholm Institute contract.

(2001/C 364 E/128)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1456/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Seals

What support has the Commission given to projects concerned with the Mediterranean monk seal?

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

(16 July 2001)

Under the Habitats directive, Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural
habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1) Member States have to take the requisite measures to establish
a system of strict protection in order to ensure a favourable status of conservation of the monk seal
(Monachus monachus). Moreover, they must designate sites which will form part of the Natura 2000
ecological network.

The Commission is certainly aware that the Community has particular responsibility for this priority
species, in view of the proportion of the natural range which falls within the territory of the Community.

Projects regarding this species may be submitted for Community cofinancing, according to relevant
existing rules (a list for some of the projects or studies directly related to the Mediterranean area is sent
direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat). Upon the outcomes of these projects,
the Commission tries to build new approaches aimed at improving the status of conservation of the
species.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2001/C 364 E/129)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1457/01

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Disciplinary action against staff

If the Commission will list all cases in which staff have faced disciplinary action, together with the actions
taken, amount of time required to reach a conclusion, the nature of the allegation, whether (cid:145)whistleblow-
ing(cid:146) activity was involved, and if further investigations were instigated and now concluded.

C 364 E/118

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2001)

The Commission draws the attention of the Honourable Member to the comprehensive information
provided in February for the purposes of the most recent discharge procedure which related to the 1999
Budget. Naturally, this information will be updated for the next discharge procedure.

In the follow-up to the budget discharge for 1999, the Commission stated that it would annually inform
the discharge authority of all completed investigations which involve (cid:145)whistleblowing(cid:146) and would give
details, inter alia, of any follow-up action taken, including the launching of administrative or disciplinary
proceedings and measures taken to protect the legal position of the whistleblower in question.

(2001/C 364 E/130)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1458/01

by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE)
and Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Biological teatment of biodegradable waste

The practice of shredding solid biodegradable waste via food disposal units, with a view to evacuating it
via the sewer, is widely used in the UK as well as for example in the USA.

Does the Commission accept that its proposals on this subject must pursue an integrated policy for waste
management, permitting various processes rather than specifying composting as the sole way to manage
food waste?

Does the Commission agree that banning one particular method of dealing with food waste, in defiance of
national experience and in the absence of compelling and accepted scientific evidence in support of such
a ban, would be inconsistent with the principle of subsidiarity?

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

(18 July 2001)

The prudent use of resources is an obligation arising out of the EC Treaty (Article 174, ex-Article 130a).
Drinkable water is a very precious and limited resource that should be used with moderation and without
wastage. Food waste disposal units are electrical devices normally installed under a kitchen sink and used
to grind food waste with a view to evacuating it via the sewer. Drinkable water is normally used to carry
the ground waste through the sewer to the wastewater treatment station.

The working document on the biological treatment of biodegradable waste (second draft of February 2001)
elaborated by the Directorate general Environment for discussion with all relevant stakeholders suggests
that the use of food waste disposal units should be limited. The Commission has so far taken no decision
on restricting the use of food disposal units in the Community. Furthermore, the Commission has not
specified composting as the sole way to manage food waste.

However, with regard to food waste disposal units, the following aspects deserve attention, especially with
regard to an integrated waste management policy:

(cid:129) Sewers are generally not engineered to carry solid waste and high density waste may slow down

wastewater and cause pipe clogging;

(cid:129) Solid waste in wastewater increases the energy demand at the wastewater treatment station in order to

reduce the additional pollution provoked by solid waste;