WRITTEN QUESTION E-1494/01 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. The threat of tuberculosis.
Date: 2001-05-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, aid programme, cooperation policy, developing countries, health aid, infectious disease, therapeutics

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/169

child benefit, at a substitute school approved by the State or authorised under Land law in accordance with
Article 7(4) of the Basic Law may be treated as tax-deductible expenditure. This does, not, however apply
in respect of schools in other Member States.

Does the Commission take the view that this is compatible with freedom of movement of services
regarding school attendance?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 2001)

The Commission is currently examining the problem on the basis of a recent complaint on the same issue.
If necessary it will decide whether to initiate infringement proceedings under Article 226 (formerly
Article 169) of the EC Treaty.

(2001/C 350 E/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1494/01

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(18 May 2001)

Subject: The threat of tuberculosis

Through its programme of aid to combat poverty diseases in developing countries, what resources are
being or are to be devoted to combating tuberculosis through the DOTS strategy (Directly Observed
Treatment Short-course), which it is claimed can have a success rate of 99 per cent?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(28 June 2001)

It is very difficult to indicate a specific sum of Community allocations to DOTS. Most Community health
funds support actions to improve the organisation, management and performance of national health
systems including tuberculosis (TB) control programmes. Increasingly such funds are provided as sectoral
or budget support rather than as project support for disease specific programmes. Much of this support
will also benefit national TB control initiatives.

The accelerated Programme for Action against TB, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and malaria (1),
in the context of poverty reduction sets out
a comprehensive approach through interventions impacting on each of the three major communicable
diseases. These aim to increase the impact of existing effective interventions and, as far as TB is concerned,
including DOTS.

Nevertheless, and despite the progress that has been registered since 1995, additional efforts are necessary
in order to promote the wide-spread use of DOTS; the potential of this cheap and effective strategy to
reduce TB morbidity and mortality has not yet been realised in all settings and this is also due to technical
problems and to the complexity of treatment approaches.

The Commission will prioritise within the total development co-operation budget, Health, AIDS and
Population (HAP) interventions over the next five years. In terms of commitments, HAP interventions in
2000 represented 8 % of the development budget (approximately € 800 million) and will be steadily
increased as delivery capacity improves. Part of the increased support will target the actions identified in
the accelerated Programme for Action, which include actions targeting Tuberculosis and DOTS.

C 350 E/170

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

The Commission is now developing detailed workplans and will further examine, with World Health
Organisation (WHO) in particular and other donors concerned, opportunities to accelerate and scale up
resource flows to needy countries to confront tuberculosis and the other major communicable diseases.

(1) COM(2001) 96 final.

(2001/C 350 E/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1498/01

by Laura GonzÆlez `lvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: New runways at Barajas airport (Madrid)

(18 May 2001)

According to reports by the environmental group (cid:145)Jarama Vivo(cid:146) the construction of the new runways at
Barajas airport will irreversibly affect plant colonies of great value protected at both national and European
level. In fact, the construction of the runway referred to as 18L/36R, in addition to diverting the course of
the Jarama by 2 000 metres, will affect plant colonies classed as habitats of Community interest. They are
included in the national inventory of habitats of Community interest on accordance with Royal Decree
1997/1995 of 7 December. This inventory was of key importance in the Region of Madrid(cid:146)s decision to
declare the entire course of the river Jarama a site of Community importance and thus part of the Natura
network. The seven habitats destroyed are fringing forests of willows, poplars, Mediterranean meadows of
tall grass and reeds and plants thriving in damp and shady conditions, all of them found along the river
Jarama and the streams of Las Zorreras and La Vega.

The vegetation will be damaged by both the construction works and the drying up of the Jarama. The
works will clear the land, meaning that all the vegetation will disappear. 16 hectares of fringing forest,
3 hectares of scrub, 4 hectares of reedbeds, 40 hectares of meadowland and 35 hectares of replanted
forests will be destroyed.

Is the Commission aware of the events reported by (cid:145)Jarama Vivo(cid:146)?

Does it consider that this project to extend the airport of Barajas (Madrid) is compatible with Council
Directive 92/43/EEC (1) of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and
flora?

Does the Commission intend to adopt any measures to protect this area?

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

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

(5 July 2001)

The Commission is not aware of the matters raised by the Honourable Member. However, it has verified
that the area was proposed by Spain as a site of Community interest (SCI), ES 3110001 (cid:145)Basins of the
rivers Jarama and Henares(cid:146) for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network under Council Directive 92/43/EEC
of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.

The site in question has a surface area of 36 084 hectares.

The area is home to the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), a species included in Annex II of the Habitats
Directive. This area also contains up to thirteen different types of habitats listed in Annex I of the
Directive, two of which are priority habitats (6 220 and 3 170).

The Commission will contact the Spanish authorities in order to ask them for information on the
procedures applied to ensure conformity with Article 6 of Directive 92/43/EEC.