WRITTEN QUESTION E-1705/01 by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Means of payment.
Date: 2001-06-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: bank charges, electronic money, euro

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/81

Accordingly, the Framework Programme for research and technological development, and its Non-Nuclear
Energy programme in particular, has supported a significant number of projects on the production and
storage of hydrogen or the development of fuel cells. Up to now, support given by the Commission in the
Fifth Framework Programme amounts to more than € 95 million, basically allocated to fuel cells, the
production and storage of hydrogen from different sources, the development of norms and standards,
safety, the distribution infrastructure, and the development and demonstration of fuel cell vehicles.

The Commission is currently supporting several
projects:

large-scale research and technological development

(cid:129) the FUERO project (total cost € 38 million, Community contribution € 21,3 million), is developing
components and systems for fuel cells and hydrogen-powered vehicles. 67 European organisations
from 13 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, France,
Italy, the Netherlands, Austria,
Sweden, Great Britain, Norway,
the Czech Republic and Israel) and several European motor
manufacturers are actively participating in FUERO;

(cid:129) the CUTE and ECTOS projects: 10 European cities (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London,
Luxembourg, Madrid, Oporto, Reykjavik, Stockholm, Stuttgart) are to introduce hydrogen as a fuel for
their public transport buses (using fuel cells). Each city will produce the hydrogen locally, build
hydrogen service stations and have three buses in commercial operation in their public transport
systems for two years;

(cid:129) the Commission is in the process of setting up several actions to study the feasibility of a Europe-wide
infrastructure for supplying hydrogen as fuel and the legal, economic, environmental, social and
organisational problems of setting up such a cross-border infrastructure.

(1) COM(2000) 769 final.

(2002/C 40 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1702/01

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

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Funding for demonstration

Could the Commission confirm whether or not any funds from any EU budget line were used to finance
any activity associated with the demonstration in May in London protesting about proposed
Marks & Spencer closure?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2001)

The Commission has not granted any subsidy under budget line B3-4000 (Industrial Relations and Social
Dialogue), B3-4002 (Information and training measures
for workers(cid:146) organisations) or B3-4003
(Information, consultation and participation of representatives of undertakings) for any activity which
had the aim to organize or support a demonstration in May 2001 in London protesting about proposed
Marks & Spencer closure.

(2002/C 40 E/083)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1705/01

by Fernando FernÆndez Mart(cid:237)n (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Means of payment

The incidence of payment by credit card may be expected to increase considerably in the future: such
payment will be a key instrument in the transition to the euro, since it will be vital for consumers(cid:146)
payments and movements within the EU. However, in practice the banks oblige retailers to bear the costs

C 40 E/82

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

of credit card transactions, while the rates of commission charged vary considerably from one Member
State to another.

Can the Commission provide information on the different rates of commission charged by the banks in the
Member States, and on any specific plans it may have for EU-wide harmonisation in this field?

Does the Commission intend to adopt, or has it already adopted, any special measures to alleviate the
losses which will arise from the large-scale use of credit cards following the transition to the euro, for
those retailers whose profit margin is non-elastic and who are therefore unable to pass on to the consumer
the costs arising from credit card transactions (e.g. petrol pump operators and service stations)?

Can the Commission supply information on the compatibility with Community law of the rates of
commission established by credit card companies and banks for each transaction and of the circumstance
that these companies are in practice forcing retailers to bear the costs of credit card transactions?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(20 September 2001)

If a retailer wishes to accept payment by credit card, he has to enter into a contract with an acquiring
bank. This contract specifies the rates to be charged to the retailer for the service (retail transaction fee).

its costs (transaction
In determining the retail transaction fee,
processing costs, interchange fees, payment terminal maintenance costs, etc.) and its profit margin in the
local competitive context. The actual retail transaction fees can therefore vary considerably from one
Member State to the next.

the acquiring bank takes account of

The fact that acquiring banks charge a retail transaction fee for a service does not conflict with Community
rules. The Commission does not intend to intervene in that competitive commercial process to regulate the
amount charged to retailers for the service, nor is it the Commission(cid:146)s aim to harmonise the situation
within the Community.

Nonetheless, the Commission feels that the introduction of the euro should also lead to a single payment
area and therefore, on 25 July 2001, proposed a draft regulation laying down a principle of non-
discrimination in charges for payments in euros. The implications of this, as far as the Honourable
Member(cid:146)s question is concerned, are that the retailer must pay the same fee for all transactions, whether
domestic or cross-border.

(2002/C 40 E/084)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1709/01

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Council

(15 June 2001)

Subject: Mount Kailas

A number of press agencies and specialist magazines have recently reported that the Chinese authorities
have given permission for a Spanish expedition, led by Mr Jesœs Mart(cid:237)nez Novos, to climb Mount Kailas in
Tibet. This mountain, which is over 6 000 metres high and which the Tibetans also call Gang Rinpoche, is
a sacred place for three religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism). The Dalai Lama has
responded by condemning the Chinese decision and declaring the attitude of the Chinese authorities and
the members of the Spanish expedition to be an affront to the feelings of those who practise the three
religions concerned.