WRITTEN QUESTION E-1819/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Expenditure on Ispra JRC scientific personnel.
Date: 2001-06-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Joint Research Centre, administrative expenditure, administrative personnel, scientific profession

18.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/27

What practical measures have the Greek authorities taken to dispose of solid waste in the area of Chania
without endangering human health and without harming the environment in accordance with Article 4 of
Directive 75/442/EEC (1) on waste, given their failure to draw up waste disposal plans for that area in
accordance with Article 6 of Directive 75/442/EEC, and programmes for the disposal of
toxic and
dangerous waste in accordance with Article 12 of Council Directive 78/319/EEC (2) on toxic and dangerous
waste?

How will the Commission establish whether the Greek authorities have ceased to be in breach of and
complied with the Court’s judgment in case C-387/97? Will it require the environmental damage to be
made good and, if so, to what extent can that be accomplished in the area in question?

What measures will the Commission take to ensure, in similar circumstances in the future, that when the
Court of Justice imposes a financial penalty on a Member State, procedures are in place to monitor and
evaluate the measures taken to comply with the Court’s judgments?

(1) OJ L 194, 25.7.1975, p. 39.
(2) OJ L 84, 31.3.1978, p. 43.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 2001)

Following the judgment of the Court of Justice of 4 July 2000 (Case C-387/97), imposing a penalty of
€ 20 000 per day for failure to implement measures in execution of the judgment of 7 April 1992, Greece
has paid € 5 400 000 to cover the period from 4 July 2000 to the end of March 2001.

The Greek authorities have notified the adoption of regional plans for the management of solid waste and
dangerous waste in the Chania region, the closure of the illegal Kouroupitos rubbish tip and the start-up of
a temporary waste treatment and storage plant at Mesomouri pending the entry into service of permanent
recycling and disposal installations.

An expert report has confirmed that the measures notified by the Greek authorities have actually been
implemented by them, and on the basis of that report the Commission recently decided to terminate this
infringement procedure. The Commission will also be examining the question of restoration of the site.
The Commission is reserving the option of bringing a new infringement procedure if it considers that the
present state of the site constitutes an infringement of Community waste legislation.

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that the case in question is the first judgment of
the Court of Justice on the basis of Article 228 (ex Article 171) of the EC Treaty imposing a penalty on a
Member State. The experience gathered in dealing with this case will be taken into account in handling
future cases.

(2002/C 93 E/029)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1819/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Expenditure on Ispra JRC scientific personnel

(21 June 2001)

As a result of the policy which the Commission has been pursuing over the last few years to the
satisfaction of certain Member States, the Ispra research centre has taken on an increasingly more
administrative and increasingly less scientific character, contrary to its initial aims, which have apparently
not been officially changed.

Regarding Article B6-111 of the 2001 budget (purely where expenditure on the Ispra centre’s current staff
complement is concerned), can the Commission say what individual amounts are intended for Ispra’s
administrative and scientific personnel?

C 93 E/28

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2002

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2001)

The mission of the Joint Research Center (JRC), adopted by Council and Parliament in 1999, is to provide
customer-driven scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and
monitoring of Community policies. It serves the common interest of the Member States while being
independent of particular private or national interests.

Therefore, the JRC is a research establishment not dedicated to research policy but acting as a European
reference centre for other Community policies (environment, agriculture,
Scientific and Technical
transport, energy, nuclear).

As far as expenditure for personnel is concerned, the breakdown for the JRC Ispra site in the year 2001 is
as follows:

B Total: € 114 million,

B Scientific personnel: € 95 million,

B Administrative personnel: € 19 million.

(2002/C 93 E/030)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1832/01

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(22 June 2001)

Subject: Serb authorities’ embargo on Jehovah’s Witnesses’ educational material

By decision of 9 April, the Federal Minister for Home Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY),
Zoran Zivkovic, refused entry onto Serbian territory of a range of publications by Jehovah’s Witnesses on
the grounds that they would have a negative impact on children and young people. In the decision the
minister explains that the reason for the ban on the importation of these publications is that judging from
the number of copies and the content of the text, it is clear that they are intended not to meet the
requirements of the current members of the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses, but rather for specific
purposes of proselytisation.

The specific nature of the pernicious influence of the forbidden texts on young people is unclear, given
that the minister does not cite any significant passages to back up his accusation, as the law requires. As
the reason for the ban is solely the quantity of material, it violates the very constitutional principles of the
FRY, as well as the general principles of law.

What measures has the Commission taken, or will it take, to inform the authorities of Belgrade that such
procedures are incompatible with the general principles of law and, more specifically, with freedom of
thought, expression and religion?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2001)

The Commission understands that, under a law dating from 1974, permission for imports of foreign
publications is required, on a case by case basis, from the Federal Ministry of the Interior of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia.

Commission’s enquiries indicate that the FRY authorities have not banned the publication in question, but
have so far declined to authorise the import of this consignment in view of the very large quantity
envisaged. The Commission understands that the matter is still under consideration.

The Commission is in regular contact with the FRY authorities about the reform of laws and procedures in
many areas, including this one. The Council of Europe is providing advice as to European norms and
practices.

The Commission will continue to monitor the implementation of democratic reforms in the FRY closely.