WRITTEN QUESTION E-1990/01 by Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. ELF Aquitaine/Leuna.
Date: 2001-07-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, State aid, consortium, oil refining, privatisation, sale

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/157

(2002/C 40 E/169)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1989/01

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 July 2001)

Subject: Agri-environmental measures/Organic livestock farming (cid:129) rough grazing land and permanent

pasture for direct grazing of animals according to organic farming methods

In 2001, as part of the agri-environmental measures related to organic farming, aid per hectare has been
introduced for rough grazing land or permanent pasture used for direct grazing of animals according to
organic farming methods. This measure is important
the type of
stockbreeding is very close to organic farming,
it could make for more effective conversion to such
methods, thus guaranteeing a continuing livelihood for many breeders, in particular of mountain goats.

to Portugal because, given that

However, it is not clear which areas are eligible for the aid. The reason is that in Portugal, as in other
Member States, much grazing, especially of goats, takes place in woodlands or wastelands (where there are
varieties of broom, rock rose, heather, etc.). Grazing is also concentrated primarily in mountain areas. If
these areas cannot be considered eligible, many applications will be rendered invalid, jeopardising livestock
farming in many regions, even though it could meet high quality standards and organic farming
requirements.

Could the Commission therefore confirm whether the above areas are eligible or not? If they are ineligible,
will the Commission draw up the amendments to the rules needed to make them eligible, thereby
safeguarding high-quality organic livestock farming and employment
in areas affected by specific
difficulties?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2001)

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member that the organic farming measure contained in
the rural development plan for mainland Portugal for the period 2000-2006 applies to the whole of the
territory of mainland Portugal.

The measure may include per hectare aid for rough grazing land and permanent pasture used for direct
grazing of livestock reared in accordance with organic production methods and in compliance with
Community law.

The Commission considers the statement by the Honourable Member to the effect that it is not clear
which areas are eligible for this type of aid to be inaccurate therefore.

(2002/C 40 E/170)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1990/01

by Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 July 2001)

Subject: ELF Aquitaine/Leuna

Proceedings have been brought against senior employees of ELF before a court in Paris; in some cases
heavy fines were imposed as a result. One of the transactions which played in part in the case was the sale
of a business in the territory of the former GDR.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. What is known about the sale of the former Leuna works to ELF? Was it assisted by EU funding

intended for the Objective 1 territory of the Federal Republic of Germany?

C 40 E/158

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

2. How did the Commission institutions monitor the sale of the Leuna works? Did the court proceedings

reveal any shortcomings in this respect?

3. What does the Commission know about favours to parties and prominent individuals in connection

with the sale of the Leuna works to ELF?

4. Will the Commission draw conclusions from the proceedings in Paris, and if so, what?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(19 September 2001)

The privatisation and the restructuring of the Zeitz/Leuna refineries and the Minol station network were
initially approved by the Commission(cid:146)s decision of 24 June 1993. Later Commission(cid:146)s inquiries into this
case only relate to the investment costs of the new refinery near Leuna. The Commission is presently
investigating whether the construction costs of the refinery were inflated (Case C 47/97). In the light of
several national judicial and parliamentary enquiries currently underway in various European states, the
Commission is not in a position to make final conclusions in this latter case.

In its decision of 1993 authorising the aid measures in favour of the privatisation and the restructuring,
the Commission examined also the purchase offers of the parties interested in taking over Leuna and
Minol. Offers were presented on the basis of an open call for tender prepared by Goldman Sachs on behalf
of the German Government.

Following the information received by the responsible Ministry for Economic Affairs and Technology in
Sachsen-Anhalt, the construction of the petrol refining factory by the (cid:145)Mitteldeutsche Erd(cid:246)l-Raffinerie
GmbH (MIDER)(cid:146) was not co-financed under objective 1 of the European regional development fund.

The Commission concluded in its 1993 State aid decision that the purchase offer of the consortium that
constituted at the time of ELF Aquitaine, Thyssen Handel Berlin GmbH and Deutsche SB-Kauf AG was the
best to implement the privatisation.

The examination by the Commission was done on the basis of the information provided by the German
Government in the notification of the aid measures. Member States are required under Article 10 of the EC
Treaty to take all the appropriate measures to ensure fulfilment of the Treaty rules and to abstain from any
measure which could jeopardise the attainment of the objectives of this Treaty, including the provisions on
State aid.

The Commission has no information from the legal proceedings indicating that the information notified
pursuant to Article 88(3) of the EC Treaty was not in accordance with Article 10.

The Commission is aware of allegations about favours to parties and prominent individuals in connection
with the sale of the Leuna works. The examination of such issues is not of the Commission(cid:146)s competence.

It should be noted that judiciary proceedings are the responsibility of the Member States. The Commission
will study with interest any information arising from such proceedings in order to see whether it has to
draw any conclusions.

(2002/C 40 E/171)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1992/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 July 2001)

Subject: Male and female clergy

Progressive ideas and the special position and value accorded women are distinctive features of the
Orthodox Church. Orthodox priests, for example, have the right to marry, which no Catholic or Muslim