WRITTEN QUESTION E-2832/01 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Outstanding payments to teachers in public vocational training institutes and the second Community Support Framework.
Date: 2001-10-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU control, EU programme, European Social Fund, Greece, budget, educational institution, pay, public education, vocational education

C 115 E/168

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

A legislative framework exists to protect non-genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from adverse effects.
A comprehensive assessment of risk to human health and the environment is required under Council
Directive 90/220/EEC of 23 April 1990 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically
modified organisms (5) and authorisation would only be granted on the basis that there is no reason to
believe that adverse effects would occur under the conditions of consent. The Environmental Risk
Assessment required under this Directive has to take into account potentially harmful effects such as:
effects on population dynamics within the receiving environment; the uncontrolled spread of the GMO(s)
in the environment and the interaction between the non-modified organism and the GMO. There have
been no applications for releases of genetically modified salmon under the above Directive.

The biotechnology consultation document available at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/biotechnology contains a
detailed review of GMO regulations in Chapter 7.1. This outlines the existing and planned horizontal
legislative framework comprising Directive 2001/18/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 12 March
2001 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing
Council Directive 90/220/EEC 3 Commission Declaration (6) which will replace Directive 90/220/EEC in
October 2002. Even more prescriptive requirements will be introduced for Environmental Risk Assessment
under Directive 2001/18/EC. Under the legislative proposals adopted more recently by the Commission (7)
a ‘one-door-one key’ procedure is planned for evaluation of GMO applications intended for food or feed
uses, including deliberate release into the environment. This procedure would consist of a single scientific
assessment, carried out by the scientific committees of the future European Food Authority, followed by a
single decision by the Community.

(1) OJ L 213, 30.7.1998.
(2) OJ C 136 E, 8.5.2001.
(3) OJ C 103 E, 3.4.2001.
(4) OJ C 113, 18.4.2001.
(5) OJ L 117, 8.5.1990.
(6) OJ L 106, 17.4.2001.
(7) OJ C 304 E, 30.10.2001 (COM(2001) 182 final and COM(2001) 425 final.

(2002/C 115 E/175)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2832/01

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(12 October 2001)

Subject: Outstanding payments to teachers in public vocational

training institutes and the second

Community Support Framework

Some 10 000 teachers paid on an hourly basis who worked in public vocational training institutes in
Greece have not yet received their outstanding pay for 15 months work.

Given that the public vocational training institutes are mainly funded from the European Social Fund
1.
through subprogramme 2.1 of the operational programme for education and initial vocational training,
why have the teachers not yet been paid?

In the light of the rumours that the money has been misappropriated, what information does the

2.
Commission have available?

3. What measures will the Commission take to ensure that the teachers are paid as promptly as
possible?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2001)

Initial vocational training was indeed an action supported by the European Structural Fund and included in
the operational programme ‘Education and Initial Vocational Training’ of the Greek Community Support

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/169

Framework 1994-1999. The deadline for legal commitments for this programme expired on 31 December
1999, while implementation and payments continue until 31 December 2001. For the abovementioned
programme and according to the existing rules, the Commission has paid to Greece the 1999 advanced
payment (about € 194 million), as well as a second advanced payment (about € 125 million). The Greek
authorities should submit their final claim for payment and closure of the programme by 30 June 2002.
About € 86 million of European Social Fund credits still remain to be paid.

According to information received by the Greek authorities, the delay of payments to teachers is due to
the exhaustion of the budget of the measure concerning initial vocational training in the end of 1999 and
the difficulty of the Ministry of Education to find national resources. The new operational programme
2000-2006 and national credits will cover the implementation cost for 2000 and 2001. In the meantime,
in March 2001 the Commission approved the new operational programme ‘Education and Initial
Vocational Training’ for the period 2000-2006 and made an advanced payment to Greece. The Ministry of
Education believes that all outstanding payments to teachers will have been made by January 2002.

The Commission is not aware of any misappropriation of credits with regard to initial vocational training
in the framework of the programme ‘Education and Initial Vocational Training’. The Commission will take
all necessary steps to verify the validity of rumours concerning this matter.

(2002/C 115 E/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2836/01

by Dirk Sterckx (ELDR) to the Commission

(5 October 2001)

Subject: Implementation of Directive 92/57/EEC on temporary and mobile construction sites

In accordance with Article 3 of the eighth individual Directive 92/57/EEC (1) of the Council of the
European Communities of 24 June 1992 on minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or
mobile constructions sites, a safety coordinator must be appointed for any construction site on which
more than one contractor is present. On smaller sites, such as reconstruction of individual family houses,
that can mean a substantial extra cost that, on some estimates, can run to as much as 5 % of the total cost
of the work.

Can a Member State issue an exemption from appointing a safety coordinator for the construction or
renovation of individual family houses, on the grounds that the requirement imposed by the directive
would result in excessive extra costs to individuals?

Does the directive, while still enforcing the appointment of a safety coordinator, nevertheless allow
Member States the option, in the case of individual family house construction or renovation, of granting
exemptions from the requirements of drawing up a safety plan and work-completion file or maintaining a
coordination journal?

What is the position with regard to the directive’s implementation in Member States?

(1) OJ L 245, 26.8.1992, p. 6.

Answer given by Ms Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(12 November 2001)

Article 3 of Council Directive 92/57/EEC of 24 June 1992 on the implementation of minimum safety and
health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites (eighth individual Directive within the
meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) (1) requires the client or project supervisor to appoint
one or more coordinators for safety and health matters, as defined in the Directive, for any construction
site on which more than one contractor is present.