WRITTEN QUESTION E-3026/01 by Ulla Sandbæk (EDD) to the Commission. Infringement of the European Habitats Directive.
Date: 2001-10-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Denmark, EU control, biotope, complaint to the Commission, environmental impact, leisure park, project evaluation

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/177

(2002/C 134 E/180)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3022/01

by Anne Van Lancker (PSE) to the Commission

(30 October 2001)

Subject: Commission’s equal opportunities policy

In relation to the Commission’s equal opportunities policy,

(cid:31) could the Commission explain why a man without any relevant professional experience was appointed
as head of the TAXUD-A3 unit, responsible for infringement proceedings and requiring a knowledge
of ‘the management of infringements and proceedings’, despite the fact that there were three women
candidates with the necessary qualifications?

(cid:31) could the Commission also say how many male officials are employed in the Directorate-General for
Taxation and Customs Union in grades A2 and A3 and how many women there are in these grades?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Nine officials applied for the post Head of Unit TAXUD-A-3, COM/224/00, of which three were women.
One of the three female applicants withdrew her application.

The applications were assessed by:

(cid:31) a selection panel, which concluded that three candidates, one of them being a woman, could be taken

into consideration at that level;

(cid:31) the Consultative Committee on Appointments (CCA), which concluded that two candidates possessed
the required qualification; the female candidate was not one of the two (nevertheless the Committee
noted her good general qualifications);

(cid:31) the relevant Director General, who appointed one of the two candidates identified by the CCA

(naturally, in agreement with the Member of the Commission in charge).

In view of the above, the Commission fails to understand on what basis the Honourable Member states
that there were three woman candidates with the necessary qualifications and that the candidate finally
chosen did not possess the necessary qualifications.

There are currently four A2 male officials and ten A3 male officials employed in the Directorate General
for Taxation and Customs Union. Three posts in the DG’s organization chart are occupied by female
officials. There are no female officials at A2 and A3 level, but two Head of Unit posts are occupied by
women.

(2002/C 134 E/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3026/01

by Ulla Sandbæk (EDD) to the Commission

(30 October 2001)

Subject: Infringement of the European Habitats Directive

Will the Commission investigate whether the Danish State is infringing the provisions of Article 6 of the
European Habitats Directive owing to the Danish Environment and Energy Ministry’s approval of plans for
the construction of a 3000 m2 adventure centre in the heart of one of Denmark’s most important habitat
areas (No 150 (cid:31) Klinteskoven)? Does it consider it right that the Storstrøm county authorities should
grant funds under EU Objective 2 for this purpose? To what extent is an EIA necessary in connection with
the construction of this adventure centre?

C 134 E/178

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

A letter of 20 August 2001 from Per Villum Petersen to the Commission, and the papers annexed thereto,
provide background information on this case.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 2001)

In response to the complaint to which the Honourable Member refers, the Commission is conducting an
legislation has been
investigation in order to assess whether the relevant Community environmental
complied with. This
relating to
infringements of Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of natural habitats and of
wild fauna and flora (1) and Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985, on the assessment of the effects of
certain public and private projects on the environment (2), as amended by Directive 97/11/EC of
3 March 1997 (3).

investigation concerns the allegations made by the complainant

The Commission’s investigation has not yet been completed and no decision has therefore been made to
open infringement proceedings in this case. It is therefore premature for the Commission to take any
stance on the specific questions asked by the Honourable Member regarding the existence of infringements
of Community law in this case. The complainant has already been informed by the Commission of its
handling of the case and he will be continuously informed of the actions taken by the Commission.

In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general
provisions on the Structural Funds (4), the choice of the individual projects co-financed inside each regional
programme is of the Member States’ entire responsibility under the terms of decentralisation. Nevertheless,
all
to an ex-ante
evaluation, which includes in particular the estimated impact on the environment.

the regional programmes are subject, before their approval by the Commission,

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.
(3) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(4) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2002/C 134 E/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3027/01

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 October 2001)

Subject: Data on the present 2001-2002 milk marketing year

1. What figures have been supplied by the various Member States in respect of the milk yields already
recorded and the corresponding projections to the end of
the present 2001-2002 marketing year,
indicating the possible overshoots of the reference quantities for each country?

2. What forecasts does the Commission have at its disposal
product quantities (skimmed powdered milk and butter) for 2002?

in respect of traditional

intervention

3. What is the estimated budgeting allocation for this heading? What unit price estimates were these
allocations based on?

Is the Commission planning to take any further action in the event of a significant increase in

4.
production in 2002? What information does it have in this connection?