WRITTEN QUESTION E-3203/01 by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission. Transfer of Ericsson branch to the El.Man group.
Date: 2001-11-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: competence of the Member States, employment policy, telecommunications equipment, telecommunications industry, trade agreement, transfer of businesses

C 115 E/240

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

It is not considering any package of measures to assist the aerospace industry
air transport sector.
following the attacks, nor has it received representations from the European aerospace industry to request
any such package. Nevertheless, the Commission recalls the importance of creating an economic and
political framework within which the competitiveness of this industry can be fostered. In that context,
prior to the recent downturn in air transport and aerospace, an Advisory Group on Aerospace ‘STAR 21’
was launched, comprising the interested Members of the Commission, the Union’s High Representative for
the Common Foreign and Security Policy, key aerospace industry Chairmen and Members of
the
Parliament. The group, which is expected to report in the first half of 2002, will analyse the adequacy of
the existing political and regulatory framework for aerospace in Europe, highlight deficiencies, and make
proposals for further improvement.

(2002/C 115 E/259)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3203/01

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(20 November 2001)

Subject: Transfer of Ericsson branch to the El.Man group

Knowing that:

5 between 1995 and 1997, prior to the sale of the Pagani plant, Ericsson initiated what its workers

called a ‘pre-sale process’,

5 in June 1998, the company told the trade unions that it intended to split up the production activities
into a printed circuit board branch, to be called PCB SpA, and an assembly branch, to be called PBA
SpA, both of which would then be transferred,

5 in January 1999, after six months of talks, PCB SpA was transferred to the El.Man group in Corropoli,

5 however, owing to a lack of investment by Ericsson, the facilities and machines inherited by the new
totally obsolete and thus represented a serious risk both to production

company were almost
operations and to the health of the workforce,

5 the industrial plan and labour agreements concluded made provision for more intensive investment

and sounder guarantees than those offered by the two companies,

5 under the agreement which it signed with El.Man, Ericsson guaranteed that it would cover any
financial losses incurred by El.Man until 31 December 2000, while the labour agreements guaranteed
that employment levels would be maintained for five years.

Given that Ericsson:

5 has ignored repeated requests from the local trade unions to set up the oversight committee which

was to monitor implementation of the industrial plan and labour agreements concluded,

5 has failed to check that the printed circuit boards required for the products ordered from PBA SpA are

being produced by PCB SpA,

5 and has almost totally cut off orders since March 2001, as a result of which a dispute has arisen
between the local trade unions and PCB SpA over the latter’s request to lay off workers under the
Italian wage-compensation scheme (CIG straordinaria ed ordinaria),
the labour
agreements signed,

in breach of

how does the Commission intend to obviate the adverse effects of the above situation?

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/241

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(17 January 2002)

The facts related by the Honourable Member concerning Ericsson’s failure to honour its financial
commitments and its promises to maintain employment levels do not come under Community law.

It is therefore up to the national authorities to assess the consequences of the situation described by the
Honourable Member and to determine whether those involved are to be held accountable.

(2002/C 115 E/260)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3253/01

by Jan Wiersma (PSE) to the Commission

(16 November 2001)

Subject: Roma activist Rudko Kawczynski

Is the Commission aware of the intention of the German authorities to imprison the Roma activist Rudko
Kawczynski on 19 November 2001 for having taken part in a human rights demonstration in 1990?

Is the Commission prepared to urge the German authorities not to proceed with this arrest?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2001)

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member
responsibility and jurisdiction as regards both enforcement and judicial matters.

that

the Member States have primary

Consequently, there is no provision in the Treaties establishing the Union and the European Community
which allows the Commission to intervene to prevent a Member State arresting an individual on its
territory.

According to the information available, the case raised by the Honourable Member does not fall within the
scope of Community law. It is not, therefore, for the Commission to adopt a position on the substance of
this case.

However, it should be remembered that, if the person in question considers that his fundamental rights
have been infringed, he may bring an action in the national courts and, once he has exhausted his means
of redress there, he can lodge an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights if he feels there has
the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
been a breach of
Freedoms.

(2002/C 115 E/261)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3259/01

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission

(23 November 2001)

Subject: Use of the Occitan language at the Winter Olympic Games 5 Turin 2006

Formulating its request in line with Law 482/99 concerning regulations on the protection of historic
linguistic minorities, the ‘Chambra Economica Europèa Dels Paìses Occitans 5 Chambra d’Oc’ has asked
the Organising Committee of the XX Winter Olympic Games 5 Turin 2006 (TOROC) to implement this
law on the occasion of the Games through the use of the Occitan language on all official occasions, and
especially during the inaugural ceremony of the Games. It has also launched an appeal to the relevant
institutional bodies asking them to support this request.