WRITTEN QUESTION E-3209/01 by Stefano Zappalà (PPE-DE) and Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Island of Santo Stefano.
Date: 2001-11-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Constitution, Latium, historic site, island, penal institution, sale

20.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 147 E/131

As far as institutions are concerned, the Single European Sky is based on the complementary relationship
between the Union’s regulatory powers and the competence and expertise which exist within Eurocontrol
and the Member States. More precisely, the Eurocontrol agency will be entrusted by the Commission with
the technical expertise work needed to draw up Community rules.

In the face of lack of harmonisation in the classification of European airspace, the proposals aim to
consider European airspace as a common resource which must be effectively organised and managed, in
complete safety, in order to meet the requirements of users and to permit a fair and non-discriminatory
distribution of resources among all users, including general and light aviation.

The Commission is currently holding talks with Eurocontrol to define the procedures for cooperation
between the organisations. This cooperation will also involve Eurocontrol
in observing certain
requirements with regard to the consultation of interested parties. The Commission will ensure that these
consultation mechanisms permit
the associations
the taking into consideration of
concerned.

the viewpoint of

In this way, the representatives of general and light aviation will continue to have an important role in this
consultation process.

(1) COM(2001) 123 final.

(2002/C 147 E/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3208/01

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) and Elizabeth Montfort (NI) to the Commission

(22 November 2001)

Subject: Right to life

At the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) congress held in Rome, the former
president of FIGO, the Finn Markku Seppälä, said that ‘life begins at conception’.

In the light of this statement, does the Commission intend to submit a proposal for a directive seeking to
ensure that the national laws of the Member States show due respect for the principle of the right to life?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2002)

The European Union has no legislative powers in the matter and the Commission is accordingly not
planning to propose a directive.

(2002/C 147 E/138)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3209/01

by Stefano Zappalà (PPE-DE) and Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Island of Santo Stefano

(22 November 2001)

Santo Stefano, which forms part of the municipality of Ventotene, is one of the islands in the Ponziano
archipelago in the province of Latina in Italy. Past inmates of the prison which stands on the island (and
which was closed in the 1960s) include a number of leading political figures, such as Altiero Spinelli, who
in 1941, together with others, drafted the ‘Ventotene Manifesto’, which was to lay the foundations for
today’s European Union. The part of the island on which the prison stands belongs to the Italian State, and
is to be placed on the market along with a large number of other sites. Its market valuation has been set at
€ 2 million.

C 147 E/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2002

Given the above, would the Commission state whether:

1.

2.

in view of the site’s historical, political and social importance, it intends to acquire it for the European
Union?

if it does so, it intends to develop the site both as a monument to the history of the European Union
and as a venue for cultural and/or social and/or political activities?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 2002)

The Commission is aware of the historic importance of the island of Santo Stefano, a former prison where
including Altiero Spinelli and other pioneers of European
several anti-fascist activists were detained,
integration.
island of Santo Stefano, that the
Ventotene Manifesto was drafted in 1943. This was one of the formative elements in the development of a
European consciousness after the Second World War.

It was on the island of Ventotene, close to the small

Any decision to convert the former prison into a cultural centre with a European orientation would be
extremely welcome and highly symbolic,
the work of Altiero Spinelli as European
in view of
Commissioner and Member of the European Parliament, where he played an active role in framing the
draft Treaty on European Union adopted by the European Parliament on 14 February 1984. However, the
Commission has neither the powers nor the funds needed to take such an initiative.
If the Italian
authorities decide to undertake such a project the Commission will consider with great interest the
possibility of taking an active part.

(2002/C 147 E/139)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3212/01

by John Bowis (PPE-DE), Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE),
Martin Callanan (PPE-DE), Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE),
Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE), Roger Helmer (PPE-DE),
Astrid Lulling (PPE-DE), Neil Parish (PPE-DE), Charles Tannock (PPE-DE)
and Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 November 2001)

Subject: Business Impact Assessment for the Physical Agents (Vibrations) Directive

Has the Commission carried-out a Business Impact Assessment for the Physical Agents (Vibrations)
Directive, and, if so, what are the expected annual costs to business following its implementation in each
of the Member States?

In order to ensure that the European Parliament is aware of the costs to business of the directives which it
votes for, and in order to reduce costs, will the Commission undertake to deposit in the Library of the
Parliament its Business Impact Assessments for each piece of legislation which imposes costs on business
so that any Member of the Parliament may make use of the information as the Commission’s directives are
being considered either in committee or before the vote in plenary?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(21 December 2001)

When submitting its Proposal for a Council Directive on the minimum health and safety requirements
regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (1), the Commission drew up an
impact assessment, based on a specific impact study for each physical agent included in the Proposal, on
the activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, and this included the estimated costs which would
arise from implementing the Directive. These costs are likely to be reduced in accordance with the limit
values to be adopted.