WRITTEN QUESTION P-3595/01 by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Checking of statistical data in Greece on employment and unemployment.
Date: 2002-01-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, employment statistics, statistical method

6.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/243

(2002/C 134 E/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3588/01

by Pere Esteve (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Granting of aid to Coface

The Commission has granted various subsidies to the Confederation of Family Organisations in the
European Union (Coface). It appears that these subsidies will no longer be granted in the coming budgetary
year, 2002.

Can the Commission say whether this aid is indeed to disappear in the coming year and if so, why it was
removed from the Community budget? What other EU subsidies might Coface receive in the future?

Answer given by Ms Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(11 February 2002)

In accordance with the judgment of the Court of Justice of May 1998 which found that the Commission
had no legal basis for taking action in the area of family policy, among others, the Commission was
obliged to put an end to the general or operating subsidies granted to a number of non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), including the Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Community
(Coface).

Nevertheless, these NGOs remain eligible for the organisation of specific studies or projects as part of
programmes conducted by the Commission, provided that they submit applications in response to the
Commission’s calls for projects for the implementation of these programmes.

(2002/C 134 E/258)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3595/01

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Checking of statistical data in Greece on employment and unemployment

The Greek authorities have undertaken to develop a modern system for the statistical monitoring of
employment and unemployment.

concerning falsification of data and the Commission’s

In view of the delays detected by the Commission, the complaints by workers to the National Statistics
reply to my previous question
Service
(E-2419/01 (1)), which stated that ‘under Article 3(6) of Regulation No (EC) 577/98 (2), the Commission
may require Member States to provide detailed information on the criteria adopted for the design and size
of the sample’, has the Commission made such a request?

Could the Commission provide information on the progress made in modernising the Greek statistical
system, including under the Community Support Framework?

(1) OJ C 40 E, 14.2.2002, p. 244.
(2) OJ L 77, 14.3.1998, p. 3.

C 134 E/244

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2002)

The Commission has requested and received information from the National Statistical Service of Greece
which shows that:

> a continuous labour force survey has been conducted in Greece since the beginning of 1998 (with
interviews, each quarter, of around 30 000 households throughout the different NUTS 2 regions);

> the unemployment estimates published by the National Statistical Service of Greece (which have not
been transmitted to Eurostat) for the third and fourth quarters of 2000 were compiled from a sub-
sample of 8 % of the questionnaires;

> transmission of the labour force survey results will be speeded up in the very near future: the results
for the 4th quarter of 2001 should be transmitted to Eurostat in March 2002 (in accordance with the
regulatory deadline).

(2002/C 134 E/259)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3623/01

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Osteoporosis

Will the Commission seek to ensure that national health authorities and health insurance agencies work to
improve the availability of bone densitometry resources and pay for bone density scans for people with
osteoporosis risk factors prior to the first fracture?

Will the Commission pay for proven therapies for people with osteoporosis risk factors prior to the first
fracture, financially support and participate in educational awareness campaigns in partnership with the
IOF-International Osteoporosis Foundation,
IOF member societies and other concerned groups and
professionals?

Will the Commission also work in partnership with the International Osteoporosis Foundation to bring
national and European policy makers together with osteoporosis experts and concerned groups to produce
practical, cost-effective strategies to prevent osteoporotic fractures and to ensure that those strategies
include measurable, realistic, time-based targets for reducing fractures and create a coordinated data
collection system to monitor osteoporotic fractures across Europe?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2002)

According to Article 152 of the EC Treaty, Community action in the field of public health shall fully
respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the organisation and delivery of health services and
medical care. Availability of bone densiometry measurement therefore falls under the responsibility of
Member States. However,
the
Community programme for health promotion.

the Commission will continue to take steps in the area, as part of

The Commission cannot pay for treatment of people with osteoporosis, as this is an issue covered by the
above-mentioned Article, and as such falls under the responsibility of Member States as well. On the other
hand, the mandate of the Commission covers health promotion and disease prevention activities. Thus, the
Commission may participate in education activities regarding risk factors and preventive treatment in the
field of osteoporosis.