WRITTEN QUESTION E-0038/02 by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission. The Valgrisenche dam.
Date: 2002-01-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, Valle d'Aosta, countryside conservation, engineering structure

C 205 E/60

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

(2002/C 205 E/063)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0027/02

by Francesco Speroni (NI) to the Commission

(15 January 2002)

Subject: Inaccurate statements concerning the euro

According to some of the media, for example the broadcasting company RAI, the President of the
Commission boasted about the stability of the euro when it came into circulation as a tangible currency,
claiming that its value had not fluctuated despite repeated economic and financial crises on various
continents.

However, if we compare the value of the euro since its arrival on the financial markets, it is obvious that it
has weakened considerably against many other currencies, such as the US dollar, sterling and the Swiss
franc.

Can the Commission say whether it is true that these alleged statements were made and, if so, why the
President said something which is not true?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(4 April 2002)

The President has repeated on many occasions that, since its introduction on 1 January 2002, the euro has
proved its capacity to act as a factor of stability in times of uncertainty. As he emphasised in his speech on
the State of the Union delivered to the Parliament in Strasbourg on 11 December 2001, Just imagine what
would have been the impact of 11 September 2001 if we had not had the euro. No doubt, we would have
seen great instability of exchange rates in Europe. The consequence could have been dramatic for the
Single Market, and for growth and employment throughtout the Union, as it was at the beginning of the
1990s, when Europe’s currencies faced great unstability.

The euro has also delivered price stability to European citizens. On average during the period 1999-2001,
consumer prices in the euro area have increased by less than 2 % per annum. This is far better than the
situation that prevailed during the period 1990-1998, when consumer prices in the area increased by
3,5 % per annum. The euro has boosted price stability especially in Member States such as Italy, which
until 1995 had inflation rates well well above 5 %. Thanks to the consolidation of public finance
accomplished during the run-up to the euro, Italy now enjoys a much lower inflation rate.

(2002/C 205 E/064)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0038/02

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(23 January 2002)

Subject: The Valgrisenche dam

In the 1950s, despite opposition from the Valle d’Aosta Autonomous Regional Council which drew
attention to the dangers arising from the fact that some of the mountains overlooking the lake were
subject to landslides, a huge dam was brought into service in the Valgrisenche valley in the Valle d’Aosta.
This arch-gravity dam spans a distance of 394 metres at its crest and is 5 metres wide.

Following the Vajont disaster in the Veneto region, in which 1 909 people died on 9 October 1963, when
a landslide caused the dam to overflow, the electricity company decided to convert the Valgrisenche dam
for run-of-river use, thus emptying the reservoir.

However, the huge wall of the dam still towers over the small mountain village, and has an obvious impact
on the environment and the landscape. Thought has recently been given to the possibility of dismantling
the dam (which, in its present state, no longer serves any useful purpose) with a view to ‘rehabilitating’ the
area, with only the run-of-river facilities being retained.

Given the above, can the Commission say whether, if need be, a special Community project could be
implemented or existing funds drawn on for this purpose?

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/61

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 2002)

The single programming document (SPD) for 2000-2006 for the Valle d’Aosta, a region eligible for
Objective 2 of the Structural Funds, focuses on social and economic redevelopment projects in order to
make firms more competitive, particularly in the field of tourism. The two priorities of the SPD are the
improvement and diversification of manufacturing industry and technical assistance; neither priority
contains a measure likely to be able to part-finance the dismantling of the Valgrisenche dam.

Moreover, under Regulation (EC) No 1655/2000 of
the Council
concerning the Financial Instrument for the Environment (LIFE) (1), the Honourable Member’s request does
not fall within the scope of this instrument. The valley is not located in a Natura 2000 site, which is a
condition for eligibility under LIFE-Nature, and the project cannot obtain finance under LIFE-Environment
because it is not innovative in character.

the European Parliament and of

(1) OJ L 192, 28.7.2000.

(2002/C 205 E/065)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0042/02

by Michael Cashman (PSE) to the Commission

(23 January 2002)

Subject: Tax on the maintenance of a grave

Could the Commission confirm whether there is currently any EU legislation concerning the amount of
Value Added Tax that is paid on the maintenance of a grave? Could the Commission also confirm whether
there are currently any plans to change the laws on the payment of VAT on the maintenance of a grave
and whether it is possible, under existing legislation, to end such payments?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2002)

Under Community VAT legislation, Article 12(3)(a) of the Sixth VAT Directive (Sixth Council Directive
77/388/EEC of 17 May 1977 on the harmonization of the laws of the Member States relating to turnover
taxes C Common system of value added tax: uniform basis of assessment (1)) lays down that Member States
may apply a reduced VAT rate to supplies of goods and services referred to in Annex H of that directive.
Category 15 of Annex H covers the ‘Services supplied by undertakers and cremation services, together with
the supply of goods related thereto’. Member States may therefore allocate a reduced VAT rate of no less
than 5 % to these services. Furthermore, some member States are able to exempt some similar services
under transitional VAT provisions set out
that directive. However, unless the
maintenance of a grave is supplied by undertakers, the standard VAT rate should apply to this kind of
service. Some types of grave maintenance undertaken by local authorities can be treated as outside the
scope of VAT, where the authorities are not in competition with private individuals.

in Article 28(3)(b) of

As part of its New VAT Strategy, the Commission intends to examine the scope of Annex H and the
various associated derogations and exemptions.

(1) OJ L 145, 13.6.1977, Directive as last amended by Directive 2001/115/EC of 20 December 2001 C OJ L 15,

17.1.2002.