WRITTEN QUESTION P-0387/02 by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Division of the Westdeutsche Landesbank (WestLB) into a parent company and a subsidiary company.
Date: 2002-02-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia, State aid, bank, control of State aid, demerger, organisation, parent company, subsidiary

C 28 E/24

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

500 000 are in the camps. Tanzanian fears relate not only to local security, illegal harvesting or damage to
the ecosystem. They are also afraid that their territory may be used as a base for military operations by the
Rwandan and Burundian rebels, as the history of the Congo suggests.

International agencies and specialist NGOs are working to help the refugees in Tanzania, and are receiving
financing from the Community. In addition to the UNHCR EUR 25 million programme already mentioned
for helping refugees return to Burundi,
the EC Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) has just allocated
EUR 27 million for the current year to assist refugees in Tanzania. But clearly the only thing that will really
solve the refugee problem is an end to the armed conflicts going on in the region. The Commission is
contributing to efforts to achieve this. It has always provided political and financial support for initiatives
likely to further peace, and will continue to do so.

(2003/C 28 E/026)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0376/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 February 2002)

Subject: Problem of stray animals in Greece

There is a very serious problem with the countless number of stray animals in Greece, for which there is
no form of public welfare service.

Are there any Community initiatives for the protection of such stray animals? Have Community
programmes for their protection ever been implemented in Greece? Have the Greek authorities received
support for that purpose and what amount was involved? Has the Greek Government proposed any
methods of resolving this problem? What is the Commission’s assessment of the present and future
situation in Greece in this regard?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2002)

There is no Community legislation on stray animals and in Greece, as in other Member States, this is a
matter for local authorities with the possible assistance of non governmental organisations.

The Commission is not proposing any particular initiatives in this matter, which, under the principle of
subsidiarity, is considered best left to be regulated within the Member States.

(2003/C 28 E/027)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0387/02

by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 February 2002)

Subject: Division of the Westdeutsche Landesbank (WestLB)

into a parent company and a subsidiary

company

Is the Commission aware of the exact nature of the planned new legal structure linking the subsidiary
‘WestLB AG’, a private law commercial bank and the parent ‘Landesbank NRW (LB RW)’, a public law
investment bank?

Is the Commission aware of the future balance sheet structure of the ‘WestLB AG’ and the ‘LB NRW’ and
of the contracts on the transfer of staff and for services between the parent and subsidiary companies?

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/25

Does the Commission consider that the parent-subsidiary contractual relations constitute a real and
sufficient division and separation of the WestLB in terms of the restructuring called for by the Commission
and does the Commission have a definite opinion on the future structure of the WestLB? If so, what is it?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(5 March 2002)

The Commission has received details of the envisaged split into a public-law mother company and
commercial daughter company of private legal form from the authorities of the Land of Northrhine-
Westfalia. The model is in principle in line with the State aid rules of the EC Treaty. Details are still being
investigated into.

The Commission is not yet aware of all details regarding the future structure of the balance sheet or of the
transfer contracts concerning staff and business relations between the mother and daughter company. To
the extent it will consider this necessary for State aid analysis, it will ask for such details.

The WestLB split-model, as presented to the Commission, constitutes in principle an effective and
sufficient solution to the State aid problems. The evaluation is not yet concluded as regards all details, e.g.
the public mortgage bond business within the public part and the modalities of repayment of the amount
to be recovered from the commercial activities pursuant the Commission decision of 8 July 1999 on the
WestLB/Wfa-capital transfer case.

(2003/C 28 E/028)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0396/02

by Eluned Morgan (PSE) to the Commission

(11 February 2002)

Subject: Economic and Social Committee (ESC)

Why does the Commission consult both the Economic and Social Committee and have a facility and a
duty under the terms of the Amsterdam Treaty to consult the social partners? What line does the
Commission take if the opinions of the two are contradictory? How is this justified?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(19 March 2002)

The role of the social partners in social dialogue is clearly defined by the EC Treaty, with Article 139
allowing management and labour to adopt
framework agreements which may be translated into
Community law if the social partners so request. Article 137 lays down the areas in which consultation
of the social partners is a prerequisite for the exercise of the Commission’s right of initiative. And
Article 138 sets out the arrangements for such consultation.

Reflecting practice in the various Member States, European social dialogue takes place between
autonomous social partners and leads to freely negotiated agreements.

By contrast, the Economic and Social Committee, whose members include representatives of the social
partners and other categories provided for by the EC Treaty, is primarily consulted in connection with the
legislative procedure. It is consulted by the Commission, the Council and Parliament when proposals are
being drafted or once they have been presented. Consultation is compulsory where provided for in the EC
Treaty and optional otherwise.