WRITTEN QUESTION E-0245/02 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Clarifications concerning the answer to the written questions on the review of action taken in Afghanistan pursuant to the various objectives set out in the Council common position of 22 January 2001.
Date: 2002-02-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Afghanistan, EU action, EU aid, EU financing, common position, international affairs, peacekeeping, the EU's international role

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/203

(2002/C 160 E/261)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0245/02

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(6 February 2002)

Subject: Clarifications concerning the answer to the written questions on the review of action taken in
Afghanistan pursuant to the various objectives set out in the Council common position of
22 January 2001

The Commission decided to provide a single answer to written questions E-3220/01-E-3252/01 (1) on the
review of action taken in Afghanistan pursuant to the Council common position of 22 January 2001. It
emerges from this answer that, apart
the
commitment entered into has not been fulfilled (‘the Commission intends to direct its action towards
achieving the objectives of the common position’ - Article 7).

from humanitarian aid and a number of declarations,

Therefore, the simple question posed in each of the written questions is being asked once again:

- What practical action did the Commission take - prior to the events of 11 September - with a view

to achieving the individual objectives stated in the Council’s common position?

- In particular how much European funding (in euro) was spent between 1 January and 11 September
2001, how much was earmarked for activities in Afghanistan and under what heading (budget item
and project title), to whom were the sums paid and which of them were subject to controls and/or
checks and by whom, and what were the results?

(1) See page 76.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(14 March 2002)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.

(2002/C 160 E/262)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0248/02

by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 February 2002)

Subject: Price increases in connection with the introduction of the euro

At the last part-session, Commissioner Solbes stated that prices had not increased as a result of the
introduction of
the euro. The Dutch media have carried reports of price increases, however, and
Consumentenbond, the Dutch consumers’ association, has pointed out a number of cases where prices
have clearly risen.

Given that price increases as a result of the euro’s introduction are a totally unwelcome development, will
the Commission provide answers to the following questions:

1.

Is it aware of the findings of Consumentenbond’s ‘Europrijzenmonitor’? Does it acknowledge that the
2,8 % price increase that occurred at about the time the euro was introduced is an unwelcome
development? Does it have findings from similar surveys in other Member States? Do the findings of
the Consumentenbond survey change Commissioner Solbes’ opinion?

2. Can Commissioner Solbes produce statistics to support his statement that the introduction of the euro

has not resulted in price increases?

3. The only way consumers can carry out a price survey is to compare prices. It was agreed that, until
1 July 2002, the price of a product must be shown in both old and new currencies. The same survey
by Consumentenbond revealed that this was happening in the case of only 48 % of products, with
prices being shown in euro only for 46 % of products and in guilders only for 2 % of products. How is