WRITTEN QUESTION E-0275/02 by Jannis Sakellariou (PSE) to the Commission. Recognition of a German medical specialist qualification in Corfu, Greece.
Date: 2002-02-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, free movement of workers, gynaecology, physician, recognition of diplomas, worker (EU)

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/205

The direct comparison of prices over time is indeed the means by which consumers primarily assess price
movements. The Commission recommended the dual display of prices in October 2000. Since then, this
has been very widely applied, either by law (it is compulsory in Greece, Austria and Portugal) or de facto
(large distribution networks, for example, systematically display the two prices throughout the eurozone).

The Commission asked the participating Member States to convert public-sector charges to the euro in a
manner which was neutral or to the benefit of taxpayers, and they agreed to this request. As regards
parking charges, CBS confirmed an increase in parking charges of 8,4 % in the January 2002 HICP. In
general, the prices for the sub-index in question have been increasing much faster than the Dutch all-items
index since 1998 and most of the price increases typically take place in January.

Legislation exists in some Member States (e.g: Luxembourg or Austria) allowing action to be taken against
excessive price increases. The Commission and especially the European Central Bank (ECB), which was
assigned the objective of ensuring price stability by the EC Treaty, will monitor the trend in inflation very
closely.

(2002/C 160 E/263)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0256/02

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(7 February 2002)

Subject: Funding for disability projects

Does the Commission know what percentage of EU development project money is spent on disability
projects?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(18 March 2002)

There are no Community programmes which provide funding exclusively for disability projects. The
Commission’s general approach is to ensure that all relevant Community actions are open to this type of
project. This means that funding to help people with disabilities is granted under the Structural Funds and
as part of programmes in the field of employment and social inclusion or in areas such as research and
development, education, training and EU external policies.

However, there are no data which may be used to calculate the percentage of funding related to these
actions which is spent exclusively on assisting people with disabilities. Nevertheless, the Commission has
begun a study, which should produce results by 2002, in order to obtain further information on the
various groups receiving support from the European Social Fund (ESF).

(2002/C 160 E/264)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0275/02

by Jannis Sakellariou (PSE) to the Commission

(8 February 2002)

Subject: Recognition of a German medical specialist qualification in Corfu, Greece

Following a decision of 13 October 2000 by the Greek Ministry of Health in Athens (No Y9a/6376) the
sonography certificate of a fully qualified gynaecologist trained in Germany is not immediately recognised
in Greece. The specialist first has to study for a further six months in a clinic before taking another
examination. Does this comply with EU directives?

C 160 E/206

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 2002)

Council Directive 93/16/EEC of 5 April 1993 to facilitate the free movement of doctors and the mutual
recognition of their diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications (1) is based on a
minimum harmonisation of the training and on the automatic recognition for professional purposes of the
qualifications of doctor listed therein.
It concerns General Practitioners as well as those medical
specialisations that are incorporated into the directive. Specialisations can be common to all or common
to at least two Member States. While the first would give the right to automatic recognition in all Member
States, the second gives only the right to automatic recognition in those Member States for which the
specialisation in question has been incorporated into the directive.

The specialisation in gynaecology is common to all Member States and is obtained after a minimum length
of training of four years.

The German diploma ‘Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe’ therefore has to be recognised automatically by
the Greek authorities, if held by a citizen of a Member State or a citizen of a third country benefiting from
the accessory rights under Article 11 of Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 of the Council of 15 October 1968
on freedom of movement for workers within the Community (2). Additional examinations before the
recognition would be granted, are therefore, contrary to Directive 93/16/EEC.

(1) OJ L 165, 7.7.1993.
(2) OJ L 257, 19.10.1968.

(2002/C 160 E/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0298/02

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(6 February 2002)

Subject: Animal welfare in Europe and third countries

Council Directive 93/119/EC (1) of 22 December 1993 concerns the protection of animals at the time of
slaughter or killing. It lays down very detailed conditions for the slaughter of animals. In third countries,
however, different rules apply to the slaughter of animals. The Commission was supposed to be drawing
up a report comparing the relevant rules in the EU with those in third countries. That report was promised
for June 1999.

Has this report now been drawn up and,
investigations are, or are the investigations in question still being carried out?

if so, can the Commission say what

the results of

its

If the report should indicate that third-country rules on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter
or killing are considerably less stringent than European rules, can the Commission state whether and to
what extent they adversely affect the competitiveness of EU producers?

What measures will the Commission take to ensure that meat imported from third countries is subject to
the same animal welfare rules as meat from animals slaughtered in the EU, and, conversely, that it is able
to see to it that animals exported from the European Union for slaughter in third countries are subject to
the same rules governing slaughter as those set out in Directive 93/119/EC)?

(1) OJ L 340, 31.12.1993, p. 21.