WRITTEN QUESTION E-0417/02 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. The dwarf tapeworm and the free movement of animals within the Union.
Date: 2002-02-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Sweden, animal disease, derogation from EU law, domestic animal, veterinary legislation

C 172 E/196

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2002

to American Studies, about ¼ of the children traumatised due to shaking die days to weeks after the event.
Of those surviving, according to the American sources, ¾ have permanent damage’.

3.
The Commission is aware of the Swiss activities, and is in contact with the Swiss institutions
involved. There are also activities in Member States, for example the provision of information material to
parents in Germany, in Scotland, and in France.

4.
The New Public Health Programme, which will probably be adopted later in 2002, has as one of its
main objectives to ‘Address health determinants through health promotion and prevention of disease’.
Dealing with the prevention of child abuse will be one of the operational targets that the Commission will
propose to the future Programme Committee.

(2002/C 172 E/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0417/02

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(21 February 2002)

Subject: The dwarf tapeworm and the free movement of animals within the Union

In its answer to my question E-3988/00 (1) concerning the possibility of an exemption for Sweden on this
matter, the Commission wrote that one would be possible. Article 8 of the Commission proposal provides
that a Member State may obtain additional guarantees where justified by a particular situation. Sweden’s
application for an exemption would be dealt with on the basis of this article, but the Commission does not
state whether it considers that Sweden should be granted an exemption on the grounds of the supreme
importance of the deworming requirement for keeping the dwarf tapeworm out of Sweden.

In the issue of Aftonbladet of 20 January 2002, the Swedish Minister of Agriculture, Margareta Winberg,
referred to the delays in obtaining a Swedish exemption for the deworming requirement for animals
entering Sweden.

What is the Commission’s actual view? Can Sweden or can it not obtain an exemption for compulsory
deworming of animals?

(1) OJ C 174 E, 19.6.2001, p. 209.

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(4 April 2002)

In its answer to written question E-3988/00 (1), the Commission pointed out that the Echinococcus
problem linked to the movement of carnivores to Sweden could be solved by Sweden making use of the
possibilities offered by Article 8 of the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the
Council on the animal-health requirements applicable to non-commercial movement of pet animals (2).

Moreover, Parliament considered that the provisions of this Article offered sufficient guarantees for the
three Member States concerned (Ireland, United Kingdom and Sweden), as no amendments on this issue
had been tabled at the plenary session of Parliament on 2 and 3 May 2001.

Usually, the Commission thinks it appropriate to contemplate exemptions to a general rule, particularly
concerning matters related to movements between Member States, only when this is in compliance with
specific principles, namely those described in the above-mentioned Article 8. This approach avoids an
increase in exceptional arrangements that are not sufficiently justified.

18.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 172 E/197

With regard to Echinococcus, the Commission considers that the concerns shared by Sweden, Ireland and
the United Kingdom are totally justified and nothing must hinder the adoption of special provisions (on
deworming) for the movement of carnivores to the territories of these three Member States.

Moreover, the length of the procedure cannot give rise to any particular difficulties, as it is specifically laid
down that, pending adoption of these additional guarantees, the Member States concerned can continue to
apply their national rules provided these comply with the provisions of the EC Treaty,
in particular
Articles 28 to 30.

(1) OJ C 174 E, 19.6.2001.
(2) OJ C 29 E, 30.1.2001.

(2002/C 172 E/209)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0432/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(21 February 2002)

Subject: Implementation of the first operational programme for education and initial vocational training of

the second CSF

On 31 December 2001 funding and work on the projects and actions of the first operational programme
for education and initial vocational training of the second CSF came to an end.

1. Was the original budget for the programme changed during implementation and what was the final
budget?

2. What percentage was implemented?

In so far as the implementation of the programme was marred by breakdowns or a reduced take-up

3.
rate, which subprogrammes were responsible?

Is it planned to continue and finance the projects and actions which should have been completed but

4.
were not?

5. What percentage of the above projects is included in the new second operational programme for
education and initial vocational training of the second CSF?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(12 April 2002)

The budget of the above-mentioned operational programme was scaled down during the mid-term review
of the Greek Community Support Framework, which took place in 1998. The total European Social Fund
(ESF) appropriations for the programme were reduced by € 190 million (from € 1 190 million to € 1 000
million), while at the same time the ESF contribution was increased from 75 % to 80 %. In addition, the
total European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) appropriations for the programme were increased by
€ 49 million (from € 221 million to € 270 million), while the ERDF contribution was reduced from 75 %
to 55 %. Following the above changes, the total budget of the programme (Community and national
funding) was scaled down by € 134 million (from € 1 882 million to € 1 748 million), while the pure
Community contribution (ESF and ERDF) was reduced by € 141 million (from € 1 411 million to € 1 270
million).

Although the Greek authorities have not yet submitted their final payment claim D which is expected at
the latest by the end of June 2002 D they estimate that the programme has absorbed practically all the
resources available to it.

It is foreseen by the Greek authorities that some categories of projects, which remained uncompleted in
the previous programming period (e.g. school libraries and laboratories for comprehensive lyceums), will
be finished in the current period 2000-2006. The Greek authorities estimate that the credits reserved in
the corresponding programme of the current programming period for the completion of these categories
of projects amount to about 8 % to 9 % of its total budget.