WRITTEN QUESTION E-0730/02 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Year of the Mountain — the Dolomites as a world heritage site.
Date: 2002-03-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Alpine Region, EU Member State, EU programme, UN convention, Unesco, competence of the Member States, cultural cooperation, heritage protection

C 28 E/50

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(19 April 2002)

1.
As it has stated on a number of occasions, the Commission believes that initiatives such as that taken
by the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry (EC4), which is setting up a European
register of clinical chemists who meet certain minimum training requirements (‘EurClinChem’), can play an
important role in the Member States’ implementation of the ‘general system’ Directives: Council Directive
89/48/EEC of 21 December 1988 on a general system for the recognition of higher-education diplomas
awarded on completion of professional education and training of at least three years’ duration and Council
Directive 92/51/EEC of 18 June 1992 on a second general system for the recognition of professional
education and training to supplement Directive 89/48/EEC (1).

2.
The establishment of joint training standards which lead to the professionals concerned being
awarded a ‘European’ certificate/diploma or, as in this case, being entered into a professional register can
facilitate their freedom of movement and help them exercise their right of establishment. These initiatives,
which are more commonly known as ‘joint platforms’, can in fact reduce, or completely remove, any
training standards, differences which could otherwise entail
substantial differences between national
compensation measures (such as adaptation periods or aptitude tests) as provided for by the Directives
referred to above.

Nonetheless, whilst
the Commission recognises the value of such initiatives in promoting the free
movement of professionals within the internal market, it must be borne in mind that these are private
initiatives which cannot replace national
legislation. In this respect, the Commission would refer the
Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question E-1786/97 by Mrs Oddy (2), which indicates the
scope and importance that the Commission attaches to these ‘joint platforms’.

In the case of the EC4 European register of clinical chemists, the Commission would also note that the
possibility which exists for professionals with basic training in other disciplines (chemistry, pharmacy,
biology, medicine, etc.) to be included in the register is an additional advantage when it comes to
promoting the freedom of establishment for these professionals.

the European Parliament and of

The Commission would, furthermore, draw the Honourable Member’s attention to its recent ‘Proposal for a
Directive of
the Council on the recognition of professional
qualifications’ (3) and, more specifically, to the ninth recital and Article 15. Whilst this provision is based
on the principles of the current ‘general system’ Directives, it seeks to involve professional organisations
more systematically and to encourage the development of ‘joint platforms’ (cid:1) such as that set up by the
EC4 (cid:1) in order to make the recognition of professional qualifications within the Union more automatic.

(1) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992.
(2) OJ C 21, 22.1.1998.
(3) COM(2002) 119 final.

(2003/C 28 E/054)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0730/02

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 March 2002)

Subject: Year of the Mountain (cid:1) the Dolomites as a world heritage site

The UN General Assembly has declared 2002 the International Year of the Mountain. Would this not be a
good year to have the Alps recognised as a world heritage site?

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/51

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(29 April 2002)

Article 151 of the EC Treaty requires the Community to encourage cooperation between Member States in
the field of culture, including the conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage, and, if necessary, to
support and supplement Member States’ actions in specific areas. This objective is being pursued through
the ‘Culture 2000’ framework programme to promote cultural cooperation in Europe.

Other than under the existing programmes and initiatives, the Community does not have the power to
take measures to safeguard the cultural heritage of the Member States or to establish an order of
classification at Community level. In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, protection schemes are
the exclusive responsibility of the Member States.

As mentioned in the Commission’s reply to written question E-1560/01 (1), the Community, unlike the
Member States,
is not party to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(Unesco) 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

The Community does not have the authority to classify the Alps with reference to this Convention. Any
request for recognition as a world heritage site must come from a country that is party to the Convention.

In any event, the Commission would like to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the fact that
classification as a heritage site is not necessarily synonymous with ensuring protection. In accordance with
the principle of subsidiarity, protection schemes are the exclusive responsibility of the Member States.

(1) OJ C 364 E, 20.12.2001.

(2003/C 28 E/055)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0777/02

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 March 2002)

Subject: The Paper Boy

I received a note from my newspaper agent stating that as of 1 March 2002, there will be an increase in
delivery charges ‘due to new EEC Regulations which limit the weight of papers carried by any one child. It
is therefore necessary to use a car three times a week to assist in deliveries, and as we hope you will
understand this is not financially viable at the present rate’.

Is there such an EEC Regulation that is at the root of this price increase? Or is this a devious way to
increase prices while blaming someone else?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(18 April 2002)

Under Community Law, the work of children is prohibited. Article 1 of Council Directive 94/33/EC (1) lays
down that Member States shall take the necessary measures to prohibit work by children. Article 3(b)
defines a ‘child’ as any young person who is less than 15 years of age or who is still subject to compulsory
full-time schooling under national law.

Nevertheless, Article 4 of the Directive allows Member States to authorise the work of children in certain
restricted circumstances: children pursuing cultural or similar activities, children of at least 14 years of age
working under a combined work/training scheme, children of at least 14 years of age performing light
work other than in cultural or similar activities and children of 13 years of age for a limited number of
hours per week in the case of categories of work determined by national legislation. Article 4, paragraph 3,
specifies that Member States using this faculty must determine the working conditions relating to the light
work in question.