WRITTEN QUESTION E-0838/02 by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Article 151 of the EC Treaty and cultural heritage — budgetary aspects.
Date: 2002-03-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, action programme, budget, cultural policy, heritage protection

29.8.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 205 E/225

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(22 April 2002)

As the Member of the Commission responsible for Fisheries explained in his answer to the Honourable
Member’s oral question H-83/02 during question time at Parliament’s March 2002 session (1), the funds
made available in the context of the specific measure, due to the non conclusion of the agreement with
Morocco, are additional funds to the funds already available under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries
Guidance (FIFG), which is one of the four Structural Funds.

The FIFG finance is open to all Member States and the rules and arrangements have been fixed in Council
Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 of 17 December 1999 laying down the detailed rules and arrangements
regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector (2). According to these rules, the scrapping
of fishing vessels is one of the eligible measures. One of the most important eligibility conditions for
scrapping is that vessels are 10 years old or more. This condition also applies to vessels which have
received public aid to be built. So vessels, which in the past, have received Community aid for construction
are not necessarily excluded.

It should, however, be stressed that this is not a ‘scrap and build scheme’, as the main conditions attached
to the management of the fleet require that capacity built with public aid is compensated by a withdrawal
of, at least, the same capacity without public aid, and that capacity withdrawn with public aid cannot be
replaced.

(1) Oral reply, 12.3.2002.
(2) OJ L 337, 30.12.1999.

(2002/C 205 E/246)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0838/02

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 March 2002)

Subject: Article 151 of the EC Treaty and cultural heritage ; budgetary aspects

According to Article 151(2) of the Treaty establishing the European Community, action is possible at EU
level with a view to the conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage of European significance.

In total, how much of the EU budget has been committed to projects in this area since 1999, and under
which budget headings?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2002)

the EC Treaty,

Under Article 151 of
the Community has responsibility for encouraging cultural
cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, supporting and supplementing their action in a
number of areas, including the conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage of European significance.
This objective is pursued by the ‘Culture 2000’ framework programme for promoting cultural cooperation
in Europe (budget heading B3-2008); prior to the entry into force of this programme in 2000, it was
pursued by the ‘Raphaël’ programme (former budget heading B3-2000).

The amounts committed in 1999 under budget heading B3-2000 were € 6,5 million, which were devoted
entirely to measures targeted at the cultural heritage.

The amounts for measures concerning the cultural heritage that were committed in 2000 and 2001 under
budget heading B3-2008 were € 14,4 million and € 11,8 million respectively.

Detailed information on the projects supported in the area of the conservation and safeguarding of cultural
heritage in 2000 and 2001 may be found at the following address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/culture/eac/
index_en.html

C 205 E/226

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.8.2002

It should be noted that other Community programmes and measures (such as the Structural Funds, the
Funds devoted to the protection of the environment, etc.)
include projects that are also designed to
conserve and safeguard cultural heritage of European significance. The Commission intends to draw up a
communication on the implementation of Article 151(4) of the EC Treaty (1). To this end, it has decided to
launch a questionnaire,
including
initiatives intended to conserve and safeguard cultural heritage of European significance, of the structural
policy funds that they manage directly.

intended for the Member States, on the use, for cultural measures,

(1) Article 151(4) of the EC Treaty states that ‘the Community shall take cultural aspects into account in its action
under other provisions of this Treaty, in particular in order to respect and to promote the diversity of its cultures’.

(2002/C 205 E/247)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0845/02

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(27 March 2002)

Subject: Ban on conclusion of public contracts with media companies

The Greek Government has submitted a proposal for a new draft law concerning restrictions on the
conclusion of public contracts with persons having interests in media companies. The proposal prohibits
the conclusion of such contracts with natural or legal persons who are ‘main shareholders’. The proposal
defines main shareholder as anyone owning a shareholding amounting to up to 5 % of the media
company’s total share capital.

Given the difficulty of identifying main shareholders at both Community and international level, will the
Commission say:

1. whether there is a breach of the principle of equality as a general principle of law, in view of the fact
that it will not be possible to scrutinise companies registered in another Member State or offshore
companies to the same extent as national companies,

2. whether the Member States are required to cooperate with the relevant national authorities in
identifying main shareholders (provision of information, conducting inquiries, etc), particularly if there
is no provision for such scrutiny in the national legislation concerned,

3. whether any delays in carrying out checks in respect of Community companies constitute a breach of
the principle of equality and discrimination against those companies compared with domestic firms,
and

4. whether it is feasible and legally valid to exclude Community companies from concluding public
contracts concerning broadcasting licences, given the impossibility of carrying out effective checks in
those cases?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 May 2002)

The Commission lacks sufficient information about the problem mentioned by the Honourable Member,
and given that this problem only relates to a proposal for a new law, it is not in a position to comment on
the questions raised on the basis of the information provided.