WRITTEN QUESTION E-1400/02 by Wolfgang Ilgenfritz (NI) to the Commission. Directive 73/239/EEC.
Date: 2002-05-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, United Kingdom, application of EU law, approximation of laws, insurance, national implementing measure, right of establishment

C 28 E/102

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

(2003/C 28 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1379/02

by Anna Terrón i Cusí (PSE) to the Commission

(14 May 2002)

Subject: Execution of appropriations between 1994 and 1999 in Catalonia

Can the Commission supply data on the execution, in the financial years 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
and 1999, of the commitment and payment appropriations corresponding to the Structural Funds, the
Cohesion Fund and the Community initiatives in Catalonia?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(1 July 2002)

The Honourable Member will find in the table below (1) the commitment and payment appropriations,
expressed as millions of euro, implemented in Catalonia in the years 1994 to 1999 under the Structural
Funds and Community Initiatives (CIs).

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

Total

(EUR million)

Objective 2

Objective 3

Objective 5b

ICs

Commitments

0,000

288,980

159,180

181,733

260,289

208,179 1 098,361

Payments

0,000

220,400

55,260

104,141

381,107

12,974

773,882

Commitments

17,560

15,560

15,790

12,800

19,500

18,600

99,810

Payments

4,520

18,510

8,880

16,800

22,400

11,200

82,310

Commitments

17,610

17,054

27,770

8,900

21,900

60,897

154,131

Payments

8,810

15,750

21,347

13,923

23,121

40,250

123,201

Commitments

0,000

2,120

0,130

0,000

13,600

1,600

17,450

Payments

0,000

1,059

0,064

0,000

3,671

7,883

12,677

Total

Commitments

35,170

323,714

202,870

203,433

315,289

289,276 1 369,752

Payments

13,330

255,719

85,551

134,864

430,299

72,307

992,070

The Commission does not have regionalised data on multi-regional programmes and initiatives and
projects part-financed by the Cohesion Fund.

The final date for eligible expenditure in respect of the programming period in question was set at
31 December 2001. The Member States have six months, i.e. until 30 June 2002, to submit their final
expenditure declarations and the final programme progress reports, and any appeals against disputed
findings must be completed by 31 March 2003. In the absence of valid reasons to act otherwise, the
Commission must decommit any remaining commitment balances on that date.

(1) Sources: Annual reports of the Structural Funds for the years 1994 to 1999.

(2003/C 28 E/114)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1400/02

by Wolfgang Ilgenfritz (NI) to the Commission

(15 May 2002)

Subject: Directive 73/239/EEC

The Commission has sent the British Government a formal request concerning the transposition of
Directive 73/239/EEC (1) into national law and its enforcement.

To date, the European Parliament has not been given access to the British Government’s answer.

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/103

1. When may the European Parliament expect to be given access to the answer?

2. What stage has been reached in transposing the Directive? If there had been a failure to comply with
the implementing legislation, what conclusions would the Commission draw, where necessary, from a
delay in transposing the Directive?

(1) OJ L 228, 16.8.1973, p. 3.

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(2 July 2002)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the answer it gave to written Question E-

1.
3611/01 by Mr Sakelleriou (1).

2.
The requirements of the first Council Directive 73/239/EEC of 24 July 1973 on the coordination of
laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the taking-up and pursuit of the business of
direct insurance other than life assurance, were transposed into British law by the Lloyd’s Act 1982 and
the Insurance Companies Act 1982. The focus of the Commission’s enquiries is not on transposition but
on the effective application of the Directive’s requirements (2).

(1) OJ C 172 E, 18.7.2002, p. 96.
(2)

Further details can be found on the official Commission Press Release, IP/01/1880, 20.12.2001.

(2003/C 28 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1407/02

by Marco Pannella (NI) to the Commission

(13 May 2002)

Subject: Vietnam

In recent months the Vietnamese authorities have arrested or placed under ‘administrative’ detention
(under directive No 31/CP) Mr Le Chi Quang, a lawyer accused of criticising the conduct of the Vietnamese
Communist Party as regards the signing by Vietnam of the Treaty on borders with the People’s Republic of
China on 30 December 1999 and 25 December 2000; Mr Tran Khue, a research worker, who sent a letter
to Jiang Zemin when he visited Hanoi, giving his views on the aforementioned treaty; Dr Pham Hong Son,
who was arrested for translating pro-democracy texts published on the website of the United States
Embassy in Hanoi; Mr Nguyen Van Minh, who defended Father Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly; Mr Bui Minh
Quoc, a journalist and poet condemned for visiting the border regions handed over by Hanoi to the
People’s Republic of China. The detention of these people (cid:1) as well as that of many other Vietnamese
democrats (cid:1) confirms the deterioration of the situation in Vietnam, where, despite more favourable
economic conditions, the exercise of fundamental rights is still forbidden and repressed by the authorities
in Hanoi. What practical steps has the Commission taken to obtain the release of the abovementioned
people? Could the Commission draw up a detailed list of the programmes it finances or co-finances whose
precise aim is to establish democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental freedoms in Vietnam,
and state the proportion (cid:1) in financial terms (cid:1) of the total value of cooperation programmes funded or
co-funded by the Commission that they represent? Finally, the European Parliament has repeatedly called
for the Commission to take resolute action to bring about the release of the Venerable Thich Huyen
Quang and the Venerable Thich Quang Do, respectively Patriarch and Secretary-General of the Unified
Buddhist Church of Vietnam. What steps has the Commission taken so far, and what results have they
achieved?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2002)

The Delegation of the Commission in Hanoi, together with the diplomatic missions of the Member States,
monitors closely human rights developments in Vietnam and participates in all actions to convey the
Union’s concerns to the Vietnamese authorities. Human rights issues are also discussed at meetings of the
EU-Vietnam Joint Commission.