WRITTEN QUESTION E-1836/02 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. A Cohesion Fund for Latin America.
Date: 2002-06-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Latin America, aid policy, cooperation policy, development aid

12.6.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 137 E/29

3. What can the Commission do to combat unnecessary price increases, bundled sales and sales
pressure, particularly in the light of the letter of 22 May 2002 from the Dutch Competition Authority to
NGN and the answer given by the Netherlands Government to parliamentary questions by members of the
national assembly on 2 November 2001 (TK No 198), in which it suggested that the matter be referred to
the Commission because of its transfrontier nature?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(6 August 2002)

1.
The Commission is aware that Microsoft launched its Windows XP operating system in October
2001. The Commission is also aware that Microsoft is keen to ensure that users of older versions of the
Windows operating system switch towards Windows XP.

The Commission has not yet formally investigated this issue. The Commission is therefore not in a

2.
position to confirm or deny such claims.

As the Honourable Member is aware,

the Commission has expressed concerns in its ongoing
3.
investigation that Microsoft has, inter alia, restricted interoperability and engaged in tying in ways which
are contrary to the Community’s competition rules.
is the
Commission’s aim to ensure that Microsoft does not use its market power in such a way that it can
unlawfully engage in the types of practices outlined by the Honourable Member.

In the context of

its investigation,

it

(2003/C 137 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1836/02

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: A Cohesion Fund for Latin America

(27 June 2002)

It is generally agreed by political observers that the economic crisis in Latin America is undermining
democracy, despite the democratic consolidation over the last fifteen years in such countries as Paraguay,
Ecuador and Peru.

Following the excellent results obtained by certain initiatives, such as the Free Trade Area of the Americas
(FTAA), it is now necessary to consider further initiatives. These could include the creation of a Cohesion
Fund for Latin America, whose purpose would be to further the development of the least-favoured regions,
in the hope of repeating the success of its EU counterpart.

Does the Commission consider that it should examine the possibility of creating such a Cohesion Fund, as
a regional development instrument for Latin America, with the objective of supporting the least-favoured
Latin American regions in their efforts to achieve a level of development which will contribute to
consolidating democracy in Latin America?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 2002)

The economic development of the less favoured countries and regions of Latin America is one of the
priorities of the cooperation pursued by the Community in Latin America. 50 % of the EUR 3,4 billion
allocated to cooperation with Latin America between 1993 and 2000 were devoted to social and human
development and poverty reduction.

The creation of a cohesion fund for regional development in Latin America as well as the creation of a
bi-regional solidarity fund proposed by the Parliament in its resolution on a global partnership and a
common strategy for relations between the Union and Latin America, are interesting initiatives. Especially
since poverty and social
inequalities are two of the most striking problems in some Latin American
countries.

C 137 E/30

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

12.6.2003

However, the Commission is not in a position to create or run such funds. Neither does the Commission
have the human resources nor the appropriate and flexible rules to manage or coordinate such funds.

The creation of these funds would require important financial resources. The Commission does not dispose
of the financial resources necessary to create those funds.

(2003/C 137 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1837/02

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: A European tax to finance the Community budget

(27 June 2002)

The proposal made by the Commission presidency for the creation of a European tax to finance the
Community budget has elicited a wide range of reactions and comments in political, business and
economic circles, despite the absence so far of any concrete details to back it up.

Given the Commission’s powers of initiative as conferred on it by the Treaties, it is clear that the proposal
will receive consideration for the medium- and long-term future, even though it remains hypothetical and
has not, for the moment, led to any concrete decisions.

Can the Commission state whether this proposal for a European tax to finance the Community budget is
based on any concrete initiative on the Commission’s part, and provide information on the state of
progress concerning any studies which have may have been drawn up by experts to propose to the
Commission the structural bases which might support its President’s proposal?

Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(13 September 2002)

Following Article 9 of the Council Decision of 29 September 2000 on the system of the European
the Commission shall undertake, before
Communities own resources
1 January 2006, a general review of the own resources system. It committed itself before the Parliament
‘the question of creating new
to perform this review by the end of 2004. As part of the review,
autonomous resources should be addressed’.

(2000/597/EC, Euratom) (1),

Ahead of this review, it could be useful to open a political debate with regard to the main options to tackle
future revisions of the Union financing system. This could involve an examination how to maintain the
level of ressources needed to support EU policies in view of enlargement and to respond in the budgetary
field, while respecting the principle of equity, to the need to better connect Europe and its Institutions to
the general public by increasing their democratic accountability and transparency, a horizontal theme
guiding the wider debate on the future of Europe.

These issues could in particular be discussed in the Convention on the future of Europe.

The outcome of these discussions will then be taken into account for the general review of the own
resources system that the Commission shall undertake and in the preparations of the accompanied
concrete proposals.

(1) OJ L 253, 7.10.2000.