WRITTEN QUESTION E-2173/02 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. European identity document for the disabled.
Date: 2002-07-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, disabled person, discrimination on the basis of nationality, facilities for people with disabilities, identity document, integration of people with disabilities, reduced price

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/257

Does the Commission not consider that using the Poseima programme to prejudice the position of the
Autonomous Region of the Azores compared with what it should be if the general provisions of the
Treaty were applied directly is contrary to the spirit and the letter of Article 299(2)?

(1) OJ L 198, 21.7.2001, p. 26.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 August 2002)

The Commission has asked the Member State concerned for information regarding the facts raised to by
the Honourable Member. It will inform him of its findings.

(2002/C 277 E/286)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2173/02

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 July 2002)

Subject: European identity document for the disabled

Different provisions apply in different parts of Europe as regards the issuing of identity documents
entitling the disabled to various facilities and privileges (e.g. use of parking spaces for the disabled and
cheap admission to museums and events).

In Italy, no such universally valid document even exists as yet.

As a result, EU citizens who have disabilities are often unable to take advantage of the appropriate facilities
and privileges in other European countries.

Is there a European identity document for the disabled which is recognised in all Member States and
entitles holders to the above-mentioned facilities and privileges?

If so, what is the legal basis for it? To whom should applications for the document be submitted, and what
documentary evidence has to be supplied with applications?

If not, might it not be worthwhile to introduce an identity document at EU level, for example an
international European identity document for the disabled?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(21 August 2002)

In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the decision concerning the definition of disability and
thus eligibility for disability cards is taken at national level. This means that the conditions for issuing a
disability card are laid down by each Member State and there is no mutual recognition of such cards
entitling holders to the various concessions available in Member States other than the one that issued the
card.

Under Community law the right to social assistance in another Member State depends on the personal
situation of the person involved. Therefore, in order to verify whether the refusal of concessions available
to holders of e.g. a German disability card to a holder of an Italian disability card constitutes an
infringement of Community law, it would be necessary for the Commission to have more details on the
particular case.

On a general basis, Article 12 (ex. Article 6) of the EC Treaty prohibits all discrimination on the grounds of
nationality within the scope of application of the EC Treaty. Thus, basic advantages for disabled people,
such as preferential parking spots or wheelchair facilities in airports, should be available to all disabled

C 277 E/258

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Community nationals regardless of nationality. The consequent refusal of the above-mentioned basic
advantages to Community nationals travelling to another Member State as recipients of services could be
considered as discrimination on the grounds of nationality within the meaning of Article 12 of the EC
Treaty read in conjunction with Article 49 (ex Article 59) of the EC Treaty.

(2002/C 277 E/287)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2354/02

by Michiel van Hulten (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: European farm subsidy for the Netherlands royal family

(31 July 2002)

According to a report in the Volkskrant newspaper on 16 July 2002 under the headline ‘Beatrix looks
forward to Balkenende’s arrival’, Queen Beatrix told a group of Members of the Netherlands Second
Chamber in February 1999 that the Netherlands royal house had received European subsidies for planting
an olive grove at the Netherlands royal family’s country estate at Porto Ercole in Italy.

Can the Commission confirm that the Netherlands royal house has received subsidies for planting an

1.
olive grove at Porto Ercole, Italy?

Does the Netherlands royal house receive other kinds of European subsidies, from the agricultural

2.
fund or from other funds (such as the European Social Fund)?

3.
Is the subsidy to the Netherlands royal house granted under Article 33, paragraph 1(b) of the Treaty
of Rome, which says that one of the objectives of the common agricultural policy is ‘to ensure a fair
standard of living for the agricultural community, in particular by increasing the individual earnings of
persons engaged in agriculture’? If not, on the basis of what objective was it paid?

4.
Does the Commission agree that insofar as any financial aid is granted to the agriculture sector it
should be restricted to small farms with low incomes, and that even the ceiling of € 300 000 proposed by
Commissioner Fischler is too high in some cases?

Does the Commission share the view that a decision to grant a subsidy should at least be based on

5.
an income and means test? Is it prepared to revise its plans accordingly?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 August 2002)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.

(2002/C 277 E/288)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2391/02

by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: European funding for Belgium and the city of Antwerp

(2 August 2002)

The Commission subsidises through its various funds many laudable projects in the EU Member States.
Can it state how many EU subsidies Belgium receives and what the exact amounts of subsidy are for the
cities of Ghent and Antwerp?