WRITTEN QUESTION E-2391/02 by Kathleen Van Brempt (PSE) to the Commission. European funding for Belgium and the city of Antwerp.
Date: 2002-08-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, EU financing, Province of Antwerp, Province of East Flanders, town

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?

14.11.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/259

Can the Commission state the precise amount of subsidies paid in 1999, 2000 and 2001 to Belgium?

Can the Commission state the precise amount of subsidies paid in 1999, 2000 and 2001 to projects in the
city of Antwerp?

Can the Commission state the precise amount of subsidies paid in 1999, 2000 and 2001 to projects in the
city of Ghent?

What type of subsidies have been granted in Antwerp?

What type of subsidies have been granted in Ghent?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(26 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/289)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2413/02

by Michiel van Hulten (PSE) to the Commission

(7 August 2002)

Subject: Further questions concerning the agricultural subsidy granted to Queen Beatrix

On 18 July 2002 I put questions to the Commission concerning the subsidy which Queen Beatrix of the
Netherlands reportedly received in connection with the establishment of an olive grove at the Netherlands
Royal Family’s foreign residence in Porto Ercole, Italy. In the meantime, the Royal Family has informed me
Italy, and I therefore ask the
that this project was carried out at the Queen’s farm in Tavernelle,
Commission to take account of that fact when answering my questions of 18 July 2002.

In response to press reports concerning my questions, a spokesman for the Queen has stated that she tried
to turn down the subsidy, but was unable to do so because of its ‘more or less automatic’ nature.

1.
Can the Commission state what procedure was employed in connection with the grant of the
subsidy? Could the Queen have refused the subsidy? Are subsidies granted which are ‘more or less
automatic’ in nature?

2.
Can the Commission confirm that the subsidy in question was a European one, and not a subsidy
granted under a national scheme and approved by Brussels, as suggested by a Commission spokesman on
19 July 2002?

3. What sum of money was granted per olive tree and how many olive trees did the Queen plant?

4. Was it a one-off subsidy, or did the Queen also receive similar subsidies in subsequent years?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 September 2002)

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