WRITTEN QUESTION E-2634/02 by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Commission. Destruction of Europe's heritage by the Belgian Railway.
Date: 2002-09-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, competence of the Member States, cultural cooperation, cultural heritage, rail transport, vandalism

6.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 52 E/193

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(17 October 2002)

The position to be taken regarding proposals for the next Conference of the Parties to the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) will be decided by the Environment Council on
17 October 2002.

The extent of ivory trade resulting from the downlisting of certain elephant populations under CITES in
1997 is extremely limited. A one-off commercial sale of ivory stocks to Japan took place and limited trade
in ivory products for non-commercial purposes is allowed. Following a subsequent Conference of the
Parties, African elephant populations in four southern African countries are now listed on Appendix II of
CITES, with a zero quota for ivory (i.e. no exports for commercial purposes are allowed). A programme
entitled Monitoring Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) is ongoing to establish a basis for assessing the
impact of ivory trade on illegal killing. The Commission has contributed funds to this programme.
However, as yet the programme has not gathered sufficient data to draw firm conclusions.

Regarding the proposal by India and Kenya to list all African elephant populations on Appendix I, this is
not supported by the relevant scientific criteria. Elephant populations in the southern African range States
are generally in a healthy condition and they are also judged to meet the criteria for split-listing (i.e. for
listing separate populations of a species on different Appendices of CITES). Furthermore, it has not been
proven that the proposal will result in real improvement in the protection currently afforded to elephants.

That said, in the absence of sufficient data from MIKE, the Commission remains to be convinced that
further commercial trade in ivory (cid:1) as proposed by some southern African countries (cid:1) will not have a
negative impact on the level of illegal killing in other regions.

The Commission is anxious that the final outcome of the conference with regard to this issue should
command the support of as many range States as possible and will endeavour to assist in every possible
way to this effect.

(2003/C 52 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2634/02

by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Commission

(18 September 2002)

Subject: Destruction of Europe’s heritage by the Belgian Railway

Is the Commission aware that the Belgian National Railway (SNCB/NMBS) has destroyed an old and
important railway locomotive class 44 number 44 201 built in 1906 even though its major parts were still
in working order?

Can the Commission confirm that such destruction of Europe’s railway heritage amounts to a deliberate
act of vandalism and is to be condemned?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(24 October 2002)

Article 151 of the EC Treaty provides that the Community may take action to:

(cid:1) encourage cultural cooperation between Member States;

(cid:1) support and supplement Member States’ actions (financially if necessary) in the following areas:

(cid:1) improvement of the knowledge and dissemination of the culture and history of the European

peoples;

(cid:1) conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage of European significance;

C 52 E/194

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

(cid:1) non-commercial cultural exchanges;

(cid:1) artistic and literary creation, including in the audiovisual sector.

Article 151 also establishes that the Community is not responsible for ‘harmonisation of the laws and
regulations of the Member States’ (1) in the field of culture, for which the Member States alone continue to
be fully responsible.

The question raised by the Honourable Member therefore does not fall within the competence of the
Community but is a matter solely for the Member States.

(1) Article 151 of the EC Treaty, paragraph 5, first indent.

(2003/C 52 E/215)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2643/02

by Benedetto Della Vedova (NI) to the Commission

(13 September 2002)

Subject: Representativeness of the ETUC and its member organisations

According to Article 138 of the EC Treaty, inter alia, the EU institutions, and the Commission in particular,
ensure that the social partners have a role in identifying their economic and social policy objectives and
formulating policies aimed at achieving such objectives.

In view of this role not only the European institutions, but also EU citizens, should know precisely how
representative the organisations enjoying the status of ‘social partners’ are.

The ETUC/CES is recognised as the sole representative of workers employed in the private sector. However,
the ETUC/CES website only lists the member organisations, not the number of workers enrolled.

In response to telephone inquiries those in charge of the ETUC said that they were not in possession of
this information.

Can the Commission provide accurate information as to how representative the organisations it co-
operates with are, in particular the ETUC? More precisely, is it able to find out and tell the questioner how
many workers belong to each of the member organisations of the ETUC?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(28 October 2002)

The EC Treaty recognises a role for the social partners in drafting and implementing social policy. In line
with its task of promoting the European social dialogue, the Commission has set representativeness
criteria (1) to help identify the organisations consulted under Article 138 of the EC Treaty.

The Commission carried out a study on the social partners’ representativeness, the results of which are
available in detail on the following site: www.trav.ucl.ac.be/partenaires.

A list of around fifty European cross-industry and sectoral organisations has been drawn up (2). These
European organisations all consist of members recognised as social partners at national level according to
each Member State’s individual procedures and practices. Their legitimacy and representativeness cannot
therefore be questioned. They must also offer European coverage and have the necessary structures at their
disposal for action at this level.

(1) COM(93) 600 final and COM(98) 322 final.
(2) COM(2002) 341 final.