WRITTEN QUESTION E-2667/02 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Shop for EU officials in Brussels (2).
Date: 2002-09-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, European official, administration of the Institutions, fringe benefit, image, supermarket

C 110 E/84

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.5.2003

When does the Commission plan to publish such proposals and will they include measures to reduce:

1.

the local
airports); and

impact of air transport on the environment (such as gaseous emissions and noise near

2.

the global impact of air transport on the environment (such as greenhouse gas emissions)?

(1) COM(1999) 640.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(12 November 2002)

A number of initiatives relating to air transport and the environment have been launched on the basis of
the Commission communication ‘Air transport and the environment’ (1):

(cid:1) With regard to the local impact of air transport on the environment, the Commission has published a
proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a
Community framework for noise classification of civil subsonic aircraft for the purposes of calculating
noise charges (2), on which Parliament has given its opinion at first reading.

On 26 March 2002, Parliament and the Council adopted a Directive on the establishment of rules and
procedures with regard to the introduction of noise-related operating restrictions at Community
airports (3), on the basis of a Commission proposal (4). This Directive lays down rules to facilitate the
introduction of consistent operating restrictions at airports within the Community.

The Commission has also been following the activities of the European Civil Aviation Conference
(ECAC) designed to develop a classification system for aircraft that could be used for charging fees in
respect of certain gaseous emissions. When the ECAC has finalised its recommendations,
the
Commission will examine whether
is opportune to designate this method as suitable for
introduction at the Community level.

it

(cid:1) With regard to the global impact of air transport on the environment, the Commission has had a
study carried out in which several economic instruments have been analysed. This study will be
published very shortly and the Commission will invite interested parties to submit their comments on
its findings. The Commission will
take account of Parliament and the Council’s proposals and
reactions to this study.

(cid:1) Finally, at the international level, the stance taken by the Community and its Member States has led to
emission reductions and the preparation of a new noise standard being placed on the list of priorities
for the 2004 Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). In this context, the
in cooperation with the Member States, supports flexible ICAO rules on economic
Commission,
incentives.

(1) COM(1999) 640 final.
(2) COM(2001) 74 final.
(3) Directive 2002/30/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 March 2002 on the establishment of
rules and procedures with regard to the introduction of noise-related operating restrictions at Community airports,
OJ L 85, 28.3.2002.

(4) COM(2001) 695 final.

(2003/C 110 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2667/02

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 September 2002)

Subject: Shop for EU officials in Brussels (2)

In his answer to Question E-1412/02 (1), the Commissioner says that access to the shop is restricted to EU
officials only because of ‘requirements of proof of identity and security’.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Can the Commission tell me on the basis of what figures it has concluded that those entitled to enter
would be at risk if (a) non-EU staff were able to use the shop or (b) EU staff do their shopping in another,
‘ordinary’ supermarket?

On the basis of what criteria will the Commission decide whether or not to admit people to this shop? In
other words, how do you obtain the right of access? Or, what steps must you take to gain access?

Can the Commission say whether ‘external’ staff (e.g. maintenance, reception, catering and security staff)
who work in the EU institutions but have employment contracts with outside companies will be able to
make use of these shopping facilities?

Finally, does the Commission agree that non-EU employees in the European area face the same problems
of pressure of time and accessibility of shops, and will it therefore open the EU shop to non-EU staff?

(1) OJ C 309 E, 12.12.2002, p. 120.

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(4 November 2002)

As I said in my reply to the Honourable Member’s written question E-1412/02 (1), the shop is in the
basement of a Commission building and access to it is obviously via that building. Access is consequently
limited in order to meet security and proof of identity requirements. The shop may be used by staff of all
the European Institutions, by Members of Parliament and their Assistants, by staff of Permanent
Representations and Embassies, by accredited journalists, by staff of certain other Institutions, such as
Eurocontrol, and by other duly authorised visitors to the building. This would include any ‘external staff’
who have the security or ‘visitors’ badges that are necessary to give them access to the building at 27, rue
de la Science.

If a formal proposal to open the shop to the public was received from Delhaize, the Commission would be
the
ready to examine the possibility of acceding to such a request.
Commission would have to ensure that the strict rules for access to Commission buildings were respected
in order to guarantee the security of the staff in the building where the shop is located. It would also be
necessary to verify that such a proposal would be in line with the terms of the lease of the building at 27,
rue de la Science and that local planning regulations would permit the use of the premises as a shop that
was open to the public.

In examining such a request,

The Commission is naturally aware that the area around the shop is not well served with shopping
facilities and can understand that people who are not EU employees and do not fall within any of the
the objective
categories
considerations set out above the Commission is not in a position to change the provisions on access to
the store in present circumstances.

listed above consequently encounter

inconvenience. However, because of

(1) OJ C 309 E, 12.12.2002, p. 120.

(2003/C 110 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2673/02

by Pasqualina Napoletano (PSE), Hélène Flautre (Verts/ALE),
Raimon Obiols i Germà (PSE), José Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra (PPE-DE),
Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) and Bob van den Bos (ELDR) to the Commission

(24 September 2002)

Subject: Criteria for including Mediterranean partner countries in the European Initiative for Democracy

and Human Rights Programming Document, 2002-2004

The European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights Programming Document, 2002-2004 defines
the geographical priorities which correspond to the EU’s political priorities, as set out in the Commission
communication of 8 May 2001 (1). As regards the Mediterranean partner countries, the priorities seem to
be Algeria, Israel, the West Bank/Gaza Strip, and Tunisia.