WRITTEN QUESTION E-2953/02 by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Volume of payments into and from the Commission's bank accounts.
Date: 2002-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, European Commission, access to information, bank, confidentiality, dissemination of information, management accounting, payment

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/31

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2002)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written E-2797/02 by Mrs Lucas (1)

(1) See page 17.

(2003/C 222 E/035)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2950/02

by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 October 2002)

Subject: Information network on education in Europe

The initiative undertaken by the Commission to create a network of national academic recognition
information centres (NARIC) in 1984 demonstrates the EU’s intention to provide advice and reliable
information on the academic recognition and validity of degrees, diplomas and study periods abroad. This
initiative has encouraged mobility amongst students in Europe.

Since 1984 improvements and new aims have been introduced, including first and foremost the specific
desire on the part of ministers from more than 30 countries to create, by 2010, a ‘European higher
education area’ as referred to in the Bologna Declaration to facilitate the direct comparison of degrees.

With regard primarily to the effectiveness of the centres in the NARIC network and the results achieved by
them: Will the Commission provide figures on the number of pupils who have approached the network to
obtain information on the recognition of qualifications?

Can it give details as to the outcome of these queries and the advice provided at the offices in the Member
States?

If so, how long does it take on average for a reply to be given to a query?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2002)

The Commission does not have at present reliable statistics on the issues raised by the Honourable
Member, which would only be available from individual Narics. The Commission will examine, on the
basis of recent surveys, whether such statistics can be elaborated and will not hesitate to inform Parliament
on its findings.

(2003/C 222 E/036)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2953/02

by Gabriele Stauner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 October 2002)

Subject: Volume of payments into and from the Commission’s bank accounts

In its answer to my Written Question E-1851/02 (1), the Commission listed the banks with which it holds
accounts in order to make payments into and from the budget of the European Union.

However, the Commission refused to indicate the volume of payments relating to those banks in 2000 and
2001.

C 222 E/32

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

The Commission believes that such information should not be made public so as to protect business
confidentiality and commercial relations and not to undermine the protection of the business interests of
the undertakings involved.

Can the Commission indicate the extent to which such publication would harm the business interests of
the undertakings involved?

Given the criticism being levelled at its accounting practices, would it not be in the Commission’s best
interests to publish these figures in order to prove that the monies being paid into and out of its accounts
correspond to the figures entered in its revenue and expenditure account?

Why does not the Commission simply seek the agreement of the banks involved to the publication of the
figures?

If it were absolutely essential to keep some of these figures confidential, why will the Commission not
forward the confidential information to me directly, in accordance with Article 287 of the EC Treaty, as it
did when answering my Written Question E-2235/02 (2) (contracts awarded by the Commission’s Legal
Service)?

(1) OJ C 192 E, 14.8.2003, p. 24.
(2) OJ C 137 E, 12.6.2003, p. 57.

Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2003)

The Commission has examined this matter and concluded that it is entitled to indicate the volume of
payments carried out in the years 2000 and 2001 by the banks listed in the answer to part 1 of Written
Question E-1851/02 (1).

The Commission will send the information requested directly to the Honourable Member and to the
Secretariat General of the Parliament.

(1) OJ C 192 E, 14.8.2003, p. 24.

(2003/C 222 E/037)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3001/02

by Winfried Menrad (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 October 2002)

Subject: Wild birds Directive: different interpretations in the Member States

Directive 79/409/EEC (1) on the conservation of wild birds is a source of continuing controversy among
both conservationists and hunters. The main reason for this is the widely differing interpretations of the
Directive in the various Member States.

In view of the current discussions about the production of a guide to interpreting the wild birds Directive,
how will the Commission ensure that interpretations do not differ so widely in future?

What possibilities does the Commission see of securing the Directive’s praiseworthy goal of protecting
species with less bureaucracy?

Is the Commission seeking to update the wild birds Directive as a means of attaining these objectives?

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.