WRITTEN QUESTION E-3519/02 by Ursula Schleicher (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Statute and financing of European political parties.
Date: 2002-12-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Court of Justice of the European Union, European Commission, European party, Treaty of Nice, drafting of EU law, interinstitutional relations (EU), legal basis, legal status, party financing

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/119

Does the Commission know about this agreement?

Does it not consider that Fiat employees run the risk of being treated less favourably by the General
Motors group in the event of the Fiat group being sold?

Furthermore, does it not consider that possible massive job losses in the automobile sector in Italy would
result in the loss of valuable technical and manufacturing abilities such as those for which Fiat employees
and managers are admired all over the world?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(22 January 2003)

The Commission is aware of the agreements drawn up within the General Motors group regarding Opel,
and in particular of those concluded with the group’s European Works Council. These agreements, which
are intended both to ensure job security within the group and to preserve its competitiveness, are an
excellent example of best practice in managing restructuring and anticipating change.

The Commission also hopes that such practices serve as inspiration for the social partners when they deal
with the subject of restructuring, having been consulted by the Commission in January 2002.

The Commission further expects that,
if Fiat is taken over by General Motors, this best practice will
continue to be developed for the benefit of all members of the group in order to preserve as far as possible
the Fiat group’s valuable human capital and to deal with the social impact of any necessary restructuring.

(2003/C 192 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3519/02

by Ursula Schleicher (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Statute and financing of European political parties

(10 December 2002)

Since the European Parliament opinion of 17 May 2001, the Council regulation on the statute and
financing of European political parties has been the subject of a so far fruitless discussion in the Council of
Ministers. On account of criticism from the European Court of Auditors, this regulation is intended to be a
transitional measure until the entry into force of the Treaty of Nice, which establishes an autonomous legal
basis.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. After the positive result of the referendum in Ireland, it is expected that the Treaty of Nice will shortly
enter into force. Will the Commission then submit a new proposal on the statute and financing of
European political parties?

2. A new proposal with the legal basis established by the Treaty of Nice will be debated with the
European Parliament in accordance with the codecision procedure. How does the Commission intend
to come to a workable solution for this transitional period that also stands up to criticism from the
Court of Auditors?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(27 January 2003)

As promised by the President of the Commission during the debate in Parliament on the Commission’s
work and legislative programme for 2003, the Commission intends to make a new proposal based on
article 191 of the EC Treaty once the Nice Treaty is in force on 1 February 2003. The Commission is
planning to adopt its proposal during the month of February 2003.

C 192 E/120

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

Article 191 as amended at Nice now offers a solid and uncontestable legal base for community legislation
on European political parties and their financing.

The new proposal will replace the transitional proposal made in 2001 and never adopted by Council. It will
lay down rules on the obligations of recipients of community funding in terms of respect for democracy
and fundamental freedoms, minimum representativity and financial transparency and accountability.

(2003/C 192 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3531/02

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(10 December 2002)

Subject: Total value of past spending under the 2002 Portuguese budget

All that the Commission’s reply to my question E-3042/02 (1) does is to add some factual data which helps
one to grasp the scale of the issue. In fact, with the amending budget assigning 1,6 % of GDP to correcting
‘past situations’, how is one to understand that this amount is now estimated at 3 % and adds spending not
balanced in 2002?

This is the question I put. Could I please have it answered?

(1) OJ C 155 E, 3.7.2003, p. 78.

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2003)

The written question of the Honourable Member explicitly refers to the answer given by the Commission
to his previous written question E-3042/02. In its task of budgetary surveillance, official documents
(e.g. budget reports), and the information transmitted regularly on the basis of the relevant legislation
(e.g. the semi-annual deficit and debt notification (1)) play a predominant role as sources of information. In
written question E-3042/02, the Honourable Member refers to some ‘press reports’, according to which
expenditure arrears to be regularised in 2002 would amount to 3 % of gross domestic production (GDP).
This value differs from the official estimate in the 2002 rectifying budget report, which puts the amount of
expenditure arrears to be regularised in 2002 at 1,6 % of GDP (2). The Commission is not aware of any
other official projection for the amount of expenditure arrears to be regularised in 2002.

Moreover, according to the European system of national and regional accounts in the Community (ESA
95), expenditure is recorded on an accrual basis and not on a cash basis. This means that the amount of
expenditure arrears to be regularised in 2002 has no impact on the general government deficit for that
year, as this spending is registered in the years the respective liabilities were incurred, and not when the
actual payments are made. The only impact would be on the debt level for 2002.

(1) Council regulation (EC) No 3605/93 of 22 November 1993 on the application of the Protocol on the excessive

deificit procedure annexed to the Treaty establishing the Community (cid:1) OJ L 332, 31.12.1993.
‘Relatório da Proposta de Alteração à Lei do Orçamento para 2002’.

(2)

(2003/C 192 E/118)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3532/02

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(10 December 2002)

Subject: Unusual characteristics of deficits

According to its answer to Written Question E-3043/02 (1) the Commission only exercises budgetary
control in the public sector as a whole and not in any of its specific components or sectors, which is
obvious and was implicit in the question. However, apart from not answering the question, which referred