WRITTEN QUESTION E-1735/03 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Harmonisation of public holidays.
Date: 2003-05-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, competence of the Member States, public holiday

6.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/161

Currently, all EU Member States operate under the green-card system for motor insurance, which means
that standard minimum insurance cover is offered throughout the EU. All Member States are also
signatories to the ‘Multilateral Guarantee Agreement’, which means that Green Cards are not strictly
necessary to enter other EU Member States. Will the Commission say whether Lithuania will operate the
green-card system when it signs up for full EU membership? Will the Commission further state whether
Lithuania will be signatory to the ‘Multilateral Guarantee Agreement’?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 2003)

According to the latest information available to the Commission, Lithuania has not yet fully implemented
Union provisions on Motor Insurance. According to the information provided by the Lithuanian
authorities, draft legislation in order to implement the first Motor Insurance Directive 72/166/EEC (1)
mentioned by the Honourable Member as well as the other three Motor Directives (84/5/EEC (2), 90/232/
EEC (3) and 2000/26/EC (4))
the moment being prepared and should be submitted shortly for
consideration by the national legislative authorities.

is at

As regards the Agreement between the National Insurer’s Bureaux of the Member States of the European
Economic Area and other Associate States, concluded in accordance with the principles laid down in
Article 2(2) of the first Motor Directive above, Lithuania is not yet part of such agreement but its
incorporation is expected for the near future and, in any case, before the date of the accession.

Lithuania, as all the other Candidate Countries, must fully transpose the Union insurance legislation,
including the Motor Insurance Directives, before the date of accession. The Commission will continue to
monitor this process and in particular to check that all the conditions required for the suppression of the
insurance border controls are fulfilled. If needed, the Commission will take the necessary measures to
ensure the good functioning of the system.

(1) Council Directive 72/166/EEC of 24 April 1972 on the approximation of the laws of Member States relating to
insurance against civil liability in respect of the use of motor vehicles, and to the enforcement of the obligation to
insure against such liability, OJ L 103, 2.5.1972.

(2) Second Council Directive 84/5/EEC of 30 December 1983 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States

relating to insurance against civil liability in respect of the use of motor vehicles, OJ L 8, 11.1.1984.

(3) Third Council Directive 90/232/EEC of 14 May 1990 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States

relating to insurance against civil liability in respect of the use of motor vehicles, OJ L 129, 19.5.1990.

(4) Directive 2000/26/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 16 May 2000 on the approximation of the laws of
the Member States relating to insurance against civil liability in respect of the use of motor vehicles and amending
Council Directives 73/239/EEC and 88/357/EEC (Fourth motor insurance Directive), OJ L 181, 20.7.2000.

(2004/C 33 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1735/03

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 May 2003)

Subject: Harmonisation of public holidays

Due to different traditions and political and religious events, there is a lack of uniformity throughout the
EU in terms of the number of public holidays in Member States and how they are fixed. This can be
viewed as an economic handicap which has considerable disadvantages. A step-by-step harmonisation of
public holidays in EU states over the long term, including the postponement of public holidays usually
falling on a weekday to the following weekend, as is the practice in the UK, would bring about greater
economic benefit and give citizens the opportunity to optimise the use of their free time.

Can the Commission, although it has no direct responsibility in this area, give a clear indication of what
possibilities exist of harmonising public holidays?

C 33 E/162

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 July 2003)

As the Honourable Member notes, the Commission is not competent to act in this area. As a result, it
seems unlikely that public holidays could be harmonised in this way in the Member States.

(2004/C 33 E/159)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1737/03

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Maritime transport of agricultural products from Almeria

(26 May 2003)

Shipping agents, agricultural exporters and the Almeria port authority (Spain) are conducting a short study
into the cost of a project to link Almeria to the Dutch port of Rotterdam. This maritime link would enable
farmers in Almeria to begin exporting fruit and vegetables in November.

The proposal is for a boat carrying 80 lorries to sail from Almeria each week from November to March.
The produce would be distributed by road from the Dutch port within a 350-kilometre radius (northern
France, Belgium and Germany).

Given that this is a ground-breaking proposal which would facilitate the export of Almerian agricultural
products to the heart of Europe while reducing goods traffic on the roads of central Europe, will the
Commission make a significant contribution to the project to establish this shipping route?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(2 July 2003)

The Commission has an established policy to promote Short Sea Shipping as a complement and alternative
to road transport. Increased use of Short Sea Shipping does not only alleviate land bottlenecks and
congestion on the road network, but can also help reach environmental and safety targets. Consequently, it
can play a major role in achieving the policy targets indicated in the Commission White Paper on
European Transport Policy for 2010 (1).

In this framework the Commission welcomes the willingness of agricultural exporters and importers and
the port authority of Almería to study the possibility of using Short Sea Shipping to replace the general
trend of utilising road transport to export those products from Spain to Benelux, Germany and France.

The Commission will be very interested in learning the results of the feasibility study and the commercial
viability of the planned service. In this context factors such as frequency, regularity, availability of return
cargo and type of ship and cargo carried (accompanied or unaccompanied trailers, containers, swap
bodies) will undoubtedly be carefully considered.

In this context the Commission would like to draw the attention to the new Marco Polo programme which
is scheduled for adoption in July 2003, with a call for proposals to be launched as soon as possible after
adoption. The Programme is concerned with the implementation international freight services shifting
freight of all segments of the market from road to short sea shipping, rail or inland waterway. If adopted,
the programme will run from 2003 to 2010, with annual calls for proposals. For further details the
Commission would refer to the new Marco Polo web site and helpdesk (http://europa.eu.int/comm/
transport/marcopolo/index_en.htm and tren-marco-polo@cec.eu.int).

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.