WRITTEN QUESTION E-2583/03 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission. Statute of European Schools.
Date: 2003-08-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European school, Intergovernmental Convention (EU), United Kingdom, interpretation of the law, labour law, labour tribunal, staff regulations (EU), teacher, work contract

C 65 E/180

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

13.3.2004

For land spreading, several alternative techniques are available in relation to crop type, expected ammonia
reduction level, soil conditions and characteristics, and these can be adapted to the site, taking into account
any sound scientific evidence on adverse effects of a given technique in a specific case.

On the issue of the use of additives for manure management, extensive scientific research has been carried
out in order to assess their effectiveness in reducing ammonia and odour emission.

The Commission is aware of the results of the research. For instance, a recent review of a comprehensive
network of experiments carried out by different research institutes on different types of additives to reduce
ammonia and odour emission (3) includes, inter alia, the results of experiments on the effects of labile
carbon sources, such as glucose, as possible acidifying agents. These sources, inducing a pH reduction in
slurry through organic acid formation by anaerobic bacteria, could lead to a reduction of ammonia
volatilisation, which is strictly pH dependent. The authors concluded that:
‘currently, the quantity of
substrate required to induce a significant pH decline makes this additive type uneconomic’. However, they
remarked that: ‘if the production of acid from glucose can be optimised … it would offer an effective and
safe means to prevent NH3 volatilisation.’

In any case, the Commission would welcome any further scientific work carried on in individual Member
States, on utilisation of additives for emission reduction, according to a sound and rigorous experimental
design, capable of providing reliable results.

On the issue of additives to improve manure management it could also be recalled that the Commission
(Directorate General Research),
the European Co-operative Research Action for
Technology (CRAFT) of the BRITE EURAM Programme, aimed at promoting technological innovation in
small and medium sized enterprises through its research and technological development, has funded a pilot
project on additives for reduction of ammonia and odour emission from livestock manure (RAPID-QLK5-
CT-2001-70429), which will be completed in December 2003.

in the context of

(1) OJ L 309, 27.11.2001.
(2) OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.
(3) Mc Crory and Hobbs, JEQ, 2001.30: 345-355.

(2004/C 65 E/196)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2583/03

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 August 2003)

Subject: Statute of European Schools

Does the Commission believe that the UK Government contracts for UK teachers at the European Schools
in Brussels are in conformity with Article 12 of the Statute of the European schools to which all Member
States are signatory?

What is the Commission’s view of the recent rulings of the UK Employment Tribunal in this regard?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(22 September 2003)

As the Honourable Member knows, the European Schools are governed by a specific intergovernmental
Convention, the ‘Convention defining the Statute of the European Schools’ a revised version of which
entered into force on 1 October 2002. Teaching staff seconded to the schools are subject
to the
‘Regulations for Members of the Seconded Staff of the European Schools’ which became applicable from
1 September 2000, but they remain employed by the authorities of the seconding Member State.

13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/181

‘Staff shall retain promotion and
Article 12.4(a) of the European Schools’ Convention provides that:
retirement rights guaranteed by their national rules’ and Article 49.2(a) of the ‘Regulations’ stipulates that:
‘The competent national authorities shall pay the national emoluments to the member of staff and shall
inform the Director of the amounts paid, specifying all the components taken into account for calculation
purposes …’.

The United Kingdom, as the Honourable Member will know, pays a special
‘Threshold’ to teachers
employed in England and Wales. In the view of British Department for Education and Skills (DFES), this is
a recruitment and retention measure that is not relevant to teachers seconded to the European Schools.
In the recent decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT/0884/02) in the United Kingdom, the
Tribunal had to interpret the employment contract between certain British teachers at the European
Schools and their employer, the DFES. It concluded that, under that contract, the teachers were not entitled
to certain additional incremental salary increases following their appointment to the European Schools.
The EAT was not, however, asked to consider whether, thus interpreted, the employment contracts were
actually compatible with Article 12.4(a) of the European Schools’ Convention, cited above.

The Commission has asked its Legal Service to examine whether the terms of the UK contract are in
accordance with Article 12.4(a) of the European Schools’ Convention.

The Commission will ensure that this issue is appropriately followed up and will readily respond to any
further enquiry from the Honourable Member when the legal analysis is available.

(2004/C 65 E/197)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2592/03

by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission

(14 August 2003)

Subject: Fine for absence of nationality sticker on vehicles in the Czech Republic

For journeys abroad in the Member States of the European Union, the normal European vehicle number
plate incorporating the nationality symbol on a blue background is sufficient. However, for journeys in
countries which are not members of the Union, an oval nationality sticker is also required, otherwise
drivers are liable to be fined. The Czech Republic is among those countries which fine drivers if their
vehicle does not display an oval nationality sticker.

Will the Commission open negotiations with the Czech Republic to ensure that the European number
plate is already accepted as a nationality identifier in that country before 1 May 2004?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 2003)

Council Regulation (EC) No 2411/98 of 3 November 1998 on the recognition in intra-Community traffic
of the distinguishing sign of the Member State in which motor vehicles and their trailers are registered (1)
introduced the so-called ‘European sign’ that Member States must recognise as an alternative to the ‘elliptic
sign’ introduced by the Vienna Convention of 1968 (2).

The Vienna Convention was ratified by the Czech Republic and the elliptic sign is still valid. Countries that
do not belong to the Union are not bound by the Council Regulation which covers the intra-Community
traffic only. Therefore, there is no legal basis for asking the Czech Republic to recognise the European sign
before 1 May 2004. Afterwards this country will have to recognise it as a part of
the acquis
communautaire.

(1) OJ L 299, 10.11.1998.
(2) Vienna Convention on road traffic of 8 November 1968, concluded under the auspices of the United Nations

Economic Commission for Europe.