WRITTEN QUESTION E-2597/03 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Natural disaster alert in Italy.
Date: 2003-08-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing arrangements, Italy, drought, energy supply, irrigation, water resources

C 78 E/132

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

The Italian Government has the sole discretion to submit an application. Depending on the scale of
damages suffered and the areas affected, it can submit an application for each of the regions affected by
different disasters, or it could submit one application if the cumulative scale of damages for all the areas
affected by the same disaster exceeds 0,6 % of gross national income (GNI).

It should be noted, that subject to the approval by the Council and Parliament of recent Commission
decisions to grant assistance, the total amount of EUSF funding for disasters at a regional level available for
the remainder of 2003, is EUR 18,75 million. The amount of assistance available for major disasters is
EUR 925 million.

The EUSF Regulation requires that applications should be made within ten weeks of the date of the first
damage caused by the disaster.

Whether any of the conditions and other requirements of the Regulation are met, will be examined on the
basis of the information provided in any application made by the Italian Government. The Commission
can only propose the mobilisation of the Solidarity Fund to the Budgetary Authority if is demonstrated
that all the criteria laid down in the Regulation are met.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund,

OJ L 311, 14.11.2002.

(2004/C 78 E/0134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2597/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(14 August 2003)

Subject: Natural disaster alert in Italy

The drought which has hit the Mediterranean area in the last few weeks is having alarming consequences
in Italy: natural water resources are running low, with increasingly serious knock-on effects for agriculture
and for the supply of hydroelectric power stations. The Italian civil protection authorities are about to
submit a report to the government which will speak of a full-blown natural disaster.

The agriculture minister estimates the losses to agriculture at several million euros already, and the civil
protection authorities predict that unless rain comes, by the end of July sprinkling by farmers will have
exhausted the water reserves.

The water level of the large rivers and lakes which feed the hydroelectric power stations has fallen
considerably: in some parts of the north, certain major tributaries of the Po have dried up completely. The
regions of Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna have declared a state of emergency, and Lombardy and Veneto
are about to follow suit.

The continuity of electricity supply can no longer be ensured at all times: rationing and blackouts are
being resorted to, but such measures are not sufficient to guarantee electricity supply between now and the
hoped-for autumn rains.

In view of the seriousness of the situation, and pursuant to the Council Regulation of 15 November 2002
setting up the Solidarity Fund for natural disasters, can the Commission state:

1. whether the present disaster alert in Italy qualifies for recognition under Articles 2 and 3 of that

Regulation?

2. whether Italy meets the requirements for applying for a grant from the Solidarity Fund?

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/133

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(18 September 2003)

The Commission is greatly concerned as to the scale of damage that is being caused by the ongoing
drought in Italy. It sympathises with all the affected persons, including the regions referred of Piedmont,
Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto.

The Honourable Member is referred to her Written Question P-2591/03 (1). The response to this question
explains in detail issues of eligibility and the necessary information that the national authorities must
provide to the Commission when making an application for support from the Solidarity Fund.

(1) See page 131.

(2004/C 78 E/0135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2605/03

by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Recognition of qualifications for language teachers

(28 August 2003)

Is the Commission aware that a British teacher of English having all adequate qualifications and teaching
experience in the United Kingdom is required to pass the CAPES exam (Certificat d’aptitude pédagogique à
l’enseignement du second degré, a very difficult exam, particularly for a foreigner) in order to be able to
have a full-time teacher position in the French education system?

Would this not be in contravention of Council Directive 89/48/EEC (1) of 21 December 1988 on a general
system for the recognition of higher education diplomas awarded on completion of professional education
and training?

Is the proposed Directive on recognition of professional qualifications (2) going to eliminate this anomaly,
particularly since French teachers are able to teach in the United Kingdom without such an additional
examination?

(1) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989, p. 16.
(2) COM(2002) 119 final.

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(9 January 2004)

The Commission has carried out an analysis of the consequences of the Court of Justice’s judgment of
9 September 2003 in Case C-285/01 ‘Isabel Burbaud’ as to the recruitment in the French public service of
fully qualified teachers from other Member States. The judgment concerns hospital managers. In France,
hospital managers in the public service are subject to a recruitment competition which gives access to a
period of training at the ‘École nationale de la santé publique’ before candidates are permanently appointed
to a post. The Court has held that it is contrary to Community law that fully qualified hospital managers
from other Member States sit a competition like the one referred to in the judgment. The Court observed
that
take account of specific
qualifications in the field of hospital management obtained by candidates who are nationals of other
Member States, place those nationals at a disadvantage and are liable to dissuade them from exercising
their rights, as workers, to freedom of movement.

this method of recruitment, which does not

the specific features of

The Commission considers that,
in principle, this case-law may extend to teachers, as they are also
recruited in the French public service by means of a competition which gives access to a period of training
at the ‘Instituts Universitaires de Formation des Maîtres’.