WRITTEN QUESTION E-3339/03 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Possibility of funding for the health authority of Fiumicino — Rome XIII.
Date: 2003-11-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Regional Development Fund, Latium, eligibility criteria, environmental risk prevention, natural hazard, public safety, terrorism

C 78 E/266

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(23 December 2003)

Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishes a general framework for equal treatment
in employment and occupation. It prohibits discrimination in employment on the grounds of religion or
belief, age, disability or sexual orientation. The Member States must implement it in their national law by
2 December 2003 at the latest. Member States may request an additional period of up to three years to
implement the provisions of the Directive on age and disability discrimination. Differences of treatment on
grounds of age may be justifiable if they are objectively and reasonably justified by a legitimate aim, such
as employment or labour market policy (article 6). Directive 2000/78/EC does not set out special
procedures concerning corporate restructuring.

The facts mentioned by the Honourable Member do not appear to come under the scope of Directive
2001/23/EC (1). Thus, Article 1 of this Directive states that it applies to any transfer of an undertaking,
business or part of an undertaking or business to another employer as a result of a legal transfer or
merger. Under the terms of the Directive, a transfer means a transfer of an economic entity which retains
its identity, meaning an organised grouping of resources which has the objective of pursuing an economic
activity, whether or not that activity is central or ancillary.

This particular case seems to concern restructuring leading to job losses but not involving the transfer of
an undertaking, business or part of an undertaking or business to another employer.

(1) Council Directive 2001/23/EC of 12 March 2001 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating
transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of

to the safeguarding of employees’ rights in the event of
undertakings or businesses, OJ L 82, 22.3.2001.

(2004/C 78 E/0266)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3339/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(12 November 2003)

Subject: Possibility of funding for the health authority of Fiumicino (cid:1) Rome XIII

The area including the municipality of Fiumicino and Rome’s municipal district XIII is an area at risk for
two different kinds of reasons, firstly because of its environmental characteristics, and secondly because it
is the location of places which could easily become terrorist targets.

It includes an area below sea level at risk of flooding, the largest pine forest in Europe, which was already
severely damaged by a devastating fire in the summer of 2001, a coastline visited by almost one million
tourists in summer; Leonardo da Vinci international airport; the military air base of Pratica di Mare; the
summer residence of the President of the Republic and the Finance Police training college.

For all these reasons ASL RM D, the health authority responsible for the area, may devise measures to
protect the population against natural hazards and possible terrorist acts, in order to prevent or effectively
tackle potentially dangerous situations.

In view of this, can the Commission say:

1. whether there is any funding, under either the Structural Funds or other Community programmes,

that the European Union might provide for these kinds of projects;

2. whether the health authority, as an entity in which the Lazio Region has a majority holding, is eligible

for such forms of funding or at least some of them?

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/267

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(23 December 2003)

Assistance from this Fund can be granted only in socio-economic conversion areas determined on the basis
of the criteria in Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general
provisions on the Structural Funds (1). As a result of the Italian authorities’ proposals, the areas to which
the Honourable Member refers are not covered by this programme for the 2000-06 period and cannot
therefore be part-financed from the European Regional Development Fund.

Natural-hazard prevention measures of the kind to which the Honourable Member refers are eligible under
the European Regional Development Fund.

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.

(2004/C 78 E/0267)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3342/03

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(12 November 2003)

Subject: Financial aid to Danish immigrant associations

In questions Nos. E-3162/03 (1) and E-3211/03 (2) to the Commission, I described how ‘Paraplyorganisation
for de Etniske Mindretal’ (umbrella organisation for ethnic minorities (cid:1) POEM) swindled money from the
Danish government and the European Social Fund. POEM is an umbrella organisation for between 21 and
32 different organisations and associations for ethnic minorities (there is a good deal of confusion as to the
exact number of members). The chairman of POEM, Bashy Qureishy, is also chairman of two of those
associations (cid:1) Fair Play and Etnisk Debatforum.

Both of these organisations have received financial aid from the EU Information Board in Denmark, which
comes under the Danish Ministry of Education. These two associations received a total of Dkr 179 800 in
2002 and 2003 from the EU Information Board (the Board does not receive funding from the EU but is
financed solely through the Danish budget).

In the light of the above-mentioned swindle involving financial aid to POEM, will the Commission say
whether the two associations, Fair Play and Etnisk Debatforum, have received any form of financial
contribution under EU aid schemes, including the European Social Fund, since 1998? If those associations
have received funding, will the Commission say under which programmes/schemes the aid was granted,
what sum was involved and whether the Commission has checked that the funding was used for the
purposes for which it was granted?

(1) OJ C 70 E, 20.3.2004, p. 227.
(2) OJ C 70 E, 20.3.2004, p. 240.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(10 December 2003)

In accordance with Structural Funds Regulations, the main responsibility for managing European Social
Fund (ESF)-funds lies with the national managing authority, in casu Erhvervs- og Boligstyrelsen (EBST). As
such, the Commission does not have a detailed list of all organisations receiving ESF funding under the
different programmes.