WRITTEN QUESTION P-3931/03 by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission. Rehabilitation of areas devastated by the summer 2003 forest fires in Portugal.
Date: 2003-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financial instrument, Portugal, disaster area, environmental risk prevention, fire, support policy

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/119

privileges granted to it by Articles 8 (cid:1) 15 and 34(8) of N 4332/1929, under which the legal, procedural
and substantive guarantees for those dealing with the ATE, and in particular its debtors, are set aside.
The Commission has also received a complaint on this subject from the firm Tipopiitiria Thivas A.E. (reply
from the Agriculture Directorate-General No 31427/24.11.2003).

Since the retention and application by the ATE of the above-mentioned privileges, which is contrary to
Community law, is onerous for those doing business with it and deprives them of all rights of defence,
what does the Commission intend to do to put a stop to the violation of the rights of those dealing with
the ATE and to eliminate the distortion of competition conditions with respect to other credit institutions?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(26 January 2004)

The Commission confirms that it has just received a complaint concerning the Agricultural Bank of Greece
and therefore is conducting a detailed investigation of the problem raised by the Honourable Member and
will inform him of the outcome as soon as possible.

(2004/C 84 E/0155)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3931/03

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(16 December 2003)

Subject: Rehabilitation of areas devastated by the summer 2003 forest fires in Portugal

The summer 2003 forest fires in Portugal devastated 410 000 hectares, i.e. 5 % of Portugal’s landmass and
12 % of its woodlands, destroying numerous Natura 2000 Network areas, various cork oak, holm oak and
oak forests, causing numerous deaths, destroying homes, killing animals and destroying crops in some of
the country’s most fragile and deprived rural regions.

Support provided under the aegis of the Solidarity Fund, although extremely useful, is nowhere like equal
to the enormous task of rehabilitating incalculably valuable natural heritage on this scale, and a rural
economy which is under threat of total disappearance.

At the Budgetary Committee meeting which discussed the Solidarity Fund contribution to Portugal, it was
claimed that a total of EUR 180 million was going to be reprogrammed from Portuguese Structural Funds
to cope with the challenge.

Could the Commission explain:

1. Why amounts programmed for the 2000-2003 Structural Funds, and not yet taken up, cannot be

reprogrammed to this end?

2. Whether the Portuguese authorities have already submitted specific proposals for reprogramming the
EUR 180 million, and whether this amount is earmarked for rehabilitating the natural heritage and the
rural economy of the areas devastated?

3. What other means it thinks could be used to support this rehabilitation which, while of direct concern

to Portugal, is of no less concern to Europe?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2004)

The Solidarity Fund provided EUR 48,5 million of funding for urgent infrastructure restoration work
following the summer 2003 fires in Portugal. Both further infrastructure restoration work and restoration

C 84 E/120

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

of production potential in forestry and agriculture can be assisted using reprogrammed Structural Fund
appropriations or from the Cohesion Fund. It falls to the programme management authorities in the
affected zones to make proposals to this end. In addition, following mid-term evaluation of the national
Community support
framework the Portuguese authorities have confirmed their intention of using
approximately EUR 180 million of the performance reserve to make good damage caused by the fires and
reinforce preventive measures.

Negotiations with the Portuguese authorities are in progress. We cannot at present provide complete
information on the programmes and measures concerned.

We attach great importance to action to help avert natural disasters. In the case of fire prevention various
types of measure can be supported: increasing fire-fighting capacity, deployment of means of detecting and
preventing fires, anti-erosion work, afforestation observing fire prevention standards etc.

(2004/C 84 E/0156)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3934/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 December 2003)

Subject: US visa provisions which result

in refusal

to permit

the return of Europeans who have a

permanent residence and permanent job in the USA

1.
Is the Commission aware that, while people who are nationals of an EU Member State are admitted
to the United States of America as visitors without visas, since 2003 this has no longer been the case for
Europeans who live and work in the USA because when they return from abroad they must have a
business visa, while (cid:1) just like other visitors (cid:1) they must waive the right to the assistance of a lawyer in
legal disputes with the authorities?

2.
Is the Commission furthermore aware that when Europeans who have already resided in the USA for
a long time or are married to a US citizen return to the USA, the US customs service may refuse them
admission as visitors, arguing that they are seeking to enter the USA under false pretences and illegally,
and that they may then be deported from the country and ordered not to return for the next five years?

Does the Commission have indications that such refusal of permission to return is, or is becoming,
3.
an instrument by means of which to compel Europeans in America to sell their homes and businesses as
cheaply as possible and to resign from their jobs, to the benefit of US nationals?

Do the EU Member States have comparable ways of denying US nationals who are resident within
4.
their territory the right to reside indefinitely, return or work? Is this right also exercised in practice, and are
Americans deported and kept out of Europe for long periods on this ground without having engaged in
any criminal activities?

How will Europeans in America and Americans in Europe be placed on an equal footing as regards

5.
their rights, obligations and exclusion, on the basis of reciprocity? When will this be done?

Source: TV Nederland 2, Twee Vandaag, 9 December 2003.

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(25 February 2004)

The Commission has no information that the United States authorities refuse the re-entry of EU citizens,
who are in the possession of valid United States residence permits and fulfil the requirements for a lawful