WRITTEN QUESTION E-0041/04 by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission. Trade between Scotland and the rest of the European Union.
Date: 2004-01-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Scotland, common commercial policy, intra-EU trade, single market

C 78 E/920

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

was learnt from the SARS outbreak. The EU should move to a position where a system for obtaining
advice on a Europe-wide scale is in place. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
proposed by the Commission should contribute to this and be relied upon for timely and effective
interventions to deal with threats like SARS.

(2004/C 78 E/0972)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0040/04

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 January 2004)

Subject: Size of the Commission

Can the Commission provide information on the number of fonctionnaires employed by the Commission
at the various grades (A, B, C, D, etc.)?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(12 February 2004)

The Commission interprets the question from the Honourable Member as referring to officials in active
employment (Staff Regulations Article 36).

The permanent staff employed by the Commission on 1 January 2004 was 18 603 officials. The
breakdown of officials per category, as defined in the Staff Regulations, under all budget lines, was as
follows:

A

LA

B

C

D

Category

Number

6 891

1 670

3 712

5 722

608

Total

18 603

Furthermore, the Commission informs the Honourable Member that, at the same date, the Commission
employed 2 409 temporary agents.

(2004/C 78 E/0973)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0041/04

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 January 2004)

Subject: Trade between Scotland and the rest of the European Union

What key actions, either at the EU or domestic level, does the Commission believe are needed to improve
trade between Scotland and the rest of the European Union?

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/921

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2004)

The Commission believes that any measures taken to eliminate remaining regulatory barriers to trade
between Member States or to reduce the costs of trading will:

(a)

improve trade between Scotland and the rest of the European Union, and,

(b) by increasing competition, stimulate prosperity.

Increasing prosperity will, in turn, improve trade still further and so create a virtuous economic circle.
The Commission believes this to be true whether the measures are taken at the EU or national level.

At the EU level, Member States must implement the full Internal Market Strategy (1). But on the basis of
subsidiarity, some of the Strategy’s Priority Actions could be implemented by Scotland too: notably Priority
Actions 1 and 2 (increasing the free movement of goods and services, notably by ensuring that market
surveillance authorities apply the principle of mutual recognition), 5 (opening up public procurement),
8 (simplifying regulation), 9 (enforcing Internal Market rules) and 10 (ensuring that information on trading
inside the Internal Market is easily available).

Beyond that, initiatives should be taken that facilitate trade between Scotland and the rest of the EU or
reduce its cost (cid:1) possible examples of such initiatives could include infrastructure investments or
enhanced export promotion of Scottish products. The Accession Countries, in particular, offer significant
new opportunities for Scottish businesses.

(1) Communication from the Commission to the Council,

the European Economic and Social
Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Internal Market Strategy Priorities 2003-2006, COM(2003) 238 final.

the Parliament,

(2004/C 78 E/0974)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0057/04

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(20 January 2004)

Subject: Welfare expenditure in the Spanish state and the situation in the EU

According to the Spanish National Statistical Institute, welfare expenditure in the Union accounted for
28,4 % of GDP in 1995 but only 27,3 % in 2000. Spending per inhabitant per annum varies enormously
between Member States (cid:1) from EUR 7 754 in Denmark and 7 035 in Germany to EUR 3 715 in the
Spanish state and 3 765 in Portugal, the latter two being the lowest levels in the EU.

Does the Commission intend to take any type of economic or legislative measures aimed at reducing this
disturbing gap affecting the populations of the different Member States?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2004)

The Treaty of the European Union establishes in Article 137 that the Community shall support and
complement the activities of Member States in the field of social security and social protection of workers,
and allows the Council to adopt measures designed to encourage cooperation between Member States,
excluding any harmonisation of their laws and regulations.

In this context, the Commission does not intend to propose any financial or legislative measures aimed
directly at reducing the differences in per capita spending on social protection as these would amount to a
substantial interference of the EU in the organisation and financing of social protection systems, which
should remain a competence of Member States.