WRITTEN QUESTION P-0633/04 by Saïd El Khadraoui (PSE) to the Commission. Integration of the Commission in Brussels.
Date: 2004-02-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Brussels region, European Commission, European official, European school, administration of the Institutions, child care, seat of institution, working conditions

C 84 E/438

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Since no aspect of Community law is involved here, the Commission does not consider itself competent to
answer the questions put by the Honourable Member.

(2004/C 84 E/0510)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0633/04

by Saïd El Khadraoui (PSE) to the Commission

(24 February 2004)

Subject: Integration of the Commission in Brussels

The European Commission employs approximately 21 000 staff in Brussels and has an extensive range of
buildings. In its communication on buildings policy and infrastructures in Brussels (1) the Commission
develops an approach to its premises in Brussels with particular reference to quality of life in the European
Quarter.

The communication sets out an action plan concerning various aspects of integration in Brussels: Europe’s
image in Brussels, mobility plan for the Commission, housing policy for staff, dialogue with the Belgian
authorities at various levels.

Has the European Commission discussed these plans with the other European institutions and the various
Belgian authorities? If so, when did the relevant consultations take place,
if not what were the main
obstacles to preventing this?

Will the Commission take the lead in starting discussions with the other institutions on this issue and
convincing them of the need for a coherent approach?

The Belgian Government recently decided (cid:1) following the example set by the Flemish government (cid:1) to
offer its staff free travel from home to work; is the Commission also considering measures of this kind?

Is Commission prepared to integrate its child-care and education facilities more closely with the existing
infrastructure in Brussels and open them up to the entire population of Brussels (in terms of cost as well),
to encourage greater contacts between the local population and Commission staff?

(1) COM(2003) 755.

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2004)

The European institutions have set up an Inter-Institutional Infrastructure, Logistics and Internal Services
Working Group, whose objective is to coordinate the policies of the Institutions’ in Brussels on buildings
and infrastructure and their dealings with the host country’s authorities. The Working Group has discussed
the communication from the Commission on the building policy and infrastructures in Brussels (1) and the
Plan Médiateur (2), a consultative Belgian outline for achieving improvements in the part of Brussels that
includes the European quarter. The discussions have shown that each Institution is convinced of the need
for a consistent and constructive approach to these issues. Contact with the Belgian authorities is, similarly,
continuing at several levels (Brussels Region, Federal Government, Buildings Department and semi-public
entities such as MIVB/STIB). The Commission wishes to further strengthen contact with those authorities
through consideration of the Plan Médiateur.

A Commission proposal for reducing travel costs for officials using public transport between home and
work is under consideration as part of a draft Mobility Plan which is currently being drawn up by the
Commission’s Office for Infrastructure and Logistics. This proposal is due for completion later this year.
The first step is for the Commission to determine whether funding is available for implementing such a
plan or, if not, to find alternative sources of financial support.

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/439

As far as child care provisions are concerned, there are currently over 360 children on the waiting list for
the nurseries run by the Commission. Current estimates are that enlargement of the Union will increase
that figure to around 770. At present it is therefore difficult to envisage the enrolment of any children
other than those of officials. The Commission has expanded its own nursery facilities, partly because of a
lack of sufficient suitable capacity in Brussels generally. Making nursery places available is also a specified
objective of the welfare dimension of Commission reform and of its commitment to provide working
conditions for all officials that advance the equality of opportunity.

(1) COM(2003) 755 final.
(2) Ombudsplan Bru/Eur Médiateur (cid:1) Aries consultants. Study commissioned by the Prime Minister’s Office and the

Office of the President of the Brussels Region.

(2004/C 84 E/0511)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0635/04

by W.G. van Velzen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(25 February 2004)

Subject: Creation of a European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA)

Has the Commission already started preparatory work on the early establishment of a European Network
and Information Security Agency and, if so, what is involved?

Can the Commission say when, at the earliest, the Agency will be operational?

Where will the Agency finally be established?

When will the decision to establish the Agency be published in the Official Journal?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(19 March 2004)

The Commission is pleased to confirm that preparatory works for the establishment of the European
Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) are well underway. In fact, the Commission has already
prepared and circulated among all Member States’ and Accession Countries’ Permanent Representations the
draft vacancy notice for the post of the Agency’s Executive Director, which will be published shortly after
adoption of the Regulation.

Furthermore, the Commission has already invited, through the Permanent Representations, Member States
and Accession Countries to nominate their representatives and alternates on the Agency’s Management
Board. The nominations are expected to take place by the end of March 2004.

The Commission is also developing the ENISA website (http://www.enisa.eu.int) which will be available
online as soon as the Regulation enters into force, i.e. on the day following its publication in the Official
Journal.

The Commission expects the Agency to be operational shortly after the nomination of its Director, which
is planned just before the end of July 2004.

Concerning the future location of the Agency, the Director-General of Directorate-General Information
Society (DG INFSO) has been informed by Mr Manolis Stratakis, Deputy-Minister of Transport and
Communications of Greece, that the Greek Government has decided to host ENISA at Heraklion, on the
island of Crete.

Finally, as regards the publication of the Regulation in the Official Journal, the Commission is pleased to
inform the Honourable Member that the signature of the Regulation by the President of the Parliament is
foreseen on 10 March 2004 and that publication of the Regulation in the Official Journal will occur, at the
latest, 10 working days after its reception at the Publications Office.