Source: EURLEX
Language: en
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^ ^ / * / * •  - I T I ISSN 0378-6986
# Otncial Journal C28i

. # Volume 34
### of the European Communities 28 [ o«ober] [ 199. ]

#### English edition Information and Notices

Notice No Contents Page

I _Information_

European Parliament

_Written Questions with answer_

91/C281/01 No 813/90 by Mr Floras Wijsenbeek to the Commission
Subject: Amendment of Directive 79/409/EEC 1

91 /C 281 /02 No 1917/90 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to European Political Cooperation
Subject: Human rights in Ethiopia 1

91/C 281/03 No 2085/90 by Mrs Pauline Green to the Commission
Subject: Employer and public liability insurance 2

91 /C 281 /04 No 2495/90 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject: Compliance by Spain with the Directive fixing guidelines for the assessment of additives
in animal nutrition 3

91/C 281/05 No 2588/90 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject: The Council's declaration on the environment 3

91/C 281/06 No 2589/90 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject: Complaints to the Commission 3

91 / C 281 /07 No 2670/90 by Mrs Marlene Lenz to the Commission
Subject: Setting up of a Committee to liaise between the Commission and independent
campaigns in the fight against poverty 4

91/C 281/08 No 2684/90 by Mrs Ursula Schleicher to the Commission
Subject: Pesticide residues in European wines 5

91 /C 281 /09 No 2928/90 by Mr Antoni Gutierrez Diaz to the Commission
Subject: Gerona by-pass (Catalonia — Spain) 6

91/C281/10 No64/91 by Mr Pol Marck to the Commission
Subject: The Europe-wide 'Entente Florale' competition 6

2 (Continued overleaf)

Notice No Contents (continued) Page

91/C 281/11 No 83/91 by Mrs Carmen Diez de Rivera Icaza to the Commission

Subject: Dumping of used oil and sewage in small islands 6

91/C 281/12 No 125/91 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject: Measures for the protection of wetlands 7

91 /C 281 /13 No 131 /91 by Mr Madron Seligman to the Commission
Subject: Expropriation of property on racial grounds 8

91/C 281/14 No 270/91 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission

Subject: EEC funding for Fit-Finarvedi 8

91/C 281/15 No 295/91 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission

Subject: Promotion of minority languages 9

91/C 281/16 No 381/91 by Mr Jos6 Barros Moura to the Commission
Subject: Proposal for a Directive on a European Works Council 9

91/C 281/17 No 382/91 by Mr Luigi Vertemati to the Council

Subject: Inviolability of the person and freedom of movement in the Baltic States 10

91 /C 281 /18 No 437/91 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Mum to the Commission
Subject: Harmonization of arms policy 11

91/C 281/19 No 440/91 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa-Muru to the Council

Subject: European Community policy in connection with the Middle East 11

91/C 281/20 No 446/91 by Mr Dieter Rogalla to the Commission

Subject: Cooperation with the Economic and Social Committee 12

91/C 281/21 No 515/91 by Mr Henry Chabert to the Commission

Subject: Community policy in the telecommunications sector with regard to Eastern Europe ... 12

91/C 281/22 No 521/91 by Mrs Annemarie Goedmakers to the Commission
Subject: Measures to combat fraud in respect of the EC budget 13

91/C 281/23 No 550/91 by Mr Yvan Blotto the Council

Subject: Relations between the European Community and Yugoslavia 14

91/C 281 /24 No 605/91 by Mr Jose Valverde L6pez to the Commission
Subject: Commission evaluation of the Young Andalusia' programme cofinanced by the
European Social Fund 15

91 /C 281 /25 No 606/91 by Mr Jose Valverde L6pez to the Commission

Subject: EAGGF Guidance Section fraud prevention controls 16

91 /C 281 /26 No 607/91 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission

Subject: ERDF fraud prevention controls 16

91/C 281/27 No 608/91 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject: European Social Fund fraud prevention controls 16

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 606/91, No 607/91 and 608/91 16

Notice N o Contents (continued) Page

9 1 / C 281/28 N o 648/91 by M r Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission

Subject: Need to maintain the social character and purpose of Public Transport and notably the
Greek Urban Transport Service 16

9 1 / C 281/29 N o 667/91 by M r Gordon Adam to the Commission

Subject: Restriction of the use of natural gas in power stations 17

91 / C 281 /30 N o 671/91 by M r Madron Seligman to the Commission

Subject: Wanton cruelty to animals in Spain 17

9 1 / C 281/31 N o 685/91 by M r A r t u r da Cunha Oliveira to the Commission

Subject: Derogations from Community legislation _'._ 18

9 1 / C 281/32 N o 741/91 by M r Karl Partsch to the Commission

Subject: Import of dolphins in breach of Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82 19

9 1 / C 281/33 N o 774/91 by M r Karl von Wogau to the Commission

Subject: Recognition of educational qualifications from the former GDR 19

9 1 / C 2 8 1 / 3 4 N o 783/91 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission

Subject: Tropical birds 20

9 1 / C 281/35 N o 785/91 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission

Subject: Legal action against the improper use of Article 48 (4) of the EEC Treaty . - 20

9 1 / C 2 8 1 / 3 6 N o 792/91 by M r Stephen Hughes to the Commission

Subject: Child abuse 21

9 1 / C 2 8 1 / 3 7 N o 8 0 6 / 9 1 by Mrs Hiltrud Breyer to the Commission

Subject: Research and training projects funded and rejected under the Bridge programme 21

9 1 / C 281/38 N o 817/91 by M r James Ford to the Commission

Subject: Safety regulations for road maintenance and patrol workers 22

91 / C 281 /39 N o 821/91 by M r Thomas Megahy to European Political Cooperation

Subject: Extension of the generalized system of preferences to Central America 22

9 1 / C 281/40 N o 845/91 by M r Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission

Subject: Destruction of a wetland in the prefecture of Argolis 22

9 1 / C 281/41 N o 933/91 by MrFilippos Pierros to the Commission

Subject: Destruction of the Argolis wetlands 23

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 845/91 and N o 933/91 23

9 1 / C 2 8 1 / 4 2 " N o 851/91 by M r Herman Verbeek to the Commission

Subject: Environmental effects of brown coal mining near Mdnchengladbach 23

9 1 / C 281/43 N o 854/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Application of Directive 79/409/EEC: special protection area for the wood-sandpiper
_(tringa glareola)_ 24

9 1 / C 281/44 N o 855/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Application of Directive 79/409/EEC: special protection area for the Dartford warbler
_(sylvia undata)_ 24

(Continued overleaf)

Notice N o Contents (continued) Page

9 1 / C 281/45 N o 856/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Application of Directive 79/409/EEC: special protection area for the blue-throat
_(luscinia svecica)_ 24

9 1 / C 281 /46 N o 857/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Application of Directive 79/409/EEC: special protection area for the Corsican
nuthatch _(sitta whiteheadi)_ 24

9 1 / C 281/47 N o 1049/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC: special protection area for the lesser grey
shrike _(Lanius minor)_ 24

9 1 / C 281/48 N o 1050/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC: special protection area for the red-backed
shrike _(Lanius collurio)_ 24

9 1 / C 281/49 N o 1051/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC: special protection area for the ortolan
bunting _(Emberiza hortulana)_ 25

9 1 / C 281/50 N o 1135/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Special protection area for the grey-headed woodpecker _(Picus_ _canus)_ 25

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 854/91, N o 855/91, N o 856/91, N o 857/91,

N o 1049/91, N o 1050/91, N o 1051/91, N o 1135/81 25

9 1 / C 281/51 N o 868/91 by M r Alonso Puerta to the Commission

Subject: Establishment of the Du Pont multinational corporation in Asturias (Spain) 25

9 1 / C 281/52 N o 874/91 by M r Jose Torres Couto to the Commission

Subject: Proposal for promoting professional mobility and equality of opportunity between men
and women 26

91 / C 281 /53 N o 886/91 by Mrs Imelda Read to the Commission

Subject: Acute human poisoning _27_

9 1 / C 281/54 N o 889/91 by M r Alman Metten to the Commission

Subject: Remuneration of EC officials in a federal Europe _27_

9 1 / C 281/55 N o 895/91 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission

Subject: Government-run youth employment scheme in the Netherlands 28

9 1 / C 281/56 N o 903/91 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission

Subject: Leros rehabilitation centre 28

91 / C 281 /57 N o 905/91 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission

Subject: EC aid for sufferers of rheumatism 29

9 1 / C 281/58 N o 912/91 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission

Subject: Promoting Erasmus 29

9 1 / C 281/59 N o 914/91 by M r Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission

Subject: The Mafia and Community funds 30

9 1 / C 281/60 N o 955/91 by M r Llewellyn Smith to the Commission

Subject: Radioactive waste 30

9 1 / C 281/61 N o 960/91 by M r Llewellyn Smith to the Commission

Subject: Radioactive waste/materials transport 31

Notice N o Contents (continued)

9 1 / C 281/62 N o 962/91 by M r Madron Seligman to the Commission

Subject: Small and medium-sized firms in collaborative research and development programmes 31

9 1 / C 281/63 N o 970/91 by M r Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission

Subject: Position of the national Government regarding the restructuring of mining in Spain 31

9 1 / C 281/64 N o 991/91 by M r Jose Torres Couto to the Commission

Subject: Discrimination against women at work 32

9 1 / C 281/65 N o 997/91 by M r Lyndon Harrison to the Commission

Subject: Pollution at Heswall Beach, Wirral, United Kingdom 33

91 / C 281 /66 N o 999/91 by M r Karel De Gucht to the Commission

Subject: Discrimination in respect of social security contributions by the self-employed . 33

9 1 / C 281/67 N o 1008/91 by M r John McCartin to the Commission

Subject: Minimum wage levels in the textile and clothing sectors 34

9 1 / C 281/68 N o 1041/91 by Mrs Lissy Groner to the Commission

Subject: Creation of a European students' passport as from 1991/92 34

9 1 / C 281/69 N o 1076/91 by M r Edward Kellett-Bowman to the Commission

Subject: UCLAF 35

9 1 / C 281/70 N o 1077/91 by M r Edward Kellett-Bowman to the Commission

Subject: UCLAF 35

9 1 / C 281/71 N o 1078/91 by M r Edward Kellett-Bowman to the Commission

Subject: Staffing of the Commission (UCLAF) 35

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1076/91, N o 1077/91 and 1078/91 35

9 1 / C 2 8 1 / 7 2 N o 1107/91 by M r Dimitrios Dessylas to the Commission

Subject: Subsidies for rice-growers in the prefecture of Serres 35

9 1 / C 281/73 N o 1116/91 by Mrs Concepcio Ferrer to the Commission

Subject: Notification to the Spanish Government with regard to recognition of dentists'
qualifications 36

9 1 / C 281/74 N o 1126/91 by M r Filippos Pierros to the Commission

Subject: Assessment of financial needs of Central and Eastern Europe 36

9 1 / C 281/75 N o 1133/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Special protection area for the European roller _(Coraciasgarrulus)_ 37

91 / C 281 /76 N o 1134/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Special protection area for the European nightjar _(Caprimulgus europaeus)_ 37

9 1 / C 281/77 N o 1293/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC: Special protection area for the collared
flycatcher _(Ficedula albicollis)_ 37

9 1 / C 281/78 N o 1294/91 by M r Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC: Special protection area for the three-toed
woodpecker _(Picoi'des_ _tridactylus)_ 38

(Continued overleaf)

Notice No Contents (continued)

91/C 281/79 No 1295/91 by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC: Special protection area for the
middle-spotted woodpecker _(Dendrocops medius)_ 38

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1133/91, No 1134/91, No 1293/91,
No 1294/91, No 1295/91 38

91/C 281/80 No 1149/91 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission

Subject: The 'dismisser pays' principle 38

91/C 281/81 No 1154/91 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission

Subject: Measures to combat long-term unemployment 39

91/C 281/82 No 1194/91 by Mrs Ria Oomen-Ruijten to the Commission

Subject: Gas grenades off the Belgian coast 39

91/C 281/83 No 1208/91 by Mr Elio Di Rupo to the Commission

Subject: Informing patients and Community coordination in the area of heart surgery and organ
transplants 40

91/C281/84 No 1211/91 by Mr Wilf ried Telkamper to the Commission

Subject: EC contribution to the implementation of the Declaration on the Survival, Protection
and Development of children 40

91/C 281/85 No 1221/91 by Mr Miguel Arias Canete to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of the EEC-Senegal Fisheries Agreement 40

91/C281/86 No 1223/91 by Mr. Miguel Arias Canete to the Commission

Subject: Implementation of the EEC-Angola fisheries Agreement 41

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/1

_(Information)_

##### EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION No 813/90

by Mr Floras Wijsenbeek (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 April 1990)_

(91/C 281/01)

_Subject:_ Amendment of Directive 79/409/EEC

The Commission has stated on previous occasions that a
number of Member States have submitted reasoned

requests that specific species of birds should be added to
Annex II to Directive 79/409/EEC (') of April 1979. The
species concerned are certain corvines, the magpie, the
carrion crow and the jay which, because they frequently
cause damage not only to agriculture but also to other
forms of wildlife, are not considered to be satisfactorily
covered by the exceptions laid down in Article 9 of the
Directive, which have been applicable hitherto.

Can the Commission say which Member States it has so
far received such requests from? When does the
Commission intend to submit a proposal to amend
Directive 79/409/EEC to the Council and Parliament?

O OJ No LI 03, 25. 4. 1979, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 February 1991)_

1. The following Member States have submitted
requests: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France,
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and the
United Kingdom.

2. The Commission would refer the Honourable

Member to its answer to oral question H-1298/90 by Mr
Cassidy during question time at the parliamentary session
in January 1991 _Q)._

(') Debates of the European Parliament, No 3-398 (January
1991).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1917/90

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Foreign Ministers meeting in
European Political Cooperation

_(2_ _August 1990)_

(91/C 281/02)

_Subject:_ Human rights in Ethiopia

What response has the Community received from the
Government of Ethiopia to its various recent
representations on the matter of human rights in that
country?

Answer

_(23 September 1991)_

The Community and its Member States take the view that
the human rights situation in Ethiopia cannot be kept
separate from the question of routing food and
humanitarian aid to and within that country or from the
moves to end the long-lasting civil war which has afflicted
the local population, already sorely hit by drought,
famine and internecine strife.

No C 281/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

In the context of European Political Co-operation, the
Community and its Member States have approached the
Ethiopian Government on many occasions to ensure both
the safe routing of food aid to the areas affected by
famine and the civil war and the free, on-the-spot
distribution of that aid.

At the political level, the Community and its Member
States welcomed the meeting last autumn of the six
countries of IGADD and the efforts by them to improve
their mutual relations in the search for an overall

settlement to the region's problems. With regard to the
continuation of the serious problems threatening Ethiopia
with a tragic legacy of destruction and permanent misery,
the Community and its Member States have emphasized
the need to set the interests of the population above any
political considerations and have called on the parties
concerned to demonstrate their sincerity in the face of the
heavy burdern of responsibility confronting them.

The Presidency would reiterate at this point the
importance attached by the Community and its Member
States to the question of the humanitarian and human
rights problems existing in the whole of the Horn of
Africa in the light of, inter alia, its statements on 24
October 1988 and 20 February 1990.

The Community and its Member States have, since the
spring of 1991, followed with increasing concern the
escalation of the civil war and the unacceptable loss of
human lives and equipment.

For this reason, on 18 April they urged all the parties to
the conflict to work towards bringing about an immediate
and unconditional ceasefire throughout the territory and
the opening or resumption of negotiations on the
substantive problem at issue between all parties involved.
They also advocated the planning of a round table
discussion to prepare transitional arrangements for the
reconciliation of the entire Ethiopian populace, with full
regard for their rights. This call was accompanied by an
appeal to the parties involved to do everything in their
power to guarantee that emergency food and
humanitarian aid was actually distributed to the intended
recipients.

The resolution of the Ethiopian Parliament on 23 April
1991, reflecting the latter's willingness to open peace
negotiations with all opposing groups, in particular by
calling a ceasefire and establishing transitional
arrangements guaranteeing an acceptable political
solution for the entire Ethiopian population, hinted at the
desire to bring about a peaceful end to the civil war and to
seek a negotiated political settlement. It enabled the
Community and its Member States to welcome an
initiative to which all the parties concerned should
respond in a constructive manner.

Following the resignation of President Mengistu, the
Community and its Member States appealed to all the

parties to the conflict to endeavour to achieve a ceasefire
and to play a constructive role in the peace negotiations.
At the same time, they emphasized the need to continue
with humanitarian aid. The Community and its Member
States trust that the likely changes within the Ethiopian
authorities will help to ensure the adoption of a more
moderate policy in the field of human rights and
fundamental freedoms.

They noted with satisfaction the joint communique
published in London on 28 May, together with the
undertakings entered into at that time, and reiterated
their conviction that a negotiated solution acceptable to
all the parties concerned would alone guarantee peace,
stability and economic and social development in
Ethiopia.

Referring to the undertakings enshrined in the Lome
Convention, the Community and its Member States
expressed their conviction that economic aid for Ethiopia
would be all the more effective if democratic institutions

were quickly established and expressed the hope that the
provisional administration would honour its undertakings
regarding human rights and the country's gradual
democratization. They also stated their willingness to
support any appropriate organized process for political
negotiation and electoral consultation. Finally, they
confirmed their undertaking to meet humanitarian
requirements, while re-emphasizing the need to ensure
recipients free access to aid.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2085/90

by Mrs Pauline Green (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 September 1990)_

(91/C 281/03)

_Subject:_ Employer and public liability insurance

Can the Commission detail the law in each of the Member

States regarding employer and public liability insurance?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 January 1991)_

Various systems of employer and public liability insurance
have been established in the Member States. Injuries

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/3

arising in the course of employment are in most cases
covered by social security systems.

Where private insurers are permitted to provide such
cover as a replacement for, or in addition to, that
provided by the social security institutions, they are
required to comply with the rules laid down by the public
authorities in this field, particularly as regards conditions
of cover, exclusions and the rights of injured persons and
third parties.

The Honourable Member is asked to refer to the answer

given by the Commission to Written Question No 877/86
by Mr Fitzgerald ('), which also concerned employer
liability insurance.

( [l] ) OJNoC 117,4.5.1987.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2495/90

by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(16 November 1990)_

(91/C 281/04)

_Subject:_ Compliance by Spain with the Directive fixing
guidelines for the assessment of additives in
animal nutrition

Council Directive 87/153/EEC of 16 February 1987
fixing guidelines for the assessment of additives in animal
nutrition (') is of great economic, social and
environmental significance. What information does the
Commission have concerning implementation of and
compliance with this Directive in Spain?

(') OJ No L 64, 7. 3. 1987, p. 19.

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 January 1991)_

According to information received by the Commission,
Council Directive 87/153/EEC and, more generally,
Council Directive 70/524/EEC concerning additives in
feedingstuffs (') are being applied in Spain ( [2] ). The latter
Directive lays down a Community procedure for dealing
with applications for the authorization of additives which
Spain is actively following, itself initiating various

measures.

(') OJNoL270, 14. 12. 1970.
( [2] ) Boletin Oficial del Estado (B.O.E.) No 75 of 28. 3. 1987,

p. 35141.
Boletin Oficial del Estado (B.O.E.) No 92 of 16. 4. 1988,
p. 11623.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2588/90

by Mr Ian White (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(20 November 1990)_

(91/C 281/05)

_Subject:_ The Council's declaration on the environment

In the urgent declaration on the environment which it
adopted in June the Council expresses its concern at the
continuing rapid destruction of tropical rain forests.
Could the Commission draw up a list of all the countries
which have tropical rain forests and which receive aid
from the Community, all current and proposed projects
which are being or will be carried out in those countries
using Community aid, specifying the amount of
Community aid in each case?

Answer given by Mr Matutes
on behalf of the Commission

_(18 September 1991)_

The Commission is sending directly to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat of Parliament a table

containing the information requested.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2589/90

by Mr Ian White (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(20 November 1990)_

(91/C 281/06)

_Subject:_ Complaints to the Commission

In view of its answer to my Written Question
No 184/90 ('), can the Commission say whether it really
does not know the number of specialists on its staff in
each DG responsible for checking the application of
Community law?

Can it say how many teams are responsible for examining
the seven complaints lodged in the field of competition,
the 198 complaints regarding agriculture and the 465
involving the environment, and how many legal experts
there are in these teams?

(') OJ No C 190, 30.7.1990, p. 18.

No C 281/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(10 July_ _1991)_

The Commission is not unaware of the number of staff

responsible for monitoring the application of Community
law, a function which does indeed involve checking
complaints, but also, when it comes to detecting
infringements, monitoring cases which come to light
automatically and progress in the incorporation of
directives in national law, plus, of course, managing
infringement proceedings. As the Commission said in its
answer to the Honourable Member's Written Question
No 184/90, considering and following up complaints are
therefore only part of the work of the teams responsible
for monitoring the application of Community law in
each directorate-general or department concerned.
Consequently there are no officials concerned solely with
handling complaints. It should also be noted that:

— as the teams in question generally perform a
coordinating function, it is usually up to the
departments responsible for the substance of
complaints to examine them;

— the Legal Service is involved at several stages in the
procedure;

— the Secretariat-General is responsible for overall
coordination;

— the number of members of staff assigned to a
particular case therefore depends on the type and
complexity of the case involved.

Subject to the above, the Commission is able to say that
the composition of the teams responsible for coordinating
the monitoring of the application of Community law in
the fields referred to by the Honourable Member is as
follows:

— competition: 10 staff, including 4 lawyers;

— agriculture: 17 staff, including 10 lawyers;

— the environment: 18 staff, including 10 lawyers.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2670/90

by Mrs Marlene Lenz (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 December_ _1990)_

(91/C 281/07)

_Subject:_ Setting up of a Committee to liaise between the
Commission and independent campaigns in the
fight against poverty

Acting on the recommendation made at a colloquy held in
Brussels from 22 to 24 June 1989 and attended by some 80
individuals, the Commission has directed an eight-man

panel of experts to set up a committee in December 1990,
in return for Ecu 335 618,16, to liaise between the
Commission and the anti-poverty campaigns that are
active in the Member States. The panel would bring this to
the attention of all NGOs and organize discussions on as
broad a basis as possible. A general meeting and two
preparatory sessions would be held in each country;
minutes would be submitted to the Commission and be

discussed with it every six weeks.

1. On the basis of what Council decision or as part of
what Commission programme was the mandate to set
up a liaison committee given?

2. Has the Commission been furnished with proof, as
agreed, that the project has been discussed in all the
Member States?

3. Does the Commission view the liaison committee as a

tool in connection with anti-poverty programmes for
which it is responsible, or as a European network,
building on local, regional and national networks, in
the struggle for a more effective European policy on
poverty?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(13 June_ _1991)_

1. As part of its concern that the disadvantaged and
similar social groups should play a part in the political life
of the Community, Parliament has demonstrated its
resolve to support the development of a structure for
dialogue with NGOs (*).

In response to Parliament's wishes, the Commission has
taken the initial step of consulting experts from voluntary
organizations in the twelve Member States on the
setting-up and the future role of a liaison committee
bringing together the various voluntary organizations
engaged in the fight against poverty.

The eighty experts attended a seminar in June 1989, where
they expressed wholehearted support for the
Commission's initiative and defined the tasks of the

liaison committee (see point 3).

In response to the experts' recommendations, the
Commission gave its support to a provisional working
party — made up of experts from voluntary organizations
— which was appointed by those taking part in the
seminar to prepare the ground for the setting-up of the
liaison committee.

2. The interim report of the provisional working party,
published on 30 September 1990, described the
preparatory work which had been carried out in each
Member State.

The Commission has been monitoring closely the
progress of these discussions: the task of making contact
with voluntary agencies has proved to be much more
complicated than expected because there are so many of

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/5

them and they have such different ways of operating.
Coordination at national level has begun in all Member
States and will be continued and given fresh impetus.

3. The task of the liaison committee — as defined by
the experts who met in June 1989 — is to represent, at
European level, the voluntary organizations engaged in
the fight against poverty on all matters which might have
an effect on poverty.

The committee will thus add a new dimension to the

debate on poverty and invigorate the policies to counter it.
This initiative is consistent with the Commission's

fundamental principle for effective action against poverty,
i.e. the forging of a partnership between all those
involved, in both public and private sectors and at local,
national and Community level.

(') Cf. Amendments to the 1989 budget (granting of an extra 1
ECU million — amendment No 501, PE 125.916/501), to the
1990 budget (amendment No 317, PE 133.258) and to the
draft budget for 1991 (amendment No 755, PE 143.580/755).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2684/90

by Mrs Ursula Schleicher (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 December 1990)_

(91/C281/08)

_Subject:_ Pesticide residues in European wines

According to press reports (VWD, 24 September 1990),
the United States has blocked imports of 37 French, 11
Italian, and one Spanish wine because they contain small
quantities of a pesticide currently under review by the
American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The
substance concerned is Procimidone, a pesticide
manufactured by the Japanese Sumtomo Chemical Corp.
and licensed for use in Europe.

1. How does the Commission view the American

actions ?

2. Is it acquainted with the findings of the laboratory
tests which have given rise to American misgivings?

3. Which substances may be used in the Community for
spraying grapes?

4. Are there rules laying down maximum limits for
residues, as there are in the case of fruit and
vegetables?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(15 March 1991)_

1. The Commission has been concerned about the

disruption to the Community's normal wine trade over

the US imposition of a ban on the import of any
wine containing measurable traces of the pesticide
procymidone even where those levels found are safe. The
Commission, in consultation with the Council, is
committed to ensure resumption of normal trade as
quickly as possible and to this end has made repeated
representations at various levels to the appropriate
authorities of the United States, sent Community
scientists to confer with US scientists on the toxicology of
the pesticide, and submitted detailed comments on a US
Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the subject.

On 20 February 1991, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule in the Federal
Register (Vol.56, No. 34, pp6821) to establish a
four-year time limited tolerance of 7 parts per million for
procymidone residues in or on wine grapes grown prior to
1 January 1990. If implemented, the final rule, expected in
April ('), will have the effect of restoring to normal the
trade in pre-1990 vintage wines. Therefore, the proposal
is broadly welcomed by the Commission. Nevertheless,
the Commission holds the view that there are sufficient

and reliable data to set a permanent tolerance on wine
grapes, without limit on the year they are grown. These
comments will be expressed to the EPA within the
prescribed comment period.

2. The Commission has examined the scientific data

package in collaboration with the Member States* The
data package has proved sufficient and reliable for 26
countries around the world including all wine producing
Member States, to authorize its use. Furthermore, the
Joint FAO/WHO meeting on pesticide Residues (JMPR),
which serves as the scientific advisory body to the
Codex Alimentarius Commission cleared procymidone
toxicologically in 1989 ( [2] ). Nevertheless, the dossier does
not comply in all respects with current Environment
Protection Agency (EPA) requirements, especially
protocols, for the establishment of residue tolerances.
This is not entirely surprising as the procymidone data
package was developed for regulatory purposes in
countries outside the United States.

3. In the absence of harmonised Community
legislation on the authorization of plant protection
products, authorization of such products is subject to
national rules. In this respect, the Commission made an
amended proposal to Council on 16 February 1989
concerning the placing of EEC accepted plant protection
on the market ( [J] ). This proposal is still under examination
by the Council. According to information available to the
Commission, a number of plant protection products, in
addition to procymidone, are authorized in Member
States, which include Benomyl, Captan, Chlorothalonil
Dichlofluanid, Folpet, Iprodione, Thiophanate methyl,
Thiram Vinclozolin.

4. In the case of Procymidone, Member States have
fixed residue tolerances for a range _of_ crops and the

No C 281/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10.91

Commission, in the framework of its harmonisation
programme, expects shortly to make proposals for
Community maximum residue levels on grapes in line
with those recommended by the JMPR.

(') The Commission will inform Parliament as soon as the Final
Rule is published.
O FAO/WHO (1989) Pesticide residues in food — 1988.
Report of the Joint meeting of the FAO Working Party of
Experts on Pesticide Residues and the WHO Expert
Committee on Pesticide Residues, Rome; Food and
Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO Plant
Production and Protection Paper 99).
O OJNoC89, 10.4. 1989.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2928/90

by Mr Antoni Gutierrez Diaz (GUE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11_ _January 1991)_

(91/C 281/09)

_Subject:_ Gerona by-pass (Catalonia — Spain)

The projected route of the Gerona by-pass, on which
work has now commenced on instructions from the

Ministry of Public Works, will lead to serious damage
affecting natural resources, the environment and the local
inhabitants.

Can the Commission make representations to the
competent authorities with a view to obtaining more
detailed information on the measures which they intend
to adopt to protect the environment and interests of the
inhabitants affected and to establish whether they are
fully complying with the provisions of Council Directive
85/337/EEC (') on the assessment of the effects of
certain public and private projects on the environment?

(') OJNoLl75,5.7. 1985, p. 40.

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(7May 1991)_

The Commission would be grateful if the Honourable
Member could let it have any relevant information in his
possession concerning this matter.

The Commission will then certainly ask the Spanish
authorities to comment on the situation referred to by the
Honourable Member, with particular reference to the
compliance of the project with the provisions of Directive
85/337/EEC.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 64/91

byMrPoIMarck(PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 February 1991)_

(91/C281/10)

_Subject:_ The Europe-wide 'Entente Florale' competition

Is it true that the French organizer of this competition
received a subsidy within the framework of the European
Year of Tourism?

If so, how much did the subsidy amount to, and was it a
one-off payment?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha
on behalf of the Commission

_(2_ _August 1991)_

The 'Comite francais pour le fleurissement' did indeed
receive financial assistance from the Commission as the

coordinator of the 'Entente Florale' competition, in which
several Member States took part.

The assistance, amounting to ECU 4 000, was granted as
part of the European Year of Tourism for promoting a
European flower decoration competition (held in 1990)
and launching a series of European flower decoration
campaigns.

The countries concerned currently intend to continue this
scheme.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 83/91

by Mrs Carmen Diez de Rivera Icaza (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 February 1991)_

(91/C281/11)

_Subject:_ Dumping of used oil and sewage in small islands

Small islands in the Community face enormous problems
in applying and complying with Directive 75/439/EEC (')
and 80/68/EEC ( [2] ), because of the extremely high cost to
the local authorities, which is out of proportion to the size
of the fixed population, even though this increases
considerably in the tourist season. This leads to the
problem of illegal dumps for rubbish and other dangerous
and polluting substances.

On Minorca (Autonomous Community of the Balearic
Islands), several illegal open pits have recently been
discovered where heavy oils and sewage have been
dumped.

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/7

At the moment, Minorca has 300 000 litres of used oil
stored in barrels, with no treatment plant on the island.

1. Is the Commission aware that these illegal pits for the
dumping of used oil have a serious effect on the
environment, as well as posing a considerable risk of
infection?

2. Does the Commission believe that, in the absence of
purification plants and/or mains drainage, the system
of septic tanks and/or cesspools and subsequent
emptying and dumping in open pits is a satisfactory
method of dealing with waste?

3. What action and aid can the Commission suggest to
ensure that the authorities of small Community
islands are able to comply with the above Community
regulations?

(') OJ No L 194, 25. 7. 1975, p. 23.
O OJNoL20,26. 1.1980, p. 43.

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(16 May 1991)_

1. The Commission recognizes that the illegal
dumping of used oil in pits is damaging to the
environment and therefore infringes Directive
87/101/EEC O of 22 December 1986 amending
Directive 75/439/EEC on the disposal of waste oils, and
more specifically Articles 3 (3), 4 (b) and 5 (2) thereof:

— the first of these lays down that when the final
disposal of oils involves their destruction, this must be
carried out safely and storage or tipping must be
controlled;

— the second bans any deposit and/or discharge of waste
oils harmful to the soil and any uncontrolled
discharge of residues resulting from the processing of
waste oils;

— the third lays down that where the Directive's
objectives cannot otherwise be attained — and this
does appear to be the case here — Member States
must take the necessary measures to ensure that one or
more undertakings carry out the collection of waste
oils.

2. Until the Council adopts the proposal for a directive
concerning municipal waste water treatment (COM(89)
518 final) ( [2] ) there will be no Community legislation in
this area.

The proposal suggests that septic tanks or cesspools might
be a suitable means of disposal for municipalities of less
than 2 000 population equivalent (p.e.) where waste
waters are discharged into fresh water, and for
municipalities of less than 10 000 p.e. where waste waters

are discharged into seawater. In all other circumstances
primary treatment plants at least will be needed.

It is also proposed that 'sludge arising from waste water
treatment shall be recycled whenever possible. When used
for agricultural purposes, use shall take place in
conformity with the provisions of Directive
86/278/EEC ( [3] ). Disposal routes shall minimize the
effects on the environment' (Article 13(1)).

3. As regards aid to municipalities, the Commission
would first of all draw attention to the principle that the
polluter pays, which means that the population concerned
should bear the cost of treatment.

Of the various Community funds and financial
instruments, the ERDF (under Objective No 1 and, in
certain circumstances, Objective 5 b), Envireg and
Medspa may be invoked in respect of the respective
eligible areas.

The European Investment Bank may also provide loans,
the environment being a priority feature of its current

programme.

The Directive on the disposal of waste oils makes no
provision for the granting of aid to municipalities, though
the new Articles 14 and 15 do stipulate how collection
and/or disposal businesses may be eligible for indemnities
for the service rendered. This system could make the
collection and disposal of these oils profitable, even if the
cost is high, as in the case referred to by the Honourable
Member.

O OJNoL42,12.2.1987.
O OJNoC 1,4.1.1990.
O OJNoL 181,4.7.1986.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 125/91

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11 February 1991)_

(91/C281/12)

_Subject:_ Measures for the protection of wetlands

According to reliable reports in a Greek newspaper, the
Commission has drawn attention to serious delays in
designating specially protected areas in line with Directive
79/409/EEC (') as regards the creation of biotopes for
wild birds. Despite the fact that Greece has ratified the
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands _oi_ International

Importance and has defined 11 such areas, it has failed to
take action in this sector.

No C 281/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

How does the Commission intend to deal with these

infringements and ensure the protection of wetlands,
given that saltmarshes, lakes and estuaries in Greece are
nesting-grounds for rare species of birds?

(') OJ No L 3, 25.4. 1979, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 April 1991)_

Greece has communicated 11 wetlands of international

importance (under the Ramsar Convention) as specially
protected areas pursuant to "Article 4 of Directive
79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds, but the
Commission has had to take infringement proceedings
against that country because there is an insufficient
number of specially protected areas there at present, and
their boundaries have not been communicated.

The Commission has also started infringement
proceedings in respect of certain wetlands regarded as
being among the most threatened, as Greece has not taken
appropriate measures to prevent pollution and the
deterioration of habitats in those areas.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 131/91

by Mr Madron Seligman (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11 February 1991)_

(91/C281/13)

_Subject:_ Expropriation of property on racial grounds

A constituent of mine, a former judge who holds a British
passport, built a house in Kyrenia, Cyprus and lived there
happily for some 25 years. When Turkish forces entered
Cyprus in 1974, he was forced to flee and leave all his
possessions behind.

His claim to the Turkish Cypriot authorities for
compensation was rejected on the somewhat spurious
grounds that he had originally been an Armenian.

It is recognized that the Commission does not have
competence to intervene in the dispute between Turkey
and Greece over Cyprus. However, it is to be hoped that
the Commission would be willing to express in the
strongest terms its condemnation of the expropriation by
any country of the assets of a law-abiding citizen, whether
on racial or other grounds.

Answer given by Mr Matutes
on behalf of the Commission

_(1_ _August 1991)_

The Commission does not have any information
concerning the expropriation of property by the Turkish
Cypriot authorities on racial grounds.

The Commission condemns any form of racial
discrimination.

The Members of Parliament are well acquainted with the
Commission's position on the partition of Cyprus and,
the effects which this has had. The Commission hopes
that, under the auspices of the United Nations
Secretary-General, a solution in accordance with the
United Nations Resolution can be reached.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 270/91

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini (NI)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 March 1991)_

(91/C281/14)

_Subject:_ EEC funding for Fit-Finarvedi

Finarvedi is to obtain funding from the EEC to the tune
of Lit 123 billion, with a commitment to take on 710
workers. This funding was originally offered to Fit, which
kept its 2 400 strong workforce on short-time money for
three years, without honouring the debts incurred.

How much has Finarvedi obtained from the EEC?

Does the EEC stipulate that the amounts earmarked for
the closure of iron and steel centres should only be used
for contractors and not the skilled workers who are owed

money?

Who is responsible for supervising the obligations which
firms contract with the EEC?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert
on behalf of the Commission

_(26 July 1991)_

As part of its proposed takeover of Fit, Finarvedi
submitted to the Commission in 1987 a plan for the
conversion and rationalization of Fit's works. This

involved a total investment of Lit 140 200 million and the

re-employment of 710 former Fit employees (who would
have been without jobs if the plan had not succeeded).

For this plan the Commission has granted a loan,
repayable at market rates, of Lit 33 000 million under the

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/9

ECSC conversion loan arrangements. This is to be paid
through three Italian financial intermediaries and will
carry an interest-rate subsidy of Ecu 2 130 000.

The latter will not be paid until Finarvedi provides proof
that it has actually re-employed the 710 former Fit
workers.

The Commission has also granted a non-repayable aid of
Ecu 1 908 446 under Article 56 (2) subparagraph (b), of
the ECSC Treaty for the vocational retraining of 350
ex-Fit employees who will be reabsorbed by Finarvedi.
This aid will be paid, once an account of expenditure has
been submitted, through the Italian Ministry of
Employment which will also contribute to the cost of
training an amount at least equivalent to that of the aid.

ECSC conversion loans are intended solely to finance
investment to create jobs in areas affected by the
restructuring of the coal and steel industries.

ECSC retraining aid is intended to finance the cost of
retraining of the workers concerned.

The Commission works with the relevant intermediary
financial institutions to ensure the obligations entered
into by firms granted ECSC conversion loans are
respected.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 295/91

by Mrs Raymonde Dury (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 March 1991)_

(91/C281/15)

_Subject:_ Promotion of minority languages

The Commission has funds intended to encourage the use
of the mass media to promote and disseminate the less
widely spoken languages. In a reply to Written Question
No 362/90 O Mr Dondelinger, Member of the
Commission, announced the Commission's intention of
supporting projects by a number of periodicals and
publications aimed at promoting minority languages.

Have applications been received concerning the
promotion of the Walloon language? Under what
circumstances would such applications be entertained?

(') OJNoC 325,24. 12. 1990, p. 10.

Answer given by Mr Dondelinger
on behalf of the Commission

_(12 July 1991)_

The Commission does have funds, albeit very limited, to
promote dissemination of the less widely spoken
languages and their use by the media.

Two applications concerning Walloon have been
submitted to the Commission in past years, but, since they
did not meet the required criteria (status of dialect
language), action was taken.

Since the Council of the French-speaking community of
Belgium adopted a decree on 14 November 1990 defining
the status of Walloon dialect languages, assistance for
broadcasting projects may be applied for under budget
item 1006 or the Babel (Broadcasting Across the Barriers
of European Languages) Fund.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 381/91

by Mr Jose Barros Moura (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_' (7March 1991)_

(91/C281/16)

_Subject:_ Proposal for a Directive on a European Works
Council

On page 9 of COM(90) 0581 final it is stated that
'According to statistics for 1986, large businesses (i.e.
those with more than 500 employees) accounted for less
than 1 % of the total number of firms, but provided 28 %
of employment'.

It is now essential to gauge, with the greatest possible
degree of accuracy, the impact that the proposed
Directive, and the future European Works Councils,
will have on 'Community-scale' undertakings or
conglomerates, i.e. those 'with at least 1 000 employees
within the Community and with at least two
establishments in different Member States each

employing at least 100 employees'.

It would also be interesting to know why the Commission
has decided to select such low firm-size limits instead of

setting a relatively high threshold.

Given that, at the meeting of the Committee on Social
Affairs held on 30 January 1991, the Commission was
unable to answer a Member's question on that point, can
it now give at least a rough indication of how many
'Community-scale' undertakings or conglomerates, as
defined in the proposal for a directive, exist in the

^oCM^tBlO official journal of the European communities ^ 1 0 ^ 1

Community and how many workers they employ,
specifying,where possible, the countries of domicile, the
number of establishments in each member ^tate, and the
number of employees working at each of those
establishments^

A ^ ^ ^ ^ e ^ b y l v ^ P a ^ a ^ d r e o u
G8 behalf oftheCo^^ssio^

In the Commissions view there are two reasons for

settingthe two thresholds.

Mrst, the commission plans to coveronly large firms. The
threshold of 1000 workers employed byafirm or group
of firms is therefore the same as those laid down inthe

amended proposal of t^ August t^^forafifthiairective
concerning the structure of public limited companies and
the powers and obligations of their organs ^^ and in the
amended proposal of l^julyl^^^foraCouncilL^irective
onprocedures forinformingandconsultingemployees
of firms with a complex structure, in particular
transnational^.

second, the proposal affects only firms or groups of firms
operating Communitywide.The Commission considers
that firms or groups of firms which have only smalPscale
establishments in another^viember^tateshouldnotbe

required to set upaworks council unless there are at least
two establishments, orin the caseofagroup two firms,
employinglOO workers,this being the average threshold
in the member states.

In giving priority to transnational situations, the
C^ommissionisreaffirming the principle of subsidiarity^
the proposed directive would regulate at community
levelonlythosematters which, giventhenature of the
firms concerned, cannot be regulated by member states.

Inthe absence of specific statistics on firms and groups
covered by the proposal, the commission does not have
any precise information on the number of establishments
and workers concerned.

Togivesome indication, the 65 biggestemployers in the
C^ommunity,which are not necessarily all transnationals,
employ over^^!5 000 workers, and this includes the ^5
largest firms, mostly multinationals,with over5million
workers.

^eoj^oer^o,^m^
^ e e j ^ o C ^ m ^ m ^

w ^ ^ T T E ^ ^ ^ T ^ ^ ^ o 3 ^ ^ B ^ t

by^rLui^iVertemaU^

to theCour^cilofthe European Communities

^ ^ c r . Inviolability of the person and freedom of
movementin the Baltic states

A tense and difficult situation has arisen in the Baltic

states, and the climate of intolerance is continuing to

worsen.

Two^wedish tradeunionists, Bertij^inbergand C^ve
Rredriksson, have been beaten to death inTallinn.

^ h a t steps will the Council therefore take to guarantee
the safety of all those intending to visit the Baltic states to
investigate the situation and express their solidarity^

secondly, whatrepresentations have been made to the
Estonian and soviet authorities withaview to identifying
the perpetrators ofthe unlawful killings^

Answer

ImmediatelyafterthetragiceventsinTallin and Riga, the
community and its member states, referring in particular
to the commitments given inthe Charter of Paris fora
^ew Europe, condemned the use of force. They have
insisted that the situation should not continue under any
circumstances,nor should it spill overinto the other Baltic
states.

In the same spirit they have also decided to implement the
first stage of the C^C^E machinery on the human
dimension.

The Community and its member states deplore the death
of two Swedish trade unionists inTallin.They consider,
nevertheless, that it is primarily for the Swedish
(Government to raise this matter bilaterallywith the soviet
authorities and to take what further action it deems

necessary.

The community and its member states have taken note
of the resolve of the soviet authorities concerned to

refrain from the use of force and to conduct judicial
enquiries,particularly into the events inTallin lending
the outcome of the enquiries being carried out into all the
incidents which have occurred in the region, they will
continue to keepaclose watch on the situation inthe
Baltic states andremaindetermined todemand respect
for the ^ C E principles,and, more generally,for human
rights.

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities N o C 281/11

WRITTEN QUESTION No 437/91

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11 March 1991)_

(91/C 281/18)

_Subject:_ Harmonization of arms policy

What action does the European Community propose to
take to speed up the process of harmonizing policy on
arms production?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 August 1991)_

Member States have interpreted Article 223 of the EEC
Treaty to mean that their defence industry is entirely
exempt from Community rules, whereas, under that
Article, an individual Member State has the right to
introduce legislation on the production of and trade in
arms only in the case of 'such measures as it considers
necessary for the protection of the essential interests of its
security' and strictly on condition that such measures
'shall not adversely affect the conditions of competition in
the common market regarding products which are not
intended for specifically military purposes'.

The result of this interpretation is that different national
rules govern such production and trade.

The defence industry plays a fundamental role in the
technological level achieved by Europe's industrial base
within the meaning of Article 130 f of the Treaty as
amended by the Single Act, which states that the
Community's aim will be 'to strengthen the scientific and
technological basis of European industry and to
encourage it to become more competitive at international
level'. In spite of its small output share, this sector attracts
substantial R&D resources, both public and private, and
represents a crucial segment in industrial activities that
play a strategic role in the worldwide competitiveness of
European industry, as is the case with aerospace and
electronics.

Therefore, the ongoing downward revision of defence
budgets, resulting from the global revaluation of security
needs in Western Europe, will have an impact on the
technological level and the competitiveness of European
industries. The size and nature of such impact are being
examined by the Commission. Policy guidelines designed
to support defence-related industries in order to ease their
conversion into civil activities are also being given
attention. One form of support that may be envisaged at
this stage is the promotion of R&D projects in areas of
dual-use technology.

As regards the immediate future, the Community budget
for 1991 makes provision, at the initiative of Parliament,

for ECU 40 million to finance measures in regions
affected 'by the exceptional events of 1990' (Perifra). The
'conversion of military installations in connection with
disarmament agreements' is included among those events.
Member States have therefore been invited by the
Commission to submit small-scale demonstration projects
for grants not exceeding ECU 4 million.

It was with two aims in mind that the Commission

embarked on the process of harmonizing arms production
policies: firstly, the complete achievement, without
restriction, of the objective set for 1992; secondly, the
implementation of a common foreign and security policy
(CFSP) in accordance with the guidelines issued by the
Rome II European Council. In order to achieve those
aims, the Commission included specific provisions — in
particular, the repeal of Article 223 and the drawing up of
a common R&D and arms production policy — in the
proposed section on common external policy in the draft
Union Treaty, which it approved on 27 February 1991 and
distributed to the Intergovernmental Conference an
Political Union.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 440/91

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa-Muru (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(11 March 1991)_

(91/C281/19)

_Subject:_ European Community policy in connection with
the Middle East

Do the various measures taken by the European
Community over the last month in respect of certain
Middle Eastern countries have some connection with the

human rights situation in those countries, or do they
relate solely to their governments' position on the Gulf
War?

Answer

_(19 September 1991)_

The various measures taken by the Community and its
Member States in the context of the Gulf crisis, in support
of Security Council action, to assist various Middle
Eastern countries and the Palestinians in the occupied
territories, go hand in hand with their efforts to further
human rights.

In accordance with the Foreign Ministers' declaration of
21 July 1986, the Community and its Member States

No C 281/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

reaffirm that respect for human rights is an important
element in their relations with third countries. This

declaration remains the basis for the Community's
position on human rights.

The European Council reiterated that position on 28 and
29 June 1991 in Luxembourg in the Declaration on
Human Rights which it adopted. Moreover, in the more
specific context of redirecting the Mediterranean policy,
at its meeting on 18 and 19 December 1990 the Council
adopted a statement stressing the fundamental
importance the Community attached to respect for human
rights and the promotion of democratic values. The
authorities of the third countries concerned are well

aware of the position of the Community and its Member
States in this matter and of the importance they attach to
this question in their foreign relations.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 446/91

by Mr Dieter Rogalla _(S}_

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11 March 1991)_

(91/C 281/20)

_Subject:_ Cooperation with the Economic and Social
Committee

1. How successful does the Commission consider its

current cooperation with the 'consultative body the
Economic and Social Committee to be (Article 4 (2) of the
EEC Treaty)?

2. In how many cases, in percentage or absolute terms,
has the Commission found it possible, in drawing up EC
legislation, to follow the suggestions given by the
Economic and Social Committee in its opinion, and to
what extent?

3. Can the Commission confirm that the division of the

Economic and Social Committee into three socially
relevant groups — employers, employees and others —
guarantees that the opinions of the Economic and Social
Committee represent balanced views and that this link
between the interests of various sections of society and
the legal instruments of the Community will be preserved
in the future institutional configuration of the EC?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 July 1991)_

1. The Commission considers that its current

cooperation with the Economic and Social Committee is

successful and useful to both parties. Two years ago it
introduced procedures to improve the cooperation.

2. More than one third of the opinions delivered by the
Committee fully endorse Commission proposals. Almost
all the other opinions, while supporting the substance of
Commission proposals, contain comments on and
criticism of the proposed measures or the criteria applied.
Account is taken of these comments in many cases, often
at the same time as Parliament's amendments. Less than

5% of the Committee's opinions are unfavourable to
Commission proposals.

3. The division of the Economic and Social Committee

into three groups was decided internally by the
Committee and takes account of the need to

accommodate interests other than those expressed by the
two sides of industry represented on the employers' and
workers' groups.

With regard to the Committee's role in the Community's
institutional configuration, the Commission recently
tabled a document at the Intergovernmental Conference
on Political Union with the aim of enhancing the status of
the Committee and its members (').

This would expressly give the Committee the status of an
institution by an appropriate amendment to Article 4 of
the EEC Treaty.

The Committee's greater independence should also be
reflected in entitling it to draw up its own rules of
procedure and in recognizing the existing practice of
own-initiative opinions.

This proposed new balance requires Parliament, the
Council and the Commission to be able to consult the

Committee where they consider it useful.

(') SEC(91)670.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 515/91

by Mr Henry Chabert (RDE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(26 March 1991)_

(91/C281/21)

_Subject:_ Community policy in the telecommunications
sector with regard to Eastern Europe

It is difficult, amid the wealth of agreements, aid
programmes and guarantees granted by the Community
to the various countries of Eastern Europe, to obtain a

28. 10.91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/13

clear and exact overview of the Commission's long-term
intentions and objectives in these countries.

Bilateral agreements are also increasingly being signed in
this sector.

Telecommunications represent a vital link on which the
development of the countries of Eastern Europe depends.

Telecommunications infrastructures may also shape the
industrial landscape of Eastern Europe.

Can the Commission give a concise overview of the
guiding principles behind the Community's policy on
telecommunications in these countries?

What priorities have been laid down in respect of each
country? How do these priorities relate to those applied to
the telecommunications sector within the Community?

What criteria were applied for determining the various
types of activity and aid granted to these countries in this
sector?

How were these criteria selected and drawn up?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 July 1991)_

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's

appreciation that high quality telecommunications are of
vital importance for the development of the countries of
Central and Eastern Europe, and that they may shape
their industrial reform.

The main lines of Community policy with regard to
Central and Eastern Europe in the field of Telecommunications are as follows:

— assistance with regulatory and organizational reform
based on the Community Green Book on Telecommunications, reinforcement of strategic planning
capabilities and mastering of telecommunication
management in the new economic environment;

— promotion of active participation in the European
standardization mechanism and application of
international standards;

— assistance with planning and improvement of
telecommunications networks and services, in close
coordination with the financing institutions (EIB,
EBRD).

Under the PHARE heading (financial aid for economic
restructuring), several of the countries have already

requested technical assistance from the Community in
this respect and the following projects have been decided:

— Development of Rural Telecommunication in Poland
(Ecu 6 million), 1990 budget;

— Modem telecommunications in Bulgaria (Ecu 3
million);

— Technical assistance to the Polish telecommunication

sector (Ecu 5 million), both from the 1991 budget.

Further technical assistance projects are under
preparation at national or regional level.

As to the criteria applied, these are the ones valid for all
Phare projects, namely, the contribution to economic
reform and structural adjustment.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 521/91

by Mrs Annemarie Goedmakers (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(26 March 1991)_

(91/C 281/22)

_Subject:_ Measures to combat fraud in respect of the EC
budget

Member States are required to give the same priority to
combating fraud in respect of the EC budget as to
combating fraud at the expense of the national budget
(judgment of the Court of Justice in Case 68/88).

In the Netherlands an increase has been reported in the
number of cases of social security fraud detected through
the systematic exchange of data between tax offices, social
services, industrial insurance boards and other benefit
agencies (report in the Volkskrant, 8 February 1991).

1. Does the Commission agree that linking up the data
held by the EAGGF Guarantee Fund payment bodies
to that of the national tax authorities may contribute
to effectively combating EAGGF Guarantee fraud?

2. Does it know whether the Netherlands has linked the

data held by the EAGGF Guarantee Fund payment
bodies to that of the tax authorities in this way? If so,
what results have been achieved? If not, why not?

No C 281/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

3. Does it agree that, in the light of the Court's
judgment, the Netherlands authorities have a duty to
apply the same principles to combating EC fraud as
they do to measures to combat social security fraud?

4. What experiences have the Member States had in
linking the data of the payment bodies to that of
national tax authorities with a view to the detection of

agricultural fraud?

5. What action does the Commission intend to take

against governments which, despite positive
experiences in combating fraud in respect of their
national budgets, do not apply the same instruments
for combating fraud at the expense of the EC budget?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(10 July 1991)_

The Commission was very interested in the information
contained in the article quoted by the Honourable
Member. It notes the successes recorded in combating
social security fraud through the systematic exchange of
information between the tax inspection authorities and
the social security authorities.

In general, these successes underline the advantages to be
derived from developing cooperation and the exchange of
information between departments; the Commission made
the same point in its annual report on combating fraud.

In the specific instance of social security, the link between
benefits and the recipient's income may warrant the
systematic exchange of information in the possession of
the relevant authorities.

Agricultural subsidies from the EAGGF Guarantee Fund,
by contrast, generally related to objective features such as
premiums per hectare, the export of produce or
processing aids, which are not income-related. Thus, an
approach which works in the social security field cannot
simply be transferred _mutatis mutandis_ to the EAGGF
Guarantee Fund.

However, where the grant of a national benefit similar in
type and extent to a Community benefit is covered by
specific monitoring provisions, such as the systematic
exchange or collection of information possessed by
various departments in a Member State, the Commission
takes the view that Article 5 of the Treaty, as confirmed
by the ruling of the Court referred to by the Honourable

Member, requires the same provisions to apply to the
monitoring of EAGGF Guarantee Fund expenditure.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 550/91

byMrYvanBlot(DR)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(26 March 1991)_

(91/C 281/23)

_Subject:_ Relations between the European Community
and Yugoslavia

The Slovenes and Croatians have democratically
expressed their wish for independence. The Croatian
Government has expressed the wish to transform
Yugoslavia into a confederation of sovereign states and
Slovenia has announced its intention of joining the
European Community.

1. Does the Council intend to review the declaration by
the twelve Member States concerning the integrity of
the Yugoslav state?

2. Does the Council not consider that it is preferable to
help the Slovene and Croation peoples rather than the
Yugoslav Federal Government?

3. What would be the Council's response to an
application from Slovenia for accession to the
European Community?

Answer

_(23 September 1991)_

The Troika, on its visit to Belgrade on 4 April, recalled the
previous statements and positions of the Community and
its Member States and in particular the statement
published following the informal Ministerial meeting on
26 March 1991 and confirmed the Community's support
for a united and democratic Yugoslavia. The Troika said
it fervently hoped that Yugoslavia's current problems
would be peacefully resolved through dialogue and
without recourse to violence, and especially without the
intervention of the armed forces. In the opinion of the
Community and of its Member States a united and
democratic Yugoslavia would have the best chance of
harmonious integration into a new Europe.

This was the urgent message that was reiterated by the
President-in-Office of the European Council and the
President of the Commission at their meeting with the

^, t o ^ i Official Journal of the European Communities ^oC^nm^

members of theFederal Presidency o n ^ a n d ^ O M a y
t ^ t . At discussions held by Mr Santer and Mr L^elors
with Prime Minister Markovic, the Foreign Minister, Mr
Loncar,several members of the collective Presidency and
the representatives of the Republics, they reiterated the
Community^ position in favour of a united and
democraticl^ugoslavia,respectforthe Constitution and
the current institutional framework, respect for the
integrity of borders and respect for hnmanrights and
national minorities. From the visit there emerged a
general will to restructure the Jugoslav State and to
maintain a link with Jugoslavia, The Jugoslav side
expressed its appreciation for the efforts made by the
Communityinhelpingto find solutions.

President L^elors recalled the longstanding ties between
the Community and Jugoslavia, which had had a
Co-operation Agreement since 1^0, The Vugoslav
economy,hesaid,was increasingly oriented towards the
Commnnity and the conntry^s economic deterioration
waswholly due to the political crisis. The Community had
been constantly extending its cooperation with
Jugoslavia, but this would not bear fmit unless the
^ngoslaveconomy was revitalized, specifically through
Prime Minister Markovic^s programme of economic
reforms.

deferring to the Ministerial meeting on^March 1^1,he
confirmed thatthe European Communitywas prepared to
lend its assistance if required. The Community could thus
contemplate opening negotiations concerning an
association agreement and thereby enable Jugoslavia to
be better integrated into the European framework,
provided that the necessary conditions were fully
observed.

Cn^]nne, one week after the visit by Mr Santer and Mr
L^elors to^ugoslavia, theCommunityanditsMember
States noted with satisfaction the outcome of the meeting
of the six Presidents which took place in Sarajevo noting
thatthiswas an encouraging step on the waytoaretum to
constitutional order andapeaceful dialogue on the future
structures ofVngoslavia, they expressed the hope that the
forthcoming meetings planned would lead to further

progress.

The Community and itsMemberStateshave therefore
expressed their conviction that the normal devolution of
the Federal Presidency, negotiations on the future
constitutional structures, respect for hnman rights in all
partsof the conntry,astrengthening of the democratic
process and the continuation of Prime Minister
Markovic^sprogramme of economic reforms will enablea
new dimension to be added to relations between the
Community and^ugoslavia, in view of the traditional ties
that bind them.

hyMrJoseVa^e^deL^pez^PPE^

totheCom^ussio^ofthe^u^opeariCo^u^un^ties

^ I B C ^ t B ^

^ ^ c r . Commission evaluation ofthe^oungAndalusia^
programme cofinanced by the European Social
Fund

The^oung Andalusia^programme,cofinancedhy the
European Social Fund in the Andalusian Autonomous
Community,has been widely criticized since its inceptions
the actionundertaken, its implementation,the teaching
staff involved, the installations used, etc, have all heen
condemned for their poor qualityhw^hatdatadoes the
Commission possess regarding the implementation of this
programme, and what is its opinion of the results
obtained so far^

A^swer^ve^hyMrsPapa^dzeou
o ^ h e h a ^ o ^ e C o e ^ s s ^

Spain has received assistance from the European Social
Fund, which provides support for employment and
training, notably foryoung people undertwentyfive, the
unemployed or those seeking employment, since it joined
theCommunity,

Lentil t^ESFsupporrtooktheformof finance for
projects^ from 1^0, following the reform of the
structural Funds, financial support has been provided
under operational programmes or global grants. The
Autonomouscommunityof Andalusia, inparticularits
yonngpeople, has beenamajorrecipientofESF support.

For 1^0 to 1 ^, the Commission has approved some
ECt]t^t,^ million forAndalusia,An estimated two thirds
of this is earmarked foryoungpeople. There is no specific
reference to the ^roungAndalusia^programme,

SinceFundassistanceisnowallocatedonthebasisof
operational programmes, the Commission cannot say
immediately whether projects under the ^Voung
Andalusia^ programme receive financial support. It is for
the operational programme officers to select the projects
most suitable for implementing action under these
programmes.Thefollowup, monitoring and evaluation
carried ont in partnership between the central and
regional governments and the Commission will provide

No C 281/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

an assessment of the impact of Fund operations on the
problems of youth employment and a check on which, if
any, come under the Toung Andalusia' programme.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 606/91

by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(15 April_ _1991)_

(91/C 281/25)

_Subject:_ EAGGF Guidance Section fraud prevention
controls

What standard controls are used by the Commission to
ensure that programmed investment has in fact been
carried out and to guarantee that the requisite quality and
safety standards are being met?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 607/91

by Mr Jose Valverde L6pez (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(15_ _April_ _1991)_

(91/C 281/26)

_Subject:_ ERDF fraud prevention controls

What standard controls are used by the Commission to
ensure that programmed investment has in fact been
carried out and that requisite quality and safety standards
have been complied with?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 608/91

by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(15 April_ _1991)_

(91/C 281/27)

_Subject:_ European Social Fund fraud prevention controls

In view of the monitoring responsibilities of the European
Parliament with regard to programmes financed by the
European Social Fund, can the Commission provide
details of the various types of standard controls it applies
to ensure that the programmes are being implemented,

minimum quality standards being met and results
evaluated, as a means of preventing fraud and assessing
the results obtained.

Joint answer to Written Questions No 606/91, No 607/91

and 608/91
given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(3 July_ _1991)_

With regard to the structural Funds, Article 23 of Council
Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 (') requires Member
States to verify on a regular basis that operations financed
by the Community have been properly carried out.
Without prejudice to checks carried out by Member
States, Commission officials may carry out on-the-spot
checks, including sample checks.

Moreover, in 1990 the Commission drew up, in
agreement with Member States, a code of conduct on the
notification of cases of fraud and irregularities relating to
the structural Funds ( [2] ).

I would also draw the Honourable Member's attention to
'The fight against fraud: Report on work done and
progress achieved in 1990' ( [5] ) sent by the Commission to
Parliament in March 1991.

(') OJNoL374,31.12. 1988.
O OJ No C 200,9. 8.1990.
O SEC(91) 456 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 648/91

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(16 April_ _1991)_

(91/C281/28)

_Subject:_ Need to maintain the social character and
purpose of Public Transport and notably the
Greek Urban Transport Service

The Commission is drawing up Community Directives in
the transport and energy sector in order to implement a
single, harmonized policy with a view to the completion
of the Single Market in 1993.

Does it consider that the public and social character of
public transport should be maintained and that it should
be subsidized by means of a fuel consumption tax?

It is clear that urgent measures must be taken to maintain
the social character and purpose of public transport, since:

— it provides cheap transport for workers and small and
medium-wage earners;

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/17

— it is an environmentally friendly form of transport in
cities such as Athens where some 50% of the

population of Greece is concentrated.

Does the Commission intend:

1. To include in the Directives it is drawing up measures
to subsidize public transport (such as the Greek Urban
Transport Service) by means of a fuel consumption
tax?

2. To exert pressure on the Member States, and notably
the Greek Government, to maintain the public
character and purpose of public transport?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert
on behalf of the Commission

_(31 July 1991)_

The Commission appreciates the immense social and
environmental value of public transport services.

As regards the management and subsidizing of these
services, the Commission considers that this is most
appropriately left to the Member States who best know
their own circumstances. This, in its proposal for a
Council Directive on the harmonization of the structures

of excise duties on mineral oils (') Member States shall
remain free to determine the exemptions or reductions in
the rate of duty which they apply to mineral oils in,
amongst other sectors, the area of local public transport.

On the question of the ownership of public transport
undertakings, the EEC Treaty and, in particular, its
Article 222, does not permit the Commission to intervene
in Member States' decisions as to the system of property
ownership.

The Commission is helping promote public transport in
general, particularly by funding research and projects
covering subjects such as technical developments and
environmental pollution.

In the case of Athens, the Commission is participating in
the financing of the new underground system.

(') OJNoC 322,21. 12. 1990.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 667/91

by Mr Gordon Adam (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(16 April 1991)_

(91/C 281/29)

_Subject:_ Restriction of the use of natural gas in power
stations

Point 13 of the Commission proposal (COM(90) 306
final) to revoke the Council Directive on the restriction of
the use of natural gas in power stations stated that the

Commission would submit appropriate proposals in the
future, if circumstances changed.

Given the emphasis on the security of energy supply in the
document and the decision by British Gas to raise its
prices to industrial customers by 35% because it cannot
cope with demand, does the Commission agree that new
proposals are now necessary?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha
on behalf of the Commission

_(14 May 1991)_

The Commission does not consider that the increases in

gas prices for industrial consumers in the United
Kingdom, cited by the Honourable Member, imply a risk
to the security of energy supplies, insofar as they reflect a
response to supply and demand conditions in the market.
The Commission has no intention of submitting new
proposals to restrict the use of natural gas at this time.

Concerning the actual price increases, either the United
Kingdom Offices of Gas Supply or of Fair Trading could
analyse the situation and intervene, should they consider
that British Gas price increases are not justified.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 671/91

by Mr Madron Seligman (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(16 April 1991)_

(91/C 281/30)

_Subject:_ Wanton cruelty to animals in Spain

Why does the Spanish Government apparendy condone
barbaric treatment of many domestic animals, as reported
by the Independent newspaper on 2 March 1991, and the
use by professional photographers of young animals,
theoretically protected by Cites. These animals include,
according to many eyewitnesses this year, chimpanzees
and lion and leopard cubs.

No government can be expected to eradicate all breaches
of the law, but when members of the police force are
present, as they often are, when these activities are going
on, it is clear that enforcement of Community laws is
accorded a very low priority by the Spanish authorities.

It seems to me that the laws of the European
Communities are being brought into disrepute, when
neither the European Commission nor the Court of

No C 281/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

Justice have at their disposal any sanction stronger than
'infringement procedures'. The Treaties should be
amended so that persistent non-enforcement of
Community laws or Court judgments could be made
subject to a realistic financial penalty.

Since exhortation and legislation seem to have failed so
often in the past, will the Commission give urgent
consideration to the need for effective penalties to be
imposed on Member States, which remain, after due
warning, in breach of their obligations?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(5 July_ _1991)_

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to
the working paper it sent to the intergovernmental
conference on political union on 22 March 1991, which
considers the question of possible penalties for Member
States who fail to comply with judgments of the Court of
Justice. This working paper was distributed to Parliament
for information. In the case in point, which concerns
compliance in Spain with Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82
on the implementation in the Community of the
Convention on international trade in endangered species
of wild fauna and flora ('), an infringement procedure
was initiated following the receipt by the Commission of
numerous complaints from members of the public. This
revealed that baby chimpanzees and tiger cubs were being
imported illegally into Spain for use by photographers at
seaside resorts. Spanish legislation has not made provision
for effective controls and penalties to prevent this
practice. The Commission has decided to refer the matter
to the Court of Justice, as it considers that the provisions
of the abovementioned Regulation are not being correctly
applied.

O OJ No L 384, 31.12.1982.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 685/91

by Mr Artur da Cunha Oliveira (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(19Aprill991)_

(91/C 281/31)

_Subject:_ Derogations from Community legislation

While the autonomous regions of the Azores and
Madeira form an integral part of the European

Community they benefit from special derogations from
Community legislation.

1. What derogations from Community legislation
specifically apply to these regions as opposed to the
remaining national territory?

2. What particular derogations from Community law
apply to the autonomous regions in respect of
transport policy?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 July 1991)_

1. Portugal's Act of Accession to the Community
contains a number of ad hoc derogations to reflect
specific conditions in the Azores and Madeira:

— Articles 309 and 310 provide for the harmonization of
the internal prices for milk, butter and powdered milk
in mainland Portugal with those in the Azores;

— Article 376 provides that, by way of derogation from
Article 60 of the ECSC Treaty, steel undertakings may
apply in the Azores and Madeira a cif port of
destination price equal to the parity price current in
mainland Portugal until 31 December 1992;

— under Article 337 Portugal may, until 31 December
1992, derogate from Article 95 of the EEC Treaty as
regards excise duty on manufactured tobacco
products from the Azores and Madeira;

— Annex I (V) provides for the application of a reduced
VAT rate in the Azores and Madeira and the
treatment as international transport of sea and air
transport between these islands and between them and
the mainland.

2. As regards transport policy:

— The first subparagraph of Article 1 (4) of Regulation
(EEC) No 2343/90 (>) of 24 July 1990 on access to the
market and capacity in regular air communications
between Member States exempts the airports of the
Azores from the Regulation until 30 June 1993;

— in the field of maritime transport, existing Community
legislation contains no provisions specific to any
regions of the Community. Special provisions

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/19

concerning island regions have been included in the
Commission proposal concerning the application of
the freedom to provide maritime transport service
within Member States (cabotage).

(') OJNoL217, 11.8. 1990.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 741/91

by Mr Karl Partsch (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 April 1991)_

(91/C 281/32)

_Subject:_ Import of dolphins in breach of Regulation
(EEC) No 3626/82

In early 1990, two dolphins taken from the wild off Cuba
were given licences by the Cuban authorities for export to
the East Berlin Zoo. Instead, they were imported into
Switzerland in July 1990 by the Connyland Dolphinarium
(Rapperswil) and re-exported from there to the Nurnberg
Zoo in Germany, where they arrived some weeks ago.
Both Connyland and Nurnberg Zoo have a bad
reputation concerning the care of cetaceans, the latter
having lost 17 dolphins since its creation in 1971.

Dolphins come under Appendix I of the Washington
Convention and under Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82, so
that they may only be imported for strictly limited
scientific and educational purposes. As the Cuban
authorities had not given a permit for export to
Switzerland or the Nurnberg Zoo, the animals should
have been returned to their country of origin, as soon as it
was clear that the original destination, East Berlin Zoo,
would not receive them.

Does the Commission consider that the import of these
two dolphins by the Nurnberg Zoo is in breach of
Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82 0 ? l f not, why not? If so,
what steps does it envisage taking to ensure return of the
dolphins to Cuba and to prevent such imports occurring
in future?

(') OJ No L 384, 31. 12. 1987, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(12 July 1991)_

The bottlenose dolphin is listed in Appendix II of the
Washington Convention, but is subject to stricter
Community legislation through its inclusion in Annex C,
part 1, of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82. This
implies that their import cannot take place for primarily

commercial purposes and that their display to the public
for commercial purposes is prohibited unless the
specimens are intended for research, teaching or breeding
purposes. Additional conditions apply with regard to the
adequacy of facilities which must be suitable for
accommodating the species and suited to its behaviour
and proper care.

The newly built installations of the Nurnberg Zoo meet
the latter requirements. The authorities of Germany have
further concluded that the intended use of the animals

meets the conditions of Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82.
The Commission therefore considers that the import took
place in compliance with the Regulation concerned.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 774/91

by Mr Karl von Wogau (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 April 1991)_

(91/C 281/33)

_Subject:_ Recognition of educational qualifications from
the former GDR

In the former GDR there was a technical college
specializing in pharmacy. Its general and industrial
hygiene department ran a particular programme, usually
for a three-year period. Over six terms, courses were
offered in mathematics, physics, chemistry, psychology,
electronic data processing, managerial economics,
managerial practice, principles of law, technology,
technical drawing, environmental hygiene, community
noise prevention, air hygiene, construction physics,
fitting-out technology, building, housing and settlement
hygiene, water hygiene, soil hygiene, protection against
infection, epidemiology of infectious diseases,
microbiology, hospital hygiene, medicinal parasitology
and control of infectious organisms, disinfection/
sterilization, food and nutritional hygiene and food
technology.

Entry to the course was restricted to those working in a
managerial capacity in a health-related area and with
appropriate professional experience.

A further requirement was to have satisfactorily
completed six terms of study as a hygiene inspector. The
subjects studied over those six terms were epidemiology
of infectious diseases, general and community hygiene,
documentation, planning and statistics, health protection,
anatomy, physiology, first aid, public health protection,
psychology and pedagogy, and basic mathematics and
science.

In other words, this was a standard twelve-term course at
the Leipzig Technical High School for Pharmacy.

No C 281/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

Will the Commission state if the above qualification is
recognized in the Member States of the European
Community?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(13 June 1991)_

The recognition of formal qualifications and the
coordination of training in the field of pharmacy are
covered by 'pharmacy' Directives 85/432/EEC and
85/433/EEC (*), which also apply to qualifications
awarded in the former German Democratic Republic,
subject to specific provisions for acquired rights
(Directive 90/658/EEC) ( [2] ).

The qualification at issue is not in pharmacy but in
pharmaceutical engineering. Where an equivalent
profession exists and is governed by regulations in the
host Member State, i.e. where the national regulations
require a particular qualification, that qualification will be
recognized pursuant to Directive 89/48/EEC on a
'general system' ( [3] ). The qualification required by the host
Member State would obviously also have to be a
higher-education diploma awarded on completion of
training of at least three years' duration.

(') OJ No L 253,24. 9.1985.
O OJNoL353,17.12. 1990.
O OJNoL 19,24.1.1989.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 783/91

by Mrs Anita Pollack (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 April 1991)_

(91/C 281/34)

_Subject:_ Tropical birds

Will the Commission consider what steps the Community
could take to ban the import of tropical birds for the pet
trade?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 July 1991)_

The import of most tropical birds for the pet trade has
been, since 1 January 1984, subject to the strict provisions
of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82 (•) on the
implementation in the Community of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora.

In the context of that Regulation — and in particular on
the basis of its stricter measures contained in Article 10 —

the Community has prohibited or restricted the trade in a
great number of wild birds.

The Commission is currently preparing a proposarfor a
Regulation on Community trade in wildlife, which is to
replace Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82 and which
contains a great many additional species and provides for
detailed provisions with regard to import conditions,
transport and housing of live specimens.

Bans on trade in species of wild fauna and flora should
only be decided where trade is detrimental to the survival
of such species, where a certain species is unsuitable for
transport or for keeping in captivity.

O OJ No L 384, 31.12.1982.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 785/91

by Mrs Raymonde Dury (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 April 1991)_

(91/C 281/35)

_Subject:_ Legal action against the improper use of
Article 48 (4) of the EEC Treaty

In its answer to my Written Question No 42/91 ('), the
Commission states that it intends to bring legal action in
all cases against Member States which make improper use
of the exemption provided for under Article 48 (4) of the
EEC Treaty.

What actions have been brought so far, against which
States, and in what cases?

O OJNoC 177,8.7.1991, p. 24.

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(3_ _July 1991)_

Infringement procedures initiated by the Commission
under Article 169 of the EEC Treaty to ensure proper
application of Article 48 (4) of that Treaty are designed to
guarantee access for EEC nationals to four 'priority' areas
of national public services, i.e.:

— public health operational services;

— teaching in state schools;

— research for civilian purposes in state establishments;

— bodies responsible for managing a commercial service
(e.g. public transport, gas and electricity distribution,
airlines and shipping companies, postal and
telecommunications services, broadcasting
corporations).

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/21

Only the Netherlands and Ireland are not concerned by
these general infringement procedures; the situation there
in these four sectors is in order and consistent with the

Treaty. The United Kingdom is the subject of only one
infringement procedure concerning access to employment
as a researcher in certain state research institutions.

As regards the other Member States, an infringement
procedure was initiated wherever an infringement was
detected in the four sectors in question.

The present status of these procedures (58 in all) is that
letters of formal notice were sent at the same time to all

the Member States concerned in March/April 1991.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 792/91

by Mr Stephen Hughes (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 April 1991)_

(91/C 281/36)

_Subject:_ Child abuse

As part of proposals for the completion of the internal
market, has the Commission considered the need to
safeguard against child abuse since its response to Written
Question No 44/90 (')? In particular does the
Commission intend to now bring forward proposals
which will allow the name of children on 'at risk' registers
to be exchanged between Member States and for a similar
exchange of employment records where a prospective
employee is seeking employment with children?

O OJNoC259, 15. 10. 1990, p. 12.

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(15 July 1991)_

For the time being, the Commission has no plans to draw
up proposals in the matter of child abuse and child labour
raised by the Honourable Member.

As regards child abuse, this matter will be discussed at the
Conference on the Child, the Family and Society to be
organized by the Commission in liaison with the
Luxembourg presidency.

As for child labour, the action programme accompanying
the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights
of Workers provides for a proposal for a Council
Directive on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States in the matter of the protection of young
people.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 806/91

by Mrs Hiltrud Breyer (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 April 1991)_

(91/C 281/37)

_Subject:_ Research and training projects funded and
rejected under the Bridge programme

What biotechnology research projects have thus far been
funded under Action I (Research and Training) of the
Bridge programme? Please specify title and objective,
project partners, locations, primary biological materials
involved, type of genetic manipulation carried out,
methods used, laboratory safety level, monitoring
procedures, duration, and amount of funding.

Can the Commission provide a list of those projects which
have been rejected under the Bridge programme,
specifying the same information as requested above?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 July 1991)_

Three calls for research proposals were published in the
framework of the Bridge programme, with closing dates
falling respectively on 31 December 1989, 15 September
1990 and 31 December 1990. These calls covered the four

areas for the programme (Information infrastructure,
Enabling technologies, Cellular biology and Prenormative research). A total of 462 transnational
project-proposals were received from 2 189 laboratories
which requested a contribution of Ecu 415,2 million from
the Community for a total cost of Ecu 589,5 million. One
hundred and twelve proposals were ultimately selected
with a total contribution of the Commission amounting to
Ecu 70 million.

Contracts for 54 projects out of the 112 selected proposals
have been signed so far. A list of these contracts is being
forwarded directly to the Honourable Member and to the
Secretariat General of Parliament.

A catalogue of contracts will be published after signature
of all project-contracts. The catalogue will provide details
on each project although not necessarily on all the items
requested by the Honourable Member.

The Commission will forward to the Honourable

Member a copy of the catalogue after its publication.

The content of rejected proposals has to remain
confidential and cannot be made available.

No C 281/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

WRITTEN QUESTION No 817/91

by Mr James Ford (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3 May 1991)_

(91/C281/38)

_Subject:_ Safety regulations for road maintenance and
patrol workers

Will the Commission give details of reported outline
proposals currently being drawn up regarding safety
(reflective) wear requirements for motorway maintenance
workers, rescue agency patrol workers and the like. In
particular, will any proposed regulations be expected to
differ from BSI standards?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(3_ _July 1991)_

It is not clear, from the question of the Honourable
Member, to what proposals the report(s) he refers to
pertain.

Safety wear requirements in general, including those
concerning retro-reflecting clothing and accessories
intended to indicate visibly and individually the user's
presence, are laid down in two Council Directives,
Directive 89/686/EEC on the approximation of the laws
of the Member States relating to personal protective
equipment (') and Directive 89/656/EEC on the
minimum health and safety requirements for the use by
workers of personal protective equipment at the
workplace ( [2] ).

Harmonized standards in respect of the first Directive,
mentioned above, will be issued in due course by CEN,
following a mandate given to it by the Commission. In
accordance with the stipulations of the new approach for
the completion of the internal market, national standards,
such as those set by BSI, will have then to conform to the
harmonized standards.

O OJNoL399,30. 12. 1989.
O OJNoL393,30.12.1989.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 821/91

by Mr Thomas Megahy (S)

to the Foreign Ministers meeting in
European Political Cooperation

_(3 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/39)

_Subject:_ Extension of the generalized system of
preferences to Central America

Will the Foreign Ministers meeting in Political
Cooperation make it clear to their Central American

counterparts that any extension of the GSP to their
countries' products will be made conditional upon radical
and verified improvements in their governments' records
on human rights?

Answer

_(23 September 1991)_

At the seventh Ministerial Conference in the San Jose

process, which was held in Managua on 18 and 19 March
1991, the Community and its Member States, on the one
hand, and the Central American countries, on the other,
reaffirmed that the political and economic dialogue
between the two regions was an effective instrument for
strengthening democracy, respect for human rights and
economic and social progress in Central America.

The Managua joint political declaration laid particular
stress on the question of human rights, both in connection
with the situation in certain individual countries such as

El Salvador and in relation to Central America as a whole.

Moreover, paragraph 9 of the political section of the
abovementioned declaration deals more specifically with
the introduction by the Community and its Member
States of multiannual programmes for the promotion of
human rights in Central America. It is stated in this
paragraph _inter alia_ that the Ministers 'expressed their
common concern at the continuing unsatisfactory human
rights situation in certain countries in the region (...) and
emphasized that they would continue to make every
effort to re-establish full and universal respect for human
dignity'.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 845/91

by Mr Mihail Papayannakis (GUE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3 May 1991)_

(91/C281/40)

_Subject:_ Destruction of a wetland in the prefecture of
Argolis

According to local press reports in Argolis and official
announcements by the local authorities, plans are afoot to
destroy the only remaining wetland in Argolis, the Nea
Kios marsh. So far the area has been subject to unplanned
housing construction and efforts to exterminate wildlife
(under way or already carried through), plus pressure to
have the area recognized as a site for summer homes and
construction of the Navplion-Miloi bypass. A study of the
wetland shows that development has led to frequent

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/23

flooding the local climate becoming drier. Given that this
is a violation of Article 4 of Directive 79/409/EEC ('),
what action is the Commission considering in the near
future, to prevent destruction of the wetland?

(') OJNoL103,25.4.1979, p. 1.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 933/91

by Mr Filippos Pierros (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(15 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/41)

_Subject:_ Destruction of the Argolis wetlands

It has been reported that the extensive area of wetlands in
the Prefecture of Argolis, known as the Roumani marshes
on the bay of the Gulf of Argolis are in danger of
disappearing completely. This assault on these wetlands
which are thought to be among the last of a hundred
major wetland areas remaining in Greece, mainly takes
the form of unauthorized building, to which the
authorities are turning a blind eye, notwithstanding the
resulting infringement of Community legislation on
protection of wetlands. This unauthorized building in the
Roumani marsh is also resulting in an uncontrolled influx
of domestic animals, the digging of drainage ditches and,
more recently, an increase in poaching, leading to the
disappearance of existing wildlife. Detailed scientific
studies by experts have shown that these progressive
encroachments on the Roumani marsh are the main

reason for the drop in rainfall levels in Argolis and the
aridity of the climate, punctuated by sudden torrential
rains over the last few years, causing major flooding.

Will the Commission give this matter careful
consideration and take effective measures to protect this
threatened wetland area?

Joint answer to Written Questions No 845/91

and No 933/91

given by Mr Ripadi Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 July 1991)_

According to the information available to the
Commission, no site has been identified as a wetland of
Community interest in the nomos (prefecture) of Argolis.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 851/91

by Mr Herman Verbeek (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/42)

_Subject:_ Environmental effects of brown coal mining near
Monchengladbach

1. Is the Commission aware that the German Land of

North Rhine-Westphalia is planning to expand brown
coal mining operations to the south of Monchengladbach
over three large areas covering dozens of square
kilometres (Volkskrant, 4 April 1991)?

2. Is the Commission aware that the Limburg
Environmental Federation and the Nature and

Environment Council (in the Netherlands) have urged
that the plans be subject to an environmental impact
assessment in accordance with Dutch law, with particular
attention to:

— the effects on groundwater supplied by Germany to
the Netherlands, since, as a result of the current
mining activities, there have been serious drying out
problems in nature reserves on both sides of the
frontier;

— the acid effects of energy extraction from brown coal,
which has a high sulphur content?

3. Is the Commission willing to support the
environmental organizations' plea to the competent
authorities in the FRG?

4. As the environmental impact of economic activity
frequently transcends frontiers (in this instance the
environmental effects can be perceived in Belgium and
Luxembourg as well as in Germany and the Netherlands),
is the Commission willing to take steps to institute an
environmental impact assessment similar to that provided
for in the German-Dutch Maastricht Convention?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(18 July 1991)_

The Commission learned of a German plan to mine
brown coal near Erkelenz through Petition No 171/88 to
the European Parliament. At the time the German
authorities told the Commission that if the work was to be

carried out an environmental impact assessment would be
made and that Dutch representatives would be consulted
in the same way as German representatives.

1. The Commission has not been informed of the present
project.

No C 281/24 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

2. The Commission has not been informed of the request
made by these environmental organizations.
However, it seems clear that an assessment of a project
in Germany should be made in accordance with
German law, which takes due account of Community
law and of obligati6ns with regard to neighbouring
States.

3. In view of the scale of the project, an environmental
impact assessment pursuant to Directive 85/337/
EEC ( [l] ) would seem to be required. The Commission
will ask the German authorities for further

information in this connection.

4. Article 3 of Directive 85/337/EEC calls for the direct

and indirect effects of a project to be identified,
described and assessed. Such effects would obviously
include the impact of the project in question beyond
national frontiers.

(') OJNoL 175,5.7. 1985.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 854/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3_ _May 1991)_

(91/C 281/43)

_Subject:_ Application of Directive 79/409/EEC: special
protection area for the wood-sandpiper _(tringa_
_glareola)_

Can the Commission give the list of special protection
areas in France for the wood-sandpiper _(tringa glareola),_
set up under Directive 79/409/EEC (')?

O OJ No LI 03, 25.4. 1979, p. 1.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 855/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3_ _May 1991)_

(91/C 281/44)

_Subject:_ Application of Directive 79/409/EEC: special
protection area for the Dartford warbler _(sylvia_
_undata)_

Can the Commission give the list of special protection
areas in France for the Dartford warbler _(sylvia undata),_
set up under Directive 79/409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 856/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3_ _May 1991)_

(91/C 281/45)

_Subject:_ Application of Directive 79/409/EEC: special
protection area for the blue-throat _(luscinia_
_svecica)_

Can the Commission give the list of special protection
areas in France for the blue-throat _(luscinia svecica),_ set up
under Directive 79/409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 857/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/46)

_Subject:_ Application of Directive 79/409/EEC: special
protection area for the Corsican nuthatch _(sitta_
_whiteheadi)_

Can the Commission give the list of special protection
areas in France for the Corsican nuthatch _(sitta_
_whiteheadi),_ set up under Directive 79/409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1049/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(22 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/47)

_Subject:_ Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC:
special protection area for the lesser grey shrike
_(Lanius minor)_

Can the Commission give a list of the special protection
areas designated by France for the protection of the lesser
grey shrike _(Lanius minor)_ under Directive 79/409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1050/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(22 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/48)

_Subject:_ Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC:
special protection area for the red-backed shrike
_(Lanius collurio)_

Can the Commission give a list of the special protection
areas designated by France for the protection of the

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/25

red-backed shrike _(Lanius_ _collurio)_ under Directive
79/409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1051/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(22 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/49)

_Subject:_ Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC:
special protection area for the ortolan bunting
_(Emberiza bortulana)_

Can the Commission give a list of the special protection
areas designated by France for the protection of the
ortolan bunting _(Emberiza bortulana)_ under Directive
79/409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1135/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(5_ _June 1991)_

(91/C 281/50)

_Subject:_ Special protection area for the grey-headed
woodpecker _(Picus canus)_

Can the Commission list the special protection areas
created by France for the protection of the grey-headed
woodpecker _(Picus_ _canus)_ under Directive 79/409/EEC?

Joint answer to Written Questions No 854/91, No 855/91,

No 856/91, No 857/91, No 1049/91, No 1050/91,

No 1051/91, No 1135/81
given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(2_ _July 1991)_

The Commission would again remind the Honourable
Member that in France no special protection areas have
been established under Article 4 of Directive

79/409/EEC for the protection of one species in
particular.

However, all the species referred to in the written
questions are found in special protection areas, with the
exception of the Corsican nuthatch, _Sitta whiteheadi._

The wood sandpiper, _Tringa glareola,_ passes through the
Bassin d'Arcachon and the Camargue, which is a
particularly important area for this species.

The Dartford warbler, _Sylvia undata,_ nests and winters in
the Cherine area and winters in the Crau.

The blue-throat, _Luscinia svecica,_ nests at St. Denis du
Payre and in the Anse de Fouras and Marais d'Yves. It
also nests in and passes through the Pointe d'Arcais, the
Anse de Fiers d'Ars-en-Re and the Bassin d'Arcachon.

The lesser grey shrike, _Lanius minor,_ nests in the Crau.

The red-backed shrike, _Lanius collurio,_ nests in the Ecrins
national park.

The ortolan bunting, _Emberezia bortulana,_ also nests in
the Ecrins national park.

Lastly, the grey-headed woodpecker, _Picus canus,_ nests in
the Lac de Grand Lieu area.

Some of these species (e.g. Lanius collurio) may also be
present in other special protection areas where they have
not been spotted.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 868/91

by Mr Alonso Puerta (GUE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(8 May 1991)_

(91/C281/51)

_Subject:_ Establishment of the Du Pont multinational
corporation in Asturias (Spain)

Whereas there are misgivings among certain sections of
the population in Asturias about the environmental
implications of the Du Pont multinational chemicals
corporation setting up in the region;

whereas the mandatory environmental impact assessment
is already available;

Will the Commission ask the Asturian authorities for a

copy of this assessment to ensure that this project is
compatible with Directive 85/337/EEC (') and all the
provisions of Community law concerning environmental
protection and the safety of individuals?

(') OJNoL175,5.7. 1985, p. 40.

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 July 1991)_

If, as the Honourable Member affirms in his question, an
environmental impact assessment of the project has been
made, information regarding that project will have been
made public and the persons concerned will have been
able to examine the decision in detail.

No C 281/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

Nevertheless, if the Honourable Member should come to
the view that the procedure of Directive 85/337/EEC has
not been complied with, the Commission would like to be
informed of this.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 874/91

by Mr Jose Torres Couto (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(8 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/52)

_Subject:_ Proposal for promoting professional mobility
and equality of opportunity between men and

women

In order to ensure professional mobility and equality of
opportunity for men and women, the following measures
should be taken as a matter of priority:

— action to eliminate existing discrimination as regards
social security;

— action to ensure that initiatives and trainee courses for

retraining and further training are open to all and
especially to the long-term unemployed regardless of
how long they have been unemployed and whether or
not they have concluded fixed-term employment

contracts;

— action to render more attractive and promote new
initiatives such as job-sharing, which should be made
available to workers on a voluntary basis.

Does the Commission intend to submit to the Council a

proposal to this effect and, if so, when?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 July 1991)_

Several Community instruments deal with discrimination
in the field of social protection.

With regard to social security, Regulations Nos 1408/71
and 574/72 as amended (*) give effect to the ban on
discrimination between workers on grounds of
nationality in Articles 7 and 48 of the EEC Treaty.

Two directives outlaw discrimination as regards social
security with a view to securing equal treatment for men
and wpmen. The purpose of the first — Directive
79/7/EEC of 19 December 1978 ( [2] ) — is the progressive
implementation of the principle of equal treatment for

men and women in statutory social security schemes. The
second — Directive 86/378/EEC of 24 July 1986 ( [3] ) —
covers equal treatment in occupational schemes. A
proposal for a Council Directive adopted on 23 October
1987 ( [4] ) aims to remedy the deficiencies of the two
existing Directives (especially with regard to pensionable
age, survivors' benefits, family benefits) and thereby give
full effect to the principle of equal treatment in social
security. This proposal is still before the Council, which
has not yet been able to agree on it.

In accordance with its Action Programmes on the
implementation of the Community Charter of the
Fundamental Social Rights of workers, the Commission
has already made proposals to secure adequate social
protection for workers in the Community, whatever their
status. In August 1990 it presented three proposals for
Council Directives on certain employment relationships
other than full-time open-minded employment ( [5] ) seeking
to ensure that workers in precarious employment
situations are not discriminated against.

At a more general level, the Commission's initiatives with
regard to convergence of the objectives of social
protection policies should also be noted. There are two
recommendations here. The first, dating from May 1991,
concerns common criteria on adequate resources and
benefits for social protection systems. A second
recommendation will be made on the principles for
convergence of the objectives of social protection policies.

Article 3(2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 (*)
specifies that the priority mission of the European Social
Fund is to provide support throughout the Community
for vocational training measures and aids for employment
of the long-term unemployed and young people. In
addition, under certain conditions in Objective 1 areas,
other categories of persons, in particular unemployed
people, persons at risk of unemployment and those
employed in small businesses may also qualify for ESF
support.

Occupational mobility and equality of opportunity for
men and women is already established as a principle of
Community law, in particular in Council Directive
76/207/EEC of 9 February 1976 on the implementation
of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as
regards access to employment, vocational training and
promotion, and working conditions ( [7] ).

The general objective of the Commission's third
medium-term Community action programme (19911995) on equal opportunities for men and women (') is to
promote women's full participation in, and to reassess
their contribution to, economic and social life.

The measures proposed in the third action programme
centre on three key issues:

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/27

1. implementation and development of the law.

2. integration of women into the labour market.

3. improving the status of women in society.

(') OJ No L230, 22. 8. 1983. Regulation last amended by

Regulation (EEC) No 3427/89: OJ No L 331, 16. 11. 1989.
O OJN0L6, 10. 1.1979.
O OJNoL225, 12.8. 1986.
( [4] ) COM(87) 494 final.
(») COM(90) 228 final.
(•) OJNoLl85, 15.7. 1988.
(') OJNoL39, 14.2. 1976.
(•) COM(90) 449 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 886/91

by Mrs Imelda Read (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(8 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/53)

_Subject:_ Acute human poisoning

Following the adoption of the Bombard report on
improving the prevention and treatment of acute human
poisoning, what progress has been made towards a
common system of registration of deaths from acute
human poisoning by primary and secondary causes
throughout the Community? What steps have been taken
towards encouraging manufacturers to switch to safe
alternatives to solvent-based products on sale to the
public? Would the Commission indicate when they are
intending to submit a progress report to the European
Parliament?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 July 1991)_

Following the Commission's proposal and Parliament's
opinion, on 3 December 1990 the Council and the
representatives of the Governments of the Member States
meeting within the Council adopted a resolution on
improving the prevention and treatment of acute human
poisoning (').

It calls on the Member States to ensure the collection of

call data and the production of annual reports on the
activities of poison centres (II. 1) and on the Commission
to produce summary reports for the Community (III, first
indent). It does not, however, require the establishment of
systems for recording deaths due to acute poisoning.

The first annual reports are due to be submitted to the
Commission by 15 May 1992.

Consumers are encouraged to choose the least dangerous
products themselves using the information given on the
labelling of dangerous preparations under Directive
88/379/EEC ( [2] ).

The Commission has recently undertaken an 'exploratory
study on the implementation of Community policy to
reduce volatile organic compounds emissions from the
private uses of paints and varnishes and possible extension
to the sector of professional uses for building
applications' with a view to proposing legislative measures
in this field.

Furthermore, paints and varnishes will be the subject of
the Community award scheme for an Eco-label with a
view to promoting products which are environmentally
less harmful, and therefore have an overall environmental
impact significantly less than that of other products in the
same product group.

O OJNoC 329,31. 12. 1990.
O OJNoLl87, 16.7.1988.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 889/91

by Mr Alman Metten (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(8 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/54)

_Subject:_ Remuneration of EC officials in a federal
Europe

1. Would it be true to say that, in the next 10 years, the
European Community will increasingly develop along the
lines of a federal State, with a single market, a single
currency and an increasing number of decisions binding
on the entire Community being made in Brussels?

2. If this development occurs, will the Community
differ widely from existing federal States?

3. Are there many federal States in which the salary of
federal officials is more than 50% (and in some cases
more than 100%) higher than that of State officials
occupying equivalent posts, as a result of higher basic
salaries, allowances of every conceivable nature or a
combination of both?

4. Does the Commission believe that, after completion
of the single market, Europeans will only be prepared to
work outside their country of origin if, in addition to
specific expatriation allowances, they also receive much

No C 281/28 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

higher basic salaries than employees in their country of
employment?

5. Does the Commission not consider that the

continued payment of high EC salaries, in relative and in
absolute terms, will seriously restrict any increase in the
number of European officials and thereby greatly
obstruct the development of the EC along federal lines?

6. Why did the Commission propose (SEC(90) 1836 —
A and B) that the present high salaries of European
officials be maintained with increments as of 1 July 1991
for an indefinite period? Does the Commission consider
that its present staffing levels will be adequate to cope
with a drastically increased workload?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha
on behalf of the Commission

_(23 July 1991)_

The questions put by the Honourable Member have
already been considered by Parliament (report by Mrs
Vayssade on behalf of the Legal Affairs Committee (doc.
EP 146.098 final of 20 March 1991); plenary session
debate on 18 April 1991; adoption of a resolution setting
out Parliament's position on the Commission's proposal
on procedures for adapting remunerations (SEC(90) 1836
final)). Mr Cardoso e Cunha stated the Commission's
positions on the points brought up in this written
question.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 895/91

by Mrs Raymonde Dury (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(8 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/55)

_Subject:_ Government-run youth employment scheme in
the Netherlands

A specialized Belgian publication entitled 'La Defense
Sociale' of 7 March 1991 announces the introduction by
the Netherlands authorities of a 'social renewal'

programme as of 1 July 1991.

This programme includes a scheme under which young
people between 16 and 27 years of age who have been
unemployed for up to six months will be recruited at a

minimum wage by government or State subsidized bodies
for a period of one year.

Are the Community institutions aware of this initiative? Is
multilateral supervision required?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(11_ _June 1991)_

Measures to promote employment, such as the initiative
referred to by the Honourable Member, are discussed by
the Member States.

The Commission seeks to achieve greater cooperation
between the Member States on employment policy:

— the senior civil servants responsible for employment
and for the employment services meet twice yearly and
therefore have the opportunity to present analyses and
forecasts;

— moreover, the information system Misep provides
details every six months on the most recent
developments in national employment policy

measures;

— lastly, research and action programmes such as Leda
on local employment development and Ergo on the
fight against long-term unemployment provide
information on the latest in policy and partnership
innovations.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 903/91

by Mrs Mary Banotti (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(8 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/56)

_Subject:_ Leros rehabilitation centre

In November 1990 a Rehabilitation Centre in Leros,

Greece received over 4 million ECU to assist the various

handicapped patients there. Could the Commission please
inform me how this money has been spent and whether it
proposes to give further funding to the Leros centre?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(5_ _July 1991)_

On 10 October 1990, the Greek authorities submitted to
the Commission an application for funding in respect of a
new project for the improvement of the Leros institutions
under Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 ( [l] ). The amount

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/29

granted by the Commission in December 1990 was Ecu
4 683 182, which represents 55% of the total cost of the
project.

The- amount of money paid to date amounts to Ecu
1 137 150, and this represents an advance payment of
approximately 25% to cover the first phase of
implementation of the Leros project. Tfye first phase
covers the period 1 November 1990 to 30 April 1991, and
is concerned with rehabilitation activities by Greek,
Dutch and Italian psychiatric teams, improvement in
living conditions of the patients, training of local staff and
transfer of some patients to new extra-hospital hostels
outside Leros near their place of origin.

Financing of the second and third phases of the
programme will each depend on the satisfactory outcome
of the previous phase. At present, the Commission is
awaiting an assessment and recommendations from a
group of independent experts and the decision to give
further financial support to the project will be taken in the
light of this report.

(') OJNoL88,31.3. 1984.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 905/91

by Mrs Mary Banotti (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(8 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/57)

_Subject:_ EC aid for sufferers of rheumatism

Taking into account the fact that the Nordic Council of
Ministers has decided to designate 1992 'Nordic
Rheumatism Year', could the Commission state whether
it has funded any projects in this area in order to alleviate
the hardship of rheumatism sufferers, since rheumatism is
the most prevalent disease in Northern Europe. Would
the Commission be prepared to fund such projects in the
future and will it be coordinating with the Nordic
countries on the question of rheumatism in 1992?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of die Commission

_(3_ _July 1991)_

In the framework of its activities in the field of public
health, the Commission has not supported any project in
the area mentioned by the Honourable Member and does
not intend to fund such projects in the near future.
Neither funding nor coordination has been foreseen in
health activities with regard to the Nordic Rheumatism
Year of 1992.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 912/91

by Sir James Scott-Hopkins (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(15 May 1991)_

(91/C281/58)

_Subject:_ Promoting Erasmus

Can the Commission confirm that the United Kingdom
has the highest number of students participating in the
Erasmus programme of any Member State? How does it
propose that this excellent initiative should continue to
expand during the 1990s?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(5_ _July 1991)_

Students from the United Kingdom, together with
students from France, make up approximately 40 % of all
students who have actually travelled with an Erasmus
grant.

There has been a very considerable growth in student
mobility within Erasmus during the last few years, and it
is a source of satisfaction that the level of British students'

demand and participation has been maintained.

In the last three years of the Erasmus Programme, the
estimated number of students from UK institutions

eligible to participate in the Erasmus student mobility
programmes has consistently been around 20% of the
total population of students provided to all
inter-university programmes at Community level.

Any future expansion will depend firstly on the quality of
applications and secondly on the provision of adequate
funding from national and/or private resources, as well as
from the Community.

Future perspectives for further development are currently
under careful consideration, both in Commission and in
the Council. In this context, the Commission notes that its
original target of 10% student mobility within the
Community as a whole is still far from achievement
(currently approximately 4 % are involved).

It is essential that the next phase should include
complementary funding by the Member States
themselves, as well as encouraging other funding sources
(regional, private or administrative).

It is already encouraging to note that 10 Member States
have decided to allocate complementary financial
resources. Nevertheless, even if a larger budget could be
found for Erasmus in the coming years, it will be essential
to find ways of providing a European dimension to the
higher education of the vast majority of students who

No C 281/30 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

cannot benefit from mobility and exchange programmes.
Open and distance learning systems could be exploited to
achieve this objective.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 914/91

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(15 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/59)

_Subject:_ The Mafia and Community funds

In his recent book 'La DisUnita d'ltalia' the eminent

Italian author Giorgio Bocca states that 'the widespread
robbery going on [in Italy] is reaching new heights with
Community subsidies for agriculture', a statement
supported by comments made by the former President of
the European Parliament Mr Dankert, to the effect that
Italian swindlers receive part of the six billion lire that
disappears every year into fraudsters' pockets. A former
MEP, Mr De Pasquale, is also mentioned in the book in
connection with an inspection in Sicily which never took
place.

Mr Bocca goes on to say that 'in the case of Community
subsidies, the Mafia has done extremely well' quoting
some examples. He goes on 'nor is the Mafia alone to
blame; there are 300 000 producers of durum wheat
receiving subsidies for farming 1 700 000 hectares when
they are really only farming half that area' (see pages 86
and 87 of the fifth edition published by Garzanti in
January 1991).

Is the Commission familiar with this book and can it

confirm or deny these charges? If they are true will it take
precise measures to punish and prevent offences of this
kind?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(3_ _July 1991)_

As regards the extension of Mafia activities to areas
covered by Community financing, the Commission is
working in close collaboration with the Italian authorities
to prevent such financing from becoming a profitable
field for this form of organized crime.

As for the instances cited by the Honourable Member,
concerning production aid for durum wheat in Italy, the
Commission discovered that EAGGF funds had been

granted to Italy for a number of hectares in excess of the
area sown with durum wheat according to official
statistics. As part of the clearing of accounts, the
Commission therefore corrected the expenditure declared
by Italy from 1987 by a total of Lit 67 501 305 800 (1987

- Lit 31 321 590 200; 1988 - Lit 36 179 715 600).

The use by the Commission and by Italy of more
sophisticated monitoring techniques, such as remote
sensing, should make it possible to prevent a recurrence of
this kind of situation.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 955/91

by Mr Llewellyn Smith (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(15 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/60)

_Subject:_ Radioactive waste

1. What volumes of radioactive waste were inherited

by the Community from each respective Member State on
its accession to the Treaty of Rome and membership of
Euratom?

2. What is the Commission's policy towards the import
of spent nuclear fuel into the Community by private or
government owned companies under contracts that
permit the long-term storage (i.e. over 50 years) or
disposal of either short, medium or high activity wastes
within the community Member State subsequent to
reprocessing?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 July 1991)_

1. The Community's right of ownership under the
terms of Chapters VIII of the Euratom Treaty extends to
special fissile materials. The Community therefore has no
property rights over radioactive waste.

2. The reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from
Member States and third countries in installations of the

Community, including transport and management of
radioactive waste, has to comply with the Community
requirements stemming in particular from Chapter III
Health and Safety and Chapter VII Safeguards of the
Euratom Treaty.

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/31

WRITTEN QUESTION No 960/91

by Mr Llewellyn Smith (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 May 1991)_

(91/C281/61)

_Subject:_ Radioactive waste/materials transport

1. How many questions on radioactive waste or
radioactive materials transport have been asked by
Members of the European Parliament to the Commission
for

(a) oral reply

(b) written reply in each year since the Parliament was
established as a directly elected assembly?

2. What accidents in Member States involving the
storage of

(a) solid

(b) liquid radioactive waste have been notified to the
Commission?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 July 1991)_

1. A quick scan of the questions asked since 1979
concerning the transport of nuclear or radioactive waste
and materials gives the following:

So far, no accidents have been notified to the Commission
in application of the above mentioned Decision.

(') OJNoL371,31.12.1987.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 962/91

by Mr Madron Seligman (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/62)

_Subject:_ Small and medium-sized firms in collaborative
research and development programmes

Will the Commission tabulate, for each Member State,

the number of small and medium-sized firms which have

obtained contracts for collaborative R&D projects?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(16 September 1991)_

The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat-General of Parliament the

information requested.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 970/91

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/63)

_Subject:_ Position of the national Government regarding
the restructuring of mining in Spain

The restructuring of the Spanish mining sector has proved
to be one of the principal challenges currently facing the
Spanish economy.

It is nevertheless surprising that the national Government,
in contrast to the intense interest shown by the trade
unions, has paid little attention to the issue, having lodged
only five requests with Community bodies — all referring
to early retirement — where the Community executive
expected to receive around fifty requests concerning areas
such as reindustrialization, training, etc.

How, in the Commission's view, might the hitherto scant
attention of the Spanish Government be drawn to this

Oral questions for
question hour

1

—

—

1

1

—

—

2

3

—

—

1

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

Written questions

2

—

2

—

9

4

2

7

18

3

7

2

2. The obligation on Member States to notify nuclear
accidents to the Commission is imposed by Council
Decision of 14 December 1987 on Community
arrangements for the early exchange of information in the
event of a radiological emergency (').

No C 281/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

issue so that, together with the trade unions, it might
participate in more decisive measures in support of the
restructuring of the Spanish mining sector, and to what
do the Community officials involved in the above scheme
attribute the lack of transparency and information on the
part of the Spanish Government throughout the process?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(3_ _July 1991)_

The issues raised by the Honourable Member presumably
refer to readaptation aid under Article 56 of the ECSC
Treaty. At the end of 1990 the situation as regards
coalmining was as follows: the Spanish authorities had
made 14 applications for aid in all; the aid granted for a
total of 3 365 workers was intended for early retirement,
vocational training, tideover and re-employment
allowances. Of this total, 250 workers also receive
readaptation aid under the Rechar programme, a
supplementary aid programme for the Community's
coal-producing areas which involves both structural Fund
and ECSC monies and ECSC conversion loans at

subsidized interest rates.

For the future, the Spanish authorities have announced a
new series of applications for aid to be presented, in line
with the reorganization plan adopted last October, once
the businesses concerned have submitted their strategic
plans and made clear their intentions regarding the
workforce affected. The Commission understands that

further applications could be made at a later stage when
restructuring plans extending to firms linked by
programme contracts have been adopted in consultation
with the two sides of industry. The Commission is aware
of the need to implement supporting measures along with
the restructuring of the mining industry as part of the
conversion programmes of the areas concerned, where,
however, the initiative lies primarily with the firms
themselves.

There have been — and there will continue to be —

contacts between the Commission, on the one hand, and
the relevant ministries and representatives of the
employers and trade unions, on the other, so that all
concerned are systematically informed of the range of aid
arrangements at the Commission's disposal to mitigate
the social consequences of restructuring and facilitate the
conversion of mining areas, whether under the auspices of
the ECSC or of the structural Funds.

The Spanish authorities have assured the Commission
that, since the reorganization plan, a dossier providing
information on Community aid has been sent individually
to each firm concerned.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 991/91

by Mr Jos£ Torres Couto (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/64)

_Subject:_ Discrimination against women at work

The Council Directive of 9 February 1976 lays down the
principle of equal treatment between men and women in
respect of conditions of employment.

The same principle of non-discrimination on the grounds
of sex was embodied in ILO Convention No 111 ratified

by the Portuguese Government, the Social Charter
adopted at the Strasbourg Summit and the subsequent
Community programme of action. However, in Portugal
a number of undertakings are failing to respect this
principle, in particular the 'Banco Comercial Portugues'
(BCP) and the 'Banco Borges e Irmao'. The BCP
discriminates particularly heavily against women as
regards recruitment. Of its 2361 employees, only 16 are
women, in other words a percentage of 0,7% in a sector
where the average percentage of women is 28,5 %.

About a year ago the 'Sindicato dos Bancarios do Sul e
Ilhas' which represents the overwhelming majority of
employees in this sector, registered a complaint against
this discrimination with the Ministry of Employment and
Social Security's Equal Opportunities Commission. That
Commission's report found that such discrimination did
indeed exist. In reply to Parliament, the Portuguese
Government also acknowledged this discrimination,
stating at the same time that it could only act if the
'victims' took legal proceedings.

The rules applied by the Banco Borges e Irmao for the
assessment of its employees penalizes absence for
maternity leave, notwithstanding the special maternity
provisions embodied in the Constitution of the Republic
of Portugal, Act 4/84, the Collective Agreement in the
Banking Sector and Community Directives.

What representations is the Commission prepared to
make to the Portuguese Government with a view to
ensuring compliance with legislation prohibiting
discrimination between men and wonien in respect of
recruitment and employment conditions?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(5 July 1991)_

The CITE (the Portuguese Equal Opportunities
Commission), which is attached to the Ministry for
Employment, has delivered two opinions on this matter.

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities N o C 281/33

As regards the alleged sex discrimination in recruitment
by the Banco Comercial Portugues, the CITE concluded
in its opinion of 8 January 1991 that there was such
discrimination since the percentage of women employed
by the bank (0,7%) was considerably less than the average
for the sector (28,5%). To prove the BCP systematically
excludes women in its recruitment of staff, the CITE
asked for detailed information on the percentage of
female applicants and the proportion of women actually
recruited, but the bank did not comply.

In response to the CITE's opinion, which gave rise to
questions in the Portuguese Parliament, the State
Secretary for Employment and Vocational Training took
the view that there was no conclusive proof of
discrimination (').

As regards the alleged sex discrimination in employment
conditions at the Banco Borges e Irmao, the CITE
concluded in its opinion of 12 March 1991 that the
reduction or cancellation of workers' profit-sharing
entitlements on grounds of absence on maternity leave
constituted such discrimination. It also ordered the Banco

Borges e Irmao to pay female workers the share in profits
which had been withheld by discriminatory means and to
abolish or amend the rules in question. In any case the
Commission would point out that women who feel they
have been discriminated against may bring an action
before a national court, pleading Article 1 _77_ of the EEC
Treaty where appropriate.

(') Diario da Assembleia da Republica, No 66, 13. 4. 1991,

p. 2093.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 997/91

by Mr Lyndon Harrison (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/65)

_Subject:_ Pollution at Heswall Beach, Wirral, United
Kingdom

Is the commissioner aware of the public concern relating
to pollution problems at Heswall Beach in my Euro
Constituency of Cheshire West?

Are they further aware that the source of the problems is
thought to be the nearby Target Road Sewage Works?

Does the Commission acknowledge that such alleged
pollution may contradict European Community Bathing
Water Standards at Heswall Beach?

Is the Commission prepared to take the matter up with the
greatest despatch and urgency with the relevant
competent bodies (the Welsh Water Authority and the
National Rivers Authority) and the British Government,
to ensure that EC Standards are complied with, and that
my constituents can be assured that any possible threat to
their health and to their enjoyment of a local amenity can
be removed ?

Answer given by Mr Ripa de Meana
on behalf of die Commission

_(3 July 1991)_

Heswall beach is not included in the list of bathing waters
identified under Directive 76/160/EEC (') by the United
Kingdom Government, and the Commission has no
information on water quality there.

The Commission will be inviting the United Kingdom
Government to comment on the matters raised by the
Honourable Member.

O OJ No L 31, 5. 2. 1976.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 999/91

by Mr Karel De Gucht (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/66)

_Subject:_ Discrimination in respect of social security
contributions by the self-employed

Under Belgian social security legislation, married women,
widows and students engaged in a self employed
occupation are entitled to pay a reduced rate of
contribution in so far as their self-employed occupation is
considered to be a secondary activity. However such
concessions are not offered to men.

Does this run counter to Community law, in particular
Directive 79/7/EEC (')?

If so what steps are being envisaged by the Commission?

(') OJN0L6, 10. 1.1979, p. 24.

No C 281/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 July 1991)_

The discrimination to which the Honourable Member

refers has already been the subject of a reference to the
Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling on the basis of
Article 177 of the EEC Treaty by the Nivelles Industrial
Tribunal (Case C-373/89 _Mrs_ _Rouvroy_ _v_ _Caisse_
_d'Assurances_ _societies pour_ _Travailleurs_ _independants_
_'Integrity'ASBL)._

In its judgment of 21 November 1990 (') the Court held
that this discrimination between men and women was

contrary to the principle of equal treatment and
specifically to Article 4(1) of Directive 79/7/EEC.

The Commission brought the matter to the attention of
the Belgian Government on 13 February 1991.

(') Not yet reported.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1008/91

by Mr John McCartin (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/67)

_Subject:_ Minimum wage levels in the textile and clothing

sectors

Could the Commission state whether there is a legal
minimum wage in force in all Member States in the
clothing and manufacturing sector, and if so, what is the
level (in ECU) of this wage before and after deductions in
each Member State?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(5 July 1991)_

The Commission has no detailed information about

minimum wage levels in particular industries in the
Member States. Minimum wage levels are governed by the
collectively agreed or statutory provisions set out in the
answer to Oral Question No H-320/91 by Mr
McCartin (').

There is, however, a study currently being carried out as
part of the work of drafting the opinion on 'fair pay', and
it will go some way towards answering questions about
low wage levels in Europe.

(') Debates of the European Parliament No 3-404 (April 1991).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1041/91

by Mrs Lissy Groner (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(22 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/68)

_Subject:_ Creation of a European students' passport as
from 1991/92

The report by Mrs Hermans on the European dimension
at university level called for the creation of a European
students' passport. The Commission agreed to this

request.

1. Has the Commission begun work on the introduction
of a European student's passport?

2. If so, what progress has been made to date?

3. Will its work have been completed in time for the start
of the 1991-1992 academic year so that the European
student's passport can be issued as from the winter
term of 1991-1992, as called for in the report?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 July 1991)_

The Commission has examined carefully the possibility of
creating a European Student Card bearing in mind that a
number of student and youth cards already exist on a
national, European and international level. The
Commission does not consider, in general, that it is an
appropriated body to issue student cards but feels that its
role should rather be, as has been the policy with respect
to the youth cards, to promote cooperation between
existing organizations in the Member States.

With respect to student cards in particular there have been
available, for many years, two international cards (issued
by separate organizations, one in Western Europe and
other in Eastern Europe). These cards were designed
primarily for use for the student to obtain reduced travel
facilities but they also give access to a number of
concessions in different countries e.g. reduced prices for
goods and services. Discussions were concluded last
month with the organizations concerned for the issue of a
unified card under the sponsorship of UNESCO, and
agreement has been reached on a new, single management
structure. The development of this new card as an aid to
mobility (e.g. as recognised identification for access to
student services, etc.) is currently under consideration.

In addition, the Commission is considering the
desirability and the feasibility of introducing, on an
experimental basis, an Erasmus student card for students
moving within the programme. Such a card could act as
proof of identification as an Erasmus student and could

28. 10.91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/35

facilitate reception at the host university. If the necessary
agreement on the establishment and practical means to
issue such a card can be reached in time, it would be
hoped that such a card could be available for the academic
year 1992/93. The Commission intends to consult the
Erasmus Committee on the approach to be followed.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1076/91

by Mr Edward Kellett-Bowman (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/69)

_Subject:_ UCLAF

Would the Commission not agree that the cost benefit of
UCLAF more than justifies its creation?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1077/91

by Mr Edward Kellett-Bowman (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 May 1991)_

(91/C 281/70)

_Subject:_ UCLAF

What increase does the Commission propose further to
strengthen UCLAF?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1078/91

by Mr Edward Kellett-Bowman (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 May 1991)_

(91/C281/71)

_Subject:_ Staffing of the Commission (UCLAF)

Does the Commission intend to propose an increase in the
staffing of UCLAF?

Joint answer to Written Questions No 1076/91,

No 1077/91 and 1078/91

given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(3_ _July 1991)_

The Commission takes a positive view of the major role
played by UCLAF since its creation in terms of providing
impetus and coordination. But there is always scope for
strengthening and improving the efficiency of any
coordination system.

The Commission is prepared to do everything necessary
to boost its internal efficiency and help optimize the
combined efforts of all those involved in combating fraud.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1107/91

by Mr Dimitrios Dessylas (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(5 June 1991)_

(91/C 281/72)

_Subject:_ Subsidies for rice-growers in the prefecture of
Serres

More than 1 000 producers of 'bluebelle rice' (indica type)
in the Prefecture of Serres in Greece are, through no fault
of their own, in danger of forfeiting Community subsidies
for the 1990 harvest because of the unacceptable delay by
the local authorities in forwarding to the Ministry of
Agriculture the supporting documents which the
producers themselves had submitted in time.

In addition, rice-growers in the prefecture of Serres
strongly object to the Commission's proposal (as part of
the farm prices package for 1991/92) to reduce subsidies
for this year's indica rice crop by all of 20 % (from ECU
250 to ECU 200 per hectare), at a time when inflation in
Greece is running at 20% and production costs will
increase by much more. What immediate measures will
the Commission take to resolve the serious problems
facing rice-growers in the prefecture of Serres?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(1_ _August 1991)_

The problems caused by the delay in forwarding the
supporting documents required in order to be entitled to
receive subsidies for the production of rice of the indica
type (Bluebelle variety) have been settled by a letter from
the Director of the EAGGF of 8 May 1991 authorizing
the Greek authorities to pay the subsidies mentioned, by
way of exception after the prescribed date of 31 January
1991 fixed by Article 7 of Commission Regulation (EEC)
No 675/88 (')•

The proposal made by the Commission to reduce
subsidies for indica rice from ECU 250 per hectare in
1990/91 to ECU 200 per hectare in 1991/92 is in line with
the original plan. The studies were decided on in 1987
subject to certain conditions: they were to be of limited
duration (for the years 1987/88 to 1991/92) and
degressive, and have been reduced from ECU 330 per
hectare in 1987/88 to the ECU 200 per hectare which the
Council has just laid down for 1991/92.

No C 281/36 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

The Commission hopes, after the experience of the last
three years of changing to different varieties, that the
intended aim of promoting the cultivation of indica rice
will be achieved and that the new structure of rice supply
to the Community will enable this market to develop
successfully.

O OJNoL70, 16.3. 1988, p. 12.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1116/91

by Mrs Concepcio Ferrer (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(5_ _June 1991)_

(91/C 281/73)

_Subject:_ Notification to the Spanish Government with
regard to recognition of dentists' qualifications

In October 1990, responding to a complaint from the
Spanish General Council of Dentists and Stomatologists,
the Commission requested the Spanish government to
explain the fact that, four years after joining the
European Community, Spain was continuing to recognize
dentistry qualifications awarded by third countries,
particularly Latin American countries, without regard to
Community Regulations on the recognition of diplomas
and the freedom of establishment.

In its letter of formal notice the Commission considered

that by authorizing those qualified in third countries
where training courses do not satisfy the requirements of
Directive 78/687/EEC (') to practise in Spain after 1
January 1986, Spain was not fulfilling its obligations
under Community law and, in particular, the provisions
of Article 5 of the EEC Treaty, and Directives
78/686/EEC ( [2] ) and 78/687/EEC.

Several months have passed; has the Spanish Government
replied to the Commission's letter? If so, what is its
position? If it has not yet done so, what steps does the
Commission intend to take?

What effect is the Spanish Government's policy of
recognizing qualifications having on the freedom of
establishment of Community dentists, in force since 1
January this year?

(') OJNoL233,24.8. 1978, p. 10.
O OJNoL233,24. 8. 1978, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(20 August 1991)_

The Spanish Government replied in January 1991 to the
letter of formal notice sent by the Commission, which is
now examining the reply.

The Commission wishes to point out first of all that,
under Directive 78/687/EEC (Article 1(4)), Member
States may grant access to their territory to holders of
diplomas obtained in third countries in accordance with
their own rules. However, their decision is not binding on
the other Member States. In other words, the latter are
not obliged to recognize in turn diplomas from third
countries that Spain has recognized.

Moreover, although Spain is free to decide whether or not
to recognize diplomas obtained in third countries and to
authorize their holders to pursue the activities of a dental
practitioner in its territory, the Commission considers it
essential that the Spanish authorities should verify that
the training to which these diplomas attest at least meets
the requirements of Directive 78/687/EEC.

The Commission is also of the opinion that, if Spain
authorizes holders of diplomas from third countries
whose training does not meet the above-mentioned
requirements to establish themselves in its territory, it is
limiting accordingly the possibilities of establishment for
dental practitioners whose training does meet the
requirements.

The purpose of the letter of formal notice sent to Spain
was precisely to determine whether it agrees with the
Commission's interpretation of Directive 78/687/EEC
and is carrying out the necessary checks.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1126/91

by Mr Filippos Pierros (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(5_ _June 1991)_

(91/C 281/74)

_Subject:_ Assessment of financial needs of Central and
Eastern Europe

Despite the urgent needs of the Central and Eastern
European countries, no serious quantitative assessment
has been made. Estimates vary greatly, which makes it
harder to find realistic solutions to the serious problems
of these countries.

A recent issue of 'Time' magazine reports that at a
conservative estimate, Eastern Europe will require an
immediate cash injection of $8 billion this year alone,
while the World Bank quotes an amount of $22-23 billion
and the Federal Institute for Eastern European and
International Studies estimates annual needs to be $600

billion.

28. 10.91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/37

Has the Commission carried out an assessment of

financial needs of the countries concerned and, if so, can
it give details?

A^swer^ive^by^rA^d^essen
on b e h o o f the Co^^iission

^ ^ ^ ^

quantitative assessmentsof thefinancingneedsof the
countries of Central and Eastern Europe naturally depend
on the approach used and can produce very different
results according to whether one considers ^ needs
created by external factors: financing the balance of
payments deficit and the financial reserves deemed
necessary or t^ii^ overall needs for the restructuring of the
economies of the countries concerned.

In the case of the first approach^ shortterm financing for
external needs is usually examined in isolation. These can
be considered the aggregate of three factors:

^ the current hardcurrency balance of payments deficit
^including interestpayments^

^ the capital account deficit ^including debt repayments
and the value of direct investments

^ the planned increase in the country^ monetary

reserves.

Losing this definition^the needs of Central and Eastern
Europeproper^excludingthe^ovietUnion^forr^^lare
fairly close to the estimates ofthe^orldBank^ the l^iE
and the Commissions referred to by the fdonourable
^iember.The estimates yielded proposals for assistance
from the Croup of ^^ for four of the countries t^Bulgaria^
Chechoslovakian Hungary and Romanian of a total of
ECU ^^ billion. This amounts together with official aid
and private financings should approach ECU ^^ billion in
t ^ l f o r t h e four countries mentioned^ plus Roland.

In the case of the second approach^ estimating the overall
financing needs of the economies of the countries of the
region is much more complex. Although the Commission
has not so far made an assessment of these overall needs^

some of the demands of restructuring have been met by
the targeted financing made available by the Community^
the other industrialized countries of the Croup o f ^ a n d
international institutions^thel^dE^^orldBank^ElB and

EBR.10^. financing from individual countries^ notably
including grants^ structural loans^ contributions to the
capital of the EBRLo and export credits total r^in terms of
undertakings since mid r ^ ^ approximately ECU^O
billion.

The Commission considers at this stage that the initiatives
of the Croup o f ^ m a k e it possible to supply resources
which are largely sufficient tomeet the present primary
needs of the countries concerned^ taking account in

particular their capacity to absorb structural aid. This
capacity is still restricted by a number of constraints
^including incomplete reforms

Phe Croup o f ^ h a v e agreed to assess the outlook for
financing forthe countries of Central and Eastern Europe
in 1 ^ ^ on the basis of estimates of financing needs which
will be supplied farenough ahead bythel^iE.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1133/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(} June 1991)_

(91/C 281/75)

_Subject:_ Special protection area for the European roller
_(Coracias garmlus)_

Can the Commission list the special protection areas
created by France for the protection of the European
roller _(Coracias garrulus)_ under Directive 79/409/
E E C O ?

O OJ No LI 03,25.4. 1979, p. 1.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1134/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(5 June 1991)_

(91/C 281/76)

_Subject:_ Special protection area for the European nightjar
_(Caprimulgus europaeus)_

Can the Commission list the special protection areas
created by France for the protection of the European
nightjar _(Caprimulgus europaeus)_ under Directive 79/
409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1293/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 June 1991)_

(91/C 281/77)

_Subject:_ Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC:
Special protection area for the collared
flycatcher _(Ficedula albicollis)_

Can the Commission list the special protection areas
designated by France for the protection of the collared

No C 281/38 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

flycatcher _(Ficedula albicollis)_ in accordance with
Directive 79/409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1294/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 June 1991)_

(91/C281/78)

_Subject:_ Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC:
Special protection area for the three-toed
woodpecker _(Picoldes tridactylus)_

Can the Commission list the special protection areas
designated by France for the protection of the three-toed
woodpecker _(Picoides tridactylus)_ in accordance with
Directive 79/409/EEC?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1295/91

by Mr Gerard Monnier-Besombes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 June 1991)_

(91/C 281/79)

_Subject:_ Implementation of Directive 79/409/EEC:
Special protection area for the middle-spotted
woodpecker _(Dendrocops medius)_

Can the Commission list the special protection areas
designated by France for the protection of the
middle-spotted woodpecker _(Dendrocops medius)_ in
accordance with Directive 79/409/EEC?

Joint answer to Written Questions No 1133/91,
No 1134/91, No 1293/91, No 1294/91, No 1295/91

given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(25 July 1991)_

The Commission would again remind the Honourable
Member that in France no special protection area has been
created, under Directive 79/409/EEC, for the protection
of one species in particular.

Three of the species mentioned in his written questions
are, however, found in special protection areas:

— the European roller _(Coracias garrulus)_ nests in the
Crau and the Camargue;

— the European nightjar _(Caprimulgus europaeus)_ nests in
the Canche estuary;

— the middle-spotted woodpecker _(Dendrocopos medius)_
nests in the Pinail and Mouliere forest area.

The two other species, the collared flycatcher _(Ficedula_
_albicollis)_ and the three-toed woodpecker _(Picoides_
_tridactylus)_ do not appear in the list of species forwarded
with area classification details.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1149/91

by Mrs Raymonde Dury (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(5_ _June 1991)_

(91/C 281/80)

_Subject:_ The 'dismisser pays' principle

A number of cases of industrial restructuring, which have
adverse social consequences, are occurring in the run-up
to the single market. In many cases, the ultimate aim of
these developments is to procure benefits for the
undertakings or groups of undertakings concerned. The
resulting redundancies are thus taking place not in
companies facing difficulties but, on the contrary, in
companies which are expanding. Would it not be logical,
and also morally right, for these companies to make a
greater contribution (e.g. through unemployment
insurance contributions) to the burden imposed on the
public authorities by restructuring measures which are
expected to lead to increased profits?

Could not this principle, which is comparable to the
'polluter pays' principle, be implemented at Community
level?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 July 1991)_

The Commission stated in its action programme to
implement the Charter of Fundamental Social Rights that
it was not appropriate to harmonize social protection
schemes, given the diversity of their characteristics and
traditions. The Member States must retain control of the

organization and financing of their social protection
schemes. This principle applies especially to the financing
of redundancy payments referred to by the Honourable
Member.

However, the Commission wishes to promote
convergence of the policies pursued by the Member States
in the field of social protection, including their policies on
redundancy. It will shortly be making a proposal for a
Council recommendation which will define common

objectives to serve as points of reference for such policies.

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/39

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1154/91

by Mrs Raymonds Dury (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(5 June 1991)_

(91/C281/81)

_Subject:_ Measures to combat long-term unemployment

Research has shown that the job market sifts and selects
applicants on the basis of a reverse waiting list: the longer
one has waited, the longer one will continue to wait.
Increasing seniority among the unemployed thus becomes
the main obstacle to re-employment.

What specific measures have been taken as part of
Community programmes to combat long-term
unemployment in order to deal with this particular
problem?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_{4 July 1991)_

There are many specific measures to help the long-term
unemployed by changing the process of selection on the
labour market. These measures generally fall within the
following categories:

— job creation through improvement of the
macroeconomic context and inducements to set up
businesses;

— specific employment aids to change the structure of
unemployment to the advantage of a number of target
groups (long-term unemployed, young people,
women);

— measures to retrain the workforce;

— improvement of the operation of the labour market by
measures to promote mobility and improve the
balance between supply and demand.

The Member States have set up ambitious programmes
including all these measures in an endeavour to promote
the integration of those unemployed who are
encountering the greatest difficulties. The ESF is making
a massive contribution and allocated more than ECU 1,5
billion in 1990 to combating long-term unemployment
and finding jobs for young people (Objectives 3 and 4
under the reformed structural Funds). The purpose of
these measures, involving employment and training aid, is
to promote the return to work of those people who are at
the very back of the unemployment queue.

At the same time, the Commission has launched the Ergo
programme, which made it possible to identify close to

2 000 job provision initiatives in Europe, and has made an
in-depth survey of 120 measures to combat long-term
unemployment in the twelve Member States. The
programme is designed to enable the Community
countries to take advantage of the achievements and the
jointly shared experience of more than ten years of
combating long-term unemployment.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1194/91

by Mrs Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

p _June 1991)_

(91/C 281/82)

_Subject:_ Gas grenades off the Belgian coast

Is the Commission aware of information to the effect that

gas grenades have been located on the seabed off the
Belgian coast at Knokke, posing a potentially serious
threat to the environment, and what action does the
Commission consider should be taken to avert the danger
from this and any other similar form of dumping?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(18 July 1991)_

1. The Commission has no information about the

presence of gas grenades on the seabed off the Belgian
coast at Knokke.

It considers that only the national authorities can provide
the information requested on both the quantities and
types of munitions dumped, and on the exact locations,
where they are known.

2. With regard to the action which should be taken to
avert any potential danger, the Honourable Member
should refer to the Commission's answers to Written
Questions No 923/89 (*) and No 429/90 ( [2] ) by Mr
Muntingh, namely that an assessment should be made of
dangerous substances dumped or lost at sea in the past,
drawing on the information available under the relevant
international conventions (London and Oslo), in respect
of which the Commission has observer status.

In addition, the Commission would emphasize the
interest shown in this matter at the 16th meeting of the
Oslo Commission (Reykjavik, 21-23 June 1990) when it
was suggested that the question of munitions dumped at

No C 281/40 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

sea should be revived, following on from that body's
discussions in 1982,1984 and 1985.

O OJNoC 139,7.6.1990.
O OJNoC325,24, 12. 1990.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1208/91

byMrElioDiRupo(S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11_ _June 1991)_

(91/C 281/83)

_Subject:_ Informing patients and Community
coordination in the area of heart surgery and
organ transplants

A large number of Belgian hospitals specializing either in
heart surgery or organ transplants each year admit several
hundred patients from the Community.

Some of these hospitals have lengthening waiting lists
stretching over several years, while the capacity of other
hospitals which have built up an equally impressive fund
of experience is underutilized and could cater well for the
demand from Community patients.

In view of the fact that this is a question of informing
patients in other Community countries (Italy and
Germany in particular) and of coordination between
Member States, which by its very nature is not the
responsibility of a single Member State (in this case,
Belgium), does the Commission agree that these two
objectives (informing Community patients and
coordinating demand) could be better achieved at
Community level than at that of the Member States acting
separately?

What view does it take of the creation of a register listing
all Community health centres specializing in heart
operations and/or organ transplants?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 July 1991)_

The Commission and the Council of Europe are working
closely together in an endeavour to improve information
and coordination in the field of organ transplants.

The Council of Europe is currently drawing up a list of
transplant centres.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1211/91

by Mr Wafcied Telkamper (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11 June 1991)_

(91/C 281/84)

_Subject:_ EC contribution to the implementation of the
Declaration on the Survival, Protection and
Development of children

1. Was the EC represented at the World Summit for
Children of September 1990 held in New York?

If so, how was it represented?

2. Was the EC a cosignatory to the Declaration on the
Survival, Protection and Development of Children?

3. In what way is the EC involved in the programme of
action for the implementation of this Declaration?

4. In what way and to what extent are the EC Member
States involved in this programme of action?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(5 July 1990)_

1. The Community was not represented at the World
Summit for Children held in New York in September

1990.

2 and 3. The Community is not a co-signatory to the
Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development
of Children of 30 September 1990 and is therefore not
involved in the programme of action for its
implementation.

4. The Community has no information about the
involvement of the Member States in the programme of
action since this is a matter which falls within their

competence.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1221/91

by Mr Miguel Arias Canete (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11_ _June 1991)_

(91/C281/85)

_Subject:_ Implementation of the EEC-Senegal Fisheries
Agreement

Given that the Fisheries Agreement between the
Community and Senegal laid down that its protocol
should remain in force for the period from 1 May 1990 to
30 April 1992 and given that over one year has thus passed
since the entry into force of the said protocol:

28. 10. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 281/41

1. To what degree has the protocol been implemented in
the case of the different fishing opportunities
provided for — wet-fish demersal trawlers, freezer
trawlers, tuna vessels and surface longliners?

2. Which Member States have obtained fishing licences
and in what number?

3. What results have been obtained by the Centre de
Recherches Oceanographiques de Dakar-Thiaroye
(CRODT), on the basis of scientific programmes
(with Community finance), as laid down in Article 4
of the protocol?

4. Has there been any conflict in those waters involving
the Community fleet and if so how has it been
resolved?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 July 1991)_

1 and 2. The Commission is sending directly to the
Honourable Member and to the Parliament Secretariat a

table regarding the current state of utilization of the
fishing opportunities provided for by the EEC-Senegal
Agreement and the Member States concerned for the
period from 1 May 1990 to 30 April 1992.

3. The Commission has not received reports on the use
by the Centre de Recherche Oceanographique de
Dakar-Thiaroye (CRODT) of the funds with which it has
been provided under the present protocol. This situation
is not unusual, given that the scientific programmes
implemented are currently in progress. In accordance with
Article 4 of the protocol the Commission will ensure that
the reports in question are requested before negotiations
on the renewal of the current protocol are begun.

4. Some boardings of Community ships have been
recorded under the present protocol:

— a ship holding a fishing licence for Gambia, boarded
in Senegalese waters and accused of fishing there
without a licence.

— a fine was imposed on the shipowner.

— a ship left Senegal without all the wages due to
Senegalese seamen having been paid. In the end the
balance owing was paid by the shipowner.

— a ship operating in the non-disputed waters of
Guinea-Bissau (to the south of the 'grey' zone claimed
by Senegal and Guinea-Bissau) was stopped by a
Senegalese patrol and taken by force to Dakar where
it was detained for some days without justification,

then released. The Commission made its disapproval
known to the authorities in Senegal in the strongest
possible terms.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1223/91

by Mr Miguel Arias Canete (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11_ _June 1991)_

(91/C 281/86)

_Subject:_ Implementation of the EEC-Angola Fisheries
Agreement

Given that the Fisheries Agreement between the
Community and Angola laid down that its protocol
should remain in force for the period from 3 May 1990 to
2 May 1992 and given that over one year has thus passed
since the entry into force of the said protocol:

1. To what degree has the protocol been implemented in
case of the different fishing opportunities provided
for (shrimp vessels, tuna freezer boats and wet tuna
boats and demersal trawlers)?

2. Which Member States have obtained fishing licences
and in what number?

3. What results have been obtained in the scientfic and

technical programmes as laid down in Article 3 of the
protocol?

4. Has there been any conflict in those waters involving
the Community fleet and if so how has it been
resolved?

Answer by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(25 July 1991)_

1 and 2. The table below shows the current state of

utilization of the fishing opportunities provided for by the
EEC-Angola Agreement and the Member States
concerned for the period from 3 May 1990 to 2 May 1992.

3. The Commission has not received a report on the
use of the funds available under Article 3 of the current

protocol. This situation is not unusual, given that the
scientific programmes implemented are currently in

progress.

4. There has been no conflict involving the Community
fleet.

No C 281/42 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 10. 91

EEC-Angola Fisheries Agreement

Protocol 3 May 1990/2 May 1992: Implementation

Utilization

Categories

Shrimp vessels

Oceangoing tuna freezer
boats

Wet tuna boats

Experimental demersal
fishing

Fishing opportunities

24 vessels (8 128 GRT
max.) with annual quota
of 5 500

28 vessels

5 vessels

2 vessels
(600 GRT max.)

3.5.1990-2.5.1991

E: 24 vessels
(8 097,55 GRT)

F: 12 vessels

E: 14 vessels

26 vessels

ES: 1 vessel
(397,13 GRT)

3.5.1991—2.5.1992

E: 24 vessels
(7 996,80 GRT)

F: 12 vessels

E: 13 vessels

25 vessels

HERMRT0W58KJ!

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r~| Telecommunications in Europe
— by Herbert Ungerer with the collaboration of Nicholas Costello

The convergence of telecommunications, data processing, and, ultimately, the audiovisual TV broadcasting technologies is dramatically
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I I 1992: The European social dimension
L ~ J by Patrick Venturini
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present the various facets of this social dimension and the dynamics of
their interaction: employment, freedom of movement for persons and occupational mobility, economic and social cohesion, the working environment, company law, social measures in support of technological change,
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A GUIDE TO WORKING

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WITHOUT FRONTIERS r~| A guide to working in a Europe without frontiers
— by Jean-Claude Seche. Introduction by Jacques Deiors

This work describes in a language readily comprehensible to nonlegal specialists a picture of the present situation and will help people
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r~"| Europe In figures

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