Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-6986
# Official Journal C 183

Volume 39

### of the European Communities

Information and Notices
English edition

24 June 1996

Notice No Contents p age

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

96 / C 183 / 01 E-41 / 95 by Alexander Langer to the Council
Subject : The situation of pygmies in Zaire and the fate of the Italian missionary, Fr Antonio
Mazzuccato 1

96 / C 183 / 02 E-l 79 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Protection against nuclear waste 1

96 / C 183 / 03 P-2121 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Council
Subject : Imprisonment of Turkish political refugee in Germany 2

96 / C 183 / 04 E-3016 / 95 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Failure by the municipal authorities of Fuengirola ( Malaga ) to comply with Directive
80 / 778 / EEC ( Supplementary answer ) 2

96 / C 183 / 05 E-3057 / 95 by Nuala Ahern to the Council
Subject : Observer status at summit meeting in Columbia 3

96 / C 183 / 06 E-31 99 / 95 by Saara-Maria Paakkinen to the Council
Subject : Consumer protection in the purchase of dwellings and real estate 3

96 / C 183 / 07 E-342 9 / 95 by Martina Gredler to the Commission
Subject : Compulsory virus tests for foreign doctors ( Supplementary answer ) 4

96 / C 183 / 08 E-3528 / 95 by Roberto Mezzaroma to the Council
Subject : Safeguarding children in South America and South-East Asia who are victims of sexual
violence 4

96 / C 183 / 09 E-3556 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Council
Subject : US listening post in the UK — Menwith Flail 5

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P-3561 / 95 by Peter Pex to the Council
Subject : New Tacis Régulation

E-3586 / 95 by Jens-Peter Bonde to the Council
Subject : Television without frontiers

E-3599 / 95 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor to the Commission
Subject : Promoting financing facilities for small businesses in the environmental sector

E-3646 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Council
Subject : Malpensa 2000

E-3648 / 95 by Roberta Angelilli to the Commission
Subject : Irregularities in the running of training course co-financed by the European Union

( Supplementary answer )

E-15 / 96 by Martina Gredler to the Commission
Subject : Positive environmental effects of genetically modified foodstuffs ?

E-27 / 96 by Markus Ferber to the Council
Subject : Reduced fares for rail travel

P-30 / 96 by Wayne David to the Commission
Subject : Amnesty International's claims on torture and death in Egyptian prisons and police
stations

P-31 / 96 by Glenys Kinnock to the Council
Subject : Chinese orphanages

E-69 / 96 by Spalato Belleré to the Commission
Subject : Use of telephones and similar instruments on board aircraft

E-73 / 96 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission

Subject : Environment

E - 76 / 96 by Jan Mulder to the Council
Subject : European compensation for outbreaks of infectious plant diseases such as brown rot and
Thrips palmi

E-78 / 96 by Jessica Larive to the Commission
Subject : Greek ban on television advertising for toys

E-97 / 96 by Odile Leperre-Verrier to the Council
Subject : Single currency and the blind

E-126 / 96 by Raul Rosado Fernandes to the Commission
Subject : The implications for competition of the system of tax deduction applied by a Member State
of the European Union

E-140 / 96 by Laurens Brinkhorst and Johanna Boogerd-Quaak to the Commission
Subject : Bank charges applied to internal and cross-border payments

E-141 / 96 by Laurens Brinkhorst and Johanna Boogerd-Quaak to the Commission
Subject : Bank charges applied to internal and cross-border payments

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96 / C 183 / 27 E-148 / 96 by Iñigo Méndez de Vigo to the Commission
Subject : Information about the EU in the United Kingdom 15

96 / C 183 / 28 E-l 69 / 96 by Giulio Fantuzzi to the Commission

Subject : Aid for French regions 15

96 / C 183 / 29 E - 1 70 / 96 by Honório Novo to the Commission
Subject : Tropical storm ' Tania ' in the Azores — exceptional aid 16

96 C 183 / 30 E-l 75 / 96 by Kenneth Coates to the Commission

Subject : Environmental protection — Dioxins 16

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E-178 / 96 by Kenneth Coates to the Commission
Subject : Environmental protection — Access to environmental information 17

E-l 83 / 96 by Bernd Lange to the Commission
Subject : National financing of COST projects 17

E-185 / 96 by Jannis Sakellariou to the Commission
Subject : Information on the level and use of EU funds paid out to Upper Bavaria in 1994 and
1995 18

E-l 94 / 96 by Jens-Peter Bonde to the Council
Subject : Countervailing charges 19

P-200 / 96 by Peter Skinner to the Council
Subject : Openness and transparency of the Council of Ministers 19

E-218 / 96 by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz to the Commission
Subject : EIA for sewage sludge incineration plant in the district of Friesland, Germany 20

E-236 / 96 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Relations with outside agencies 21

E-242 / 96 by Markus Ferber to the Commission
Subject : EU imports of ( wood ) laminated cores from third countries 21

E-251 / 96 by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz to the Commission
Subject : Neutron radiation and Community research projects 22

E-270 / 96 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Trafficking in fuel in the Community 23

E-281 / 96 by Bernd Lange to the Commission
Subject : Whereabouts of Resit Yildiz, a Turkish citizen, from Cilesizküyü ( Mezre / Miheke ),
Nusaybin 23

E-322 / 96 by Salvador Garriga Polledo to the Council
Subject : Inspecting Community spending 24

E-343 / 96 by Thomas Megahy to the Council
Subject : ECU-denominated bonds 24

96 / C 183 / 44 E-347 / 96 by Glyn Ford to the Commission
Subject : Specifications concerning sale of part-worn tyres 25

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E-354 / 96 by Jesus Cabezón Alonso and Juan Colino Salamanca to the Council
Subject : Age limits for competitions 25

P-358 / 96 by Elisabeth Schroedter to the Commission
Subject : ICE Berlin — Hanover railway line through the IBA and Great Bustard conservation
area 25

96 / C 183 / 47 E-362 / 96 by Markus Ferber to the Commission

Subject : EU programmes SAVE and Synergie 26

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E-391 / 96 by Joan Vallvé to the Commission
Subject : Application of the Socrates programme 27

E-397 / 96 by Freddy Blak to the Commission
Subject : Shabby treatment of EU citizens 27

E-398 / 96 by Honor Funk to the Commission
Subject : Legislation concerning fertilizers in the EU 28

E-401 / 96 by Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission

Subject : Pefkias Xylokastro 28

E-406 / 96 by Bill Miller to the Commission
Subject : The Fourth Framework RTD 29

E-407 / 96 by Bill Miller to the Commission
Subject : The Fourth Framework RTD 30

E-41 6 / 96 by Amedeo Amadeo and Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Lease of the Hochtief building in Luxembourg 30

E-421 / 96 by Concepció Ferrer to the Commission

Subject : Commission compétition 31

E-428 / 96 by Bernie Malone to the Commission
Subject : EU funding for health services 31

E-451 / 96 by Hiltrud Breyer to the Commission
Subject : Possible authorization of marketing of the fat substitute ' Olestra ' by Procter & Gamble in
the EU 32

96 / C 183 / 58 E-465 / 96 by Iñigo Méndez de Vigo to the Council

Subject : Human rights violations in South Africa 32

96 / C 183 / 59

E-468 / 96 by Joan Vallvé to the Commission
Subject : The promotion of sex tourism in the Balearic Islands 33

96 / C 183 / 60 E-486 / 96 by Glyn Ford to the Commission
Subject : Contravention of EU competition law 33

96 / C 183 / 61 E-495 / 96 by Antoni Gutiérrez Díaz, Laura González Alvarez and María Sornosa
Martínez to the Commission

Subject : Chlorine leak from the Erkimia factory ( Flix-Tarragona ) 34

96 / C 183 / 62

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E-499 / 96 by Spalato Belleré to the Commission
Subject : Aid for disaster victims in the European Union 34

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96 / C 183 / 63 E-501 / 96 by Spalato Belleré to the Commission
Subject : Efforts to combat social deprivation 34

96 / C 183 / 64 E-509 / 96 by Glyn Ford to the Commission
Subject : European aid 35

96 / C 183 / 65 E-511 / 96 by Glyn Ford to the Commission

Subject : United Kingdom Government stance on all-seater stadiums 35

96 / C 183 / 66 E-519 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission

Subject : Helios programme 35

96 / C 183 / 67 E-522 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : Helios programme 36

96 / C 183 / 68 E-526 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : Helios programme 36

96 / C 183 / 69 E-531 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : European Disability Forum 37

96 / C 183 / 70 E-533 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : European Social Funding 37

96 / C 183 / 71 E-538 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : European Social Funding 37

96 / C 183 / 72 E-539 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : European Social Funding 38

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E-561 / 96 by Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Public relations activities 39

P-591 / 96 by Daniel Féret to the Commission
Subject : Banning asbestos 39

E - 595 / 96 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Hormone replacement therapy .' 40

P-599 / 96 by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel to the Commission
Subject : Renewal of the US-Euratom agreement on nuclear cooperation 41

E-604 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : ECU 3 million Development Aid to assist the ' Comprehensive Plan of Actions ' for
resettlement of ' Vietnamese Migrants ' 41

E-612 / 96 by José Barros Moura to the Commission
Subject : Duplicate personal files on officials 42

P-625 / 96 by Lissy Groner to the Commission
Subject : Child cancer in the Ukraine, Belarus and Russia as a result of the Chernobyl disaster 43

P-639 / 96 by Edouard des Places to the Commission
Subject : Farm prices 1996 / 97 : protein crops 44

( Continued overleaf )

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96 / C 183 / 81 E-644 / 96 by Gastone Parigi, Cristiana Muscardini, Spalato Belleré and Amedeo Amadeo
to the Commission

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Subject : Ethnie cleansing in the 1940s perpetrated against the Italian community living on the
Adriatic coast

E-649 / 96 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : Use of budget appropriations for the Youth Start programme

E-650 / 96 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : Use of budget appropriations for the Leonardo programme

E-675 / 96 by Antonio Tajani to the Commission
Subject : Measures to stop the practice of usury

E-676 / 96 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Monitoring of avalanches

P-707 / 96 by Carl Lang to the Commission
Subject : Aid to the textile industry

P-709 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : Mobil and BP merger

E-713 / 96 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Statistics on laboratory animal use

E-745 / 96 by Astrid Lulling to the Commission
Subject : Inclusion of Euro-Commerce in the social dialogue

E-808 / 96 by Concepció Ferrer to the Commission
Subject : Choice of Phare and Tacis projects

P-810 / 96 by Glyn Ford to the Commission
Subject : Human Frontier Science programme

P-811 / 96 by David Hallam to the Commission
Subject : European Union subsidies to the carpet industry

E-825 / 96 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : ECHO Framework Partnership Agreements :

E-848 / 96 by Iñigo Méndez de Vigo to the Commission
Subject : Infringement of freedom of expression

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24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION E-41 / 95

by Alexander Langer ( V )

to the Council

( 23 January 1995 )

( 96 / C 183 / 01 )

Subject : The situation of pygmies in Zaire and the fate of

Answer

(2 May 1996 )

The Council does not at this stage have information which
would enable it to reply to the Honourable Member's
question .

the Italian missionary, Fr Antonio Mazzuccato
WRITTEN QUESTION E                      - 1 79 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

Dramatic news has arrived from the region of Beni ( in the
north of Zaire ) concerning the Ituri district, the home of
very poor tribes of pygmies, which are now being threatened
and persecuted not only by other tribes ( the Babila in Teturi )
but also by the Zaire authorities . An Italian missionary, Fr
Antonio Mazzuccato, has been living for years among the
pygmies and shares their lot : today those who continue to
pursue the goal of pygmy genocide have made it plain that
they want to kill him .

The arrival of refugees from Rwanda, the spread of
epidemics and endemic poverty are exacerbating the already
very precarious and threatened situation of the pygmies and
of those who have chosen to side with them .

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 96 / C 183 / 02 )

Subject : Protection against nuclear waste

After the accession of Finland on 1 January, the European
Union now has a common border with Russia . Close to this

new border is the Kola peninsula which is a vast area of
nuclear waste .

Does the Council plan to contribute to funding the
rehabilitation project for this area ?

Answer

Is the European Union aware of this situation ? What means ( 15 May 1996 )
does it contemplate for strengthening the position of the
pygmies, whose ethnic, cultural and even physical survival
appears to be threatened ? Does it intend to do anything A Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the
about this and also to extend effective protection to this European Community and its Member States of the one part
missionary and to those who, like him, work alongside the and Russia of the other part was signed on 24 June 1994
threatened populations ? alongside the Corfu European Council .

No C 183 / 2 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

The Agreement, which is in the process of being ratified, Answer
contains a chapter concerning economic cooperation within (2 May 1996 )
the framework of which there is provision for cooperation
in the field of energy, the nuclear sector and the environment
between the European Community and Russia .

Furthermore, the European Community provides
substantial technical assistance to Russia ( Tacis ). The
Council has entrusted the Commission with the
management of that programme, which allocates
substantial funds for nuclear safety and the environment .

The Honourable Member is advised to refer on this matter,
to the information given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of
the Commission in reply to Written Question
No E-1564 / 95 (').

The Council does not have the information which would

enable it to reply to the Honourable Member's question,
inasmuch as this case is covered by the law of a Member
State of the European Union .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3016 / 95

by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission

(') OJ No C 270, 16 . 10 . 1995, p . 33 . ( 13 November 1995 )

( 96 / C 183 / 04 )

Subject : Failure by the municipal authorities of Fuengirola

( Malaga ) to comply with Directive 80 / 778 / EEC

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2121 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Council

( 11 July 1995 )

( 96 / C 183 / 03 )

Subject : Imprisonment of Turkish political refugee in

Germany

At the beginning of April a Turkish national, Nurcan Hasan
Salihi, a recognized political refugee resident in Greece, was
arrested in Germany despite being in possession of all the
necessary legal travel documents issued to him by the Greek
State as a political refugee .

In response to a Turkish request for his extradition, the
Greek court which examined the case rejected the grounds
for the application ( Decision 692 / 89 Nafplion Court of
Appeal ). Nurcan Hasan has married a Greek national with
whom he has had a child . Since 19 June 1995 he has been on
hunger strike in a German prison in an attempt to secure
recognition of his status as a political refugee .

What measures will the Council take on Mr Hasan's behalf

bearing in mind that his status has already been decided by a
court of a Member State, that he is in possession of all the
legal travel documents, a residence permit and a work
permit issued by a Member State and that his health may be
seriously damaged if his hunger strike continues ?

In her reply to my Written Question P-823 / 95 ( A ) of 9 March

1 995 on the above topic, Mrs Bjerregaard informed me that
the Commission was unaware of the decision by the
municipal authorities in Fuengirola ( Malaga ) to connect the
water mains to wells supplying low-quality water unfit for
human consumption and that, at the appropriate time, the
Commission had written to the Spanish authorities
requesting further information on the matter .

Since sufficient time has now gone by for the relevant
Spanish authorities to have replied to the Commission's
letter, can the Commission provide any information about
whatever reply may have been received, and what action
does it intend to take in order to fulfil the task allotted to it

under the Treaties, i . e . to ensure compliance with laws such
as those contained in Directive 80 / 778 / EEC ( 2 )?

C ) OJ No C 179, 13 . 7 . 1995, p . 55 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 229, 30 . 8 . 1980, p . 11 .

Supplementary answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 1 996 )

The Spanish authorities have explained to the Commission
the circumstances surrounding the decision to use a
groundwater source as an additional water supply for the
town of Fuengirola, and the conditions attached to its use . It
appears that the need for additional supply was a result of
exceptional meteorological conditions .

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 3

In the event of such exceptional conditions, Article 9 of
Directive 80 / 778 / EEC allows Member States to derogate
from the parametric values specified in the Directive,
providing the derogation does not relate to toxic or
microbiological factors or constitute a public health hazard .
In addition the Member State must inform the Commission

within 15 days, stating the reasons and duration of the
derogation .

The Spanish authorities did not inform the Commission that
this situation had occurred, nor was a derogation notified
at the appropriate time . A derogation has however,
subsequently been notified . It appears that the Spanish
authorities took specific steps to inform the public and the
health authorities of the situation, and to ensure the supply
of bottled water to schools, and to the public by water
tankers .

On the evidence provided, it appears that with the exception
of notifying the Commission, the authorities have acted as
they should and do not appear to have breached the
requirements of the Directive as far as their handling of
operations is concerned .

The Commission intends to ascertain what permanent
solutions the Spanish authorities have for solving the more
important question of ensuring a long-term, sustainable
water supply for the town of Fuengirola .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3057 / 95

by Nuala Ahern ( V )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3199 / 95

by Saara-Maria Paakkinen ( PSE )

to the Council

( 29 November 199S )

( 961 C 183 / 06 )

Subject : Consumer protection in the purchase of dwellings

and real estate

Pursuant to the Treaties establishing the European
Community, restrictions on ownership of real estate on
grounds of nationality have as a general rule been eliminated
in the Member States . This has made it possible for citizens
of the Union to purchase dwellings and real estate in other
Member States, for example as holiday homes, winter
homes or retirement homes . However, consumer protection
is very limited in the case of such transactions . There is no
Community legislation, so that the legislation of the country
of purchase of the dwelling or real estate applies to the
transactions ; nationals of other Member States are not
sufficiently familiar with this legislation to be able to protect
their interests effectively . Large sums of money are spent on
the purchase of dwellings and real estate, which means that
damage caused by dishonesty or negligence on the part of
the vendor or builder can have disastrous consequences in
individual cases .

What measures will the Council take to ensure effective

consumer protection in connection with the sale of
dwellings and real estate between nationals of the Member
States and to create a genuine internal market in this field
too ?

Answer

to the Council

November 1995 ( 29 April 1996 )

( 15 November 1995 )

( 96 / C 183 / 05 )

Subject : Observer status at summit meeting in Columbia

What consideration was given to arrangements for the
Council to be represented in observer capacity at the summit
meeting of the heads of government of the non-aligned
movement in Columbia, held 18 — 20 October 1995 ?

Answer

(2 May 1996 )

As the Honourable Member will realize, the Council adopts
consumer protection measures in response to proposals
from the Commission .

The Council has noted the Commission's intention, as
stated in its communication on priorities for consumer
policy, presented at the Council meeting on 9 November

1995, of addressing mortgage credit matters .

It should be pointed out, however, that the Directive on the
protection of purchasers in respect of certain aspects of
contracts relating to the purchase of the right to use
immovable properties on a timeshare basis ( ] ), adopted
jointly by Parliament and the Council in 1994, is such as to
respond to the Honourable Member's concern in part,
particularly as regards cross-border aspects .

The question raised by the Honourable Member was not
discussed by the Council . 0 ) OJ No L 280, 29 . 10 . 1994, p . 83 .

No C 183 / 4 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3429 / 95

by Martina Gredler ( ELDR )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3528 / 95

by Roberto Mezzaroma ( UPE )

to the Commission to the Council

( 18 December 1995 ) (3 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 07 ) ( 96 / C 183 / 08 )

Subject : Compulsory virus tests for foreign doctors

A committee of inquiry has proposed to the Irish Minister
for Health that a compulsory virus test be introduced for
foreign doctors wishing to practise in the Republic of
Ireland .

In which Member States are there such provisions ?

Are foreign doctors required to undergo these tests only
once or do they have to repeat the test following trips
abroad ?

What consequences are provided for should a doctor refuse
to undergo compulsory testing ?

Does the fact that these tests include an HIV test mean that

sexual behaviour is also being investigated ?

Supplementary answer given by Mr Monti

Subject : Safeguarding children in South America and
South-East Asia who are victims of sexual

violence

Is the Council aware of the tragic situation in South America
and South-East Asia, where children are the victims of
sexual violence and abuse by paedophiles ?

What action does the Council intend to take to ensure the

physical and psychological protection of such children, who
are selling their bodies solely in order to ensure their own
and their families ' survival, with serious repercussions for
their social and mental development ? Does the Council not
consider that it should make representations to the countries
concerned to provide for penalties for such abuses ?

on behalf of the Commission Answer

( 16 April 1996 ) (. 29 April 1996 )

Further to its answer given on 7 February 1996 ( ) the
Commission is now in a position to provide the following
information .

The survey carried out by the Commission shows that the
test referred to by the Honourable Member is part of a
project aimed at preventing hepatitis B. The test is already
compulsory in other Member States, namely the United
Kingdom and Sweden .

No Member State, on the other hand, has made HIV
screening compulsory . In this connection, it is probably
useful to point out that, under the ' Europe against AIDS '
programme ( 2 ), the Commission already supports specific
projects, in conjunction with the Member States, aimed at
examining actual and potential discriminatory situations in
the Member States . In addition, action is planned for the
exchange of information on the measures taken by them to
prevent or combat discrimination, particularly in the fields
of employment, insurance, credit, housing, education and
health care, and for the exchange of information and
experience relating to HIV screening policies .

The particular question to which the Honourable Member
refers has not been raised in Council .

In general terms, the Council has declared on many
occasions that it remains deeply committed to respect for
human rights and a fortiori to the rights of children both
inside and outside the Union . Since the Council resolution of

28 November 1991 on human rights and development, the
Community and its Member States have sought to adopt a
common approach designed to promote human rights in
developing countries . Hence, clauses suspending
cooperation in the event of serious human rights violations
are now a regular feature of all agreements concluded with
partners in receipt of Community aid .

of employment, insurance, credit,, housing, education and Moreover, the Union supports the efforts under way in the
health care, and for the exchange of information and United Nations on preparing an Additional Protocol to
experience relating to HIV screening policies . the Convention on the Rights of the Child with regard

to the sale of children, child prostitution and child
pornography .
(') OJ No C 91, 27 . 3 . 1996, p . 60 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 168, 18 . 7 . 1995 .

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 5

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3556 / 95

Answer

by Christine Oddy ( PSE ) (2 May 1996 )

to the Council

(9 January 1996 )

96 / C 183 / 09 )

Subject : US listening post in the UK — Menwith Hall

What steps does the Council intend to take under the foreign

security and defence cooperation to prevent the US using
listening devices to monitor domestic and European
telephone calls ?

Answer

(2 May 1996 )

The Council does not envisage initiating any action with
regard to the matter referred to by the Honourable Member,
the control of such installations on their national territory

being a matter for individual Member States .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3561 / 95

by Peter Pex ( PPE )

to the Council

(3 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 10 )

Subject : New Tacis Régulation

In April 1995 the Commission submitted a proposal for a
new Tacis Regulation to replace the previous one, which
expires on 31 December 1995 . Parliament delivered its
opinion on the proposal on 16 November 1 995 .

Recent reports suggest that the decision-making process in
the Council with regard to Tacis has reached deadlock ;
consequently there is now a danger that there will be no new
Tacis Regulation in force on 1 January 1996, which will
adversely affect the Tacis projects, as there is a great deal to
be done in the New Independent States .

What action does the Council intend to take to recover its

ability to take decisions and ensure that cooperation
projects with the countries of the former Soviet Union and
Mongolia can continue their normal course ?

Why has the Council not consulted Parliament on this
matter since April ?

Is the Council prepared to accept the Commission proposal,
as amended by Parliament, at an early date ?

The Council recorded political agreement on the draft new
Tacis Regulation on 29 January 1 996 .

The Council has discussed the Regulation at length in the
quest to ensure that the Tacis programme is both efficiently
and transparently managed, in line with the beneficiary
countries ' needs . That is why the Council has expanded the
draft originally proposed by the Commission with two new
Annexes dealing firstly with principles governing the award
of contracts by means of tendering, in particular restricted
tendering, and secondly with criteria for the implementation
of the Regulation . The draft Regulation also includes some
new features, designed inter alia to allow Tacis to use up to

10 % of its annual budget to finance small-scale
cross-border infrastructure projects and to encourage the
creation of joint ventures involving small and medium-sized
companies . The environment has also been added as a
priority area for Tacis measures .

Since the Council has substantially amended the
Commission proposal on which Parliament had already
delivered its opinion, the Council decided to consult
Parliament again .

The Council is aware of the importance of having the new
Regulation to cover the period from 19 96 to 19 99
operational soon . It has therefore called for application of
the urgent procedure for the re-consultation of Parliament,
which is already fully acquainted with the problems relating
to the Regulation . Furthermore, the Commission has
already given an assurance that its staff have begun
preparatory work for the continuity of the programme .

It is the Council's belief that the new Tacis Regulation will
be an improvement over the old one and that this new
approach will make for efficient and transparent use of
budgetary resources .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3586 / 95

by Jens-Peter Bonde ( EDN )

to the Council

( 10 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 11

Subject : Television without frontiers

Why are ethical drug manufacturers to be allowed to
sponsor television programmes ?

No C 183 / 6 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

Answer

(2 May 1996 )

Pursuant to Article 17(2 ) of Directive 89 / 552 / EEC ( ),
television programmes may not be sponsored by natural or
legal persons whose principal activity is the sale of medicinal
products or provision of medical treatment available only
on prescription in the Member State within whose
jurisdiction the broadcaster concerned falls .

A proposal for a European Parliament and Council
Directive amending Directive 89 / 552 / EEC is currently being
examined by the Council . The European Parliament
delivered its opinion on 14 February 199 6 . Examination
within the Council has not yet been completed .

(') OJ No L 298, 17 . 10 . 1989, p . 23 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3599 / 95

by Gerardo Fernândez-Albor ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 12 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 12 )

Subject : Promoting financing facilities for small businesses

in the environmental sector

Small undertakings are increasingly involved in business
initiatives aimed at environmental protection and
regeneration schemes, as they too share the increasingly
widespread desire to protect and improve our natural
habitat .

However, the desire of such small undertakings to take part
in environmental schemes is being thwarted in several ways,
among them the lack of interest shown in such schemes by
financial institutions, on the grounds that, from a business
and economic point of view, environmental projects are not
generally covered by contracts and are therefore high risk .
Such institutions therefore reject the various credit
applications made by small undertakings committed to
the development of business practices involving the
environment .

Does the Commission believe that both the Member States

and the relevant Community bodies should be asked to help
overcome the refusal of credit institutions to provide
financing for small undertakings which wish to move into
the sector of environmental protection and regeneration ?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

including in its white bookon growth, competitiveness and
employment, the Commission has underlined that future
growth will have to be promoted in a sustainable way with a
lower intensity of consumption of natural resources . The
Commission believes that this evolution will lead to more

and more business opportunities for small enterprises in the
sector of environmental protection and regeneration .
However, to follow the path set by environmental
legislation, enterprises will also be required to invest more
and more both in clean technologies and management
know-how . In this respect, small enterprises wishing to take
advantage of new business opportunities related to the
protection of the environment or to implement
environmental management are typically experiencing
difficulties in funding at a reasonable cost .

Following a request of the Parliament, the Commission has
established the ' growth and environment ' pilot project
together with the European Investment Fund ( EIF ). The EIF
will guarantee ECU 450 million of bank loans to firms with
preferably less than 50 employees carrying out investments
which either result in environmental improvements or

' '
energy savings . Small enterprises producing clean
equipment, technology, products or services will access long
term bank finance without having to pay the normal
commission for the EIF guarantee . This initiative
complements the efforts already being made in most
Member States to bring the banking sector closer to the issue
of environment protection and regeneration . It should have
a demonstration effect on banks, helping them to acquire
new expertise to deal with projects from small enterprises
related to the environment .

In the Community initiative for small and medium-sized
enterprises ( SMEs ) allowing for ECU 1 000 million of
funding for regional programmes in favour of SMEs,
particularly in the less developed regions, the Commission
also gave Member States the possibility to come forward
with proposals for new measures in order to help SMEs to
take into account the protection of the environment and
rational use of energy . As a result, some Member States have
either enlarged their existing schemes or launched new
initiatives .

In addition to finance, another major source of concern for
SMEs is the Eco-management and audit scheme ( EMAS ),
under the voluntary environmental management and audit
scheme ( Regulation ( EEC ) No 1836 / 93 of 29 June 1993 (')).
Following concern that registration under EMAS might
require complex management systems which are alien to the
flexibility of SME business structures, in the forthcoming
Euromanagement — environment pilot action, the
Commission will co-finance experts to analyse the
deficiencies of around 600 SMEs with respect to
environmental laws, to identify possible solutions and to
assist around 50 of them in introducing the EMAS
certification .

(4 March 1 996 )
(') OJ No L 168, 10 . 7 . 1993 .

Economic growth in the past has been combined with an
excessive use of natural resources . On several occasions,

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 7

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3646 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Council

( 12 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 13 )

2 . The European Council meeting in Essen on 9 and
10 December 1994 acknowledged the priority given to the
14 transport infrastructure projects listed in Annex I to the
Presidency's conclusions ( 2 ) and their degree of maturity

( work begun or due to begin by the end of 1996 ). The
Malpensa Airport ( Milan ) project was included on this
list .

Subject : Malpensa 2000 3 . The amended Commission proposal of 27 February
1995 ( 3 ) included the unchanged Essen list in a new
Annex III and provided for the addition of other important
The modification of the original Malpensa 2000 project, projects .
which involves a substantial reduction in financing and a
disturbingly drastic cutback in the number of new jobs
( 18 000 were originally forecast ), was endorsed at
Parliament's last part-session . 4 . In its opinion on the amended Commission proposal
delivered at first reading on 18 May 1995 ( 4 ), the European
Parliament agreed to the inclusion in the Decision of an
Despite the many different declarations by the various Annex III containing inter alia the Essen list minus the
political forces and the sophistry employed by certain Italian Malpensa airport project, which it rejected .
MEPs, this is a serious defeat for Italy within the assembly of
the 15 EU Member States .

It is the first time that an ambitious project enthusiastically
launched and unanimously approved by the heads of
government of all the Member States, as was the case for the

14 trans-European network projects at the Essen Summit
and subsequently at the Cannes Summit, has been rejected
by the European Parliament .

However, what is more serious is that, of the 14 projects,
only the one involving Italy has suffered this defeat . We are
now at the stage of conciliation between the Council and
Parliament .

1 . Can the Council state whether this is the first time that
such a complex and important . project drawn up by all
the Community heads of government has been altered in
this way ?

2 . What conclusions has the Council drawn from the way

in which its original project has been thus altered ?

3 . What approach does it intend to take when initiating the

conciliation procedure ?

Answer

(2 May 1996 )

1 . On 7 April 1994 the Commission submitted to the
Council a proposal for a Decision concerning Community
guidelines for the development of the trans-European
network (').

5 . The second amended proposal, submitted by the
Commission on 19 June 1995 ( 5 ), further to the opinion of
the European Parliament, contained the text of the first
amended proposal, as regards the Essen list of 14 projects,
and therefore still provided for inclusion of the Malpensa
airport project .

6 . Acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in
Article 189b of the Treaty establishing the European
Community, on 28 September 1995 the Council adopted
common position ( EC ) No 22 / 95 with a view to adopting a
Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on
Cummunity guidelines for the development of the
trans-European transport network ( 6 ). The Council's
common position makes no provision for an Annex III .

7 . On 14 December 1995, the European Parliament
voted 111 amendments of second reading to the Council's
common position . The purpose of Amendment 128 was to
incorporate in the Decision an Annex III comprising a list of
priority projects which included a project concerning
Malpensa airport presented, however, as follows :
' Malpensa-Linate airport system : rail and underground
links and airport facilities for combined and intermodal
transport '.

8 . On 24 January 1996, the Commission gave its opinion
on the European Parliament's amendments ( 7 ). It rejected
the amendment relating to Malpensa airport .

9 . On 29 January 1996, the Council decided not to adopt
the Decision as amended by the European Parliament and to
convene the Conciliation Committee in accordance with
Article 189b(3 ) of the Treaty ( 8 ).

No C 183 / 8 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

10 . At this stage, therefore, the matter raised by the
Honourable Member is the subject of the conciliation
procedure .

(') OJ No C 220, 8 . 8 . 1994, p . 1 .

( 2 ) SN 300 / 94 .

( 3 ) OJ No C 97, 20 . 4 . 1995, p . 1 .

( 4 ) OJ No C 151, 19 . 6 . 1995, p . 234 .

( 5 ) 8361 / 95 Trans 98 Ecofin 104 .

( 6 ) OJ No C 331, 8 . 12 . 1995, p . 1 .

( 7 ) 4642 / 96 Trans 12 Ecofin 16 Codec 45 .

( 8 ) 4593 / 96 Codée 40 Trans 10 Ecofin 13 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3648 / 95

by Roberta Angelilli ( NI )

to the Commission

( 12 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 14 )

Subject : Irregularities in the running of training course

co-financed by the European Union

In 1991 the Lazio regional authorities awarded contracts to
Enfap Uil and Consorzio Alto Lazio ( two vocational
training agencies ) for a number of retraining courses for
workers laid off by the Montalto di Castro power plant . The
courses were in fact subject to serious irregularities, to the
extent that the matter is currently being investigated by the
Civitavecchia public prosecutor .

Is the Commission aware of this and, given that the two
agencies received advance payments of 35 % and 70 %
respectively of the scheduled funding of around Lit 2 billion

( co-financed by the EU ), does it not feel that the European
Union should require that, at least as far as its share is
concerned, the payments be suspended or possibly that the
sums paid out be recovered ?

Supplementary answer given by Mr Flynn

on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1996 )

Further to its answer of 6 March 1 996 ( ), the Commission is
now able to give the following information .

The region of Lazio assigned to two training agencies, Enfap
and Consorzio Alto Lazio, the task of organizing eight
courses to retrain construction workers as mechanic's

assistants . The purpose of the course was to recruit the
unemployed who had attended the course in ENEL
companies ( ENEL was managing the site of the Montalto di
Castro power plant ). ENEL subsequently altered its
training-retraining programme and the two training
agencies organized only four of the eight courses scheduled .
At the end of the training period, ENEL informed the Lazio

region of the recruitment of the trainees at the Montalto di
Castro power plant site . Overall funding was shared
between the two agencies and amounted to Lit 113 675 000
for Enfap and Lit 928 889 000 for Consorzio Alto
Lazio .

In 1995, the Civitavecchia public prosecutor's office opened
a legal inquiry under which the documentation in the hands
of the regional authorities was sequestrated . The legal
inquiry is still in progress . Italy is required to notify the
Commission of the matter pursuant to Regulation ( EC )
No 1681 / 94 ( 2 ). Where part of an operational programme is
the subject of judicial proceedings, the Commission first of
all identifies which activities are under investigation . It then
pays over a balance, minus the amounts relating to the
activities which are the subject of the judicial proceedings .
On termination of judicial proceedings, a supplementary
balance is calculated where appropriate .

(>) OJ No C 173, 17 . 6 . 1996 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 178, 12 . 7 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-15 / 96

by Martina Gredler ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 25 January 1996 )

96 / C 183 / 15 )

Subject : Positive environmental effects of genetically
modified foodstuffs ?

At a meeting organized by the Consumer Affairs Intergroup
on Novel Food on 13 December 1995 in Strasbourg,
Commission representatives expressed the view that
foodstuffs containing genetically modified organisms

( GMOs ) frequently have a positive impact on the
environment . By way of example, it was claimed that
agricultural production as a whole would be cut and
transport reduced through the use of genes which slow
down the rotting process in products such as tomatoes, thus
reducing the volume of rejects .

Can the Commission back up these statements by specific
studies ?

Would the problems linked to over-production in some
agricultural sectors be exacerbated by the introduction of
GMOs ?

What strategies has the Commission drawn up in that
event ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(8 March 1 996 )

Advantageous environmental applications from modern
biotechnology in agriculture and food production may

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 9

result from reduced use of agrochemicals ( e.g . disease
resistant varieties ) and diversification of agriculture produce
to ' non-food ' products ( e.g . biofuel, biodegradable
plastics ).

The overall impact of modern biotechnology on agriculture
and food production has been studied by the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ), and
the results of this investigation were published in 1992
under the title ' biotechnology, agriculture and food '.
Further references to the application of these techniques in
agriculture and their possible impact on the environment

( e . g . waste reduction, reduced use of chemical fertilizers ) are
made in the OECD publication ' biotechnology for a clean
environment : prevention, detection and remediation

( 1994 ).'

The use of genetically modified organisms does not
necessarily result in an increase or decrease of agricultural
output . While it is true that the use of modern techniques
should allow increased efficiency in agricultural activities

( higher yields, reduction of crop losses ), this must be placed
in the current context of the global increase in world
population . Biotechnology may make it possible to provide
quality food and non-food products from sustainable
resources . Potential benefits may include plant varieties
tolerant to abiotic factors ( tolerance of drought, cold, heat
and soil salt ), food with improved taste, nutritional value
and extended shelf-life, and valuable secondary metabolites
for use as medicines, natural flavourings and food
additives .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-27 / 96

by Markus Ferber ( PPE )

to the Council

( 25 January 1996 )

ticket to Munich may have problems in obtaining the Bahn
Card reduction for the section of his journey in Germany .
Can the Council answer the following questions on this
subject :

1 . What steps is the European Union taking to ensure that

reduced-fare schemes available in the Member States are

recognised and applied by all ticket issuers in the
European Union ?

2 . What is the Council's position on the introduction of a
Europe-wide reduced-fare scheme which could be based
on the number of Member States and issued for a

specified period (a monthly card, a quarterly card, an
annual card, etc .)? Has such a plan already been drawn
up ?

Answer

(2 May 1996 )

The integration or coordination of the public transport
systems in the European Community, for example with
regard to rail tickets, is one of the measures which may
encourage the use of such transport, as is recognized in the
Green Paper 'A citizens ' network ' which the Commission
has just sent to the Council .

However, the Commission has not submitted any proposals
to the Council for the coordination of reductions offered by
rail operators .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-30 / 96

by Wayne David ( PSE )

( 96 / C 183 / 16 ) to the Commission

( 18 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 17 )
Subject : Reduced fares for rail travel

In some EU Member States schemes for reduced rail fares,
for example the Bahn Card in Germany, have proved
successful . They play a major role in developing rail travel as
a real alternative to the private car for journeys within the
territory of a Member State .

However, the acceptance and application of these
reduced-fare schemes in international travel is continually
beset with problems . National schemes are frequently not
recognized in other European countries . As a result,
reduced-fare tickets for international journeys can often
only be purchased in the country in which the reduction is
valid . For example, a passenger in Brussels wishing to buy a

Subject : Amnesty International's claims on torture and

death in Egyptian prisons and police stations

Is the Commission aware of Amnesty International's claims
that deaths in custody are on the increase in Egyptian police
stations and prisons and that Amnesty International has
singled out al-Wadi al-Gadid Prison as having the highest
recorded number of deaths of prisoners in custody ?

Will the Commission comment on Amnesty's statement that

most of those who died were suspected members or
sympathizers of banned Islamist groups such as al-Gama'a
al-Islamiya and al-Gihad, and that some of them had been

No C 183 / 10 ' EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

held without charge or trial for several years, while others, Answer
tried and acquitted by state security or military courts were ( 29 April 1996 )
kept in illegally prolonged detention, sometimes for as long
as 22 months ?

The Egyptian authorities claim that all allegations of torture
and deaths in custody are officially investigated . However,
Amnesty is concerned that neither the methods of these
investigations, nor the full findings are made public,
contrary to the requirements of international standards, as
is the case of ' Abd al-Harish Mohammad Madani . Does the

Commission intend to review Amnesty's claims ?

The issue of the welfare of children in Chinese orphanages
was raised by EU officials during the EU-China Human
Rights Dialogue meeting in Beijing on 22 — 24 January

1996 . The EU officials also visited the Beijing Children's
Welfare Institute during their stay .

EU Consuls-General in Shanghai were able to visit the
Shanghai No 2 Social Welfare Institute on 25 January

1996 .

The Council will continue to follow closely the situation
Answer given by Mr Marin and, in the light of the reports of the above visits, take
on behalf of the Commission appropriate action .

(2 February 1996 )

The Commission is fully aware of the Amnesty International
report on deaths in custody in Egypt issued in October 1 995 .
The Commission closely monitors the evolution of respect
for human rights in Egypt as well as - in the whole of the
Middle East . Commission delegations in the area, including
the Cairo delegation, regularly report on this matter .

The Egyptian authorities are well aware of the importance
which the Community attaches to the rule of law and to the
strict respect for the undertakings to which Egypt has
subscribed by her adherence to international conventions on
human rights .

The Commission uses every opportunity in its contacts with
the Egyptian authorities to outline its views on the human
rights situation in Egypt .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-31 / 96

by Glenys Kinnock ( PPE )

to the Council

WRITTEN QUESTION E-69 / 96

by Spalato Belleré ( NI )

to the Commission

( 26 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 19 )

Subject : Use of telephones and similar instruments on

board aircraft

Does the Commission consider it advisable to issue a

Directive requiring the Member States to ban the use of
telephones and similar instruments on board aircraft, given
the well-known fact that such devices interfere with the

magnetic field of the aircraft's instruments, particularly its
automatic pilot, and bearing in mind that, only a few days
ago, a serious accident over Italy during a scheduled flight
on the Catania-Milan route was averted solely by the pilot's
skill ?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 January 1996 ) ( 11 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 18 )

Subject : Chinese orphanages

Would the Council please give an assurance that the issue of
the severe neglect of infants and children in Chinese
orphanages will be raised during the January 29 EU / China
Human Rights meeting in Beijing ?

Furthermore will the Council insist that all Chinese

institutions caring for children should be opened up for
inspection by domestic and foreign observers ?

The problems for instruments and navigation equipment on
aircraft, caused by the use of portable telephones and
computers during certain phases of flight, is well known in
the aviation world . Most Member States have regulations
which forbid the use of such apparatus at these phases of
flight .

The Joint aviation authorities have incorporated in their
proposal for harmonized requirements for the certification
of operators engaged in commercial air transportation
provisions stipulating that an operator shall not permit
anyone to use ( and no one shall use ) on board an aeroplane,

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 11

a portable electronic device that can adversely affect the
performance of the aeroplane's systems and equipment .
Most operators already apply these provisions
voluntarily .

The Commission will use the harmonized requirements

( Joint Airworthiness Requirements Operations ( JAR OPS ))
as a basis when it proposes common Regulations for
Community operators engaged in commercial air transport .
A Commission proposal to incorporate JAR OPS into
Annex II of Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3922 / 91 on the
harmonization of technical requirements and administrative
procedures in the field of civil aviation ( ') is expected by mid

1996 .

(M OJ No L 373, 31 . 12 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-73 / 96

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Council

demonstration programme should be carried out in this field
over a period of three years . Both the Council and the
Commission have taken the view that it would be realistic,
taking account of implementation times, to carry out an
evaluation half way through the programme ( i.e . after
18 months ).

As regards the scope of the programme, it covers coastal
areas in their entirety, and therefore includes estuaries
and river-mouths ( see Commission communication,
paragraph 2.1.1, p . 5 ).

( 1 ) OJ No C 59, 6 . 3 . 1992, p . 1 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 135, 18 . 5 . 1994, p . 2 .

( 3 ) COM(95 ) 511 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-76 / 96

by Jan Mulder ( ELDR )

to the Commission
( 30 January 1996 )

( 30 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 21 )
( 96 / C 183 / 20 )

Subject : Environment

The fifth Community programme for environmental policy
and action and sustainable development provides for
measures to manage and redevelop coastal areas .

All the Member States are well aware of the importance of
coastal areas and of their duty to preserve the biodiversity of

Europe's coastal regions and their current ecosystems . The
Council has asked the Commission to begin its preparatory
work for a Directive on this subject with a view to holding a
further exchange of views in 18 months .

Does the Council not consider this deadline to be too long
and does it not believe that estuaries, rivers, etc . should also
be included in the studies on coastal areas ?

Answer

(2 May 1996 )

In common with the Honourable member, the Council has
on several occasions — in its resolutions of 25 February

1 992 ( 1 ) and 6 May 1994 ( 2 ) and most recently in its
conclusions of 18 December 1995 — underlined the

importance of coastal areas and asked the Commission to
set in place a Community strategy on this matter .

In its communication on the integrated management of
coastal zones ( 3 ), the Commission, ( although not making a
proposal for a Directive ), recommended that a

Subject : European compensation for outbreaks of
infectious plant diseases such as brown rot and
Thrips palmi

As the Council is aware, there have been outbreaks of the
infectious plant diseases brown rot and Thrips palmi in the
Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe . The necessary
measures have been, or are being taken, by both the
Netherlands Government and the Commission to prevent
the further spread of these diseases in the Community .

The farms and horticultural establishments affected will

suffer considerable damage, particularly if there is not an
adequate compensation scheme . At European level there is a
financial contribution scheme for outbreaks of infectious

animal diseases . However, there is still no European scheme
for outbreaks of infectious plant diseases . I should therefore
like the answers to the following questions, not least in order
to remove the widespread uncertainty within the sector
about compensation for damage .

1 . Is the Council prepared to establish, within the
foreseeable future, a European compensation scheme
for outbreaks of infectious plant diseases by analogy
with the existing scheme in respect of infectious animal
diseases ? I would particularly refer to the proposal
submitted by the Commission to the Council in 1 989 for
a Council Directive to amend Directive 77 / 93 / EEC ( 1 )
which proposes a compensation scheme for outbreaks
of infectious plant diseases ( Commission answer to
Written Question E-3230 / 95 ( 2 )).

2 . If the Council is not prepared to establish a European
contribution scheme for infectious plant diseases, what

No C 183 / 12 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

are its reasons, given that a European scheme for
outbreaks of infectious animal diseases already
exists ?

for children by including minimum rules for the
protection of children ?

If so, can the Council indicate whether it will take action in
( ] ) OJ No L 26, 31 . 1 . 1977, p . 20 . the immediate future to put an end to this ban ?

( 2 ) OT No C 91, 27 . 3 . 1996, p . 46 .

Answer given by Mr Monti
Answer on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 1996 ) (1 April 1996 )

The proposal for a Directive referred to by the Honourable
Member, which provides for a system of compensation for
all or part of the financial losses incurred in combating the
dissemination of organisms harmful to plants or plant
products, has been the subject of lengthy discussions within
the Council . These discussions have not yet yielded any
positive result, owing in particular to the reluctance of a
majority of delegations to agree to a text which provides for
the reimbursement by the Member State concerned of sums
received as part of such compensation, where introduction
of the harmful organism in question is due to failure by that
Member State to meet its monitoring and inspection
obligations .

The Italian Presidency has expressed a firm desire to
unblock this dossier and has proposed calling two meetings
to examine it on the basis of a compromise text which might
circumvent the obstacle to agreement .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-78 / 96

by Jessica Larive ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 26 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 22 )

The Commission is aware of the ban mentioned by the
Honourable Member and can confirm that this measure is

currently being examined carefully to evaluate its
compatibility with Community law .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-97 / 96

by Odile Leperre-Verrier ( ARE )

to the Council

( 30 January 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 23 )

Subject : Single currency and the blind

Can the Council say what action it intends to take on the
recommendations by the European Blind Union concerning
the design and introduction of a single European
currency ?

If put into effect, the recommendations would enable
sightless persons to identify the currency more easily,
thereby averting regrettable instances of confusion .

Subject : Greek ban on television advertising for toys Answer

(2 May 1996 )

Is the Council aware of the ban on advertising toys on Greek
television before 10 p.m .? If so, can the Council confirm
that Technical preparation of banknotes and of coins is currently
being carried out by the European Monetary Institute

1, this ban can be regarded as a protectionist measure on
the part of the Greek Government to protect its own toy
industry at the expense of other European toy
manufacturers ?

2, this runs counter to completion of the internal market
and freedom of movement of goods and services, with
particular regard to Articles 30 and 59 of the Treaty ?

3, this violates the spirit of the Directive on television
without frontiers which permits television advertising

( Article 109f(3 ) of the EC Treaty ) and the EC Mint
Directors ' Working Group respectively .

Both of these bodies have entered into a dialogue with the
European Blind Union with the aim of making it easier for
the blind to identify the currency . The President of the
European Monetary Institute met representatives of the
European Blind Union on 12 December 1 995 and stated
that the dialogue would continue . Furthermore, in the
graphics competition for euro notes which the EMI
launched on 12 February 1996, candidates were given

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 13

instructions as to the technical specifications of the notes in
order to take into account the concerns of the European
Blind Union . The Chairman of the EC Mint Directors '

Working Group again met representatives of that
organization on 8 March 1996 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-126 / 96

by Raúl Rosado Fernandes ( UPE )

assess the compatibility of the above arrangements with the
provisions of the Treaty . It will keep the Honourable
Member informed of the outcome of its examination .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-140 / 96

by Laurens Brinkhorst ( ELDR )
and Johanna Boogerd-Quaak ( ELDR )

to the Commission

to the Commission (1 February 1996 )

(1 February 1996 ) ( 96 / C 183 / 25 )

( 96 / C 183 / 24 )

Subject : Bank charges applied to internal and cross-border

Subject : The implications for competition of the system of

tax deduction applied by a Member State of the
European Union

The tax deduction system applied in Spain gives the right to
a tax credit, which constitutes a permanent reduction in tax
and not simply a temporary benefit . The eligible investments
include the following categories of expenditure :

1 . New conversions into immovable property for purposes
of business development,

2 . Setting up of foreign branches or subsidiaries and
acquisition of shares in foreign companies directly
linked to the export of goods and services,

3 . Market research expenditure with a view to launching
products or opening export markets .

Categories 2 and 3 cover operations carried out both inside
and outside the European Union .

Does the Commission consider that these arrangements —
which could result in direct public aid from the Spanish State
for the acquisition of shares in a country of the European
Union — are compatible with the rules devolving from the
Treaties establishing the EEC and the ECSC and later
secondary legislation ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 1996 )

It may be that the tax arrangements referred to by the
Honourable Member are not covered by the rules of
competition applicable to state aid where they constitute
general measures or where, without being general in nature,
they are consistent with the nature and disposition of the tax
system . However, they may be caught by other provisions of
the Treaty, including those relating to the approximation of
legislation . The Commission has asked the Member State
concerned to provide it with the information it needs to

payments

1 . Are the existing agreements that banks in the
Netherlands have made with each other on the charges to be
applied to their customers ' accounts for money transfers
within the Netherlands in accordance with the provisions of
European law on competition ?

2 . If not, will the Commission act to put an end to this
infringement ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 March 1996 )

An agreement between banks fixing the type or level of
pricing to customers restricts competition . Whether such an
agreement is contrary to Article 85(1 ) EC Treaty will depend
on whether the agreement may affect trade between
Member States . The Commission is not aware of any
agreements between banks in the Netherlands directly
setting the prices which they charge to their customers . The
Honourable Members are invited to forward to the

Commission any evidence they may have of such

agreements .

As regards agreements between banks setting charges to be
paid from one bank to another within a transfer system ( so
called interchange fees ), the Commission refers the
Honourable Members to the replies to Written Questions
E-196 / 92 ( x ) and 1788 / 93 ( 2 ) by Mr Janssen van Raay which
concerned such agreements in the Netherlands . On 11 June

1993 the Commission initiated proceedings in respect of the
agreement between the banks operating in the Netherlands
which sets maximum prices for the settlement of costs
incurred in connection with the pre-printed transfer order
system . The Commission has not yet taken a decision in the

case .

(') OJ No C 235, 14 . 9 . 1992 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 219, 8 . 8 . 1994 .

No C 183 / 14 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

WRITTEN QUESTION E-141 / 96

by Laurens Brinkhorst ( ELDR )
and Johanna Boogerd-Quaak ( ELDR )

to the Commission

(1 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 26 )

Subject : Bank charges applied to internal and cross-border

payments

1 . Is the Commission aware that for direct money
transfers in the same currency between banks within the
Netherlands different fees are charged than for comparable
money transfers in the same currency between banks in the
Netherlands and banks in other Member States of the

European Union ?

2 . Have discrepancies like those described in question 1
also been reported from other Member States of the
European Union ? If so, can the Commission provide some
insight into the discrepancies between the different charges
as calculated for internal and for cross-border transfer

payments ?

3 . Does the Commission not take the view that this

procedure infringes rules of European law, in particular the
prohibition on discrimination contained in Article 6 of the
EC Treaty ?

4 . What action will the Commission take to put an end to
the above infringement ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 March 1996 )

1 — 2 . The Commission is aware of differences between

the charges for cross-border transfers and the charges for
domestic transfers . According to a survey carried out in

1994, the average charge for a 100 ECU intra-Community
cross-border transfer was ECU 25,4, against a normal
charge for domestic tranfers which rarely exceeds ECU 2 .
The average charge varied from ECU 15 for cross-border
transfers sent from Luxembourg to almost ECU 33 for those
sent from France .

3 . In the Commission's view these differences do not

constitute a breach of the prohibition of discrimination in
Article 6 of the EC Treaty, but rather reflect additional costs
that may be incurred when carrying out a cross-border
transfer as compared to a domestic transfer . In relation to
the system as a whole, a new system may need to be set up, or
an existing system modified, to process cross-border
transfers . In relation to the transfer itself :

( i ) a cross-border transfer may need to be reported to the
balance of payments authorities as an incoming

payment ;

( ii ) regulations may require that the beneficiary is provided

with more information ( for example, details relating to
the payment order ) than is normally given for domestic

payments ;

( iii ) the details of the beneficiary, the account number and

the bank sort code need to be verified since this

information is often incomplete or incorrect ;

( iv ) the payment order needs to be reformated if it is to be

processed by the clearing circuit in the destination
Member State ;

( v ) additional clearing and settlement operations may be

needed .

The Honourable Members limit their question to transfers
in the same currency . For many cross-border transfers,
however, payment may need to be converted into the
currency of the beneficiary thus adding a further cost as
compared to domestic transfers . Monetary union will
eliminate this further cost between Member States in the

single currency area .

4 . With a view to creating a true internal market in this
area, the Commission proposed a Directive on
18 November 1994 ( proposal for a European Parliament
arid Council Directive concerning cross-border credit
transfers ) ( ] ), presently undergoing its second reading in
Parliament, which provides for minimum requirements in
respect of customer information and quality of execution of
cross-border transfers . The proposal does not seek directly
to regulate the prices charged for transfers, nor would it be
appropriate to do so . The proposed Directive aims instead
to ensure that better information on the price and quality of
transfers is provided to customers . Improved information
should enhance competition between service providers,
thereby contributing to improved quality and reduced
prices .

The Commission is also encouraging the banking industry
to improve the techniques by which cross-border transfers
are carried out ( standardization, linking of electronic
networks ) with a view to reducing the costs of cross-border
transfers . In order to provide guidance for the banking
industry, the Commission has published a notice ( Notice on
the application of the EC competition rules to cross-border
credit transfers ) ( 2 ) indicating the approach it will take in
applying the competition rules to agreements between
banks aimed at improving cross-border credit transfer

systems .

Finally, other developments can be expected to reduce the
costs of cross-border transfers and hence the prices charged
to customers . The factors mentioned above, together with
increasing cross-border economic activity, should lead to
growth in the number of cross-border transfers resulting in
economies of scale and lower costs per transfer .

(!) COM(94 ) 436 — OJ No C 360, 17 . 12 . 1994 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 251, 27 . 9 . 1995 .

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 15

WRITTEN QUESTION E-148 / 96

by Inigo Méndez de Vigo ( PPE )

to the Commission

(1 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 27 )

Subject : Information about the EU in the United
Kingdom

A recent survey by the European Movement has revealed
that 56 % of British citizens believe themselves to be badly
or very badly informed with regard to the European
Union .

Has the Commission any plans for adopting measures to
remedy British citizens ' lack of information on European
affairs ?

Answer given by Mr Ore j a
on behalf of the Commission

President Santer and Commissioner Wulf-Mathies

announced that the Commission intended to provide aid
under the Structural Funds for those French regions and
sectors affected by currency fluctuations .

1 . Can the Commission explain how measures intended to
offset short-term economic effects such as currency
fluctuations are compatible with the aims of the
Structural Funds, which are based on medium   - to
long-term objectives and parameters ?

2 . How can it guarantee coherence between competition
policy and regional policy, given that it has refused to
allow national compensatory aid schemes requested on
the same grounds in other cases for particular economic
sectors ?

3 . How does it intend to comply with the code of conduct
which it adopted on 13 July 1993 requiring it to notify
the European Parliament in advance of all decisions
relating to the implementation of the Structural
Funds ?

(2 April 1996 )
Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission has carried out surveys in the United ( 11 March 1996 )
Kingdom in each of the past three years about access to
information about the Community . The results have been
consistent and in 1 995 the third annual survey by Gallup for The Commission takes the view that
the Commission revealed that when asked who should be are intended, in particular, to help
doing more to provide the general public with information, development and conversion
77 % chose their local Member of the European Parliament . structural action . As the Commission
Among other answers, 72 % chose their local Member of report to the European Council of
Parliament, 69 % chose their local library and 66 % chose final and proper answer to
the Community offices in the United Kingdom . fluctuations is contingent on

In addition, the Commission's representation in the United
Kingdom has encouraged the creation of a national network
of European information relays which together provide over
6 000 outlets at local level .

Documents relating to the surveys are sent direct to the
Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-169 / 96

by Giulio Fantuzzi ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 Februar y 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 28 )

Subject : Aid for French regions

In letters sent to the French Prime Minister, Mr Juppé, and
the French Minister for Industry, Mr Borotra, respectively,

The Commission takes the view that the Structural Funds

are intended, in particular, to help regions to overcome their
development and conversion problems ; this depends on
structural action . As the Commission pointed out in its
report to the European Council of 31 October 1995, the
final and proper answer to intra-European currency
fluctuations is contingent on convergence of all Member
States ' economies and the introduction of a single

currency .

Particularly severe currency fluctuations, however, may
aggravate the problems of regions already affected by
structural difficulties . The Commission is prepared to
support conversion in areas eligible for the Structural Funds
which are heavily dependent on problem industries in order
to turn those areas towards new activities which will

support their sustainable development . Against that
background the Commission informed the French
authorities that it would examine the scope for making use
of the Structural Funds earmarked for the conversion of

declining industrial areas . That review will be conducted
strictly according to the present objectives and machinery
for allocating the Funds .

Consequently there is no inconsistency between the
Commission's decisions on regional policy and on
competition in this context .

The Commission has observed the code of conduct signed
with Parliament on 13 July 1993 and will continue to do so .
With more particular regard to the Objective 2 1997 — 1999
programme period, the Commission engaged in a searching

No C 183 / 16 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

dialogue with Parliament, culminating in a debate at a
plenary session and a position was taken on 14 February

1996 . The Commission will continue this close

collaboration and will send Parliament the plans put up by
Member States, with their agreement, and the programme
documents adopted .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1 70 / 96

by Honorio Novo ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

(1 February 1996 )

( 961 C 183 / 29 )

Subject : Tropical storm ' Tania ' in the Azores —
exceptional aid

In a joint motion for a resolution tabled by a number of
political groups ( B4-1362, 1363 and 1391 / 95 ), adopted in
plenary on 16 November 1995 during the debate on natural
disasters, the European Parliament called on the
Commission, in cooperation with the regional and local
authorities, to provide financial aid as quickly as possible to
alleviate the serious problems caused by the tropical storm
which hit the Autonomous Region of the Azores on 1 and
2 November last year .

At the time, Commissioner de Silguy said that a decision
would be adopted in accordance with policy on emergency
aid for victims of disasters in the Community .

Can the Commission say whether such a decision has been
adopted ? If so, what sum was earmarked,' for what specific
purpose, when was the transfer made and to which regional
or local authority ?

leaving aside the question of whether or not this particular
case qualifies for this sort of aid, the Commission has to
point out once again that the inclusion of only a token entry
for heading B4-3400 in the 1 996 Budget prevents it in
practice from demonstrating this tangible form of solidarity
by the Union, in the shape of first aid for the people affected
and urgent measures to save lives .

As regards damage to and loss of public infrastructure or
productive capacity, the Commission would draw the
Honourable Member's attention to the financial resources

available in the global Structural Fund allocation to the
Azores ( CCA 1994 — 1999 and Regis II initiative ) on the
basis of existing procedures . Preventive measures to cover
additional investment costs related to economic activity are
eligible for funding under the Regis II initiative, for example,
and measures to protect and repair damaged farming and
forestry activities in extremely remote areas that have
suffered natural disasters qualify for assistance from the
guidance section of the European Agricultural Guidance
and Guarantee Fund .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 75 / 96

by Kenneth Coates ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 30 )

Subject : Environmental protection — Dioxins

What progress has the Commission made in its investigation
of my complaint about dioxin contamination of air, water,
soil and herbage in my constituency ?

Which dioxins can be legally discharged under European
law, and under what circumstances ? What measures have
been taken to control such discharges ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Ore j a (8 March 1996 )
on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1996 ) The Commission has requested and received information
from the United Kingdom authorities, concerning the
alleged emission of dioxins from a plant in North-East

The Commission once again commiserates with the victims Derbyshire, England . It is currently examining this

information from a technical point of view, and will

of tropical storm Tania which struck the Azores on 1 and
2 November 1995 . consider examination its is complete position . further when this technical

The Commission has closely followed developments in the
islands and regrets having been unable to demonstrate the
Community's solidarity with the Azores in this case . In
general, Community emergency aid is intended to meet the
needs of European citizens struck by catastrophes whose
impact is exceptionally severe or extensive . However,

The Community has adopted a number of measures which
control the discharge of dioxins into the environment . Any
Directive which prevents the emission of pollutants into the
environment may potentially apply so as to prevent the
emission of dioxins . Specific provisions which relate to the
emission of dioxins to air are made by Directive

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 17

89 / 369 / EEC ( ) on new municipal waste incinerators,
Directive 89 / 429 / EEC ( 2 ) on existing municipal waste
incinerators and Directive 94 / 67 / EC on the incineration of
hazardous waste . Directive 94 / 67 / EC ( 3 ), which the Member
States are required to implement by 31 December 19 96,
imposes a guide value of 0,1 ng / m 3 for the emission of
dioxin . Provisions in relation to the emission of dioxin to
water are made by Directive 76 / 464 / EEC ( 4 ) on dangerous
substances in relation to the aquatic environment and
Directive 80 / 68 / EEC ( 5 ) on groundwater .

(!) OJ No L 163, 14 . 6 . 1989 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 203, 15 . 7 . 1989 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 365, 31 . 12 . 1994 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 129, 18 . 5 . 1976 .

( 5 ) OJ No L 20, 26 . 1 . 1980 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 78 / 96

by Kenneth Coates ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 February 1996 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 83 / 96

by Bernd Lange ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 5 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 32 )

Subject : National financing of COST projects

Problems are clearly arising in securing national funding for
certain COST projects . For example, there is no possibility
of providing finance for COST Project 515 in Germany, in
contrast to the situation in Belgium, for example, despite the
fact that Germany has also signed the Call for proposals for
this project .

1 . Does the Commission consider it permissible for a
Member State to co-develop and sign a COST project
and then be unable to provide funding ?

2 . What measures will the Commission take to ensure that

COST projects can actually be carried out in the
Member States which have signed up for them ?

( 961 C 183 / 31 ) Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Environmental protection — Access to (9 April 1996 )
environmental information

What progress has the Commission made in its investigation
of my complaint that British Coal Property has withheld
information about contamination and other environmental

problems at the former Avenue Coking Works in my
constituency ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(8 March 1996 )

The Commission has considered the application of Directive

90 / 313 / EEC ( 1 ) in relation to the supply of environmental
information by the United Kingdom authorities regarding
the former Avenue Coking Works near Chesterfield,
England . Article 3(2 ) of the Directive states that Member
States may provide for a request for information to be
refused where it affects matters which are, or have been, sub
judice, or under inquiry, or which are the subject of
preliminary investigation proceedings . The United Kingdom
has implemented this exemption in Regulation 4(2)(b ) of the
Environmental Information Regulations 1992 ( 2 ). If,
therefore, an authority has announced its intention to bring
a prosecution in relation to a certain environmental
situation, this exemption would apply .

(!) OJ No L 158, 23 . 6 . 1990 .

( 2 ) SI 1992 / 3240 .

COST is a framework programme in the field of
cooperation with a flexible institutional structure and which
involves 25 European countries . COST operates under the
auspices of a committee of senior officials, the secretariat of
which is managed by the Secretariat-General of the Council .
COST's objective is national research coordination, which
includes both its development and its financing .

As soon as a member country wishes to take part in a
proposed COST project, the joint declaration of intent is
signed, but this is not in any way legally binding . The
signature of a joint declaration of intent and the financing,
or any other action to instigate a COST project, are the
responsibility of each member country .

In the area of ' COST materials ', of which COST Project 515
is one, the management committee for the COST project
concerned issues a call for proposals to the participating
countries, but this does not give rise to any Community
financing for research .

The management committee of the COST project concerned
evaluates the proposals received and addresses a letter to the
authorities of those countries from which the selected

proposals have been received in order to facilitate the
granting of national financing . The Commission covers part
of the expenses for the management and the administrative
coordination of the project but, on the other hand, it
possesses no legally binding instrument to enable it to
guarantee that the countries concerned provide the research
funding needed .

No C 183 / 18 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1 85 / 96

by Jannis Sakellariou ( PSE )

to the Commission

(5 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 33 )

Subject : Information on the level and use of EU funds paid

out to Upper Bavaria in 1994 and 19 95

What were the sums paid out to Upper Bavaria in 1994 and

1995 by the European Union from :

1, the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF );

2, the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guidance Section ;

3, the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guarantee Section ;

4, the European Social Fund ;

5, the European Union's research programmes ;

6, the European Union's programmes in the energy

sector ;

7, the European Union's programmes in the environmental

sector ;

8, other European Union programmes ;

and what measures were they intended for ?

In indicating the purposes for which the resources were
used, could the Commission give details, in particular, of the
recipients ?

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

contribution for the Bavaria / Austria programme will be
ECU 24,6 million .

European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund

( EAGGF ), Guidance Section

( a ) Objective 5 ( a )

Improving agricultural structures — processing and
marketing ( Payments in ECU million f 1 )):

— 1994 : 25 973 ;

— 1995 : 44 043 .

( b ) Objective 5(b )

Parts of Upper Bavaria are eligible under Objective 5(b )
for the period 1994 — 1999 . The single programming
document for Bavaria was adopted on 23 December

1994 . The total contribution from the Structural Funds

amounts to ECU 506,219 million — ECU 207,281
million from the ERDF, ECU 235,292 million from the
EAGGF, Guidance Section, and ECU 117,646 million
from the ESF .

European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund

( EAGGF ), Guarantee Section

EAGGF Guarantee Section financial information is not

broken down by Land .

European Social Fund { x ) ( ESF ) — ( Objectives 3 and 4 )

The Community support framework approved by the
Commission in July 1994 provides for an overall amount
under the ESF of ECU 56 million . Bavaria as a whole

received the following amounts from the ESF in 1994 and

1995 :

( million ECU )

1994 1995

Objective 3 4,33 2,6

( 28 March 1996 ) Objective 4 2,064

Community measures are normally implemented at regional

( Lander ) level . For a breakdown of operations below that
level the Honourable Member should approach the regional
and local authorities .

Community initiatives

Parts of Upper Bavaria are eligible for the Interreg and
Leader Community initiatives . In 1995, the Commission
decided to grant ECU 43,05 million in financial assistance
under the Leader programme for the period
1995—1999 .

The Community co-financed a programme for the frontier
regions of Bavaria adjoining the Czech Republic, Austria
and Switzerland respectively, as part of Interreg I. The
adoption of the corresponding programme under Interreg II
is expected for the first quarter of 1996 . The Community

Research and technological development framework
programmes ( RDT ){ ] )

The companies, research centres, universities and other legal
entities in Upper Bavaria which took part in multipartner
and transnational research projects received a financial
contribution from the Community under the RDT
framework programmes and specific programmes of ECU

16,2 million in 1994 ( when 131 bodies took part ) and ECU
14 million in 1995 ( when 82 bodies took part ).

Esprit programme

The following payments were made under the Esprit
programme to organizations in Upper Bavaria :

— 1994 — approximately ECU 36 million ;

— 1995 — approximately ECU 24 million .

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 19

Telematique — Acts-Race Answer

(2 May 1996 )
Number of Cost

projects

( ECU million ) Participants

Telematique (') 45 199 65

Acts (') 31 311 37

Value 6 0,9 6

Energy programmes — Thermie

Bavaria received aid of ECU 595 894 under the Thermie
programme for one project ( 1994 and 1995 ) ( l ).

Environment policy ( ) ( Life )

( in ECU )

Year Project Intermediary Aid in Ecus

1994 Groundwater City of Munich 463 555
monitoring system
in the land capital,
Munich

1995 Pasture programme Ingolstadt 284 595

Other programmes, including those for human resources,
education, training and youth ( Bavaria )

in ECU

1 . The Council would point out that of the products
mentioned by the Honourable Member only mineral oils are
currently subject to harmonized taxes . Introduction of a
harmonized tax on the other energy products as
contemplated by the Commission in its proposal for a
Directive on a C0 2 / energy tax is still being examined by the
Council's subordinate bodies .

2 . As regards the harmonized tax on mineral oils, the
Council considers that the Community Regulations in force
are a sufficient guarantee for Member States that the tax for
the products marketed on their territory will be
collected .

In this regard Council Directive 92 / 12 / EEC f 1 ), as amended
by Directive 92 / 108 / EEC ( 2 ), on the general arrangements
for products subject to excise duty and on the holding,
movement and monitoring of such products establishes for
commercial operations, the principle that the tax is collected
in the Member State in which the mineral oils are used .

For mineral oils acquired by private individuals for their
own use and transported by them, Article 8 of the Directive
stipulates that excise duty shall be charged in the Member
State in which they are acquired . However, in cases where
these products are transported using atypical modes of
transport by private individuals or on their behalf, Article 9
of the Directive allows the Member State to arrange for
taxation in the country of consumption . Atypical transport
is to be regarded as the transport of fuels other than in the
tanks of vehicles or in appropriate reserve fuel canisters and
the transport of liquid heating products other than by means
of tankers used on behalf of professional traders .

Comett — 1994

Force — 1994

Lingua — 1994 / 95

Youth for Europe — 1994 / 95

Erasmus

Leonardo — 1995

675 680

190 000

890 506

191 525

4 026 786

749 920

including for Upper Bavaria ( 1 ) OJ No L 76, 23 . 3 . 1992, p . 1 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 390, 31 . 12 . 1992, p . 124 .
Erasmus and Lingua ( Action II ) — 1994 / 95 1 141 762

0 ) Cf . document transmitted direct to the Honourable Member

and to the General Secretariat of Parliament .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-200 / 96

by Peter Skinner ( PSE )

to the Council

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 94 / 96
( 26 January 1996 )

by Jens-Peter Bonde ( EDN )

( 96 / C 183 / 35 )
to the Council

(7 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 34 ) Subject : Openness and transparency of the Council of

Ministers

Subject : Countervailing charges

Will the Council ensure that national taxes on energy and
fuel cannot be undermined by duty-free imports ?

Can the Council of Ministers please inform the European
Parliament as to why it has refused me access to statistics
held by Cirea on the number of requests that are approved

No C 183 / 20 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

or rejected for political asylum for a particular country on a
Member State-by-Member State basis ? I was offered
statistics for total requests of statistics for a particular
country by Member State but refused the statistics
concerning numbers approved or rejected which renders the
former useless . Is it a deliberate policy of the Council of
Ministers to conceal statistics from MEPs and,
consequently, the public and employ a policy of secrecy ?
Does not the Council believe that this refusal is a blatant

abuse of the so-called policy of openness and transparency
of the European Union that the Council only recently
pledged to change following the ' Guardian ' ruling ?

Does the public not have the right to know what the results
are of its own country's actions in the area of political
asylum and immigration compared to other EU countries ?
How does the Council expect the European Parliament to be
able to fulfil its role under Article 100c of the Treaty if the
Council is deliberately withholding such information ? Can
the Council assure me that such information will be

available to both MEPs and the public in the future ? If not,
why not ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-218 / 96

by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz ( V )

to the Commission

(9 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 36 )

Subject : EIA for sewage sludge incineration plant in the

district of Friesland, Germany

It is planned to build a sewage sludge incineration plant at
Sande in the district of Friesland, Germany . The plant for
which permission is sought is to be built one kilometre from
the Niedersàchsisches Wattenmeer national park .

1 . Has an application been made for European funding for
the construction of the plant ? If so, when, by whom, for
how much and with what result ?

2 . Has an environmental impact assessment been carried
out for the plant ? If so, what was the result ? If not, will
the Commission demand that one be carried out ?

3 . Do alternative forms of sewage sludge treatment exist ?
If so, what are they and which of them are supported by
the Commission ?
Answer

(2 May 1996 )

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

In accordance with the Decision of the Immigration
Ministers which set it up, Cirea is a centre for information, ( 22 March 1996 )
discussion and exchange on asylum (a clearing house )
intended to facilitate implementation of Article 14 of the
Dublin Convention determining the State responsible for 1 . The single programming
examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the Objective 5b in Lower Saxony over the
Member States of the European Communities .

Article 14(3 ) of the Convention provides that Member
States may have the information they exchange kept
confidential . Similarly, point IV of the Decision establishing
Cirea states that, when supplying information, Member
States shall state how they wish it to be classified .

Member States have agreed that the information to which
the Honourable Member wishes to have access is of the kind

which should be confidential .

Article 100c of the Treaty establishing the European
Community to which the Written Question refers concerns
visas, not asylum .

1 . The single programming document concerning
Objective 5b in Lower Saxony over the period 1994 — 1999
provides for a waste treatment measure consisting in the
creation of 12 plants which are not specified . Since it falls to
the national or regional authorities to select individual
projects, the Commission does not know a priori which
projects are down in the programming to receive aid from
the European Regional Development Fund .

It should be stressed that financing from Structural Funds
has to respect all national and Community legislation,
particularly legislation on the environment .

2 . According to the Ministry of the Environment of
Lower Saxony, the envisaged sewage sludge incineration
plant in Sande was the subject of an environmental impact
assessment ( EIA ) in compliance with the relevant legislation .
On the basis of this EIA, it was concluded that the plant in
question will not cause major problems for the adjacent
Wattenmeer national park .

3 . If the sewage sludge comes from an urban water
treatment plant, spreading it on farming land may be

24 . 6 . 96 f EN I Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 21

considered provided that Directive 86 / 278 / EEC ( 1 ) is
complied with .

Another solution is to use it for making compost, which
according to certain national legislations may have different
qualities depending on the intended use of the compost

( gardening, agriculture, forestry or improvement of various
soils ). Up to now there is no Community legislation on this,
with the exception of the Community ecological label for
soil improvers ( Decision 94 / 923 / EC ( 2 )), the composition of
which may include sludge complying with the limit values
laid down in Annex IB to Directive 86 / 278 / EEC in

accordance with the ecological criteria of these
eco-labels .

Insofar as the Community waste management strategy
promotes recycling before incineration, the Commission
gives its backing to these two solutions in preference to
dumping .

( 1 ) OJ No L 181, 4 . 7 . 1986 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 364, 31 . 12 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-236 / 96

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

(9 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 37 )

Subject : Relations with outside agencies

The Commission's answer to my question E-2924 / 95 ( 1 ) is
extremely brief . Let me remind the Commission of my
question . Can I expect a full answer ?

In particular, I want to know whether it is true that an
outside agency was responsible for the mistake in question .
If so, what action is the Commission planning to take — or
what action has it already taken — against that agency ?

The advertisement in question has since been published
again . Who paid for this ?

(•) OJ No C 56, 26 . 2 . 1996, p . 53 .

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

( 29 March 1 996 )

The mistake to which the Honourable Member refers was

not attributable to an outside agency .

1990 120 080 29 076

1991 112519 26 374

1992 472 048 31 334

1993 95 822 36 473

1994 483 812 47 644

Figures for 1995 have not been included in the table because
they are not yet complete .

The advertisement in question has since been published
again ; it was paid for by the Commission from the
' contingencies ' heading of the budget adopted for the Alfa

programme .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-242 / 96

by Markus Ferber ( PPE )

to the Commission

(9 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 38 )

Subject : EU imports of ( wood ) laminated cores from third

countries

1 . What volume of laminated cores has been imported
into the EU in the last five years ?

2 . How much was supplied to each EU Member State

( breakdown by Member State and by year )?

3 . Under what customs number were the laminated cores

imported into the different Member States ?

4 . Is the Commission aware of instances of laminated

cores being imported into the EU under the wrong customs
or goods number ? If so, which Member States are
involved ?

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1996 )

1 . Imports of goods of CN codes 4412 29 10 and 4412
99 10 ( see answer to question 3 ) are as follows :

( m )

CN code
Year
4412 29 10

CN code

4412 99 10

No C 183 / 22 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

2 . The tables below give a breakdown of the figures by
Member State and by year .

CN code 4412 29 10

(m 1 )

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

Eur 12 120 080 112 519 472 048 95 822 483 812

Benelux 9 681 8 006 7 602 4 588 6 566

Denmark 1 398 635 1 012 1 031 789

Germany 20 829 18 214 13 699 16 625 19 360

Greece 964 660 286 0 99

Spain 5 070 3 255 370 073 11 752 382 210

France 1 518 1 788 884 1 814 1 531

Ireland 774 1 020 515 461 634

Italy 4 986 9 528 13 438 13 063 18 909

Netherlands 753 1 293 792 595 935

United

Kingdom 74 108 68 120 63 747 45 893 52 779

Source : Eurostat — Comext .

CN code 4412 99 10

( m )

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

Eur 12 29 076 26 374 31 334 36 473 47 644

Benelux 1 014 848 1 526 4 438 2 032

Denmark 31 961 882 1 416 1 242

Germany 2 420 2 239 2 798 2 737 5 747

Greece 80 0 0 0 0

Spain 140 110 23 116 21 231

France 2 160 1 882 1 207 605 196

Ireland 88 50 125 165 561

Italy 9 619 10 169 8 612 9 415 3 223

Netherlands 399 0 38 52 262

United '

Kingdom 13 125 10 115 16 123 17 529 13 150

Source : Eurostat — Comext .

In 1993, however, Spain reported, under Regulation ( EEC )
No 1552 / 89, a case in which a small amount of duties had
been evaded on imported laminated wood ( CN code 4412
99 10 ) by misuse of the preferential arrangements .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-251 / 96

by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz ( V )

to the Commission

(9 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 39 )

Subject : Neutron radiation and Community research
projects

In its reply to my question E-3033 / 9 5 ( *) on the potential risk
of neutron radiation the Commission says that it has
supported seven multi-partner research contracts dealing
with the biological effects of such radiation and eight
multi-partner contracts addressing issues of dosimetry and
monitoring for neutron exposure . Unfortunately, the
Commission says nothing about the results of this research ;
nor does it indicate any sources .

1 . What results have been obtained by these scientific

consortia ?

2 . Have reports been written showing the state of the art of
scientific descussion ? If some what reports and where
can they be inspected ?

3 . What are the precise details of the research contracts

planned by the Commission within the 1994 — 1998
framework programme ?

H OJ No C 91, 27 . 3 . 1996, p . 27 .

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

3 . The Commission thinks it fair to say that demand is
centred on plywood, veneered panels and similar laminated ( 29 March 1996 )
wood which, to 31 December 1995, all Member States had
to classify in CN codes 4412 29 10 and 4412 99 10 .

Following the amendments made to the Harmonized System
as a result of the Customs Cooperation Council's
recommendation of 6 July 1993, the goods in question have,
depending on their composition, been classified since

1 January 1 996 in codes 4412 92 91 or 4412 99 20 .

4 . The Commission is not aware of any cases of
laminated wood being imported into the Community under
the wrong CN codes .

1 . Seven multi-partner research contracts within the
third framework programme dealt with biological and
cellular effects in in-vitro experiments with mammalian cells
and late effects in mammals . Not all projects provided
results in terms of numerical values for the relative
biological effectiveness ( RBE ) which are the scientific basis
for recommendation of weighting factors for neutrons in
radiation protection . However, the eight multi-partner
contracts dealing with issues of dosimetry and monitoring
for neutron exposures have led to a substantial
improvement in the achievable accuracy for ambient and
individual monitoring .

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 23

2 . Periodical progress reports and final reports of the
radiation protection research action are regularly published .
For the third framework programme progress reports have
been published in publications of the Commission f 1 ). The
publication of the final reports is in preparation . Moreover,
results can be found in published proceedings of workshops
and symposia organized by the Commission :

— Proceedings of Sventh Symposium on Neutron
Dosimetry, 1991 ( Berlin ) in radiation protection
dosimetry, Vol . 44 ( 1992 )

— Proceedings of Eleventh Symposium on Microdosimetry

1992 ( USA ) in Radiation Protection Dosimetry, Vol . 52

( 1994 )

3 . Following the submission of proposals for the first
deadline of the specific programme nuclear fission safety
within the framework programme 1994 — 1998 ( 20 March

1995 ) two contracts on neutron dosimetry research have
been concluded . The only two proposals for radiobiological
research of high-LET radiations ( neutrons belonging to this
category ) were recommended to be re-submitted in a
combined form by the evaluation panel . A second deadline
for submission of proposals was 28 February 1996 .

0 ) EUR 14927 DE / EN / FR and EUR 16003 DE / EN / FR .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-270 / 96

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 15 February 1996 )

Answer given by Mrs Gradin
on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 1996 )

The Commission is aware of the article published by the
Greek newspaper Vima in January 1996 .

On the specific matter raised by the Honourable Member,
the Commission has not received at this stage any
information from the Greek authorities . There is no current

investigation at the Community level . Member States do not
have the legal obligation to communicate tax evasion cases
to the Commission . Such an obligation however exists for
fraud cases involving traditional own resources ( Regulation

( EEC, Euratom ) No 1 552 / 89 ) ( 1 ) .

The question of tax evasion is primarily the responsibility of
Member States . The Commission offers its help in the
context of the provisions of Article 209a of the EC Treaty, in
so far as the financial interests of the Community are
concerned . Up to now, the Commission has not received a
request for help from Greece .

The Commission would also point out that it will be
organizing a conference in Brussels on 3 and 4 July 199 6 .
This conference intends to discuss the practical
implementation of the provisions on the intra-Community
circulation of mineral oils currently in force and to examine
whether improvements are necessary . With this purpose, the
participation of national administrations, European trade
and transport representative bodies as well as other interest
groups is foreseen .

(!) OJ No L 155, 7 . 6 . 1989 .

( 96 / C 183 / 40 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-281 / 96

by Bernd Lange ( PSE )

to the Commission

Subject : Trafficking in fuel in the Community ( 15 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 41 )

The newspaper ' Vima ' reports that a confidential report
before the Supreme Court Prosecutor alleges tax evasion on
a huge scale ( Drs 1 trillion in a mere two years ) by a gang
dealing in contraband ship's fuel . The gang consists of senior
executives of companies producing, shipping and
distributing oil and of customs officials who were involved
in or covered up the fraud .

Has the Commission looked into the problems associated
with illegal trading in fuel in the Community in relation to
the single market and in terms of the indirect budgetary
implications for the Union itself ? What are its findings and
what measures does it propose to take ?

Subject : Whereabouts of Resit Yildiz, a Turkish citizen,

from Cilesizküyü ( Mezre / Miheke ), Nusaybin

Resit Yildiz, a Turkish citizen, from Cilesizküyü

( Mezre / Miheke ), Nusaybin, was taken from his home on
27 August 1995, since when he has vanished without trace .
Mr Yildiz is a Kurd of the Yezidic faith and mayor of the last
remaining Yezidic village in the district . There is still no
definite information ( according to the Federal Republic's
Foreign Office ) as to whether Mr Yildiz has been detained
by Turkish security forces or has fallen victim to the
PKK .

No C 183 / 24 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

1 . To what extent does the Commission regard this case as
impeding its negotiations with Turkey ?

2 . Will it make this, and other examples of glaring human
rights violations in Turkey, the subject of future
negotiations ?

the Community budget . However, it is not for the Council to
intervene in cooperation between national audit bodies and
the European Court of Auditors, which have to act in
complete independence, in the Community's general
interest .

To the Council's knowledge, close contacts have been

long-term measures is the Commission seeking to established between the European Court of Auditors and

future human rights violations of this nature in the national audit bodies . They will therefore need to build
?

on that cooperation, especially in the new area of audit work
in support of the statement of assurance as to the reliability
of the accounts and the legality and regularity of the
underlying transactions which the Court of Auditors must
Answer given by Mr Van den Broek provide to the European Parliament and to the Council

on behalf of the Commission

under Article 188c of the EC Treaty .

3 . What long-term measures is the Commission seeking to

prevent future human rights violations of this nature in
Turkey ?

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 April 1996 )

The Commission has requested information from the
Turkish authorities with regard to the case referred to by the
Honourable Member .

Once this information has been received, the Commission
will consider what measures, if any, are appropriate .

The Commission reiterates the undertaking which it gave to
Parliament, last November, to draw up an anual report of
the implementation of the customs union, a report which
will cover not only the economic and political aspects, but
take account also of the democratization process and
human rights situation in Turkey .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-322 / 96

by Salvador Garriga Polledo ( PPE )

to the Council

( 27 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 42 )

Subject : Inspecting Community spending

What measures is the Council taking to reinforce the
national bodies for financial and accountancy auditing in
their role as partners of the Court of Auditors in the
inspection of Community spending in the Member
States ?

Answer

( 15 May 1996 )

The Council takes a very favourable view of the growing
inter-institutional cooperation to promote effective action
against the fraud and irregularities which are such a drain on

WRITTEN QUESTION E-343 / 96

by Thomas Megahy ( PSE )

to the Council

( 26 February 1996 )

96 / C 183 / 43

Subject : ECU-denominated bonds

The ECU as currently constituted is based on a basket of
currencies which, according to Article 109g of the Treaty on
European Union, ' shall not be changed '. The Euro, however,
will be the product of a narrower range of currencies .

How does the Council envisage the management of the
relationship between the new currency and the ECU,
particularly as it may affect the value of bonds, issued by
Member States and denominated in ECU, whose maturity
date falls after 1 January 1999 ?

Answer

( 15 May 1996 )

The European Council of Madrid on 15 and 16 December

1995 adopted the scenario for the changeover to the single
currency . Under point 9, last sentence, of this scenario it is
stated that

' in the case of contracts denominated by the reference to
the official ECU basket of the European Community, in
accordance with the Treaty, substitution by the Euro will
be at the 1 : 1 rate, subject to the particular terms of
individual contracts '.

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 25

WRITTEN QUESTION E-347 / 96

Answer

by Glyn Ford ( PSE ) ( 15 May 1996 )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1996 )

( 961 C 183 / 44

Subject : Specifications concerning sale of part-worn tyres

In spite of Motor Vehicle Tyre Regulations 1994 does the
Commission not think the UK Government should take a

lead from other EU governments and introduce stricter
controls governing the sale of part - worn tyres ?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 1996 )

The Commission is aware that the United Kingdom has
specific legislation, the purpose of which is to provide
protection for the consumer regarding the supply of part
worn tyres . However, the Commission is not in a position to
say whether or not the United Kingdom's legislation is any
more or less strict than the legislation of any other Member
State .

As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, Council
Directive 89 / 459 / EEC ( l ) on the minimum tread depth of car
tyres has been implemented in all Member States .

As is the case in numerous Member States, age limits are
imposed on competitions giving access to the European civil
service with the aim of ensuring a smooth career
development .

The General Secretariat of the Council has started
discussions on the policy to be followed as regards the age
limit for participation in the general competitions it
organizes for the recruitment of officials . This has led the age
limits to be raised from 35 to 50 for several

competitions .

The age limits laid down in the notifications of competitions
published by the General Secretariat of the Council vary
according to the posts / categories in question and
circumstances . In fixing such limits, the institution takes
account in particular of the needs defined by the different
services where posts need to be filled ( specific training
etc .).

In order to rationalize administrative expenses,
interinstitutional contacts are currently in progress, in
particular so as to harmonize the conditions of access to
general competitions applied so far by the institutions .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-358 / 96

by Elisabeth Schroedter ( V )

to the Commission

f 1 ) OJ No L 226, 3 . 8 . 1989 . (9 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 46 )

Subject : ICE Berlin — Hanover railway line through the IBA

and Great Bustard conservation area

WRITTEN QUESTION E-354 / 96

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE )
and Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE )

to the Council

( 26 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 45 )

Subject : Age limits for competitions

As a general rule, competitions for posts in the institutions
and agencies of the European Union are subject to an age
limit, which prevents properly qualified people from
applying .

Would the Council agree that this is an obvious and
incongruous form of discrimination, for which there is no
justification, and that the time has come to do away with age
limits ?

In conjunction with the Brandenburg Land Government,
the Federal Transport Ministry and the Federal
Environment Ministry, the German Federal Railways are
planning to build a high-speed line between Berlin and
Hanover . This route runs through the centre of the IBA and
Great Bustard conservation area near Buckow . The thinking
behind the plan was to establish a fast link between the
isolated city of West Berlin and the Federal German
Republic through the former GDR . After the re-unification
of the two German States this was no longer a priority, since
the territory of the former GDR now also belongs to the EU
and was classified as an Objective 1 region under Council
Regulation ( EEC ) No 2080 / 93 ( ! ). This would have meant
modifying the plan in line with the requirements of the new
Land capitals Magdeburg ( Saxony-Anhalt ) and Potsdam

( Brandenburg ) to link up with more central regions of the
EU and the need to concentrate resources as prescribed by
the above Regulation . The statutory requirement of an
official approval procedure, including the environmental
impact assessment, has not yet been complied with .
However, approval has in fact been given to plans to erect

No C 183 / 26 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

embankments 2,80 metres high over the top edge of the
terrain which, in the flat, boggy meadowland, would
represent a massive encroachment on the protected habitat
of the wild bird species living there, including the Great
Bustard ( listed in Annex 1 to Directive 79 / 409 / EEC ) ( 2 ).

It is also common knowledge that the Commission has
already been involved with the problems of encroachment
on this protection area and has appointed an international

expert .

1 . Is the planning approval procedure, which allows an
early start on work to modify this terrain without the
final environment impact assessment, including the
requirement to avoid, reduce and, if possible, remedy
significant adverse effects, compatible with the Directive
on the environmental impact assessment

( 85 / 337 / EEC ) ( 3 )?

2 . Is a piecemeal and deferred environmental impact
assessment in respect of a project which, by virtue of
building work already undertaken, imposes constraints
and makes no provision for the assessment of associated
effects at a later stage, compatible with that same
Directive ?

3 . Is the planned unsupervised encroachment on this
habitat of wild bird species — also designated by
Germany as an ' FFH-Gebiet ' in accordance with the
Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of

wild fauna and flora ( 92 / 43 / EEC ) ( 4 ) — without a
further assessment of the altered framework conditions

for the utilization of the intended project, in line with
Directives 85 / 337 / EEC and 92 / 43 / EEC ?

4 . Are the protective walls, recommended as the preferred
option to resolve the conflict between the need to
conserve the Great Bustards habitat and the
requirements of the Federal Railways for a high-speed
line, as suggested by the international expert appointed
by the Brandenburg Land Government, in line with the
directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of

wild fauna and flora ?

(') OJ No L 193, 31 . 7 . 1993, p . 1 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p . 1 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 175, 5 . 7 . 1985, p . 40 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992, p . 7 .

The current works concern mitigation measures which aim
to reduce the impact of the future construction and which
have been suggested by nature experts . The Commission has
no reason to believe that Directive 85 / 337 / EEC has not been

respected .

2 . On the question of whether projects of a certain length
can be divided into different individual projects, the
Advocate-General, in case C-396 / 92, gave some indications
with which the Commission agrees . He said the Directive
aims to ensure an overview of the effects of a project at the
earliest possible stage, so that as far as possible account
should be taken of the sections of the rest of a planned road
or rail link . However, an impact assessment is to be carried
out for projects in respect of which development consent has
been sought .

The Commission has no reason to believe that these

principles have not been respected in the present case, and it
notes that the enlargement of an existing railway avoids
deterioration of areas not yet affected by the railway link
and that extensive investigations were carried out to find the
best route .

3 . Germany has not yet designated the area under
Directive 92 / 43 / EEC . Only preliminary indications have
been given that the Land Brandenburg intends to designate
as a special protection area under Article 4 of Directive
79 / 409 / EEC an area called Trappenschongebiet
Rhin-Havel-Luch without providing any further details .

4 . Great bustards are good flyers and able to migrate
over large distances . The Commission considers the green
walls of soil, which will reach a height of seven metres along
the railway line, a good way to avoid accidents involving
trains and bustards, because bustards will be more likely to
overfly the railway at sufficient height . These birds favour
open ground and will dislike flying into relatively small
' valleys ' between the green walls . The green walls should
also reduce the noise of the trains and screen the view of the

railway .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-362 / 96

by Markus Ferber ( PPE )

to the Commission

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard ( 22 February 1996 )

on behalf of the Commission

( 96 / C 183 / 47 )
( 11 March 1996 )

Subject : EU programmes SAVE and Synergie
1 . Directive 85 / 337 / EEC stipulates that certain public
and private projects have to be subjected to an
environmental impact assessment before consent is given . The Commission is calling for financial resources for two
The Commission understands that the impact assessment programmes which clearly overlap with the Thermie
regarding the enlargement of the existing railway, to which programme ( see also the decisions of the European
the Honourable Member refers, has been completed . Parliament and the Bundesrat ). Can the Commission

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 27

provide precise information on certain aspects of the SAVE
and Synergie programmes and their links with Thermie ?

1 . What appropriations have been provided for the EU

programmes Thermie, SAVE and Synergie over the past
five years ?

2 . How is the funding distributed between energy saving,
renewable energy, fossil fuels and international
cooperation ?

3 . How has the EU support funding for the Thermie, SAVE
and Synergie programmes been distributed over the past
five years among the individual Member States of the
European Union ?

4 . What personnel costs have there been over the past five

years for the administration of the Thermie, SAVE and
Synergie programmes ?

5 . To what extent are the SAVE and Synergie programmes
complementary to the Thermie programme ? In which
areas are the three programmes complementary and in
which do they overlap ?

6 . Can the Commission provide the current cost-benefit
analysis for each of the Thermie, SAVE and Synergie
programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 1 996 )

The research undertaken by the Commission to answer the
Honourable Member's question has revealed that this is a
very extensive and complex matter . More detailed
investigations are necessary, involving a number of
departments . The Commission will inform the Honourable
Member of the outcome of these investigations once they are
completed .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-391 / 96

by Joan Vallvé ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1996 )

higher education, languages which, without being official
languages of the EU, are recognized at national level and are
used to a significant extent in universities — as is the case
with Catalan . By contrast, Icelandic and Norwegian have
been introduced even though they did not figure in the final
version of the programme dated 14 March 1995 .

Bearing in mind that Icelandic and Norwegian must have
been included in Chapter III, Action 1 ( relating to Lingua )
by virtue of bilateral agreements with the EU, why is
preference given to such agreements to the detriment of the
provisions of the text of the programme as adopted,
specifically recital 10a ?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 April 1996 )

The documents published by the Commission on the
practical details for implementing the Socrates programme
in higher education, in particular the relevant part of the

" Socrates vademecum ' and the ' 1996 applicants ' guide to
Socrates / Erasmus ", refer to the ' teaching languages of the
participating countries ' without actually specifying these
languages . The Commission wanted to leave it up to the
universities to choose their partners, being fully aware of the
education system requirements of the participating
countries and on the basis of inter-university cooperation
agreements predating activities proper, such as the mobility
of students and teachers . The text of the decision as well as

the abovementioned publications have been widely
distributed amongst all the establishments eligible to
participate .

The reference to Norwegian and Icelandic — both of which
are languages of EFTA / EEA countries — concerns the
agreement on the European Economic Area, more
specifically Action 1 ( Lingua ) of chapter III of the
programme ( see above ).

However for the sake of clarity, specific reference could be
made to recital 11 in the 1997 applicants ' guide .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-397 / 96

by Freddy Blak ( PSE )

to the Commission
96 / C 183 / 48

( 22 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 49 )
Subject : Application of the Socrates programme

The 1996 candidates ' guide to the Socrates education
programme covering Lingua and Erasmus makes no
reference to recital 10a regarding the possibility of
including, in those parts of the programme concerning

Subject : Shabby treatment of EU citizens

Two Danish graphic artists applied for jobs in the European
Parliament's printshop . Following a competition of epic

No C 183 / 28 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

proportions, their names were added to a reserve list . They
then waited for more than a year without being kept
properly informed . Moreover, one of them was summoned
at short notice to Brussels for a compulsory medical
examination . On the day after she returned home, she was
told that an administrative error had been made and that the

post had been offered to someone else who was already in
the system .

Cases such as this are very bad publicity for the EU as a
whole, presenting it as an unfathomable bureaucratic
machine biased towards those already ensconced in the
system and contemptuous of ordinary people . It should not
be forgotten that the success of the future Union will depend
on its ability to win the trust and support of the general
public .

How could such an unfortunate incident happen ? Is this
normal procedure ? How will the Commission prevent
similar cases from arising in future ?

2 . Which Member States already levy duties or taxes on

fertilizers ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 1996 )

1 . All Member States have implemented Council
Directive 76 / 116 / EEC ( 1 ) on fertilisers .

2 . According to the information available to the
Commission, only one Member State currently applies
duties or taxes on fertilisers .

(') OJ No L 24, 30 . 1 . 1976 .

Answer given by Mr Liikanen WRITTEN QUESTION E-401 / 96

on behalf of the Commission
by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE / NGL )
(9 April 1 996 ) to the Commission

( 22 February 1996 )

The Commission notes that the competition to which the ( 961 C 183 / 51 )
question refers was organized by the Parliament, and it
therefore has no knowledge of the particular circumstances
of the case . However, it agrees with the suggestion made by Subiect : Pefkias Xylokastro
the Honourable Member that circumstances such as those
he outlines can create very negative publicity for the Pefkias Xylokastro is a pine forest
institutions of the Union .

Subiect : Pefkias Xylokastro

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 98 / 96

by Honor Funk ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 50

Pefkias Xylokastro is a pine forest running along the densely
populated coast of Greece near Athens which has been
classified a conservation area by Presidential Decree
198 / 1974 . It is 1 800 metres long and contains plants such
as the aleppo pine, the mastic tree, ivy, the strawberry tree
and several other wild species . 22 species of bird are also
found there along with other small animals making it an
area of exceptional natural beauty . However, local people
and organizations complain that problems have been
created in the forest largely as a result of uncontrolled
tourist development which has led to the appearance of
illegal cafe-bars, outdoor grills, beach huts, open-air
cinemas, deafening music day and night, piles of rubbish,
cement works, illegal extensions and building of a
permanent nature which has run down the environment .

Subject : Legislation concerning fertilizers in the EU Bearing in mind :

The increasing awareness of consumers and discoveries of
harmful substances in drinking water have led a number of
EU countries to draw up legislation concerning fertilizers in
addition to the regulation concerning nitrates that already
exists in the EU .

1 . Which Member States already have legislation
concerning fertilizers or plan such legislation in the near
future ?

1, that the Commission's fifth action programme on the
environment defines coastal zones as particularly
vulnerable,

2, the Commission's communication on the integrated
management of coastal zones ('),

3, that the ' development ' of Pefkias is producing a vastly
altered landscape which is clearly at odds with all EU
guidelines on environmental protection,

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 29

4, that various coastal zone, projects have received
assistance under the Community action plan for tourism
which provides primarily for measures that seek to
preserve and protect the quality of the natural
environment,

has greatly increased in the last five years as the exchange of
experience and the transfer of know-how among them
multiplies whilst the environmental, socio-economic and
mobility problems continue to become more complex .

How, in the duration of the Fourth Framework Programme,

will the Commission ask for information and an does the Commission intend to address their needs as the
explanation from the Greek authorities as to how the ultimate users of telematics technologies and to maintain the
' development ' of Pefkias is consistent with the obvious political momentum that has been created within
Commission's communication on the integrated local and regional authorities to implement these
management of coastal zones ? Can it give assurances that it technologies ?
will intercede to persuade the authorities to put an end to the
alarming development of Pefkias and would it respond
positively to a request for funds to carry out a study on the
management of the vulnerable forest at Xylokastro in order
to identify and resolve its problems ? Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 April 1996 )
(') COM(95 ) 511 final .

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 1996 )

The communication on the integrated management of
coastal zones neither empowers nor compels the
Commission to request information from the Greek
authorities concerning the ' development ' of the Pefkias
Xylokastro forest .

Furthermore, the Commission may, after examining the
issue, co-finance and carry out a study on the management
of the forest if the Greek authorities were to make such a

request to the Monitoring Committee for the Operational
Programme for the Environment ( 1994 — 1999 ) of the
European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-406 / 96

by Bill Miller ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 52 )

Subject : The Fourth Framework RTD

The political will of European cities and regions to use
advanced telematics systems for improving the quality of life

As part of the Telematics applications programme of the
Fourth Framework Research and Technological
Development Programme, cities and regions are playing a
key role in several projects .

The detailed list of projects involving cities and regions is
sent to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament's

Secretariat .

In the transport sector of this programme, several projects
managed by the road traffic authorities themselves have
been launched under the umbrella of a club of cities called

Polis ( Promoting operational links integrated services ).

Other examples can be found in the urban and rural areas
sector of the programme . There, the momentum is
maintained by an open network of urban public authorities,
the European digital city project, coordinated by the
Eurocities club, as a forum for dialogue and dissemination
within and outside the Telematics applications programme .
With 70 affiliations today this netrwork, open to all
European towns, cities and trade chambers has been
cooperating to define the best strategy for deployment of
telematics applications and services .

In this respect, the needs of the ultimate users of telematics
technologies are addressed by involving the citizens
themselves in these cities and regions . The active
participation of the citizens is ensured from the start of the
projects, from the user requirements phase up to the
validation and demonstration phases .

As part of the activities of the information technology
research and development programme, a number of IT
application projects serving the needs of citizens and regions
are being launched . In addition, four projects aimed at
building the information society in cities and regions are
being funded in the context of the Commission's industry
policy . These projects have been proposed by consortia of

No C 183 / 30 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

European cities and regional organizations . They are in line
with the idea of creating an environment where citizens,
administrations and industries can exploit the possibilities
offered by information technology .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-407 / 96

by Bill Miller ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1996 )

( 961 C 183 / 53 )

Subject : The Fourth Framework RTD

In its latest R&D Programme, The Fourth Framework
Programme, the European Commission has rightly placed
the emphasis on user needs, validation and the
dissemination of results . Will it please demonstrate how it is
ensuring that the programme in its totality, and the
Telematics Applications Programme in particular, is user —
rather than technology — or industry driven .

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1996 )

such as the IT and Acts programmes, by integrating their
results and making them available for user communities .

The starting-point for the RDT work in the Telematics
applications programme is the analysis of users ' needs and
their translation into functional specifications . Users are
associated at each stage of a project's life, from initial
planning right through to demonstration on real sites,
whether geographic ( cities, towns, regions, rural areas ) or
institutional ( hospitals, administrations, etc .). It is worth
noting that users of telematics applications include
companies, in particular small and medium-sized
enterprises, but also local government, regional authorities,
health institutions, training centres, transport operators and
libraries . Their involvement at all phases of individual
projects guarantees that the RDT results will be
disseminated and introduced faster in the real

environments .

This approach is reflected by the high level of participation
of user organizations in the first two calls for proposals,
where 28 % (1 382 from 4 960 ) of the organizations
participating in the 371 new projects declared themselves

users .

All projects are requested to give high priority to the
dissemination and exploitation of the results achieved
through development of standards, procurement
recommendations and best practice guidelines . More than
2 % of the programme's budget is earmarked for
dissemination activities, awareness-building and the
promotion of telematics .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-416 / 96

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI ) and Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission

The main objectives of the fourth framework programme to
have been defined after a broad range of external ( 29 February 1996 )
consultations . Users have been consulted so that they can

( 96 / C 183 / 54 )

participate in research activities which reflect their needs . In
fact, evaluation has shown that United Kingdom research
projects integrating producers and users are more efficient
than those where such a partnership does not exist . Subject : Lease of the Hochtief building

( 96 / C 183 / 54 )

Subject : Lease of the Hochtief building in Luxembourg

Although the fourth framework programme continues to
focus on generic, precompetitive research of multisectoral
application, it takes greater account than before of market
and society's needs . This is done in particular through
validation and demonstration projects, the objective of
which is to prove the technical viability and the user
acceptance of a new technology . In this respect, the
Telematics applications programme plays a significant role
due to the applications of information and tele ­
communications with a societal interest ( e.g . education and
training, transport, healthcare, disabled and elderly ). It
builds upon the research and technological development

( RDT ) work carried out under other research frameworks,

1 . Did the Hochtief company, which owns and is erecting
a building to be leased to the Commission, obtain a
guarantee from the Luxembourg Government in 1993 to
receive rent for 25 years, i.e . an annual amount of Bfrs 8 500
per m 2, automatically indexed to the cost of living ?

2 . Is the Commission aware that the Luxembourg press
gave long-running coverage to this unusual commitment on
the part of the Government, describing it, among other
things, as a colonial contract, and predicted that the affair
would eventually come before the courts, not least because
the Grand Duchy and the Commission apparently reached
agreement in private negotiations, without any public call

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 31

for tenders, and, moreover, on the basis of inadequate,
sketchy specifications ?

3 . Has pressure been exerted by the Luxembourg
Government — and, if so, at what levels — to make the
Commission rent the building as quickly as possible in order
to discharge the obligation to Hochtief ?

4 . Is it true that the Hochtief building does not meet the
Commission's internal specifications, which require that the
premises be designed and used exclusively for and by
Commission departments and not shared with an enormous
shopping centre ?

5 . Are there other Commission specifications which have
not been matched in the contract ?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1996 )

The Commission would suggest that the Honourable
Members put the question to the parties to this agreement,
namely, the Luxembourg Government and the Hochtief

company .

The Commission has asked for corrections to be made to the

reports published in the press . Nevertheless, the
Commission denies that it concluded any contract private or
otherwise .

Since the Commission has not concluded any contract to
rent the building in question, the comments on pressure
exerted by the Luxembourg Government are not
relevant .

extended until 31 December 1 995, has now expired . Would
the Commission state exactly how much the competition
cost to hold, and how many people were recruited during
the list's period of validity ?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1996 )

There are five names on the reserve list from selection

procedure COM / R / A / 99, out of 210 candidates who took
part in the competition . The period of validity of the list has
been extended until 31 December 1 996 .

It is difficult to calculate how much a selection procedure
costs . Some items, such as press advertising in the Member
States, postage and the reimbursement of candidates '
travelling expenses, can be costed, but the bulk of the costs
consists of staff time, as the secretariat and the members of
the selection boards are Commission officials or other

servants .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-428 / 96

by Bernie Malone ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 29 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 56 )

Subject : EU funding for health services

The Commission is continuing to monitor the construction In view of the new competence the EU acquired in health
of the building in order to ensure that it generally satisfies policy through Article 129 of the Maastricht Treaty, and
the specifications . Moreover, it is obvious that the particularly its proposals for an Action Programme on the
Commission could only impose specifications on the builder Prevention of Drug Dependence within the Framework of
if it had entered into a commitment with him . Public Health Action ('), has the Commission made any

plans, or is it preparing any plans, to propose funding from
the EU annual budget for the conversion of existing health
facilities in the Member States to drug rehabilitation centres,
and in particular for proposals along these lines being made
by the Department of Health and Eastern Health Board in
WRITTEN QUESTION E-421 / 96 Ireland ?

by Concepció Ferrer ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 29 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 55 )

Subject : Commission compétition

(') COM(94 ) 223 ( OJ No C 257, 14 . 9 . 1994, p . 4 — OJ No C 34,

7 . 2 . 1996 ).

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(1 7 April 1 996 )
The period of validity of the reserve list drawn up following
the competition held with a view to the recruitment of
temporary staff specializing in the drafting in Spanish of In June 1994, the Commission adopted a communication
scientific policy documents ( COM / R / A / 99 ), which was and a proposal for a Community action programme on the

No C 183 / 32 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

prevention of drug dependence, as modified by . . ., within
the framework for action in the field of public health
foreseen by Article 129 of the EC Treaty .

In accordance with this Article, Member States are
responsible for the financing and delivery of care and
treatment and the relevant health facilities . Taking into
account the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality,
and in view of the limited resources available, the budgetary
line devoted to the health aspects of drug abuse is primarily
devoted to Community added value activities such as the
promotion of the exchange of information and experience
between the Member States, in particular through
networking . Article 129 also states that health protection
requirements shall form a constituent part of the
Community's other policies . In this context, the European
regional development fund may finance investments in the
field of health in Objective 1 regions, where these contribute
to the structural adjustment of those regions and where the
real need for those investments has been demonstrated, and
with a priority given to basic health facilities in
under-equipped areas .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-451 / 96

by Hiltrud Breyer ( V )

to the Commission

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 1996 )

1 . Olestra is a food ingredient which has not hitherto
been used to a significant degree in the Community . As such,
it would appear in principle to fall within the scope of the
proposal for a Regulation of the Council and the Parliament
on novel foods and novel food ingredients ( 1 ).

At the present time no application for authorization of
Olestra has been submitted to the Commission, nor has the
company requested an examination of the public health
aspects of the product by the scientific committee for
food .

The company may have submitted scientific data on Olestra
for review in one or more Member States in accordance with

the national procedures which remain applicable until the
adoption and entry into force of the Regulation .

2, to 6 . Since the Commission does not have access to all
the available information, and in view of the possibility that
the company may wish to seek authorization to market
Olestra as a novel food ingredient within the Community at
some future date, it would not be appropriate to make any
further comment about the public health or technological
aspects of the product, or on the possible need for specific
labelling on the product .

( 29 February 1996 ) P ) COM(93 ) 631, 1 . 12 . 1993 .

( 96 / C 183 / 57 )

Subject : Possible authorization of marketing of the fat

substitute ' Olestra ' by Procter & Gamble in the
EU

1 . Has an application been lodged for authorization to
market ' Olestra ' in the EU or individual Member States ?

2 . What is the Commission's view of the eight-year study
of ' Olestra ' and the product's labelling ?

3 . In the event of imports and / or authorization of
marketing throughout the EU, would the Commission also
seek appropriate warning labelling ?

4 . Has the Commission had studies of its own carried out

on ' Olestra ' or does it intend to do so ?

5 . What is the Commission's view of the technological
necessity of ' Olestra ' in view of the health hazards, taking
into account Procter & Gamble's studies which showed that

laboratory animals did not lose any weight as a result of
consuming ' Olestra '?

6 . In view of the dubious effects of ' Olestra ', as referred
to in question 5, is there any point in permitting the
marketing of the product in the EU ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-465 / 96

by Ifiigo Méndez de Vigo ( PPE )

to the Council

( 29 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 58 )

Subject : Human rights violations in South Africa

A group of armed men recently opened fire into a crowd of
200 jobseekers in Johannesburg, South Africa, killing eight
people and wounding another 23 .

Can the Council provide any information on this incident
and state whether it has plans for any specific measures to
help the process of normalization in South Africa ?

Answer

(1 S May 1996 )

The European Union has no particular information on the
incident referred to by the Honourable Member .

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 33

It is clear that much of the violence in South Africa today has
its roots in the abhorrent system of apartheid . The European
Union, working in cooperation with the Government of
South Africa is seeking through the different programmes of
the Member States and the Community to help that country
overcome the scars of the past, in a democratic and
non-violent manner .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-468 / 96

by Joan Vallvé ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 29 February 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 59 )

Subject : The promotion of sex tourism in the Balearic

Islands

About a year ago I drew the Commission's attention

( in Written Question E-775 / 95X 1 ) to the advertising
campaigns launched by the British tour operator Club

18 —30 promoting the Balearic Islands as a destination for
sex tourism .

In his short reply Mr Papoutsis echoed the concerns
expressed by Parliament, and said that the Commission
intended to look at this issue in greater detail .
Unfortunately, the tour operator in question has again
launched aggressive campaigns with a highly erotic content
this year with the aim of attracting customers to the Balearic
Islands . This has led to angry protests by the regional
autonomy and island institutions and the business sector on
the grounds that the image of the Balearic Islands as a tourist
destination is being damaged .

In an archipelago whose economy is dependent on tourism,
people are particularly upset about a campaign of this kind,
which may have adverse repercussions for tourist
demand .

European Parliament resolution A4-80 / 95 ( 2 ) calls for the
combating of ' sex tourism ', and Council Decision
92 / 421 / EEC ( 3 ) states that one of the priority aims of
tourism should be cultural exchange and a meeting of
communities and peoples .

Can the Commission provide information on the findings of
the detailed study it undertook to carry out ? Does it consider
that this type of advertising is compatible with the
resolutions of Parliament and the Council on tourism ? Can

it activate any kind of mechanism to prevent actions of this
kind which are damaging to the interests of the Balearic
Islands ?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 1996 )

The Commission will send directly to the Honourable
Member and the Secretariat-General of the European
Parliament copies of the document on ' sex tourism '
presented to the Members of the Advisory Committee on
Tourism in June 1995 .

The Commission has in the meantime been observing the
initiatives taken in the various Member States to combat

practises of this kind . It has also noted recent the Parliament
resolutions directly or indirectly concerning ' sex tourism '
and the Declaration on the prevention of organized sex
tourism adopted by the World Tourism Organization in
Cairo in October 1995 .

However, although ' sex tourism ' is a matter of concern for
the Commission and Parliament alike, it should be born in
mind that it is not within the Commission's remit to make

pronouncements on advertising campaigns of the kind to
which the Honourable Member refers, nor on any
repercussions they might have .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-486 / 96

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 March 19 96 )

( 96 / C 183 / 60 )

Subject : Contravention of EU competition law

A UK Football Club, Wimbledon FC, has proposed
relocating to Dublin and the FA in the United Kingdom is
threatening to prevent such a move . Is the behaviour by the
FA not a clear contravention of EU competition law ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1996 )

kind which are damaging to the interests of the Balearic On the basis of the information given by the Honourable
Islands ? Member, this matter has nothing to do with Community

competition policy .

(') OJ No C 209, 14 . 8 . 1995, p . 22 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 18, 23 . 1 . 1995, p . 159 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 231, 13 . 8 . 1992, p . 26 .

No C 183 / 34 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

WRITTEN QUESTION E-499 / 9 6

WRITTEN QUESTION E-495 / 96 WRITTEN QUESTION

by Antoni Gutiérrez Diaz ( GUE / NGL ), by Spalato Belleré ( NI )

Laura Gonzalez Alvarez ( GUE / NGL )
and Maria Sornosa Martinez ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

(1 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 61 )

Subject : Chlorine leak from the Erkimia factory

( Flix-Tarragona )

On 21 January 1996 a broken valve and the failure of all the
safety systems in the Erkimia factory resulted in five to 6 000
kg of chlorine being leaked into the atmosphere . This is the
most serious accident involving chemicals to have occurred
in the province of Tarragona, but a major disaster was
narrowly avoided thanks to the fact that the leak happened
at night, when the inhabitants of Flix were asleep with their
windows shut .

Does the Commission have any information regarding this
accident ?

According to the press, the External Emergency Plan did not
work . Would the Commission please request information
on this from the competent authorities ?

How does the Commission intend to approach the
Genéralitat de Catalunya with a view to ensuring that
Directive 82 / 501 / EEC ( 1 ) on the danger of major accidents is
properly applied in petro-chemical installations in
Tarragona ?

( 1 ) OJ No L 230, 5 . 8 . 1982, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 1 996 )

The Spanish authorities notified the Commission of the
accident on 21 January 1996 at the Ekrimia plant at
Tarragona as provided under Article 11 ( 1 ) of Directive
8 2 / 5 0 1 / EEC .

The external emergency plan was activated . The fire
brigade, the civil protection and the Mayor were called . The
Flix population was advised on the radio to stay
indoors .

The Commission is required under the EC Treaty to oversee
the correct implementation of Directives into national
legislation . The Commission will take every step to ensure
that Spanish authorities fulfill their obligations under
Directive 82 / 501 / EEC .

to the Commission

(1 March 1996 )

96 / C 183 / 62 )

Subject : Aid for disaster victims in the European Union

Does the Commission think that it would be a good idea to
enter in the budget a sum of several million ECU for the
specific purpose of providing rapid assistance for
communities suffering extreme hardship as a result of
unforeseen disasters ( such as fires, floods, drought and
earthquakes )?

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1996 )

In the preliminary draft budget for 1 996 the Commission,
supported by the Council, proposed entering an
appropriation of ECU 5 million under item B4-3400 to
provide aid to victims of severe and unforeseen disasters in
the Community . However, on a second reading Parliament
decided to take on board the opinion of its Budget
Committee by simply making a token entry under this item
for 1996 . The Commission regrets this state of affairs, as it
already stated at Parliament's January and February plenary
sessions, and has reiterated its keenness to overcome the
deadlock so as to provide a concrete display of the Union's
solidarity with the people affected by the floods which hit
Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Greece and with the people in
Wales suffering hardship as a result of the wreck of the
tanker Sea Empress .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-501 / 96

by Spalato Belleré ( NI )

to the Commission

(1 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 63 )

Subject : Efforts to combat social deprivation

What measures does the Commission intend to take to

follow up the action taken in 1995 to prevent society from
turning its back on individuals convicted of delinquency,
and how does it intend to combat inner city crime ?

Might it consider joint economic action to launch a
follow-up programme to the Community's ' Poverty III '
programme ( 1989 — 1994 )?

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 35

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 1996 ) ( 17 April 1996 )

The budget authorities have earmarked ECU 9 million for

1 996 to combat social exclusion and poverty under budget
line B3-4103 . Within this budget line, ECU 1 million is
allocated for measures to prevent delinquency and promote
the social re-integration of delinquents . The Commission
intends to use this money to continue to support innovative
projects to prevent delinquency and to support reintegration
of delinquents .

The proposal for a fourth action programme to combat
social exclusion and promote integration was put
forward by the Commission in September 1993 . It aims to
build upon the experience gained with its predecessors,
including the Poverty 3 programme that came to an end in
June 1994 . Notwithstanding the support of the Parliament

for the new programme, the Council has not been able to
reach agreement to date on the proposal .

Combating social exclusion from the laboijx market is one
of the nine policy aims of the revised European Social Fund
( ESF ) Regulation ( 2 ) and constitutes a major new goal and
activity for the mainstream ESF and the Horizon strand of
the employment Community initiative .

A new strand Integra of the employment initiative is planned
to focus on the re-integration into employment of the most
disadvantaged target groups, which a renewed emphasis on
those concentrated in urban areas .

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-511 / 96

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 11 March 1996 )

(9 61 C 183 / 65

Subject : United Kingdom Government stance on all-seater

stadiums

Does the Commission agree that the British Government is
acting ridiculously in making football clubs install all-seater
stadiums when, for example, if Rochdale FC make it to the
First Division, people watching football would have to sit,
while those watching Rugby at the same ground on the
following day would be able to stand ?

Answer given by Mr Ore j a
on behalf of the Commission

( 23 April 1996 )

The matter to which reference is made does not fall within

the jurisdiction of the Community .
f 1 ) COM(93 ) 435 final .

( 2 ) OJ No L 193, 31 . 7 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 19 / 96

by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 11 March 1996 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 09 / 96 ( 96 / C 183 / 66 )

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission
Subject : Helios programme

( 11 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 64 )

Subject : European aid

Will the Commission provide a breakdown of European aid
received in each Euro-constituency in the United Kingdom
for each year over the last ten years ?

What number and proportion of the Helios team of experts
are disabled people themselves, and what actions are taken
to encourage disabled applicants when new ' experts ' are
recruited ?

Will the Commission, as part of its new Code of Conduct on
employment of disabled persons, agree that certain posts
within the Commission should be reserved for disabled

applicants only, including a majority of posts within the
Helios team ?

No C 183 / 36 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 1996 )

In the Helios team of experts, five staff members are
disabled, representing 15% of the total staff .

Within Helios an equal opportunity policy is followed .
Advertisements of new posts always state that disabled
people are strongly encouraged to apply .

— during many study visits, disabled people from the host

country are invited to join the European group ;

— most of the organizations sent more than one
representative to participate in the study visits .

It is not possible to comment on actions concerning any
successor to the Helios programme at this time given that a
decision has not yet been reached .

Given that the Helios experts are not Commission
employees, they will not be covered by the code of WRITTEN QUESTION E-526 / 96
conduct . by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 11 March 1996 )

( 961 C 183 / 68 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-522 / 96

by Richard Howitt ( PSE ) Subject : Helios programme

to the Commission

( 11 March 1 996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 67 )

What proposals does the Commission have for spending the
additional ECU 500 000 voted by Parliament this year, to
support the development of sign language for deaf people in
Europe ?

Subject : Helios programme What consultations are taking place with organizations
representing deaf people in this respect ?

What number and proportion of coordinators of local

model activities in the Helios programme are disabled
people themselves ?

What action does the Commission propose to ensure that
the majority of coordinators selected in any successor to the
Helios programme will indeed be disabled people ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 1996 )

In 1 995 the number and proportion of disabled people
acting as coordinator of organizations nominated by each
Member State in the different sectors of the Helios II

exchange and information activities was :

functional rehabilitation

éducation

economic integration
social integration

22 to 12%,
27 to 15%,
35 to 15 %,

51 to 28% .

However, these figures underestimate the participation of
disabled people for three reasons :

— the Commission's request to encourage the participation

of disabled people led to some non-disabled
coordinators being substituted by disabled people for
participation in the study visits ;

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 23 April 1996 )

The Commission is aware of the importance of sign
language for the deaf in terms of equal opportunities for all .
It therefore welcomes the award by the Parliament of ECU
500 000, within the framework of the Helios II programme,
to support the development of sign language .

The Commission has approached the non-governmental
organizations representing the interests of the deaf in the
Community to request them to submit a programme of
activities eligible for financial support to the Commission
for its opinion . In accordance with the Council Decision of
25 February 1993 (') establishing the Helios II programme,
the programme of activities is also to be submitted for
consultation to the advisory bodies set up within the
framework of Helios II .

Following these regular contacts and on the basis of a final
programme of activities, the Commission will take the
necessary steps to ensure that this financial support becomes
operational .

OJ No L 56, 9 . 3 . 1993 .

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 37

WRITTEN QUESTION E-531 / 96

by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 11 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 69 )

Subject : European Disability Forum

How many and what proportion of organizations
represented on the European Disability Forum set up under
the aegis of the Helios programme are organizations of
disabled people i.e . having management committees with at
least 51 % membership of disabled people themselves ? In
preparing proposals for establishing an independent
European Disability Forum, will the Commission ensure
that a majority of participants are such organizations ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 10 April 1996 )

Concerning the representation of disabled people with
non-governmental organizations which are members of the
European Disability Forum, the Commission is not in a
position to provide the information requested on the
composition of the management committees in question . To
obtain this information, the Honourable Member should
contact the Secretariat of the European Disability Forum
directly, at 79 avenue Cortenberg, B - 1 040 Brussels .

However, when the Commission appointed the members of
the European Disability Forum following adoption of the
Council Decision of 25 February 1993 establishing the
Helios II programme ( 1 ), it took care to ensure that disabled
people's organizations were well-represented .

As for the establishing of a future independent Disability
Forum, the Commission does not have the authority to
intervene in the appointment of members, a matter which is
the exclusive prerogative of a private association and hence
the responsibility of this structure alone .

(') OJ No L 56, 9 . 3 . 1993 .

Commission endorse a proposal that local or regional
authorities who act as managing agents for European Social
Funding establish a reserve fund with which to provide
interest-free loans to voluntary organizations who are due
to receive ESF payments, but to whom these payments have
not yet been made ?

Is the Commission aware of any such arrangements in the
different Member States ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(Î April 1996 )

Late payments of European Social Fund ( ESF ) funding in the
United Kingdom pose particular problems for voluntary
organizations . Many other Member States have a
pre-financing system which prevents the problem of late
payments from arising .

The Commission would endorse any proposal from the
United Kingdom authorities which could solve the late
payments problem providing that it complied with the
requirements of the Structural Fund Regulations .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-538 / 96

by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 11 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 71 )

Subject : European Social Funding

What action is the Commission taking at European level to
consult with the voluntary sector ( associations ) on issues of
mutual interest, including participation in European Social
Funding ?

What internal arrangements are made to ensure a
coordinated understanding of voluntary sector issues, and
does the Commission plan any initiatives in this regard ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-533 / 96

by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 1 March 1 996 )

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 96 / C 183 / 70 ) ( 11 April 1 996 )

Subject : European Social Funding For many years associations active in the sectors receiving
assistance under the European Social Fund ( ESF ) ( social
Does the Commission agree that late payments of ESF pose a exclusion, women's rights, social or jobseeker support ) have
particular problem to voluntary organizations ? Would the been the main beneficiaries of Community funds . Their

No C 183 / 38 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

access to ESF appropriations depends, firstly, on the nature
of their activity and, secondly, on the national authorities '
choice of priorities for ESF funds .

Up to 1994, associations were consulted on an individual
basis by the Commission on calls for projects or at their own
request . There were no permanent, institutionalized
relationships with associations .

Since 1994, the Commission has requested that Member
States provide for associations to be represented in national
and regional monitoring committees, which is an initial step
towards recognising the role of associations in addressing
ESF priorities and towards the systematic consultation of
associations on any changes in the programming for the
period 1994 — 1999 . This consultation reflects the
Commission's wish to adopt a more pragmatic, specific
approach to social problems throughout the United
Kingdom . Associations are vital links in ensuring that the
Commission is better informed of particular groups '
requirements, especially those in most difficulty .

The Commission has also implemented Declaration 23 of
the EC Treaty which ' stresses the importance, in pursuing
the objectives of Article 117 of the Treaty establishing the
European Community, of cooperation between the latter
and charitable associations and foundations as institutions

responsible for social welfare establishments and services '.
In this context, the Commission has helped associations to
organise themselves more effectively at European level and
strengthen links between the national members of European
networks . It has also supported their representation and
participation at major events, such as the World Summit on
Social Development in Copenhagen, the Intergovernmental
Conference and the European Forum on Social Policy .

Finally, with regard to specific social subjects and sectors
such as migrants, the disabled, the homeless, poverty and
social exclusion, the Commission has regular contact with
the associations concerned through the relevant European
networks .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-539 / 96

by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 11 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 72 )

Subiect : European Social Funding

What action is the Commission taking to promote
cooperative businesses in Europa ? What actions does it take

to consult with representatives of the cooperative sector on
issues of mutual interest, and what internal arrangements
are made to ensure coordinated action in this respect ?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 April 1996 )

All Structural Fund programmes are explicitly open to
cooperative businesses as they are to other types of
businesses . The European Social Fund ( ESF ) can and does
support projects to improve cooperative business skills .
Business support measures can be financed by the European
Regional Development Fund . Cooperative organizations
have made considerable use of the Community initiatives
linked to the ESF ( Euroform, Horizon and Now ) and are
also participating in the Employment, Urban, Leader and
SME initiatives . The quality of the partnership with the
cooperative sector varies greatly between Member States
and within them . The sector of the cooperative movement
that is most concerned is the worker cooperative sector .
Cooperative businesses also have links with the
Commission in their particular sector of activity ( for
instance agriculture, banking, insurance and consumer
affairs ) and make use of many other Community
programmes, among them Leonardo, Phare and Tacis .

In 1989 the Commission established a unit with specific
responsibility for policy concerning cooperatives, mutual
societies, associations and foundations ( also known as the
social economy ). The Commission has also made proposals
for Regulations (*) to establish the statutes of the European
Cooperative Society, European Mutual Society and
European Association, along with their respective Directives
concerning the involvement of employees .

On 17 February 1994 the Commission forwarded to the
Council its proposal for a Council Decision relating to a
multi-annual work programme ( 1994 — 1996 ) for
cooperatives, mutual societies, associations and
foundations in the Community ( 2 ). It aims to provide a
formal framework for Community action based on
innovation, partnership, networking and transnational
dynamics . It would preserve the sector's diversity,
encourage solidarity, set a stable, transparent and fair
framework, and assist cooperatives, mutuals and
associations to determine their response to the
Community's twin goals of economic development and
social progress . The opinions of the Parliament and the
Economic and Social Committee have been given . Pending
adoption of the work programme by the Council, the
Commission has been supporting certain projects using the
resources voted annually by the Parliament . Resources have

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 39

been of the order of ECU 2,5 million in 1994, 1995 and
1996 . Taking the four families of the social economy
together, 51 projects in 1994, and 53 projects in 1995, have
been grant-aided . The results of the call for proposals for
projects to be supported in 1996 are currently being
evaluated and a work programme for the period
1997 — 2000 is currently in preparation .

As regards consultative arrangements with representatives
of the sector, the consultative Committee of Cooperatives,
Mutual Societies, Associations and Foundations in the
Community was set up in November 1994 . It is an external
committee, but receives the financial and practical support
and cooperation of the Commission . It will deliver opinions
on matters of common concern and evaluate the

implementation of the Commission's work programme .

Most of the cooperative sectors are also represented on
standing committees concerned with their specific area of
work, for instance in commerce, consumer affairs and
agriculture .

(') OJ No C 236, 31 . 8 . 1993 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 87, 24 . 3 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-561 / 96

by Mary Banotti ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 11 March 1996 )

{ 96 / C 183 / 73 )

Subject : Public relations activities

For each of the last five years how many Restricted Offers
for public relations programmes were sought for work to be
carried out other than in Brussels ?

Also, for each of the last five years :

1 . How many tenders were sought :

— as restricted offers ?

— as unrestricted offers ?

2 . How many results in a contract for supply of public
relations services ( i.e . not goods )?

3 . How many contracts were awarded to the same body
corporate ?

Answer given by Mr Oreja
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 April 1996 )

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-591 / 96

by Daniel Féret ( NI )

to the Commission

(1 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 74 )

Subject : Banning asbestos

For some time now there have been reports in the news of
the damaging effects of asbestos which, if inhaled, can over
the long term lead to diseases such as mesothelioma or
fibrosis, which can be fatal .

The Commission has shown that it is particularly aware of
this danger since it has chosen to carry out a major,
expensive operation to strip flocking insulation from the
Berlaymont building, which housed thousands of officials
for over 30 years .

Epidemiologists claim that asbestos kills between 2 000 and
3 000 people a year in a country such as France, the leading
user of asbestos in Europe and one of the world's largest
producers of this dangerous mineral . They claim that this
figure will increase five-fold by the year 2010 unless
draconian measures are taken in the short term .

Most Member States, such as Germany, Italy, Denmark and
the Netherlands, no longer use asbestos .

In the circumstances, and in view of the fact that asbestos is a
recognized, major risk for the health of European citizens,
can the Commission explain why it has not yet proposed a
Directive on banning the use of asbestos in public buildings
and in the manufacture of domestic goods in everyday
use ?

Such a measure, which is broadly supported by most
national authorities and the general public, could be
envisaged if it were implemented on the basis of the principle
of subsidiarity .

Has the Commission yielded to the scientific disinformation
campaigns mounted by powerful lobby groups, in particular
the ' Standing Committee on Asbestos ' ( SCA )?

No C 183 / 40 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1996 )

possibility of extending the existing Community ban to
cover those chrysotile-containing products still on the
market .

The Commission is guided in its work on dangerous
substances and specifically on dangerous fibres by the
All asbestos fibres are classified by Commission Directive principles of risk analysis and risk reduction and acts
91 / 632 / EEC ( 1 ) as category 1 carcinogens . In other words, independently of any campaigns .
all may cause cancer in man and must be labelled .

(') OJ No L 338, 10 . 12 . 1991

( 2 ) OJ No L 262, 27 . 9 . 1976 .

In view of the hazards, asbestos and products containing
asbestos are subject to controls . These controls, which are
set down in a series of Directives, apply to marketing and
use, the workplace and the environment . Council Directive
76 / 769 / EEC ( 2 ) is the framework Directive for limiting the
marketing and use of dangerous substances and
preparations . Controls on the marketing and use of asbestos
have been introduced by Council Directive 83 / 478 / EEC ( ')

( Fifth amendment of Directive 76 / 769 / EEC ), by Council
Directive 85 / 610 / EEC ( 4 ) ( seventh amendment of Directive
76 / 769 / EEC ) and by Commission Directive 9 l / 659 / EEC ( 5 )

( first adaptation to technical progress of Directive
76 / 769 / EEC ). The effect of these Directives is to :

— ban the marketing and use of five of the six asbestos

fibres and of products containing them ;

— ban the use of chrysotile asbestos, the only fibre not yet

totally banned, in 14 categories of products ;

— etablish mandatory labelling requirements for chrysotile

and products containing it .

According to this policy products containing chrysotile
which do not feature on the banned list and which are

correctly labelled may be freely marketed and used .

Seven Member States apply to chrysotile and
chrysotile-containing products rules which go further than
the Community legislation . Whilst this leads to a certain
distortion of the internal market there does not seem to be

sufficient support in the Council to extend the ban provided
by the Community legislation . The Commission and most
Member States believe that the first priority is to adopt a
classification for the non-asbestos fibres which may also be
hazardous when used as substitutes for asbestos .

The Commission is working closely with national experts
on possible classifications within the framework of
Directive 67 / 548 / EEC ( h ) for ceramic fibres, glass fibres and
insulation wools . Once such classifications have been

established, the Commission will study the risks from use of
these fibres, including the risks where they are used as
substitutes for asbestos . It will then be in a position to
re-open the asbestos debate and consider afresh the

(■') Ol No L 263, 24 . 9 . 1983 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 375, 31 . 12 . 1985

( 5 ) OJ No L 363, 31 . 12 . 1991

( 6 ) OJ No 196, 16 . 8 . 1967 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 95 / 96

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 1 March 1 996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 75 )

Subject : Hormone replacement therapy

Is the Commission aware that the oestrogen replacement
drug Premarin sold widely throughout Europe and with a
laboratory based in Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK, is made
from pregnant mare's urine and collected by confining
artificially impregnated mares for lengthy periods of
time ?

What is the Commission's response to growing public
dismay that this system has similarities to the veal crate
system we are now preparing to phase out and many women
who take the medication are unaware of how it is

produced ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 April 1996 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its

answer to Written Question E-l 770 / 94 by Mr
Hughes f 1 ).

(>) OJ No C 75, 27 . 3 . 1995 .

24 . 6 . 96 [ EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 41

WRITTEN QUESTION P-5 99 / 96

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel ( ELDR )

to the Commission

(6 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 76 )

Subject : Renewal of the US-Euratom agreement on nuclear

cooperation

1 . Could the Commission give an overview of the new
agreement on nuclear cooperation between the United
States and Euratom ?

2 . How does it differ from the previous agreement ?

3 . Has the agreement been signed by all the parties ? If
not, why not ?

4 . Can the Commission inform Parliament immediately
of the implications of the agreement for the various civil and
scientific establishments ?

the whole Community, as a result of the folding-in of the
bilateral agreements between the United States and five
Member States in force as at mid-March 1996 .

3 . The new agreement was signed by the two parties in
November 1995 .

4 . In all areas mentioned in point 1 above, the civil and
scientific authorities have now at their disposal a new legal
instrument setting out a clear, stable and predictable basis
for future cooperation over at least the next 30 years . The
agreement makes clear that cooperation ' may also take
place between persons and undertakings established in the
respective territories of the parties .'

5 . The new agreement was approved in accordance with
Article 101 of the Euratom Treaty . The Commission made
detailed presentations on the negotiations under way with
the United States Government, and answered a series of
questions, in Parliament's energy, research and technology
committee before the new agreement was approved .

5 . Why was Parliament not informed at an earlier
WRITTEN QUESTION E-604 / 96
stage ?

by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 13 March 1996 )

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 1996 )

1 . The new nuclear cooperation agreement between the
European atomic energy Community and the United States
provides a significant contribution to strengthening the
overall relationship between the Community and the United
States . The agreement contains provisions on nuclear trade,
nuclear safeguards and physical protection, cooperation on
nuclear research and development, industrial and
commercial cooperation, and nuclear safety including
regulatory and operational aspects of radiological
protection . There is a separate declaration by the
Community and the United States on nuclear
non-proliferation policy . The new agreement guarantees for
the European nuclear industries the stability, the long-term
predictability and the assurances that they need .

2 . The former nuclear cooperation agreement with the
United States expired on 31 December 1995 . Basic
differences between the agreements are that, unlike the
former agreement, the new agreement is a genuine two-way
and balanced agreement between equal partners, contains
provisions on the whole range of nuclear fuel cycle activities
both in the Community and in the United States in
connection with nuclear supplies between the parties, and
constitutes the sole legal instrument applicable throughout

( 96 / C 183 / 77 )

Subject : ECU 3 million Development Aid to assist the

' Comprehensive Plan of Actions ' for resettlement
of ' Vietnamese Migrants '

Bearing in mind the Commission's response in the debate on
the draft Regulation for aid to up-rooted peoples in Asia and
Latin America in Parliament in Strasbourg in February, will
the Commission specifically review its ECU 3 million
support to the ' Comprehensive Plan of Action '?

Will it hold discussions with UNHCR prior to and at the
conference in Geneva on 5 / 6 March to ensure aid is

extended beyond June 1996, and to ensure immediate
cessation of forced return ( refoulement ) of Vietnamese
migrants in the so-called ' Detention Centres '?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 29 April 1996 )

The seventh and final steering committee of the
Comprehensive plan of action ( CPA ) for Indochinese

No C 183 / 42 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

refugees took place in Geneva on 5 / 6 March 1996 under the
auspices of the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees ( UNHCR ) and with the full participation of the
Commission . It was decided to terminate the CPA as from

30 June 1 996 . All members of the CPA agreed with
measures prepared by Asean ( including Vietnam ) and
supported by Laos to implement enhanced measures for
repatriation of the remaining non-political refugees from
countries of first asylum in conditions of dignity and safety
and in compliance with the conditions enshrined in the
Universal declaration of human rights .

The Commission believes that this important step will
safeguard the return of non-political refugees to Vietnam .
Nevertheless, the Commission will continue to monitor the
progress of return to ensure that the above terms are
adhered to .

The Commission has not yet decided the exact amount of its

1 996 support to UNHCR within the framework of the CPA .
Nevertheless, the substantial progress recorded during the
Geneva meeting is an argument in favour of constructive
support to UNHCR activities up to June 1 996 .

The Commission's concern for the boat-people will not end
in June 1 996 . The Commission and Vietnam have agreed to
launch a new re-integrated initiative ( returnee assistance
programme ) with ECU 10,5 million funding which will be
complemented by a financing of US$ 6,5 million previously
committed and used under former Commission initiatives

( international programme for the re-integration of
Vietnamese boat-people from 1991 to 1994 ). The
programme which should last for three years from April

1 996, will include counselling activities, vocational training,
social support for the least advantaged, microprojects and
credit .

In implementing this programme the Commission will
continue to contribute concretely to the resolution of this
human tragedy and fulfil the commitment that it undertook
within the framework of the recently signed cooperation
agreement between the Community and Vietnam .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-612 / 96

by José Barros Moura ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 13 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 78

Subject : Duplicate personal files on officials

In the light of the judgment handed down on 11 October

1995 by the Court of First Instance in Cases T-39 / 93 and

T-553 / 93, Written Question P-3189 / 95 by Mr Alavanos (),
and the Commission's inadequate answer thereto, can the
Commission say :

What guidelines will be adopted for the future in order to
implement and ensure compliance with Directive 95 / 46 / EC
on the protection of individuals with regard to the
processing of personal data ( 2 ) and the general principles of
Community law ( see Article F(2 ) of the EU Treaty );

What steps will be taken to :

— restore the career status of the official who has been

marginalized within his department because of the illegal
practices in question and check whether other
translation service staff have suffered harm as a result of

such practices,

— punish those officials, irrespective of their seniority, who

have knowingly been guilty of wrong-doing,

— ascertain that duplicate files have never been kept and

are not now being kept in other departments,

— lay down appropriate administrative provisions ?

Furthermore, will the Commission apply Article 22 and
Title VI of the Staff Regulations to the culprits ?

(') OJ No C 91, 27 . 3 . 1996, p . 40 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 281, 23 . 11 . 1995, p . 31 .

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 1 996 )

The Commission does not agree with the Honourable
Member that its reply to Mr Alavanos ' question was
inadequate .

Mr Alavanos was informed that there is no need for

additional legislation since the Staff Regulations make it
clear that staff have the right of access to their official
personal file and they can defend themselves, if necessary,
with reference to the official documents concerning their
administrative status and career contained in the file . The

relevant provisions in the Staff Regulations, which are
themselves Community legislation, are in no way in conflict
with the Directive to which the Honourable Member

refers .

The Commission does not keep personal files containing
appraisals of which the officials have no knowledge, either
in the Translation Service or in other departments . In its
judgment of 11 October 1995 the Court of First Instance
noted that the files involved in the action had been destroyed
at the end of 1991 and early in 1992, that is over four years
ago . The Commission did not consider it appropriate to
sanction any officials .

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 43

The official who brought Cases T-39 / 93 and T-553 / 93 was
in no sense marginalized in his department ( Translation
Service ), and since he did not suffer any material harm as
regards his career, the question of restoring his career
prospects does not arise . The Court ruled that the
complainant was entitled only to compensation for
non-material damage .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-625 / 96

by Lissy Groner ( PSE )

to the Commission

(8 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 79

Subject : Child cancer in the Ukraine, Belarus and Russia as

a result of the Chernobyl disaster

According to the International Atomic Energy Authority

( IAEA ), quoting figures supplied by the United Nations '
World Health Organization ( WHO ), the number of
children suffering from thyroid cancer in the Ukraine,
Belarus and Russia is around 200 % higher than in the

1980s .

1 . What measures in the field of health protection or cancer

treatment are being supported by Tacis or other
financial instruments ?

2 . Are there any plans to provide assistance in cleaning up
the destroyed reactor at Chernobyl ( now encased in
concrete ) under the Tacis programme ? How does the
Commission consider that the G7's undertaking to
provide rapid assistance for Chernobyl can be put into
effect ?

3 . What is the Commission's assessment of the possible

health risk to EU citizens ? What action does it intend to

take in this regard ? Do studies of the subject already
exist ?

4 . Will the Commission take part in the international
conference which the IAEA is holding at its
headquarters in Vienna from 8 to 12 April ? If so, what
form will its participation take ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 April 1996 )

1 . The Commission is addressing the increased thyroid
cancer incidence in children as a result of the Chernobyl
accident through the following actions :

— two research projects on the diagnostic characterization

and optimal treatment of the cancers ;

— delivery of specialized equipment and medicine for the

detection and treatment of cancers to hospitals in Minsk
and Kiev . The Commission's humanitarian aid office

( ECHO ) funding to address the health consequences of
the Chernobyl accident in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus,
was ECU 0,5 million in 1993, ECU 4,51 million in 1994
and ECU 2,63 million in 1995 .

— training of some 90 medical staff from Belarus, Ukraine

and Russia ( currently in progress ) via the technical
assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States
programme ( Tacis ). This is also creating a facility in the
Ukraine which will produce L-Thyroxine, an essential
drug for the children, and refurbishing a factory in
Belarus to produce iodized salt to reduce the iodine
deficiency in the diet in the region .

2 . The memorandum of understanding on Chernobyl,
signed in December 1995 between the G7 and Ukraine, is a
commitment by both to work towards the closure of

Chernobyl for 2000 . Technical work is going on to assess
the technical and financial implications of this decision . The
G7 support will materialize on a project-by-project basis,
therefore the next months will be used to continue technical

and financial assessments of projects . The Commission is
strongly involved in the project definition process through
the Tacis programme, which supported in particular a
feasiblity study for the transformation of the existing
sarcophagus into an ecologically safe structure and
concluded in favour of building a new structure . The
Community is committed since the European Council of
Corfu in June 1994 to support the G7 action plan for
Ukraine with ECU 500 million ( ECU 100 million grants
from Tacis and ECU 400 million Euratom loans ).

3 . An epidemiological study of childhood leukaemia
incidence in the Community was initiated in 1990 and
covers childhood leukaemia and lymphoma incidence in
Europe from 1980 . The most recent report of this study
concludes that ' any changes in incidence consequent upon
the Chernobyl accident remain undetectable against the
usual background rates '.

4 . The conference ' One decade after Chernobyl ' which
will be held from 8 — 12 April 1996 has a joint secretariat
made up of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the
World Health Organization and the Commission . An
extensive report of the Commission's meeting ' first
international conference on the radiological consequences
of the Chernobyl accident ' held in Minsk from 18 — 22
March 1996 will be presented in Vienna .

No C 183 / 44 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

WRITTEN QUESTION P-639 / 96

by Edouard des Places ( EDN )

to the Commission

(8 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 80

Subject : Farm prices 1996 / 97 : protein crops

The Commission's proposals for the 1996 / 97 farm prices do
not contain any reference to reforming the regulation for the
strategic protein crops sector .

The Commission's attitude is politically and technically
incomprehensible, unless it can be explained by tactical
considerations . It is contrary to the guidelines clearly laid
down by the Council of Agriculture Ministers in June

1995 .

Is the Commission not prepared to correct the existing
imbalance, as verified by a majority of experts, including its
own ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

Yugoslavia in the course of the ethnic war ( which is not yet
over ) is focusing attention, after 50 years of shameful
silence, on the tragedy of the 350 000 Dalmatians, Istrians
and natives of Venezia-Giulia who were forcibly driven
from the largely Italian-inhabited Adriatic coast between

1943 and 1946 and another 10 000 of their brother citizens

who were barbarically tortured and buried alive in the karst
pits of Slovenia, Croatia and Venezia-Giulia by their
persecutors, Marshall Tito's Slav communists .

Just as the civilized world is calling for the Balkan criminals

of the 1990s to be punished, so Italy is calling for the
punishment of over 80 murderers from that time, who have
already been identified by the Italian judiciary and are now
living on State pensions on the other side of the
Italian-Slovenian and Italian-Croatian border .

Can the Commission, an ever-vigilant guardian of human
rights, at least express its moral condemnation of this
genocide perpetrated against the defenceless Italian
population, which is tragically recorded in history as the
first ethnic cleansing operation by armed bands of nations
which now arrogantly aspire to join the European
Community ?

( 21 March 1996 )
Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission is aware of the recent contraction in

acreage and the situation regarding the competitiveness of
protein crops . It believes, however, that the problem mainly
results from the play of economic factors, especially the high
price of cereals .

The Commission is convinced that the reduction in area has

not yet reached a critical point and that a satisfactory
balance can be struck between arable crops on the basis of
market prices for fodder crops that are close to the
intervention price . The present situation gives no cause for
alarm, in its view, and there is no need to change the existing

arrangements .

It will, however, continue to monitor acreage and will make
proposals if necessary .

( 26 April 1996 )

The Commission, committed to the highest standards of
human rights and the role they play in the Union's external
policies, condemns all war crimes wherever committed .
However, it is not in a position to assess the events to which
the Honourable Member refer .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-649 / 96

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler ( V )

to the Commission

( 15 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 82 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-644 / 96

by Gastone Parigi ( NI ), Cristiana Muscardini ( NI ),

Spalato Belleré ( NI ) and Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

( IS March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 81 )

Subject : Ethnic cleansing in the 1940s perpetrated against

the Italian community living on the Adriatic

coast

The horror felt by the civilized world at the crimes against
humanity committed by the various armies in former

Subject : Use of budget appropriations for the Youth Start

programme

Can the Commission provide information on the use of
appropriations from the Youth Start programme in 1993,

1994 and 1995, particularly as regards the payment of
appropriations to organizations working in the Federal
Republic of Germany ?

Can the Commission also specify whether these
organizations are non-profit-making associations, public
bodies or commercial undertakings ?

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 45

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 April 1996 )

Youthstart is one of the three strands of the Employment
Community initiative, which was initially published in July

1 994 ( 1 ).

From July 1994 to end of 1995, activities have centered on
two phases . The first concerned the negotiation and
adoption of the Member State operational programmes for
employment . The Commission Decision on the programmes
of all Member States including Germany was signed on
22 December 1994 . The second phase, which lasted for all
of 1995, was dedicated to the selection of a first round of
projects . In Germany, up to now, 45 Youthstart projects
have been selected by the German authorities, of which 25
have been finally approved, for a global European Social
Fund allocation of approximately DM 18 million, or ECU
9,5 million .

The promoters of the 25 approved projects are a
combination of non-profit organizations, training
institutions ( very often private ), foundations, and public
institutions .

(') OJ No C 180, 1 . 7 . 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-650 / 96

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler ( V )

to the Commission

( 15 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 83 )

Subject : Use of budget appropriations for the Leonardo

programme

Can the Commission provide information on the use of
appropriations from the Leonardo programme in 1993,

1994 and 1995, particularly as regards the payment of
appropriations to organizations working in the Federal
Republic of Germany ?

Can the Commission also specify whether these
organizations are non-profit-making associations, public
bodies or commercial undertakings ?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

( 17 April 1996 )

On the matter of the budgetary appropriations for
organizations working in Germany as part of the Leonardo
da Vinci vocational training programme, the Commission
would remind the Honourable Member that this

programme was adopted by Council Decision 94 / 819 / EC of

6 December 1994 () and came into effect 1 January 1995 . In

1 995 the budgetary appropriations in favour of the German
organizations amounted to ECU 18,5 million .

The organizations benefiting from these funds include
associations, public services and commercial
undertakings .

(') OJ No L 340, 29 . 12 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-675 / 96

by Antonio Taiani ( UPE )

to the Commission

( 15 March 1996 )

96 / C 183 / 84 )

Subject : Measures to stop the practice of usury

The practice of usury, one of the most serious scourges of

society, is becoming increasingly widespread in Europe,
particularly in Italy, where recent figures how that it affects
more than 600 000 families and represents a turnover of
some Lit 7 000 billion a year .

— It is clear that the majority of victims are small businesses

which are unable to cope with the debts they owe the
banks .

— Furthermore, the practice has been recognized as being a

sector financed directly by the EIB ( European
Investment Bank ).

Does the Commission not consider it necessary to put
forward legislation to provide incentives for loans offered
by banks to businesses at subsidized rates in order to make
life difficult for loan-sharks and those who cash in on the

financial difficulties of their fellow citizens ?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 April 1996 )

The Commission is attentively following the debates on
usury which are taking place in several Member States . The
Commission has published a report ( Report on the
operation of Directive 87 / 102 / EEC for the approximation
of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the
Member States concerning consumer credit ( 1 ) ) on the
operation of Council Directive 87 / 102 / EEC of 22 December

1 986 for the approximation of the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions of the Member States concerning
consumer credit ( 2 ), which contains a discussion of the usury
problem ( paragraphs 273 — 297 ).

As regards Italy, it should be noted that the legislation

( Article 23 of the Legge comunitaria 1991 No 142, 19 . 2 .
1992 ) transposing Directive 87 / 102 / EEC provides for the
monitoring of all grantors of credit . The new legislation on
usury ( disposizioni in Materia di usura, Legge 7 . 3 . 1 996

No C 183 / 46 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

No 108 ) adopted on 7 March 1996 by the Italian Parliament
is mainly designed to outlaw loans at exorbitant rates, which
may affect households or traders .

The third multi-annual programme for small and
medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ) in the Community,
adopted by the Commission on 20 March 1996, includes
measures concerning the SMEs ' financial environment
which address the concerns of the Honourable Member,
though they do not relate to usury . Hence at this stage the
Commission does not envisage specific provisions
applicable to traders outside the framework of this action
plan .

Moreover the European Investment Bank finances SME
activities in the form of global loans, notably in the services
sector, and including distribution .

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 April 1996 )

The Commission notes with interest the progress made in
the context of avalanche surveillance .

However, it takes the view that the implementation of
preventive measures in this sector is the responsibility of the
national authorities .

(') COM(95 ) 117 final .

( 2 ) OJ No 42, 12 . 2 . 1987 . WRITTEN QUESTION P-707 / 96

by Carl Lang ( NI )

to the Commission

( 12 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 86 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-676 / 96

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission Subject : Aid to the textile industry

( 15 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 85 ) The textile and clothing industry has been in crisis for many
years and now employs only 280 000 people in France, yet
the situation in the industry continues to cause ever greater

avalanches concern . Job losses in 1995 have been put at 15 000 . That

figure could rise to 30 000 in 1996, 2 000 of them in the

, in Italy, 24 people lost their lives in Nord-Pas de Calais during the first six months of the year .
of avalanches which were not According to the experts, employment is falling at a rate of

Subject : Monitoring of avalanches

In the winter of 1993 / 94, in Italy, 24 people lost their lives in
the mountains as a result of avalanches which were not

predicted whilst other Community countries have had
similar major disasters . These lives could almost certainly
have been saved . Up until now, avalanche forecasts have
been confined to bulletins which go unheeded and which
assess the risk as a function of the total depth of the snow in
conjunction with particular meteorological conditions,
without making use of new methods which are based on
continuous analytical monitoring of the territory . These
new methods have been tried successfully in some high-risk
Italian valleys .

In addition to taking on-site surveys, these forecasting
techniques use three-dimensional analyses of aerial
photographs which identify the most dangerous areas where
stations are then installed in order to take stratigraphical
measurements and conduct tests using penetrometers .

These checks are carried out once a day under normal
conditions and several times when meteorological changes
increase the risk of avalanches .

Does the Commission believe it can draw up Community
legislation to install forecasting centres of this type for our
mountains and thereby protect the environment and the
lives of people who live close to nature for reasons of work
or pleasure ?

12—15% .

There are three causes of the problems in this sector : the
competitive devaluations in Spain and Italy — a problem
which will never be solved by EMU ; failure to observe
quotas — ineffectually penalized or not at all ; the ban on
sectoral aid and the lack of a policy to promote industry .

The French Government is reportedly contemplating special
aid for this sector to help it overcome its difficulties and
maintain the level of employment .

1 . Will the Commission authorize such a rescue plan ?

2 . Does the Commission intend to take action against the
most flagrant distortions of competition in the EU which
are tantamount to monetary dumping ? In this specific
case and more generally, how will it square its
pronouncements on employment in Europe and the
voluntary sacrifice of entire sectors of the economy with
its vision of free trade within and outside the

Community ?

3 . Does the Commission believe that a trickle of aid

through the Structural Funds is sufficient to halt the

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 47

industrial decline of regions or sectors which its own
policies are also exacerbating ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(2 April 1996 )

Under Article 93(3 ) of the EC Treaty, the Commission must
be informed, in sufficient time to enable it to submit its
comments, of any plans by Member States to grant or alter
aid .

It has not yet been officially informed of the special aid
referred to by the Honourable Member and is, therefore,
unable to take a position on the matter at this stage .

While reaffirming its determination to promote
employment, the Commission has a duty to ensure that aid
measures, even those which create jobs, do not infringe, as
far as their organization and implementation are concerned,
the provisions of the EC Treaty and, in particular, the rules
of competition .

By its very nature, sectoral aid distorts competition more
than general measures or individual aid measures . This is
particularly the case in a sector such as textiles, where
virtually all European firms are encountering similar
problems . There is, therefore, the danger that aid granted by
one Member State to its textile industry may contribute to
shifting the problems onto other Member States .

On 19 July 1 995 the Commission adopted guidelines on aid
to employment ( ] ). At point 23 of the guidelines, the
Commission states that ' Aid to create jobs that is limited to
one or more sensitive sectors experiencing overcapacity or in
crisis is generally viewed less favourable than aid to create
new jobs that is available to the economy as a whole '.

Given the pressure being felt by all textile producers in
Europe as a result of imports from third countries, the
difficult employment situation in the sector in all Member
States, and the importance of intra-Community trade and
hence competition, textiles must be regarded as a sensitive
sector for the purposes of the above guidelines .

Any policy introducing specific measures to offset currency
fluctuations may first lead to an escalation in national
expenditure, with each Member State responding to
measures taken by their partners with fresh support of its
own . Such an escalation would be particularly damaging to
public finances and would merely exacerbate in the long
term the difficulties being experienced by the firms
concerned .

There can be no ruling out the possibility that particularly
sharp currency fluctuations caused by the volatility of
financial markets in the absence of a single currency may
further harm sectors and regions already having to contend
with structural difficulties . However, such fluctuations
provide no justification for infringing existing Community
rules and mechanisms . If it transpired that these fluctuations
were significantly exacerbating the difficulties in a
particular sector or region, it would be necessary to examine
their effects, like the effects of any other factor, within the
limits of the Community rules and mechanisms in force .

Anti-competitive practices in the form of restrictions on
parallel imports or State aid linked to exchange-rate
movements would clearly contravene the Community rules
on competition and might also lead to fragmentation of the
internal market .

Aid provided by the Structural Funds with a view to tackling
industrial decline is not spread too thinly but, in line with the
concentration principle, represents a major transfer of
resources to regions and areas eligible for Objective 2 . The
Community has also made available financial resources to
Member States under Community initiatives, including the
Retex programme, which is designed primarily to speed up
diversification of economic activities in regions dependent
on the textile and clothing sector . Even so, the horizontal
measures envisaged do not exclude viable firms in the

sector .

Accordingly, the Commission takes the view that the
financial resources made available through Community
structural measures are sufficient to bring about a lasting
conversion of declining industrial areas provided that
development strategies are correctly defined and that
support is available for a sufficiently long period . This is
why it proposed to the Member States that the list of areas
eligible for Objective 2 in the period 1994 — 1996 be
extended to the end of 1999, with a limited number of
changes, in order to take account of any major
developments in the actual situation in the areas
concerned .

(') OJ No C 334, 12 . 12 . 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-709 / 96

by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 12 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 87 )

Subject : Mobil and BP merger

What action has the Commission taken or does it intend to
take regarding the proposal for merger between the Mobil

No C 183 / 48 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

and BP Oil companies, and its compliance with EU
competition and other Regulations ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-713 / 96

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

Will the Commission include in its investigations an ( 26 March 1996 )
assessment of the employment impact of any possible ( 96 / C 183 / 88 )
' rationalization ' which ensues on local economies in areas

already suffering unemployment, such as at the Mobil Oil
Refinery at Corringham in my constituency ? Subject : Statistics on laboratory animal use

Will the Commission precisely state the anticipated
timetable for its considerations, together with the relevant
official responsible ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

What is the Commission's policy with regard to the
frequency of meetings between the Commission and the
Competent Authorities of Member States with respect to
Directive 86 / 609 / EEC ? (*) When was the last meeting held
and when will the next meeting be held ?

(') OJ No L 358, 18 . 12 . 1986, p . 1 .

( 10 April 1996 ) Answer on behalf of given by the Mrs Commission Bjerregaard

As of 10 April 1996 BP and Mobil Oil have not yet notified
the creation of their joint venture to the Commission . They
have informed the Commission that no contracts have been

signed and that there are still negotiations taking place . The
action the Commission intends to take once it has received

the notification depends on the legal nature of the joint
venture . If it is a concentrative joint venture, it will be
assessed under the merger Regulation ( Council Regulation

( EEC ) No 4064 / 89 (')). If it is a cooperative joint venture, it
will be assessed pursuant to Article 85 of the EC Treaty .

Decisions on redundancies are made by the parties to the
joint venture and cannot be reviewed by the Commission
whether under Article 85 or under the merger Regulation .
Although Article 85 and the merger Regulation require the
Commission to reach its conclusion according to
competition criteria, the Commission also considers
employment and other factors in its appraisal of a joint

venture .

The timetable depends again on the legal nature of the joint
venture . If it falls under the merger Regulation, the
Commission has to decide within one month after receipt of
the notification whether the concentration raises serious

doubts as to its compatibility with the common market . If
serious doubts are raised, the Commission initiates
proceedings . A final decision then needs to be taken within
four months . Article 85 of the EC Treaty foresees no specific
timetable .

(') OJ No L 395, 30 . 12 . 1989 .

( 19 April 1996 )

Ten meetings of the authorities for the implementation of
Directive 86 / 609 / EEC have taken place since 1990 . Two
special ad hoc meetings on statistics on use of animals for
scientific purposes were held in Ispra in May and June

1 995 .

The next meeting of the authorities is planned for the end of
September 199 6 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-745 / 96

by Astrid Lulling ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 26 March 1 996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 89 )

Subject : Inclusion of Euro-Commerce in the social
dialogue

The organization Euro-Commerce, which represents trade
and distribution businesses, most of them SMEs, employing
some 22 million people, was not included in the social
dialogue which concluded the European framework
agreement on parental leave, signed only by ETUC, UNICE
and CEEP .

Does the Commission not think that, given the size of
Euro-Commerce and the number of employees concerned,
this organization should be included in the social
dialogue ?

24 . 6 . 96 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 49

Does the Commission believe that the European framework
agreement on parental leave concluded between ETUC,
UNICE and CEEP only can be implemented in the trade and
distribution sector when employers in this sector did not
take part in the negotiations ?

Is the Commission willing to ensure that Euro-Commerce is
involved in future negotiations within the social dialogue,
for example on voluntary part-time working and the
reversal of the burden of proof, particularly sensitive areas
for the trade and distribution sector, which cannot be
represented by an organization of manufacturing industry
employers which has no authority to represent either these
sectors or others, such as the banking sector ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 19 April 1996 )

Under the terms of Article 118b of the EC Treaty and
Article 3 of the Agreement on Social Policy, the Commission
has been given the task of promoting the social dialogue
between the social partners at European level and of
consulting the European organizations of social partners as
a whole .

A distinction therefore needs to be made between

consultation of the social partners, as provided for in
Article 3 of the Agreement on Social Policy, and dialogue
between social partners which may lead to the negotiation
and conclusion of agreements at Community level, as
provided for in Article 4 of this Agreement and Article 118b
of the EC Treaty .

Under the terms of Article 3 of the Agreement on Social
Policy, the Commission has been given the task of
consulting the social partners . In accordance with the
criteria set out in its communication concerning the
application of the Protocol on Social Policy ('), the
Commission consequently consults the representative
European organizations of the social partners, which
includes Eurocommerce, as a European organization of
businesses in the commerce and distribution sector,
ensuring that this sector is adequately represented in the
consultation processes provided for in the Community
programmes of relevance to businesses . However the
Commission does not have to recognize these organizations
as active participants in any negotiations that might take
place ; this is a matter for the negotiating partners
involved .

In these circumstances, only a positive approach and
goodwill on the part of all the parties concerned will allow a
satisfactory solution to be reached . Therefore the
Commission will support any initiative by the organizations
of social partners at European level which would boost
collaboration between these organizations with a view to
attaining this objective, as it has already indicated in
paragraph 26 of its communication concerning the
application of the Protocol on Social Policy .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-808 / 96

by Concepció Ferrer ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 3 April 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 90 )

Subject : Choice of Phare and Tacis projects

Among the priorities of the Phare and Tacis programme for
democracy are support for and monitoring of human rights,
civilian scrutiny of arrangements for security and minority
rights, and policies on equal opportunities and
non-discrimination .

In the light of these priorities and the scarce resources
available, can the Commission say what criteria it has
followed in adopting programmes such as the gay and
lesbian anti-discrimination project for Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania ?

Does the Commission not think that Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania have more pressing requirements for the funds
provided by the Phare and Tacis programme for
democracy ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 April 1996 )

The objective of the Phare and Tacis democracy programme
is the promotion of democracy and the rule of law, respect
for human rights and fundamental freedoms .

In this respect, one of the programme's priorities concerns
the protection of minority rights, promotion of equal
opportunities and promotion of non-discrimination
practices .

Projects are selected on the basis of opinions from an
advisory committee which includes members of the
Parliament and representatives of the Council of Europe .

The project in question aims to combat discrimination
against those infected with the HIV virus, as well as gay men
and lesbians having to combat serious discrimination
against these minority groups in the countries concerned . It
is for these good reasons that the Commission has provided
financial assistance to it .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-810 / 96

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 26 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 91 )

Subject : Human Frontier Science programme

0 ) COM(93 ) 600 final .
Is the Commission aware that recent studies have

demonstrated that this collaborative programme largely

No C 183 / 50 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 24 . 6 . 96

funded by the Japanese Government has proved highly
successful ?

A discussion of this programme has been placed by the
Japanese on the Agenda of the G7 Summit in June in Lyons .

It seems that, despite the fact that the countries of the Union
and the United States gain massively more from this
programme than they contribute, the US Congress wants to
cut off its nose to spite its face and reduce its contribution .
Will the Commission look sympathetically on taking up the
slack, particularly if the EU wants to gain further research
activity within Member States ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathiès

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 April 1996 )

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-825 / 96

Answer given by Mrs Cresson by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission
( 22 April 1996 )

( 12 April 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 93 )
The Human frontier science programme has been the
subject of a general review . Independent reports indicate
that the programme has been very successful . Following this Subject : ECHO Framework
general review the management supporting parties of the
programme ( including the Commission ) are now discussing
the future of the programme, including the possibility of an What criteria are used by the
equal match between the contributions of Japan and other Humanitarian Office to select
management supporting parties ( as envisaged in the Annex Framework Partnership Agreements
to the programme statutes ). application process usually take and

Subject : ECHO Framework Partnership Agreements

The Commission is ready to consider a balanced increase in
resources for the programme in line with increases by other
management supporting parties, in particular those from
Europe .

What criteria are used by the European Community
Humanitarian Office to select NGOs eligible to sign
Framework Partnership Agreements ? How long does this
application process usually take and is there a right of appeal
for any organizations who feel their case has not been dealt
with fairly ? It is my understanding that the International
Refugee Trust ( UK ) applied for a Framework Partnership
Agreement in February 1994 but has not received notice of
whether their application has been successful . Could ECHO
supply information on the progress of this application ?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

on behalf of the Commission
WRITTEN QUESTION P-811 / 96

( 26 April 1996 )
by David Hallam ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 26 March 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 92 )

Subject : European Union subsidies to the carpet industry

The carpet industry in the Wyre forest district of my
constituency has recently suffered massive job losses .

My local manufacturers claim they face stiff competition in
the North American contract market from Ulster Carpets of
Portadown Northern Ireland .

How much subsidy has Ulster Carpets received from
European Union sources ?

What were the subsidies for and, at the time they were given,
was any consideration given to the likely impact on jobs
elsewhere in the United Kingdom or European Union ?

In May 1993, the Commission adopted the model of the
framework partnership agreement for the financing of
humanitarian operations . This identifies a certain number of
criteria for non-governmental organizations ( NGO ) and
international organizations applying for partnership,
including experience in humanitarian relief work, absence
of discrimination by race, nationality, religion or political
opinion, and the administrative and financial capacities to
ensure the efficient and the sound economic management of
humanitarian operations . Account is also taken of any
previous operational experience . Where there has been no
previous cooperation within the Commission, information
is requested from the authorities of the country of origin of
the NGO .

In addition, it should be noted that common position ( EC )

12 / 96 adopted by the Council on 29 January 1 996 ( 1 ) on the
Commission's proposal concerning humanitarian aid lays
down in its Article 7 a number of factors for determining
NGO suitability for Community funding . In the light of

24 . 6 . 96 | EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 183 / 51

these provisions, the Commission is currently defining a
methodology for selecting NGOs for partnership in the field
of humanitarian aid .

The time needed to follow up NGO applications for signing
the framework partnership agreement can differ depending
on various factors, including the appropriateness of the
information submitted by the NGO and whether the NGO
has had previous operational experience with the
Commission .

The request submitted by International refugee trust was
followed up according to these guidelines . In addition,
supplementary information was requested from the services
responsible for humanitarian aid in the Member State
concerned given the limited operational experience of
International refugee trust and its difficulties in complying
with financial procedures . It was concluded that to proceed
with the signing of the framework partnership agreement
could be premature . Consideration will be given to any
specific project proposal that the NGO may wish to
submit .

(') OJ No C 87, 25 . 3 . 1996 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-848 / 96

by Inigo Méndez de Vigo ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 12 April 1996 )

( 96 / C 183 / 94 )

Subject : Infringement of freedom of expression

According to an Agence Europe report the Council of
Europe's subcommittee on the media has expressed its

concern regarding various cases in which freedom of
expression has been infringed : the control by the municipal
authorities in Belgrade of the independent TV channel NTV
Studio B in Serbia, censorship of Russian television, the new
press law in Moldova, censorship of pro-Kurd television in
Turkey and the disappearance of the freelance journalist Ylli
Oplovina in Albania .

Is the Commission aware of these cases and is it planning to
take any action in response to them ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

(. 29 April 1996 )

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's view

that freedom of the media is - an essential ingredient in the
democratic process .

All the cases cited by the Honourable Member are known to
the Commission which raises them with the appropriate
authorities as the opportunity presents itself .

In addition, the Commission promotes the diversification of
the media through programmes either under budget lines
specifically for the country concerned or the Phare and Tacis
democracy programme ( as eligibility permits ).