Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

# Official Journal

### of the European Communities

###### Information and Notices

English edition

ISSN 0378-6986

#### C 196

Volume 38

31 July 1995

Notice No Contents Page

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

95 / C 196 / 01 E-2477 / 94 by Fausto Bertinotti to the Commission
Subject : State aid to Fininvest 1

95 / C 196 / 02 E-25 96 / 94 by Ian White to the Commission
Subject : By-pass at Mojacar ( ALP-152 ) ( Supplementary answer ) 1

95 / C 196 / 03 P-2665 / 94 by Klaus-Heiner Lehne to the Commission
Subject : Directive on the right of establishment for lawyers 2

95 / C 196 / 04 E-2695 / 94 by Frederic Striby to the Commission
Subject : Taxation arrangements for French nationals working in France but living in another
Member State 3

95 / C 196 / 05 E-2735 / 94 by Carmen Fraga Estévez to the Commission
Subject : Common organization of the market in wine 3

95 / C 196 / 06 E-2806 / 94 by Honório Novo to the Commission
Subject : Community aid and employment guarantees 4

95 / C 196 / 07 E-28 30 / 94 by Salvador Garriga Polledo to the Commission
Subject : Transmission of computer data between the Member States and the Commission ... 4

95 / C 196 / 08 E-28 88 / 94 by Concepció Ferrer to the Commission
Subject : The need for measures to help the mentally handicapped 5

95 / C 196 / 09 E-2903 / 94 by Jessica Larive to the Council
Subject : Illegal art trade 6

###### EN

Price : ECU 18 ( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

95 / C 196 / 10 E-4 / 95 by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz to the Commission
Subject : Ostrich-rearing in the EU 6

95 / C 196 / 11 E-17 / 95 by Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Thessaloniki Underground 7

95 / C 196 / 12 E-27 / 95 by Antoni Gutiérrez Diaz to the Council
Subject : Compensation for Spanish victims of Nazism 7

95 / C 196 / 13 E-61 / 95 by Ursula Schleicher to the Commission
Subject : Animal experiments 8

95 / C 196 / 14 E-70 / 95 by Hiltrud Breyer to the Commission
Subject : Funding on plans to complete and refit the Mochovce nuclear power station 9

95 / C 196 / 15 E-78 / 95 by Jürgen Schröder to the Commission
Subject : Structural Funds and the Free State of Saxony 10

95 / C 196 / 16 E-83 / 95 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Council
Subject : Future functioning of the EMS 11

95 / C 196 / 17 E-86 / 95 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission

Subject : Protection from BSE and BIV in the beef and veal sector 11

95 / C 196 / 18 E-90 / 95 by Christoph Konrad to the Commission
Subject : Procedure followed by the Belgian police when dealing with drivers of foreign-registered
lorries fined for traffic offences 12

95 / C 196 / 19 E-l 07 / 95 by Josep Pons Grau and Francisco Sanz Fernandez to the Commission
Subject : ' Turrón de Alicante ' and ' turrón de Jijona ' as registered designations of origin 13

95 / C 196 / 20 E-364 / 95 by Josu Imaz San Miguel to the Commission
Subject : Judgment of the Montpellier Court of Appeal authorizing two French companies to
manufacture and market nougat under the traditional Spanish brand names of ' Jijona'and
' Alicante ' 13

Joint answer to Written Questions E-107 / 95 and E-364 / 95 13

95 / C 196 / 21 E-121 / 95 by Hiltrud Breyer to the Commission
Subject : Support for and licensing of genetically engineered growth hormones 14

95 / C 196 / 22 E - 125 / 95 by Hugh McMahon to the Commission
Subject : EU subsidies to third countries for export of live animals and carcasses 14

95 / C 196 / 23 E - 137 / 95 by Jose Apolinário to the Commission
Subject : Portugal — EAGGF-Guidance Section 1993 and 1994 — Fisheries OP 14

95 / C 196 / 24 E - 13 8 / 95 by Jose Apolinário to the Commission
Subject : ERDF support — Portugal 15

95 / C 196 / 25 E-159 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Application of the subsidiarity principle to hunting 16

###### EN

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

95 / C 196 / 26

95 / C 196 / 27

E - 18 1 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Seat of the European Parliament 16

E-l 82 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Presidency of the Union : order and duration 16

95 / C 196 / 28 E-190 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council

Subject : Phare programme 17

95 / C 196 / 29

95 / C 196 / 30

E-l 94 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Accession of the Republic of South Africa to the Lomé Convention 17

E-l 9 8 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Aid for the countries of central and eastern Europe 18

95 / C 196 / 31 E-200 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council

Subject : Europe 2000 + programme 18

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###### EN

E-201 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Incorporation of the Union 's regional policy in the 1996 Treaty 18

E-203 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Establishment of a new model for development 19

E-207 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Funding of trans-European networks ' 19

E-2 13 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : CAP guidelines and integration of the countries of eastern Europe 19

E-2 16 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Implementation of the Schengen Agreements and extension to the other Member States of
the European Union 20

E-220 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Role of the Committee of the Regions within the European institutions 20

E-222 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Relations between national parliaments and the European Parliament 20

E-227 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Programmes of exchange of experiences 1989-1993 21

E-228 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Programmes of exchange of experience 21

E-230 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Development plans for the Community 21

E-231 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Inter-regional cooperation and programmes under Objectives 2 and 5b 21

Joint answer to Written Questions E-227 / 95, E-228 / 95, E-230 / 95 and E-231 / 95 ... 21

E-242 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Television without frontiers 21

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No

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###### EN

Contents ( continued ) Page

E-243 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Development of a Community network of action groups

E-244 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Policy for towns

Joint answer to Written Questions E-243 / 95 and E-244 / 95

E-267 / 95 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor to the Council
Subject : Periodic meetings of heads of State of Member States of the European Union

E-283 / 95 by Helena Torres Marques to the Commission
Subject : Use of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund in Portugal in 1994

E-284 / 95 by Jannis Sakellariou to the Council
Subject : Human rights issues ; meeting of the EU-Turkey Association Council

E-298 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Apralat milk quota

E-299 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Milk

E-301 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Veterinary measures

E-325 / 95 by Jose Apolinário to the Council
Subject : Quota of plain bonito for 1995 ( NAFO )

E-347 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Council

Subject : Artificial insemination

P-377 / 95 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : Stricter checks on persons in Bavaria following Austria 's accession to the EU

E-3 78 / 95 by Jannis Sakellariou to the Council
Subject : Fatalities at the EU 's external borders

E-3 9 1 / 95 by Salvador Garriga Polledo to the Commission
Subject : Fraud — figures and definition

E-431 / 95 by Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Aid for the production of honey of a specific quality

P-435 / 95 by Vassilis Ephremidis to the Council
Subject : Global Maritime Distress and Safety System ( GMDSS )

E-440 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : Atlantis Programme

E-454 / 95 by Jose Apolinário to the Commission
Subject : Intra-community trade in fruit

E-459 / 95 by Nikitas Kaklamanis to the Commission
Subject : Transparency in the management of Community resources

22

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Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

95 / C 196 / 62 E-474 / 95 by Marjatta Stenius-Kaukonen, Riitta Jouppila, Paavo Väyrynen, Ulpu Iivari,
Riitta Myller, Mikko Rönnholm, Heidi Hautala, Pirjo Rusanen, Kyösti Toivonen,
Mirja Ryynänen and Ritva Laurila to the Commission
Subject : Milk programme for school pupils 31

95 / C 196 / 63

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###### EN

P-478 / 95 by Joaquim Miranda to the Commission
Subject : Situation at Renault ( Portugal ) 32

E-481 / 95 by Giles Chichester to the Commission
Subject : Common fisheries policy 32

E-490 / 95 by Josu Imaz San Miguel to the Commission
Subject : Use of Cohesion Fund appropriations for the Spanish water-management-plan 33

E-491 / 95 by Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Lake Volvi and Lake Koronia ecosystem 33

E-500 / 95 by Carmen Fraga Estévez to the Commission
Subject : Exceptions to the reduction of retaliatory measures by the USA 34

E-502 / 95 by Jose Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado to the Commission
Subject : Situation of managerial staff in the European Community 34

E-525 / 95 by Christine Barthet-Mayer to the Commission
Subject : Intensive battery production of animals 35

E-552 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : High quality of service for airline passengers in Europe 35

E-553 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Community measures with regard to the urban environment 36

E-555 / 95 by Helwin Peter to the Commission
Subject : Expenditure under the ECSC Treaty 37

E-558 / 95 by Alex Smith to the Commission

Subject : Dilution of whisky 37

E-583 / 95 by Gerardo Fernandez - Albor to the Commission
Subject : Inclusion of the European flag in the livery of aircraft operated by airlines of the Member
States 38

E-589 / 95 by Gijs van de Vries to the Commission
Subject : Tax treatment of life assurance 38

E-593 / 95 by Hugh McMahon to the Commission
Subject : Community initiatives — Urban 39

E-6 14 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : Management of the Structural Funds 39

E-623 / 95 by Karl Schweitzer and Mathias Reichhold to the Commission
Subject : Cruel breeding practices 40

E-635 / 95 by Florus Wijsenbeek to the Commission
Subject : German aid for inland waterways 40

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

95 / C 196 / 80 E-641 / 95 by Mark Watts to the Commission
Subject : British Gas — Abuse of dominant position under Article 86 of the Treaty of Rome 41

95 / C 196 / 81

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###### EN

E-643 / 95 by Mark Watts to the Commission
Subject : Validity of new British Gas discriminatory gas pricing policy 41

Joint answer to Written Questions E-641 / 95 and E-643 / 95 41

E-692 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of direct taxation, 1994 41

E-693 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of human resources, education, training and youth,

1994 42

E-6 94 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of customs and indirect taxation, 1994 42

E-696 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of fisheries, 1994 42

E-697 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of energy 1994 42

E-698 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of information technologies and telecommunications,

1994 42

E-699 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of financial services, 1994 42

E-700 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of external affairs, 1994 42

E-702 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of economic and financial affairs and monetary matters,

1994 43

E-703 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of the internal market, 1994 43

E-704 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of industrial affairs, 1994 43

E-706 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of regional policies, 1994 43

E-708 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises, 1994 43

E-710 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of consumer affairs, 1994 43

E-712 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of employment and social affairs, 1994 44

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

95 / C 196 / 97 E-714 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of nuclear safety, 1994 44

95 / C 196 / 98 E-715 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the area of agriculture and rural development, 1994 44

95 / C 196 / 99 E-716 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of competition, 1994 44

95 / C 196 / 100 E-717 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of the environment, 1994 44

95 / C 196 / 101 E-718 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of transport, 1994 44

95 / C 196 / 102 E-719 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of tourism, 1994 44

95 / C 196 / 103 E-721 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Council
Subject : Council proposals in the field of credit and investments, 1 994 45

Joint answer to Written Questions E-692 / 9 5 to E-694 / 95, E-696 / 95 to
E-700 / 95, E-702 / 95 to E               - 704 / 95, E-706 / 95, E-708 / 95, E-710 / 95, E-712 / 95, E-714 / 95
to E-719 / 95 and E-721 / 95 45

95 / C 196 / 104 P-723 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : New duty on imports of fresh lemons originating in Cyprus 45

95 / C 196 / 105 E-739 / 95 by Anne Van Lancker to the Commission
Subject : Employment of disabled persons in the institutions of the European Union 45

95 / C 196 / 106 E-761 / 95 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : Subsidy fraud in respect of the mass transport of animals 46

95 / C 196 / 107 E-776 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : Minimum hematite iron prices 46

95 / C 196 / 108 E-780 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : Local initiatives for employment and cooperation with the local authorities 47

95 / C 196 / 109 E-781 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : European cuisine award 47

95 / C 196 / 110 E-785 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : Conservation of protected species 48

95 / C 196 / 111 E-787 / 95 by Manuel Porto to the Commission
Subject : Medium-sized conurbations and the Commission 's work programme for 1995 48

95 / C 196 / 112 P-789 / 95 by Nel van Dijk to the Commission
Subject : ERDF support for Lelysted Airport 49

95 / C 196 / 113 E-802 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Commission
Subject : Privatization of ERDF assisted assets 49

###### EN

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No

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###### EN

Contents ( continued ) p age

E-826 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : European transport infrastructure scheme 50

E-840 / 95 by Glyn Ford to the Commission
Subject : Trapping and destruction of birds in Crete 50

E - 844 / 95 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : European Environment Agency 51

E-845 / 95 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Global warning 51

E-848 / 95 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Assessment of the radiological protection programme 51

E-870 / 95 by Monica Baldi to the Commission
Subject : Development and cooperation projects in Mauritania financed by the European
Union 52

P-873 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Cultivation contracts contrary to the principle of competition 53

E-885 / 95 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Federations and unions belonging to Cisal 53

E-891 / 95 by Maria Izquierdo Rojo to the Commission
Subject : ' Mediterranean Workshop ' project 54

E-897 / 95 by Freddy Blak to the Commission

Subject : Registered partnership 55

E - 8 9 8 / 9 5 by Richard Howitt to the Commission
Subject : Rights of disabled people 55

E-899 / 95 by Anna Terron i Cusí to the Commission
Subject : Equal treatment in Commission competitions 56

P-905 / 95 by Maria Sornosa Martinez to the Commission
Subject : Recognition of a registered designation of origin 56

E-922 / 95 by Eryl McNally to the Commission
Subject : Cruelty to bears 56

E-932 / 95 by James Elles to the Commission
Subject : Nitrate levels in water 57

P-953 / 95 by Mair Morgan to the Commission
Subject : European Regional Development Fund and private companies 57

P-978 / 95 by Hedy d'Ancona to the Commission
Subject : Article K.3(2 ): the Commission 's right of initiative in respect of the Community asylum
policy 58

E - 1002 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Fine on Greek cement undertakings 58

P-l 003 / 95 by John Cushnahan to the Commission
Subject : Feoga food-processing grants 59

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

95 / C 196 / 133 E-100 6 / 95 by David Morris to the Commission
Subject : Community policy for postal services 59

95 / C 196 / 134 E-1011 / 95 by Jose Apolinário to the Commission
Subject : 1995 MED-URBS programme 60

95 / C 196 / 135 P-l 026 / 95 by Liam Hyland to the Commission
Subject : Peas 60

95 / C 196 / 136 E-1034 / 95 by Claude Desama to the Commission
Subject : European over-sixties ' card 61

95 / C 196 / 137 E-1041 / 95 by Jesús Cabezón Alonso and Juan Colino Salamanca to the
Commission

Subject : Permanent training and SMEs 61

95 / C 196 / 138 E-1049 / 95 by Sebastiano Musumeci to the Commission
Subject : Flooding and heavy rain in the Province of Catania 62

95 / C 196 / 139 E-1065 / 95 by Carole Tongue to the Commission
Subject : ' Pépinières européennes pour jeunes artistes ' 62

95 / C 196 / 140 E-1075 / 95 by Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Proceedings pursuant to Article 169 with regard to accidents at work in Portuguese
shipyards 63

95 / C 196 / 141 E-1089 / 95 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : EC aid to development projects in Argentina 63

95 / C 196 / 142 E-1090 / 95 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : EC aid to development projects in Brazil 64

95 / C 196 / 143 E-l 110 / 95 by Jesus Cabezón Alonso and Ana Miranda de Lage to the Commission
Subject : Opportunities for small businesses to benefit from Community aid 64

95 / C 196 / 144 E-1127 / 95 by Jesús Cabezón Alonso and Juan Colino Salamanca to the
Commission

Subject : Recycling of glass 64

95 / C 196 / 145 P-l 147 / 95 by Eryl McNally to the Commission
Subject : Prescription of phenobarbitone to domestic animals 66

95 / C 196 / 146 E-l 166 / 95 by Phillip Whitehead to the Commission
Subject : Light pollution 66

95 / C 196 / 147 E-1231 / 95 by Fernando Perez Royo to the Commission
Subject : Methods for calculating unemployment in the European Union 67

95 / C 196 / 148 E-1264 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Child labour in Pakistan 67

###### EN

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

95 / C 196 / 149 E-1274 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : El Salvador and the 12th Report by the UN Observer Mission in El Salvador 68

95 / C 196 / 150 E-1279 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Ogoniland and the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa 68

95 / C 196 / 151 E-1282 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Aid to southern Africa 69

95 / C 196 / 152 E-1286 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Disability rights and the social action programme 69

95 / C 196 / 153 E - 13 94 / 95 by Allan Macartney to the Commission
Subject : Foreign language education 69

95 / C 196 / 154 E-1500 / 95 by Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Construction of the Pousada ( Inn ) in Ourém ( Portugal ), a project to be carried out ( under
way ?) with Community Funding 70

###### EN

31 . 7 . 95 1 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION E-24 77 / 94

by Fausto Bertinotti ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 30 November 1994 )

( 95 / C 196 / 01 )

individual cases what level of access to advertising revenue
on the part of public broadcasters is appropriate .

(') Judgments of 17 March and . 30 November 1993, Bloman
Neptun and Kirsammer-Sack .

Subject : State aid to Fininvest
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2596 / 94

by Ian White ( PSE )
Does the Commission agree that the Mammi Law, which to the Commission
sets ceilings for Fininvest 's advertising budget, infringes
Article 90 and subsequent articles of the Treaty since its (5 December 1994 )
constitutes indirect State aid ? 95 / C 196 / 02

to the Commission

(5 December 1994 )

( 95 / C 196 / 02 )

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(3 March 1995 )

More favourable treatment of some businesses over others

in national regulations does not always constitute State aid
falling within Article 92 of the EC Treaty, even if the
difference in treatment has financial implications . The
Honourable Member is referred to the judgments of the
Court of Justice in Cases C-72-73 / 91 and C-199 / 91 (').

In relation to the different advertising limits on RAI and
Fininvest in Italy, the Commission cannot say whether the
greater restriction on RAI overcompensates Fininvest for
RAI 's access to income from the licence fee . A forthcoming
study which the Commission is preparing on the financing
of broadcasters in the Member States, with particular
reference to public service obligations, may shed more light
on this question . The preliminary results of the study

indicate, however, that it may be very difficult to establish in

Subject : By-pass at Moiácar ( ALP-152 )

With regard to the proposed by-pass at Mojacar ( ALP-152 )
in Almeria, Spain, would the Commission please confirm
that

1 . European Union monies are to be used in its
construction,

2 . an appropriate Environmental Impact Assessment has
been both tabled and inspected,

3 . it is satisfied as to the need for such a road and that the

Spanish authorities have given proper consideration to
the proposed alternatives .

Supplementary answer by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 April 1995 )

Further to its answer of 9 January 1 995 ( 1 ) the Commission
is now able to provide the following additional
information .

No C 196 / 2 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

With regard to the proposed by-pass at Mojacar in Almeria,
Spain, the Commission confirms that :

1 . The project is co-funded by the European Regional
Development Fund ( ERDF ) and the National
Programme of Community Interest ( NPIC ) to
Almeria-Levante . The total estimated cost of the project
is ECU 3,4 million, 50 % of which will be contributed by
the Community . The estimated duration of the project is

two years .

2 . The Spanish authorities have confirmed that at the time
of drawing up the project ( 1991 ) and approving it

( 1992 ), it was not mandatory to carry out an
environmental impact assessment . Accordingly, there
has been no need to examine possible alternatives to the
project which would have been the case had an
environmental impact assessment been necessary . Two
complaints have been lodged with the Commission
criticising the lack of adherence to Council Directive

85 / 337 / EEC of 27 June 1986 on the assessment of the
effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment in connection with this project . In the
course of its investigation into these cases the
Commission has asked the Spanish authorities for their
comments on the allegations made by the complainants .
The Commission is awaiting a reply from the Spanish
authorities and will duly inform the Honourable
Member of any developments arising from its
investigation .

3 . The Commission has been able to verify that the road
project in question was selected in accordance with the
priorities of the operational programme . With regard to
this, the Commission would like to point out that,
according to the procedure for processing applications,
the responsibility for selecting specific projects lies with
the national authorities . In this case, the authorities
stress the fact that the project is in keeping with the
town 's urban development plan ( Normas Subsidiarias,
Mojacar ) and that it was unanimously given the
go-ahead by the town council .

(M OJ No C 55, 6 . 3 . 1995, p . 64 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2665 / 94

by Klaus-Heiner Lehne ( PPE )

to the Commission

(2 December 1994 )

( 95 / C 196 / 03 )

Subject : Directive on the right of establishment for
lawyers

1 . Does the Commission regard simplified establishment
procedures for lawyers on the basis of the qualifications

acquired in their respective countries of origin, in addition
to the option of full integration under the Directive on
university degrees, as necessary given that a need for this
form of establishment has emerged in practice ?

2 . Will the Commission incorporate establishment on
the basis of home country qualifications in the Directive on
the righ of establishment for lawyers ?

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

(6 March 1995 )

With a view to improving the present legislative framework
constituted by Directive 89 / 48 / EEC, the Commission on
21 December 1994 presented a proposal for a Directive to
facilitate practice of the profession of lawyer on a
permanent basis in a Member State other than that in which
the qualification was obtained . Under this proposal, any
lawyer who is a national of a Member State and is already
licensed to practise his profession in a Member State under
an existing professional title has the right to practise in a
host Member State under that title for five years . Such a
lawyer may give advice on the law of his home country, on
international and Community law, and on the law of the

host Member State . He may also represent and defend
clients in legal proceedings . In so far as the law of the host
Member State makes representation by a lawyer mandatory,
that Member State may require lawyers practising under
their home-country professional titles to work in
conjunction with a lawyer who practises before the judicial
authority in question . However, under the Commission
proposal, he will be required to register with the competent
authority in the host Member State and will be subject to
that State 's rules of professional conduct .

During or at the end of the above transition period, the
lawyer will be entitled to admission to membership of the
profession in the host Member State ; depending on the type
of activity he has practised, admission will be either
automatic or subject to more relaxed conditions than those
laid down in the Directive on the recognition of
higher-education diplomas . He will be entitled to automatic
admission to membership of the profession in the host
Member State if he can show that he has actually practised
as a lawyer for an unbroken period of at least three years in
the law of the host State, including Community law . Where
the unbroken period of at least three years in the host
Member State has not encompassed practice in the law of
that Member State, including Community law, an aptitude
test may be required, in accordance with Directive
89 / 48 / EEC, but will be limited to the law of procedure and
the professional rules of conduct of the host Member State .
If none of these conditions is satisfied, the migrant lawyer
may apply to have his diploma recognized pursuant to
Directive 89 / 48 / EEC, under the conditions currently
applicable .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 3

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2695 / 94

by Frédéric Striby ( EDN )

to the Commission

( 16 December 1994 )

( 95 / C 196 / 04 )

the first State and performs the same work there when f . . .]
the national of the second State obtains his income entirely
or almost exclusively from the work performed in the first
State and does not receive in the second State sufficient

income to be subject to taxation there in a manner enabling
his personal and family circumstances to be taken into
account '. The Commission is currently examining the
implications of this ruling .

Subject : Taxation arrangements for French nationals
working in France but living in another Member (') OJ No L 39, 10 . 2 . 1994 .
State

Is the Commission aware that, under the French General
Tax Code, French nationals living in a Community Member
State and working in France are treated unfavourably, since
no charges payable out of total income may be offset against
tax by persons whose residence for tax purposes is not in
France ( maintenance, spouse, retirement savings scheme,
interest on loans, subsidy for purchasing an apartment
abroad, etc .)?

Are these tax arrangements, which preclude any possibility
of tax deduction, compatible with the principle of freedom
of establishment of persons within the Union ?

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 199S )

The Commission is well aware of the problem raised by the
Honourable Member, which derives from the fact that all
income-tax regimes distinguish between residents and
non-residents . Generally speaking, the taxpayer 's personal
circumstances ( family expenses, extraordinary expenses,
etc .) are taken into account by the Member State of
residence . Admittedly, this system does not function
satisfactorily from the point of view of the principle of equal
treatment laid down in Articles 48 and 52 of the EC Treaty if
the taxpayer does not earn enough in the Member State of
residence to qualify for tax deductions . It was for this reason
that the Commission adopted on 21 December 1993
recommendation 94 / 79 / EC on the taxation of certain items

of income received by non-residents in a Member State other
than that in which they are resident ( 1 ), which suggests that a
Member State other than the Member State of residence

should take into account the taxpayer 's personal
circumstances provided that he earns at least 75 % of his
total income in that other Member State .

The Court of Justice issued a preliminary ruling on

14 February 1995 in Case 279 / 93 ( Schumacker ) on the
compatibility with Article 48 of the EC Treaty of the
application of tax arrangements for non-residents to certain
employed persons . In that ruling, it considers that Article 48
of the EC Treaty precludes ' the application of rules of a
Member State under which a worker who is a national of,
and resides in, another Member State and is employed in the
first State is taxed more heavily than a worker who resides in

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2735 / 94

by Carmen Fraga Estévez ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 16 December 1994 )

( 95 / C 196 / 05 )

Subject : Common organization of the market in wine

Article 20 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 822 / 87 (') on the
common organization of the market in wine states that the
Commission shall present to Parliament and the Council,
before 1 September 1993, a report on the enrichment of
wine using concentrated grape must, whether rectified or
not, and sugar, and any appropriate proposals ; the Council
is due to take a decision in 1 994 on the measures to be taken
with respect to these oenological practices . No such report
has been drawn up as yet .

Does the Commission not take the view that such a report
would have been of key importance in preparing for
presentation of the proposal on reform of the common
organization of the market in wine, particularly as it relates
to a topic as controversial and problematic as the
enrichment of wine ?

(') OJ No L 84, 27 . 3 . 1987, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

(9 February 1995 )

The report on the enrichment of wine provided for in
Article 20 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 822 / 87 has indeed been
drawn up and the Commission took its contents into
account when preparing its proposal for the reform of the
common organization of the market in wine .

No C 196 / 4 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Distribution of the report, which will take place very
shortly, was held up by translation work and other
procedures needed for its publication .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 806 / 94

by Honorio Novo ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 11 January 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 06 )

Subject : Community aid and employment guarantees

Since June 1 992, a scheme has been in operation at Grundig
Electronica de Portugal, Lda . to cut the workforce by 340
employees through voluntary redundancy . During this
period, it also initiated a programme of mass redundancies
which has since been cancelled by the Braga labour
tribunal .

In June 1994, the company changed its name to Grundig
Audio Internacional, Lda ., and split into four units, with the
staff of the former Grundig Electronica de Portugal being
divided among them .

At the beginning of this month, Grundig established a new
redundancy programme affecting 19 workers, although it
continues to hire staff on temporary contracts .

Given that this multinational has received Community aid

( Pedip ) and that it has again applied for aid through the CSF
II, can the Commission say how much aid the former
Grundig Electronica de Portugal received through the Pedip,
and confirm whether the Grundig Audio Internacional
group has submitted an application for further Community
aid under the CSF II, and if so, indicate what guarantees
were given by the group or requested by the Commission to
the effect that any aid would be used to safeguard stable
employment and not to finance mass redundancies which
are obviously unnecessary, since new workers are
systematically being employed on temporary contracts ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 March 1995 )

According to information received from the Portuguese
authorities responsible for the management of financial
assistance for Portugal for a specific industrial development
programme ( Pedip ) Grundig Electronica de Portugal
received support of ESC 929,590 millions ( approximately
ECU 5 million in the period 1989-1992 from the
programme Pedip 1 ). This amount was co-financed by the
Community ( 75% ) and Portugal ( 25% ) and represents
21 % of the total investment .

The same source indicates that no application has been
made to the industry subprogramme of the Portuguese CSF
II ( called Pedip 2 ), launched in 1994, by Grundig Audio
Internacional, although information in the press suggests
that it intends to do so . If an application is submitted, it will
be evaluated in accordance with the criteria contained in the

relevant legislation .

The projects approved under Pedip 1 provided for the
creation of 59 work posts of which 34 were realised . The
Commission has asked for information from the competent
bodies in Portugal on whether the contract with Grundig
has been revised in the light of this . The Commission will
inform the Honourable Member of the reply .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2830 / 94

by Salvador Garriga Polledo ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 11 January 1995 )

95 / C 196 / 07 )

Subject : Transmission of computer data between the

Member States and the Commission

What firm is responsible for developing the programs
needed to transmit computer data between Member States
and the Commission on the use of EAGGF Guarantee

Funds ? Does the Commission believe that the
commissioning of this system of transmission is a year
behind schedule ? If there has been some delay, to what is it
due ? What consequences has the delay had for the
monitoring of EAGGF expenditure ? What future servicing
problems does the Commission envisage with this system ?
Has it made provision for additional budget items to
eliminate these servicing problems ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 10 March 1995 )

The firm awarded the contract for developing the system
of transmitting computer data on goods in public
storage between Member States and the Commission

( EAGGF ) ( Faudit-ED project ) is Computer Resources
International ( CRI ), 2 rue Jean Monnet-Kirchberg,
L-2180 Luxembourg .

It is true that the commissioning of the system is
approximately one year behind schedule . The reasons for
this delay as compared with the data envisaged by CRI are
the underestimation of the complexity of the rules on public
storage and of the Commission 's expectations of the system .
The Commission is not surprised that this should have
occurred . Only those with a close understanding of the
control procedure are in a position to appreciate the

31 . 7 . 95 \_ EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 5

significance of and the problems created by such a

program .

The effects of the delay are that the Commission has had to
continue making spot checks on monthly declarations and
carry out an audit on end-of-year declarations only . This
means that a number of problems have had to await the
accounts clearance exercise before being resolved .

The servicing problems are due to the fact that the
programs, which require a large number of staff for their
development, have been entrusted to outside firms and can
only be serviced by the Commission if one or two officials,
with appropriate computer training, from the user
department are assigned from the time development of the
program starts to monitoring and servicing .

Bearing in mind the difficulties of obtaining permanent
staff, it is essential that the funds required to meet the costs
of servicing by the firms which developed the program be
available . The complexity of the programs means that it
would be rash to have any changes to them made by staff
who are not thoroughly conversant with the rules .

The Commission is proposing to the Budget Authority, in
the supplementary and amending budget for 1995, that the
comments on Article Bl-360 be expanded so that a very
small proportion of the funds allocated for measures to
combat fraud affecting the EAGGF, Guarantee Section, can
be used to service the programs whose implementation was
made possible by the allocation by Parliament in 1992 to
Article 361 of the funds needed for the transmission of

computer data between Member States and the
Commission .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2888 / 94

by Concepció Ferrer ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 16 January 1 995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 08 )

Subject : The need for measures to help the mentally

handicapped

The mentally handicapped form one of the most
disadvantaged sections of society in the European
Community and, in many cases, there is no suitable
legislation tailored to their requirements .

On 16 September 1992 the European Parliament adopted a
resolution ( A3-0231 / 92 ), known as the Schmidbauer
resolution, on the rights of the mentally handicapped .

Can the Commission state what steps it has taken or intends
to take to implement the measures proposed in the above
resolution ?

Can it state to what extent each of the proposals contained
in the Schmidbauer resolution has been adopted by the
Member States ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 10 March 1995 )

The majority of issues which the Parliament called on the
Commission to pursue in its resolution A3-231 / 92 of

16 September 1992 ( points 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24, 29, 30
and 31 ) on the rights of people with mental handicap - . are
covered by the Helios II Community action programme to
assist disabled people ('). Whilst not dealing exclusively
with issues concerning people with mental handicaps this
programme makes it possible to work on these specific
problems facing particular groups of disabled people . As to
point 32 of the resolution, for reasons of competence, the
Commission can only supply information covering the
Community as a whole .

A detailed list of the activities of the Helios II programme,
which deal specifically with the issues which are of concern
to people with mental handicap, is sent directly to the
Honourable Member and to the Secretariat-General of the

Parliament .

At the legislative level, work to follow up the white paper
'
European social policy — a way forward ' will include
action in pursuit of both the commitment to prepare an
appropriate instrument endorsing the UN standard rules on
equalization of opportunities for people with disabilities,
and the proposal that, at the next opportunity to revise the
Treaties, serious consideration be given to the introduction
of a specific reference to combating discrimination on
various grounds including disability . These two very
significant initiatives would provide an improved basis for
further action to assist people with disabilities including
those with mental handicap .

Finally, the Commission does not have information about
progress at Member State level in pursuance of the
resolution of the Parliament .

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

No C 196 / 6 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2903 / 94

by Jessica Larive ( ELDR )

to the Council

The Convention should put in place a uniform private law
system at international level for the return of such objects to
the country of origin and / or their rightful owner .

( 16 January 1995 )

The Council noted that the Commission will state its

( 95 / C 196 / 09 ) position concerning the Community 's jurisdiction as

regards those aspects of the Convention relating to illegally
exported cultural objects as soon as possible . In the light of
Subject : Illegal art trade that position, the Presidency will take all the necessary steps
to ensure the Community 's presence at the Conference .

( 95 / C 196 / 09 )

On 15 March 1993 the Council adopted Directive
93 / 7 / EEC ( 1 ) on the return of cultural objects unlawfully
removed from the territory of a Member State . Nine
Member States were required to transpose it into national
law by 15 December 1993 and three by 15 March 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4 / 95
Does the Council agree that : by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz ( V )

to the Commission

1 . the Directive was adopted, in the context of the
completion of the internal market as of 1 January 1993,
with the aim of promoting European cooperation to
protect the national and archeological heritage of the

Member States and assisting the recovery within the
Union of cultural objects exported improperly ?

If so, does the Council further agree that :

2 . countries outside the European Union likewise have the
right to keep their national cultural objects for
themselves ?

3 . the European Union therefore has a moral obligation to
take measures to combat imports of illegally exported
cultural objects from South-East Asia, South America
and Africa ?

4 . In this connection, how is the European Union
participating in the Unesco convention ( Unidroit
convention on stolen or illicitly exported cultural
objects ), scheduled to enter into force in June 1995 )

(') OJ No L 74, 27 . 3 . 1993, p . 74 .

( 19 January 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 10 )

Subject : Ostrich-rearing in the EU

It has been reported in a number of publications that
businessmen are planning to make money by breeding and
rearing ostriches in the EU and ultimately slaughtering them
to sell their meat .

1 . Does the Commission know how many of these ostrich
farms already exist on EU territory, and if so, how many
are there and where are they located ?

2 . Are there regulations concerning the requisite standards
for ostrich-rearing, and if so, what are they ?

3 . Are there, in addition, regulations and quality standards
for the trading and marketing of ostrich meat from birds
reared in the EU, and if so, what are they ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 March 1995 )

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

1 . The aims of the Directive to which the Honourable

Member refers are basically as stated in her first
question .

2 . and 3 . The Council has not yet had an opportunity to
discuss the questions raised by the Honourable Member .

4 . At its meeting on 3 and 4 April 1995, the Council
heard a statement by the Italian delegation regarding the
Diplomatic Conference to be held in Rome in June 1995 in
order to finalize the draft International Convention on the
return of stolen Or illegally exported cultural objects .

1 . No official statistics are currently available on
Community production of ostriches . The sector itself
estimates that the approximate number of ostrich farms in
the Community fluctuates between 230 and 280, broken
down geographically as follows : 60 each in the Netherlands
and United Kingdom, 30 each in Belgium and Ireland, 20 in
France, 15 in Italy, 10 each in Spain and Portugal, six in
Germany, two in Denmark and one in Greece .

2 . There is no specific Community legislation on ostrich
welfare . However, poultry and livestock are covered by the
European Convention on the protection of animals kept for
farming purposes, to which the Community is a Contracting
Party . The Convention requires all livestock species to be
fed, watered, housed and cared for in a manner appropriate

31 . 7 . 95 LEN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 7

to their physiological needs . It contains many conditions on
freedom of movement, the environment and health
inspection .

The Standing Committee of the Convention is currently
drawing up a recommendation on the welfare of ratites

( ostriches, emus and rheas ) kept for farming purposes .

3 . As regards health policy aspects, both the trade in, and
the placing on the market of, ostrich meat is governed by
Council Directive 91 / 495 / EEC concerning public health and
animal health problems affecting the production and
placing on the market of rabbit meat and farmed game
meat ( ').

Where animal health is concerned, Council Directive
90 / 539 / EEC on animal health conditions governing
intra-Community trade in, and imports from third countries
of, poultry and hatching eggs (-) and Council Directive
91 / 494 / EEC on animal health conditions governing
intra-Community trade in and imports from third countries
of fresh poultry meat (') apply .

The standards for marketing poultrymeat do not apply to
ostrich meat, only to chickens ( Gallus domesticus ), ducks,
geese, turkeys, and guinea-fowl, as laid down in Article 1 of
Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 1906 / 90 on certain
marketing standards for poultry (').

(') O J No L 268, 24 . 9 . 1991 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 30.3, 31 . 10 . 1990 .
(■') OJ No L 173, 6 . 7 . 1990 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E     - 17 / 95

by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 19 January 1995 )

2 . if so, do they reflect the complexity and seriousness of
the decisions as to the choice of project and
contractor ?

3 . if not, how will it be possible to justify any choice made
with a view to receiving Community funding ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

(6 March 1995 )

The Commission has no official knowledge of the content of
the proposals submitted to the Greek authorities by
consortiums showing an interest in carrying out the project
in question .

However, the project was the subject of an initial
examination by the Commission, on the basis of preliminary
studies supplied by the Greek authorities, when the
Community Support Framework ( CSF ) was being
negotiated with Greece .

The insertion of the project in the 1994-1999 CSF indicates
an agreement in principle to its implementation with partial
self-financing . A contribution from the European Regional
Development Fund is thus planned subject to the financial
viability of the project and an assessment of its socio ­
economic advantages and costs, taking account of the share
of private capital provided under the proposal selected .
Only after full examination of all the relevant facts, which
have yet to be submitted by the Greek authorities, will the
Commission come to a definitive decision on the project in
the light of all relevant considerations .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-27 / 95

by Antoni Gutiérrez Diaz ( GUE / NGL )

to the Council
( 95 / C 196 / 11 )

( 23 January 1 995 )

(9 SIC 196 / 12 )
Subject : Thessaloniki Underground

One of the projects funded by the Second Community
Framework Programme is the Thessaloniki Underground,
for which two consortia have submitted proposals .
According to reliable sources, neither proposal includes the
necessary cost-benefit analysis . Bearing in mind that serious
questions have been raised about whether such a project is
of any use in the first place in a city with the topography and
size of Thessaloniki, and about just how efficient these
particular proposals would be (a stretch of line compared
with, for example, the possibility of a much more extensive
tramway system, etc .),

1 . have cost-benefit analyses been submitted to the
competent authorities for the proposals so as to justify
the decisions taken ?

Subject : Compensation for Spanish victims of Nazism

Fifty years on from the end of the second world war, the
Spanish victims of Nazism, especially those who were
deported to the concentration camps, have still not
received compensation from the German authorities . On

11 November 1991, the President of the European
Parliament called on the Bundestag to find a solution to this
problem, affecting as it does several hundred Union citizens,
for several years now, the Bundestag 's Committee on
Petitions has been calling for forbearance from those
requesting compensation .

Can the Council request the German authorities to find a
rapid solution to this problem, in such a way as to offer

No C 196 / 8 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

justice to the hundreds of Spanish citizens who suffered at
the hands of Nazism for having fought for freedom and
democracy in Europe ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The Council is not competent in the matter .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-61 / 95

by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 30 January 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 13 )

Subject : Animal experiments

The ' chemicals law ', the sixth amending Directive to the
Directive relating to the classification, packaging and
labelling of dangerous substances and preparations,
provides that animal experiments are mandatory in
evaluating new chemical substances . By contrast, the
' cosmetics Directive ' provided that all animal experiments
should cease in this particular field in 1989 .

Can the Commission say for which animal experiments
there are recognized and standardized alternatives ?

Does it consider that new chemical substances can be tested

in future without having recourse to animal
experimenting ?

What steps will be taken to ensure that alternative methods
of testing are as effective as traditional animal
experiments ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 March 1 995 )

With respect to the Directives on dangerous substances and
preparations and to all other Directives which require
animal testing, the Commission has instigated a study to
examine and highlight any conflicting requirements in
respect to Directive 86 / 609 / EEC on the welfare of
laboratory animals . This study will soon be available and
will serve as the basis for a review by the Commission .

On the subject of cosmetic products, the Commission would
refer to its annual report for 1994, presented to the
Parliament and to the Council on 15 December 1994, on

' progress achieved on the subjects of development,
validation and legal acceptance of alternative methods in
animal experimentation in the field of cosmetic products
and with a view to the application of Directive 93 / 35 / EEC of
the Council ' (').

While efforts are now being directed towards the
development, evaluation and validation of alternative
testing methods, there are, at present, only recognized and
standardized ( i.e. validated ) in vitro ( non-animal ) tests in the
area of genotoxicity testing and for the assessment of
certain, specific, toxicological endpoints ( e.g. a test for
detecting pyrogenic endotoxins, which has replaced the use
of rabbits for this purpose ). However, progress has been
made in developing procedures which use fewer animals,
and subject those which are used to less suffering than tests
employed previously . For example, the fixed dose procedure
and the acute toxic class methods have been validated as

alternatives to the classic LD50 test for determining the
acute oral toxicities of chemicals . Several large-scale
international validation studies are currently being
undertaken, with the objective of achieving regulatory
acceptance of alternatives to the Draize eye irritation test
and for phototoxicity testing . In other areas where
laboratory animals are used ( i.e. apart from regulatory
toxicity testing ), the trend in recent years has been toward
greater use of in vitro methods ( e.g. in pharmacological
studies ) with a concomitant decrease in the number of
animal experiments conducted . Alternative methods are
widely used as screens in the chemicals, cosmetics and
pharmaceuticals industries, prior to undertaking any animal
experiments considered necessary . Typically, these
alternative tests have been standardized in-house, but have
not been validated in the context of assessing their more
general applicability, relevance and reproducibility .

The decrease in animal experimentation observed in recent
years is likely to continue, and the Commission is totally
committed to target 2000 — a reduction of 50 % in the use
of laboratory animals in the Member States by the year
2000 . Initial priorities are the reduction of animal use, in
terms of preventing unnecessary animal experimentation,
and the refinement of any animal procedures which are
considered justifiable on scientific grounds . It is difficult to
predict whether, in the future, computer modelling and
cellular biology techniques will progress to the stage where
even novel chemicals could be developed and marketed
without recourse to any animal experimentation, while not
increasing the associated risk to human health and the
environment . At present, the systemic and chronic effects of
chemicals can only really be assessed using animal models or
human clinical studies .

Alternative tests should be more ' effective ' than some of the

traditional animal tests since they will be based on a better
scientific understanding of the processes happening in vivo .
For example, several of the alternative tests being developed
utilise human tissues and are, therefore, highly relevant to
human safety evaluation . Assessment of the relevance and
reliability of the alternative methods ( i.e. the process of
validation ) is crucial if they are to become widely used and,

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 9

for example, incorporated into regulatory testing guidelines .
The Commission recognised the critical importance of
validating alternative methods in establishing the European
centre for the validation on alternative methods ( Ecvam ),
which is located at the Commission 's joint research centre,
in Ispra, Italy . The duties of Ecvam were spelled out in a
communication from the Commission to the Council and
the Parliament in October 1991 ( 2 ):

— to coordinate the validation of alternative test methods

at the Community level

— to act as a focal point for the exchange of information on

the development of alternative test methods

— to set up, maintain and manage a data base on

alternative procedures

— to promote dialogue among legislators, industries,

biomedical scientists, consumer organizations and
animal welfare groups, with a view to the development,
validation and international recognition of alternative
test methods .

4 . Have German standards been taken into account or

will they be ?

5 . Who and / or which institution decides which criteria

should be applied and when are such decisions
taken ?

6 . What are the key criteria for ascertaining ' safety ' and

' adequate safety '?

7 . What happens when safety is deemed inadequate ?

8 . Who or what institution monitors compliance with the
standards required ?

9 . Did the Commission consider alternatives, such as gas
power stations, at the planning stage ?

10 . Do the above safety criteria apply to the Mochovce
nuclear power station ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 31 March 1995 )
(») COM(94 ) 606 final .

( 2 ) SEC(91 ) 1794 final .

1 . Document 75-INSAG-3 is entitled ' Basic safety
principles for nuclear power plants '.

It was drawn up by a group of experts from different parts of
the world set up by the Director-General of the IAEA

WRITTEN QUESTION E-70 / 95

by Hiltrud Breyer ( V )

to the Commission

(8 February 1995 )

( International Atomic Energy Agency ) in Vienna .

The safety series No 50 NUSS ( Nuclear Safety Standards )
documents form a set of codes and guides of good practice
divided into five series :

( 95 / C 196 / 14 ) — government organization

— choice of sites

Subject : Funding on plans to complete and refit the

Mochovce nuclear power station

Experts have calculated that some DM 1,3 billion are
needed to complete the Mochovce nuclear power station in
the Slovak Republic and to refit it to meet western safety
standards . In accordance with EBRD guidelines, these funds
can only be released if certain safety criteria are met . In its
Energy Operation Policy 1994 the EBRD explicitly states
that nuclear power projects must meet the safety standards
laid down by the IAEA, if they are to receive funding . These
include the IAEA Savety Series No 75 — INSAG-3 and the
NUSS Codes of Practice .

1 . Which western safety criteria are being referred to and
who established these criteria ?

2 . Does the Commission consider that the safety
standards laid down by the IAEA are adequate ?

3 . Who will provide the DM 1,3 billion needed for this
project ?

—
design

—
operation

— quality assurance .

They are concerned with thermal neutron power reactors .
They were drawn up by groups of experts and then reviewed
by the various member countries of the Agency ; they
therefore represent a consensus, at international level, on
good safety practice for nuclear reactors .

2 . The Commission was involved in drawing up the
codes and guides of the abovementioned NUSS series . It also
published, in 1981, a document entitled ' Safety principles
for light water reactor nuclear power plants ' (') and, in
1988, another entitled ' Assurance of safety of nuclear power
'
plants — objectives and methods ( 2 ).

3 . The following organizations have been approached
for the financing of the completion and upgrading of
Mochovce 1 — 2 :

No C 196 / 10 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

— European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

( EBRD )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-78 / 95

by Jiirgen Schroder ( PPE )

— Euratom to the Commission

— Coface export credit facility

— Hermes export credit facility

— Bayernwerk AG

(8 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 15 )

— Electricité de France International ( EFFI ).
Subject : Structural Funds and the Free State of Saxony

4 . and 5 . Each Member State has its own safety rules . In
the final analysis, the Mochovce reactors will have to meet
the safety requirements of the Slovac authorities, but the
latter will have to take account of the conditions and

arrangements laid down by the external agencies providing
funding .

The Honourable Member is asked to also refer to the answer

given by the Commission to point 1 of her question
71 / 95 ( 3 ).

6 . See answer to point 1 .

7 . The aim of the safety assessment carried out by
Riskaudit ( company formed by two independent bodies
specializing in the assessment of nuclear safety in support of
national activities ) was precisely to identify weaknesses and
call for improvements .

8 . Compliance with the standards required will be
monitored by a consultant who will report to the
Commission as the work progresses .

9 . The Honourable Member is asked to kindly refer to
the answer given by the Commission to point 7, 8 and 9 of
her question 71 / 95 .

10 . The IAEA documents mentioned above are some of

those enabling the safety of the Mochovce power station to
be assessed .

(M COM(81 ) 519 final .

( 2 ) COM(88 ) 788 final .

Between 1991 and 1993 the Free State of Saxony received
aid from the Community 's Structural Funds .

Can the Commission :

1 . Indicate the total amount of aid allocated to the Free

State of Saxony or its organs from the ERDF, the ESF
and the EAGGF, Guidance Section, in 1991, 1992 and

1993 and also give a breakdown by Fund and financial

year .

2 . Give detailed information concerning the take-up rate of
these resources and also give information, if available,
on grants that have been cancelled or that are still
outstanding, giving the same breakdown as in
Paragraph 1 ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 March 1 995 )

(■') OJ No C 139, 5 . 6 . 1995, p . 55 .
The aid granted to Saxony from the Structural Funds

between 1991 and 1993 is as follows :

( in ECU million )

1991 1992 1993

Fund

Commitments Payments Commitments Payments Commitments Payments

ERDF 148,00 148,00 161,92 160,74 159,76 127,31

EAGGF 10,62 3,36 48,42 40,43 50,50 41,08

ESF 57,73 57,73 67,09 67,09 76,83 61,74

It should be recalled that the payments can be made up to 31 December 1995 .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 11

WRITTEN QUESTION E-83 / 95 WRITTEN QUESTION E-86 /

by Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-86 / 95

by Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Council to the Commission

(3 February 1995 ) (8 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 16 ) ( 95 / C 196 / 17 )

Subject : Protection from BSE and BIV in the beef and veal

Subject : Future functioning of the EMS

As a result of serious strains in the EMS in 1992 the table of
bilateral parities was modified on three occasions . A further
consequence of this was that Greece, the United Kingdom
and Italy ceased to be fully integrated in the EMS exchange
rate mechanism . Moreover, the peseta and the escudo have
been given a wider exchange rate fluctuation band . This
situation was and continues to be seen by the public as a
major failure on the part of the European Union .

What are the prospects for 1995 regarding this situation ?
What measures are planned by the Council in this field ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The report on the implementation of the broad economic
policy guidelines, endorsed by the European Council in
Essen, noted with satisfaction the stability of the ERM
currencies in 1 994 since the widening of the bands in August

1993 .

The Council has always recognized the necessity to avoid
tensions in the European monetary system .

Having this in mind, Member States should continue to
pursue policies, consistent with the objective of price
stability and sound public finances, which will inter alia
encourage a high degree of exchange rate stability and help
to avoid significant exchange rate fluctuations .

Finally, the Council refers the Honourable Parliamentarian
to the answers given the 14 March 1995 by the Commission
and the Council to oral questions 0-142 and 0-143 during
the debate on multilateral surveillance .

sector

In August 1994 ' Der Spiegel ' sounded the alarm against
bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE ) and Bovine
Immuno-Deficiency ( BIV ), and the German Health
Minister, Mr Seehofer, called for a ban on imports of beef
and veal from the United Kingdom .

1 . What steps has the Commission taken to ensure that the

epidemic does not spread to the other European Union
Member States ?

2 . What means of information have been used to highlight

the dangerous nature of this virus and hence to ensure
that human beings are not also infected by it ?

3 . Which research centres have been given the task of
investigating whether bovine AIDS can be passed onto
human beings and whether the link between BSE and
infection with Creutzfeldt-Jacob syndrome can be
confirmed ?

4 . Are there effective therapies against these two
diseases ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 March 1995 )

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE ) and bovine
immunodeficiency virus ( BIV ) are two quite separate
diseases . BSE is caused by an agent similar to that of the
sheep disease scrapie, though the actual identity is at present
unknown . It is endemic in the UK and occurs sporadically in
France, Switzerland and Portugal . BIV is a lentivirus, with a
distribution which is probably worldwide . Surveys have
identified its presence serologically in the UK and the
Netherlands . It is present at a rate of between 1 % and 5 %
in healthy cattle .

The origin of BSE is thought to be scrapie, a similar disease
in sheep which has been well studied previously . At first,
Community rules were based on scrapie as a model . In
particular, the distribution of the agent in the body of
affected sheep was well known . This led to a definition of
specified bovine offals which were then excluded from all
food chains in 1990 . These are the brain, spinal cord, spleen,

No C 196 / 12 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

intestine and certain other lymphoreticular tissues from
cattle over the age of six months slaughtered in the United
Kingdom .

Since then, it has been established that the distribution of
BSE is more limited . Infectivity has been found only in the
brain and spinal cord in the natural disease, and in part of
the intestine experimentally . However, the definition of the
specified offals has not been changed, to give extra

protection .

There is no evidence that BSE is infectious to humans .

However, since it is not possible to guarantee this, the
Commission has taken several measures to prevent human
exposure to the agent . Under the most recent ( Decision

( 94 / 794 / EC of 14 December 1994 (')) beef from the UK
must satisfy one of three criteria :

( a ) it must come from animals born after 1 January 1992,

or

( b ) it must come from animals which have not resided on
any holding where BSE has been confirmed during the
previous six years, or

( c ) it must be deboned and be presented in the form of
muscle from which the adherent tissues, including the
obvious nervous and lymphatic tissues, have been
removed .

Furthermore, to protect animal health, the Commission has
adopted two Decisions to ensure that animals are not
exposed to the agent . Decision 94 / 38 1 / EC ( 2 ) prohibits the
use of mammalian protein for the feeding of ruminants .
Decision 94 / 382 / EC ( 2 ) lays down minimum parameters for
the treatment of ruminant protein in the rendering
industry .

For ethical reasons, it is clearly impossible to study
transmissibility of BSE to humans directly . However, a
Community surveillance network under the Biomed 1
programme has been established . In this, six centres are
studying the epidemiology of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease

( CJD ) in Europe, especially in relation to risk factors such as
occupation and eating habits . The programme is
coordinated by the CJD surveillance unit in Edinburgh . To
date, no evidence of special risk factors has been
demonstrated .

For BIV, on the other hand, there is convincing evidence that
it is not pathogenic for humans . Since the agent can be
studied by conventional virological techniques, it has been
possible to show that it does not grow in human tissues .
Accidental exposure has not resulted in disease or
seroconversion . Furthermore, its importance as a bovine
pathogen is not well-established . So far it has not been
possible to produce clinical disease by experimental
infection of cattle . Consequently, the Commission has not
taken any specific measures for the disease . All new data will
of course be evaluated and action taken if necessary .

There is no known treatment for BIV, and CJD is fatal once
confirmed .

(!) OJ No L 325, 17 . 12 . 1994 .

( 2 ) O J No L 172, 7 . 7 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-90 / 95

by Christoph Konrad ( PPE )

to the Commission

(8 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 18 )

Subject : Procedure followed by the Belgian police when

dealing with drivers of foreign-registered lorries
fined for traffic offences

When the driver of a goods vehicle has been ordered to pay a
fine for a traffic offence, it is customary for the Belgian
police to detain him until the fine has been paid in full in
Belgium . Only then may the driver continue his journey .

What view does the Commission take of this practice, in the
light of the freedom to provide services guaranteed by the
EC Treaty ?

Does this practice violate European law, bearing in mind
that the police in Germany or other European countries
would not act in the same way in similar circumstances ?

Does it not constitute discrimination, particularly in view of
its effect on the ability of drivers to make deliveries on
schedule ?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 March 1995 )

The practice of ' on-the-spot ' fines is, in many cases,
beneficial to drivers since the matter is settled immediately .
This avoids complex, and sometimes slow, administrative or
judicial procedures . The Commission is therefore not
against ' on-the-spot ' fines in principle .

Procedures used by the police when dealing with traffic
offences vary from one Member State to another . There is
no European harmonization in this area .

As a matter of principle, these procedures should be
non-discriminatory and the fines should be set at a level
proportional to the seriousness of the offence .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 13

The information available does not indicate that the
procedures used by the Belgian police are incompatible with
the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination .

What measures will the Commission take, following the
judgment of the Montpellier Court of Appeal, to protect
the traditional Spanish brand names of ' Jijona ' and
' Alicante '?

What general measures will the Commission take to prevent
any recurrence of such situations ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 07 / 95 (') OJ No L 208, 24 . 7 . 1992, p . 1 .
by Josep Pons Grau ( PSE ) and Francisco Sanz Fernández

( PSE )

to the Commission

(8 February 1995 )

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-l 07 / 95 and E-364 / 95

given by Mr Fischler
( 95 / C 196 / 19 ) on behalf of the Commission

Subject : ' Turrón de Alicante ' and ' turrón de Jijona ' as

registered designations of origin

What measures does the Commission intend to take with

regard to the nougat manufacturers in the south of France
who are using the Spanish names ' turron [ nougat ] de
Alicante ' and ' turron de Jijona ' for their products ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-364 / 95

by Josu Imaz San Miguel ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 15 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 20 )

Subject : Judgment of the Montpellier Court of Appeal

authorizing two French companies to manufacture
and market nougat under the traditional Spanish
brand names of ' Jijona'and ' Alicante '

The manufacture and marketing of ' Jijona ' and ' Alicante '
nougat is an economic activity of vital importance for the
Province of Alicante ; these two brand names have had
protected status since the establishment of the first
Regulatory Council over 50 years ago .

The Spanish-French Treaty of 27 June 1973 on protection
for designations of origin explicitly lists the ' Jijona ' and
' Alicante ' brands as protected products .

The European Court of Justice handed down a judgment
concerning the validity of this Treaty on 10 November

1992 .

Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2081 / 92 ('), which applies
throughout the European Union, establishes ( in Articles 2, 3
and others referring to the same subject ) Community
protection for designations of origin and geographical
indications, as well as the criteria for their definition .

The judgment of the Montpellier Court of Appeal casts
doubt on the proper implementation of the free movement
of goods and the fundamental rules on which the EU Single
Market is based .

( 22 March 1 995 )

Under Article 17 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2081 / 92 on the
protection of geographical indications and designations of
origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs, the Member
States have six months from the entry into force of the
Regulation within which to inform the Commission of the
legally protected names or names established by usage
which they wish to register under the Regulation .

Regulation ( EEC ) No 2081 / 92 came into force on 26 July

1993 and under the provision referred to above the Member
States sent the Commission about 1 300 applications
to register designations of origin or geographical
indications .

In accordance with Article 17 ( 2 ), the Commission is
considering whether these applications, which include one
concerning ' Turron de Jijona ', meet the requirements laid
down . It will then make a proposal to the regulatory
committee referred to in Article 15 of the Regulation, which
will be called on to give its opinion .

Following the entry into force of these rules, which replace
national rules on the protection of designations of origin
and geographical indications, any decision on registration
has to be taken at Community level . The Commission has
not yet taken any such decision .

As part of the process of considering each designation, the
Commission is required to ascertain whether it has become
generic . Under Article 3 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2081 / 92,
such designations may not be registered . The generic nature
of a designation can be established only on the basis of the
definition and criteria laid down in Article 3 .

The Member States may continue national protection of
designations submitted under Article 17 until a decision on
registration has been taken .

The Commission 's communication to enterprises which use
designations of origin and geographical indications (')
explains in detail the simplified procedure for Community
registration and its consequences as laid down in Article 17
of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2081 / 92 .

(') OJ No C 273, 9 . 10 . 1993 .

No C 196 / 14 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-121 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-125 / 95

Hiltrud Breyer ( V ) by Hugh McMahon ( PSE )

to the Commission to the Commission

by Hiltrud Breyer ( V )

(8 February 1995 )

to the Commission

(8 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 21 ( 95 / C 196 / 22 )

Subject : Support for and licensing of genetically engineered

growth hormones

1 . Does the Commission directly and / or indirectly
support research and development in connection with
genetically engineered growth hormones ?

If so, which projects are involved and what level of financial
support is provided for individual projects ?

2 . Does the Commission have information as to the

Member States in which financial support is given to
research and development in connection with genetically
engineered growth hormones ?

3 . Given that there is consumer rejection of growth
hormones in foodstuffs, what is the Commission 's view on
national financing of growth hormone development
programmes, e.g. the research into BST ( pig-growth
hormone ) at Dummersdorf near Rostock, which is financed
by the German organization BML ?

4 . Does the Commission have information on growth
hormones other than BST and / or has it received licensing
applications other than for BST ?

5 . If so, what hormones are involved and who are the
applicants ?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

( 31 March 1995 )

1 . No project is funded by the Commission to support
the research and development of genetically engineered
growth hormones .

2 . The Commission has not been informed by the
Member States about which research and development of
genetically engineered growth hormones is financially
supported .

3 . As the Commission does not have this information, it
is not in a position to assess national funding of growth
hormone research programmes .

4 . and 5 . No . The Commission is not aware of any
pending applications concerning other growth hormones .

Subject : EU subsidies to third countries for export of live

animals and carcasses

Can the Commission state how much EU subsidy money
was given to third country exporters of live farm animals
inl994 and whether subsidies exist for the export of
carcasses to third countries ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 20 March 1995 )

Detailed statistical and financial figures are not yet available
for 1994, but on the basis of export certificates issued it can
be estimated that around 450 000 head of cattle other than

thoroughbred breeders were exported, which represents
225 000 tonnes in live weight . The average refund paid as
aid for these exports is ECU 840 per tonne, constituting a
total expenditure in the order of ECU 190 million .

In order to facilitate the export of beef and veal, an average
refund of ECU 1 475 per tonne of carcase was granted in

1994 . It should be noted that the export of live animals,
other than thoroughbred breeders, only accounts for 10%
of total exports in the beef and veal sector .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-137 / 95

by Jose Apolinario ( PSE )

to the Commission

(8 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 23 )

Subject : Portugal — EAGGF-Guidance Section 1993 and

1994 — Fisheries OP

Will the Commission state what funds were transferred to

Portugal during 1993 and 1994 under the I Community
Support Framework for the Fisheries Operational
Programme ( EAGGF-Guidance Section )?

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 15

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

WRITTEN QUESTION E - 1 3 8 / 95

on behalf of the Commission

by José Apolinârio ( PSE )
( 13 March 1995 ) to the Commission

For 1993 under the CSF I ( Community support framework ) (8 February 1995 )
pursuant to Regulation ( EEC ) No 4042 / 89 ( 1 ) the sum ( 95 / C 196 / 24 )
transferred to Portugal was ECU 3 449 659,4 . There were
two transfers :

— Operational programme PE-91-CT-P0-02,
31 December 1993 : ECU 1 027 965,8

— Operational programme PE-92-CT-PO-02,
23 December 1993 : ECU 2 412 693,6

For 1994 under the CSF I ( 1989-1993 ) pursuant to
Regulation ( EEC ) No 4042 / 89 the sum transferred to
Portugal was ECU 9 859 532,21 . There were three
transfers :

— Operational programme PE-91-CT-PO-O

( processing / marketing ), 9 November 1994 : ECU
113 657,61

— Operational programme PE-91-CT-P0-02

( processing / marketing ), 8 July 1994 : ECU
1 531 155,6

— Operational programme PE-92-CT-PO-Ol

( processing / marketing ), 8 July 1994 : ECU 8 214 719 .

Subject : ERDF support — Portugal

Can the Commission provide, if possible, detailed
information as to the aid granted to Portugal under the
ERDF between 1989 and 1994, which was not included in
the Community Support Framework and in Community
initiatives, if possible, specifying which bodies benefited, the
sums involved and a brief description of the project
concerned ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 March 1995 )

The Honourable Member will find below a list of the

measures funded in Portugal by the European Regional
Development Fund ( ERDF ) between 1989 and 1994 that
formed part neither of the Community support framework

(') OJ No L 388, 30 . 12 . 1989 . formed part neither of the Community
( CSF ) nor of a Community initiative .

( ECU )

Project Beneficiary Amount

Regional Policy seminar at Ponta Delgada Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores
Portugueses, Lisbon

18 959

International Camp for Development
Practitioners Montemuro

General appraisal of the multipurpose
investment in Alqueva

Conference on ' The Textile Industry in
Europe and Regional Development '

Institute of Cultural Affairs Brussells 10 000

National authorities 850 000

Associação dos Municípios
do Vale do Ave

1 8 500

Regional Business Activities Congress AIP, Lisbon 59 711

31st European RS A Congress Associação Portuguesa de
Desenvolvimento Regional, Lisbon

Congress of Algarve Businessmen CEAL : Confederação dos Empresários do
Algarve, Faro

51 335

15 340

66 185

Conference on ' Trade and services —

Regional and local power '

Confederação do Comércio Português,
Lisbon

Studies on the strategic plan for Lisbon Lisbon city council 404 405

Technical project on the establishment of
the European College at the University of
Coimbra

Cooperation between Portuguese and
Bavarian enterprises

University of Coimbra 249 094

ICEP, Lisbon 206 067

Local Development meetings INDE — Intercooperação e
Desenvolvimento, Lisbon

163 718

83 000

Pilot project ' Encouraging investment in
Portuguese enterprises '

CIP — Confederação da Indústria
Portuguesa, Lisbon

No C 196 / 16 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 59 / 95

Answer

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE ) ( 13 June 1995 )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 25 )
The Council is not competent in regard to establishing the
seat of the institutions, which is a matter to be decided by
common accord of the Governments of the Member States,

of the subsidiarity principle to pursuant to Article 216 of the Treaty establishing the

European Community . It would point out that the seat of
the European Parliament was established by Article 1 ( a ) of
the Decision taken by common accord of the representatives

the Council like to take to apply the of the Governments of the Member States on 12 December

Subject : Application of the subsidiarity principle to
hunting

What decisions would the Council like to take to apply the
principle of subsidiarity to hunting in the Member States of
the Union ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The Council does not at this stage have before it any
horizontal proposal on hunting .

However, numerous legislative instruments adopted by the
Council contain provisions governing hunting . Even
although such instruments do not contain an explicit
reference to the principle of subsidiarity owing to when they
were adopted, the substance of that principle is reflected in
them, as, for example, in Directive 79 / 409 / EEC on the
conservation of wild birds ('), as last amended by Directive

94 / 24 / EC ( 2 ), or, more recently, in Directive 92 / 43 / EEC ( 3 )
on the protection of natural habitats and of wild fauna and
flora .

(>) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 164, 30 . 6 . 1994 .

( 5 ) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992 .

1992 (>).

(') OJ No C 341, 23 . 12 . 1992, p . 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 182 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 27 )

Subject : Presidency of the Union : order and duration

What are the Council 's working hypotheses with regard to
the order in which the Union Member States ( small, medium
and large ) should hold the presidency of the Union ?

Answer

WRITTEN QUESTION E-181 / 95
( 13 June 1995 )

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 26 ) The order in which the Member States will hold the office of

Subject : Seat of the European Parliament

How does the Council plan to implement the Edinburgh
Council 's decision to establish the seat of the European
Parliament in Strasbourg, in such a way that it cannot be
reversed ?

President of the Council is laid down in Council Decision
95 / 2 / EC, Euratom, ECSC, which was unanimously adopted
on 1 January 1995 pursuant to the second paragraph of
Article 27 of the ECSC Treaty, the second paragraph of
Article 146 of the EC Treaty and Article 139 of the EAEC
Treaty . This Decision gives legal form to the position the
Union adopted on the matter at the Brussels European
Council ( 10 and 11 December 1993 ), adjusted to take
account of Norway 's non-accession .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 17

The Honourable Member is aware that the duration of each

Presidency is fixed by the Treaties at six months . It will,
therefore, be for the Inter-governmental Conference to be
convened in 1996 to examine such proposals along the lines
indicated by the Honourable Member as may be submitted
to it . Naturally, the study group responsible for preparing
for this Conference will also be free to examine the

question .

taking account of the views of the associated countries . The
Phare programme will support measures to promote the
approximation of laws and standards as well as the
economic reform process and the development of adequate
infrastructures . In order to assist infrastructure

development, the European Union will increase the 15%
limit on Phare financing to 25% .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 94 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 90 / 95
to the Council

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council ( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 29 )
( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 28 )

Subject : Accession of the Republic of South Africa to the,

Lome Convention

Subject : Phare programme

What answer does the Council intend to give to the
With a view to helping the countries ot central and eastern application by the Republic of South Africa to accede to the
Europe make up for their lack of development, how does the Lome Convention ?
Council propose to re-target the Phare programme to
provide greater support for investment in large
infrastructures ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

Answer

( 13 June 1995 ) In letter dated 17 November 1994, from Mr Thabo Mbeki,
Executive Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa
to Mr Klaus Kinkel, President of the Council of the
European Union, South Africa asks to open negotiations

In the overall strategy adopted by the European Council in with a view to establishing the closest possible relationship
Essen for preparing the associated countries of central and with the Lome Convention . South Africa also asks that
eastern Europe for accession, it is stated inter alia that the negotiations should cover a possible agreement with the
Phare programme should be appropriately endowed with European Union on specific elements that might more
due regard for the restructuring of priorities provided for in appropriately be accommodated outside the Lome
the strategy . Convention, to the benefit of the existing Lome members

and South Africa itself .

With this in mind, flexible and indicative multi-annual
planning will be introduced in general and country by
country . The focus will be on a comprehensive framework
for the next five years . The Edinburgh financial perspectives,
including the planned rate of increase and the increases
resulting from expansion of the European Union, will
continue to apply for the Phare programme .

In the context of the financial cooperation aspects of the
strategy, the European Council decided that the
effectiveness of the Phare programme must be increased so
that it can assist the integration process leading to accession,

In the package of measures adopted by the Council on

19 April 1994 an offer to negotiate a comprehensive and
long-term relationship with South Africa, should the new
South African government so request, was specifically
foreseen . Once the implications of the South African
requests have been studied by the Commission and a
proposal has been presented to the Council, the Council will
be in a position to respond to the South African

requests .

No C 196 / 18 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

QUESTION E-l 98 / 95 3 . The Council will be certain, once the Protocols have

Raffarin ( PPE ) been concluded with the assent of the European Parliament,

to the Council to implement the above provisions so that they can enable

the associated countries to participate in Community
( 22 February 1995 ) programmes as soon as possible .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 98 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 95 / C 196 / 30 )

Subject : Aid for the countries of central and eastern

Europe

Can the Council indicate the total amount of aid which will

be allocated to the countries of central and eastern Europe
under the various European aid schemes in 1995 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-200 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 31 )

Answer Subject : Europe 2000 + programme

( 13 June 1995 )

1 . Entirely in line with the conclusions of the
Copenhagen European Council, on 27 July 1994 the
Council adopted negotiating directives for Additional
Protocols to the Europe Agreements with a view to the
participation of the associated countries of central and
eastern Europe in Community programmes . By letter dated
5 September 1994 the Council informed the European
Parliament of the substance of those negotiating
Directives .

In accordance with those Directives, the Commission
negotiated Additional Protocols to the Europe Association
Agreements with Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia and the Czech Republic . By letter dated
17 February 1995 the Council informed the European
Parliament of the outcome of the negotiations with the six
associated countries of central Europe for Additional
Protocols to the Europe Agreements with a view to opening
up Community programmes to participation by those
countries .

As soon as those Protocols are available in the official

languages of the Community, they will be submitted to the
Council with a view to being signed, subject to subsequent
conclusion and so that it can decide, with a view to
subsequent conclusion, to ask for the assent of the European
Parliament under Articles 238 and 228 of the Treaty
establishing the European Community .

2 . As regards the funding of such participation, each
Protocol provides that in principle each associated country
is to bear the cost of its participation . The Community may
if appropriate decide, on a case-by-case basis and in
accordance with the rules applicable to the budget of the
European Communities, to supplement the contribution of
one or more associated countries . In addition, the provisions
of each Europe Agreement relating to the financial
contribution may apply in specific cases .

What action does the Council intend to take on the Europe
2000 + programme, drawn up by the Commission to
strengthen European regional planning policy ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

Europe 2000 + is a study undertaken by the Commission as
part of its activities . It was presented to Ministers holding
the land-use planning portfolios of the Member States of the
European Union and of the States acceding thereto, at their
informal meeting in Leipzig on 21 and 22 September

1994 .

The Council has not received any formal proposals as a
result of the study . Furthermore, the Council has laid down
rules for the operation of the Structural Funds, and those
rules will remain valid until 31 December 1999 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-201 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 32 )

Subject : Incorporation of the Union 's regional policy in the

1996 Treaty

Is the Council in favour of incorporating the Union 's
regional policy in the 1996 Treaty, as advocated recently by
Commissioner Bruce Millan ?

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 19

Answer

( 13 June 199S )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-207 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

Any amendment of the Treaty on European Union is a
matter for a Conference of the representatives of the ( 95 / C 196 / 34 )
Governments of the Member States . The Council as such is

therefore not qualified to comment on the Honourable
Member 's question . Subject : Funding of trans-European networks

In regard to trans-European networks, can the Council
confirm that France 's decision to give priority to the TGV
Est will not delay European aid for the two other major
competition projects, the Paris-Bordeaux-Madrid and the
Paris-Lyons-Turin lines ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-203 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

Answer

( 22 February 1995 )

( 13 June 1995 )
( 95 / C 196 / 33

Subject : Establishment of a new model for development

What conclusions does the Council draw from the

communication issued in Essen by the Commission
President, which proposes a new model for development to
place greater emphasis on quality of life and future
generations ?

Answer

( 13 ] une 1995 )

As the Honourable Member is doubtless aware, the Council
did not await the Commission 's recent communication to

concern itself with sustainable development and the means
of achieving it — development which in essence ' places
greater emphasis on quality of life and future generations '.
Its adhesion to the Fifth Action Programme ' Towards
sustainability ' and numerous legislative acts adopted
subsequently, as well as the conclusions of the Environment
Council in June 1994, bear witness to that fact . This is
confirmed especially by Section II of those conclusions
entitled ' Sustainable growth, competitiveness and
employment : towards a new development model ',
responding to Chapter 10 of the White Paper entitled
' Growth, competitiveness, employment '.

The Council has, however, restated its attachment to the
achievement of this development model, as is shown by
several passages of the conclusions of the European Council
in essen, especially the first priority area for action laid down
in the conclusions : ' continuing and strengthening the
strategy of the White Paper in order to . . . improve . . . the
quality of the environment

The three projects mentioned by the Honourable Member
all appear on the list of priority projects agreed upon at the
European Council of Essen .

The European Council of Essen confirmed that measures
will be taken to avoid priority projects running up against
financial or other obstacles which would compromise their
realization .

To this end, the Council is currently examining a proposal
for a Regulation laying down rules for Community financial
assistance . Obviously, the granting of such assistance will be
subject to the agreement of the Member State concerned .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-213 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

95 / C 196 / 35 )

Subject : CAP guidelines and integration of the countries of

. eastern Europe

Two opposing conceptions of agriculture are gradually
arising in Europe . Some wish to make agriculture an
economic priority, a high-performance sector particularly
directly towards the export market, others prefer the more
social vision of an agricultural sector receiving sufficient aid
to keep the farmers on the farms, look after the countryside
and meet domestic needs . From the point of view of
enlargement to include the countries of eastern Europe, the
current CAP will have to be changed . Which of these two
directions does the Council expect to take ?

No C 196 / 20 EN I Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Answer

( 13 June 199 S )

The different conceptions which are voiced regarding the

development and future of the CAP generally draw their
inspiration from the specific situation of agriculture in the
various Member States, each with its own particular
structural and economic aspects . Nevertheless the Council,
when it was called upon to decide on CAP reform in 1992,
and on the agricultural aspect of the Uruguay Round
negotiations, took those decisions unanimously, seeking a
compromise between the different points of view until it
reached the agreement which found expression in the new
reformed policy .

With regard to enlargement of the European Union to
include the countries of central and eastern Europe, experts
from various quarters have been working on this issue
without yet involving the responsibility of the European
institutions ; in the same context the European Council, at its
meeting in Essen, asked the Commission to submit a study
of the question in the course of 1995, and the Agriculture
Council intends during the next few months to make its own
contribution to work in this area . At this stage, it is therefore
not possible to prejudge the decisions the Council might
take in the future .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-216 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 36 )

Subject : Implementation of the Schengen Agreements and

extension to the other Member States of the

European Union

The Schengen Agreements providing for the abolition of
border checks on persons between seven countries of the
Union are to enter into force at the end of March 1995 . How

does the Council expect to integrate this new situation,
which is due to an intergovernmental agreement, into the
Union 's policy on the freedom of movement of persons ?

The Convention is of relevance to the Council 's work on the

free movement of persons and does not conflict with
cooperation for the purposes of attaining the Union 's
objectives in the matter .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-220 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 3-7 )

Subject : Role of the Committee of the Regions within the

European institutions

Following some initial friction between the European
Parliament and the Committee of the Regions, what
initiatives might the Council take to strengthen and stabilize
the role of the Committee of the Regions within the
European institutions ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The Council is unaware that there has been any friction
between the European Parliament and the Committee of the
Regions .

The role of the Committee of the Regions within the
European institutions is laid down by various provisions of
the EC Treaty, in particular Articles 198a to 198c . It could
only be altered, if need be, by an amendment to the
Treaty .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-222 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 38 )

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The Schengen Convention of 19 June 1990, which entered
into force at the end of March 1995 between seven

Member States of the European Union, is the fruit of
intergovernmental cooperation between several Member
States of the European Union .

Subject : Relations between national parliaments and the

European Parliament

With a view to 1996, the French Presidency proposes
strengthening the roles of the national parliaments . In this
context, what is the Council 's position on strengthening the
powers of the European Parliament ?

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 21

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that it

is not for it to comment on positions taken on behalf of a
Member State or to prejudge proposals for revision of
the Treaties which will be submitted to the 1996

Intergovernmental Conference, far less the outcome
thereof .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-227 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 39 )

Subject : Programmes of exchange of experiences

1989-1993

What measures does the Council intend to adopt to ensure
that the Commission decides to resolve the administrative

problems concerning the programmes of exchange of
experiences, thanks to which such measures as the Atlantic
exchange programme and the Recite project l Compostela
forest ', considered to have finished a year ago, have still not
been fully executed ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-228 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 40 )

Subject : Programmes of exchange of experience

Could the Council not ask the Commission to adopt a
specific management system of a more flexible nature and
better adapted to the programmes of exchange of
experience, which are at present being implemented only
haltingly, thanks to the administrative constraints which
have been imposed ?

transnational development, such as the Mediterranean,
Alpine and Atlantic regions, into the Community 's overall
development plans ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-231 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 42 )

Subject : Inter-regional cooperation and programmes under

Objectives 2 and 5b

What measures does the Council intend to take to ensure

action on the infrastructure projects within the framework
of the inter-regional cooperation programmes eligible for
coverage under Objectives 2 and 5b of the structural
programmes ?

Joint answer

to Written Questions Nos E-227 / 95, E-228 / 95, E-230 / 95

and E-231 / 95

( 13 June 1995 )

The Council laid down the rules governing the operation of
the Structural Funds and entrusted the Commission with

their administration . It is for the Council to intervene in
order to influence administration in any direction .

Development of areas of the Community is a matter which
has been discussed at informal meetings of Ministers
holding the relevant portfolios, most recently in Leipzig on
21 and 22 September 1994 and in Strasbourg on 30 and
31 March 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-242 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1 99 5 )

( 95 / C 196 / 43 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-230 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 41 )

Subject : Development plans for the Community

Can the Council state its position concerning the integration
of the Community 's main areas of regional and

Subject : Television without frontiers

What is the Council 's position on the draft Directive on

' television without frontiers '?

How does the Council consider that the broadcasting of
programmes originating in the Union can be preserved, in
view of the inadequacy of the legal apparatus and the
divergent views existing among the Member States ?

No C 196 / 22 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-267 / 95

by Gerardo Fernandez-Albor ( PPE )

to the Council

(9 February 1995 )

The Council has just received a Commission proposal (9 February
amending the provisions of Directive 89 / 552 / EEC f 1 ) on 95 / C 196 / 46 )
television without frontiers, in particular as regards its
measures to promote the production and broadcasting of
European programmes . Subject : Periodic meetings of heads

Subject : Periodic meetings of heads of State of Member

States of the European Union

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

WRITTEN QUESTION E-243 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 44 )

Subject : Development of a Community network of action

groups

The Leader II programme provides for the setting up of a
European innovation and rural development monitoring
system . How will this project incorporate the Atlantic Arc
network of local action groups which is currently being
formed ?

The public is already accustomed to seeing the snapshot of
heads of State and the government taken following annual
meetings of the European Council .

However, many people in the Member States wonder why
these senior dignitaries of all the European Union countries
do not hold regular meetings .

Are the people of the European Union not right to wish the
heads of State to meet periodically, in order to strengthen
the ties between the personalities who are the very
incarnation of national sovereignty, thereby providing
another picture, at the highest representation level, of all the
peoples grouped together in the European Union ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The composition of the European Council and the
frequency of its meetings are laid down in the second
paragraph of Article D of the Treaty on European Union ;
WRITTEN QUESTION E-244 / 95 the matter does not fall within the Council 's competence .

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 45 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-283 / 95

by Helena Torres Marques ( PSE )

Subject : Policy for towns

The Urban Programme covers the development of large
cities, but what does the Council intend to draw up as a
development programme for towns ?

T owns play an essential role in the economic development of
rural areas . This statement is particularly pertinent in the
case of the Atlantic Coast .

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-243 / 95 and E-244 / 95

( 13 June 1995 )

to the Commission

(9 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 47 )

Subject : Use of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund

in Portugal in 1994

What amounts were allocated to Portugal in 1994 by the
ERDF, the EAGGF — Guidance Section, the ESF and the
Cohesion Fund, and how much was actually paid from each
of the funds ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

The Council determined the rules of operation for the (3 April 1 99 5 )

Structural Funds and entrusted their management to the
Commission . It is not for the Council to direct the

management in one direction or another . The position with regard to appropriations allocated,
committed and paid to Portugal in 1994 under the
Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund is as follows :

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 23

( ECU )

Fund Assistance under CSF approved II Commitments in 1 994 Payments in 1 994

ERDF

— CSF II

— Resider programme

Total

ESF

1 037 202 539

1 280 100

1 205 692 000

6 910 000

1 202 055 518

+ 1 013 556 000 (')

4 267 000

1 212 602 000 2 219 878 518 1 038 482 639

— CSF II 425 024 000 425 024 000 212 512 000

EAGGF — Guidance section

— CSF II

Cohesion Fund

—
Transport

— Environment

Total

Total

258 061 000 258 061 000
+ 242 973 000 (')

300 161 873

723 476 025 334 382 999 248 307 216

258 061 000 501 034 000 300 161 873

558 497 533

164 978 492

200 183 857

134 199 142

193 767 974

54 539 242

Grand total 2 619 163 025 3 480 318 517       - 1 799 463 728

(') Amounts tor the 1995 instalment .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-284 / 95

by Jannis Sakellariou ( PSE )

to the Council

(9 February 199 S )

( 95 / C 196 / 48 )

Subject : Human rights issues ; meeting of the EU-Turkey

Association Council

Were issues concerning human rights in T urkey raised at the
most recent meeting of the EU-Turkey Association Council
in December 1994 ?

If so, which, and how were they dealt with ?

If not, why not ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The Council is keenly aware of the serious situation
prevailing in Turkey regarding human rights and does not
fail to avail itself of all possible occasions to deliver
unequivocal messages to our Turkish partners in this
connection .

This has quite recently been the case on the occasion of the
EC-Turkey Assocation Council on 19 December 1994 when
concern at the situation in Turkey regarding human rights
constituted an essential part of the European Union 's

statement .

The President of the Council of the European Union stated
to the Turkish delegation that strict observance of
internationally recognized human rights standards was a
crucial element in the process of developing still closer links
with the European Union . Referring to the statement by the
Heads of State and Government at the European Council in
Essen in December 1 994, he emphasized that the Union was
especially concerned with the sentences against freely
elected Turkish parliamentarians . The Fifteen appealed to
Turkey to do its utmost to have the imprisoned
parliamentarians released immediately .

The President of the Council also pointed out that the
performance of Turkey in the field of democracy, human
rights and the rule of law showed marked shortcomings
compared with the situation in the Member States and
Turkey should apply fundamental international standards
in this field .

Finally, he stated that the European Union strongly
condemned terrorist acts of any origin ; although fully aware
of the situation in Turkey and of the magnitude of the

No C 196 / 24 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

and the reports on the checks are held by EIMA . The
Commission has no reason to doubt the validity of the
checks .

problem Turkey faced in . trying to combat terrorism on its and the reports on the checks are held by EIMA . The
territory, the Union emphasized that the struggle against Commission has no reason to doubt the validity of the
terrorism must be conducted within the framework of checks .
respect for human rights and the rule of law and it was
imperative that Turkey 's undertakings as a member of the
Council of Europe and the CSCE be fulfilled . In the course of the 1 993 / 94 marketing year, the first year in
which the milk quota scheme was applied in Italy, Apralat
and the cooperative ' Casilina di Valmontone ' were listed
among the approved first purchasers and complied with
their obligation to submit their delivery declaration for the
marketing year . On the other hand, the cooperative
' Prenestina di Colleferro ' is not included in the list of first

purchasers approved by the region of Lazio and published in
the BUR (' Bollettino ufficiale della Regione Lazi ') No 16 of

WRITTEN QUESTION E-298 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

(9 February 19 95 )

( 95 / C 196 / 49 )

Subject : Apralat milk quota

It is alleged that the Roman company Apralat has been
sharing out milk quotas in such a way that one farm 's milk
yield is assigned several times over to different — and, more
often than not, fictitious — producers, thereby enabling the
bogus producers to profit from the quotas allocated to
them .

Apralat has apparently been working in collusion with the
Valmontana-based ' Casilina ' and the Colleferro-based

' Prenestina ' cooperatives, which would collect milk from
farms in Latina province and deliver it to the Rome
depot .

Is the Commission aware of these practices and will it
submit a full report on its dealings with Apralat and the
above cooperatives ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 13 March 1995 )

Italian law provides that the quotas must be allocated by the
Italian authorities ( EIMA — ' Ente per gli Interventi nel
Mercato Agricolo ') on the basis of documents proving what
was marketed during the reference years 1988 / 89 and

1991 / 92 . It is not the job of the industry ( Apralat —
Assoziazione Produttori Latte provincia di Latina ) to
allocate quotas .

The validating documents attesting marketing was
monitored by the Italian authorities ( EIMA ) which checked

100 % of quota applicants for the 1993 / 94 marketing year,

10 June 1994, and no declaration has been registered .

It is the responsibility of the regional authorities to check
40 % of purchasers each marketing year, selecting them on
the basis of a risk analysis drawn up by EIMA, to make sure
that the delivery figures declared by the purchaser are
correct . These checks are currently underway, and the
Commission will take care to ensure that the cooperative
' Prenestina di Colleferro ' is covered by them .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-299 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

(9 February 1 99 S )

95 / C 196 / 50 )

Subject : Milk

Community Directives on health rules governing the
production and marketing of raw milk, pasteurized
milk, and dairy products are proving complicated to
implement .

Can the Commission say what progress has been made in
this important matter ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 10 March 1995 )

The health rules for production and placing on the market of
raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk-based products set by

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 25

Council Directive 92 / 46 / EEC (') have been applicable since

1 January 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-301 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

(9 February 1995 )

Experience indicated that its Annexes required certain ( 95 / C 196 / 51 )
technical adjustments and additional details . These were the
subject of Council Directive 94 / 71 / EC ( 2 ).

Subject : Veterinary measures

A number of Decisions were also adopted by the
Commission in 1994 : The Commission has exempted small slaughterhouses and
laboratories from the operative provisions of the Directive

— Decision 94 / 330 / EC ( ) amending Article 5 ( 9 ) of laying health down rules governing the arrangements the production for standardization and marketing of the of
Directive 92 / 46 / EEC in regard to freezing point fresh meat .

— Decision 94 / 695 / EC ( 4 ) adopting the list of Community ­

establishments granted a temporary limited derogation
from the rules set by Directive 92 / 46 / EEC

— Decisions 94 / 94 / EC (*) and 94 / 841 / EC ( 6 ) on financial

aid from the Community for the operations of the
Community reference laboratory for analysis and testing
of milk and milk-based products ( Central Food Hygiene
Laboratory, Paris ).

The Commission has also begun work on several matters
judged urgent by the Member States :

— establishment of standard health certificates to
accompany milk and milk-based products from third

countries

— setting of criteria to be used by the Member States in

granting the derogations provided for in Article 11 to
establishments with limited production

— the scope of the derogations provided for in Article 8 ( 2 )

for establishments making traditional products .

The Commission may of course redefine priorities should
new difficulties in implementation of the Directive

appear .

(M Ol No L 268, 14 . 9 . 1992 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 368, 31 . 12 . 1994 .
(') O J No L 146, 11 . 6 . 1994 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 282, 29 . 10 . 1994 .
H OJ No L 46, 18 . 2 . 1994 .
(") O ) No L 352, 31 . 12 . 1994 .

Can it say whether it will amend the Directive already
issued ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 March 199.5 )

In July 1991, the Council adopted Directive 91 / 497 / EEC ( ),
amending and consolidating Directive 64 / 433 / EEC on
health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh
meat . This Directive extends the health requirements
already in force for intra-Community trade to the national
production of fresh meat in order to avoid border controls
and reduce the distortion of competition among
establishments engaged in intra-Community trade .

In the Directive special provisions were introduced for small
slaughterhouses and cutting plants which, due to their
limited throughput, can still produce under hygienic
conditions without all of the structural requirements
demanded for large commercial slaughterhouses . The rules
for small establishments, laid down in Article 4 of Directive
64 / 433 / EEC, are intended for slaughterhouses handling not
more than 12 livestock units per week, with a maximum of
600 livestock units per year .

When implementing the rules of Directive 91 / 497 / EEC in
some Member States it became evident that the regulations
concerning small artisanal working establishments

( butchers shops ) gave rise to problems in practice . In an
attempt to solve these problems caused by the maximum
production limits, the limits were raised by Directive
92 / 120 / EEC ( 2 ) to 20 livestock units per week and 1 000
livestock units per year .

In order to find a permanent solution to the problems of
small establishments, the Commission made a proposal for
an amendment to Directive 64 / 433 / EEC which, at present,
is in the final stage of discussion in the Council . An

No C 196 / 26 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

agreement exists between the Member States that this
solution should be based on production needs .

— whereas, though difficult, it is possible to mix up sperm

and frozen embryos,

(>) OJ No L 268, 24 . 9 . 1991 .
(-) O J No L 62, 15 . 3 . 1993 . — whereas there is a need for strict, comprehensive and

precise regulations governing in vitro fertilization,

WRITTEN QUESTION E-325 / 95

— whereas while there is currently a wide-ranging debate

throughout the European Community and whereas,

Apolinârio ( PSE ) regardless of the stand taken for or against, the fact is

to the Council that artificial insemination within the couple is already
being used,

by José Apolinârio ( PSE )

( 16 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 52 )

Subject : Quota of plain bonito tor 1995 ( NAFO )

Despite the errors in the negotiation process for the plain
bonito quota allocated to the European Union within the
NAFO area, and the resolution adopted by the European
Parliament, the Council accepted a quota of 27 000

tonnes .

— whereas it is essential to remove all doubt as to the

paternity of a baby since, though it may not be spelled
out, this is a real problem, not least because of any sexual
relations the woman might have had,

— whereas it is certain that possible mix-ups of sperm

would allow the husbands of mothers of resulting
children to disclaim paternity,

When will the Council divide this quota up among the
various Member States actually concerned and what will be
the criteria for deciding on the allocations ?

Does the Council not consider it essential to draw up
definitive Regulations for all the Member States to ensure

Answer that children born as a result of homologous in vitro

fertilization ( artificial insemination within the couple ),

( 13 lune 1995 ) especially where there is a shortage of seminal fluid, are

subject to a DNA test to check that the right sperm has been
used ?
A Total Allowable Catch ( TAC ) for 1995 of 27 000 tonnes
was set for Greenland Halibut in NAFO areas 2 and 3 at the

Annual General Meeting of NAFO in September last year ;
this TAC is to be distributed among the Contracting Parties

to NAFO .

Answer

( 13 lune 1995 )

' The Council, at its meeting on 6 April 1995, set an
autonomous quota of 18,630 tonnes, as a precautionary
measure . This figure will have to be revised, on the basis of a
proposal from the Commission, following the recent
agreement with Canada on fisheries in the context of the
NAFO Convention .'

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

No proposal on the question of establishing common rules
for artificial insemination referred to by the Honourable
WRITTEN QUESTION E-347 / 95 Member has been put before the Council .

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Council

( 16 February 1995 ) The Council would also point out that, although this

question is covered by the provisions of the EC Treaty on

( 95 / C 196 / 53 )

public health, these provisions ( Article 129 ) do not allow for
the harmonization of the laws and regulations of the
Member States in this area .
Subject : Artificial insemination

( 16 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 53 )

In view of the scandalous mistakes concerning artificial
insemination reported in the press recently, in particular in
England about a month ago and in Naples in the last few
days,

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 27

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3 77 / 95 It also made the point that

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler ( V )

to the Commission

(6 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 54 )

Subject : Stricter checks on persons in Bavaria following

Austria 's accession to the EU

On 14 December 1994 the German Land of Bavaria

adopted a law which provides for more thorough searches
not only within 30 km of the border but also on transit roads
and at international airports and railway stations .

This introduction of arbitrary checks on persons has been
described as ' compensating for ' the abolition of frontier
checks following Austria 's accession to the EU and the entry
into force in the near future of the Schengen Agreement .

Does the Commission agree

— that shifting frontier checks away from the frontier area

is in violation of the agreements on the EC Internal
Market ?

— that the effect of this law is to discriminate against

non-German travellers since arbitrary checks on persons
would be likely to depend on criteria such as having a
foreign car registration or ' looking non-German '?

Does the Commission intend to take the Free State of

Bavaria to the European Court of Justice for
non-compliance with EC legislation ?

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

(3 March 1995 )

The objective, set out in Article 7a of the EC Treaty, of
abolishing controls on individuals at internal frontiers does
not prohibit Member States from carrying out controls on
individuals within their territory . Furthermore, the
establishment of a system of standardized and efficient
controls at external frontiers is considered to be an essential

prerequisite for establishing an area without internal
frontiers .

Where internal frontiers are concerned, the Commission
would point out that, in its communication of 8 May 1992
to the Council and Parliament on the abolition of border

controls ('), it stated that

' Article 7a ( former Article 8a ) imposes on the
Community, and therefore also on the Member States,
an obligation to produce results ' and ' that obligation can
be met only if all controls at internal frontiers are
abolished '.

' in the particular case of individuals, any interpretation
of Article 7a that confined its effects to Community
nationals only would deprive that Article of any practical
effectiveness '.

Nevertheless, ' the abolition of border controls does not
deprive the competent authorities of their power to act
throughout their territory and up to the frontier of that
territory . However, as the crossing of the frontier may no
longer give rise to controls, such intervention must form
part of internal monitoring arrangements covering the
whole of the territory . Power to impose controls or penalties
which were exercised only on the occasion of, or in
connection with, the crossing of an internal frontier would,
therefore, be contrary to Article 7a '.

Where the authorities of the Member States carry out
controls on individuals within their territory, there must be
no discrimination of the sort prohibited by the EC
Treaty .

Where external controls are concerned, Member States are
planning to bring in effective controls, choosing on the basis
of the relevant provisions adopted or to be adopted by the
Council the appropriate means to this end, which may
include a system of controls in an area adjacent to the
external frontier .

As from 26 March 1995, the date of the entry into force of
the Schengen Agreement, the border between Germany and
Austria will become an external frontier of the area without
internal-frontier controls that is made up of Belgium,
Germany, Spain, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and
Portugal . The system of controls at external frontiers
referred to in the Schengen Agreement will be applied at this
border . This system complies with secondary Community
legislation on the right of entry and residence of citizens of
the Union and members of their family in that it limits
controls on such individuals to a check on their identity card

or passport .

(') SEC(92 ) 877 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 78 / 95

by Jannis Sakellariou ( PSE )

to the Council

( 16 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 55 )

Subject : Fatalities at the EU 's external borders

Between 1990 and 1994, how many refugees lost their lives
attempting to cross the EU 's external borders ?

No C 196 28 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

financial interests ( ~ ) currently under consideration by
Parliament .

(') COM(94 ) 94 tinal .

( 2 ) COM ( 94 ) 214 final — Of No C 216, 6 . 8 . 1994 .
No data or other information exists at European Union level
on refugees who lost their lives when crossing the European
Union 's external borders .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-431 / 95

by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE / NGL )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-391 / 95 to the Commission
by Salvador Garriga Polledo ( PPE ) ( 22 February 1 995 )

to the Commission ( 95 / C 196 / 57 )

( 15 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 56 )

Subject : Fraud — figures and definition

Can the Commission quantify the extent of fraud in
Community funds ?

What criteria does the Commission use to define the concept
of fraud ?

Subject : Aid tor the production of honey of a specific

quality

The provisions of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2019 / 93 (') and

( EEC ) No 3063 / 93 ( 2 ) provide for a system of aid for the
production of honey of a specific quality on the ' smaller
Aegean islands '. However, apiculturists on Thasos, an
Aegean island with less than 100 000 inhabitants, have been
excluded, despite the fact that they fulfil all the
preconditions necessary to qualify for aid under these two
regulations ; the Greek authorities have so far failed to
explain their refusal to include them in the scheme, on the
basis of the provisions of the relevant legislation .

Answer given by Mrs Gradin Given that :
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 March 1995 ) 1 . apiculturists on the island of Thasos account for
approximately one-third of all Greek beehives and
produce honey of a specific quality which contains

method that will accurately establish thyme ;

There is no scientific method that will accurately establish
the aggregate financial impact of fraud against the
Community budget, chiefly because fraud is by definition a
covert activity .

The Commission 's estimates of the scale of the phenomenon
are based partly on the fraud and irregularity cases reported
by the Member States under regulations applicable to own
resources, the EAGGF Guarantee Section and structural
operations and partly on its own investigations . The last
Commission annual report on protection of the
Community 's financial interests — the fight against
fraud (') records an amount of nearly ECU 250 million on
the expenditure side on the basis of 1993 reports . On the
revenue side, in addition to the amount of ECU 105 million
for the first half of 1 993 there is a further amount of nearly
ECU 73 million for the second half of the year . More recent
figures will be given in the forthcoming annual report for

1994 .

The Honourable Member will find a definition of fraud in
the Commission proposals for a Regulation and a
Convention for the protection of the Communities '

2 . they are willing to comply with the terms of the
programme of initiatives provided for in Article 2 of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 3063 / 93, and

3 . following the extensive forest fires on the island, Thasos
is a disadvantaged area,

will the Commission say whether it knows why the relevant
Greek authorities have excluded apiculturists on Thasos
from the provisions of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2019 / 93,
whether it considers that this amounts to a violation of this

Regulation since apiculturists on the island of Thasos fulfil
all the criteria set out therein and what measures it intends to

take, on the basis of the European Parliament 's resolution
A4-1 16 / 94 on the state of European apiculture, to offset the
geographical and socio-economic disadvantages suffered by
these apiculturists and prevent the depopulation of many of
the areas concerned ?

(>) OJ No L 184, 27 . 7 . 1993, p . 1 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 274, 6 . 1 1 . 1993, p . 5 .

31 . 7 . 95 1 EN | Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 29

Answer given by Mr Fischler shipping companies installing an as yet inadequate
on behalf of the Commission maritime distress and safety system, and abandoning the
(4 April 199 57 Morse system and abolishing the post of ship 's radio
operator ;

Beekeepers on Thassos may receive the aid provided for in
Regulation ( EEC ) No 2019 / 93 for the production of honey
of a specific quality provided they comply witfi the
conditions laid down, i.e. the quality criteria set out in
Article 12 ( 1 ) of the Regulation as demonstrated by a large
proportion of thyme honey and the obligation not to move
the hives to continental Greece, as laid down in
inter-ministerial decision No 329361 / 23 . 3.1994 . The

Greek Ministry of Agriculture has stated that beekeepers on
Thassos have satisfied neither of these conditions, since
honey produced there contains a very small proportion of
thyme honey and all hives on the island are moved to the
continent for part of the year . Accordingly, these beekeepers
are ineligible for this aid .

In its communication on apiculture ('), the Commission
looked at the economic, commercial, structural, health and
environmental factors which affect the sector and the

history of financial support for agriculture from the
common agricultural policy . The document sets out
measures which could improve the production and
marketing of honey, such as measures to combat varroasis,
the rationalization of transhumance and the management of
regional beekeeping centres .

2 . whether it will make it mandatory for the crews
of European Union vessels to include a
telecommunications officer and whether it will fund

programmes for radio operators to retrain them in the
use and maintenance of modem satellite technology ;

3 . what measures it will take to reinstate radio operators
should their post be abolished as a result of introducing
the GMDSS on vessels ?

Answer

( 13 June 1995 )

The presence of radio personnel on board ships is regulated
by the 1974 Solas Convention, the Radiocommunications
Regulation of the International Telecommunication Union

( ITU ) and the 1978 Convention on Standards of Training,
Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers ( STCW ), as

) 256 final . amended . As of 1 February 1999 these instruments replace

the traditional radio systems with a GMDSS system
equipped with multiple reserve systems . They will also
effectively replace the traditional post of ship 's
radio-telephone officer and ship 's radio-telegraph officer by
that of a radio officer able to run the GMDSS systems . The
post of radio officer may, moreover, be taken over by
another deck officer if the latter has the same

qualifications .
WRITTEN QUESTION P-435 / 95

by Vassilis Ephremidis ( GUE / NGL )

(') COM ( 94 ) 256 final .

to the Council

(9 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 58 )

Subject : Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

( GMDSS )

The Council adopted these provisions by adopting Directive

94 / 58 / EC of 22 November 1994 on the minimum level of
training for seafarers ('), which repeats the rules governing
training contained in the STCW Convention . The Council
considers that this instrument contains all the guarantees for
ensuring a high level of safety .

The question of Community aid for the retraining
and vocational reinstatement of radio-telephone and
The tragic sinking of the ferry Estonia in the Baltic has telecommunications officers comes under the Structural
demonstrated the unreliability of the new maritime distress Funds, which are managed by the Commission .
and safety system, GMDSS, and its related systems in that,
the two EPIRBs ( emergency position indicating radio
beacons ), which formed part of the Estonia 's GMDSS, did (') OJ No L 319, 12 . 12 . 1994, p . 28 .
not function . In view of this, will the Commission sav :

1 . what measures it intends to take at European Union

level to eliminate the risks of loss of life resulting from

No C 196 / 30 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-440 / 95 responsibility in this matter, and how the relevant

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE ) Community officials view this problem ?

to the Commission

( 22 February 1995 )

95 / C 196 / 59 ) Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 March 1995 )
Subject : Atlantis Programme

How can the Commission support the European Parliament
in its efforts to ensure continuation of the Atlantis
Programme, which is designed to assist the regions in the
west of Europe which have become even more peripheral
following the recent enlargement of the Union ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 1995 )

The remarks to Item B2-1410 of the 1995 budget

( Community Initiatives ) state that ECU 5 million is intended
to cover expenditure through the ' Atlantic Arch '
cooperation body .

The Commission is considering whether the problems of the
Atlantic regions can be met within the context of the
requests currently being made by bodies responsible for
planning in a number of Member States .

Since needs exceed the possibilities available under
Article 10 of the ERDF Regulation, an appropriate response
could be provided either by an extension to cross-border
cooperation under Interreg II ( to which the budget remark
referred to above related ) or through a specific Community
Initiative for planning .

The Commission is not aware of any harmful effect on the
Atlantic regions of their increased remoteness resulting from
the recent enlargement of the Union .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-454 / 95

by José Apolinârio ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 60 )

Subject : Intra-community trade in fruit

Given that bulk shipments of fruit from Spain arrive on the
Portuguese market ( crates of 300 kg ) on a fairly regular
basis, will the Commission say whether it has any

Fruit for consumption in the fresh state for which common
quality standards exist is inspected for conformity with
these . These standards cover packaging, the provisions on
which are intended to ensure adequate protection for the
fruit . In certain cases bulk transport is authorized .

The fruit in question, in bulk in 300 kg containers, may

however be fruit for processing, which is not covered by
common quality standards . This must be accompanied by a
processing certificate . Article 10 of Commission Regulation

( EEC ) No 2251 / 92 ( ] ) sets the relevant inspection
provisions .

The Commission is sorry to be unable to deal more precisely
with the specific case raised by the Honourable Member, in
the absence of detailed information, but would ask him to
bear in mind that it is the Member States ' inspection services
that are responsible for monitoring both fruit for processing
and fruit for direct consumption .

(') OJ No L 219, 4 . 8 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-459 / 95

by Nikitas Kaklamanis ( RDE )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 61 )

Subject : Transparency in the management of Community

resources

Hardly a day goes by without rumours surfacing about
the poor management of Community resources either by
the national governments, or by organizations and
undertakings or by the Commission itself .

Will the Commission say whether, in addition to examining
the benefits offered by, and the scientific documentation of,
the various Community programmes, it also monitors :

1 . the solvency of the undertakings carrying out these

programmes ;

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 31

2 . the identity of members and representatives of these release on improvement of financial management issued on
undertakings ; 22 March 1995 .

3 . the possible existence of ties of kinship, up to the second
degree, between these persons and EU officials ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-474 / 95
Answer given by Mrs Gradin by Marjatta Stenius-Kaukonen ( GUE / NGL ), Riitta
on behalf of the Commission Jouppila ( PPE ), Paavo Väyrynen ( ELDR ), Ulpu Iivari ( PSE ),

( 18 May 1995 )

The Honourable Member will be aware that some 80 % of

the Community budget is managed on a decentralized basis
by Member States or bodies designated by them . Member
State authorities are responsible for the management and
auditing of the expenditure and for certifying to the
Commission the expenditure incurred on individual
projects . The Commission vets the Member State
management and control systems and makes selective
on-the-spot checks . Expenditure on programmes and
projects managed directly by the Commission is checked by
the Commission, with on-the-spot controls on a selective
basis .

As regards the specific questions posed by the Honourable
Member, the position is as follows :

1 . The solvency of undertakings carrying out Community
programmes is not monitored systematically, but for
contracts and studies for amounts over ECU 300 000

the beneficiary is required to produce a deposit or bank
guarantee . The requirement may also be imposed in
relation to smaller amounts where this is judged
necessary by the Commission . It is not applied in the
case of grants or contributions .

2 . The Commission requires contracting enterprises to
provide their memoranda and articles of association and
to identify as necessary those who will carry out the
work .

3 . The Commission has no legal authority nor the
resources which would be necessary to check the
possible existence of ties of kinship, up to the second
degree, between members and representatives of
contracting undertakings and Community officials .
Community officials are bound however by their staff
regulations to sever any ties with undertakings which
have dealings with their institutions and to abandon any
interest which might impair independence in the
performance of duties . They are also required to inform
their institutions if their spouse is in gainful employment
so that the compatibility of the employment with that of
the official may be verified .

Apart from the on-the-spot controls set out above, the
Commission carries out the required checks when there are
suspicions of irregularities or frauds . Where appropriate,
these checks would also include examination of ties of
kinship involving Community officials .

The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable
Member and to Parliament 's Secretariat-General the press

Riitta Myller ( PSE ), Mikko Rönnholm ( PSE ), Heidi
Hautala ( V ), Pirjo Rusanen ( PPE ), Kyösti Toivonen ( PPE ),

Mirja Ryynänen ( ELDR ) and Ritva Laurila ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 27 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 62 )

Subject : Milk programme for school pupils

Based on Regulation ( EEC ) No 1842 / 83 (') the European
Union supports the provision of milk and certain milk
products to school pupils . According to the Regulations, the
products entitled to this support include whole milk and
skimmed milk products, but products such as fat-free milk
are outside the support system . Daycare centres are also
covered by this programme .

Cardiovascular diseases are a serious public health problem
especially in Finland . It is for this reason that Finnish health
education has consistently aimed at reducing the use of fat in
people 's diets . The use of fat has also been reduced in school
lunches .

The present EU programme on milk in schools does not
promote health policy targets aimed at improving public
health . The promotion of public health can have a great
significance in reducing public health costs, and in this way
it is desirable also from the point of view of the national

economy .

In view of the foregoing, what steps is the Commission
prepared to take to change Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 1842 / 83 and Commission Regulation ( EEC )
No 3392 / 93 ( 2 ), based on the aforementioned Regulation,
so that the regulations on the use of milk and certain milk
products in schools are changed so that the support the
products receive is, for health reasons, targeted so that first
priority is given to fat-free products or products with less
than average fat content ?

(') OJ No L 183, 7 . 7 . 1983, p . 1 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 306, 11 . 12 . 1993, p . 27 .

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 April 1995 )

Whilst it is accepted that a general reduction in fat
consumption would contribute to public health, this does
not require milk fat to be entirely absent from the diet of
school-age children . Against this background, it does not

No C 196 / 32 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

seem appropriate to use this programme as a means of
encouraging the consumption of fat free milk by
children .

The Commission supports the need for a varied and

balanced diet as has been put forward in its programme of
Community action on health promotion, information,
education and training within the framework for action in
the field of public health (').

(') COM(94 ) 202 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-478 / 95

by Joaquim Miranda ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 15 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 63 )

Subject : Situation at Renault ( Portugal )

Following a period marked by redundancies and the
severing of contracts at its factory in Setubal ( which had
approximately 1 300 employees in 1992 and currently has
only 760 ), Renault ( Portugal ) is now preparing a series of
' temporary lay-offs ' ( the first of which is scheduled for
27 February ) and has not ruled out the closure of the factory
at some stage in the future .

The Portuguese State holds, either directly or indirectly,

30 % of the company 's capital and has granted it financial
support amounting to approximately Esc 48 billion . The
factory has also received funds from the Community .

In the meantime it has come to light that Renault recently
opened a new factory in Slovenia .

In view of the above state of affairs and, in particular, the
harmful effects thereof in terms of employment, social
stability and the impact on the regional and national
economy as a result of the relocation policy practised by
transnational companies and based in particular on the
priority attached to securing low wage costs, could the
Commission say what guidelines and measures it intends to
adopt or implement in order to prevent such situations from
arising ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 March 1995 )

Renault Portuguesa received for eight projects in the period

1989-1992 approximately ECU 1,4 million in the
framework of the programme Pedip ( Financial assistance
for Portugal for a specific industrial development

programme ) and financed by the special budget line created
for Pedip and, in the period 1990-1993, some ECU 650 000
for vocational training financed by the European Social
Fund ( ESF ).

It should be recalled that Portugal was not a Member State
in 1980, when the first public aids were granted and Renault
decided to set up the plant in Setubal in order to supply the
then closed market . However, the Commission has written
to the Portuguese authorities concerning financial and fiscal
benefits provided by the Portuguese state between 1989 and

1992 for an amount of Esc 6 700 million ( approximately
ECU 38 million ). The Commission had not been informed
of these benefits and has therefore asked for the information

which it needs in order to evaluate the measures in the light
of Articles 92 and 93 EC Treaty .

The derealization of firms is determined by a series of

factors ( such as for example the fiscal system, social
conditions, the availability of qualified labour ) of which
direct aids such as those cited are only one aspect . The
Community addresses these factors, where appropriate, in
the programmes contained in the Community support
framework for Portugal . This joint venture of Volkswagen
and Ford, which creates considerable employment in
Setubal, has been granted Community funds in this

context .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-481 / 95

by Giles Chichester ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 27 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 64 )

Subject : Common fisheries policy

Can the Commission identify any means of simplifying the
management systems applied to Areas Vila, Vlld, Vile, Vllf
and Vllg ?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 March 1995 )

The Commission does not consider that the management
system in the areas cited by the Honourable Member is more
complicated than in adjacent areas .

Whenever a distinct biological stock occurs in an area, a

separate TAC ( total allowable catch ) is fixed and therefore
catches are reported separately ). On the other hand, the
minimum mesh sizes and minimum landing sizes are the

31 . 7 . 95 | EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 33

same for all areas . Other management rules applying to
structures, markets or fleet capacity are also identical .

When Spanish water-management projects are submitted
for part-financing the Commission examines their impact
on the basins in which they are located and on the water
balance of the Iberian Peninsula .

If by simplifying the Honourable Member means merging .
distinct stocks into bigger ones, so that catch declarations
become simpler, it cannot be done without the risk of an
uneven distribution of fishing effort which could lead to
over-exploitation of some stocks .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-491 / 95

by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 27 February 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-490 / 95 ( 95 / C 196 / 66 )

by Josu Imaz San Miguel ( PPE )

to the Commission Subject : Lake Volvi and Lake Koronia ecosystem

( 27 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 65 )

Subject : Use of Cohesion Fund appropriations for the

Spanish water-management plan

The Spanish Government is putting into effect a water ­
management plan involving infrastructure work for the
diversion of water between catchment areas .

The plan is proving highly controversial, since it was drawn

up before establishing how much water was needed by the
catchment areas from which it is to be drawn, thereby
possibly jeopardizing their future development and
aggravating regional imbalances .

Has the Spanish Government requested European funds for
this project ?

Would it be possible for the Spanish Government to use
Cohesion Fund appropriations to finance this project
without first providing guarantees that the results would not
be the opposite to those which the Fund is intended to
achieve ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

(4 April 1995 )

No application concerning a Spanish national water ­
management plan has been made to the Commission . If an
application for financing such a plan is made it will be
examined with reference to the guidelines laid down in the
Community support framework for the Spanish Objective 1
regions and to the relevant Community legislation .

The Commission has approved assistance from the cohesion
financial instrument and the Cohesion Fund for work on
river management and erosion control in the main Spanish
river basins . The purpose of these projects is to maintain
water balance and they persue the Cohesion fund 's
environmental objectives .

The Lake Volvi and Lake Koronia ecosystem has been
designated as a wetland of international importance in
accordance with agreements under the terms of the Ramsar
Convention . Lake Volvi is in fact an ecological paradise,
providing a habitat for over 200 species of birds, together
with rare plant, reptile, amphibian and mammal species .
The water level has fallen as a result of drought and the
channelling off of large quantities of water for irrigation
purposes and local inhabitants are now starting to cultivate
areas of the lake bed which are no longer under water .

As a result of fishing activities and the indiscriminate use of
pesticides, five species of fish have disappeared and total fish
stocks have diminished . The problem is being compounded
by discharges into the lake of untreated effluent from
industrial plant, livestock holdings and residential areas .

This constitutes an infringement of :

1 . The Ramsar Convention ( Greece itself included Lake
Volvi among eleven wetlands of international
importance );

2 . Article 4 of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC (') concerning
measures to protect the habitats of many rare species of
wild birds ;

3 . Article 6 of Directive . 92 / 43 / EEC ( 2 ) concerning the
conservation of habitats of international importance .

In view of this, will the Commission take the necessary
measures to ensure that Greece fulfils obligations under the
Ramsar Convention and complies with the above
Community Directives ?

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

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

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 1995 )

The Community is not a signatory to the Ramsar
Convention . Consequently, it is for those Member States
who are signatories to ensure that the obligations laid down
are properly observed .

No C 196 / 34 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

As regards Community Directive 79 / 409 / EEC, the Greek
authorities have designated the area concerned as a special
protection area but have not yet adopted the legal
instrument needed to determine the size of the area to be
protected and the protection measures to be applied within
that area . The Commission is pursuing this matter to ensure
that the Greek authorities adopt this legal instrument which
would establish an effective system for protecting the area in
question, ensuring that activities such as those referred to by
the Honourable Member are avoided in future .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 00 / 95

by Carmen Fraga Estévez ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 27 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 67 )

Subject : Exceptions to the reduction of retaliatory
measures by the USA

The amount of agricultural products suffering retaliatory

measures by the USA as a result of the ' hormone war ' fell
after 1990 as a result of the agreement by the EU-US
working group which was set up for that purpose . Various
different products and countries have benefited from this
reduction, but this has not been the case with tinned
tomatoes, which were the largest in volume and social
importance of all the products affected .

with growth hormones . The United States selected these
products because it considered their trade value ( US $ 97,2
million ) to be equivalent to the value of its beef export trade
lost as a consequence of the hormones ban .

Measures agreed in 1989 by the joint EC / US Task force
enabled American exports of hormone free beef products to
the Community to resume, and as a consequence the United
States made two small reductions in 1989 in the list of

products subject to the 100% duty, amounting in total to
US $ 4,5 million of trade .

In subsequent years American beef and beef products have
been imported into the Community at a more substantial
level . For 1994 American export statistics show trade
amounting to US $ 34,3 million . Consequently, the
Commission has at various times made representations for a
reduction in the range of products on the list, consistent with
the current level of American exports to the Community .
The choice of products which would benefit from any such
reduction would be with the United States . However, in the
absence of any agreed criteria for such reductions, the
United States has not far accepted the Commission 's
arguments and claims that the size of its list is fully
justified .

The Commission retains the objective of securing a
satisfactory solution to this trade dispute which would
ensure the abolition of the 100 % ad valorem duty from all
products on the American list .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-502 / 95

by José Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado ( PPE )

Can the Commission therefore say what figures for foreign to the Commission
trade between the USA and the EU produced this reduction
and what are the figures at present ; similarly, why did it not ( 27 February 1995 )
continue when there is every indication that damage to US ( 95 / C 196 / 68 )
trade has decreased progressively since 1990 ; what are the
criteria which allowed other products and countries to
benefit and has the CAP been taken into account ?

( 27 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 68 )

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 March 1995 )

Subject : Situation of managerial staff in the European

Community

In its resolution A3-1 96 / 93 (') on the situation of
managerial staff in the European Community, Parliament
called on the Commission to carry out a study on the
managerial jobs situation in the Community in all sectors
including the public sector .

Can the Commission say whether this study has been carried

On 1 January 1989 the United States imposed 100% ad out and if so, when the results will be published ?
valorem duties on a range of Community products,
including prepared and preserved tomatoes, in retaliation
for the import ban on beef products from animals treated (') OJ No C 194, 19 . 7 . 1993, p . 405 .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 35

Answer given by Mr Flynn Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission on behalf of the Commission

( 22 May 1995 ) ( 24 March 1995 )

In its work on the analysis and monitoring of employment
trends in the Community, published in the ' Employment in
Europe ' report, the Commission endeavours to analyse the
situation of all groups of workers and all sectors for which
data are available . Before 1992, occupational data from the
Labour Force Survey permitted analysis only at the one-digit
level of ISCO ( International Standard Classification of
Occupations ). On this basis, a study by the University of
Limburg on ' indications of occupational employment ' gives
some indication of trends in managerial employment . Since

1992, more detailed data have been collected, but results for
1993 and 1994 are not yet available for analysis .

As part of its 1995 programme, the Commission will have a
study carried out on the role of social dialogue in the
management of surplus personnel in the ' executive staff '

category .

Furthermore, with reference to the obstacles to the
movement of managerial staff mentioned in the Parliament
resolution of 26 June 1993, at the instigation of the
Commission the European organizations representing
managerial staff, the European Confederation of Executive
Staff and Eurocadres ( Council for European Professional
and Managerial Staff ) have now begun joint discussions on
the safeguarding of supplementary pension rights for
managerial staff moving within the Community for
professional reasons .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-525 / 95

During the Agricultural Council of January 1995, it was
decided to draw up the report as foreseen in Article 6 of
Council Directive 91 / 629 / EEC (') laying down minimum
standards for the protection of calves as soon as possible .
The Commission has requested the scientific veterinary
committee to make an interim report particularly on the
housing and feeding of calves before the end of June and the
final report before the end of the year .

The scientific veterinary committee established an expert
working group to draw up the report on the welfare of
calves . The group will examine in detail the welfare of calves
kept in different farming systems with particular reference
to their health, nutrition, management, housing and
behaviour, as well as the socio-economic implications of the
different systems .

In line with the reform of the common agricultural policy for
the bovine animal sector, as decided in 1992, measures have
been taken to stimulate the extensive fattening of adult
bovine animals by means of premiums . In particular, under
the density clause, no premiums can be granted to animals
present at the farm which exceed this density . However,
there were in this reform no details concerning the rearing of
calves, and this has given the Commission no legal basis to
carry out the specific measures requested by the Honourable
Member .

(') OJ No L 340, 11 . 12 . 1991 .

by Christine Barthet-Mayer ( ARE )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-552 / 95

to the Commission
by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

(1 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 69 )

Subject : Intensive battery production of animals

Following the discussions by the Council of Ministers for
Agriculture in January 1995 on the need to safeguard the
welfare of livestock and on the specific issue of battery
rearing of calves, can the Commission say what practical
initiatives it intends to take ?

Is it the Commission 's intention, in the context of
implementing reform of the CAP, to propose measures to
further more extensive, outdoor stock-keeping and to phase
out battery production ?

to the Commission

(1 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 70 )

Subject : High quality of service for airline passengers in

Europe

The Commission regards public intervention in the air
transport sector as an obstacle to its growth and
development .

The communication on civil aviation of spring 1994
indicates that public services are jeopardized when
application of rules concerning fair competition puts airlines

No C 196 / 36 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

in difficulty and causes the quality of their services to
decline .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-553 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

(1 March 19 95 )

Can the Commission introduce appropriate measures to
promote the development of a European civil aviation ( 95 / C 196 / 71 )
policy, taking into account the specific nature of European
airlines, and encourage cooperation by applying the
competition rules flexibly, improving the harmonization of Subject : Community measures with
technical standards and conditions of employment, environment
maintaining high levels of safety, improving airport and
flight infrastructures and taking urgent measures to protect The European Union is funding a
the environment ?

Subject : Community measures with regard to the urban

environment

The European Union is funding a number of measures
connected with the urban environment, although this is not
one of the areas of activity assigned to it by the Treaty .

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 May 1995 )

In its communication ' The way forward for civil
aviation ' ('), the Commission stressed the importance of a
framework for civil aviation serving air transport users that
ensured a high level of safety, protected the environment,
kept a proper balance between the interests of air carriers
and of their employees in safeguarding and creating jobs and
took account of the interests of national authorities in the

role of air carriers as public service providers in the widest

sense .

There is general agreement that air transport should provide
services of reasonable cost for citizens and business . In order
to achieve this, the Community has opted for a balanced
approach by gradually phasing-in the liberalisation of
intra-European flights, and supplementing the new regime
with safeguards for situations where the market alone may
not be sufficient . This approach recognises that a number of
specified features of the air transport system may
occasionally require policy intervention either to address
unbalanced situations inside the system or directly to serve
other policy objectives such as the provision of public
services or environment protection .

This approach continues to guide current policies on noise
and pollutant emissions, ground-handling, airport charges,
and state aids and will inspire future legislative proposals on
transport users protection and air traffic management
system as outlined in the above communication .

( i ) COM(94 ) 218 final .

The Court of Auditors has produced a detailled assessment
of projects administered by DG XI ( environment ), the
ERDF, the Recite programme and EU programmes in the
field of training, research, energy, culture and transport .

Can the Commission indicate whether a precise reference
framework exists for such support measures ?

Has a clearly defined list of priorities be drawn up for these
measures ?

Does this include the LIFE project ?

Have criteria and objectives been established for the 32 pilot
projects receiving over ECU 100 million from the ERDF ?

Does any duplication of funding occur with measures
financed within the framework of other programmes ? What
results have been obtained by the Recite programme ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 April 1995 )

1 . The original reference framework for the Community
actions related to the urban environment was the 1990
green paper on the urban environment ( ') and since then the
urban environment has been incorporated in the fifth
environmental action programme ( 2 ) as one of the principal
themes .

The Commission is currently working with the urban
environment expert group ( established following the
Council resolution ( i ) on the green paper ) on the sustainable
cities project, which is intended to form the future reference
framework for urban environment actions . The first phase
of this project was completed at the end of 1994, when the
expert group issued the first policy report ' European
sustainable cities ' ( which is sent direct to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat-General of the Parliament ).
The second and final report will be issued at the beginning of

1996 .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 37

2 . The reference framework for the financial support
measures is laid down in the legal texts governing the
different programmes . In the case of the LIFE programme
the eligible fields of action are defined in Regulation ( EEC )
No 1973 / 92 ( 4 ) amongst which are actions to improve the
quality of the urban environment both in central and
peripheral areas . Each year in accordance with the
Regulation the Commission selects the priority fields within
which it wishes to receive project proposals to be financed
by LIFE . Urban environment actions have figured amongst
these priority fields since adoption of the Regulation .

The legal framework of the ERDF urban pilot projects and
the Recite programme is Article 10 of Regulation ( EEC )
No 2083 / 93 ( - ) amending Regulation ( EEC ) No 4254 / 88
laying down provisions for implementing the European
regional development fund . The criteria and aims of the 32
urban pilot projets as well as of the Recite programme are
established by the above article and, more generally, by all
the relevant requirements of the Regulation concerning the
Structural Funds .

3 . No measures can be financed twice within the various

Programmes .

4 . The Recite Programme was launched in 1991 to
contribute to the setting up of the European cooperation
networks among local and regional authorities with
populations of more than 50 000 . First interim reports
concerning the setting up of the networks and the 32 Pilot
Projects are being sent directly to the Honourable Member .
A new and more advanced evaluation report will be issued in
the near future .

(') CC)M(90 ) 218 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 138, 17 . 5 . 1993 .
(■') OJ No C 33, 8 . 2 . 1991 .

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

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

WRITTEN QUESTION E-555 / 95

by Helwin Peter ( PSE )

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 1995 )

ECU 1 452 000 were entered in Article A 252 ( European
Coal and Steel Community committees and commissions ) of
which ECU 1 355 000 were committed .

For information about the progressive uptake of the coal
and steel sectors within aid programmes financed from the
general budget, reference may be made to the aide-memoire
on the draft ECSC operating budget for 1995, section
A4 .

In sum, it has been accepted that along with the decline in
sectoral finance, the coal and steel sectors will become
eligible for their proper share of corresponding financial
aids granted from the general budget . Thus, for future social
aid, ECSC needs would be covered, so far as normal rules
allow, from the European Social Fund ; for research aid, the
relevant source is the framework programmes ; for regional
aid, i.e. interest relief grants for job-creating investment, the
European Regional Development Fund . The aid actually
granted will, however, depend on the - applications
submitted and on how far they can be satisfied in
competition with other applications .

This information will be brought up to date in the
aide-memoire on the draft ECSC operating budget for

1996 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-558 / 95

by Alex Smith ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 73 )

to the Commission Subject : Dilution of whisky

(1 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 72 ) I have recently received representations from Scottish
whisky producers who are concerned that competitors in
France are involved in the marketing of whisky diluted to
30 % ale . vol .
Subject : Expenditure under the ECSC Treaty

In the 1994 financial year what resources were used from
the European Union budget to fund expenditure under the
ECSC Treaty and for what purposes were these funds
applied ?

Is the production and sale of whisky diluted to 30 % ale . vol .
permitted under EC Regulation ( EEC ) No 1576 / 89 (')?

(') OJ No L 160, 12 . 6 . 1989, p . 1 .

No C 196 / 38 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on liehalf of the Commission

( 24 March 1 995 )

Under Regulation ( EEC ) No 1576 / 89 the minimum
alcoholic strength for spirits released under the sales name
' whisky ' is 40 % alcoholic strength by volume ( ale . vol ). The
use of the sales name ' whisky ' is restricted to the spirit drink
defined in this regulation . A spirit drink which does not meet
the specifications laid down for whisky must be described as
' spirit drink ' or ' spirit '.

As regards mixtures of whisky and other spirit drinks,
Commission Regulation ( EEC ) No 2675 / 94 (') lays down
special provisions to make clear that the final product is a
mixed spirit drink .

The Commission is well aware of the marketing of diluted

' whiskies ' below 40 % ale . vol . It would be difficult to
preclude the production and sale of these under-strength
' whiskies '. Under Article 5 ( 1 ) of Regulation ( EEC )
No 1576 / 89 these products must, however, be described as
' spirit drinks ' or ' spirits '. Since no special provisions govern
at present the labelling of these diluted ' whiskies ', it is
allowed in accordance with Directive 79 / 112 / EEC ( 2 ) on the
labelling and presentation of foodstuffs to indicate the
composition of the product by listing the exact percentage of
the ingredients used either in the immediate proximity of the
sales name or in the list of ingredients . In any event, it must
be clear for the consumer through an appropriate labelling
of these understrength ' whiskies ' that he does not purchase a
defined whisky of 40 % ale . vol . The Member State control
authorities must take action in respect of labelling which
misleads the consumer on the exact nature of the

product .

(>) OJ No L 285, 4 . 11 . 1994 .
(-) OJ No L 33, 8 . 2 . 1979 .

This has helped spread the image of the Union not only in
our own countries but wherever a Community aircraft has
been seen bearing our ensign and emblem throughout the
world .

Given the importance of symbols in promoting Europe 's
image, does the President of the Commission think that all
Member States airlines should be given much greater
encouragement to display the European flag alongside their
national flag, as his own country 's airline does ?

Answer given by Mr Oreja
on behalf of the Commission

( 27 April 1995 )

The Commission had already in 1990 put forward to
airlines established in the Member States the idea of

displaying the European emblem as part of the livery of their
aircraft . It is pleased to note that some companies have
indeed implemented this idea and are thus contributing to
the promotion of the European Union 's image ( see reply to
Written Question No 1117 / 91 (')).

The Commission continues to encourage all such companies
to display the European emblem on their aircraft . It is of
course for these airlines to decide whether they do so or

not .

(M OJ No C 66, 16 . 3 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 89 / 95

by Gijs van de Vries ( ELDR )

to the Commission

(6 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 75 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 83 / 95

by Gerardo Fernandez-Albor ( PPE )

to the Commission

(6 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 74 )

Subject : Inclusion of the European flag in the livery of

aircraft operated by airlines of the Member
States

The approval of the previous President of the Commission
of the incorporation of the European Union flag in the livery
of aircraft of Member State airlines has led some of those
airlines to display the European ensign alongside their
national flag .

Subject : Tax treatment of life assurance

In the Netherlands as in other countries, the tax treatment of
life assurance determines to a large extent the attractiveness
of assurance policies .

According to Netherlands legislation (' Broad Reassessment
II ', in force since 1 January 1995 ), the premiums of a
policyholder are only tax-deductible if the insurer is
established in the Netherlands .

This requirement of establishment makes the taking out of
life assurance with an insurer established in another country
without a branch office in the Netherlands unattractive .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 39

Is this legislation compatible with the free movement of
services and with the third life assurance Directive

( 92 / 96 / EEC ) (')?

If not, does the Commission intend to initiate proceedings
pursuant to Article 169 ?

(') OJ No L 360, 9 . 12 . 1992, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 1995 )

As the Court of Justice stated in its judgment in Case
C-204 / 90, Bachmann v. Belgian State ('), provisions
requiring an insurer to be established in a Member State as a
condition of the eligibility of insured people to benefit from
certain tax deductions in that Member State constitute a

restriction upon the freedom to provide services . The
requirement of an establishment will only be compatible
with the Treaty where it constitutes a condition which is
indispensable to the achievement of a public interest
objective . The Court has acknowledged that such
compatibility may exist if the national provisions are
justified by the need to ensure the cohesion of the tax system
of which they form part . The Commission is analysing the
legislation of the Netherlands in the light of the
abovementioned judgment, and will take the necessary
action under Article 169 EC Treaty if it is of the opinion that
the Dutch law is incompatible with the Treaty .

On 19 January the Commission wrote to the United
Kingdom authorities to say that the number of projects was
excessive in view of the recommendation to the Member

States that for the whole of the Community the number of
individual projects to be supported under the Urban
Initiative might be a maximum of 50 ('). The United
Kingdom authorities replied on 6 February 1 995 agreeing to
reduce the number of proposals and stating that they would
make their selection after the cities concerned had been

given the chance to make a presentation to the minister .

When the revised list is received detailed discussions will

take place, if necessary, on individual Urban projects to
clarify the intended actions, to emphasise the innovative
nature of Urban, to develop the transnational aspects and to
improve the quantification of impacts . The Commission
would hope to be in a position to conclude these discussions
before the summer .

(') Notice to the Member States — OJ No C 180, 1 . 7 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-614 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Commission

(9 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 77 )

Subject : Management of the Structural Funds
(') Judgment of 28 January 1992, ( 1992 ) ECR 249 .

At a meeting of a Structural Funds monitoring committee

( Objective 5b ), an official of DC VI stated that the
Commission made its choice of department as preferred
partner to manage the 5b programmes in France .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 93 / 95

by Hugh McMahon ( PSE )

to the Commission

(6 March 1 995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 76 )

Can the Commission confirm this choice which has not yet
been announced ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission
Subject : Community initiatives — Urban (7 April 1995 )

How many submissions have been made under the Urban
initiative from the United Kingdom, what progress has been
made in adopting these initiatives and when will the
Commission publicize its results of its negotiations with the
United Kingdom authorities ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 1995 )

The United Kingdom authorities presented on 3 November

1994 a list of 23 projects for the Urban Community
initiative .

The Commission can confirm to the Honourable Member

that the question of the appointment of partners for the
management of Objective 5(b ) programmes was settled
when it approved the single programming documents at the
end of 1994 .

The French national authorities have sent the Commission

24 proposals for single programming documents, of which

18 designated the region as the level for establishment and
management . The Commission has accepted this choice .

Furthermore, the Commission checks that, as required by
Article 4 ( 1 ) of Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2052 / 88 ('),
Community operations are established and managed

No C 196 / 40 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

through partnership, while fully respecting the institutional,
legal and financial powers of each of the partners . That is
why, acting on a proposal from the French authorities, the
departments, which have certain responsibilities for rural
development and which part-finance certain assistance
under the single programming documents, are involved, on
the same basis as the other partners, in the implementation
of the programmes .

(M O ] No L 185, 15 . 7 . 1988 .

Since the Community legislation only applies to pure-bred
animals, the breeding of all other animals is the
responsibility of the Member States .

(M OJ No L 206, 12 . 8 . 1977 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 382, 31 . 12 . 1988
H OJ No L 153, 6 . 6 . 1989 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 224, 18 . 8 . 1990 .
C ) Ol No L 85, 5 . 4 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-635 / 95

by Florus Wijsenbeek ( ELDR )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-623 / 95

to the Commission

by Karl Schweitzer ( NI ) and Mathias Reichhold ( NI )

to the Commission

to the Commission

(9 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 79 )
(9 March 1 995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 78 )

Subject : German aid for inland waterways

Subject : Cruel breeding practices

Domestic animals are being bred into monsters . Cats
without fur, dogs which can hardly walk or see, birds with a
hump and no beak, no longer capable of feeding themselves
unaided and having to breathe through the mouth —
animals are being bred into cripples to satisfy a craving for
prestige and money . Many of these creatures would be
unable to survive in the wild, yet they are often abandoned
because they need a lot of looking after .

1 . What steps will the Commission take to combat such

cruel breeding practices ?

2 . The Law on the protection of animals prohibits the
breeding of vertebrates when the breeder ought to
expect that, because of the characteristics passed on to
the offspring, the offspring will lack body parts or
organs which the species should possess, or that such
body parts or organs will be defective or modified,
thereby causing pain, suffering or harm . What steps will
the Commission take to punish such cruel breeding
practices ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1995 )

The Community 's legislation on animal husbandry

( Directives 77 / 504 / EEC ('), 88 / 661 / EEC ( 2 ),
89 / 361 / EEC (■'), 90 / 427 / EEC ( 4 ) and 91 / 174 / EEC ( 5 ))
concerning the breeding of animals specifies that the criteria
for the inclusion and registration of animals in herd books
and breed registers are to be set by societies and other
associations recognized by the national authorities . These
associations are also responsible for setting criteria allowing
such animals to be bred .

1 . Is the Commission aware that the German

Government has decided to earmark DM 160 million for

measures to enable the inland waterway sector to adjust to
changes in market conditions ?

2 . Does not the Commission consider that these aid
measures lead to distortion of competition and are therefore
incompatible with agreements at European level ?

3 . Will the Commission take prompt action in response
to this ?

If so, what action ?

If not, why not ?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1995 )

In accordance with Article 93 ( 3 ) of the EEC Treaty, the
German Government has informed the Commission of a

programme of aid measures for the inland waterway sector .
These measures are aimed specifically at small businesses
and concern action to promote vocational training,
cooperation between small boat owners and the
restructuring of this sector as well as modernization of the
fleet . DM 100 million have been earmarked for these aid

measures, while DM 60 million have been allocated for
scrapping schemes for inland waterway vessels .

The Commission is in the process of examining this aid
programme in the light of Community law and will shortly
adopt a position in this connection .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 41

QUESTION E-641 / 95 debit, prejudicing the elderly, the unemployed and all those

Mark Watts ( PSE ) on low incomes . Is the action of British Gas not contrary to

to the Commission the Single European Act ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-641 / 95

by Mark Watts ( PSE )

(9 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 80 )

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-641 / 95 and E-643 / 95

given by Mr Van Miert
Subject : British Gas — Abuse of dominant position under on behalf of the Commission

Article 86 of the Treaty of Rome

If UK gas consumers are to be considered as ' trading
partners'with British Gas, the new pricing policy recently
introduced by British Gas clearly applies ' dissimilar
conditions to equivalent transactions with other trading
parties, thereby placing them at a competitive
disadvantage ', as described in Article 86 of the Treaty of

Rome .

This new pricing policy clearly causes undue discrimination
against those who have no access to direct debit, thereby
prejudicing the elderly, the unemployed and all those on low
incomes, with price discrepancies of up to 12% in some

cases .

Therefore, is this not a clear-cut case of abuse of dominant
position in the market place by British Gas and should not
an urgent investigation be launched ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-643 / 95

by Mark Watts ( PSE )

to the Commission

(9 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 81 )

Subject : Validity of new British Gas discriminatory gas

pricing policy

( 28 April 1995 )

Under the EC Treaty the activities of the Community
include the maintenance of a system ensuring that
competition in the internal market is not distorted . The
primary objective of the Community 's competition rules is
the protection of the competitive process, and the indirect
benefits which consumers draw from it . Article 86 prohibits
abuses of dominant position as incompatible with the
common market . While this provision may apply to the
relationship between firms and final consumers, it is a
condition of application of the competition rules, including
Article 86, that the conduct may have an appreciable effect
on trade between Member States .

It appears that the latter condition for application of
Article 86 is not fulfilled by the policy of British Gas to
which the Honourable Member refers . Consequently, the
Commission considers that it is not competent to intervene
under the competition rules .

The social aspects of British Gas pricing policy are primarily
concerns of the British authorities and are not covered by
any European legislation . The Commission does not,
therefore, consider that an approach to the British
Government is appropriate .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-692 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

The single European Act of 1986 clearly states that
Members of the Union are to work together to promote ( 95 / C 196 / 82 )
fundamental rights throughout Europe such as ' equality and
social justice '.

Subject : Council proposals in the field of direct taxation,

1994

In the light of this firm commitment to ' equality and social
justice ' at European level, does the Commission agree that it
would be right for an approach to be made to the British
Government, asking it to seek an explanation from British
Gas of its new pricing policy, which causes undue
discrimination against those who have no access to direct

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of direct taxation were put forward by the Council in

1994 and which Member States brought forward the
proposals ?

No C 196 / 42 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-693 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 83 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of human resources,

education, training and youth, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of human resources, education, training and youth
were put forward by the Council in 1994 and which
Member States brought forward the proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-694 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 84 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of customs and

indirect taxation, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of customs and indirect taxation were put forward by
the Council in 1994 and which Member States brought
forward the proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-696 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 85 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of fisheries, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of fisheries were put forward by the Council in 1994
and which Member States brought forward the
proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-697 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 86 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of energy 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in
the field of energy were put forward by the Council in

1994 and which Member States brought forward the
proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-698 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13, March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 87 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of information

technologies and telecommunications, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of information technologies and telecommunications
were put forward by the Council ml 994 and which Member
States brought forward the proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-699 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

95 / C 196 / 88 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of financial services,

1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of financial services were put forward by the Council in

1994 and which Member States brought forward the
proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-700 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 89 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of external affairs,

1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of external affairs were put forward by the Council in

1994 and which Member States brought forward the
proposals ?

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 43

WRITTEN QUESTION E-702 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 90 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of economic and

financial affairs and monetary matters, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of common foreign and security policy were brought
forward by the Council in 1994 and which Member States
put forward the proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-703 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 91 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of the internal

market, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of common foreign and security policy were brought
forward by the Council in 1994 and which Member States
put forward the proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-704 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 92 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of industrial affairs,

1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of common foreign and security policy were brought
forward by the Council in 1994 and which Member States
put forward the proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-706 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 93 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of regional policies,

1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of common foreign and security policy were brought
forward by the Council in 1994 and which Member States
put forward the proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-708 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 94 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of small and

medium-sized enterprises, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of common foreign and security policy were brought
forward by the Council in 1994 and which Member States
put forward the proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-710 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 95 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of consumer affairs,

1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of common foreign and security policy were brought
forward by the Council in 1994 and which Member States
put forward the proposals ?

No C 196 / 44 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-712 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

WRITTEN QUESTION E-716 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 ) ( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 96 ) ( 95 / C 196 / 99 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of competition,

1994

Subject : Council proposals in the field of employment and

social affairs, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of employment and social affairs were brought forward
by the Council in 1994 and which Member States put
forward the proposals ?

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of competition were brought forward by the Council in

1994 and which Member States put forward the
proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-717 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 100 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-7 14 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 97 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of nuclear safety,

1994

Subject : Council proposals in the field of the environment,

1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of the environment were brought forward by the
Council in 1 994 and which Member States put forward the
proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-718 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the to the Council
field of nuclear safety were brought forward by the Council

( 13 March 1995

in 1994 and which Member States put forward the
proposals ? ( 95 / C 196 / 101 )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-7 15 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

( 13 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 98 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of transport,
1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of transport were brought forward by the Council in

1994 and which Member States put forward the
proposals ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-719 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Council

Subject : Council proposals in the area of agriculture and ( 13 March 1995 )

rural development, 1994 ( 95 / C 196 / 102 )

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
area of agriculture and rural development were brought
forward by the Council in 1994 and which Member States
put forward the proposals ?

Subject : Council proposals in the field of tourism, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of tourism were brought forward by the Council in

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 45

1994 and which Member States put forward the 4 . under what trade names the lemons were sold ?
proposals ?

(') OJ No L 14, 20 . 1 . 1995, p . 8 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-721 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE ) Answer given by Mr Fischler

to the Council on behalf of the Commission

( 13 March 1995 ) ( 23 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 103 )

Subject : Council proposals in the field of credit and

investments, 1994

How many proposals for legislation and regulations in the
field of credit and investments were brought forward by the
Council in 1994 and which Member States put forward the
proposals ?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-692 / 95 to E-694 / 95, E-696 / 95

to E-700 / 95, E-702 / 95 to E-704 / 95, E-706 / 95,
E-708 / 95, E-710 / 95, E-712 / 95, E-714 / 95 to E-719 / 95

and E-721 / 95

( 13 June 1995 )

The Honourable Member 's attention is drawn to the fact

that in these fields it is for the Commission to submit

proposals to the Council .

Accordingly, as he has put the same questions to the
Commission, the Council would refer the Honourable
Member to the replies it gives .

WRITTEN QUESTION P    - 723 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

(2 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 104 )

Subject : New duty on imports of fresh lemons originating

in Cyprus

The Commission decided, pursuant to Regulation ( EEC )
No 86 / 95 ( 1 ), to apply duty to imports of lemons originating
in Cyprus because they were quoted for three consecutive
market days at prices lower than the reference price in
force .

Will the Commission say :

1 . on which Community markets and when the lemons
concerned were quoted for three consecutive days
before the dutv was applied,

Regulation ( EC ) No 86 / 95 of 19 January 1995 did not
introduce an import duty on fresh lemons originating in
Cyprus but merely re-established the common customs
tariff duty ( 8% ) on them .

The Commission regrets that for reasons of commercial
confidentiality it is unable to divulge the name(s ) of the
market(s ) on which the lowest prices were recorded in the
Member States under the reference price arrangements ( see
Article 24 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 1035 / 72 (')) on the three
consecutive days preceding that on which Regulation ( EEC )
No 86 / 95 was adopted .

The Commission does not know what were the total

quantities of fresh lemons originating in Cyprus sold during
the period in question, since the Member States notify only
the quantities sold on the most representative import
markets, i.e. those listed in Article 4 of Regulation ( EEC )
No 2118 / 74 setting detailed rules for application of the
reference price arrangements for fruit and vegetables ( 2 ).
The latter quantities were of the order of 100 tonnes a
day .

The Commission does not know under what trade names

these lemons were sold .

Regulation ( EC ) No 86 / 95 was repealed by Regulation

( EEC ) No 339 / 95 (') with effect from 18 February, since
when lemons originating in Cyprus have again enjoyed a
preferential customs duty of 0% .

(') OJ No L 118, 20 . 5 . 1972 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 220, 10 . 8 . 1974 .
(■') O J No L 38, 18 . 2 . 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-739 / 95

by Anne Van Lancker ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 15 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 105 )

Subject : Employment of disabled persons in the institutions

of the European Union

2 . what quantities were sold,

On 24 July 1986 the Council adopted a recommendation on
3 . at what prices they were sold, the employment of disabled people in the Community

No C 196 / 46 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

( 86 / 379 / EEC ( )). A number of recommendations were
addressed to the Member States concerning the elimination
of discrimination, for example, and on positive action for
the disabled .

It is, I feel, a matter of course that the institutions of the
Union should be setting an example in their own
services .

What positive action has the Commission, as an institution,
taken to encourage the employment of the disabled in its
services ? How many registered disabled persons are
employed in each grade by the services of the Commission ?
What special action has the Commission taken to encourage
the employment of such persons ?

Has the Commission given any thought to setting quotas, as
a positive measure and as a guideline for employing disabled
persons in its services ?

(M OJ No L 225, 12 . 8 . 1986, p . 43 .

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 April 1995 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to
the replies given to Written Questions Nos 142 / 95 (') and
349 / 95 ( 2 ).

In respect of the application of a quota for the employment
of disabled people, the Commission requested in its draft
preliminary budget of 1993 that 25 posts be specially
reserved for disabled people . Unfortunately the budgetary
authorities felt unable to accede to this request .

(') OJ No C 175, 10 . 7 . 1995 .
C -) OJ No C 145, 12 . 6 . 1995, p . 42 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-761 / 95

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler ( V )

to the Commission

( 15 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 106 )

Subject : Subsidy fraud in respect of the mass transport of

                    - animals

Can the Commission say, on the basis of the information
available to it and to the Court of Auditors, how much
money has been — and is being — lost due to fraud in
respect of subsidies for the mass transport of animals ? Are
any estimates available for undetected fraud ?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 April 199S )

The Commission does not subsidize transport of animals as
such . Accordingly, the transport of animals in the strict
sense does not give rise to fraud against the Community 's
budget . On the other hand, to the Commission 's knowledge,
the main instance of fraud where live animals are

transported involve both import and export as well as the
transit regime .

On the basis of the reports sent in by the Member States as
required by the regulations, the Commission estimates that
since 1990 :

— the amount of export refunds unduly paid has been

about ECU 45 million ;

— the amount of own resources evaded has been about

ECU 33 million, two-thirds of which relate to fraud
against the transit system ( disposal on Community
territory of animals coming from and going to third
countries without payment of the relevant duties ).

Reliable and meaningful overall estimates of undetected
fraud cannot be given .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-776 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 20 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 107 )

Subject : Minimum hematite iron prices

The introduction of minimum hematite iron prices is having
a dual impact on chilled iron producers :

1 . an unjustified increase in the purchase price of the raw
material in Europe,

2 . a weakening of their position vis-a-vis producers of
chilled iron in eastern Europe which compete with
them on the European market, thereby jeopardizing
thousands of jobs .

What steps will the Commission take to remedy this

situation ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1995 )

The Commission is aware that the hematite pig-iron market
is very sensitive and, for this reason, it has had many

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 47

discussions in the past with representatives of both
producers and users ( smelting works ) in the Community
and with the Member States .

The Commission does not believe that the minimum price
has led to an increase in the purchase price of the raw
material, as the market price of this material and the prices
of all other ferrous products have risen since last year . At
present, the average price of hematite pig iron in the
Community is ECU 200 and the minimum price is ECU

149 .

The Honourable Member also refers to competition on the
Community market from producers in central Europe . In
the Commission 's view the introduction of a minimum price
has not had any particular effect where this is concerned . It
is no doubt for this reason that European associations of
producers of chilled pig iron and other manufactured pig ­
iron products have not, to date, expressed concern to the
Commission . If trade in a product from non-member
countries were to lead to unfair competition on the
Community market, the firms affected could use the legal
instruments provided for in the rules governing
international trade . To date, the Commission has received
no complaints in this regard .

However, the Commission does intend to consult the
representatives of hematite pig-iron users and, as soon as
possible this year, to review the anti-dumping law which is
the basis for the minimum price to which the Honourable
Member refers in his question .

promotion of local employment initiatives ( LEIs ). In its first
communication to the Council of 22 November 1983 on
LEIs ( 1 ), the Commission emphasized the important role of
regional and local government in supporting local
employment development . However, it also pointed out
that regional and local authorities do not generally have a
sufficiently large independent revenue base to promote
employment creation from their own financial resources .
In the Council resolution of 7 June 1984 on the
contribution of local employment initiatives to combating
unemployment ( 2 ), the Council invited the Member States to
take account of the responsibilities of, and possibilities open
to, local and regional authorities within the framework of
their policies and practices for the promotion of LEIs .

Since then, the Structural Funds have given special priority
to local development . At the practical level, and respecting
the institutional organization at Member State level, local
and regional authorities are represented in the different
monitoring committees of the funds, including those of the
Community initiatives . The Commission 's objective is to
achieve partnerships at all levels . Current consultation
procedures also involve the Committee of the regions . In the
framework of its action-research programmes on innovative
approaches to promoting employment and fighting
unemployment the Commission has regularly involved the
European representative bodies of local and regional
authorities ( at present the Council of European
municipalities and regions ). Thus the proposals on
exploiting new job opportunities to meet new needs through
local development, submitted by the Commission to the
Essen Council, were inspired from direct dialogue with
representatives from local and regional authorities .

(') OJ No C 70, 12 . 3 . 1994 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 161, 21 . 6 . 1984 .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-780 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 20 March 1 995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 108 )

Subject : Local initiatives for employment and cooperation

with the local authorities

How does the Commission intend to resolve the

contradiction between its wish to promote local
employment initiatives, as expressed at the Essen summit
and its reluctance to enter into direct dialogue with the local
authorities ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-781 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 20 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 109 )

Subject : European cuisine award

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

How does the Commission intend to participate in the first

( 18 May 1995 ) European regional cuisine competition, organized by the

Assembly of European regions, in which 100 European
chefs will be participating using regional products, the
The Commission has always been aware of the importance competition for which ECU 1 million has been earmarked,
of local and regional authority involvement in the following approval by the European Parliament ?

( 18 May 1995 )

No C 196 / 48 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1995 )

Parliament has asked the Community to give financial
support to the first ' Coupe d'Europe des saveurs regionales '.
The budget heading from which it is intended to make this
contribution provides finance for a number of measures to
promote product quality, all of which have to be dealt with
in accordance with the budget rules in force .

The Commission has so far received no details from the

organizers about how this event will take place . When it
receives the application, it will consider it carefully and
inform the Honourable Member about the action it intends

to take .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-785 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 20 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 110 )

Subject : Conservation of protected species

The keeping of protected species is prohibited under
Council Directive 79 / 409 / EEC ( ') ( Article 5 ) and
92 / 43 / EEC ( 2 ) ( Article 12 ).

Does the Commission not consider that the breeding of
protected species by authorized establishments ( zoological
gardens, aquariums etc .) fulfilling statutory monitoring and
inspection requirements could provide a sufficiently healthy
gene pool to ensure the survival of the species in their natural
environment ? .

Can the Commission give its views on this ?

international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and
flora ( Cites ).

(') O J No L 384, 31 . 12 . 1982 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-787 / 95

by Manuel Porto ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 20 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 111 )

Subject : Medium-sized conurbations and the
Commission 's work programme for 1995

The Commission 's work programme for 1995 does not
contain even the slightest reference to the need for balanced
measures to promote urban networks and medium-sized
conurbations and merely expresses concern for 'a better
balance between big conurbations and rural areas '

( No 1.6 ).

Does the Commission consider that this is an appropriate or
even viable means of avoiding the problems posed by ' new
pockets of social deprivation ' in the major conurbations

( due to the steady influx of people ) and using the European
Union 's resources more efficiently ?

More specifically, does the Commission not intend to
promote a realistic approach ' to the serious problems in
question by establishing a more balanced urban network,
for example, by the compulsory extension of the urban
programme or the launching of new programmes aimed
exclusively at fully tapping the resources of medium-sized
conurbations ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 1995 )

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

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

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 April 1995 )

The Commission feels that ex situ conservation activities
such as breeding are, in principle, a useful adjunct to
conservation in situ for a limited number of threatened

species .

Breeding in captivity for repopulation purposes is one of the
reasons for departing from the bans on trading and keeping
provided for in the Directives referred to by the Honourable
Member, and in Regulation ( EEC ) No 3626 / 82 (') on the
implementation in the Community of the Convention on

The Commission has been concerned for many years with
the situation of medium-sized towns . The ' Europe 2000 +'
document specifically mentions the role which these towns
can play in regional development .

Eurthermore, depending on whether they are situated
within Objective 1, 2 or 5(b ) areas, such towns have been
eligible for financial assistance for specific urban measures
through the Community support frameworks for the
programming periods 1989-1993 and 1994-1999, usually
under regional programmes and in accordance with needs
specified by national or regional authorities .

As for combating social exclusion, the European Social
Eund now grants substantial financial assistance, under the
new Objective 3, for measures promoting the integration of
people at risks of exclusion from the job market . It also
provides support for transnational initiatives targeting the

31 . 7 . 95 I EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 49

least-privileged groups under the Community initiative
programmes on work / human resources, in particular
Horizon . In addition to this, in an effort to stimulate debate
and to encourage innovation in this area, the Commission
has proposed a new programme, currently being discussed
by the Council, to combat exclusion and to promote
solidarity (').

The Community Initiative Urban supports integrated
measures in towns with populations over 100 000 .

The Commission has not yet decided on the possible
extension of the current range of Community initiatives .

development potential ? Will the Commission point out to
the Flevoland Provincial Authority that the aim of SPD
measure II.B.7.2 . is not to promote air transport ?

Does the Commission agree that, on the basis of the proper
title, underlying principles and description of the above
measures, the provision of support for Lelysted Airport
under measures II.B.6.5 . and II.B.7.2 . is inadmissible, while
support under measure II.B.6.2 . is not compatible with the
SPD 's general and operational objective either ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission
(') COM(93 ) 435 final .

( 30 March 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION P-789 / 95

by Nel van Dijk ( V )

to the Commission

(7 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 112 )

Subject : ERDF support for Lelysted Airport

The Provincial Authority of the Dutch province of
Flevoland plans to make available ECU 2 341 920 of ERDF
monies to develop Lelysted Airport into a business airport .
This project involves inter alia the construction of a new
terminal building with a tower and apron, runway
improvements, including the laying of a grass verge,
extending the runway to 1 800 m, and the installation of an
instrument landing system .

Does the Commission agree that the Lelysted Airport
development will lead to busier air traffic in the region and
hence increased air pollution and noise pollution ? Does the
Commission agree that flying is the most polluting form of
transport ? Is ERDF support for Lelysted Airport not
therefore blatantly at odds with the general objective of
sustainable growth and the operational objective of
protecting and improving the environment in the region, as
formulated in the Single Programming Document ( SPD ) for
Flevoland ?

Will the Commission point out to the Flevoland Provincial
Authority that measure II.B.6.5 . in the SPD is to improve the
environment in areas with scope for development and not,
as the Authority writes in its note EUR / 95 . 050048 / A dated

17 January 1995, to improve areas with economic

As the Honourable Member observes, measure II.B.6.5 . of
the single programming document ( SPD ) for Flevoland
makes available aid for ' the environmental upgrading of
areas with economic development potential '. Measure
II.B.7.2 . gives assistance for actions to provide or improve
' access to industrial areas or tourism attractions in rural

areas '.

The Commission considers that investment in airport
infrastructure does not qualify for assistance under either of
these measures, nor under any other measure in the
Flevoland SPD . It will make this position known to the
Netherlands authorities .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-802 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 20 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 113 )

Subject : Privatization of ERDF assisted assets

When will the Commission 's inquiry into the principles
governing the granting of ERDF to privatized assets be
completed ?

When legally binding requirements regarding the
privatization of assets which have received ERDF support
are introduced, will the Commission seek repayment of
ERDF grants from assets which have already been
privatized ?

No C 196 / 50 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Will the Commission also consider seeking undertakings

from relevant authorities ( prior to any award ) that the
ERDF-assisted asset will not be privatized ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 April 1995 )

The Commission sent to all the Member States on

20 January 1995 asking for precise information about all
the privatizations already carried out or planned which
involve infrastructures that have received Structural Fund

assistance or, for the relevant Member States, assistance
from the Cohesion Fund .

As soon as the Commission has collected this information, it
will carry out an analysis to determine, case by case, whether
privatization has made such a major difference as to affect
the character or conditions of implementation of the scheme
for which the Community assistance was originally granted .
When it has completed this study, the Commission will

decide on any follow-up action, taking account of the
particular circumstances in which the privatization was or
will be carried out .

The Commission does not envisage systematically requiring
a commitment not to privatize the subsidized assets from
those public authorities which receive Structural Fund or
Cohesion Fund assistance . In certain cases, however, it may
prove necessary to impose such a condition because of the
specific nature and objectives of the scheme being
part-financed .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-826 / 95

active phase of co-decision making between the Parliament
and the Council .

The Commission believes that the proposal already largely
takes account of the need to develop the Atlantic Arc of
the Union, in particular through its plans for the
trans-European road network .

The Commission does not feel that now is the right time to

discuss the proposed amendments, which have not yet been
adopted by the Parliament .

( ! ) OJ No C 220, 8 . 8 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-840 / 95

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 115 )

Subject : Trapping and destruction of birds in Crete

Has the Commission any knowledge of the trapping of owls
in Crete for sale ?

Will it make representations to the Greek Government
about this reported practice ?

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE ) Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

to the Commission on behalf of the Commission

( 24 March 1995 ) (8 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 114 )

Subject : European transport infrastructure scheme

What actions does the Commission intend to take in
response to the European Parliament 's proposed
amendments to the European transport infrastructure
scheme aimed at incorporating the measures needed to
remedy the isolation of the Atlantic Arc, such as the
Montlu<^on-Poitiers-Nantes and Limoges-Angouleme ­
Royan links ?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 1995 )

The Commission proposal on guidelines for the
trans-European transport network ( ] ) is about to enter an

The Commission has no knowledge of the practices referred
to by the Honourable Member . However, it has taken up the
matter with the Greek authorities with a view to obtaining
further information on the subject .

It should be pointed out, moreover, that the capture of
nocturnal birds of prey is illegal under Greek law which, in
conformity with Council Directive 79 / 409 / EEC of 2 April

1979 on the conservation of wild birds, prohibits such
practices ('). Accordingly, the question raised by the
Honourable Member comes under the jurisdiction of the
national authorities . For its part, the Commission will spare
no effort to ensure the proper application of Directive
79 / 409 / EEC with regard to the problem raised .

(!) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979 .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 51

WRITTEN QUESTION E-844 / 95

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 116

Subject : European Environment Agency

Has the EEA any remit to create a central database of Cites
enforcement personnel across the EU ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 April 1995 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its
reply to Written Question No 528 / 95 (')•

As a result of the establishment of the Cites enforcement

working group, mentioned in the last paragraph of that
reply, contacts between enforcement agencies will be
significantly facilitated . The Commission sees no merit in
establishing a database for this purpose .

analyses, the European Union could exceed its emissions
target by between 5 and 8 % in view of current forecasts
regarding energy prices and economic growth .

The Commission adds that new measures taken at the

Community level will have only a limited impact on the
emissions expected in the year 2000, because of the time
required for the proposals to be elaborated, agreed by the
Council and implemented by the Member States . Therefore,
at this stage, achievement of the Community objective of
stabilizing emissions will depend on the implementation of
current national and Community programmes or measures
such as the introduction of the COi / energy tax .

Many measures taken in the framework of existing national programmes, such as demand-side management,
investments in combined heat and power production, fiscal
measures and specific measures such as third-party
financing as provided for by the SAVE Directive ( Council
Directive 93 / 76 / EEC of 13 September 1993 to limit carbon
dioxide emissions by improving energy efficiency (')), can
also contribute to the stabilization objective . Delays in
the implementation of the national and Community
programmes mean that it will now be necessary to intensify
efforts in these areas . Thus, while the Council stresses the
attention to be focused on the period after 2000, the
Commission underlines the importance of achieving the
2000 objective .

(M OJ No C 179, 13 . 7 . 1995 . (') OJ No L 237, 22 . 9 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-845 / 95

by Anita Pollack ( PSE ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-848 / 95

to the Commission by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission
( 24 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 117 ) ( 29 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 118 )

Subject : Global warning

Is the Commission aware of the recent report by
ORI / McGraw-Hill which estimates that C0 2 emissions in
the EU are set to rise by 5,9 % by the year 2000 ? In the light
of the EU 's commitment to stabilize C0 2 emissions at 1990
levels by 2000, what does the Commission propose to do to
meet its targets ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Assessment of the radiological protection

programme

In 1992 the Commission announced ( XXVI General
Report, paragraph 316 ) that, in association with groups
of independent experts, it had begun assessing various
specific programmes, including the radiological protection
programme . Can the Commission report on the results of
this assessment ?

( 16 May 1995 ) Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission was not aware of the report mentioned by ( 16 May 1995 )
the Honourable Member . However, in its recent ' Working
paper on the EU climate change strategy : a set of options '
presented at the latest Environmental Council on 9 March The evaluation of the radiation

19 95, the Commission states that, according to the available

The evaluation of the radiation protection research action
by independent experts has been carried out for the two

No C 196 / 52 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

programme periods 1990 / 91 and 1992 / 93 ( Report EUR
15878 EN ).

The report concludes that the radiation protection research
action presents an effective and successful programme that
should be continued . Beside a series of research areas,
emphasis is put on better public information and the
education of professional groups whose activities have
the most significant effect on public perception and
understanding of radiation and possible risks ( e.g. medical
practitioners ).

The evaluation report is available upon request to the

. Directorate General ' Science, Research and Development '

( DG XII-A-4 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-8 70 / 95

by Monica Baldi ( FE )

to the Commission

( 29 March 1 995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 119 )

Subject : Development and cooperation projects in
Mauritania financed by the European Union

The priorities of Community development policy according
to the Maastricht Treaty are : the strengthening and
development of democracy, economic and social
development, integration into the world economy and the
fight against poverty .

The European Parliament plays an important role in
development policy, both in terms of creating easier access
to the Community market for the ACP States, and in terms
of financial and technical aid . The general aim of
development is to strengthen democracy and the rule of law,
as well as respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms .

In view of the above can the Commission say :

1 . on the basis of which criteria and priorities it considered
that it was appropriate to show certain development and
cooperation projects financed by the European Union,
as opposed to others, to the members of Parliament 's
Committee on Development and Cooperation, on their
visit to Mauritania from 3 to 7 February 1995 ?

2 . on the basis of which criteria the programme was drawn
up in order to enable the visitors to understand the
country 's political situation, democratization process
and degree of respect for human rights ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 May 1995 )

1 . The projects which the Commission Delegation in
Mauritania decided to show to the members of Parliament 's

Committee on Development and Cooperation were chosen
on the basis of the following criteria :

— the projects in question were all approved for funding

under the Vllth EDF or are currently being
appraised ;

— the projects visited in Mauritania were operations in

focal sectors for Community aid or financed from
structural adjustment counterpart funds .

These projects accordingly represent a sizeable proportion
of the national indicative programme and combine
the ' structural adjustment ' approach with conventional
projects in focal sectors . This synergistic feature is evident
also in the environmental and grassroots participation
aspects of the projects ( e.g. decentralized cooperation for
Lac d'Aleg and community water management in
connection with drinking water distribution under the
regional solar energy programme ).

In short, the projects chosen are a representative sample of
operations financed under the IVth Lome Convention in
termas of both policy and methodology .

2 . The programme was drawn up principally with a view
to enabling the members of the European Parliament to
meet the broadest possible range of Mauritanian
policymakers and project authorities . The members of the
Committee on Development and Cooperation therefore
took advantage of the arrangements made for the visit by the
co-chairman of the ACP-EU Joint Assembly, and were
present at almost all of his meetings .

In addition to their meetings with the Mauritanian
authorities and representatives of the ministries principally
responsible for the projects in question, the members of the
European Parliament met the leaders of the two main
opposition political parties ( UFD-EN and UDP ) as well as
members of the Mauritanian Parliament and elected

representatives for the areas visited during the mission .

Given the short duration of their visit and the fact that it

could only be arranged at extremely short notice, the
Commission Delegation did its best to ensure that the
members of the Committee on Development and
Cooperation were able to meet a fully representative sample
of people from Mauritanian public life .

31 . 7 . 95 \_ EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 53

WRITTEN QUESTION P-873 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 16 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 120 )

Subject : Cultivation contracts contrary to the principle of

competition

Articles 5 and 6 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2075 / 92 {})
provide that the granting of a premium shall be conditional
upon the conclusion of a cultivation contract between the
grower and the first processor ; this contract must be drawn
up before cultivation and commits the grower to selling his
produce to specific undertakings . The substance of these
provisions is incorporated in the proposal for an amending
Regulation ( 2 ).

Will the Commission say :

1 . Why the European Union persists in implementing a

regime which is totally at odds with the rules of
competition set out in the Treaty, and notably
Article 85 ( 1 ) thereof ?

2 . Whether it is cognisant of the fact that the cultivation
contract does not contribute towards ' improving the
production or distribution of goods or to promoting
technical or economic progress ', since the absence of
competition between purchasers of the product means
that the grower has less interest in enhancing the quality
of tobacco, and this arrangement cannot therefore be
deemed to be subject to the derogations provided for
under Article 85 ( 3 ) of the Treaty ?

3 . How can it justify the fact that the grower is committed
to one single buyer, even before the cultivation of the
product begins ?

4 . Whether it would consider implementing compulsory

contracts in respect of non-agricultural products under
which the producer would forfeit the right to choose
between a number of different buyers ?

5 . Whether it intends to have recourse to other feasible

methods which to ensure that production meets quota
targets and provide that Community controls, but do
not involve the grower, being bound by a cultivation
contract ?

6 . Whether it agrees that the amended Regulation and the

possibility provided for therein of paying premiums
directly to the grower constitute a further reason why
the cultivation contracts in question are superfluous ?

7 . Whether it is aware that cultivation contracts also

distort competition between undertakings at the
expense of SMUs — which the EU is supposed to be

supporting — owing to the networks that have been
created owing to the present system, linking a small
number of major undertakings ?

8 . Whether it is aware that the tobacco growers
associations and cooperatives have unanimously
condemned the present cultivation contract system ?

(') OJ No L 215, 30 . 7 . 1992, p . 70 .

( 2 ) COM(94 ) 555 final — OJ No C 46, 23 . 2 . 1995, p . 6 .

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1995 )

The Commission considers that the cultivation contracts

between tobacco growers and first processors are
instruments which guarantee a stable outlet for the growers '
production and that this objective remains closely linked
with the direct payment of premiums by the Member State
to producers .

In addition cultivation contracts ensure that all the tobacco

produced which will later qualify for a premium after
delivery to first processors is of sound merchantable
quality .

The Commission would like to point out to the Honourable
Member that, even with cultivation contracts, growers will
continue to do business with several purchasers and, since
they can sign contracts with any purchaser, it is not at all the
case that cultivation contracts are incompatible with
Article 85 of the EC Treaty .

Finally, the Commission was not aware of resolutions
passed by associations or cooperatives of tobacco producers
criticising the system of cultivation contracts, although it is
ready to join with representatives of the sector in studying
all the existing possibilities of encouraging the transfer of
cultivation contracts if that would provide growers with
better incomes .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-885 / 95

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission

( 29 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 121 )

Subject : Federations and unions belonging to Cisal

Fials ( Federazione Italiana Autonoma Lavoratori della
Sanita = Italian autonomous federation of health workers )
applied to the Italian Foreign Minister of Labour and Social
Security asking for information on the membership of
federations and unions belonging to Cisal ( Confederazione

No C 196 / 54 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Italiana Sindacati Autonomi Lavoratori = Italian

confederation of autonomous labour unions ), which is
in turn a member of CESI ( European Confederation
of Independent Trade Unions ). The information was
forwarded by this organization with a view to appointing a
representative at the Italian CNEL ( national labour council )
and the equivalent organization at EU level .

Cisal, which boasts 1 800 000 members, allegedly set up an
association of immigrants and thus benefited from funding
from Italy and abroad on various counts, which it then used
for purposes other than those orginally declared .

In order to check the accuracy of the figure of 1 800 000
members which Cisal declared to Italian public and private
bodies to obtain recognition as a major representative
confederation, and thus find out the real representativeness
of CESI at European level, can the Commission, without
prejudice to any other judicial proceedings which may be
initiated, arrange for a thorough inquiry to be carried out to
ascertain how many members CESI has declared to obtain
membership of the European CNEL and to obtain possible
European contributions for training activities, and can it
find out whether at the present time any Community funds
have been paid to CESI or directly to Cisal under the
Structural Funds ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 May 1995 )

The Commission approves Community Support
Frameworks ( CSFs ), which then form the backbone of the
Operational Programmes ( OPs ). The latter contain a set of
priorities and measures relating to the vocational training
policy set out in the CSFs . It is up to the Member State to
choose the organizations which are authorized to present
vocational training projects . This selection process should
be based on objective criteria drawn up by the national,
regional and local authorities . The Commission is not
competent to express an opinion on the choice of the
organizations invited to present such projects . However, by
carrying out on-the-spot audits, the Commission does
ensure that objective selection criteria are drawn up by the
national authorities and that organizations whose projects
are not selected are informed of the reasons why . Thus, the
Commission has no power to check whether the Italian
Ministry of Labour selected the organization in question
according to the size of its membership .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-891 / 95

by María Izquierdo Rojo ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 29 March 1995 )

(9 SIC 196 / 122 )

Subject : ' Mediterranean Workshop ' project

Can the Commission supply full and detailed
documentation and information about the ' Mediterranean

Workshop ' project ( ECU 408 000 ) which seeks to
strengthen the civil society and democracy through the work
of NGOs in the Arab world ( phase II )?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 1995 )

This project is an extension of El Taller 's Arab World
Programme Phase I, which was supported in its first
year by the Community under contract reference
ARAB / PRO / 24 / 93 . Phase I officially finished at the end of
August 1994 and its evaluation by a German institute ( DIE )
led to highly positive conclusions .

The Arab region is at a crossroads in its socio-economic and
political evolution and the coming years will have a
significant impact on the emergence of democratic
institutions and on the strengthening of civil society .

The Arab World Programme was a timely initiative in 1993
in the context of the unfolding events in the Arab world .
Given the importance of civil society in widening the
democratic space in a region where peace is surfacing and in
defending fundamental rights where conflicts intensify, the
programme represents significant movement in pursuing
these objectives . The programme aims to support
networking, communications and research, skills training
and professionalization of non-governmental organizations

( NGOs ) in the region .

Further to the experience gained during the first phase, El
Taller will focus more, in the second phase, on certain
sectors of the civil society, such as youth and women, and
will continue to provide opportunities for networking and
capacity building of NGOs .

Missions, training seminars and workshops, exchanges and
international networking, research, communications and
leadership training are the principal components of this
phase .

The programme will be carried out in Algeria, Tunisia,
Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, Mauritania, West Bank and
Gaza during one year .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 55

It is led by El Taller, a worldwide network of non ­
governmental development organizations, having an official
headquarters agreement with the Government of Tunisia .

Full details of the programme are sent directly to the
Honourable Member and to Parliament 's Secretariat .

in mind social developments, of a text dating from 1968 that
prompted it to incorporate a Parliament amendment into its
modified proposal for a regulation amending Regulation
( EEC ) No 1612 / 68 ( 3 ), the aim being to widen the group of
persons entitled to family reunification . So far, however, this
amendment has received little support in the discussions
that have taken place within the Council .

Nonetheless, the Commission intends to have this question
re-examined by the high-level panel set up to put forward
proposals aimed at eliminating remaining obstacles to the
free movement of people within the Community ( 4 ).
WRITTEN QUESTION E-897 / 95

by Freddy Blak ( PSE ) (') OJ No L 257, 19 . 10 . 1968 .

( 2 ) Judgment in Case Netherlands v . Reed, ECR, 1986, p . 1283 .

to the Commission
( ? ) OJ No C 119, 15 . 5 . 1990 .

( 29 March 1995 ) ( 4 ) COM(94 ) 333 of 27 . 7 . 1994 . White Paper on European social

( 95 / C 196 / 123 ) policy, Chapter IV, point 4 and the medium-term social action
programme ( 1995—1997 ) ( point 3.3.1 ).

Subject : Registered partnership

Two countries of the EU — Sweden and Denmark — have

rules on ' registered partnerships '.

Does the Commission believe that it is compatible with the
principles of the free movement of labour that a Danish
couple living in a ' registered partnership ' can move to

Sweden without losing their rights, but lose their rights if
they move to Belgium ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 May 1995 )

The Commission is aware of the difficulties that unmarried

partners may face in exercising their right to free movement
as a result of differences between the laws in the Member

States .

However, the Commission has to point out that, according
to the decisions of the Court of J ustice, where there is no sign
of any general social developments which would justify a
broad interpretation and in the absence of any indication to
the contrary in Regulation ( EEC ) No 1612 / 68 on freedom of
movement for workers within the Community (*), the word
' spouse ' as used in Article 10 of the Regulation refers only to
a relationship based on marriage and not to an unmarried
partner in a stable relationship with the worker ( 2 ).

Accordingly, it is only by applying the principle of
non-discrimination, in cases where a Member State accords
the right to family reunification with a partner to its own
nationals, that the same right is extended to workers from
other Member States ( 2 ).

It was the Commission 's awareness of these difficulties and
of the inappropriateness in certain Member States, bearing

WRITTEN QUESTION E-898 / 95

by Richard Howitt ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 29 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 124 )

Subject : Rights of disabled people

With regard to the European Council recommendation

86 / 379 / EEC (*) on the employment of disabled people, will
the Commission list the number of disabled people
employed within the Commission at grades A, B, C and
D ?

What steps is the Commission taking to develop equal
opportunities practices in the employment of disabled
people within the Commission and what consultations has it
had with disabled people and their organizations regarding
the Commission 's proposed Code of Practice on the
Employment of Disabled People ?

(') OJ No L 225, 12 . 8 . 1986, p . 43 .

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 April 1995 )

Disabled people working in the Commission are not the
subject of any specific statistical analysis, so it is
unfortunately not possible to provide the Honourable
Member with the information he requests .

The Commission does all that it can to facilitate the

participation of the disabled in its competitions . There is a
derogation from normal age limits for candidates with an

No C 196 / 56 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

officially recognized physical disability and all application
forms request disabled candidates to give details of any
special arrangements that they believe to be necessary to
enable them to participate in the tests . The aim is at all times
to ensure that the disabled can compete on equal terms with
other candidates . Disabled officials are offered a working
environment and equipment appropriate to their particular
disability . They have the same opportunities and
encouragement as other officials fully to develop their
potential and their career within the institution .

An inter-service working group has been established within
the Commission with the object of producing a code of
practice for the employment of people with disabilities . It is
expected that appropriate contracts will be made by the
group with organizations representative of the disabled .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-899 / 95

by Anna Terrón i Cusí ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 29 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 125 )

Subject : Equal treatment in Commission competitions

With regard to the dates of the written part of external
competitions, has the Commission made any provision to
reserve places or to make flexible arrangements with regard
to dates for women who have just given birth or are about to
do so on the set examination dates ?

Does the Commission not believe that such provision would
constitute a proper response to the Council Directive
on equal treatment ( 76 / 207 / EEC ) ( L ), the Council
recommendation on promoting positive action in favour of
women ( 84 / 635 / EEC ) ( 2 ) and the Council resolution on the
protection of the dignity of women and men at work ( 3 )?

however, make every effort to facilitate the participation of
these candidates . Special provision is made wherever
possible, including the taking of the tests at separate
examination centres .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-905 / 95

by María Sornosa Martínez ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 16 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 126 )

Subject : Recognition of a registered designation of origin

The designation of origin ' Xixona y Alicante ', for nougat
manufactured in the town and province of those names, is
recognized under Spanish national law .

A recent judgment of the Montpellier Court of Appeal
means that France has refused recognition to this brand,
thereby infringing the Franco-Spanish Convention of 1973
on designations of origin of the two countries, a
development which could have serious consequences for the
local nougat industry .

Since this judgment may constitute a breach of Community
law on designations of origin and the freedom to market
goods in the Member States of the European Union, what
steps does the Commission plan to take ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 29 March 1995 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member

to its answer to Written Questions No 107 / 95 (') and
No 364 / 95 .

(') See page 13 of this Official Journal .
(') OJ No L 39, 14 . 2 . 1976, p . 40 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 331, 19 . 12 . 1984, p . 34 .
(•') OJ No C 157, 27 . 6 . 1990, p . 3 .

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-922 / 95

by Eryl McNally ( PSE )

to the Commission
( 25 April 1995 )

( 31 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 127 )
The Commission regularly receives applications to
competitions from pregnant women, and also from nursing
mothers . The nature of the competition procedure — and in Subject : Cruelty to bears
particular the requirement to treat all candidates equally —
makes it impossible for individual candidates to take Has the Commission any evidence to
different tests on different dates . The Commission does, some Member States are cruel to

Subject : Cruelty to bears

Has the Commission any evidence to support the claim that
some Member States are cruel to bears ?

31 . 7 . 95 ' EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 57

If there is such evidence, has the Commission any legislation
already in place to deal with this, and if not, what can be
done about it ?

WRITTEN QUESTION P-953 / 95

by Mair Morgan ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 129 )
Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 1995 )

The brown bear ( ursus arctos ) is referred to in Annex IV to

Council Directive 92 / 43 / EEC ( l ) of 21 May 1992 on the
conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora .

Accordingly, it enjoys total protection throughout the
Community .

As far as the training of brown bears is concerned, this
problem has already been raised in Written Question
No 1784 / 94 ( 2 ), and I would therefore refer the Honourable
Member to the answer given by the Commission on that

occasion .

(') OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992 .

( 2 ) O J No C 24, 30 . 1 . 1995 .

Subject : European Regional Development Fund and
private companies

Does the Commission have any intention of allocating some
money from the European Regional Development Fund to
private companies, if they are committed to job creation ?

Does the Commission do this in any Member State at the
moment ?

When will the Commission come to a decision on this

issue ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

WRITTEN QUESTION E-932 / 95 Answer given by Mrs
on behalf of the Commission

by James Elles ( PPE )

to the Commission ( 20 April 1995 )

( 31 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 128 )

Subject : Nitrate levels in water

There have been considerable problems with the
implementation of legislation governing the safety level for
nitrates in water which stands at a level of 50 mg / 1 .
However, the World Health Organization considers that

100 mg is the level that should not be exceeded .

What is the Commission 's view on this difference in

interpretation ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 1995 )

The World Health Organization 's ' Guidelines for drinking
water quality ' published in 1993, clearly states that ' the
guideline value for nitrate is therefore 50mg / litre '. The value
of 100mg / l is not mentioned and therefore there is no
difference in interpretation on which the Commission could
have a view .

The European Regional Development Fund is able under
Article 1 ( a ) of Regulation ( EEC ) No 4254 / 88, as amended
by Regulation ( EEC ) No 2083 / 93 ('), to contribute to
funding productive investment in businesses which helps
create or safeguard jobs . Most often, this takes the form of
financial support for regional development aid schemes
operated by national governments or by the authorities in
regions eligible for Structural Fund assistance .

Significant amounts of funding have already been allocated
to such aid schemes for the 1 994 — 1 999 period in the case of
Objective 1 ( regions lagging behind in their development )
and Objective 5(b ) ( rural areas ), and for 1994 — 1996 in the
case of Objective 2 ( industrial areas in decline ). These
allocations have been made in the form of single
programming documents or operational programmes under
the Structural Fund rules . Implementation of such
programming documents is the task of the authorities in the
Member States with responsibility for Structural Fund
operations .

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

No C 196 / 58 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION P-978 / 95

by Hedy d'Ancona ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 130 )

Subject : Article K.3(2 ): the Commission 's right of initiative

in respect of the Community asylum policy

1 . Is the Commission aware of the resolution on

' minimum guarantees for asylum procedures ', on which a
political agreement was reached at the meeting of the
Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers on 9 March

1995 ?

2 . Does the Commission share the concern felt by the
UNHCR, Amnesty International and others that this
resolution is inconsistent with obligations arising from
international agreements, including the 1952 Geneva
Treaty, amended by the 1967 New York Protocol ?

3 . Why, despite the first indent of Article K.3(2 ) of the
Treaty on European Union, has the Commission taken no
initiatives aimed at harmonizing the formal asylum
procedure in the European Union on the basis of
Community principles ?

4 . Why has the Commission not informed the European
Parliament and, more specifically, the Committee on Civil
Liberties and Internal Affairs of the developments with
regard to intergovernmental initiatives aimed at
harmonizing the formal asylum procedure ? Is this not in
contravention of Article K.6 of the Treaty on European
Union, which states that ' the Commission shall regularly
inform the European Parliament of discussions in the areas
covered by this Title ', i.e. Title VI, in which the first item
mentioned is the asylum policy, especially as Article K.4
states that ' the Commission shall be fully associated with the
work in the areas referred to in this Title '?

5 . Can the Commission reply as soon as possible since
the above resolution is likely to be adopted as a priority
document at a Council meeting during the week
commencing 20 March ?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin
on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 1995 )

Article K3 of the Treaty on European Union ( TEU )
attributes a right of initiative in this area both to the
Commission and to any Member State . In the case of this
particular resolution, a first draft was tabled by Greece
during its January — June 1994 Presidency . Rather than

duplicate this initiative by the Presidency, the Commission
participated actively in the discussions which followed it,
proposing a number of amendments . Many, but not all, of
its proposed changes were incorporated in the version on
which the Council reached political agreement on
9 March .

It falls to both the Presidency and the Commission to inform
the Parliament of discussions in the areas covered by Title VI
of the Treaty . In the case of its own initiatives ( for example,
its communication of February 1994 on immigration
and asylum policies (')), the Commission has always
immediately and fully informed the Parliament to which it
has transmitted its texts at the same moment as to the

Council . Concerning the resolution on the minimum
guarantees for asylum procedures, which was not based on a
Commission initiative, Parliament was informed by the
Presidency, in particular by the German Presidency, during
the annual debate on progress made in the context of justice
and home affairs cooperation, in December 1994 .

As far as the contents of the resolution are concerned, the
Commission is aware of the concerns expressed by the UN
high commissioner for refugees . The Commission notes,
however, that in the resolution the Council expressed its
determination to guarantee adequate protection to refugees
in need of such protection in accordance with the Geneva
convention .

(') COM(94 ) 23 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1002 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

(6 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 131 )

Subject : Fine on Greek cement undertakings

A number of cement undertakings have been fined by the
Commission, including three Greek ones ( Commission
Decision of 30 November 1994 — Cases IV / 33.126 and

IV / 33.322 ). The Commission assumes that the
infringements by the Greek undertakings in question ceased
on 26 March 1993, the date on which Intercement S.A.,
which was set up by other European undertakings with the
aim of influencing the intra-Community market was
liquidated . However, the Greek undertakings were not
partners in this undertaking, nor were they involved in it in
any way ; rather, as the Commission decision shows, they
were its principal target .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 59

Will the Commission say on what grounds the date of
liquidation of Intercement S.A. is assumed to be the date on
which infringements by Greek undertakings ceased, even
though the latter were not in any way connected with this

undertaking and it even appears that they were its principal
target ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1995 )

In its Decision 94 / 815 / EC ('), the Commission argued that
all the infringements committed by the undertakings and
associations of undertakings to which the Decision was
addressed constituted a single and continuous agreement .
This single and continuous agreement resulted from
compliance by the undertakings and associations of
undertakings in question with the common rule of
protection of domestic markets that governed and
conditioned all the other arrangements, which had been
agreed in order to back up this rule or assist in its
application .

Among the measures and arrangements agreed under the
rule of respect for domestic markets, the Decision listed
those which were adopted under the Cembureau Task Force
or European Task Force . The setting-up of Interciment S.A.
was one of the measures adopted by the Cembureau Task

Force .

The Commission also affirmed that all the associations of

undertakings and undertakings to which the Decision was
addressed had belonged to the single and continuous
agreement for protecting domestic markets and had
participated in different measures applying this

agreement .

Lastly, the Commission stated that even though it was able
to establish the date on which the infringement constituted
by the single and continuous agreement on protection of
domestic markets had commenced, it was not certain
whether the infringement had ever ceased, and it could not,
therefore, establish the date on which the infringement had
ended .

The Commission used the date on which Interciment S.A.

was wound up as the date for determining the reference
period for the fine and not for fixing the date on which the
infringement ceased, over which there is still uncertainty .

(M OJ No L 343, 30 . 12 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P    - 1003 / 95

by John Cushnahan ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 24 March 1995 )

(9 SIC 196 / 132 )

Subject : Feoga food-processing grants

Will the Commission list the food processing companies
which have been approved for grant aid under the Feoga
regulations since January 1994 in the following Member
States : United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Greece
and Spain ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1995 )

The approval of individual investment projects is a matter

for the Member States . Commission approval relates to
sectoral plans and programmes which are then implemented
by the Member States .

Since most of the new programmes for the period
1994 — 1999 were approved at the end of 1994 and early in
1995, it is unlikely that many projects were approved by
Member States in 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1006 / 95

by David Morris ( PSE )

to the Commission

(6 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 133 )

Subject : Community policy for postal services

In December 1993 the Council of Postal, Telegraph and
Telephone Ministers adopted a resolution which called on
the Commission to establish a Community policy for postal
services before 1 July 1994 .

In particular, the Council requested measures concerning
the definition of universal service, the obligation of
providers of universal services and the definition of
reservable services .

As yet, no proposals have been put forward by the
Commission . When will the Commission be bringing
forward these proposals ?

No C 196 / 60 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 May 1995 )

After the Council resolution of 7 February 1994 (*) an
extensive consultation with all intereted parties was
undertaken . The Commission then began the preparation of
concrete proposals . However, the complexity of the
problem requires a thorough assessment of a large range of
legal, competition and economic aspects which did not
allow the conclusion of the Commission 's work in 1994 .

For this reason the establishment of a regulatory framework
for postal services is to be found in the Commission 's work
programme for 1995 ( 2 ). This regulatory framework will
include proposals for common universal service definition,
quality of services, technical standardization and the
definition of reservable services .

(>) OJ No C 48, 16 . 2 . 1994 .
(-) COM(95 ) 26 final .

and fax numbers . This contains information about the

theme on which the networks is working and the budget .

The following Portuguese cities are involved in MED-URBS
networks :

City Networks

Lisbon Metmed, Sécucites Drogues, Med-Rehab,
Ecocycle

Porto Metmed, Med-water, Aedificare, Gestion
intégrée des eaux

Louie Eaux usées et déchets

Information about MED-URBS is distributed through the
Commission delegation and the national coordinators of the
CCRE ( Conseil des Communes et Regions d'Europe ).
MED-URBS will organise its annual conference with the
participation of all MED-URBS networks in Porto on July 7
and 8 of 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1026 / 95

by Liam Hyland ( RDE )

to the Commission
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1011 / 95

by Jose Apolinário ( PSE )

to the Commission

(6 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 134 ) Subject : Peas

( 24 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 135 )

Subject : 1995 MED-URBS programme

In view of the public initiative to launch the MED-URBS
programme could the Commission say which projects have
been selected for support in 1995 and state which of them
involve localities in Portugal ( specifically the Algarve )? If, as
it has unfortunately become customary, there are no plans
for any projects involving localities in the Algarve region

( Portugal ), could the Commission state what MED-URBS
information initiatives have been undertaken for the benefit

of local authorities in Portugal ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 1995 )

In 1995 MED-URBS co-finances 50 networks . Over 230

municipalities and local authorities are involved . The
Commission is forwarding direct to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat-General of the Parliament, a
directory with all current MED-URBS networks, indicating
the project leaders, partner cities, contact names, telephone

Has the Commission undertaken an examination into the

feasibility of extending the area aid arrangements currently
available for protein / field peas to peas destined for air - and
freeze-drying and, if not, will it now do so ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 April 1995 )

The Commission cannot consider extending the area aid
scheme to cover fresh or vining peas that are to be air of
freeze dried .

Their temporary inclusion during the 1993 / 94 marketing
year caused disruption on the market for frozen and bottled
peas and distortion of competition between traditional
producers .

Furthermore, the Commission has concluded that under a
decoupled support scheme it is not possible to link support
of a product to a specific end use of that product, such as air
or freeze drying .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 61

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1034 / 95 WRITTEN QUESTION E-1041 / 95

by Claude Desama ( PSE )

to the Commission

(7 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 136 )

Subject : European over-sixties ' card

A Commission recommendation of 10 May 1989
concerning a European over-sixties ' card ( 89 / 350 / EEC ) (')
recognizes that senior citizens have special rights and
provides for a European card entitling them to reductions on
admission charges to museums, exhibition, etc .

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and

Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE )

to the Commission

(7 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 137 )

Subject : Permanent training and SMEs

While there is an insistence on the need for workers to have

general access to permanent or continuing training, not all
undertakings are in a position to meet this requirement ; this
is particularly true of SMEs .

However, it would appear that these advantages are not
always granted and, in any cases, differ from one Member How is the Commission following up the steps being taken
State to another . in the various Member States with a view to ensuring the
access of SMEs to permanent training programmes ?

Can the Commission clarify the position ?

(M Of No L 144, 27 . 5 . 1989, p . 59 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 18 May 1995 )

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 23 May 1995 )

This recommendation referred to information for Europe 's
senior citizens on the concessions available to them when
travelling outside their own country . The Honourable
Member is aware that recommendations are not legally
binding, and no Member State has implemented the one in
question .

However, the Commission hopes that an initiative relating
to the objective envisaged in the recommendation, namely
more immediately available information on concessions for
senior citizens, will soon be put into practice . Together with
associations representing Europe 's senior citizens, it is
currently looking at how progress could be made in this
direction .

Finally, discrimination based on nationality is illegal under
the EC Treaty, particularly Articles 48 and 59 on freedom of
movement for workers and freedom to provide services .

The European observatory for small and medium sized
enterprises ( SMEs ) provides analysis of the situation of
SMEs in the Member States, including the area of training .
Objective 4 of the Structural Funds must pay particular
attention to the needs of SMEs in actions intended to

facilitate the adaptation of workers to industrial change and
changes in production systems . Vocational training and
retraining, guidance and counselling will form a significant
part of measures under this Objective . In regions qualifying
under Objectives 1, 2 and 5b, Objective 4 actions can
support employment growth and stability through training
related actions for SME workers .

The Commission will closely follow, through the
monitoring committees, the implementation of these
programmes within the Member States and will see that
SMEs can access these programmes . The Commission will
also verify that adequate information on these programmes
at national and regional levels is made available to SMEs by
Member States as required by the Commission Decision
94 / 342 / EC of 31 May 1994 concerning information
and publicity on the Structural Funds ('). Numerous
Community initiatives involve actions relating to the above
theme . In particular Adapt and the SME Community
initiative contain substantial provisions related to human
resources within SMEs . As with Objective 4, these initiatives

No C 196 / 62 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

will incorporate monitoring committees . Leonardo, the
action programme for the implementation of a Community
vocational training policy, places significant emphasis on
the improvement of training provision within the
Community and the needs of SMEs within this context .

It is also useful to recall that the Council recommendation

of 30 June 1993 on access to continuing vocational
training ( 2 ), put a strong emphasis on training in SMEs .
Member States will report on the measures taken to
implement the guidelines of this recommendation by June

1996 and the Commission will present a synthesis to the
Council and the Parliament .

(') OJ No L 152, 18 . 6 . 1994 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 181, 23 . 7 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1049 / 95

by Sebastiano Musumeci ( NI )

to the Commission

(7 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 138 )

Subject : Flooding and heavy rain in the Province of

Catania

On 13 March 1995 floods and heavy rain struck some parts
of the Province of Catania, killing 15 people, including nine
seamen, and devastating some town centres, causing
enormous damage both to primary infrastructures

( communications channels, water systems, sewers, coastal
conduits, and public and private buildings ) and to crops, the
growth of which has also been harmed by a violent
hailstorm involving hail of more than 50 cm .

The stricken province is suffering from a high percentage of
unemployment and considerable socio-economic and
environmental damage . As a result of the presence of the
active volcano Etna, it is also the area with the greatest risk
of earthquakes in Europe . Despite the swift and concerted
intervention of the civil defence services, local authorities do
not have the resources to fund the work of reconstruction

and prevention .

In these circumstances, can the Commission say whether it
does not consider that financial help should be provided as a
matter of urgency for these hard-hit communities ?

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

very limited, the Commission is obliged to keep it for a very
small number of exceptionally serious and large-scale
emergencies . In any case, the aid is not intended to finance
prevention measures or the reconstruction of public or
private infrastructures .

The Commission does not have a specific financial
instrument for the repair of material damage and the
rebuilding of infrastructures .

The Structural Funds can only be used to attain the
development objectives in eligible areas as set out in the
regulation . Sicily is eligible for assistance as an Objective 1
region ( regions lagging behind ).

On 29 July 1994 the Commission approved a Community
support framework for the regions of the Mezzogiorno to
provide part-financing for structural measures to be
proposed to the Commission in a regional operational

programme .

The programme for Sicily is currently being negotiated by
the regional authorities and the Commission .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1065 / 95

by Carole Tongue ( PSE )

to the Commission

(7 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 139 )

Subject : ' Pépinières européennes pour jeunes artistes '

What decision has been made, or what stage has been
reached, regarding the application by ' pepinieres
europeennes pour jeunes artistes ' of Paris, France, for
funding under Article 6 of the European Social Fund
Regulations ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 May 1995 )

( 11 May 1995 ) The selection process relating to proposals submitted under
the 1 994 exercise has now been completed . This project was
not successful in obtaining co-finance . Given a competitive

The Commission has the utmost sympathy for the families selection process, limited budget and the high level of
of the victims and for all those affected by the bad weather interest shown, it is inevitable that some project proposals
which hit Catania province on 13 March . However, since would not be successful and that some sponsors would be
the appropriations for emergency aid for disaster victims are disappointed .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 63

A new round of invitations to the Member States will be

launched in 1995 and will, in general, be conducted on a
similar basis to that of 1994 . Promoters will be free to

submit their proposals again if they so wish during the
forthcoming round .

However the abovementioned project received Community
support in 1994 within the framework of the Community 's
cultural section, and more specifically action III ( networks )
of its Kaleidoscope scheme . An application has also been
submitted within this scheme in 1995 . The announcement
of the projects supported this year will be made shortly .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1075 / 95

by Sérgio Ribeiro ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

(7 April 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1089 / 95

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler ( V )

to the Commission

( 12 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 141 )

Subject : EC aid to development projects in Argentina

What major projects ( exceeding ECU 500 000 ), either
carried out in the years 1980 — 1994 or still in progress,
particularly in the fields of industrial development,
dam-building and infrastructure, has the Commission
co-financed in Argentina ?

Does the Commission have any plants to finance and
implement such projects in Argentina in 1995 and 1996 ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 95 / C 196 / 140 )
( 23 May 1995 )

Subject : Proceedings pursuant to Article 169 with regard to

accidents at work in Portuguese shipyards

Some time ago, I put a question to the Commission
concerning accidents at work in Portuguese shipyards as a
result of inadequate safety provisions ( Written Question
E-2306 / 94 ) ('), with reference to the transposition into
Portuguese law of Directive 92 / 57 / EEC ( 2 ), which,
moreover, was adopted during the Portuguese Presidency
during the first half of 1992 .

Unfortunately, grim reality demands that I again put a
question on this issue, since these accidents continue to
occur and workmen continue to be killed, as in the very
recent case in the Madeira Autonomous Region .

I would aks the Commission what stage has been reached in
the proceedings pursuant to Article 169 of the TEU which,
as the Commission told me in its reply, had been opened
against Portugal ?

(!) OJ No C 36, 13 .. 2 . 1995, p . 58 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992, p . 6 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 24 May 1995 )

The proceedings pursuant to Article 169 of the EC Treaty
instituted by the Commission against Portugal for failure to
notify the measures taken to transpose Directive 92 / 57 / EEC
into national law are at the stage of the formal letter of

notice .

The Commission has not contributed to the funding of
infrastructure, construction or industrial development
projects . However, it is studying the possibility of financing
projects which would have an indirect impact on the above

sectors .

In this context, the Commission, in conjunction with the
Argentinian, Paraguayan and Bolivian authorities, is
examining ways in which a proper distribution of the water
resources of the River Pilcomayo might be achieved .

The Commission may also participate, jointly with the
Argentinian and Uruguayan authorities, in a project to study
the navigability of the River Uruguay .

In addition, the Commission will be providing technical
assistance for the Hidrovia scheme, a multinational
infrastructure project in which Bolivia and Mercosur are
engaged .

With a view to improving the situation of the industrial
sector in Argentina, the Commission is also examining the
possibility of financing a scheme to bolster organizational
back-up for small and medium-scale Argentinian
businesses .

Lastly, the possibility exists under the EU-Argentina
fisheries agreement to finance improvements in port
facilities, but all depends on approval of the proposals of the
Argentinian authorities in the context of the Joint
Committee .

It is important to point out that, in infrastructure projects,
Commission aid is disbursed on a stage-by-stage basis as
follows : viability and feasibility studies, project design, and
environmental impact analysis .

No C 196 / 64 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1090 / 95

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler ( V )

to the Commission

( 12 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 142 )

— Mercosur : institutional support for integration in three

sectors : customs,. technical standards and agriculture ;

— support for the Amazonian Cooperation Treaty .

There are no projects in the Carajas region . However, the

Commission has been involved in the region through the
ECSC since 1982 . It provided a loan to the Companhia Vale
Subject : EC aid to development projects in Brazil do Rio Doce ( paid back on time ) in ' Little Carajas '. This
paid for extraction installation and a new railway .

What major projects ( exceeding ECU 500 000 ), either
carried out in the years 1980 — 1994 or still in progress,
particularly in the fields of industrial development,
dam-building and infrastructure, has the Commission
co-financed in Brazil ?

Does the Commission have any plans to finance and
implement such projects in Brazil in 1995 and 1996 ?

Do they include any projects in the Carajas region ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 12 May 1995 )

The Commission does not finance infrastructure projects of
the type referred to . It does, however, give indirect support
to industry through the European Community Investment
Partners ( ECIP ) programme for joint ventures and through
NGO financing .

Plans for this year do not include infrastructure projects but

centre on :

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 110 / 95

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and

Ana Miranda de Lage ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 12 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 143 )

Subject : Opportunities for small businesses to benefit from

Community aid

Managers of small businesses are frequently heard to talk of
the difficulties preventing their companies from benefiting
from aid, loans, or programmes funded by the Union .

Does the Commission have any study or survey results
providing an assessment of the situation ?

Will it adopt any measure to enable small businesses to
benefit more easily from programmes or aid funded by the
Union ?

— social issues : Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission
— a programme for underprivileged children in urban

areas, (2 June 1995 )

— training projects,

— regeneration projects ;

— the environment :

— ' tropical forests ' pilot programme,

— specifically targeted projects,

— Eco-Brazil ;

— economic, industrial and energy cooperation :

— support for cooperation between businesses,
particularly SME, in all three areas,

— encouragement by the Commission for industry

networking under the AL-Invest programme ;

As the Honourable Members point out, SMEs often
experience difficulties in gaining access to Community
aid .

In its report on Community actions to assist SMEs and the
craft sector ('), the Commission draws on quantitative and
qualitative data to analyse the way in which SMEs have
participated in Community programmes . The second part
of this report, which is devoted to the coordination of
Community activities in favour of SMEs, deals in particular
with Community financial instruments ( Structural Funds
and EIB loans ) and research and technological development
programmes, professional training programmes and
programmes to promote international cooperation . The
report notes that a certain number of improvements have
been made in facilitating SMEs ' access to the programmes
and to financial assistance . However, where the Structural

31 . 7 . 95 I EN | Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 65

Funds are concerned, and bearing in mind the decentralized
implementation of these programmes, the report underlines
the need to increase further the awareness sof the authorities

responsible for implementing these programmes so as to
facilitate SMEs ' access .

Nonetheless, by adopting a Community initiative
specifically intended for SMEs ( 2 ), the Commission intends
to facilitate the access of SMEs to measures which the
Member States have been invited to present . With funding
of ECU 1 000 million, intended mainly for the regions
eligible for assistance under Objectives 1, 2 and 5b of the
Structural Funds, the Community initiative for SMEs
should contribute significantly to improving SMEs '
know-how and competitiveness .

The Integrated Programme in favour of SMEs and the craft
sector ( 3 ), one of whose main objectives is to increase the
visibility and effectiveness of the measures in favour of
SMEs, aims to contribute to improving the access of SMEs
to Community aid . The Commission advocates the carrying
out of concerted actions with the Member States to
stimulate support measures for the enterprises, including
those which are co-financed by the Community . In order to
do this, it plans, on the one hand, to create consultative
bodies on best practices in supporting SMEs and, on the
other, to launch a communication campaign with SME
intermediaries to stimulate SMEs ' demand for information,
training and advice . These actions should allow SMEs to be
better informed regarding the support possibilities available
to them .

Furthermore in its Round Table of leading representatives
from the banking sector ( 4 ), the Commission also proposed
measures aimed at improving the access possibilities of
SMEs to certain financial instruments such as EIB global
loans .

Finally, in the area of Community research, it is important to
underline the efforts of the Commission as regards
simplifying implemenation of the Fourth Framework
Programme on research and technological development and
keeping SMEs informed in this area . Indeed, an information
package common to ten programmes has been produced on
measures to stimulate technological development for SMEs,
and specific budgets have been allocated to SMEs . Such
measures should facilitate the access of SMEs to these

programmes .

The abovementioned documents are sent directly to the
Honourable Member and to the Secretariat-General of the

Parliament .

(!) COM(94 ) 221 final, 7 . 9 . 1994 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 180, 1 . 7 . 1994 .

( J ) COM(94 ) 207 final, 3 . 6 . 1994 .

( 4 ) COM(94 ) 435 final, 28 . 10 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 127 / 95
by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and

Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 20 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 144 )

Subject : Recycling of glass

Does the Commission have figures for the percentage of
glass recycled in the European Union ?

What are the percentages of glass recycled in the individual
Member States of the Union ?

What measures does the Commission recommend to
increase these percentages, particularly in the countries
which are most behind in this respect ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 May 1995 )

There are no existing official statistics, that can be provided
by Eurostat, on recycling of glass at European level .

When the databases according to the newly adopted
Directive 94 / 62 / EC on packaging and packaging waste (*)
are established, it will be possible to monitor to what extent
glass packaging is recycled in the Member States .

Nevertheless, the European glass federation ( FEVE )
regularly provides data on recycling of glass . In Sepember

1994, FEVE presented the following national recycling rates
for 1993 :

Belgium 55%,
Denmark 64%,
Germany 65 %,
Greece 27%,
Spain 29%,
France 46 %,
Ireland 29%,
Italy 52%,
Netherlands 76%,
Austria 68 %,
Portugal 29%,
Finland 46%,
Sweden 59%,
United Kingdom 29% .

The Directive on packaging and packaging waste aims at,
among other things, promoting recycling of packaging and
packaging waste . Between 25 % and 45 % by weight of

No C 196 / 66 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

the totality of packaging materials contained in packaging
waste has to be recycled, with a minimum of 15 % by weight
for each material . This should be the situation no later than

five years from the data of implementation of the directive .
The intention is to increase these targets every five years .

It is the responsibility of the Member States to set up their
own return and collection systems and their reuse, recovery
and recycling systems . A specific chapter on the
management of packaging and packaging waste should be
included in the waste management plans required by the
directive 75 / 442 / EEC on waste ( 2 ).

At the moment no further action related to glass recycling is
envisaged by the Commission .

of Directive 81 / 851 / EEC (*) as modified by Directive
90 / 676 / EEC ( 2 ). Under this directive veterinary medicinal
products are authorised on the basis of strict criteria for
quality, safety and efficacy . Use of a product which is not
authorised for a given animal species carries a potential risk
and may be less efficacious than a product authorized for
that species . Thus, priority should always be given to a
product authorised for the animal species to be treated .

However, in order to alleviate animal suffering, the
legislation offers flexibility in the perscription of medicinal
products for pets by virtue of a ' cascade system ', which
allows the use of human medicines under certain
circumstances, i.e. when no veterinary medicinal product is
available . In Member States where phenobarbitone is not
authorised for use in animals, as in the United Kingdom, it is
the responsibility of vets to determine the best treatment for
a particular animal, while remaining within the sequence
provided by the cascade .

The recycling of glass has been continuously increasing over

a particular animal, while

the last 15 years . For Member States which are not very provided by the cascade .
advanced yet in this area, there already exists in the other
Member States a certain know how and systems, like the
well known ' bottle bank ', from which they could learn . (!) OJ No L 317, 6 . 11 . 1981 .

0 ) OJ No L 365, 31 . 12 . 1994 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 194, 25 . 7 . 1975 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-l 147 / 95

by Eryl McNally ( PSE )

to the Commission

(7 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 145 )

Subject : Prescription of phenobarbitone to domestic
animals

Please could the Commission confirm that the recent ruling
on certain drugs being used on livestock does not include
prescription by vets to domestic pets ?

Constituents are concerned because their dog has epilepsy
and although phenobarbitone is recognized as the best drug
to control this, phenobarbitone is on the list of drugs not to
be given to livestock .

The Commission is asked for clarification of this ruling ?

( 2 ) OJ No L 373, 31 . 12 . 1990 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 166 / 95

by Phillip Whitehead ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 20 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 146 )

Subject : Light pollution

Does the Commission regard light as a potential
pollutant ?

If so, does it plan to research the negative health effects of
excessive or prolonged exposure to light ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 23 May 1995 )

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission Light is a type of electromagnetic radiation ; however, it can

hardly be regarded as a pollutant . Light is of primordial

( 16 May 1995 ) importance to life, but it may also be a cause of adverse

effects . Such effects vary depending on the frequency and
intensity of the radiation involved, and the circumstances of
The recent measures cited by the Honourable Member are exposure, notably its duration . In the case of the visible part
understood to be the transposition by the United Kingdom of the optical radiation spectrum, bright light can injure the

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 May 1995 )

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 67

eye in the short-term, and, in the longer-term, high levels of
ambient illumination can cause degeneration of the retina .
The retina can also be damaged if a laser beam is focused on
it . In the case of the invisible part of the spectrum, ultraviolet
radiation, whether from the sun, consumer goods ( lamps,
sunbeds, etc .) or from equipment at work ( arc welding ) may
cause a variety of photochemical effects, some similar to
those caused by the visible part, but also others, such as
erythema ( reddening of the skin ), photokeratitis ( snow
blindness ), premature yellowing and cataract of the eye lens,
premature ageing of the skin, and skin cancer, including
malignant melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer .
On the other hand, absorption of sufficient, but not
excessive, amounts of ultraviolet radiation by the skin
results in the production of vital vitamin D3 . Finally,
infra-red radiation may cause skin burns in the short-term
and cataracts in the long-term .

Guidance on preventive measures with respect to the effects
described above has been produced by national as well as
international bodies, such as the International commission
on non-ionizing radiation protection and the World health
organisation, including advice on the use of sunbeds and of
lasers in public places . Moreover, standards exist for the
design, manufacture and use of lasers, and consumer goods
such as lamps .

The Commission, through the Community 's ' Europe
against cancer ' programme has, for more than seven years,
provided support to actions designed to raise awareness of
the risks of exposure to ultraviolet radiation and of
measures to avoid them .

As regards optical radiation at work, the Commission has
presented a proposal for a Directive on the minimum health
and safety requirements against the exposure to risks from
physical agents, including those from optical radiation ( ] ).
Finally, the Commission supports work aimed at reviewing
and evaluating scientific data and knowledge concerning the
effects of, and measures related to, non-ionizing radiation,
including optical radiation, and keeps under consideration
the advisability and appropriateness of Community action
in this area .

(>) OJ No C 230, 19 . 8 . 1994 .

of the active population and another based on the number of
people registered with the National Employment Institute .
In France, on the other hand, only the latter method ( i.e. the
number of people registered with the National Employment
Agency ) is used to calculate the unemployment rate .

In view of the importance of this matter, could
the Commission provide information regarding the
unemployment calculation methods used in each country of
the European Union so that comparisons can be made
between the unemployment levels recorded ?

Answer given by Mr de Silguy

on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 1995 )

It is not only in Spain but also in France and in most of the
other Member States that there are two different measures

of unemployment based on two different requirements :

( a ) a measure based on the unemployed registered in the
employment exchange offices, which aims to allow the
national administrations to monitor the number of
officially registered unemployed and in particular those
entitled to claim unemployment benefits ;

( b ) another measure based on the labour force surveys,

which allows the national authorities to hold data

which are comparable from one Member State to
another and which are therefore independent of the
national rules and legislations .

With a view to maintaining data comparability, the
Commission only uses and publishes for Community
purposes unemployment data based on these labour force

surveys .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1264 / 95

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E - 123 1 / 95 (5 May 1995 )

by Fernando Pérez Royo ( PSE ) ( 95 / C 196 / 148 )
to the Commission

( 28 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 147 ) Subject : Child labour in Pakistan

Subject : Methods for calculating unemployment in the

European Union

Methods for calculating unemployment in the European
Union vary from one country to another . In Spain, for
example, there are two indices : one which involves a survey

According to the US State Department 's annual report 1 994
on human rights in Pakistan, child labour is common and
unofficial estimates indicate that workers under 1 8 years of
age make up one third of the total labour force, that on
average 400 children were kidnapped per month in the
Punjab province alone in 1993, and that 20 % of prostitutes
are minors .

No C 196 / 68 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

What steps will the Commission take to ensure that Pakistan Answer given by Mr Marin
eliminates child labour, in the light of the fact that in June on behalf of the Commission

1994 the Government of Pakistan signed a memorandum
with the ILO on cooperation towards elimination of child
labour ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 May 1995 )

The Commission is aware of the substantial use of child

labour in certain industries in Pakistan .

The Commission supports the efforts of the International
labour organization ( ILO ) to ensure compliance with
international conventions of the use of child labour .

In its approach to its own development cooperation
programme with Pakistan, the Commission places emphasis
on education projects, particularly those which focus on
primary education for girls living in rural areas . The
Commission believes that such a policy can have a long-term
practical and beneficial impact on levels of child labour in
the country .

In the 1995 generalized scheme of preferences ( GSP ) the
Commission set out special positive inducements and
enhancements to help businesses to meet the extra cost of
progressive social practices .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1274 / 95

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission

(5 May 1995 )

( 22 May 1995 )

The Commission will finance in El Salvador this year a
project concerning the professionalism of the specialized
bodies of the national civil police and a project to improve
the administration of justice . A cooperation effort is being
made in these areas following the realization that problems
still exist and the recommendations from the Member

States ' ambassadors and the United Nations Observer

Mission in El Salvador ( Onusal ).

The Commission Delegation in Costa Rica, which has
responsibility for Central America as a whole, is at present
holding discussions with Onusal representatives and the
national authorities in order to finalize these projects .

The Commission hopes to approve them by October .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1279 / 95

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission

(5 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 150 )

Subject : Ogoniland and the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa

Is the Commission aware that Ken Saro-Wiwa has been
victimized by the Nigerian authorities as a result of the
campaign he has led to protest against the abuse of the
Ogoni people ?

What steps will the Commission take to put pressure on the
Nigerian authorities to ensure justice for Ken Saro-Wiwa
and the Ogoni people ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 95 / C 196 / 149 ( 22 May 1995 )

Subject : El Salvador and the 12th Report by the UN

Observer Mission in El Salvador

In its 115th conclusion the UN Observer Mission
recommends that the national civil police should
be accompanied by increased professionalism and
specialization . Will the Commission continue to support the
training of the National Civil Police in 1995 ?

The UN Observer mission also concludes that the changes in
the National Civil Police must also be accompanied by steps
in the judiciary, the office of the Chief State Counsel and the
office of the Attorney General . Will the Commission also
give support to the improvement of the legal institutions of
these countries ?

The Commission is aware of the trial of Ken Saro-Wiwa,
president of the Movement for the survival of the Ogoni
people ( Mosop ), and other leaders of the same organisation .
The Commission is concerned about the current situation of

detention of the accused Ogoni leaders, especially as regards
their health conditions, and the status of the special
tribunal .

The Community agreed on a démarche to enquire about the
charges immediately after the arrests . The case has been
mentioned in each Troika démarche during 1994 and also
on 3 February 1995 .

Furthermore, a Commission representative was present at
the trials held in Port Harcourt . The Commission has also

been in contact with a member of the Mosop executive
during his visit to Brussels on 2 February 1995 .

31 . 7 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 196 / 69

Finally, the Commission agreed in February 1995 an Answer given by Mr Flynn
emergency aid programme ( ECU 400 000 ) for the displaced on behalf of the Commission
Ogoni families, to be carried out by a non-governmental ( 30 May 1995 )
organization and the Commission .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1282 / 95

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission

(5 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 151 )

Subject : Aid to southern Africa

Paragraph 6.32 of the Medium term social action
programme (*) mentions the Commission 's plan to prepare
a code of good practice on the employment of disabled
people within the Commission and other European
institutions during the second half of 1995, and to initiate
discussions, in the framework of the social dialogue, during

1996 with a view to encouraging good practices among
employers throughout the Community . In view of the
relevance of disability awareness training for personnel
managers and other staff in the introduction and
maintenance of good practice, this will be considered within
the context of both these initiatives .

Given the need to ensure and maintain peace and democracy I 1 ) COM(95 ) 134 final .
in southern Africa, will the Commission guarantee that aid
levels to this part of the world will be assured ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 May 1995 )

The Commission is fully convinced of the need to maintain
peace and democracy in Southern Africa . It recalls the
commitment made at the EU / Southern Africa Ministerial

Conference in Berlin on 5 and 6 September 1994 to reinforce
the relationship with the Southern African development
community to support democracy and respect for human
rights and to work together to eliminate poverty . The
Commission is not in a position to guarantee aid levels, but
will strive, within the limits of the financial resources made
available to it, to continue the very substantial support it has
already given to the region as a whole as well as the
individual countries . The Commission will continue to

mobilise resources to support the democratic transition in
South Africa and to reinforce peace and promote
reconstruction notably in Mozambique and Angola .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1286 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1394 / 95

by Allan Macartney ( ARE )

to the Commission

( 12 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 153 )

Subject : Foreign language education

What provision is currently available in each Member State
for the teaching of foreign languages to children under 12
years of age ?

Given the importance of linguistic ability for European
integration, does the Commission have any plans to extend
its education programmes for foreign language learning to
children under 12 years ' of age ?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

(2 June 1995 )
to the Commission

(5 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 152 ) Information on foreign language teaching for children
under 12 in the various Member States is given in the
publication ' Key data on education in the European Union ',

rights and the social action one section of which deals with the foreign language skills of

European citizens, as well as in the Eurydice publication
' The teaching of modern foreign languages in primary and

encourage disability awareness secondary education in the European Community '. Copies
in its proposals for a second of these publications are being sent to the Honourable

Member and to the Parliament 's General Secretariat .

Subject : Disability rights and the social action

programme

Will the Commission encourage disability awareness
training for personnel managers in its proposals for a second
social action programme ?

No C 196 / 70 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 31 . 7 . 95

Teaching foreign languages to children under 12 years of age
was one of the priority measures under the 1990 — 1994
Lingua action programme, which was designed to promote
language teaching and learning . The activities associated
with this programme have continued and been extended
under the Socrates programme . As a result, modern
language teachers in primary schools have received
continuing training and teaching materials have been
developed for younger children .

The Commission will continue to attach great importance to
language learning among the under-twelves .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1500 / 95

by Sérgio Ribeiro ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 22 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 196 / 154 )

Subject : Construction of the Pousada ( Inn ) in Ourem

( Portugal ), a project to be carried out ( under way ?)
with Community Funding

For many years, now, the historic borough of Ourem, in the
centre of Portugal, has been subject to slow depopulation
and loss of urban and administrative significance due to
indifference and lack of concern on the part of the
authorities, both local and central .

Many years ago now, it was proposed to build a Pousada

( Inn ) as a way of countering this virtual abandonment, and
when it was announced it was to be built with Community

financial support, the news led to hopes that a priceless part
of Portugal 's historical and cultural heritage would not be
lost, but would be properly exploited .

The beginning of construction work and the large boards
bearing the 12 stars, the references to Community funds, the
total cost of the project and the 12-month construction
deadline gave the parish priest, the tiny population and
other friends of Ourem grounds for hope, and were,
furthermore, a source of prestige for the European
Community . However, work ground to a halt, the 12
months referred to have become several years, and the
ancient borough has become a vast, impassable and silent
building site . Not a word of explanation nor any public or
private information from any official has been forthcoming .
The once-prestigious billboards have become a subject of
ridicule for the local people and for the — many ! — visitors
whom the historic buildings, even under these conditions,
continue to attract .

I would ask the Commission if it is aware of this situation,
and if it does not think that it is its duty — since no one else is
assuming responsibility — to inform the local people of the
reasons for the suspending or abandoning of the
construction work for which it was jointly responsible and
for the scandalous failure to meet the deadline ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 June 1995 )

The Commission has asked the Member State concerned for
information regarding the facts referred to by the
Honourable Member . It will inform him of its findings .