Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

# Official Journal

## of the European Communities

### English edition Information and Notices

ISSN 0378-6986

## C107

Volume 34

22 April 1991

Notice No

91/C107/01

91/C107/02

91/^107/03

91/C107/04

91/C107/05

91/C107/06

91/C107/07

91/C107/08

91/C107/09

91/C107/10

Contents Page

I _Information_

European Parliament

_Written Questions with answer_

No 837/89 by Mr Francois de Donnea to the Commission
Subject: Award of Erasmus grants 1

No 207/90 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject: Smokeless tobacco 1

No 303/90 by Mr Stephen Hughes to the Commission
Subject: Ownership of interest accrued from Community Funds 2

No 469/90 by Mr Mauro Chiabrando to the Commission
Subject: High-speed trains 3

No 542/90 by Mr Eugenio Melandri to the Foreign Ministers of the Member States
of the European Community meeting in European Political Cooperation
Subject: War in the Horn of Africa 3

No 597/90 by Mr Pol Marck to the Commission
Subject: Compilation of regulation on dairy quotas 4

No 763/90 by Mr Mark Killilea to the Commission
Subject: EC budgetary allocation to Ireland under fisheries sector 4

No 784/90 by Mr Jose Barros Moura to the Commission
Subject: Expenditure eligible for European Social Fund assistance 5

No 873/90 by Mrs Barbara Diihrkop Diihrkop to the Commission
Subject: 'Classes 92' 5

No 895/90 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject: Amount of European Social Fund assistance for the island of Leros 6

2 (Continued overleaf)

Notice N o Contents (continued)

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N o 913/90 by M r Enrico Falqui, Mrs Maria Aglietta, M r Gianfranco Amendola, M r
Virginio Bettini and M r Alexander Langer to the Commission

Subject: Request for a ban on the use in the Community of alachlor, atrazine, metolachlor and
trifluralin weed killers 6

N o 975/90 by Mrs Ursula Schleicher to the Commission

Subject: Community farm price proposals for wine and the restrictive planting policy 7

N o 977/90 by M r Joaquin Siso Cruellas to the Commission

Subject: Integrated Development Operation in the Province of Teruel and its possible
conversion into an Integrated Operations Programme 8

N o 1065/90 by M r Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission

Subject: Compensation for storm damage for the owners of fishing vessels 8

N o 1090/90 by Mrs Lissy Groner to the Commission

Subject: Education policy — Community programmes 9

N o 1161/90 by M r Jose Happart to the Commission

Subject: Use of avoparcin in animal feed 9

N o 1207/90 by Mrs Maartje van Putten to the Commission

Subject: 1990 budget, particularly headings 9531 and 9532 10

N o 1267/90 by M r Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Foreign Ministers of the Member
States of the European Community meeting in European Political Cooperation

Subject: Community initiatives concerning the implications of agreements on conventional arms
reductions for arms sales to the Third World 11

N o 1283/90 by Mrs Winifred Ewing to the Commission

Subject: Excessive hours at sea 11

N o 1293/90 by M r Jose Happart to the Commission

Subject: Atrazine levels in weedkiller 12

N o 1329/90 by M r Klaus Wettig to the Commission

Subject: Future German inspection stamp for wine bottled in Germany 12

N o 1611/90 by M r H u g h McMahon, M r Carlos Bru Puron, M r Jose Barros Moura,

M r Vassilis Ephremidis, M r Leon Schwartzenberg, M r Antonio Coimbra Martins

and M r Carlas Carvalhos to the Commission

Subject: Shipbuilding 13

N o 1624/90 by M r Adrien Zeller to the Commission

Subject: Distribution of tobacco products at the weekly meetings of the Commission 14

N o 1717/90 by M r Dimitrios Nianias to the Commission

Subject: Effects of financing the restructuring and development of the Eastern European
economies 14

N o 1750/90 by Mrs Hiltrud Breyer to the Commission

Subject: Community anti-discrimination legislation 15

N o 1790/90 by M r Madron Seligman to the Commission

Subject: Protection of women who took the drug DES/Stilboestrol 16

N o 1842/90 by M r Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission

Subject: Esprit-programme 16

N o 1914/90 by M r Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Foreign Ministers of the
Member States of the European Community meeting in European Political
Cooperation

Subject: Human rights in South Africa 17

(Continued on page 36)

Notice No

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91/C107/30

91/C107/31

91/C107/32

91/C107/33

91/C107/34

91/C107/35

91/C107/36

91/C107/37

91/C107/38

91/C107/39

91/C107/40

91/C107/41

91/C107/42

91/C107/43

Contents (continued) P a g e

No 1965/90 by Mr Eugenio Melandri and Mrs Marie-Christine Aulas to the

Commission

Subject: Appointment of a European to the post of Director of the CID 17

No 2086/90 by Mrs Pauline Green to the Commission

Subject: Employer and public liability insurance 18

No 2097/90 by Mr Honor Funk to the Commission

Subject: Aid to stricken areas 18

No 2137/90 by Mr Gijs De Vries to the Commission

Subject: Cooperation between customs authorities in combating crimes against the
Environment 19

No 2218/90 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Foreign Ministers of the
Member States of the European Community meeting in European Political
Cooperation

Subject: The imprisonment of a student in Central Java 20

No 2220/90 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Foreign Ministers of the
Member States of the European Community meeting in European Political
Cooperation

Subject: Imprisonment in Turkey of Ilker Demir 20

No 2222/90 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Foreign Ministers of the
Member States of the European Community meeting in European Political
Cooperation

Subject: Prisoners of conscience in Bhutan 20

Joint answertoWritten Questions Nos 2218/90, 2220/90, 2222/90 20

No 2219/90 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Foreign Ministers of the

Member States of the European Community meeting in European Political
Cooperation
Subject: The condition of Hiram Abi Cobas, imprisoned in Cuban goal 20

No 2275/90 by Mr Dimitrios Dessylas to the Council

Subject: Acceptance of the proposal by Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Cuban-EEC relations . . . 21

No 2307/90 by Mr Giulio Gallenzi, Mr Francesco Guidolin, Mrs Maria

Cassanmagnago Cerretti, Mr Lorenzo De Vitto, Mrs Rosaria Bindi, Mr Gerardo

Gaibisso and Mr Karl von Wogau to the Commission

Subject: Meat imports 21

No 2315/90 by Mr Pierros, Mr Cooney, Mr Pinxten, Mrs Banotti, Mr

Hadjigeorgiou, Mr Zawos, Mr McCartin and Mr Papayannakis to the Commission

Subject: Defining the European Community's borders 22

No 2333/90 by Mr Francois-Xavier de Donnea to the Commission

Subject: The future of civil aviation 23

No 2337/90 by Mr Dieter Rogalla to the Commission

Subject: Community administration of the Customs Union 24

No 2345/90 by Mr Antonio Gutierrez Diaz to the Foreign Ministers meeting in
European Political Cooperation

Subject: The murder in El Salvador of Dr Begona Garcia Arandigoyen 25

No 2457/90 by Mr Maxime Verhagen to the Commission

Subject: Extending the EC programme for the eastern part of South Limburg and the western
mining area up to 1993 25

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91/C107/44

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91/C107/46

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91/C107/48

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N o 2499/90 by M r John McCartin to the Commission

Subject: Working practices of Members of the Commission 25

N o 2571/90 by M r Paul Staes to the Commission

Subject: The Caracas project 26

N o 2592/90 by M r Jose Barros Moura to the Commission

Subject: Expenditure eligible for ESF assistance 26

N o 2600/90 by the following Members: M r Enrique Sapena Granell, Mrs Maria
Izquierdo Rojo, Mrs Ludivina Garcia Arias, M r Juan de la Camara Martinez, M r
Mateo Sierra Bardaji, M r Javier Sanz Fernandez and M r Jose Vazquez Fouz to the

Commission

Subject: Community policy on tourism 27

N o 2627/90 by Mrs Teresa Domingo Segarra and M r Alonso Puerta to the

Commission

Subject: Contamination and environmental deterioration of the Segura river and the
surrounding lowlands (Alicante — Spain) 27

N o 2634/90 by M r Ernest Glinne to the Commission

Subject: European aid to Brazilian military technology 28

N o 2671/90 by M r Rolf Linkohr to the Commission

Subject: SNCF high-speed train route — environmental impact assessment 28

N o 2677/90 by M r Dieter Rogalla to the Commission

Subject: Acronyms for various Community programmes 29

N o 2690/90 by M r Herman Verbeek to the Commission

Subject: Admission of PCP to the EC 29

N o 2698/90 by M r Ernest Glinne to the Commission

Subject: Situation in Central East Africa and implementation of Article 5 (3) of the Fourth Lome
Convention 30

N o 2705/90 by M r Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission

Subject: East-West arms trade 30

N o 2800/90 by M r Ernest Glinne to the Commission

Subject: Situation in El Salvador 31

N o 2810/90 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission

Subject: Dolphins 31

N o 2840/90 by Lord O ' H a g a n to the Commission

Subject: Freedom of movement between the Member States 32

N o 2848/90 by Mrs Christine O d d y to the Commission

Subject: Birmingham airport 32

N o 2895/90 by M r Dieter Rogalla to the Commission

Subject: Development of the textile sector 33

N o 2937/90 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission

Subject: Statement by Mr De Michelis, Minister of Foreign Affairs, concerning the European
Parliament 33

N o 2954/90 by M r Maxime Verhagen to the Commission

Subject: Guatemala 34

N o 116/91 by M r Henry McCubbin to the Council

Subject: VAT harmonization 34

N o 333/91 by M r Egon Klepsch, M r Elmar Brok and M r Jean Penders to the Council

Subject: US-EC relations 35

_11._ 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/1

_(Information)_

#### EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION No 837/89

by Mr Francois de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(91/C 107/01)

_Subject:_ Award of Erasmus grants

The September 1989 issue of 'EUR-INFO' (monthly
bulletin of the Commission's information office in

Belgium) states that 4 046 teachers have been awarded
Erasmus grants for the 1989/90 academic year.

1. Can the Commission confirm these figures ?

2. Can it state the number of Belgian teachers who have
received a grant, specifying, if possible, which region
they come from (Flanders — Wallonia — Brussels)?

Answer given by Miss Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(16 March 1990)_

Two separate categories of teacher may participate in the
Erasmus programme:

— teachers lecturing in establishments in other Member
States over a period of at least one month under the
mobility arrangements;

— teachers on study visits, either to study the system of
instruction at another establishment or to prepare a
programme of inter-university cooperation or to teach
for a period not exceeding one month.

As regards study visits, the Commission can confirm the
figure of 4 046 given in EUR-INFO, which relates to the
total number of teachers who have received a grant for a
study visit to one or more establishments in a Member
State.

Belgian participation in such study visits has been as
follows:

On average, two teachers take part in each study visit. The
number of Belgian teachers who have received Erasmus
grants for this purpose is therefore about 240.

As regards teaching staff mobility, the Commission does
not yet have any data on the number of participants or the
regional breakdown, since the academic year is still in
progress and the universities do not submit their reports
until October. It can state, however, that for the current
academic year 142 applications for teacher mobility
programmes were received with Belgian participation.

Of this total, 58 applications were approved.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 207/90

by Mrs Anita Pollack (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 February 1990)_

(91/C 107/02)

_Subject:_ Smokeless tobacco

What is the view of the Commission about the possible
health risk of smokeless tobacco; has any attention been

Applications
approved

21

81

16

118

Wallonia

Flanders

Brussels

Total

Applications
received

48

143

39

230

No C 107/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

given to this type of product in European Year Against
Cancer, and will the Commission consider a ban on
marketing of smokeless tobacco in view of the health risks
which have been outlined by the United Kingdom Health
Education Council?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 March 1990)_

The health authorities of the Member States and the EEC

Commission have been alerted by many scientific
organizations of world-wide repute drawing attention to
the harmful effects of certain new smokeless tobacco

products for oral use which are beginning to be consumed
by young people in some Community countries.

The Member States most concerned, Ireland and United
Kingdom, have banned them already.

The Commission is aware of the danger of these new
products on young people, in fact, large quantities of
carcinogenic substances are present in moist snuff.
Further, these new products constitute a real threat to
young people who develop tobacco dependency due to
the nicotine in the products.

At present, the Commission is considering a proposal of a
Community-wide measure in order to tackle the problem.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 303/90

by Mr Stephen Hughes (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(21 February 1990)_

(91/C 107/03)

_Subject:_ Ownership of interest accrued from Community
Funds

Will the Commission outline its position on the ownership
of interest accrued on ERDF monies? Specifically will the
Commission outline the legal position concerning the
recent ERDF allocation to Shildon in County Durham,
where the United Kingdom Government held a cheque
for £ 4,8 million sterling for some time and now claim
that no interest accrued on the money? Would the
Commission not agree that interest accruing in cases such
as this must either be the property of the Commission or
alternatively of the end recipient (Sedgefield District
Council), but it is not competent for persons handling the
money to appropriate the interest for their own benefit
as appears to be the case with the United Kingdom
Government? If the Commission agrees with the above
will it advise the Parliament what action it proposes to

take to reclaim the £ 200 000 (approximately) which
should have been earned on this money? Further, can the
Commission outline what action, if any, can be taken
against the United Kingdom Government in view of the
fact that they claim not to have made interest on the
money withheld ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

_(26 April 1990)_

Payment of ERDF monies is made following a
Commission Decision awarding aid to a Member State in
respect of an investment, a programme of investments or
other measures eligible according to the Regulations of
the Council regulating the activities of the ERDF. Such
a decision, and the payments resulting therefrom,
are governed by the terms of Regulation (EEC)
No 4253/88 O which states in Article 21.5 that:

— 'Member States shall designate the authorities
empowered to issue the certificates (concerning
expenditure) and shall ensure that the beneficiaries
receive the advances and payments as soon as
possible.'

In the case of the Shildon National Programme of
Community interest the United Kingdom authorities have
designated the Department of Trade and Industry as the
body to whom payments should be made.

It follows from this that where a Member State certifies

that the level of expenditure of an investment or a
programme of investments justifies a payment request to
be met, the Commission has no further claim on monies
which it has thereby paid, other than in cases where the
basis on which the aid has been paid proves to be incorrect
(Article 24 of Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88).

The internal arrangements within Member States for the
possible distribution of monies received lie outside the
competence of the Commission which consequently
cannot intervene in the disposal of any interest income
which might have accrued before payments finally reach
the 'end recipient'. The question of whether, pending
distribution, payments should be placed in interestbearing accounts in a management decision to be taken by
the Member State's authorities.

It should be noted, for the Shildon programme, that
Sedgefield District Council is the coordinating authority
with day-to-day responsibility for the administration of
the programme. It is the 'end recipient' only in respect of
its own investment under the programme.

0) OJ No L 374, 31.12. 1988, p. 1.

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/3

WRITTEN QUESTION No 469/90

by Mr Mauro Chiabrando (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 March 1990)_

(91/C 107/04)

_Subject:_ High-speed trains

Over the last few months, EEC documents and media
reports have referred to the project for a European
high-speed rail network, designed to solve traffic
problems over the forthcoming decades.

These reports, also based on information supplied by the
European Railway Community, all refer to links between
the major cities of northern Europe, such as Cologne,
Paris, Hamburg, London. Copenhagen, Brussels,
Frankfurt and even Madrid, but not with cities and
regions of Italy or southern France.

No reference is made to the 'transversal' route between

Trieste, Milan, Turin and Lyon, which should make a
major contribution to development in the near future.

Will the Commission state whether this route has been

included in the Community programmes and when it is
scheduled to be built?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert
on behalf of the Commission

_(16 May 1990)_

Following the Council resolution of 5 December 1989 the
Commission set up a High-Level Working Party to be
responsible for drawing up a master plan for a system of
high-speed rails links.

The Working Party, comprising government and railway
experts, was to define the shape of a future railway
network and set the priorities for turning the plans into
reality.

Where the 'transversal' route between Trieste, Milan,
Turin and Lyons was concerned, the Italian Government
requested that it be added to.the seven priority projects
included in the proposal for a Regulation for an action
programme in the field of transport infrastructure with a
view to the completion of an integrated transport market
in 1992 ( [s] ). A proposal to this effect is currently before the
Council.

The Commission is therefore unable to give a date for the
completion of the link.

O OJ No C 270, 19. 10. 1988, p. 6; OJ No C 170, 5. 7. 1989,
p. 10.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 542/90

by Mr Eugenio Melandri (V)

to the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the
European Community meeting in European Political

Cooperation

_(16 March 1990)_

(91/C 107/05)

_Subject:_ War in the Horn of Africa

For more than 25 years the Horn of Africa has been the
scene of a bloody war fought by the Ethiopian army
against the people of Eritrea and the Ethiopian
Government often prohibits access to some regions
controlled by the Eritrean liberation movements,
including access for international humanitarian aid
intended for people suffering from shortages and hunger.
In view of these considerations and in the light of the
various motions of condemnation and censure directed

against the Menghistu Government in recent year by the
United Nations, the European Parliament and other
influential international bodies.

1. What steps do the Foreign Ministers intend to take to
compel the Ethiopian Government to recognize the
Eritrean people's right to self-determination?

2. What action do the Ministers intend to take _vis-a-vis_

Menghistu to obtain assurances regarding the ultimate
destination of aid for Eritrea?

3. What action do the Ministers intend to take to ensure

that human rights in Ethiopia are respected and no
longer ignored, as is the case today?

4. Do the Ministers not consider that aid to the

Ethiopian Government should be stopped, at least
temporarily, because of its contempt for human rights
and its complete indifference to the resolutions of the
UN and the European Parliament?

5. Do the Ministers not consider that pressure should be
put on the Italian Government, in view of its historical
and cultural links with the area, to prompt it to raise
the 'Eritrean Question' in the UN, since, by is silence,
it legitimizes the opression of the Eritreans?

No C 107/4 Official Journal of the European Communities ^ ^ ^

Answer

The Community and its member states are doing all they
can to ensure the cooperation of all the parties to the
conflict, ^incethe^iinisterial statement of ^OEebruary
1^0 on the ElornofAfrica^ they ha^e repeatedly stressed
their conviction that just and lasting solutions can only be
achieved by peaceful means and through negotiated
political settlements^basedonthe respect for territorial
integrity^ independence and the principles of the U ^
Charter and the need to take into account distinct

regional identities and aspirations. In this connections
the Community and its member states are gravely
preoccupiedby the plight of the populationaffected by
famine and deprivation and are continuing to provide
e^tensi^e food and other emergency aid where possible.

CBOn^Aprilr^^Omhe Community and its member ^tates^
together with other western donors^ made a strong
appeal to all the parties in Ethiopia to suspend hostilities
immediately^ to facilitate relief operations and to
guarantee the safepassageofhumanitarian relief supplies.

The considerable difficulties arising in the forwarding of
goods and medications are unfortunately well illustrated
by the tragic question of the opening of the port of
^iassawa^ and notably the refusal^ml^^^ring^ to grant
permission to dock t o a s h i p c a r r y i n g a U ^ ^ o r l d food
Programme technical team to sur^ey^iassawaport.The
Community and its member states accordingly urged the
Eritrean Peopled Liberation Erontt^ERLE^to cooperate
in the utilisation of that port for the supply of aid to the
people of northern Ethiopia. t a n l ^ j u n e l ^ O ^ i n i s t e r s
issuedastatement on Ethiopia which was brought to the
attention of both the Aienghistu government and the
ERLE.Asecond statement on this issue was released on

^August 1^0 andtwodemarchesha^ebeenmadeby
thefwel^e^ in july^ to the representative of the ERLE
in ^ashington^ and in ^o^ember to the U ^
Undersecretary Ceneral^ Earah^ urging the Ethiopian
Co^ernment and the ERLE to reach early agreement for
the reopening of the port.

As concerns thehuman rights situation in Ethiopia^the
Community and its member states are of the ^iew that it
cannot be seen in isolation from humanitarian and food

relief efforts. They therefore do not consider that a
suspension of aid to the Ethiopian authorities would
contribute in bringing aboutasatisfactory solutions such
ameasurewould^ to the contrary only harm an already
severely affected population and would thus pro^e
counterproductive.

Thelast^oletoftheElonourable^iembePsquestionhas
not been discussed within ERC.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 597/90

by Mr Pol Marck (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(16 March 1990)_

(91/C 107/06)

_Subject:_ Compilation of regulation on dairy quotas

In discussion the Commission proposal for dairy quotas,
Parliament adopted an amendment calling for regulation
on dairy quotas, which are frequently amended, to be
incorporated into one text in order to provide a greater
degree of information and legal certainty.

When does the Commission think that it will be able to

meet Parliament's request?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

(U?yl%,gwf7990;

Since the milk quota system is scheduled to run only for a
limited period which, under Article 5c of Regulation
(EEC) No 804/68 (\), expires on 31 March 1992, the
Commission does not think that the present juncture is a
good time to consolidate Council Regulation (EEC)
No 857/84 O adopting general rules for the application
of the levy referred to in Article 5c of Regulation (EEC)
No 804/68 in the milk and milk products sector.

Moreover, the first steps has to be the consolidation of
the basic Regulation for the sector (Regulation (EEC)
No 804/68) first of all as in the case of the wine sector,
with Regulation (EEC) No 857/84 being incorporated in
this more general operation.

The work on consolidating the milk and milk products
legislation should be resumed as from June/July of this
year on the basis of the draft prepared by the
Commission's Legal Service in early 1988.

(') OJ No L 148, 28.6.1968, p. 13.
0 OJNoL90, 1.4. 1984, p. 13.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 763/90

by Mr Mark Killilea (ROE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

(29A4*rc6 7990)

(91/C 107/07)

_Subject:_ EC budgetary allocation to Ireland under
fisheries sector

Is the Commission aware that, of the total budgetary
allocation to Ireland there is only approximately 20 % of

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/5

that allocation going to capital and current development,
and the remaining 80 % is spent on administration and sea
protection, and as the Commission can now identify this
fact, could it identify a single budget figure to be allocated
for sea protection, so that the _20%_ for capital and current
development can be increased by at least 100 %?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(14 June 1990)_

The statistics referred to by the Honourable Member are
contained in a report published by the Economic and
Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland entitled 'The
Irish Sea Fishing Industry' Paper No 11, January 1990
(ISBN 0 7070 01129). On page 45 of the report, the
percentages 80/20 are mentioned. As the expenditure
devoted to the fisheries sector is entirely national
expenditure and is the responsibility of the Member State,
the Commission has no comment to offer on the

breakdown.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 784/90

by Mr Jose Barros Moura (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 January 1990)_

(91/C 107/08)

_Subject:_ Expenditure eligible for European Social Fund
assistance

Contrary to all previous practice, the departments of the
ESF have ceased to consider expenditure on premises
designed to be used for vocational training as eligible
(more precisely expenditure for the renting or purchase of
premises). However, this change in the rules was not even
mentioned when the reform of the funds was being
negotiated and carried out.

Because the bodies which promote measures co-financed
by the ESF in Portugal are small and lacking in resources,
the ban on financing such premises seriously jeopardizes
vocational training and its effectiveness.

In view of the above, can the Commission:

1. explain the legal justification and other reasons for
this change in the rules on eligible expenditure?

2. say whether there is any possibility of considering the
particular situation of Portugal in this sector after all?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 June 1990)_

In the discussion that took place within the Council on the
reform of the Structural Funds, the question of the
eligibility of the costs of constructing training centres was
considered.

Arguments were put forward justifying their inclusion
as eligible costs both for the European Regional
Development Fund and the European Social Fund.
However, in order to avoid any risk that the same
expenditure would be supported by both Funds, it was
finally decided that this type of expenditure would only be
eligible for Regional Fund assistance. An example may be
found in the PRODEP programme (Programme for
Educational Development in Portugal) which will be
approved shortly by the Commission.

In these circumstances, the list of eligible costs for Social
Fund support, set out in Article 3.1 of Regulation (EEC)
No 4255/88 ( [x] ), excludes construction costs relating to
training centres. In addition, in order to maintain a
consistant approach, the rental and depreciation costs of
training centres was also deemed to be ineligible.

Therefore, any promoter seeking Community support for
the construction of a training centre should contact
the organisation responsible for the submission of
operational programmes to the Regional Fund, to
ascertain the possibility of the inclusion of these costs in a
suitable programme.

O OJNoL374,31.12. 1988, p. 21.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 873/90

by Mrs Barbara Diihrkop Duhrkop (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(9 April 1990)_

(91/C 107/09)

_Subject:_ 'Classes 92'

The Commission announced some time ago the
publication of a new programme entitled 'Classes 92'.

Does the Commission intend to go ahead with this
initiative?

If so, when can a communication on this matter be
expected?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(18 May 1990)_

The suggestion to which the Honourable Member refers
was made by President Delors to Parliament in January

No C 107/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

1989 (') as part of his presentation of the new
Commission. The Commission has been studying the
matter with interested parties, and is still considering the
opportunity and the concrete possibility of launching such
an initiative.

(') Debates of the European Parliament No 2-373 (January
1989).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 895/90

by Mr Ernest Glinne (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(9 April 1990)_

(91/C 107/10)

_Subject:_ Amount of European Social Fund assistance for
the island of Leros

Further to the answer given by the Commission on 22
December 1989 to my Written Question No 707/89 (»),
can it answer the following questions:

1. What annual assistance has been granted to Greece
since 1984 by the European Social Fund under
Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 ( [2] ) for

(a) the Greek programme of psychiatric reform and,

(b) in particular, the island of Leros?

2. When were these two forms of assistance, general and
specific, suspended (for what reasons?) and resumed
(for what reasons ?) ?

3. The Observer of 4 March 1990 claims that the

subsidies allocated to Leros were used to repaint the
main entrance and provide proper accommodation for
only 80 of the approximately 1 200 'guests' on the
island. What is the Commission's assessment of the

specific use which is being made of Social Fund
assistance:

(a) in Leros and

(b) for the general programme of psychiatric
treatment in Greece?

4. The International Mental Health Care Federation

recently submitted to the United Nations Commission
on Human Rights in Geneva a report which is highly
critical of various Greek authorities and the Greek

Psychiatric Association. What is the Commission's
assessment of this report and what is its response to
the points raised in this report which concern it?

O OJNoC97, 17.4. 1990, p. 15.
O OJNoL88,31.3. 1984,p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(28 May 1990)_

1. The Commission is sending directly to the
Honourable Member and to the Secretariat of Parliament

copies of a table showing the amounts it has granted since
1984 under Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 for the Greek
programme of psychiatric reform, particularly on the
island of Leros.

2. Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 covers the period
from 1 January 1984 to 31 December 1991. Community
assistance for psychiatric reform in Greece has therefore
not been suspended. With respect to 1989 it was decided,
in agreement with Greece and with the management
committee of the Regulation to defer the examination of
new projects in view of the delays arising in implementing
previously approved projects and the lack of information
on the progress of the entire reform programme and any
changes in the timetable. The Greek authorities are
currently carrying out a comprehensive review of their
programme, including the part concerning Leros.

3. The projects for Leros so far submitted by the
Greek authorities concern the establishment of small

rehabilitation units for only some of the inmates of the
hospital, and are supposed to form part of a global
approach aimed at finding a radical solution to the
problem, leading eventually to the closure of the asylum.

The Greek authorities have announced that they are
currently preparing a new project involving several
assistance teams of Greek and foreign specialists. An
assessment of the overall programme of psychiatric
reform, including Leros, is in preparation, and the first
assessment report is expected to be ready by the end of
1990.

4. The report to which the Honourable Member refers
has not been sent to the Commission, which is not
therefore in a position to comment on its contents.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 913/90

by Mr Enrico Falqui, Mrs Maria Aglietta, Mr Gianfranco
Amendola, Mr Virginio Bettini and Mr Alexander Langer

(V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 April 1990)_

(91/C 107/11)

_Subject:_ Request for a ban on the use in the Community
of alachlor, atrazine, metolachlor and trifluralin

weed killers

In view of the findings of the study (CCTN/
Pesticides/5/89) carried out in Italy by the Higher
Institute of Health, which show that alachlor, atrazine,
metolachlor and trifluralin weedkillers are highly
dangerous from the point of view of genotoxicity and in
view of the serious health risks to farmers and consumers

in the Community:

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/7

1. What measures does the Commission intend to take to

protect the health of farmers and consumers?

2. Does the Commission not consider that it would be a

good idea to prohibit the use of the above weedkillers
in the Community?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(6 September 1990)_

According to information available to the Commission,
the Italian Higher Institute of Health, in its evalution of
the four herbicide active substances, concluded that there
was no risk arising from genotoxicity but was concerned
about possible contamination of drinking water sources.

By decree of 24 March 1990, Italy authorised the
continued use of the substances with the exception of
atrazine, in which case use will not be permitted during
1990. This decision will be reconsidered with a view of

reinstating the authorization of the use of atrazine at a
lower rate of application in the light of the results of
ongoing investigations of water quality.

Directive 79/117/EEC (') prohibiting the placing on the
market and use of plant protection products containing
certain active substances provides a Community basis for
the total prohibition of plant protection products whose
use gives rise or a likely to give rise to harmful effects
on human or animal health or to unreasonale adverse

effects on the environment. The Commission has no

evidence concerning the substances mentioned by the
Honourable Members which would justify proposing a
Community-wide prohibition in the framework of this
Directive. It will, however, continue to keep them under
review.

The authorization of plant protection products,
containing active substances not provided for in Directive
79/117/EEC and the fixing of any particular conditions
of marketing and use remain the responsibility of
Member States in the absence of Community legislation
concerning the authorization of such products. The
Commission has made a proposal in that context ( [2] ).
When adopted, it will establish _inter alia_ common rules
for the evaluation and approval by Member States of
plant protection products and a Community positive list
of active substances, whose use in products may be
considered, subject to any necessary conditions laid down
therein, a priori safe for human and animal health and for
the environment.

In addition, with regard to the protection of workers,
including farm workers, Directive 80/1107/EEC ( [3] ) has
established a general strategy for their protection against
the risks related to exposure to chemical, physical and
biological agents, including pesticides, and Directive

90/394/EEC ( [4] ) provides specifically for protection
measures against the risks related to exposure to
carcinogens at work.

(') OJNoL33,8.2. 1979, p. 36.
( [2] ) OJNoC89, 10.4. 1989, p. 22.
O OJNoL327,3.12.1980, p. 8.
( [4] ) OJNoL 196,26.7. 1990.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 975/90

by Mrs Ursula Schleicher (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(25 April 1990)_

(91/C 107/12)

_Subject:_ Community farm price proposals for wine and
the restrictive planting policy

As part of the farm price proposals for last year, the
Commission provided inter alia that transfers of
replanting rights in respect of vine-growing should be
restricted.

Until now, it has been normal practice in certain
Community Member States to transfer replanting rights
from table wine areas to quality wine areas. Moreover, in
1987/88 and 1988/89, the Commission granted
exceptional authorization for new planting in respect of
over 12 000 hectares of quality wine in France, Italy and
Spain and also supported the conversion of table wine
areas into quality wine areas.

No new planting has been allowed for the Federal
Republic of Germany until August 1990, and replanting is
permitted only on land from which vines have been
grubbed.

1. Is not the equilibrium of the quality wine markets
being threatened by practices followed in other
Member States?

2. Would it not be more effective to amend the

Commission proposal to restrict the transfer of
replanting rights such that in future only replanting
rights within each vine-growing region are
transferable?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(6 September 1990)_

Since the Honourable Member transmitted her question,
the Council — acting on a proposal from the Commission
— has extended the prohibition on new plantings for all

No C 107/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

wines to the end of the 1995/96 marketing year and
renewed by only one marketing year the exception for
new plantings of certain quality wines p.s.r. The purpose
of the measure was to give the Commission time to draw
up new proposals to apply in all Member States.

The aim of these new proposals will be to ensure adequate
flexibility to increase the potential production of wines
for which this is justified and prevent a further expansion
of the area under vines by means of a programme,
financed by the Community and running until the end of
1995/96, for the permanent abandonment of areas under
vines used in making both quality wines p.s.r. and table
wines.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 977/90

by Mr Joaquin Siso Cruellas (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(25 April 1990)_

(91/C 107/13)

_Subject:_ Integrated Development Operation in the
Province of Teruel and its possible conversion
into an Integrated Operations Programme

By decision C(78) 2563/1 of 22 December 1987, the
Commission of the European Communities approved a
grant for carrying out a preparatory study in connection
with an Integrated Development Operation in the
Province of Teruel. In the first quarter of 1988 an
agreement was concluded between the Ministry of
Economy, Finance and Trade and the Aragon Parliament
setting out the terms of their cooperation in carrying out
this study. The first part of the study was concerned with
analyzing the economic, social and environmental
situation in the geographical area covered by the IDO,
defining development strategies, the sectors in which
measures would be taken and the corresponding
objectives. The second phase was concerned with drawing
up an integrated programme of measures, which was
concluded in January 1989. On 31 March the
Commission's services forwarded to the Spanish
Government their observations on the intermediate report
concerning the IDO preparatory study in Teruel,
indicating that the information given was sufficient for
approval of the first phase of the study and accordingly
recommending that the supervisory committee grant
approval. The preparatory study has been forwarded
from DG XXII to DG XVI and is now with DG VI. The

proposal for the implementation of this Integrated
Development Programme for the Province of Teruel has
been held up following the recent review of the
Community structural funds. Can the Commission
therefore say what criteria it will follow in respect of the
IDO for the Province of Teruel, with a possible view to
converting it into an Integrated Operations Programme as
soon as possible?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(13 July 1990)_

Following the reform of the structural Funds,
implemented by Council Regulation (EEC)
No 2052/88 ('), the proposal for an integrated
development Operation in the Province of Teruel was
suspended.

Community assistance for the development of Teruel
under Objective 5 (b) of the reform of the structural
Funds will be based on the Community support
framework drawn up in consultation with the regional
and national authorities, which has now been submitted
for the Commission's approval.

This Community support framework provides for
coordinated assistance from this structural Funds through
multi-funded operational programmes in situations where
the various administrations (regional, national and
Community) consider that this approach will lead to more
efficient use of resources.

.The final report on the preparatory study for an
integrated development operation in Teruel was sent to
Directorate General VI (Agriculture) of the Commission
by the Secretary of the Monitoring Committee for the
above-mentioned study on 25 January 1990. The report
contains a good basis of information and analysis which
will be of undoubted help for drawing up the operational
programme or programmes defining the measures for the
Province of Teruel to be submitted by the Member State
to the Commission.

The Commission has so far received no word from

the Spanish regional or national authorities on the
desirability of a multi-funded programme for the
Province of Teruel.

O OJNoL185, 15.7. 1988, p. 9.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1065/90

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(10 May 1990)_

(91/C 107/14)

_Subject:_ Compensation for storm damage for the owners
of fishing vessels

Owners of fishing vessels often, rightly, raise the question
of compensation for storm damage. In January and
February most fishing vessels were forced to remain in
port because of the severe storms, which caused serious
financial losses.

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/9

Can the Commission indicate the position adopted with
regard to a possible daily compensation rate for the
owners of fishing vessels in the event of such storms
which cause them loss of income?

Does the Commission not consider that Community
appropriations should be made available for this purpose?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(20 June 1990)_

In its reply to the motion for an emergency resolution (No
B 3-547/90) on measures to assist fishermen hit by the
storms in January and February, the Commission pointed
out that the structural aspects of the common fisheries
policy, as contained in Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86 (')
include a certain number of measures which could

mitigate the economic disruption in the fisheries sector
caused by the violent storms which hit the Community's
Atlantic seaboard in December and January.

In accordance with the conditions laid down in

Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86, the Community may
contribute to expenditure incurred by the Member States
which grant laying-up premiums for fishing vessels
undertaking additional stoppages. As part of a concerted
measure, the Commission may also adopt measures to
alleviate problems affecting a specific area of fishing
activity.

It is within this legal framework and at a Member State's
request that Community appropriations could be
allocated as compensation to owners of fishing boats
whose activities have been disrupted by storms.

O OJ No L 376, 31. 12. 1986.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1090/90

by Mrs Lissy Groner (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(10 May 1990)_

(91/C 107/15)

_Subject:_ Education policy — Community programmes

Can the Commission say what educational and vocational
training programmes for young people are being carried
out with partners in the Federal Republic of Germany?

What proposed programmes have had to be rejected?

To what extent have projects been rejected for financial

reasons?

Will the budgetary funds allocated for 1990 be sufficient
for current projects?

Are there guarantees that women may participate in the
projects on an equal footing?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(7 September 1990)_

The Federal Republic of Germany participates in all the
Community programmes in the education and training
field.

The Commission does not publish lists of projects that
have not been accepted, but the Honourable Member will
find in the Annual Reports of the different programmes,
the breakdown of numbers of applications and accepted
projects (').

Demand continues to outstrip supply in terms of requests
for financing, particularly under the big programmes (e.g.
Comett, Erasmus). The Commission encourages Member
States to provide additional funds to support to projects,
particularly for student mobility under Erasmus.

The Commission is committed to promoting equal
opportunities within its different programmes in this
field. Where data is currently available, it is encouraging.
For example, student mobility under Erasmus in 1988/89
was 53% women, 47% men. In the exchange of young
workers programme, participation was 49 % women, 51 %
men. The Commission will continue to monitor female

participation in the programmes.

O COM(90) 199 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1161/90

by Mr Jose Happart (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 May 1990)_

(91/C 107/16)

_Subject:_ Use of avoparcin in animal feed

Avoparcin is an antibiotic manufactured by Messrs.
Cyanamid and is said to increase milk yield by about 5%;
it is also used for fattening calves, pigs and poultry.

At present there is no scientific evidence to determine
whether its components are harmless.

What therefore is the justification for allowing avoparcin
to be used in animal feedstuff?

No C 107/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

Is the Commission prepared to consider prohibiting the
use of this product in feed until the Scientific Committee
and the Standing Committees for Feedingstuffs have
given their opinions?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 July 1990)_

The use of additives in feedstuffs is governed by Council
Directive 70/524/EEC (').

Any dossier submitted by a company intending to produce
an additive must, in particular, show that the product is
effective and can have no harmful effects on man, the

animal or the environment.

All applications for authorization to use new additives
and all extensions to authorizations for additives already
approved in animal feedingstuffs must be made according
to the exact procedures laid down in Council Directive
87/153/EEC fixing guidelines for the assessment of
additives in animal nutrition ( [2] ).

The Commission ensures that the examination procedure
is scrupulously followed. Avoparcin, used exclusively in
feedingstuffs, has been authorized since 1976 for feeding
table chickens and its use has since been extended six

times on the basis of favourable opinions from the
Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition delivered in

1979, 1981 and 1983.

At its meeting on 16 March 1990, the Standing Committee
for Feedingstuffs delivered a favourable opinion on the
authorization of the use of avoparcin for dairy cows,
requested in March 1987. The Commission authorized its
use at national level on 9 April 1990 ( [3] ).

O OJNoL270,23. 11. 1970, p. 1.
O OJ No L 64, 7. 3. 1987, p. 19.
O OJ No L 106, 26. 4. 1990, p. 30.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1207/90

by Mrs Maartje van Putten (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(22 May 1990)_

(91/C 107/17)

_Subject:_ 1990 budget, particularly headings 9531 and
9532

Can the Commission give a summary of the projects and
programmes that have been financed under budget
headings 9531 and 9532, from 1 January 1989 to date?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(25 October 1990)_

The Honourable Member will find below the information

requested.

Budget line 953.1: Support to the Front-line States and to
SADCC Member States

_1989_

_7_ million ECU have been allocated to budget item 953.1
for 1989. This amount, which was totally committed
already in May 1989, has been devoted to the financing of
18 projects covering medical assistance to the victims of
destabilization activities; assistance in Southern African
countries to displaced populations, in particular to
orphans and to children separated by civil wars from their
family; training programmes for refugees from South
Africa and Namibia.

_1990_

The allocation to budget item 953.1 has been increased
from 7 million ECU in 1989 to 15 million ECU in 1990.

A decision for the financing of a first tranche of 17
projects has been taken in April 1990, representing a
commitment of 6,4 million ECU (43 % of the total
amount).

The first tranche includes mainly training programmes
for South African refugees and humanitarian projects of
the kind mentioned before. A second decision on a

number of other projects is in preparation.

Budget line 953.2 — Measures in preparation for the
independence of Namibia

_1989_

Budget line 953.2 was established in the 1989 budget with
a token entry and in May 1989 4 million ECU were
transferred to this budget line from other budget lines in
chapter 90.

In June 1989 four projects were approved (for 2,06 million
ECU) and in October 1989 the balance available (1,94
million ECU) was allocated to eight projects.

Repartition on sectors (1989)

Manpower training

Repatriation of refugees

Health

Other (rural development, housing)

43%

25%

16%

16%

100%

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/11

_1990_

The 1990 budget includes 9,5 million ECU in budget line
953.2 with a further 9,5 million ECU inscribed in chapter

100.

By March 1990 eight projects and programmes totalling
9,365 million ECU have been approved leaving a balance
of 0,135 million ECU on the overall available allocation
of 9,5 million ECU.

The sectors are to a large extent the same as for the
1989-programme but %more emphasis has been put on
rural development, water development, education and
health, reflecting the most urgent development needs of
Namibia.

Repartition in sectors:

Manpower training

Health

Rural development, water development

Other

18%

43%

33%

6%

100%

The Commission is presently requesting the budgetary
authorities to transfer the balance of 9,5 million ECU
from chapter 100 to budget line 953.2

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1267/90

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC)

to the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the
European Community meeting in European Political

Cooperation

_(22 May 1990)_

(91/C 107/18)

_Subject:_ Community initiatives concerning the
implications of agreements on conventional arms
reductions for arms sales to the Third World

This year it is expected that a treaty will be concluded on
conventional arms reduction in Europe and that both
sides will agree to drastic reductions in five categories of
arms: tanks, other armoured vehicles, artillery, aircraft
and helicopters. Both Superpowers and the European
States are faced with the choice of destroying their
surplus weapons or selling them to Third World
countries. The results of disarmament in Europe could
therefore lead to a considerable escalation of arms in the

Third World and a shift in the problem of security.

What initiatives will the Twelve take under Article 30 (6)
af the Single European Act to ensure that disarmament

negotiations include an assessment of additional arms
sales in the Third World and that the agreement on
reduction of conventional weapons includes a provision
prohibiting the parties thereto from dumping their
surplus weapons from Europe into the Third World?

Answer

_(18 March 1991)_

The question raised by the Honourable Member has not
been discussed in European Political Cooperation.

The Commission and its Member States welcome the

agreement on conventional arms reduction signed in Paris
on 19 November 1990. They have taken note of the
provisions of the agreement calling for the destruction of
military equipment in _excess_ of the approved ceilings and
the verification measures provided for.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1283/90

by Mrs Winifred Ewing (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(22 May 1990)_

(91/C 107/19)

_Subject:_ Excessive hours at sea

The British National Union of Marine Aviation and

Shipping Transport Officers has recently published a
report entitled 'Seafarers Hours: Time to Act'. It
highlights the excessive hours worked by seafarers and
details the consequences and problems of fatigue amongst
masters and officers.

Has the Commission taken any action to regulate the
hours worked by seafarers along the lines of controls on
lorry drivers' working hours, and if not when does it
intend to introduce legislation?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 July 1990)_

The Commission is aware of the report published by the
British National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping

N o C 107/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

Transport Officers and notes with concern the long hours
worked by seafarers and the consequent impact such work
patterns can have on safety at sea.

To date the Commission has made no specific proposals
to regulate seafarers' hours. However in its
communication of 29 November 1989 on the action

programme relating to the implementation of the
Community Charter of basic social rights for workers (')
the Commission announces its intention to lay down at
Community level certain minimum requirements as
regards maximum duration of work, rest periods,
holidays, night work, weekend work and systematic
overtime.

Further, given the 'special conditions' in which seafarers
work this issue will be raised at the next meeting with the
social partners of the Maritime Joint Committee.

O COM(89) 568 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1293/90

by Mr Jose Happart (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(22 May 1990)_

(91/C 107/20)

_Subject:_ Atrazine levels in weedkiller

A weedkiller concentrate containing atrazine in excess of
the permitted maximum level has been detected in
groundwaters.

Even where the maximum level (0,1 mg) is not exceeded,
traces are still left.

On what basis has distribution of this product been
authorized?

In which Member States is it on the market?

What is the Commission's position with regard to this
substance?

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

_(24 October 1990)_

In the absence of harmonized provisions for the
authorization of plant-protection products containing
active substances not provided for in Directive
79/117/EEC O prohibiting the placing on the market
and use of plant protection products containing certain
active substances, Member States are responsible for the
conditions governing the authorization of such products.

According to information available to the Commission,
atrazine is authorized in all Member States with the

exception of the Netherlands and the Federal Republic of

Germany. In the case of Italy, its use will not be permitted
during 1990. This decision will be reconsidered with a
view to reinstating the authorization of the use at a lower
rate of application in the light of the results of ongoing
investigations of water quality.

In 1988 the Commission ordered an ecotoxicological
study on the effect of atrazine on the aquatic environment
as well as a study on the technical and economic aspects of
measure to reduce water pollution caused by its industrial
discharge.

A complementary extensive and updated literature study
on the toxicity and ecotoxicity of atrazine was launched
by the Commission during the second half of 1990. The
results of this study, which are expected to be available at
the beginning of 1991, will be forwarded to the Scientific
Advisory Committee for further examination.

Atrazine is one of the 16 substances figuring in the
'proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive
76/464/EEC on pollution caused by certain dangerous
substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the
Community ( [2] ). As soon as this proposal has been adopted
by the Council, proposals regarding quality objectives and
limit values will be prepared by the Commission for the
substances involved, based on the information available
and on the advice of the Scientific Advisory Committee.

O OJNoL33, 8.2.1979.
O COM(90) 9 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1329/90

byMrKlausWettig(S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11 June 1990)_

(91/C 107/21)

_Subject:_ Future German inspection stamp for wine
bottled in Germany

The Federal Government plans to enact a wine
monitoring regulation, paragraph 16 (1) of which
stipulates that wine bottled in Germany may only be sold
in containers bearing an inspection stamp. The inspection
stamp for German wine has a different form and colour to
the corresponding stamp for foreign wines, no distinction
being drawn between Community and third-country
wines.

1. Has the Commission been informed of this plan ?

2. Is the Federal Government taking measures in an area
where sole powers rest with the Community?

3. Will this measure hamper Community trade ?

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/13

4. Given that the inspection stamp for German wine is a
visual guarantee that a maximum yield per hectare
corresponds to a fixed amount, and that supervision
of this kind is impossible in the case of foreign wine, is
this an example of consumer deception?

5. Does the Commission regard the introduction of a
dual-class system for Community wines in the Federal
Republic of Germany as consistent with Community
principles?

6. To what extent does the form of the stamp — a black,
red and gold German eagle — contravene the ban on
discrimination laid down in Article 40 of the EEC

Treaty?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(20 August 1990)_

1. The Commission has been notified of the draft law

in question.

2. No. Under the second subparagraph of Article 38
(1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2392/89 of 24 July
1989 laying down general rules for the description and
presentation of wines and grape musts ('),

'particulars, signs and other references shall not
constitute part of the labelling if they:

— are required under the tax provisions of the
Member States,

— are used for the purpose of bottling checks and are
indicated in detailed rules to be laid down,

— are laid down by the legislation of the Member
States on quantity and quality control of products
subject to systematic official examination.'

It therefore follows, at least in the above cases, that
Member States have the right to lay down national
regulations. The Federal Republic of Germany is not,
therefore, proposing to legislate on a matter for which the
Community has sole competence.

3. No. The planned inspection measures would be
applied indiscriminately. Wines in bulk imported from or
originating in other Member States are not, in theory,
discriminated against by the affixing of an inspection
stamp. On the contrary, such a stamp increases
confidence in the product. Foreign wines bottled in
Germany should benefit from this since they undergo the
same German Government inspection at the bottling
stage.

This inspection stamp, with its additional implications for
German wines, does not constitute an obstacle to
intra-Community trade with regard to imported wines.

4. No. The different implications of inspection stamps
on German wines and on imported wines cannot be said
to be an attempt to deceive consumers (provided that they
have adequate information). The stamp has the same
significance for both types of wine, but has the added
implication for German wine that the 'Weinfonds' dues
have been paid, and that the quantity of wine bottled
corresponds to the quantity declared.

Inspection stamps are also used in other wine-producing
Member States, in particular for the collection of VAT
and excise duties. An inspection stamp can therefore be
used for purposes other that the verification of
compliance with Community rules imposing a maximum
yield per hectare.

5. For the reasons given above, the Commission takes
the view that the draft law does not differentiate between

German and imported wines.

6. The Commission does not consider that the

proposed forms of the two stamps could lead to
discrimination between Community producers or
consumers within the meaning of the second
subparagraph of Article 40 (3) of the EEC Treaty. The
German authorities have since altered the stamps (shape
and colour) following representations from the
Commission. The amended proposal is for an identical
German coat of arms for national and imported wines
certifying that German Government inspections has been
carried out. The colour of the stamps has also been
modified to make them more neutral so as to avoid any
discrimination against imported products.

O OJNoL232,9. 8.1989, p. 13.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1611/90

by Mr Hugh McMahon (S), Mr Carlos Bru Puron (S), Mr
Jose Barros Moura (CG), Mr Vassilis Ephremidis (CG),

Mr Leon Schwartzenberg (S), Mr Antonio Coimbra

Martins (S) and Mr Carlos Carvalhos (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(2_ _July 1990)_

(91/C 107/22)

_Subject:_ Shipbuilding

1. Can the Commission say why it drastically reduced
the ceilling on shipbuilding subsidies in December 1989
when it has stated in writing (Twenty-third General
Reports on the Activities of the European Communities,
paragraph 743, p. 316) that its discussions with Korea and
Japan were fruitless?

No C 107/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

2. Will the Commission review this decision?

3. Can it keep Parliament informed of the terms of the
negotiations currently under way with Japan and Korea?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

_(19 February 1991)_

The Sixth Directive on aid to shipbuilding provides, in
Article 4 (2), that the ceiling on production aid to
shipbuilding is to be fixed by the Commission with
reference to the prevailing difference between the cost
structures of the most competitive Community yards
and the prices charged by their main international
competitors.

Since those prices had risen markedly, the Commission
did no more than apply the principle underlying the fixing
of the ceiling. Nor are there any grounds for reviewing
the decision, that price trend having continued
throughout 1990.

The objective for shipbuilding which the Commission has
set itself, with the Member States' agreement, is the
maintenance in the Community of a competitive industry
capable of operating unaided. It is with this in mind that
the Community is currently negotiating, within the
OECD, an agreement with the leading shipbuilding
countries, including Korea, aimed at removing all
obstacles to normal competition in shipbuilding. If it is to
be truly effective, the agreement must provide a means of
combating unfair pricing practices. As the talks are still in
full swing, it is too early to say when such an agreement
might be reached, but the Commission has already
perceived a genuine determination on the part of both
Japan and Korea to come to an acceptable arrangement.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1624/90

by Mr Adrien Zeller (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(2_ _July 1990)_

(91/C 107/23)

_Subject:_ Distribution of tobacco products at the weekly
meetings of the Commission

According to certain reports, the weekly meetings of the
Commission appear to take place in a veritable smoke
den, as a result of the copious quantities of cigars,
cigarettes and cigarillos handed out at the entrance to the
meeting-room and the abundance of such products on the
table in the room.

Can the Commission confirm whether this information

is correct? Can it state which section of the budget
covers this distribution of tobacco products and does it
consider that this bad example is consistent with the
Community-funded anti-smoking campaign which is
administered by the Commission?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 July 1990)_

The Commission denies the report to which the
Honourable Member refers.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1717/90

by Mr Dimitrios Nianias (RDE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(5_ _July 1990)_

(91/C 107/24)

_Subject:_ Effects of financing the restructuring and
development of the Eastern European economies

The Community is actively involved in strengthening the
economies of Eastern Europe and rightly so. Aid has
already been approved, under the Phare programme, and
a considerable increase is anticipated in 1991 and 1992. In
addition, the Community is financing the ERDB, the
statutes of which were signed recently. Can the
Commission give details of the amounts that have already
been approved for this purpose, plus those that are due
to be approved in the future? Has the Commission
considered the inroads this will make into the

Community's budget and the impact it will have on other
Community policies? Does the Commission not think that
it would be advisable to propose an increase in the
Community's budget forthwith?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 February 1990)_

Community aid for economic restructuring in Central
and Eastern Europe is channelled through the Phare
programme set up in 1990.

The commitment appropriations allocated to this
programme in the financial perspectives for the first three

years amount to:

^ ^ 9 t official journal of the European Communities ^oCtoBBr^

t^e^OOmillionECU^includedinthehud^

l^n^OmillionECe^^includedinthedrafthud^

199^ 9^0 million ECL^ ^planned in the financial
perspectives^.

Eollowin^ thesi^nin^on ^9 ^viay t990 of theERDB
statutes^which are currently hein^ratifiedmt is planned
that the Community^scontrihution to its capital he paid
fromtheBud^et in fiveannual instalments of ECL^ U^

million C 1 9 9 0 t o t 9 ^

It should he rememhered when considering the impact of
this expenditure on the Budget and the implementation of
other policies that the financial perspectives which form
the forecasting framework for the Community hud^et
have heen tailored so that the funding of these operations
has no impact on other spending.

The Commission has also heenmandatedto coordinate

C ^ a i d to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe
and to foster C^^t initiatives which mi^ht exercise a

multiplier effect on the reform process in these countries.

^ R I T ^ f E ^ ^ E ^ T l C O ^ ^ o t ^ O B ^ O

hylvirs^ikrudBreyer^

to the Commission of the European Communities

^ ^ ^ ^

^ I B C I O ^ B ^

^ ^ c r . Community antPdiscrimination legislation

COverthepastfiveyears^ theEuropeanRarliament^ the
Commission and the member states have repeatedly
endeavoured to enact legislation to comhat discrimination
on the^rounds of se^ualpreference^ se^ualidentity or
form of relationships hetween individuals^ with a view
to guaranteeing equal treatment for every citi^en^
irrespective of their sexual preferences etc. t^see Doc.
t ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ D o c . ^ ^ ^ B ^ D ^ a n d D o c . A ^ ^ D B ^ ^ P

Can the Commission say ifany progress has heen made
since 1 9 ^ towards the introduction of a Directive

prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of sexual
preference or the form of relationship hetween
individuals.

Does the Commission a^ree that le^al protection against
the kindofdiscriminationreferredto practised by ^ ^ r
^ ^ employers^ landlo^ds^ ^overnmeut institutions and
the like isamatter of ^reatu^ency^iven the number of
cases of discrimination reported in the member ^tates^

Does the Commission a^ree that the ri^ht not to suffer

from discrimination m the case of applications^

promotion and education on the grounds of sexual
preference or transse^uality should be a fundamental
social ri^htand^uaranteedassuchbeforetheinternal

market is completed bythe end oft99^^

^ e o ^ o C t O ^ t ^ e t m ^ ^ D ^
^ ^ ] ^ o C t ^ m ^ ^ t ^ ^ D . ^
^e^i^oC^^^mom^^p^

Answer^ivenhy^issP^pandreou
on heh^dfofthe Commission

COn M December 19^D the Commission adopted a
Directive ^DBDt^BEEC^ whose purpose was to extend the
principle of equal treatment between men and women to
those en^a^ed in an activity^ including agricultures in
a self employed capacity and to ensure the protection
of self employed women during pregnancy and
m o t h e r h o o d s

CBOn ^9 ^viay 1990 the Council adoptedaresolution on the
protection of the dignity of women and men atwork^
based on Directive ^DB^0^BEECof9Eebruaryt9^D on
the implementation ofthe principle of equal treatmentfor
men and women as regards access to employments
vocational training and promotion and working
conditions ^P This Directive defines the principle of
equal treatments as requiring that there must be no
discrimination whatsoever on grounds of se^ either
directly or indirectly^by reference in particular to marital
or family status. Eollowin^onfromthisresolution^the
Commission is to draw up a code of conduct on the
protection of the di^nityof men and women at work in
1991.

The Commission is currently preparing its third
mediumtermaction programme onequalopportunities
formenandwomen^l991^199^p

In the action programme it tabled in December last year
following the adoption of the social Charters the
Commissions though making no mention of a specific
proposal re^ardin^discriminationon^roundsof sexual
preference or transse^uality^did stress the need to stamp
out discriminatory practices^ especially at work and in
access to employments by means of appropriate measures
onthe part of the^viember states andthetwosides of
industry.

Article M9of the EECTreaty and the Directives on equal
treatment allow the Community to step in to ensure that
male and female workers are treated equally in working
relations and social security matters. The Community has
no powers atpresent to intervene in matters involving
discrimination against sexual minorities. The basic rights
of sexual minorities are^ however^ protected by other

No C 107/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

international instruments. Since the Member States are all

members of the Council of Europe and parties to
the European Convention on Human Rights, the
Commission and Court of Human Rights are best able to
protect sexual minorities against discrimination.

(') OJ No L 359, 19. 12. 1986, p. 56.
O OJ No L 39,14. 2. 1976, p. 40.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1790/90

by Mr Madron Seligman (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(13 July 1990)_

(91/C 107/26)

_Subject:_ Protection of women who took the drug
DES/Stilboestrol

The Commissioner will recall Parliament's resolution of

1989 concerning those women who had taken under
medical prescription drug DES/Stilboestrol.

The Commissioner will also be aware of the adverse

effects of the said drug not only on many pregnant
women, but also on their daughters many year later who
developed cancers. There is now growing evidence that
birth defects of the children of those daughters may be
attributable to the use of the drug by their grandmothers.

It had been urged that registers be compiled of all those at
risk and that adequate and sympathetic support should be
available to all those in need of it.

I find that the Department of Health in the United
Kingdom is still waiting for the Commission to take the
initiative, before taking any positive action in response to
Parliament's resolution.

In view of the serious nature of the problem and the need
for constructive action in the short term, what action does
the Commission propose to take?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(7 September 1990)_

The Commission is aware of the concern expressed by
Parliament over the adverse effects to diethyl stilboestrol
(DES) but, because of other priorities in the public health
field, it has not undertaken any actions in this area.

However, the Commission is providing support to the
Third European DES Meeting, planned to take place in
Dublin in September 1990.

In addition, the Commission has proposed, within the
framework of the first Biomedical and Health Research

Programme (1990—1994) (*), the undertaking of research
into the monitoring and surveillance of prescriptions and
of adverse drug reactions. Within this context, and subject
to the Council Decision, the possible tumorigenic and
dysmorphogenic effects of certain drugs could be
considered it those topics were selected for future
research.

O COM(90) 162.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1842/90

by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(20 July 1990)_

(91/C 107/27)

_Subject:_ Esprit programme

Most projects included in the Esprit programme are of no
more than three year's duration.

Does not the Commission fear that these projects will
produce only short-term results which are incompatible
with the principle of a research and development strategy
embodied in the Esprit programme?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 September 1990)_

It is in fact not the case that the majority of projects within
the overall Esprit Programme are of less than three years'
duration. Of the 601 projects which are in the process of
being executed within the Esprit Programme, 214 (36%)
are of three years' duration or less, 199 (33%) between
three and four years, and 187 (31 %) between four and five
years. Esprit, as an industrial programme, responds to the
specific needs and strategic timescales of industry, which
can vary from project to project; the duration selected for
each project is consequently that which is considered
appropriate by the R&D partners for meeting the
technological objectives which are required of them.

However, in the most recent call for proposals, which
closed earlier this year, the proportion of proposals
submitting plans of three years' duration rather than five
increased considerably. This appears to be due to two
factors. Firstly, typical innovation cycles have decreased
from a period of four to five years in the first half of the
1980s to less than three years at present. Accordingly,
technicological results, as generated by the R&D projects
in the Esprit Programme, are required to be available

^ ^ 1 Official journal of the Luropean Communities ^oCP^BPB

earlier than was previously the caseDAfurther important
factor is the increased participation of small and
mediumDsized enterprises t^MLs^ whose stronger
involvement tends to decrease the average project
duration since their modes of operation have shorter
calces than large companies.

In conclusions there is no contradiction between

undertaking some projects of shorter duration and
maintaining strategic objectives.

^ ^ T E t . ^ ^ ^ U ^ S T t ^ ^ ^ o t ^ t ^ B ^

b^ Mr Victor Mar^uelArbeloaMuru^S^

to the PoreignMinistersofthe Member States ofthe
European Communitvmeetingirr European Political

Cooperation

^ t B C ^ O ^ B ^

^ ^ c r . P l u m a n rights in SouthAfrica

^ h a t reponse has the Community received from the
(Government of South Africa to its various recent
representations on the matter of human rights in that

country

Answer

The Community and its Member States have^ as the
Ptonourable Member observes^ been actively pursuing
theirpolicv of persuasion with South Africa withaview to
helping to bring about the total abolition of the system of
apartheid in that countrvb^ peaceful means. Indeedmhev
have never ceased to denounce this unacceptable system
of racial discriminations which is an affront to human

dignitvandaviolation of the Unitedc^ations Charter and
the Universal Declaration ofrluman Rights.

notwithstanding the continuation of the apartheid
s^stem^ the Community and its Member States have not
failed to note certain major political moves in the
direction of the changes called for bv both the great
majority of the local population and the international
community.

In line with their thinking on the situation in SouthAfrica
and on wa^s and means of hasteningapeaceful solutions
the Community and its Member States are continuing
to call for the creation of a unified^ non^racial and

democratic State which would offer the entire population
the benefits of common and equal citizenship and
guaranteed respect for universally recognised human
rights.

If an^ Government is wellaware of thepositionof the
Community and its Member States on the issue of human
rights and fundamental freedoms^ then it is the Pretoria

(Government nevertheless^ that has not prevented the
Community and its Member States fromcontinuing the
critical dialogue with the South African authorities
in recent months^ particularly through direct
representations, ^hilethe^ recognise that some progress
has been achieved inthe human rights field^the^have^
therefore^ made certain specific representations to the
South African Government regarding the ^Conference on
aDemocraticfuture^the death squads^thelawonthe
disclosure of foreign investments and the violence in
South Africa. The Community and its Member States
have also encouraged the Government in Pretoria and all
other interested parties inthe direction of dialogue and
democracy in the form of statements on the reform
announcedb^PresidentDel^lerkon^Pebruar^ 1^0

^ February t ^ O ^ the release of kelson Mandela
^1^ February 1^0^ the lifting of the state of emergence
on ^ June ^ June t^O^ and the results of the

pre^negotiations between the South African Government
a n d t h e A ^ C ^ A u g u s t t ^ O ^ .

Finally the Communitv and its Member States entertain
the hope that^ at its next meetings the South African
Parliament will^ as announced in September bv president
De Klerks take steps to abolish the legal bases of
apartheids v i ^ inparticular^ theGroup Areas Act and
the Land Act. The^ also hope that the Population
RegistrationActwill be repealed before long.

bvMrEugemoMelandriand
MrsMarie^ChristineAulas^

to the Commission of the European Communities

^IBC^OBB^

^ ^ c r . Appointment of a European to the post of
Director of the C1D

The appointment of Mr Prix to the post ofDirector of the
Centre for Industrial Development has been the subject of
considerable controversy between the Commission and
theACR countries.

P ^hatexperiencehasMr Prixacquired in thisfield
which qualifies him for selections

^. ^ h a t political factors arebehind theCommission^s
refusal to alterits positions

^. ^ h a t reasons have been advanced b^ the ACR States

in support of filling the post once more with anACP
nationals

^. COn the basis ofwhatprogramme was Mr Prix elected^

No C 107/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

5. Has the Commission carried out any assessment of the
work of the CID and, if so, what are its conclusions?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 January 1991)_

Mr Paul Frix was appointed Director of the CDI by the
Committee on Industrial Cooperation, after a decision in
his favour by the ACP-EEC Committee of Ambassadors.
At the same time the new Deputy-Director, Mr Sharma,
who is Fidjian, was also appointed.

The Commission assessed the European applicants on the
basis of technical capacity and management criteria.

Mr Frix emerged as the candidate most suited to the
CDI's current requirements.

During the period prior to the Committee of
Ambassadors' decision, the ACP States expressed the
wish that the post of Director of the CDI should be held
once more by an ACP national, giving the idea of
'rotation' a different interpretation from that of the
Commission.

At the request of the Executive Board of the CDI the
Commission asked independent experts to carry out a
joint assessment of the work of the CDI.

The assessment is very detailed and covers all aspects of
the CDI's activities (institutional, organizational and
operational). The Executive Board of the CDI broadly
agrees with the experts' conclusions.

It should be pointed out that there are innovations in the
new Lome Convention which follow the same lines as

those advocated by the experts — clearer and more
specific objectives for the CDI, management answerable
to an Executive Board which has been made more

operational (six members instead of 24 as under Lome
III), possibility of stepping up its operational presence _in_
_situ_ (setting up regional offices) and closer cooperation
between the European Investment Bank, the Commission
and the CDI.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2086/90

by Mrs Pauline Green (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 September 1990)_

(91/C 107/30)

_Subject:_ Employer and public liability insurance

Can the Commission confirm whether students on work

experience are regarded as 'employees' for the purposes

of employer liability in any other Member State? In
particular whether students on the Commission's
'European Work Experience' programme are so
regarded?

Answer given by Miss Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 January 1991)_

A student on work experience is reputed to be an
'employee' covered by labour law if he is linked to an
employer by a contract of employment. Although there is
no statutory definition of the contract of employment in
six Member States — Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg and Spain — the conventional elements in
the definition, common to all Member States, are:
agreement, work performance, element of time,
remuneration and dependence, control or subordination.
Wherever these elements appear to exist in a given
relationship linking a student to an employer, the former
is deemed to be an employee.

However, within the framework of the free movement of
workers provided for by Article 48 of the EEC Treaty, the
European Court of Justice has frequently held that there
is a Community legal notion of a worker, the essential
feature of which being the fact that a person performs
work for a certain time on behalf and under the direction

of another person in exchange for a wage or salary.

Students on the Commission's 'European Work
Experience' programme are not regarded as workers.

The work experience in question is, rather, a period of
training which follows on from university studies. There
is, therefore, no contract of employment and the grant
paid to the trainess is an allowance rather than a salary.

Consequently, such grants are not subject to the special
tax arrangements for officials and other servants of the
European Communities.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2097/90

by Mr Honor Funk (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 September 1990)_

(91/C 107/31)

_Subject:_ Aid to stricken areas

As a result of the lengthy civil war, the population of
Sudan is suffering considerable hardship and is dependent
on outside aid. Last year the Community was involved in a

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/19

programme to send aid; unfortunately this aid is reported
not to have reached its destination. The programme was
conducted via the UN and no other aid bodies were used.

Why does the Community not make greater use of church
or private aid organizations for aid programmes, if these
are represented in the country in question?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(19 December 1990)_

In March 1989, the then Prime Minister of Sudan and the
UN Secretary-General convened a high-level meeting in
Khartoum to decide on urgent measures to avert a major
disaster facing populations affected by the conflict in
southern Sudan. This meeting led to the adoption of a
plan of action to cover the food and relief requirements
of the affected populations during the period
April—December 1989.

It was agreed that this plan — which soon became known
as Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) — should be
coordinated on behalf of the donor community by the
United Nations. To this end, the UN Secretary-General
designated a high level official as his Special
Representative in Sudan with responsibility for
coordinating discussions with the Government and with
the Sudan People's Liberation Movement regarding the
movement of food and relief materials into the conflict

zone through designated 'corridors of tranquility'.

Whilst the UN had responsibility for the coordination of
activities under OLS, and several UN agencies (e.g. World
Food Programme, Unicef) played important roles in
delivering food and relief supplies, it is not correct to
regard OLS as an exclusively UN programme. Rather,
OLS provided a framework within which donors,
international and local organizations and nongovernmental organizations, as well as agencies, could
deliver their assistance to the affected populations more
effectively that working separately. In addition, the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),
though not formally part of OLS, coordinated its relief
programme closely with OLS. Thus, the European
Community, which provided approximately 40 million
ECU in food and emergency aid to the relief programme
during 1989, channelled this assistance through ICRC
(40 %), UN agencies (25 %), local relief institutions (20 %)
and NGOs (15%). During 1990, the EC has continued to
use these channels to deliver assistance being provided
under OLS 2.

The Commission does not consider that the aid provided
under OLS did not reach its destination. Although it is
true that certain of the 'corridors of tranquility' were
closed towards the end of 1989 owing to renewed
hostilities, OLS nevertheless managed to achieve its target

of delivering 110 000 tonnes of food and relief supplies to
Southern Sudan during 1989, together with a further
44 000 tonnes during the first half of 1990 under OLS 2.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2137/90

byMrGijsDeVries(LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(27 September 1990)_

(91/C 107/32)

_Subject:_ Cooperation between customs authorities in
combating crimes against the environment

The customs authorities play a role in detecting
environmental offences. In the Netherlands for example,
the customs operate in this area in collaboration with the
police, the Public Prosecutor, the General Investigation
Department of the Ministry for Housing, Planning and
the Environment and the Central National Information

Centre for Environmental Crime.

It is also important that the customs help to
ensure compliance with environmental legislation by
transfrontier cooperation. Is the Commission willing to
take steps to ensure that in the context of the Matthaeus
programme, adopted in April 1989, adequate attention is
devoted to the detection of international crimes against
the environment?

Answer given by Ms Scrivener
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1991)_

Customs authorities already cooperate extensively to
ensure compliance with legislation on the environment.
Whenever such legislation affects international trade in
goods, Council Regulation (EEC) No 1468/81 O, as
amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No 945/87 ( [2] ), on
mutual assistance between the administrative authorities

of the Member States and cooperation between the latter
and the Commission to ensure correct application of the
law on customs or agricultural matters becomes
applicable.

So information on these matters is disseminated on an ad

hoc basis by the Commission, either on its own initiative
or on the basis of information notified by the relevant
authorities of a Member State as part of the
administrative cooperation instituted by the Regulation
referred to above with a view to preventing and detecting
breaches of the legislation in question.

Furthermore, the Commission organized a European
training seminar in June 1989, in close cooperation with

No C 107/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

officials of Cites (the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species) and the Customs Cooperation
Council, with the aim of drawing the attention of the
relevant authorities in the Community and some of the
EFTA countries to such problems.

Given its objectives, the Matthaeus programme ( [3] ) could
make a valuable contribution towards furthering this
cooperation through appropriate training schemes.

(') OJNoL 144,2.6. 1981.
( [2] ) OJ No L 90, 2. 4. 1987.
( [3] ) Programme for the exchange of customs officials.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2218/90

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the
European Community meeting in European Political

Cooperation

_(8 October 1990)_

(91/C 107/33)

_Subject:_ The imprisonment of a student in Central Java

Have the Foreign Ministers meeting in European Political
Cooperation been able to do anything to help the
members of the Usroh in Central Java (Indonesia) —
young Muslim activists who have been sentenced to
prison terms ranging from four to 15 years? One of them
is Agil Riyanto bin Darmowiyoto, a law student from
Brebes, who was sentenced in April 1987 to 15 years'
imprisonment, having been mistreated, coerced and
deprived of legal representation during the trial.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2220/90

by Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the
European Community meeting in European Political

Cooperation

_(8 October 1990)_

(91/C 107/34)

_Subject:_ Imprisonment in Turkey of Ilker Demir

In view of the Turkish Government's favourable attitude

at present regarding human rights, can the Foreign
Ministers meeting in European Political Cooperation do
anything to help the TSIP journalist Ilker Demir, who, in
1984, was sentenced to 36 years' imprisonment and is
currently held in the top-security prison at Nazili, where
he has apparently been mistreated several times by the
wardens ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2222/90

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the
European Community meeting in European Political

Cooperation

_(8 October 1990)_

(91/C 107/35)

_Subject:_ Prisoners of conscience in Bhutan

Can the Foreign Ministers meeting in European Political
Cooperation do anything to help three Bhutanese subjects
who have been accused of 'anti-national' activities: Ratan

Gazmere, Tek Nath Rizal (a former adviser to the king
and the current chairman of the People's Forum for
Human Rights), and Jogen Gazmene (the Secretary of
this organization)? The last two were extradited from
Nepal and are currently held in an unknown goal.

Joint answer to Written Questions No 2218/90,

No 2220/90, No 2222/90

_(18 March 1991)_

As the Honourable Member will know, the Community's
often stated position of human rights is clear and
unequivocal. In the opinion of the Community and its
Member States, the protection of human rights is a
matter of international concern and States have

the responsibility, both individually and collectively,
to uphold them. Member States believe that the
international community has a right and a duty to
scrutinise the performance of governments in the field of
human rights. The Community and its Member States
have stuck firmly to this principle as the Indonesian and
Turkish authorities will recall. Human rights are an
important factor in Community relations with other
countries. The Community and its member States will
continue to pursue this policy vigorously in the future.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2219/90

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the
European Community meeting in European Political

Cooperation

_(8 October 1990)_

(91/C 107/36)

_Subject:_ The condition of Hiram Abi Cobas, imprisoned
in Cuban goal

Have the Foreign Ministers meeting in European Political
Cooperation received any news regarding Hiram Abi

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/21

Cobas Nunez, the acting secretary-general of the Party
for Human Rights (PPDHC) who was arrested on 6
August 1989 and sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment
in the Combinado del Este prison, Havana? His condition
is of particular concern in view of the heart attack which
he suffered in April 1990.

Answer

_(19 March 1991)_

The European Community and its Member States
continue to monitor very closely the human rights
situation in Cuba, where the authorities are well aware of
the importance which the Community attaches to full
respect for human rights.

The case of Hiram Abi Cobas Nunez, which as the
question states, has a particular humanitarian dimension,
is known to the Twelve and has been raised with the

Cuban authorities. According to recent reports, Mr Cobas
Nunez was released from prison on _27_ November 1990
for health reasons. He is said to be at home.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2275/90

by Mr Dimitrios Dessylas (CG)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(15 October 1990)_

(91/C 107/37)

_Subject:_ Acceptance of the proposal by Cuban leader
Fidel Castro on Cuban-EEC relations

Whereas the 'refugees in the Havana embassies' affair
turned into a total fiasco and finally proved to be yet
another failed attempt by the West to overthrow Castro;
whereas this affair came to an astonishing head after the
EEC Council meeting on 16 July, when the Spanish
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ordonez, made an
about-turn from his previous moderate stance to launch
into an invective against Cuba; whereas the Spanish
Deputy Minister for Development, Yanez, strated that
'we must ensure that the political developments in Cuba
are monitored'; having regard to Mr Baron Crespo's
statement that 'the European Parliament supports the
Spanish Government's position in its dispute with
Havana'; whereas Commissioner Matutes said that the
EEC would suspend its relations with Cuba, which were
in any case virtually non-existent; having regard to
statements made on Cuban television regarding Tania
Diaz and Lazaro Cabrera (who according to the
newspaper El Pais are well known human rights activists)
to the effect that their movement had been organized by
the embassies of the USA, Germany, Czechoslovakia and

Canada, coordinated by Mr Saler, First Secretary at
the West German embassy in Havana, and that it had
been funded to the tune of 100 000 dollars by the
Czechoslovakian diplomatic mission; having regard to
Resolution B3-1610/90 of the European Parliament,
which calls on the Cuban Government to allow all its

citizens who wish to leave the country to do so;

why does the Council of Ministers of the EEC refuse to
accept Fidel Castro's proposal that Cuba and the Member
States of the EEC conclude intergovernmental
agreements to grant residence permits to all Cuban
citizens wishing to take up residence in EEC Member
States?

Answer

_(18 March 1991)_

The Honourable Member will be aware that the

Presidency does not share the judgements expressed or
implied in the introductory part of his question.

It will also be evident that the specific question raised
concerns individual Member States and is not discussed in

the EPC or Community framework.

The Honourable Member will, however, be aware that
the German Government has vigorously refuted the
Cuban accusation that a member of its Embassy had
participated in any action directed against the Cuban
Government.

It is apposite to recall the importance the Community and
its Member States attach to full respect of human rights
and fundamental freedoms, an attitude which the
Presidency believes is shared by the European Parliament.
Relations between the Community and third countries
cannot but the assessed against this background.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2307/90

by Mr Giulio Gallenzi, Mr Francesco Guidolin, Mrs Maria

Cassanmagnago Cerretti, Mr Lorenzo De Vitto,

Mrs Rosaria Bindi, Mr Gerardo Gaibisso and

Mr Karl von Wogau

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(15 October 1990)_

(91/C 107/38)

_Subject:_ Meat imports

Thirteen months have now elapsed since 31 January 1989
when the United States introduced illegal unilateral

No C 107/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

measures contrary to GATT international rules that levy
on Community exports an amount equivalent to the
damage the Amercian Government considers it has
suffered as a result of the directive banning imports into
the Community of meat treated with hormones of
whatever origin. In its efforts to protect the health of
consumers the European Parliament has always stressed
the need to ban the marketing of this type of meat for
consumption by prohibiting its production in the
Community and banning imports. Not only are the
unilateral US measures illegal, they are also very unfair
since those hardest hit are small-scale farmers in the

poorer regions of the Community, practically all in one
country, who on top of everything else have nothing to do
with producing and marketing the meat. In December
1988 the Council decided to take reprisals against the
United States and President Delors made a public
announcement to this effect; but no reprisals have ever
been taken. Initially the Commission managed to secure
the partial withdrawal of some of the illegal measures
which principally concerned Germany, but nothing has
been done about the measures taken against exports of
peeled tomatoes which have created a serious crisis for
small-scale producers in southern Italy. Why has the
Commission never followed a serious strategy and acted
energetically within GATT or applied counter-measures
to the United States? What justification is there for the
Commission's complete indifference — which is
tantamount to neglect of official duty — to this manifest
violation of GATT rules? What urgent action does the
Commission intend to take to secure withdrawal of the

unilateral American measures?

Answer by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(21 January 1991)_

The Commission shares the concern of the Honourable

Members concerning the retaliatory action taken against
the Community by the United States since 1 January 1989.
The action followed the application, for the United
States, of the 'Hormones' Directive to meat imports from
non-member countries.

The Community has not yet been able to arrive at a
solution within GATT to secure the withdrawal of the

retaliatory action. The United States opposed such
attempts, although there is nothing in the General
Agreement to justify the levying of discriminatory import
duties, like those the United States is imposing on imports
of Community preserved tomatoes.

The Commission, moreover, persuaded the American
authorities to introduce a certification system whereby
American producers who are prepared to comply with the
Directive may export to the Community. While the
ensuing resumption of trade led the United States

Government to withdraw certain measures, the results
have not been encouraging.

Lastly, Community producers of preserved tomatoes
recently submitted a request for action under Regulation
(EEC) No 2641/84 ( [1] ). At the moment the Commission is
considering what action to take in response to this
request. Depending on the outcome of this procedure the
Community will be in a position to take a decision on the
measures alluded to by the Honourable Members.

O OJ No L 252, 20. 9. 1984.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2315/90

by Mr Pierros, Mr Cooney, Mr Pinxten, Mrs Banotti,

Mr Hadjigeorgiou, Mr Zawos, Mr McCartin (PPE)

and Mr Papayannakis (GUE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(18 October 1990)_

(91/C 107/39)

_Subject:_ Defining the European Community's borders

1. whereas it is necessary to define exactly the external
borders of the European Community,

2. whereas, with 1992 in view, there is an urgent need
to define the borders of the European Community so that
Community law may be applied correctly and effectively
in regard to the free movement of goods, services, persons
and capital for reasons relating to taxation, customs
duties, the common fisheries policy immigration controls,

ect.,

3. whereas the need to define the external (land and
sea) borders of the European Community is even more
urgent since five of the Community's Member States
signed the Schengen Agreement,

4. whereas the land and sea borders should be defined

in accordance with international law, the Law of the Sea
and accepted international practice,

(a) What is the Commission's position on these views?

(b) Does it believe it is appropriate and essential to
take immediate practical steps towards the formal

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities ^oCiOBA^

definition of the Community's dand and sea)
borders, particularly with the unification of the two
Cermanies in prospects

Answer ^iven by Mr lOelors
on behalf of the Commission

The Community has no borders as such^ the Community's
borders are the aggregate of the frontiers of the Member
states, which retain competence as regards the
demarcation of their land and sea borders (m accordance
with international law). Legally the Community has no
borders there is only a territory to which theTreaties
apply.

c^or should one speak of an external border of the
Community,because there are various territories defined
differently^ territories to which the Treaties apply^
customs territory, and so on. Actually, the concept is
generally takenas meaning thecustoms territory, from
the standpointofthe single market.

Cermanunification and the ^chengen 11 Agreement do
notalterthis conclusion in anyway.

The territorial application oftheCommunityTreaties is
g o ^ e r n e d b y A r t i c l e s 2 ^ E E C, ^ E C ^ C a n d l ^ E A E C
Consequently, theTreaties apply fully totheEuropean
and certain non European territories of the Member
states ^with a few exceptions as regards Madeira, the
Azores and the Erench CuUs). There are also some
territories which are or are not integral parts of Member
states'territories^the Canaries, CeutaMelilla,Cibraltar,
the Channel Islands,the Isle of Man) where TheTreaties
andsecondary legislation arepartially applicableunder
the Acts of Accession of the LCnited kingdom, ^pain and
Rortugal.

The customs territoryoftheEECwas defined in an act
of secondary legislation, Council Regulation r^EEC)
^ o 2 1 ^ 1 B ^ ^ under this Regulation the customs
territory does not exactly match the territory to which the
Treaty applies^e.g. minus (Gibraltar butplus Monaco).

Article 22B^Cl)of the EECTreaty refers to ^the kingdom
of Belgium, the kingdom of Menmark', etc., and so the
territory to which the Treaty applies — subject to the
additions and subtractions expressly stipulated in
succeedingparagraphs of that Article r^see abo^e) ^ is
determined by the borders of the Member states as
agreed by the Member states in the border^demarcation
treaties with their nonCommunity neighbours.
ConsequentlygheCommunity'sland borders may change
following a modification of the borders of one of its
Member ^tates^e.g.(Germany).

In the case of the overseas countries a^d territories, rart
IVof theEECTreatypro^idesforaspecialsystemof
association. The general rules of the EEC Treaty
therefore do not apply to those countries and territories.

As regards the Community'ssea borders,thet2 miles of
territorial waters r^this distance is now uniform for all the

coastalMember^tates exceptCreece, whose territorial
waters extend forDmiles)are part and parcel of Member
states' territories, and Community law applies in full.
Plow the t^mile^one is defined, howe^er,depends on
the base lines from which theP2 miles are measured.The

base lines are determined not by the Community but by
the Member states, in accordance with the relevant rules

of the international law of the sea.

These base lines are also the starting point for measuring
the widthof thecontinental shelf andofthe^OOmile

exclusive economic ^oner^EE^).

Community law applies to the continental shelf in so far
as it applies to the economic activities in which the
Member states engage thereon by virtue of their
sovereign rights to prospect for andexploit the mineral
resources of the seabed and the subsoil of the continental

shelf

Community fisheries legislation applies, of course, to
fishing activities in the EE^.

^ e e d ^ o L t ^ ^ B B m ^

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2333/90

by Mr Francois-Xavier de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

(VgOcfo6fr/99L%)

(91/C 107/40)

_Subject:_ The future of civil aviation

_Official Journal of the European Communities_ No L 230 of
24 August 1990 announced the setting up of a Joint
Committee on Civil Aviation to assist the Commission in

the formulation of a Community policy aimed at
strengthening the competitive position of civil aviation.

Does the Commission plan to raise the following
problems brought up on 4 September by the Association
of European Airlines — AEA — (Agence Europe, 5. 9.
1990):

— the need to link the 22 control systems in western
Europe, with the aim of setting up a single system by
1992;

— the promotion of genuine cooperation between the
public and private sectors?

If so, how and when?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert
on behalf of the Commission

_(12 February 1991)_

Should the Joint Committee on Civil Aviation — in which

the AEA is represented — wish to discuss the subjects

^ o C l O B A ^ (Official Journal of the European Communities ^ ^ 1

raised b^ the honourable member, the Commission
would be willing to do so, consistent with the procedures
set forth inthe Commission Decision setting upajoint
Committee on Ci^ilA^iation^

In this regard,the following comments can be made on
the two subjects^

^ Concerning the wa^inwhichthe existing air traffic
control systems should be linked to face the growing
demand foreseen for the single market scenario, it is
the Commissions thinking that^integration^ would,
ideally, impl^ a single unified system serving the
Communit^P^stem,in this content, would comprise
equipment built andoperated according toidentical
standards, and also common operational procedures,
under the responsibility of a panEuropean crvil
aviation agency.

^ The creation ofajoint Committee on Ci^ilA^iation
^ i n which at presentadraft proposal on the flight
time, flight dut^ time and rest periods of flight deck
crews is being discussed — itself represents an
example of the Commissions willingness to foster
cooperation between thepublicandpri^ate sectors.
Another example would be the recent proposal on
consultation between airports and airport users to be
followed no doubt, in the future,b^ others ofasimilar

mature.

^eed^oL^o,^^m^o

bv^rDieter^o^alla^^

to the Co^i^ssio^ of the European Commumties

^ C ^ c ^ ^ r ^ ^

^ I B C P e B B ^

^ ^ c r B Community administration of the Customs
Union

P Has the Commission had an^furtherthoughts on its
^iew that a Community customs union also legally
requiresaCommunit^ customs administrations

^. Does the Commission share m^^iew that an^ such

Community customs administration must be set up at the
latest b^ the end of 1 ^, the target date for the
completion of the internal markets

^. Is the Commission also prepared to use the
necessary funds in t h e l ^ l financial ^ear in order to set
up the system referred to i n P a n d ^ . a b o ^ e i If so,what
would be the amounts in^ol^ed and how would the^ be

usedB

^. Plow does the Commission accountfortherelati^el^

low use of resources available in theP^^O financial ^ear^

^ h a t specific items were financed^

Answergivenbv^me scrivener
on behalf of the Commission

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

1 and ^. The Communities customs legislation is
already designed to encourageauniform approach to the
application of customs rules b^ the Community
institutions and the national administrations, acting in
partnership.It is,however, premature to talk ofasingle
Community customs administration, and ^ in the
Commission^s^iew^impractical to think of introducing
such an administration before internal frontiers are

abolisedattheendof l^^.Thisisbecausesubstantial

changes in the roles and responsibilities of all the parties
concerned would require careful consideration before
the^ were put into effect, and because the disruptive
effects of making an^ such changes b^ P ^ would
preiudicethemaioreffortsthatcustomsadministration
are making to prepare forthe removal of customs controls
attheCommunit^sinternal frontiers.

Plowe^er,the Commission has taken action in three areas
both to encourage e^en closer cooperation in the
administration of the customs union and to assist in the

analysis of the Communi^sfuture administrative needs
and the search for appropriate solutions.

Eirst, the success of the pilot phase of the ^viattheus
project in promoting exchanges of national customs
officials and joint training programmes demonstrates the
need, supported b^ all the member ^tates^ customs
administrations, t o s t e p u p such action from t ^ P An
appropriate draft Council Decision is currently under
consideration.

second, as the Commission explained in its repl^ to
written questions f^^ ^ i ^ Reding, the stud^
commissioned from the European Institute for Rublic
Administration at Maastricht, with which the national
customs administrations ha^e been closely associated, will
help in the search for new structural options for the
management of the customs union of the future.

Third, the Commission has just launched a call for
tenders for a stud^ on effects of national rules on

administrative sanctions in the customs unions this is an

essential further step in the process of creatingauniform
approach to customs administration and in the
elimination of distorts differences between member

states.

^5 and ^. The appropriations available for the
Aiattheus programme in 1^0 amounted to some ^
million ECU,of which s o m e ^ m i l l i o n E C L l, o r ^ D ^
ha^e already been committed. The Commission will
needallthe^millionECllrequestedfor^iattheusin
1^1 in order to carnB out the further developments
referred to abo^e. The studies mentioned abo^e will

require commitment andBor payment of expenditure
appropriations i n l ^ O of the order of 0, ^ million ECU,
against an initial budget provision of 0,^0 million ECU.
r h e Commission has proposed a further sum of 0,D^
million ECU for expenditure in this area inl^^P

^ e ^ D L ^ m ^ m ^ o

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/25

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2345/90

by Mr Antonio Gutierrez Diaz (GUE)

to the Foreign Ministers meeting in
European Political Cooperation

_(18 October 1990)_

(91/C 107/42)

_Subject:_ The murder in El Salvador of Dr Begona Garcia
Arandigoyen

Dr Begona Garcia Arandigoyen, of Spanish nationality,
was murdered in El Salvador on 10 September 1990.
According to the authorities in that country, she was
killed during an attack carried out by the army of
El Salvador against the Farabundo Marti National
Liberation Front.

However, the autopsy carried out at the hospital in
Navarra (Spain) at the request of the Spanish Foreign
Minister not only revealed six bullet holes in the temple,
the nape of the neck, both elbows, the breastbone and one
thigh, but also proved that she had been brutally tortured.

The face was disfigured, and the uterus and kidneys had
been removed.

What steps do the Ministers meeting in European
Political Cooperation intend to take in order to obtain
full details of the case from the Government of El

Salvador and, if appropriate, to oblige the latter to accept
its responsibilities in the matter?

Answer

_(18 March 1991)_

As the Honourable Member is aware, the Community's
position on human rights in El Salvador, has been
expressed on several occasions and is well known by the
authorities of that country. In this context, the
Honourable Member is referred to the answer to Written

Question No 225/90.

As far as the case of Dr Begona Garcia Aradigoyen,
partners are aware of, and support, the steps which have
been taken by Spain in this case.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2457/90

by Mr Maxime Verhagen (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 November 1990)_

(91/C 107/43)

_Subject:_ Extending the EC programme for the eastern
part of South Limburg and the western mining
area up to 1993

1. Has the Commission held consultations with the

Netherlands authorities on a possible extension of the EC

programme for the eastern part of South Limburg and the
western mining area up to 1993?

2. If so, what was the outcome of these consultations ?

3. If not, when will the Commission take the necessary
initiative?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

_(23 January 1991)_

The Commission has not yet begun negotiations with the
Member States on the definition of Objective 2 areas after
1991.

Consideration is being given to this matter within the
Commission but it is still too early to provide information.

Naturally, at an appropriate time, the Member States will
be associated through the partnership mechanism with the
definition process.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2499/90

by Mr John McCartin (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(16 November 1990)_

(91/C 107/44)

_Subject:_ Working practices of Members of the
Commission

Will the Commission agree to introduce the practice of
giving notice to the Members of the European Parliament
of visits or tours to the constituencies of MEP's

undertaken by Members of the Commission?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1991)_

The Commission does its best to notify Members of the
European Parliament in advance of any official visits
made by Members of the Commission to their region.

No C 107/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2571/90

by Mr Paul Staes (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(20 November 1990)_

(91/C 107/45)

_Subject:_ The Caracas project

A loan of $ 6 million was initially earmarked for the
Caracas project. Only part of this amount ($ 250 million)
has been paid out.

1. Are these figures correct?

2. Why was such a large amount of the loan not paid?

3. How was the initial amount calculated and what is the

reason for the enormous difference between the

amount initially agreed and the amount finally paid?

4. Does this reflect condemnation of the destruction of

the Brazilian tropical rainforests directly resulting
from the Caracas project which was approved by the
European institutions?

5. Can the Commission make the balance immediately
available with the sole objective of restoring the
tropical rainforest in this area (or attempting to do
so)?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert
on behalf of the Commission

_(10 January 1991)_

(1) The figures are correct.

(2), (3) and (4) The estimated investment cost of the
Carajas project was approximately $US 5 305 million.
The ECSC loan was set at $US 600 million because of
the self-financing nature of the undertaking and the
long-term contribution of other donors. This sum also
took into account Community steel companies' interest in
receiving deliveries of iron ore from this mine. The final
cost of the project was reduced to $US 3 400 million as a
result of:

1. cancellation of the contingency reserve;

2. the cruzeiro falling more sharply than expected
against the dollar, leading to a reduction in the costs
payable in cruzeiros, which had been entered in the
financing plan on the basis of their exchange value in
US dollars;

4. the fact that it was possible to take over part of the
equipment already used by the company in its Minas
Gerais mine.

The company also chose to deal as much as possible with
those donors requiring the least guarantees.

(5) It should be borne in mind that the Commission
raised the ECSC loans on the capital markets as and when
they needed to be paid to the undertaking and that
consequently at no time was the Commission more
indebted than necessary.

The Commission does not consider that it would be

possible 'solely' to finance protection of the tropical
rainforest on the basis of the second paragraph of
Article 54 of the ECSC Treaty.

As, however, the Commission has already indicated to
Parliament, it should be possible to mobilize other major
resources for the protection of the Brazilian rainforest
under the Dublin and Houston mandates.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2592/90

by Mr Jose Barros Moura (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(20 November 1990)_

(91/C 107/46)

_Subject:_ Expenditure eligible for ESF assistance

In her answer of 11 June 1990 to my Written Question
No 784/90 O Commissioner Papandreou said that since
_building costs_ relating to vocational training centres were
excluded, depreciation costs and expenditure for the
_renting_ of such premises were also considered as
ineligible, so as to maintain a consistent approach.

However, this question not only affects undertakings
which provide in-house training or companies
specializing in training, whose 'normal' cost structure
includes installation costs. It also affects trade union

organizations which provide peripatetic training services
throughout a country to meet the needs of their members,
which can be provided only by _renting_ premises. In such
cases the expenditure places too heavy a burden on the
cost structure and jeopardizes training services which are
not provided by anyone else and which meet a real need.
How can this situation be taken into account in the

management of the ESF?

3. lower prices than initially estimated as a result of
international supply tendering; (') See page 5 of this Official Journal.

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/27

Answer given by Mrs Papapndreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

In the answer to Written Questions No 784/90 the
Commission stated that any promoter seeking
Community support for the construction of a training
centre should contact the organization responsible for the
submission of operational programmes to the Regional
Fund, to ascertain the possibility of including these costs
in a suitable programme.

This would seem to allow any promoter of vocational
training measures without training facilities of his own to
acquire the infrastructures needed to carry out these

measures.

For this reason, and in accordance with Article 124 of the
EEC Treaty, the Commission, in exercising its powers of
management, feels that it should not cover the rental costs
involved in the specific situation referred to by the
Honourable Member.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2600/90

by the following Members: Mr Enrique Sapena Granell,

Mrs Maria Izquierdo Rojo, Mrs Ludivina Garcia Arias,
Mr Juan de la Camara Martinez, Mr Mateo Sierra Bardaji,

Mr Javier Sanz Fernandez and Mr Jose Vazquez Fouz (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(20 November 1990)_

(91/C 107/47)

_Subject:_ Community policy on tourism

In view of the information shortfall in the tourist sector,
and the consequent need for statistics, surveys and a
framework for consultation and cooperation in this
sector, does the Commission think that a Community
methodology should be adopted for the research required
in this area which would permit homogeneous
presentation of the results obtained?

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

_(14 February 1991)_

The Commission believes that such a methodology is
indeed indispensable for carrying out the necessary
studies of tourism efficiently.

The need for statistics on tourism in the Community, to
provide the industry and governments with reliable
information has resulted in the Commission preparing a
proposal for a Council Decision on the implementation of
a multiannual programme (1991 — 1993) for developing
Community tourism statistics, which has been adopted by
the Council at its meeting on 29 November 1990.

The aim of the multiannual programme for developing
European tourism statistics is to define and implement a
Community frame of reference for Community statistics
on tourism, by the approximation of the concepts and
methods already used by the Member States.

Apart from the preliminary work that has been done
for harmonising statistical data in the field of services,
namely by the 'Office Statistique des Communautes
Europeennes', the Commission has completed the
relevant surveys 'Amelioration of Statistics in Tourism'
referring to hotels, restaurants and cafes (Horeca) in
1988 and a more recent one referring to Hotel
Characterization in the Member States of the EC May
1989. Finally, a study on the establishment of a
documentation centre, which will gather information on
all branches of tourism has been launched in order to

facilitate the task of coordinating national tourist data in
a more homogeneous way.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2627/90

by Mrs Teresa Domingo Segarra and Mr Alonso Puerta
(GUE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1990)_

(91/C 107/48)

_Subject:_ Contamination and environmental deterioration
of the Segura river and the surrounding lowlands
(Alicante — Spain)

The Segura river and the lowlands through which it flows
are suffering from serious environmental pollution,
particularly along the final stretch of the river, caused by
industrial and urban effluent discharged into its waters
without undergoing any form of purification. The bad
smells, the large number of insects and the high
contamination levels in the river constitute a genuine
public health hazard.

What measures will the Commission take, together with
the competent authorites, to remedy this lamentable
situation and to effectively implement Community
environmental legislation in particular the following
directives:

1. 75/440/EEC (') concerning the quality required of
surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking

water,

No C 107/28 Official Journal of the European Communities _11._ 4. 91

2. 76/464/EEC ( [2] ) on pollution caused by certain
dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic
environment,

3. 76/160/EEC ( [3] ) concerning the quality of bathing
water?

(') OJNoLl94,25.7. 1975, p. 34.
O OJNoL129, 18.5. 1976, p. 23.
O OJ No L 31, 5. 2. 1976, p. 1.

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

_{11 February 1991)_

The Commission will examine the question raised by
the Honourable Members and will ask the Spanish
Government for its observations. The Commission will of

course welcome any further information which the
Honourable Members can supply.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2634/90

by Mr Ernest Glinne (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(13 November 1990)_

(91/C 107/49)

_Subject:_ European aid to Brazilian military technology

A group of European companies is organizing the sale to
Brazil of launchers and warheads for purposes of nuclear
and/or chemical warfare. The Societe Europeenne de
Propulsion (France), Volvo, MAN (FRG) and FM
Motors (a Belgian firm now owned by the French
company SNECMA) are currently training the Brazilians
to undertake their own production of the Viking engine,
developed in France to power the satellites of the
European Space Agency. Other European companies,
including Saab Space, Alcatel-Kirk, SFENA and
Contraves, are supplying the 'instructors' required to
teach the correct use of missile flight control devices. It is
obvious that the Brazilian Centre for Aerospace
Technology (CTA) has no intention of restricting
European contributions to rocket technology to purely
'peaceful' purposes. This centre is now perfecting a Sonda
rV with nuclear and/or chemical potential, improving the
launchers and converting natural uranium into military
nuclear material. The sites are, moreover, closed to the
German and international engineers who are supposed to
verify whether atomic energy and the launch engines are
being used for military purposes.

Does the Commission consider the role of the

above-named European companies to be acceptable,

considering that they hold a majority of shares in
Ariane-Space, the holding company which controls the
manufacture of Ariane, the celebrated and, admittedly,
highly successful launcher of the European Space
Agency?

What is the total amount of European aid to
Ariane-Space? Could not this aid be considered to be a
contribution to the development of Brazilian military
technology?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(19 January 1991)_

According to inquiries made by the Commission, the
Brazilian space agency and ESA/European national space
agencies (e.g. CNES) have been discussing the granting of
a licence to Brazil to produce the motor Viking in
collaboration with European companies.

However, the 20-year-old Viking motor, produced in
approximately 1 000 copies, constitutes a low technology
contribution to the Ariane launcher and has already been
manufactured by India for 15 years, and cannot be
identified as of 'double use'.

Moreover, according to information requested by the
Commission, a transfer of Viking technology to military
purposes is highly unlikely. The Viking is based on the
principle of liquid fuel motor technology, while missiles
require new technology in the form of solid propellants.

Arianespace is a private company under French law and
has no ties with the Community. The company receives no
aid, financial or otherwise, from the Community.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2671/90

byMrRolfLinkohr(S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 December 1990)_

(91/C 107/50)

_Subject:_ SNCF high-speed train route — environmental
impact assessment

The French railway company SNCF is planning a
high-speed train route through the area of Crau in
southern France.

Does the Commission know whether an environmental

impact assessment has been carried out in connection with
this project and, if so, what were the findings ?

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/29

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

_(17 January 1991)_

According to the Commission's information, a number of
different routes, none of which threatens the Crau, are
proposed for the TGV project.

The Commission has received no information on the

environmental impact studies which, under French law,
should have been carried out in this instance. Directive
85/337/EEC _(_ _[l]_ _)_ does not require Member States
automatically to forward to the Commission any impact
studies carried out in their territory. Nonetheless, the
Commission has approached the French authorities for
the relevant information in this matter.

O OJNoL 175,5.7. 1985.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2677/90

by Mr Dieter Rogalla (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 December 1990)_

(91/C 107/51)

_Subject:_ Acronyms for various Community programmes

1. What is the purpose of the — plainly very carefully
chosen — acronyms used by the Commission to denote
European programmes of all kinds?

2. How many current Community programmes in all
are known by acronyms, and what are those acronyms?
Can the Commission list them according to specific
categories, for instance classified either by their respective
financial basis or in alphabetical order, where appropriate
in all the official languages?

3. Does the Commission agree that the resulting
proliferation of acronyms has reached excessive
proportions and is beginning to be a source of confusion
rather than enlightenment?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(14 February 1991)_

1. Acronyms are used to simplify long titles of
programmes thus making them easier to identify and to
remember. It makes each individual programme easily
recognizable and distinguishable. Moreover, acronyms
promote the public appeal of Community programmes
especially to their target groups and users.

2. Some 200 current Community programmes are
known by acronyms. They are listed alphabetically in a
directory of acronyms published by the Commission
every six months in the nine Community languages. This
directory is available, free of charge, to all interested
parties. It is complied on the basis of the Eurodicautom
databank.

3. The use acronyms has greatly contributed to public
awareness of various Community programmes. The
Commission tries to make sure that acronyms are
carefully chosen thus avoiding confusion between them
and keeps a careful watch on developments.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2690/90

by Mr Herman Verbeek (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 December 1990)_

(91/C 107/52)

_Subject:_ Admission of PCP to the EC

On the basis of what arguments does the Commission
justify its action in continuing to admit the preservative
pentachlorophenol (PCP), containing as it does highly
carcinogenic dioxin, to the internal market, thereby
forcing Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands to allow
this product, which seriously damages the environment
and public health, back onto the market?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(29 January 1991)_

The Commission proposes to ban the placing on the
market of substances and preparations containing more
then 0,1 % of pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters.
Provision is made however for four exceptions. These
relate to PCP use in the treatment of wood, the
impregnation of heavy duty textiles, as a chemical
intermediate and to treat wood rot in buildings.

For the two cases involving the treatment of wood the
substitutes currently available may have dangerous
properties for man and/or the environment. For the
textiles application there is currently no substitute
available on the market.

The four exceptions are to be re-rexamined after three
years in the light of developments in knowledge and
techniques concerning PCP substitutes?

No C 107/30 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

The Commission would also refer the Honourable

Member to its contribution to the debate in Parliament

on the recommendation, introduced during the second
reading, concerning the ninth amendment of the Directive
on certain dangerous substances and preparations ( [1] ).

(') Debate of the European Parliament, No 398 (January 1991).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2698/90

by Mr Ernest Glume (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 December 1990)_

(91/C 107/53)

_Subject:_ Situation in Central East Africa and
implementation of Article 5 (3) of the Fourth
Lome Convention

Article 5 (3) of the Fourth Lome Treaty stipulates the
following course of action in connection with the defence
and promotion of human rights:

At the request of the ACP States, financial resources
may be allocated, in accordance with the rules
governing development finance cooperation, to the
promotion of human rights in the ACP States through
specific schemes, public or private, that would be
decided, particularly in the legal sphere, in
consultation with bodies of internationally recognized
competence in the field. Resources may also be given
to support the establishment of structures to promote
human rights. Priority shall be given to schemes of
regional scope.

I should like to be informed of the measures taken or

envisaged by the Commission with a view to
implementing this contractual provision in the zone of
Central East Africa.

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(14 January 1991)_

As indicated in Article 5 of Lome IV, operations to
promote human rights may be launched in response to
requests from the ACP States, irrespective of the ACP
region concerned. The response will depend on the
intrinsic value of the operations proposed, and, in
accordance with Article 5, the competence of the bodies
with which these operations would be mounted.

The Commission has already established contact with
certain ACP organizations which specialize in the sphere

of human rights and has already financed, using other
resources, certain projects presented by the African
Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2705/90

by Mr Alexandros Alavanos (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(4 December 1990)_

(91/C 107/54)

_Subject:_ East-West arms trade

Following events in Central and Eastern Europe, there
has been an uncontrolled expansion in arms exports from
Eastern to Western Europe. Various companies, such as
the Commerce International Group, and East-West
Engineering from Japan, import large quantities of
weapons from the Warsaw Pact countries, e.g. tanks
(ranging from the old T-54s to the modern T-72s that
Iraq used for the invasion of Kuwait), armoured vehicles,
rocket launchers, anti-aircraft missiles, RPG-7 (the type
used by the IRA) and AK-74 rockets, ammunition, etc.
This trade is also encouraged by certain Eastern
European governments' efforts to sell their equipment
quickly before the agreement to reduce conventional
weapons in Europe takes effect.

What information does the Commission have about this

trade and what is its assessment of the situation? What

measures to control the arms trade have been taken at

Community level, especially in view of the fact that with
the advent of the single market without frontiers, the
dangers of the uncontrolled movement of weapons will
increase for all the Community countries?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen
on behalf of the Commission

_(6 February 1991)_

The Commission has neither evidence nor estimates

concerning the quantities of arms sold.

With regard to controlling the arms trade in the single
market, the Commission would refer the Honourable
Member to Mr Bangemann's statements to Parliament on
14 March 1989 and 10 July 1990 ('). These statements
address the issue of the arms trade and a common market

in arms in terms of the single market and provide an
analysis of the division of powers between the
Community and its Member States in this matter.

(') European Parliament Debates No 2/376 (March 1989) and
No 3/392 (July 1990).

^ ^ 1 Cofficial Journal of the European Communities ^oCtOBB^t

^ ^ I T T E ^ ^ E ^ T ^ c ^ ^ o ^ ^ O O B ^ O

b y ^ r E r ^ e s t ^ i i ^ e ^ ^

to the C^ornr^ission of the European C^ommu^kies

(^BCMOBB^

^ ^ c e ^ i t u a t i o n in El Salvador

^D November t^^O will see thefirst anniversary of the
assassination in El Salvador of si^ Jesuits, their
housekeeper and her daughter. This harharous act was
one incident i n a t O y ^ a r o l d civil war which has claimed
the lives of some ^0 000 civilians.

In the United states senate, the fOossLeahy proposal,to
halve the U^^^^ million in military aid requested by the
BushAdministration,aimstorepeatavotealreadywonin
June in the House of Representatives. Also, trade unions
(led hy the A E L C l ^ and several religious and civic
associations are trying to get a provision of the t ^ ^
Trade Act applied to El Salvador which makes it possible
to refuse the benefits of the system of generalised
Preferences (^^GR^, i.e. the entry of exports to the ^orth
American market, to countries where union rights, in
particular freedom of association, organisation and
negotiation are seriously and persistently violated,
without any attempt to remedy the situation. The
Salvadorean trade unions fenestras and Unoc have given
evidence before a subcommittee of the House (^ir
(Gerardo Mta^, spokesman of fenestras, was seriously
injured in C^ctobert^^ in an attack which destroyed his
union headquarters, killing ^0 people and injuring ^0
more. ^virAmadaVillatro, speaking on behalf of Unoc,
described the obstacles imposed by the Arena party
government,thearmed forces,the security servicesand
death squads, etc.^.Atopdeveldecisionon whether to
exclude El Salvador from the ^(GR will be taken ne^t
April

Is the commission prepared to act, both through
imposingeconomicsanctionsandbystoppingany arms
supplies to help begin a process of reconciliation and
bringaboutapolitical solutions

Ar^swer^ivenby^r^at^tes
on behalf ofthe commission

The Commission would recall the position that it adopted
on emergency resolutions ^ o s B ^ ^ 0 0 ^, ^ 0 ^, ^ 0 ^ D and

It would alsorecall theiointstatementon El Salvador

published ont^c^ovemberlast^

^ n e year after the murder,in El ^alvador,ofsi^ Jesuit
fathers and two of their coworkers at the University

of central America, the community and its member
states express their grave concern regarding the
absence of real progress in the judicial investigation as
well as the lack of cooperation on the part of certain
sections of the Armed forces. They reiterate their
convictions that the clearing up of these cases, which
constitutesakey factor for democratic consolidation
and for the independence of the iudiciary,should lead
to the iust and exemplary sentencing of those
responsible.^

^ithregardtoCommunityaid,theCommissionwould
emphasise that it mainly takes the form of regional
proiects covering all countries of Central America.
5Bilaterar proiects carried out direct with El Salvador
principally involve aid for Salvadorean refugees in
Honduras to return and resettle in their country. The
Commission does not intend to deprive the people
concerned bytheseproiectsof Community support.

^ ^ I T T E ^ C ^ U E ^ T ^ ^ ^ o ^ t O B ^

by^rsAmtaPollack(^

to the commission of the European C^ommunkies

(^PBCtO^B^

^ ^ c r . POolphins

IstheC^ommissionawareofthecurrent virus affecting
dolphins in the mediterranean from which allegedly
^0000 dolphins have died in the lastthree months^

^hatinformationdoes the Commission have about the

possible connection with RCBs and what, if any,measures
are being taken to save the ^iediteranean dolphins and to
clean up the pollution in the mediterraneans

Answer ^ivenby^rRipadi^eana
on behalf of the commission

The Commission has been informed, in particular by the
Spanish authorities, of an increase in the number of
dolphindeathsinthe^iediterranean in recent months.
The causes of this increase are not yet clear, but the
Commission is currently working with the competent
scientific community in order to study the problem,
scientists are looking into the possible role of a viral
infection.

^ i t h regard to organohalogen compounds (a category
which includes RC^Bs^, the contracting parties (including

No C 107/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

the European Economic Community) to the Convention
for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against
pollution (Barcelona Convention) and the Protocols
thereto, have agreed to:

— establish an environmental quality objective in coastal
waters of 25 mg/1 for total DDT;

— determine the patterns and basic concentrations of
organohalogens;

— establish areas of high concentration,

pursuant to Article 5 of the Protocol on land-based
pollution, Annex I to which deals with organohalogen
compounds (including PCBs).

Furthermore, the environment monitoring programme
(Medpol Phase II), implemented under the
abovementioned Convention, pays particular attention to
PCBs.

In addition, the Commission would remind the
Honourable Member that Directive 76/769/EEC relating
to restricitons on the marketing and use of certain
dangerous substances and preparations (*) sets a
PCB/PCT content of 0,01 % by weight.

Directive 89/677/EEC amending the abovementioned
Directive for the eighth time ( [2] ) reduces this content to
0,005 % by weight for these substances.

O OJ No L 262, 27. 7. 1976.
O OJNoL398,21. 12.1989.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2840/90

by Lord O'Hagan (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(13 December 1990)_

(91/C 107/57)

_Subject:_ Freedom of movement between the Member
States

The Commission is taking major steps to encourage
greater freedom of movement between the Member States
for those who live and work in the European Community.

1. What measures will the Commission be taking to
monitor the employment situation of ethnic minorities
holding the nationality of a Member State and who
seek to exercise their right to take up employment in a
Member State other than their own?

2. Will the Commission consider introducing specific
measurse to counter any racial discrimination
encountered?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 January 1991)_

All citizens of the European Community, irrespective of
their ethnic origin, have the right of freedom of
movement as provided for in the Treaty and in secondary
legislation. The Commission has not been notified of any
cases of citizens who have been unable to take up
employment in another Member State on account of their
ethnic origin, not has it received any complaints from
such citizens. Consequently, it does not believe it
necessary at present to propose any specific measures in
this area.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2848/90

by Mrs Christine Oddy (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(17 December 1990)_

(91/C 107/58)

_Subject:_ Birmingham airport

Is the Commission aware that EC nationals travelling to
Birmingham airport continue to be asked about the
purpose and duration of their travel?

Is the Commission further aware that a black EC national

travelling to Birmingham airport was assumed to be born
outside the European Community and was questioned as
to how he acquired EC nationality?

What steps does the Commission intend to take to rectify
the situation?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(31 January 1991)_

The Commission has always maintained that the
production of a valid identity card or passport is the only
precondition which Member States can impose on the
right of entry into their territory of persons entitled to
travel freely within the Community.

Member States cannot, for example, require EC nationals
arriving at the frontier to prove — by means of a medical
certificate or any other document — that they do not have
one of the diseases or disabilities listed in the annex to

Directive 64/221/EEC, or ask them systematically about
the purpose of their journey, their means of support, etc.

Stricter controls on individuals are permitted only on
grounds of public policy, public security, or public health
as provided for by Directive 64/221 /EEC.

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/33

Accordingly, the Commission has initiated infringement
proceedings against a Member State in connection with
circumstances similar to those outlined in the Honourable

Member's first question. The judgment in this case will be
handed down in the months ahead.

The Commission is awaiting this judgment before taking
any action that may be necessary against other Member
States which fail to comply with Community law
concerning frontier controls on individuals.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2895/90

by Mr Dieter Rogalla (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3_ _January 1991)_

(91/C 107/59)

_Subject:_ Development of the textile sector

1. What special conditions have arisen in the textile
sector (basic production and clothing industry) as a result
of extending the Community to include the new 'Lander'
of the Federal Republic of Germany?

2. Can the technological developments and the
employment figures be presented clearly and how do they
compare with those in other industrialized parts of the
world?

3. Do the greater capital resources of the individual
production units within the EC show any special
characteristics by comparison with other parts of the
world and, if so, what are they?

Answer given Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(31 January 1991)_

1. As a result of German unification, Community
market demand has increased, in population terms, by
about 16 million people. Like other sectors, the European
textile and clothing industry stands to gain from these
new marketing opportunities, and every effort should be
made to exploit them. On the other hand, existing textile
and clothing production in the Federal Lander of the
Federal Republic of Germany must be thoroughly
modernized and restructured in such a way as to make it
competitive and ensure its long-term viability in the large
European market and in the face of imports from third
countries. Certainly, the successful completion of this
process within a reasonable length of time will only be
possible on the basis of cooperation with the textile and
clothing undertakings operating in the Community as
was, prior to German unification.

2. In principle, technological developments and
employment levels in the European textile and clothing

industry are subject to the same trends as in other
industrialized countries. As a result of continuously rising
wage costs in the industrialized countries and in view of
the marked differences in labour and social welfare costs

between the industrialized and the developing countries,
the position regarding textile and clothing production in
the industrialized countries has undergone the following
changes:

— In the textile industry (especially in the production of
yarns and woven fabrics), the development and use of
modern production technologies and the introduction
of increasingly capital-intensive production processes
have enabled the industrialized countries to remain

competitive. As a result of productivity increases, staff
have been laid off in considerable numbers, whereas
production has hardly fallen at all or, in some cases,
has even risen (e.g. EC 1978/88: labour force -35%
production + 3,5%).

— In the clothing industry, in contrast, the absence of
any radically new manufacturing processes for the
reduction of labour costs has kept production
relatively labour-intensive in the industrialized
countries also. Because of the wage-cost disadvantage
_vis-a-vis_ the developing countries and in view of the
massive rise in exports from those countries, there has
been a significant fall-off in both employment and
production levels (e.g. EC 1978/88: labour force
-27 %, production + 13%).

3. Generally speaking, the increased use of modern
technologies means that greater capital resources must be
allocated to production and undertakings. Consequently,
the European textile and clothing industry, which
traditionally has consisted overwhelmingly of small and
medium-sized undertakings, is now facing a special
challenge in the technological field. Failure so far to
achieve a technological breakthrough, particularly in the
area of clothing production, may be attributable in part to
the existing company structure in the Community. On the
other hand, however, the competitiveness and success of
undertakings are also affected by other crucial factors
such as creativity, fashion and flexibility of production.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2937/90

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini (NI)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11 February 1991)_

(91/C 107/60)

_Subject:_ Statement by Mr De Michelis, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, concerning the European
Parliament

Are the observations made by the Italian Minister of
Foreign Affairs to the effect that the European Parliament
should not build up excessive hopes of obtaining greater
legislative powers since 'reality is one thing and flights of
fancy another' compatible with the functions and duties

No C 107/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 4. 91

incumbent upon the Presidency of the Council of
Ministers of the European Community? It was surprising
that such a declaration should come from the Minister of

a Member State whose citizens gave a massive affirmative
response in a referendum — held at the same time as the
last elections to the European Parliament — on the need
for the European Parliament to have a constituent
mandate. It was all the more surprising coming from the
Minister of one of the Member States most frequently
condemned by the European Court of Justice for failure
to comply with Community law and whose national and
local authorities have been unable — for reasons of

incompetence, inefficiency or whatever — to invest in full
the amounts envisaged by the European Community.

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(14 March 1991)_

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member

that it does not normally comment on public statements
by politicians in the Member States.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2954/90

by Mr Maxime Verhagen (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(11 January 1991)_

(91/C 107/61)

_Subject:_ Guatemala

1. Can the Commission outline the projects currently
being carried out as part of development cooperation with
Guatemala?

2. What view does the Commission take of current

criticisms to the effect that large amounts of the funds
earmarked for development projects are in fact being used
for counter-revolutionary purposes?

3. How is the use of development funds in Guatemala
being supervised?

Answer given by Mr Matutes
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 February 1991)_

The Commission requests the Honourable Member to
refer to the answers given to Written Questions
Nos 2053/90 (') and 2125/90 ( [2] ) by Mr Glinne.

1. These show that Community aid granted to
Guatemala since the installation of a civilian

government in 1986 has essentially been used for
financing projects in support of small-scale peasant
farming and operations to assist refugees.

2. The aid is designed to promote the integration in the
national economy both of groups of landless peasant
farmers in the context of agrarian reform projects and
of groups of refugees returning to Guatemala and
displaced persons. The Commission has taken all the
necessary steps to ensure that Community aid is
effectively used for these purposes.

3. The projects are carried out following the
Community's usual rules, which guarantee the
financial and administrative independence of
operations and ensure constant supervision by
European technical assistance personnel on the spot
and the Commission Delegation for Central America,
and through periodic visits by Commission officials
from Brussels. It should be pointed out in this
connection that the last inspection visit carried out by
a Commission Financial Control team in June 1990

found nothing to confirm the suspicions raised by the
Honourable Member in his question.

O OJC90, 8.4. 1991, p. 33.
O OJC90, 8.4. 1991, p. 37.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 116/91

by Mr Henry McCubbin (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(11 February 1991)_

(91/C 107/62)

_Subject:_ VAT harmonization

Does the Presidency have any plans for concluding
discussions on the Seventh Directive with particular
reference to harmonization of the method of collecting
VAT on second-hand goods?

Answer

_(15 March 1991)_

The Commission proposal on the common system of
VAT applicable to second-hand goods was examined in
1989 and the first half of 1990 by the Council's competent
bodies.

During the discussions, it became apparent that there was
a link between this proposal and the future system of VAT
after the abolition of fiscal frontiers. Following a decision
which the Council is expected to take in the very near
future on the procedures for implementing the future
system of VAT, discussions on the proposal referred to by
the Honourable Member will continue.

22. 4. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 107/35

WRITTEN QUESTION No 333/91

by Mr Egon Klepsch, Mr Elmar Brok
and Mr Jean Penders (PEE)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(4 March 1991)_

(91/C 107/63)

_Subject:_ US-EC relations

How does the Council consider that US-EC relations

should develop over the next few months, now that
Germany is unified and the Community is nearing
completion of the single European market?

Does the declaration, now being signed between the EC
and the US, imply that there will be closer cooperation
between the US and the EC in new sectors?

Does the Council believe that closer relations will lead to

the institutionalization of US-EC relations in the longer
term?

What possibilities exist for the Community and the US to
work together within the CSCE with a view to promoting
a new European security order?

Answer

_(15 March 1991)_

As the President of the European Council, Mr Andreotti,
informed the Parliament on 21 November 1990, the
declaration to which the Honourable Members refer, on
relations between the Community and the United States,
was approved on 20 November 1990 by the parties
concerned on the occasion of the CSCE meeting of Heads
of State and Government in Paris.

That declaration recognizes the importance of EC/US
relations against the background, inter alia, of the recent
developments which have restored unity in Europe and it
moroever implies recognition by the United States of the
process by which the European Community expresses its
identity in economic and monetary matters, in foreign
policy and in the domain of security. In addition, it
expresses the determination of both sides to strengthen
transatlantic solidarity and their commitment to endow
their relationship with a long-term perspective.

As well as setting out the principles of EC/US
partnership, the declaration also outlines areas where
the consulation and co-operation enshrined in these
principles will be developed and strengthened. As well as
political and economic cooperation, these areas include
education, scientific and cultural cooperation, and a
number of transnational challenges such as the fight
against terrorism, international crime and drug-related
activities, environmental protection and the prevention of
nuclear and other armament proliferation.

As regards the institutionalization of the EC/US
relationship, both sides agree that a framework is
required for regular and intensive consultation. They will
make full use of and further strengthen existing
procedures, including those established by the President
of the United States and the President of the European
Council on 27 February last.

In relation to the CSCE also, the abovementioned joint
declaration reflects the interest of the Community and the
United States in the consolidation of the new united and

democratic Europe, and their determination to cooperate
with a view to strengthening security, economic
cooperation and human rights in Europe.