Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-6986

#### C 332
# Official Journal

Volume 37
### of the European Communities 28 November 1994

Volume 37

28 November 1994

###### English edition Information and Notices

Notice No Contents P age

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

94 / C 332 / 01 E-2396 / 91 by Virginio Bettini to the Commission
Subject : German sales of arms technology by Libya 1

94 / C 332 / 02 E-3267 / 92 by Mr Ben Visser to the Commission
Subject : Carriage of air freight by rail ( Supplementary answer ) 1

94 / C 332 / 03 E-757 / 93 by John Bird to the Commission
Subject : Microwave frequency transmissions and electro-magnetic fields 2

94 / C 332 / 04 E-980 / 93 by Jean-Louis Bourlanges to the Commission
Subject : Spanish legislation on the distribution and release of films 3

94 / C 332 / 05 E-981 / 93 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Delay in carrying out measures under Regulation ( EEC ) No 815 / 84 3

94 / C 332 / 06 E-1207 / 93 by Neil Blaney to the Commission
Subject : Illegal fish imports 4

94 / C 332 / 07 E-1221 / 93 by Wilfried Telkamper to the Commission
Subject : The Community 's contribution to the International Year of the world 's indigenous
peoples 5

94 / C 332 / 08 E-1297 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Possibility of setting up and managing wholesale centres by Chambers of Commerce 5

94 / C 332 / 09 E-1317 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Exemption of newsprint from the arrangements governing imports 6

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Contents ( continued ) Page

E-l 345 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Support for provident funds

E-l 390 / 93 by Madron Seligman to the Commission
Subject : Contributions to Swiss pensions scheme

E-1601 / 93 by Jose Apolinario to the Commission
Subject : Nuts

E-1637 / 93 by Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : Penalties for employers employing illegal immigrants

E-l 770 / 93 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Rechar eligibility — Special case for Whitletts, West of Scotland

E-l 776 / 93 by Gerardo Fernandez - Albor to the Commission
Subject : Community contribution to the celebrations connected with Santiago de Compostela

E-l 846 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Psychiatric hospital on the island of Leros

E-l 850 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Representation of Greece on the Committee of the Regions

E-l 927 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Guarantee for the assets of bank depositors

E-l 996 / 93 by Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : ' Political cleansing ' in Colombia

E-2006 / 93 by Jean-Marie Vanlerenberghe to the Commission
Subject : British vehicles driving on the left

E-2017 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Reasons for the failure to appoint an information officer to the Commission 's office in
Madrid after almost a year

E-2066 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Conservation of the ' Tomb of the Salamis Warriors '

E-2096 / 93 by Madron Seligman to the Commission
Subject : Suppression by BBC of long-wave transmission

E-2097 / 93 by Barry Desmond to the Commission

Subject : Gambling in the single market

E-2 107 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Specifications for replacing the SEP bus fleet in Greece

E-2141 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Transfer of responsibilities from bodies entrusted with the implementation of agricultural
policy to private individuals

E-2347 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : ' Television without frontiers ' Directive

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Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

94 / C 332 / 28 E-2396 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Non-governmental organizations in Greece for international cooperation and
development 15

94 / C 332 / 29 E-2400 / 93 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Self-sufficiency in plasma-derived products in the EC Member States 15

94 / C 332 / 30 E-2566 / 93 by John Bird to the Commission
Subject : Disconnection of water supply to domestic properties 16

94 / C 332 / 31 E-2617 / 93 by Jan Bertens to the Commission
Subject : Support for independent media in former Yugoslavia 16

94 / C 332 / 32 E-2618 / 93 by Kenneth Coates to the Commission
Subject : Support for independent media in former Yugoslavia 17

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2617 / 93 and E-2618 / 93 17

94 / C 332 / 33 E-25 14 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of the agreements concluded at the UN Conference on the Environment
and Development 18

94 / C 332 / 34 E-2636 / 93 by Paul Staes to the Commission
Subject : World conference on the environment in Rio : inclusion in Community policy 18

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2514 / 93 and E-2636 / 93 18

94 / C 332 / 35 E-2676 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Banning age discrimination on the labour market 18

94 / C 332 / 36 E-2807 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : The deliberations of the President of the EIB 19

94 / C 332 / 37 E-2900 / 93 by Jean-Claude Pasty to the Commission
Subject : Structural Funds in Portugal 19

94 / C 332 / 38 E-3021 / 93 by Luigi Vertemati to the Commission
Subject : Fires in Europe 19

94 / C 332 / 39 E-3037 / 93 by Luciano Vecchi to the Commission
Subject : Obstacles to the participation of European NGOs in the special programme for South
Africa 20

94 / C 332 / 40 E-3109 / 93 by Bartho Pronk to the Commission
Subject : Safety of open lorries 21

94 / C 332 / 41 E-31 16 / 93 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Subsidies for promoting the Seville Universal Exposition 21

94 / C 332 / 42 E-3258 / 93 by Caroline Jackson to the Commission
Subject : Re-cycling of household waste 22

94 / C 332 / 43 E-3275 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : ' Slave trade ' in Greek workers in Belgium 22

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

94 / C 332 / 44 E-3445 / 93 by Giuseppe Mottola to the Commission
Subject : Crisis in the wine-growing sector on the island of Ischia and the adverse effects on
employment 22

94 / C 332 / 45 E-3447 / 93 by Christopher Jackson to the Commission
Subject : Risk of monopoly supply of satellite de-coding services 23

94 / C 332 / 46 E-3532 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Restoration of democracy in Burundi 24

94 / C 332 / 47 E-3617 / 93 by Gerard Deprez to the Commission
Subject : Commission delegation to East Jerusalem 24

94 / C 332 / 48 E-3633 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Discrimination by Greece on the grounds of nationality against doctors wishing to become
specialists 25

94 / C 332 / 49 E-3664 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : New tanks for petroleum products in Menemeni ( Thessaloniki ) 25

94 / C 332 / 50 E-3711 / 93 by Marianne Thyssen to the Commission
Subject : EC funds for the automatic translation system ; . . 26

94 / C 332 / 51 E-3721 / 93 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Coordination of information activities within the EC                   - . 26

94 / C 332 / 52 E-3737 / 93 by Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : Environment 27

94 / C 332 / 53 E-3760 / 93 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission
Subject : Production of a ' Eurospeak ' dictionary . 27

94 / C 332 / 54 E-3775 / 93 by Bruno Boissiere to the Commission
Subject : Existence of a motorway link to the Somport tunnel in the Aspe Valley 27

94 / C 332 / 55 E-378 1 / 93 by Ursula Schleicher to the Commission
Subject : Marketing of rhinoceros products 28

94 / C 332 / 56 E-3795 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Monetary deposits to be provided by EC citizens changing their place of residence 28

94 / C 332 / 57 E-3823 / 93 by Des Geraghty to the Commission
Subject : Development cooperation — monitoring and evaluation 29

94 / C 332 / 58 E-3 825 / 93 by Des Geraghty to the Commission
Subject : World Conference on Women . .... 29

94 / C 332 / 59 E-3838 / 93 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Objective 3 Social Fund . .. 29

94 / C 332 / 60 E-3848 / 93 by Enrique Sapena Granell to the Commission
Subject : Office for Harmonization                   - in the Internal Market in Alicante 30

94 / C 332 / 61 E-3853 / 93 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Coordination and evaluation of Community regional measures 30

Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

94 / C 332 / 62 E-3885 / 93 by Ben Visser to the Commission
Subject : Exclusion from the EC market of natural carrageen from the Philippines 31

94 / C 332 / 63 E-3898 / 93 by Hugh McMahon to the Commission
Subject : Food distribution for the poor 32

94 / C 332 / 64 E-3903 / 93 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Training of nurses in Spain — hours of training 32

94 / C 332 / 65 E-4105 / 93 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor to the Commission
Subject : Consultation on Directive 77 / 453 / EEC 32

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3903 / 93 and E-4105 / 93 33

94 / C 332 / 66 E-3907 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Street children 33

94 / C 332 / 67 E-3926 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Reconstruction programme for Sarajevo 34

94 / C 332 / 68 E-3943 / 93 by Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza to the Commission
Subject : Original language of Commission texts 34

94 / C 332 / 69 E-3945 / 93 by Giuseppe Mottola and Agostino Mantovani to the Commission
Subject : Satisfactory disposal of tobacco surpluses which have arisen as a result of good
weather 34

94 / C 332 / 70 E-3946 / 93 by Bartho Pronk to the Commission
Subject : Employment and research 35

94 / C 332 / 71 E-3958 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of the Sixth Programme for the promotion of olive oil 35

94 / C 332 / 72 E-3963 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Funding of marine research and technological development 36

94 / C 332 / 73 E-3964 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : European imports of cheap bicycles manufactured in Asia 36

94 / C 332 / 74 E-3965 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Quotas for Russian aluminium imports 37

94 / C 332 / 75 E-3974 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Setting-up the ESC in Greece 37

94 / C 332 / 76 E-3981 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Possibility for members of the family of a worker in one country to have access to health
care services in another country 37

94 / C 332 / 77 E-3994 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Wetlands of the Kanatadika region in northern Euboea 38

94 / C 332 / 78 E-3 995 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The wetlands of Stefanovikio in Magnesia 38

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

94 / C 332 / 79 E-400 6 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Training of farmers

94 / C 332 / 80 E-4007 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of the Retex Programme in Greece .

94 / C 332 / 81 E-4047 / 93 by Jose Vazquez Fouz to the Commission
Subject : Fisheries cooperation

94 / C 332 / 82 E-4058 / 93 by Christopher Jackson to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of the Telecommunications Services Directive 90 / 388 / EEC

94 / C 332 / 83 E-4072 / 93 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Biomed 1 research projects

94 / C 332 / 84 E - 18 / 94 by Paul Staes to the Commission
Subject : Biomed I and cot deaths ( sudden infant death syndrome )

94 / C 332 / 85 E-3 80 / 94 by Winifred Ewing to the Commission
Subject : Funding for cot death research

Joint answer to Written Questions E-4072 / 93, E-18 / 94 and E-380 / 94

94 / C 332 / 86 E-4073 / 93 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Atkins report on the European building industry

94 / C 332 / 87 E-4091 / 93 by Ioannis Stamoulis to the Commission
Subject : Centre of studies for the dissemination and promotion of Community languages

94 / C 332 / 88 E-4094 / 93 by Mauro Chiabrando and Ferruccio Pisoni to the Commission
Subject : Recognition of the profession of mountain guide

94 / C 332 / 89 E-4097 / 93 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Ownership of declared civil nuclear materials .

94 / C 332 / 90 E-4101 / 93 by Victor Arbeloa Muru to the Commission

Subject : Joint Assembly costs

94 / C 332 / 91 E-4106 / 93 by Jose Lafuente Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Period of practice required in order to practise law

94 / C 332 / 92 E-5 / 94 by Lyndon Harrison to the Commission
Subject : Protective headgear

94 / C 332 / 93 E-17 / 94 by Paul Staes to the Commission
Subject : European aid to NGO projects in Brazil ( street children )

94 / C 332 / 94 E-48 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of plans within the framework of the ' social economy '

94 / C 332 / 95 E-58 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Medical examinations of immigrants and illegal immigrants to diagnose tuberculosis and
malaria

94 / C 332 / 96 E-63 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Insuring fair coffee prices for the developing countries

94 / C 332 / 97 E-l 12 / 94 by Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Setting up the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs

' ( Continued on page

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94 / C 332 / 99

E-145 / 94 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Promotion of EC pavilion at Seville 47

E-163 / 94 by Robert Delorozoy to the Commission
Subject : Problem of deposits in tenders under the Phare and Tacis Programmes 47

94 / C 332 / 100 E - 182 / 94 by Ben Visser to the Commission

Subject : Car design to reduce pedestrian injuries 47

94 / C 332 / 101 E - 194 / 94 by Adriana Ceci to the Commission
Subject : New rules proposed by the Italian Government relating to the reorganization of the
ISS 48

94 / C 332 / 102 E-222 / 94 by Anita Pollack to the Commission

Subject : Late payment of bills 48

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E-225 / 94 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Cross-border transactions in the single market 48

E-242 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Application of the Community Directive requiring 10 % of TV time to be earmarked for
European productions 49

E-302 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Drafting of a recommendation on the right to housing 49

E-352 / 94 by Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : TV broadcasting 49

E-364 / 94 by James Nicholson to the Commission
Subject : European Year of the Elderly 50

E-433 / 94 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : Statutes of the European association, European cooperative society and European mutual
society 50

E-463 / 94 by Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : International security and the K4 Committee 51

E-466 / 94 by Jose Mendes Bota to the Commission
Subject : Consumption of alcoholic beverages 51

E-468 / 94 by Jesus Cabezon Alonso to the Commission
Subject : Future EEC Regulations on the careers of deck officer and engineer officer in the merchant
navy 52

E-491 / 94 by Diego Santos Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Elections to the European Parliament in June 1994 53

E-5 17 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Carrying out a study into the substantive effects of itinerant activities on the economies of
the different regions of the Community 53

E-572 / 94 by Jean-Pierre Raffin and Paul Lannoye to the Commission
Subject : Biological effects on children of pulsed electromagnetic radiation 53

E-593 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : ILO Convention No 29 on forced labour 54

( Continued on inside back cover )

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Contents ( continued ) Page

E-605 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : ILO Convention No 105 on the banning of forced labour

Joint answer to Written Questions E-593 / 94 and E-605 / 94

E-631 / 94 by Kenneth Collins to the Commission
Subject : Hungary

E-632 / 94 by Kenneth Collins to the Commission
Subject : Poland

Joint answer to Written Questions E-631 / 94 and E-632 / 94

E-705 / 94 by Arie Oostlander to the Commission
Subject : New seats and European Schools

E-739 / 94 by Joan Colom i Naval to the Commission
Subject : Community aid for the training of translators into Chinese in Macao

E-748 / 94 by Gerard Deprez to the Commission

Subject : Ehlass Programme

E-752 / 94 by Gerard Deprez to the Commission
Subject : Devaluation of the CFA franc

E-762 / 94 by Jose Vazquez Fouz to the Commission
Subject : Educational programmes for girls as part of aid to refugees

E-803 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Social protection of volunteers working in developing countries

E-8 13 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Creation of a European Institute on Geriatrics and Gerontology

E-8 19 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Health education throughout schools in the European Union

E-901 / 94 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Commission support for a census in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia . . .

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I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2396 / 91

by Virginio Bettini ( V )

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission (3 June 1993 )

( 22 October 1991 )

( 94 / C 332 / 01 The first three points raised by the Honourable Member are
outside the Community 's field of competence .

Subject : German sales of arms technology by Libya

In view of Article 30, Title III, of the Single European Act of

1986 ( provisions on cooperation in the sphere of common
policy ), and in particular sub-paragraphs 6 ( a ) and 6 ( b ), the
declaration by the Rhodes European Council of 3 December
1988 on the international role of the European Community,
the resolution of 14 March 1989 stressing the importance of
arms control in order to reduce the scale of armed conflicts

in the world and alleviate human suffering and the need to
prevent arms exported by Member States being used against
Europe and the resolution of 18 April 1991 on the arms
trade :

1 . Is the Commission aware that the firm of Fritz Werner

GmbH in Rheingau ( Germany ) is selling to Libya
equipment for the production of earth-to-earth missiles
in the guise of ' materials for the manufacture of pipes for
drains and waterworks ', as stated in the contract it has
signed with Tripoli ?

2 . Is the Council aware that the ' A1 Fatah ' missiles being
constructed in this way are capable of reaching much of
central and southern Italy ?

3 . Does the Commission not consider that an investigation
should be carried out to put an end to illegal trade by the
Member States in arms and arms technology ?

4 . Has the Commission drawn up proposals for the
creation of a common arms market and the definition of

a common policy in respect of arms sales, as called for by
the EP resolution of 14 March 1989 ?

As regards the fourth point, the answer is in the negative,
although it should be noted that the Commission is involved
in the work of the EPC Ad hoc Working Party on
Conventional Arms Export Control, which the
Luxembourg and Lisbon European Councils designated as
an area for harmonization .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3267 / 92

by Mr Ben Visser ( S )

to the Commission

(6 January 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 02 )

Subject : Carriage of air freight by rail

The Dutch company ATAN ( Air Transport Association of
the Netherlands ) has attempted to organize a service to carry
air freight by rail . It was intended that a daily service
between Italy and the Netherlands, particularly for
intercontinental air freight, should operate from around

1 November 1992 . This plan failed for a number of reasons .
One of the main problems was delays at borders . At the
Dutch / German border at the weekend, they can be as long as
12 to 14 hours, so that consignments would always reach
airports too late . ATAN regrets the situation which has
arisen but sees no way out of the impasse, and fears that it
will not be possible to launch an air-freight-by-rail service
for a long time .

No C 332 / 2 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

1 . Is it true that rail freight can be delayed for up to 12 or 14
hours at the German / Dutch border at weekends ?

2 . Is the Commission prepared to call upon the Member
States to eliminate such unnecessary disadvantages for
rail transport ?

3 . What possibilities are there for such initiatives to be

incorporated in combined transport systems ?

The Commission is also currently preparing proposals to
establish transparent guidelines and procedures in the
allocation of infrastructure capacity and the charging of
infrastructure fees .

(!) OJ No C 207, 30 . 7 . 1993 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 237, 24 . 8 . 1991 .

4 . Will the Commission make proposals at an early date to
improve the chances of success for private initiatives
with regard to rail freight ? WRITTEN QUESTION E-757 / 93

by John Bird ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 15 April 1993 )

Supplementary answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 March 1993 )

Further to its answer of 18 May 1993 ( ), the Commission
is now able to provide the following additional
information .

The rail freight service mentioned by the Honourable
Member was to run between the Netherlands and Italy
mainly on weekends .

According to information provided by the Dutch and
German railways this plan has not been executed due to the
very low transport volume and not because of long waiting
times at the border . According to the railway companies,
there are no waiting times of 12 to 14 hours as mentioned by
the Honourable Member .

A recent survey carried out by the OCTI in Bern has shown
that the border crossing for rail transport is relatively
satisfactory in central and northern Europe whereas
substantial improvements are needed in southern and
eastern Europe . Most of the existing border crossing
problems within the Community are railway specific rather
than caused by measures taken by authorities .

The Commission aims at improving international rail
transport by granting market access ( Directive
91 / 440 / EEC ( 2 ), establishing outline schemes for European
networks ( high-speed, conventional rail and combined
transport ) and by promoting technical harmonizaton and
inter-operability . A proposal for a Directive on high-speed
trains is under preparation .

Further a number of pilot projects in the field of combined
transport should demonstrate the best possible performance
along certain axes .

( 94 / C 332 / 03 )

Subject : Microwave frequency " transmissions and
electro-magnetic fields

There is currently a great deal of public concern regarding
the possible harmful effects of microwave frequency
transmissions, and electro-magnetic fields, as a result of
personal and other communication networks and
equipment .

Has the Commission conducted, or sponsored, any research
into the biological side-effects of :

1 . microwave frequency transmissions and

2 . electro-magnetic fields ?

If not, has the Commission obtained any information
relating to such biological side-effects from independent or
Government-run agencies ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 1993 )

The Commission is aware of public concern regarding the
risks to health of the exposure to microwave frequency
transmissions and electromagnetic fields in general and has
on several occasions expressed its views on this issue in
answers to parliamentary questions . The Honourable
Member is referred to Written Question No 554 / 93 by Mr
Llewellyn Smith (*) which listed previous questions tabled,
as well as to the answers provided by the Commission .

The Commission has addressed the issue of adverse effects
of electromagnetic fields on workers by proposing a Council

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 3

Directive concerning the minimum requirements for the
protection of workers against physical agents ( 2 ) which
contains a series of measures required to protect workers
from exposure to such radiation .

The study of the health effects caused by electromagnetic
fields is not part of the current Community research and
technological development framework programme .
However, the Commission is supporting a COST 244 ( joint
European research ) project that involves 15 European
countries on ' Biomedical effects of electromagnetic
radiation '. The objective of this project is to pinpoint
differences between the standards in force and provide a
scientific, basis for the development of new European
standards for protection against exposure to
electromagnetic radiation . The importance of
electromagnetic radiation has led the Commission to
establish a programme aimed at the production of standards
on its effects .

Also, in this respect, the Commission intends to prepare a
mandate for the European Committee for Electro-technical
Standardization on the development of a work programme
for safety limits for ' athermal ' effects due to mobile
communications equipment in the range 80MHz — 46Hz .

( x ) OJ No C 207, 30 . 7 . 1993 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 77, 18 . 3 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-980 / 93

by Jean-Louis Bourlanges ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 29 April 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 04 )

Subject : Spanish legislation on the distribution and release

of films

Spanish legislation on the cinema, as amended by the
Spanish Government on 29 December 1992, provides that
the release of a film of Spanish or Community origin
establishes an entitlement to three dubbing licences for the
release of films of non-Community origin . The value of this
measure, which is intended to encourage the release of
Spanish films in the face of an invasion of US productions

( which provide cinemas with 75 % of their takings ), cannot
be questioned .

However, European films will entitle licences to be issued
only if they are released in the original version ( in a language
other than Spanish, therefore ). The release of films of
Community origin in Spanish is still authorized but licences
will not be granted as a result .

As European films will not often entitle licences to be issued
( an OV release produces only 7% of the takings of the

Spanish version of the same film, while under the system
relatively high takings are required for licences to be issued ),
the system adopted discriminates against non-Spanish films
of Community origin .

Does the Commission not consider that the measure

referred to above is at variance with Article 30 of the

Treaty ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 1994 )

The Commission is aware of the problem raised by the
Honourable Member . It has delivered to Spain under
Article 169 of the EC Treaty a reasoned opinion relating to
this legislation for infringement of Article 59 of the EC
Treaty because current legislation in this field, which
comprises the Law of 27 April 1946 and Law No 3 / 1980 of

10 January 1980, as amended by Royal Legislative Decree
No 1257 / 1986 of 13 June 1986, discriminates against films
from other Member States .

It should furthermore be noted that, at the request of
the ' Tribunal Supremo de Espana, Sala de lo
Contencioso-Administrativo ', the European Court of
Justice in a judgment of 4 May 1993 pursuant to Article 177
of the EC Treaty ruled as follows :

' The provisions of the Treaty concerning freedom to
provide services must be interpreted as meaning that they
preclude national legislation which reserves the granting
of licences for dubbing into one of the official national
languages films originating in non-member countries to
distributors who undertake to distribute national

films .'

Lastly, it should be mentioned that new Spanish legislation
was adopted on 10 December 1993 and is currently being
examined by the Commission to ensure its compatibility
with Community law .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-981 / 93

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE )

to the Commission

( 29 April 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 05 )

Subject : Delay in carrying out measures under Regulation

( EEC ) No 815 / 84

In its report on measures taken under Regulation ( EEC )
No 815 / 84 i 1 ) relating to Leros hospital and the Pikpa

( National Welfare Organization ) Institute, the Commission
notes that Commission officials who visited these

establishments in May and October found that ' progress at

No C 332 / 4 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

the hospital was at a very difficult stage ' and ' very bad
material conditions continue to prevail in certain
departments of the State hospital and the paediatric hospital
( Pikpa )'. The Commission also observes that ' on repeated
occasions it drew the attention of the Greek authorities at all

levels to a series of problems which were seen to be
responsible for this situation and urged it to take whatever
action was necessary without delay '.

What are these problems in respect of which it has urged the
Greek Government to take whatever action is necessary
without delay ? What is the precise timetable for this action ?
What is the programme 's take-up rate to date ?

O OJ No L 88, 31 . 3 . 1984, p . 1 .

specific measures to this effect . A commitment has been
received that the programme for Leros will be implemented
in full and that by the end of October 1993 the actions
included in the programme will be underway .

The absorption rate for the Leros I Programme ( 1991 / 92 ) is
estimated at about 85% . Implementation of the Leros II
Programme ( 1993 / 94 ) is at present behind schedule .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1207 / 93

by Neil Blaney ( ARC )

to the Commission

( 18 May 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Flynn ( 94 / C 332 / 06 )
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 October 1993 ) Subject : Illegal fish imports

The implementation of the special programme for the
mental hospital of Leros ( 1991 / 92 ) produced positive
results which have been confirmed by external experts . This
programme contributed, among other things, to alleviating
the living conditions of many patients and to the transfer of

160 patients to various hostals and sheltered appartments
outside the hospital .

However, following the visits to the hospital by
Commission officials and experts in May and October

1992, it was found that the progress noted in the earlier
period had not continued . The problems, which were
brought to the attention of the Greek authorities, were the
persistence of delays in the execution of necessary works for
the up-grading of the physical conditions, administrative
interference in scientific and clinical matters and inadequate
cooperation between the parties involved in the
implementation of the programme .

In order to assist in overcoming those difficulties the
Commission approved the financing of a team of technical
staff to be dispatched to Leros to organize and supervize all
technical works needed in the hospital so as to accelerate the
upgrading of the physical conditions of the patients in
Leros .

In November 1992 agreement was reached on a programme
for Leros for the period 1993 / 94 . The new programme
provides for actions for the rehabilitation,
de-institutionalization and improvement of living
conditions of the patients and contains a number of
management and implementation mechanisms necessary to
overcoming the problems noted earlier . During the first half
of 1993 it became apparent that these problems still
persisted, resulting in delays in implementing the new
programme . The Commission has repeatedly urged the
Greek authorities to take the necessary action to ensure
implementation of the programme and has proposed

Has the Commission investigated allegations that fish
caught by vessels from non-member countries are being
' laundered ' i.e. landed disguised as legal catches by
Community fishermen ? If so, what is the result of its
investigations ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(9 November 1993 )

In the framework of the control of own resources ( inter alia
customs duties ) the Commission has carried out some
checks on landings of fish by fishing vessels flying the flag of
third countries . These checks confirmed that measures are

applied which require foreign fishing vessels to land their
catch under customs control . Apart from a question
concerning a vessel listed in Annex XII to the Accession
Treaty, the Commission has not discovered irregularities in
this field . The Commission will however continue to carry
out checks on landings of fish by third country fishing
vessels .

Taking into account an increase in landings by certain
reflagged fishing vessels, Spain adopted measures ( 17410
Orden de 4 de julio de 1991 sobre regulacion del control del
origen de la capturas de buques pesqueros extranjeros no
comunitarios ) requiring inter alia such vessels do inform the
authorities of their arrival 72 hours in advance . A similar

condition has been included in Article 8 ( lc ) of the Council
Regulation establishing a control system applicable to the
common fisheries policy which will enter into force on

1 January 1994 (( EEC ) No 2847 / 93 H ).

(!) OJ No L 261, 20 . 10 . 1993 .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 5

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1221 / 93

by Wilfried Telkamper ( V )

to the Commission

( 18 May 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 07 )

Subject : The Community 's contribution to the
International Year of the world 's indigenous
peoples

Is the Commission aware that the only contributions made
by EC countries towards the UN 's voluntary fund for the
year are those of Denmark ( US$ 238 000 donated or
pledged ), and France ( US$ 26 785 )?

Is the Commission aware that there are two existing budget
lines in the EC 's budget which expressly mention the
International Year and the need to provide funding for
indigenous peoples ? What plans does the Commission have
to allocate funding to indigenous organizations in order to
enhance their capacity for self-development ?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 October 1993 )

Within its sphere of competence the Commission has carried
out many projects to help improve the lot of indigenous
peoples .

The projects implemented in 1992, and those planned for
this year under budget headings B7-3010, 3011, 3012,
5078, 5040 and 5041 cover a wide range of fields :

— training indigenous peoples ' representatives ( Costa
Rica, Panama );

— promotion of indigenous peoples ' rights ( Costa Rica,

Panama, Colombia );

— support for self-organization and for large-scale
gatherings of indigenous peoples ( Panama,
Guatemala );

— development and self-management for indigenous
peoples ( Ecuador, Chile );

— support for the consultation process on the rights

of indigenous peoples and ethnic communities
( Nicaragua );

— support for the Columbian Government initiative to

grant indigenous people land rights to 18 million
hectares of forest ( the ' Coama ' project );

— support for a research centre on tropical forest
management for certain Brazilian indigenous peoples,
and for their culture ;

— support for the demarcation of indigenous lands ( in

cooperation with the Pro Tempore Secretariat of the
Amazon Cooperation Treaty );

— geographical and cartographical information system for

indigenous lands ( Amazon ).

More than ECU 5 million has been committed in all, and
projects entailing commitments of a further ECU 4 million
are currently being assessed for 1993 .

The Commission has also financed research on the status of

indigenous peoples living in the tropical forests of Africa,
Asia and Latin America, to be used to help integrate their
specific human and cultural needs into projects for the
protection and sustainable development of the tropical
forest .

The Commission does not have access to information on the

Member States ' contributions to the UN 's voluntary fund
for the International Year of the world 's indigenous
peoples .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1297 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 June 1993 )

94 / C 332 / 08 )

Subject : Possibility of setting up and managing wholesale

centres by Chambers of Commerce

In a recent letter to the Minister for Trade, the Chamber of
Commerce in Achaia drew attention to the need to set up
and manage a wholesale centre in Patras .

Are the administrations of Chambers of Commerce able to

set up and manage wholesale centres in their areas and under
what conditions ? What scope does the Commission have, in
the context of subsidiarity, to exert pressure on the Greek
authorities to set up a wholesale centre in Patras ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 September 1993 )

The Honourable Member has drawn the Commission 's
attention to the reference by the Achaia Chamber of
Commerce and Industry ( CCI ) to the need to set up a
wholesale centre in Patras .

No C 332 / 6 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

It is not the job of the Commission to assess the legality of
measures taken by CCI for which the Member States alone
are responsible .

In fact, CCI in many Member States do set up and manage
profit-making concerns ( ports, airports, etc .) and in some
countries they have been involved in the setting up — and
even management — of wholesale foodstuffs outlets

( wholesale trading centres in France, Mercasa network in
Spain ).

Having said this, these activities ( the setting up of
commercially-based public services ) must be distinguished
from commercial activities as such .

If CCI in receipt of public funds start subsidizing such
activities on behalf of purely private commercial
establishments, Community legislation prohibiting the use
of State aid to distort competition under Articles 92 and 93
of the EEC Treaty could be invoked .

The Commission is, furthermore, prepared to look into any
relevant requests from the national and regional authorities
concerned under the Structural Funds programmes .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-13 17 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(3 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 09 )

imports is constantly under review in the context of this
dialogue . The publishers have been kept aware of the
Commission 's view that, under the present circumstances,
the only reasonable prospect of changing current
arrangements must fall within the framework of on-going
multilateral negotiations .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1345 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(3 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 10 )

Subject : Support for provident funds

The ageing of the population in Europe threatens to exhaust
public funds and undermine the whole notion of the welfare
state . According to the British firm, Pensions and
Investment Research Consultants ( Pircs ), some 20 % of the
population in the Community is over 60 years old, and by
the year 2020, the figure will be in the region of 37 % . The
crucial question is how governments will encourage the
private sector to assume mofe of the burden and which
system of supporting the funds will be most effective . Pircs
considers that the key question is how to make optimum use
of the money in the insurance funds . In view of the
seriousness of this issue, will the Commission make its views
known ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Exemption of newsprint from the arrangements ( 18 October 1993 )

governing imports

Given the importance of the written press as regards culture
and education in general, what measures does the
Commission intend to take to ensure that it can face
competition from television and the radio on terms of
equality ? Can the Commission say whether there is any
scope for further derogations for newsprint from the
arrangements governing imports obtaining in the
Community as part of endeavours to ensure fair
competition between the various mass media ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 July 1993 )

The importance of the written press has always been
recognized by the Commission . In particular, since March

1992, the Commission has opened a continuing dialogue
with newspaper publishers through their representative
organizations CAEJ and JiPC . The question of newsprint

The Commission is aware of the problem of the ageing of
populations and its effect on national social security
schemes . It has tackled this problem in the past in its
communications of 1982 and 1986 on the problems of
social security and during the European Year of Older
People and solidarity between Generations .

It is currently conducting a serious study of this problem as
part of the strategy of convergence of policies and objectives
in the area of social protection, which was the subject of a
Council recommendation adopted in July 1992 .

As far as the role of supplementary pension institutions is
concerned, the Commission has presented a proposal for a
Directive relating to the freedom of management and
investment of funds held by institutions for retirement
provision . Parliament completed its first reading in
November 1992, and the Commission has presented an
amended proposal to Council .

The work of the Commission will make it possible for
retirement provision in the Member States to progress in

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 7

spite of the problems of the ageing of populations and the
increase in the proportion of retired people to which the
Honourable Member refers . Once this proposal has been
adopted, it will establish the right framework for
supplementary pension institutions to develop and take
advantage of the freedoms granted by the EC Treaty .

Lastly, the Commission has presented a communication on
supplementary pension schemes and has set up an
observatory comprising experts from all the Member States
which should present a report on this area for the

Commission in 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1390 / 93

by Madron Seligman ( PPE )

to the Commission

(8 June 1993 )

Furthermore, there are no agreements between the
Community and Switzerland in the field of social security,
and Switzerland is no longer a Contracting Party to the
Agreement establishing the European Economic Area . The
Commission therefore has no legal basis to take action in
this matter which falls exclusively within Swiss

competence .

Whether existing bilateral agreements between Switzerland
and the United Kingdom might offer a solution to the
problem can be examined only by the institutions of both
States concerned .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1601 / 93

by José Apolinârio ( PSE )

( 94 / C 332 / 11 ) to the Commission

( 18 June 1993 )

Subject : Contributions to Swiss pensions scheme

In my Written Question No 2248 / 92 (*) entitled
' Confiscation of Pension Contributions ', I drew the
Commission 's attention to the refusal by the Swiss
authorities to refund compulsory contributions when my
constituents left Switzerland to return to the UK .

The Commission 's answer offered no solution to my
constituents ' problem .

However, both Mr Puerta 's question and the Commission 's
answer ( 2 ) imply that it is, in fact, normal for contributions
to be refunded when foreign workers leave Switzerland
permanently .

Would the Commission now be prepared to use its good
offices to persuade the Swiss authorities to reconsider their
refusal with regard to Mr Antony Doyle and Mrs Angela
Doyle, nee Walsh ?

( 94 / C 332 / 12 )

Subject : Nuts

Can the Commission give details of the measures taken to
implement Regulation ( EEC ) No 2159 / 89 ( ! ) specifying the
amounts disbursed in Spain, Italy, and Portugal ?

(!) OJ No L 207, 19 . 7 . 1989, p . 19 .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 September 1993 )

The specific measures for nuts and locust beans introduced

( (!) 2 ) OJ OJ No No C C 90 86,, 26 31 .. 3 3 . . 1993 1993,, p p .. 11 23 . . by Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 789 / 89 ( detailed ruels for

the application of which are laid down in Regulation ( EEC )
No 2159 / 89 ) encourage the formation of producers '
organizations ( POs ) and provide them also with working
capital, subject to the presentation of a quality and
marketing improvement plan . Provision is also made for the
Answer given by Mr Flynn financing of measures to develop and improve the
on behalf of the Commission consumption and utilization of these products .

(3 September 1993 )

To date, the state of implementation of these measures is as
The Commission 's answer to Written Question No 1874 / 92 follows :
by Mr Puerta concerns the reimbursement of contributions
paid to the Swiss complementary pension scheme Greece Spain France Italy
( occupational scheme, so called ' second pillar ') but not the
reimbursement of contributions paid to the Swiss basic Recognized OPs 1 53 7 9
pension cheme ( AHV, so called ' first pillar '). This answer — 48 5 —

Approved plans

therefore does not apply to the case of the Honourable Promotion studies — 1 — —
Member 's constituent .

Greece Spain France Italy

Recognized OPs 1 53 7 9

Approved plans — 48 5 —

Promotion studies — 1 — —

No C 332 / 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Expenditure on these measures amounts to : Answer given by Mr Flynn
( in ECU million ) on behalf of the Commission

Greece Spain France Italy ( 30 September 1993 )

Formation of OPs — — — —

— —
Working capital 11,563 1,360

— —
Improvement plans 100,082 1,302

Studies — — — —

All Member States ( excluding Ireland ) impose financial
penalties and employers of illegal workers may also receive
prison sentences in most countries .

However, there is no coordination between Member States
With regard to Portugal, the Portuguese authorities have not with regard to the severity of fines or prisonySentences .
communicated the recognition of any organizations of nut
producers .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1770 / 93

by Alex Smith ( PSE )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1637 / 93 to the Commission

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE )

(2 July 1993 )

to the Commission ( 94 / C 332 / 14 )

( 22 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 13,

Subject : Rechar eligibility — Special case for Whitletts,

West of Scotland

Subject : Penalties for employers employing illegal
immigrants

A law imposing penalties on employers employing illegal
immigrants was adopted in Belgium in April 1993 .

Before the introduction of this law, it was only illegal
workers who suffered real penalties as a result of inspections
by the social services and the police ; they were immediately
deported to their country of origin .

The employers, on the other hand, received relatively far less
severe penalties, both in terms of criminal law and
administrative fines, which therefore had no preventive
effect .

The more stringent penalties against the ' slave drivers ' laid
down recently by the Belgian Government and adopted by
Parliament provide, in particular, for the full or partial,
temporary or permanent closure of the undertakings in
question .

The sectors most affected include the building trade,
horticulture, clothes manufacturing, the catering trade and
trafficking in women and procuring .

Can the Commission say which Member States have
comparable laws and what cooperation there is at European
level — at least at the same level and by means of similar
penalties — to combat employers involved in illegal
immigration and the employment of illegal foreign
workers ?

The rigid application of Rechar criteria of eligibility has
resulted in the Whitletts area of the West of Scotland being
ineligible for Rechar monies, despite the fact that almost
200 ex-miners reside there and the area is a recognized area
of ' priority treatment '.

Given that the area has projects which could be immediately
put into place, will the Commission review its decision with
regard to contiguous areas and designate Whitletts as a
' special case ' for Rechar funding ?

Failing this, will the Commission authorize the West of
Scotland Rechar Committee to approve the extension of the
operation of the vocational training sub-programme, to
include these Ayrshire ex-miners ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 20 December 1993 )

The UK Government did not include the Whitletts area in its
proposal for eligible Rechar areas in western Scotland .
Therefore, no information was provided by the UK
authorities on the impact of the decline in the coal mining
industry in Whitletts .

Any extension of the list of areas eligible for assistance in the
framework of Rechar would require, after consultation of
the Advisory Committee on the Development and

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 9

Conversion of Regions, a formal Commission Decision . An willingness to participate in the Santiago celebrations being
extension of this list to include Whitletts could only be held this year ?
considered at the request of the UK authorities and in a line
with the selection criteria established in the Commission

(!) OJ No C 38, 15 . 2 . 1992, p . 23 .

Notice No 90 / C20 / 03 .

Given that the current Rechar Programme expires on Answer given by Mr Pinheiro
31 December 1993, it would not be advisable to modify the on behalf of the Commission
current list of eligible Rechar areas by the inclusion of
Whitletts . ( IS November 1993 )

The Honourable Member will be aware that Whitletts is

eligible for Structural Funds support as an Objective 2 area
under the 1993 western Scotland Operational Programme .
It may be possible that one of the projects referred to in the
question is eligible under that programme . The local
authority concerned should therefore contact the Western
Scotland Operational Programme secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 776 / 93

by Gerardo Fernandez-Albor ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 15 )

Subject : Community contribution to the celebrations
connected with Santiago de Compostela

In connection with the celebration in 1993 of the Holy Year
of St James and in view of the fact that in 1985 Unesco
declared Santiago de Compostela to be part of the heritage
of mankind, it should be pointed out that St James ' Way has
been declared the First Cultural Itinerary of Europe and that
when it was granted the Prize of the Council of Europe it
also acquired the right to display the colours of Europe .

In its answer to my Written Question No 1233 / 91 O on
Community participation in the 1993 Holy Year of
St James, the Commission promised to ' study closely any
proposals submitted to it in relation to the funds available '.
The Commission could in fact make an extremely important
contribution by earmarking some budget funds to finance
the display, throughout the length of St James ' Way, of the
colours which symbolize European integration . St James '
Way has, historically, served as a faithful mirror of the soul
and spirit of the innumerable European pilgrims who
identified their faith with the apostle St James .

Would the Commission therefore agree that a budgetary
contribution of the kind indicated above would reflect its

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member

that, in order to ensure transparency of management,
Community contributions in the cultural field must be
granted either on the basis of a specific entry m the remarks
to the budget item, as in the case of the conservation of the
Acropolis or Mount Athos, the Community Youth
Orchestra or the Community Baroque Orchestra, or by
means of participation in the various pilot programmes
published in the Official Journal of the European
Communities, i.e. programmes for the conservation of the
architectural heritage, aid for literary translation and
' Kaleidoscope ' ( cultural events, grants and cultural
networks ).

Only one application indirectly concerning Saint James '
Way, the project ' Red de Bibliotecas / Centros de
Investigacion del Camino de Santiago ', was submitted under
the Kaleidoscope Programme ; it failed to be selected by the
Panel of Independent Experts appointed by the Commission
on the proposal of the Member States as the project did not
satisfy the formal criteria laid down .

At the formal meeting of the Council of 17 May 1993, the
Ministers of Culture for their part confined themselves to
adopting a declaration welcoming the initiatives taken by a
number of Member States with a view to the identification,
restoration and conservation of the historical and artistic

heritage of Saint James ' Way and underlined the leading role
played by the Council of Europe in promoting Saint James '
Way as a cultural itinerary .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1846 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( IS July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 16 )

Subject : Psychiatric hospital on the island of Leros

According to the Greek newspaper ' Pondiki ' of 14 April

1993, the Greek authorities transferred the chief
psychiatrist of the State psychiatric hospital on the island of
Leros, Mr Theodoros Megalooikonomou, to another
dead-end post . As a result, a programme which had been

No C 332 / 10 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

launched with Community funds could no longer be
continued .

In view of the fact that the programme, which had been
approved by the Greek Ministry of Health and the
competent EC committee, categorically stated that the
selection of staff for the new premises would be done by the
person in charge of the programme, that is to say, Mr
Megalooikonomou, does the European Community
approve the removal of the chief psychiatrist ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 20 December 1993 )

The Commission would point out that the Treaty on
European Union lays down that the members of the
Committee of the Regions will be appointed by the Council
acting on proposals from the Member States .

The Commission has no powers to intervene in the way
members of the Committee are appointed or in the running
Answer given by Mr Flynn of this new body .
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 November 1993 )

Recent developments in the hospital of Leros, including the
resignation from the Leros Programme ( financed under
Regulation ( EEC ) No 815 / 84 ) of the psychiatrist Dr
Megalooikonomou and his eventual transfer to another part
of the hospital, have come to the attention of the
Commission .

The Commission is in contact with the Greek Ministry of
Health in order to ensure that problems brought about by
administrative decisions and practices which may affect the
implementation of the programme financed under
Regulation ( EEC ) No 815 / 84 are resolved .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1850 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1927 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 18 )

Subject : Guarantee for the assets of bank depositors

Are there ( or will there be ) Community rules requiring
banks to guarantee the assets of depositors and especially
small depositors ?

to the Commission
on behalf of the Commission

( IS July 1993 ) ( 15 November 1993 )
( 94 / C 332 / 17

Subject : Representation of Greece on the Committee of the

Regions

Chapter 4 of the Maastricht Treaty provides for the
establishment in 1994 of a ' Committee of the Regions ',
consisting of representatives of regional and local bodies,
with advisory status . The number of representatives laid
down for Greece is 12 .

This poses several problems for the Greek authorities :

1 . Whether the regional representative should be
elected ;

2 . How the regional representative should be supported

when, for example, no posts have been created for that
purpose and it is not easy to travel within the region
( especially on islands );

The Commission can confirm that its proposal of 5 June

1992 for a Directive on deposit-guarantee schemes ( a ), as
amended on 7 June 1993 ( 2 ), following a Parliament
resolution ( 3 ), provides for the setting-up in every Member
State of a system whereby all depositors, irrespective of the
type of credit institution with which their money is on
deposit, will be covered up to an amount of ECU
20 000 .

There is, however, a clause which allows Member States to
limit the guarantee to 90 % of the amount deposited . As far
as the Commission is aware, few Member States will invoke
that clause .

The procedure leading to the Council 's adoption of the
proposal is at a very advanced stage .

i 1 ) COM(92 ) 188 final — SYN 415, OJ No C 163, 30 . 6 .
3 . The fact that Greece has 13 regions . 1992 .

( 2 ) COM(93 ) 253 final — SYN 415, OJ No C 178, 30 . 6 .

1993 .

Giveri these problems, what scope is there to help the Greek
authorities to solve this matter fairly according to the spirit ( 3 ) OJ No C 115, 26 . 4 . 1993 .
and the letter of the Maastricht Treaty regarding the
formation of the Committee of the Regions ?

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 11

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1996 / 93

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 19 )

Subject : ' Political cleansing ' in Colombia

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the armed forces
and their associated death squads regard as ' legitimate '
targets for assassination all those ' guilty ' of support for
democratic elections, strong local authorities, aid
programmes for disadvantaged people, the creation of
human rights committees ( particularly by Catholic church
leaders in Villa vicencio and elsewhere ) or those merely
suspected of membership of a trade union or the Patriotic
Union, the party which won a majority in the 1986
municipal elections in the Meta region, including its capital
Villavicencio . The most well known victims up to now were
Dr Jose Rodrigo Garcia ( 26 November 1992 ) and his wife
Maria Mercedes Mendez (3 June 1992 ), together with
several thousand others killed since the beginning of the
' revenge ' against the 1986 election results ( the bodies are
piled up in ' botaderos de cadaveres ', open mass graves ),
while 300 000 inhabitants survive as ' internal refugees '. The
Colombian section of the Andean Committee of Jurists
estimates that there were 4 300 murders last year ( 12 per
day ). The inclusion of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights in the 1991 constitution is mere window-dressing,
while the ' state of emergency ' has been tightened to a ' state
of internal unrest ' which in practice allows all kinds of
abuses : the army and its death squad are responsible for
three-quarters of the deaths, the other quarter can be
attributed to the three insurgent movements .

What is the Commission 's response to the following
questions ?

1 . Why is Colombia, where there are just as many atrocities

as in Peru, still a member of EC-Andean Pact
Cooperation ? What is the material and political value of
such cooperation with regard to Colombia and Peru ?

2 . Should not anti-drug measures, which have not stopped
the flow of drugs to the United States, be dissociated
from the ' generalized and violent ' totalitarianism
( according to the writer Antonio Caballero in the
periodical ' Semana ') practised by the authorities ?
Should not a third force such as the PU be preserved as
an alternative ?

3 . Should there not be strong condemnation, as expressed
recently by a group of artists and intellectuals, including
the Nobel Prizewinner Gabriel Garcia Marques, also of
the guerillas who have carried out extortion, abduction
and other abominations ?

4 . Will the EC and / or the Member States take the initiative

to refer the case of Colombia to the United Nations

Commission on Human Rights ? Under what
circumstances ?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1993 )

The Commission is extremely concerned about the
escalation of violence in Colombia and is following closely
the human rights situation there . Article 1 of the Framework
Cooperation Agreement with the Andean Pact countries
stipulates that cooperation ties between the Community and
the countries concerned shall be based on respect for the
democratic principles and human rights which constitute an
essential component of the Agreement . These undertakings
are binding on all parties to the Agreement .

Community aid to Colombia is concerned mainly with the
fight against drugs and is intended to back up Colombia 's
own efforts to overcome a scourge that has tragic
consequences . During 1992 and 1993 a number of projects
to help victims of political violence were also given

support .

Human rights violations in Colombia occur in a context of
political and social violence thanks to which armed
opposition groups and criminal organization perpetrate
serious abuses . The police and the army are also guilty of
numerous violations . Confronted with this situation, the
government has adopted a number of institutional reforms
aimed at improving observance of human rights, notably
reforms of the legal system and the establishment of a
national ombudsman .

On 9 March 1993 the United Nations Commission on

Human Rights adopted a resolution on the consequences for
the upholding of human rights of the acts of violence carried
out both by armed groups sowing terror throughout the
population and by drug traffickers ; the resolution called on
all special rapporteurs and working parties to continue to
pay special attention, in their forthcoming reports, to the
baleful consequences of such acts .

No C 332 / 12 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2006 / 93 WRITTEN QUESTION E-2017 / 93

by Jean-Marie Vanlerenberghe ( PPE ) by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission to the Commission

( 19 July 1993 ) ( 23 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 20 ) ( 94 / C 332 / 21

Subject : Reasons for the failure to appoint an information

Subject : British vehicles driving on the left

What measures does the Commission intend to take as
regards driving on the left in Britain ? The number of British
vehicles driving on the Continent will inevitably increase
once the Channel Tunnel is in use, and dangerous situations
could well arise since even a minor incident could provoke
the automatic reaction of steering to the left .

officer to the Commission 's office in Madrid after

almost a year

Following the appointment of the incumbent to other duties
in the European Parliament, the post of information officer
at the Commission 's Madrid office has now been vacant for

almost a year, a fact which strikes an outside observer as
quite simply inexplicable at a time of such major legislative
change and administrative restructuring . Why has this post
remained unfilled for so long ? Is a decision to be expected in
the near future ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

Answer given by Mr Matutes on behalf of the Commission

on behalf of the Commission
( 26 November 1993 )
( 21 December 1993 )

The Commission recognizes that switching to the other side
of the road may be disconcerting both for British drivers
arriving on the Continent and vice versa . However, the
problem would seem to be a local one which has never been
referred to the Commission .

The situation could be helped if road users were made more
aware of the differences between the French and British

highway codes on matters such as road signs and speed
limits, ignorance of which could also result in accidents .

However, subsidiarity means it is primarily up to the
relevant local or regional authorities on both sides of the
Channel to coordinate their action, especially with the
tunnel due to open soon, so that any of the inherent risks in
the problem referred to by the Honourable Member can be
minimized .

Nevertheless, the Commission will remain attentive to the
problem and will look into possible solutions based on
cooperation with the above authorities if, despite the efforts
made, it should worsen .

The Commission is bound by the Staff Regulations to follow
certain procedures before filling vacant posts . Time has to be
allowed for each stage of the procedure, which can be quite
lengthy in the case, as here, of an appointment to a post with
a major public relations function . The Commission is
pleased to inform the Honourable Member that the
administrative procedure has been completed and that the
person appointed will take up his duties before the end of the

year .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2066 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 23 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 22 )

Subject : Conservation of the ' Tomb of the Salamis
Warriors '

A unique monument to a battle of world historic
importance, the Tomb of the Salamis Warriors — the place
where the warriors of Salamis were buried following the
famous naval battle of 480 BC in which the Greeks repelled
the Persians — is at risk of being destroyed by a private
shipyard .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 13

The tomb is surrounded by an ancient graveyard and, in
addition to the damage done to the graves and the altar, the
site is being turned into an outdoor depot .

As the owner and the authorities are still locked in dispute,
can the Commission intervene to save an archaeological site
and an extremely important monument to Hellenism and
European civilization ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

which keep expatriates and anglophiles in touch with what
is going on in my country .

The BBC enjoys a monopoly position and derives the bulk of
its income from compulsory licence fees .

Could the Commission use its undoubted influence to

persuade the BBC to reconsider its decision ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 1993 ) (8 November 1993 )

The Commission 's role in protecting and safeguarding the
cultural heritage is defined in the conclusions of the Council
of 12 November 1992 on the ' guidelines for Community
cultural action '.

This role, which will be strengthened by Article 128 when
the Treaty on European Union is ratified, is to promote
cooperation between Member States and, where
appropriate, to support and supplement the action they
take . It acknowledges the preponderant role played by the
Member States and the subsidiary nature of Community
action in the cultural sphere .

The Commission would accordingly remind the
Honourable Member that it is unable to make

representations to the Greek authorities ( who moreover
have started legal proceedings ) to ask them to save the
' Tomb of the Salamis Warriors '.

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2096 / 93

by Madron Seligman ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 23 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 23 )

The Commission has no power to intervene in the situation
described by the Honourable Member since what is
concerned is not a measure taken by a Member State
restraining radio broadcasts from another Member State
but the broadcaster 's decision regarding his own
activities .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2097 / 93

by Barry Desmond ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 23 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 24 )

Subject : Gambling in the single market

Has the Commission considered the question of
harmonizing the procedures for taxation of lottery winnings
which differ widely from one Member State to another ?

If so, when does the Commission envisage submitting a
proposal to the Council in this field ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Suppression by BBC of long-wave transmission (6 October 1993 )

Under the principle of Subsidiarity and subject to the
exigencies of the Single Market, national institutions in
Member States are rightly permitted to carry on their
business as they think fit under the law .

The BBC has notified its intention to discontinue

transmission on long wave of its popular radio programme
' Radio 4 '. That would mean listeners in parts of the UK itself
and others in the Community, who are out of the range of
FM, will no longer be able to enjoy programmes, which
include news bulletins and current affairs programmes

At the present stage of development of the internal market,
the Commission does not consider it necessary to harmonize
tax on lottery prizes . Such prizes, even if of an exceptional
nature in many cases, none the less constitute revenue for the
recipients . In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, it
is strictly for each Member State to determine whether or
not a given type of income should be subject to personal
income tax or any other tax .

No C 332 / 14 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

QUESTION E-2107 / 93 bodies entrusted with implementing agricultural policy to

Kostopoulos ( PSE ) private individuals and, if so, which bodies are

concerned ?
to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2107 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

( 26 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 25 ) Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Specifications for replacing the SEP bus fleet in ( 15 December 1993 )

Greece

According to claims by four manufacturers ( Iveco, Renault,
DAF and Scania ) and the Greek Association of
Coachbuilders, the buses produced by one major company
are mirrored in the specifications issued by the Greek
Ministry of Transport for the replacement of the SEP bus
fleet . They have also announced that they are calling for
immediate intervention by the EEC Commissioner for
Competition .

What does the Commission intend to do about these

allegations ?

Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3508 / 92 of 27 November
1992 establishing an integrated administration and control
system for certain Community aid schemes (*) provides that
Member State authorities may entrust certain parts of the
work involved in implementing the Regulation to
specialized bodies or enterprises, provided that the
authorities maintain overall control and responsibility for
this work .

In this context the Greek authorities have decided to employ
the services of private companies this year to enter in
computerized data bases the information contained in
producers ' aid applications .

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

The Commission does not at present have any information

of the Commission

on the companies employed by the Greek authorities for this
( 22 December 1993 ) purpose .

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission has been notified of the procedure
followed in awarding a contract for the supply of 1 600
buses in the Athens region . It would seem that, after the
invitation to tender was issued by the SEP transport
companies, the Transport Minister adopted a decree laying
down new specifications for urban buses ( ! ).

The Commission has contacted the Greek authorities in

order to obtain further information that would allow it to

examine the matter in the light of the provisions of
Community law, and in particular the Treaty rules on the
free movement of goods ( Articles 30 to 36 ). It will be certain
to take all the measures necessary to ensure compliance with
the Treaty .

(!) OJ No L 355, 5 . 12 . 1992, p . 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2347 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 27 )

Subject : ' Television without frontiers ' Directive

5 18874 . 1993 . / 1677, Greek Official Gazette No 367, Series Article Given that 22 of almost Directive all Member 89 / 552 / States EEC (*) have (' Television chosen to without ignore

frontiers ') and have failed to take appropriate measures to
protect minors from radio and television broadcasts, does
the Commission propose that this Directive should be
tightened up and that violence on television should be
restricted, particularly at times when children are
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2141 / 93
viewing ?

(!) Decree No 18874 / 1677, Greek Official Gazette No 367, Series

B, of 21 . 5 . 1993 .

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission (!) OJ No L 298, 17 . 10 . 1989, p . 23 .

( 26 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 26 )

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Transfer of responsibilities from bodies entrusted ( 29 Novembér 1993 )

with the implementation of agricultural policy to
private individuals

Will the Commission say whether the Greek authorities are
planning to transfer important responsibilities from certain

The Honourable Member is referred to the reply given by
the Commission to Written Question No 1516 / 93 from Mr
Henry Chabert (*).

2-8 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 15

The Commission can assure the Honourable Member that,
in so far as Member States have not transposed or have
incorrectly transposed Article 22 of Directive 89 / 552 / EEC,
the infringement proceedings already commenced under
Article 169 of the EEC Treaty will have taken account of
this .

The Directive covers television broadcasts . It should be

noted that Member States remain free to require television
braodcasters under their jurisdiction to lay down more
detailed or stricter rules in the areas covered by this Directive

( Article 3 ).

As regards distribution by radio and other means, the Treaty
reserves the power for Member States to restrict or prohibit
circulation of goods or services on the grounds of public
morality, public policy or public health .

For example, the Commission has stepped up contracts with
Greek NGOs, both as a group and individually, to help them
draft requests for cofinancing, and this year it organized a
seminar on the subject in Athens for Greek NGOs . The
Commission takes their particular problems into account in
making decisions .

The Commission is pleased to report that this has helped
Greek development NGOs to obtain Community finance
for an increasingly wide range of activities in connection
with projects in developing countries as well as public
awareness campaigns on development issues in Greece .

(!) O J No C 251, 8 . 9 . 1994, p . 7 . WRITTEN QUESTION E-2400 / 93

by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 29 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2396 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 28 )

Subject : Non-governmental organizations in Greece for

international cooperation and development

In Greece, no legal framework has yet been adopted defining
the form that non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) take
in law and providing for joint financing of their activities by
the Community and the national budget . Does the
Commission intend to help NGOs in Greece in order to
further their aid and development activities on behalf of the
suffering peoples of the Third World ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 13 December 1993 )

Subject : Self-sufficiency in plasma-derived products in the

EC Member States

According to legal specialists, there are serious doubts as to
whether the national legislation implementing Directive

89 / 381 / EEC ( x ) in certain Member States, in particular
France and Italy, is compatible with the EC Directive .

1 . Has the Commission received details of this national
legislation and has it checked whether it is compatible
with the EC Directive ? If so, what conclusions were
reached ?

2 . Does the Commission consider the principle of regional
self-sufficiency, as laid down in the Italian legislation,
and the establishment of monopolies for the production
and distribution of manufactured medicinal products of
human blood or human plasma to be compatible with
the directive and the EEC Treaty ( Articles 30, 27, 90 and

86 )?

3 . In France, the only medicinal products which can be
authorized, distributed and imported are those
produced from unpaid blood donations . Does the
Commission consider this to be compatible with the
Directive and the EEC Treaty ?

The Commission is fully aware of the need to give particular
support to Greek non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) 4 . Does the Commission consider it necessary or desirable
working for development, since they are relatively new and to define the term ' unpaid donation ' as used in the EC
have few resources . It has always been Commission policy to Directive and / or is it aware how this term is interpreted
assist NGOs from the newer Member States to gain genuine and / or applied in each EC Member State ?
access to Community co-financing schemes for NGOs, and
it has devoted considerable effort to applying this principle
to Greece . 0 ) OJ No L 181, 28 . 6 . 1989, p . 44 .

No C 332 / 16 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 1994 )

1 . Ten Member States have informed the Commission of

their national legislation transposing Directive 89 / 381 / EEC .
The Netherlands still has to complete its transposition,
which is already at a well advanced stage, by adopting legal
provisions, the draft version of which has been sent to the
Commission . Belgium is the only country which has not yet
started the transposition process . Infringement proceedings
against these two Member States are in progress . The
Commission is examining the conformity of the texts
submitted .

2 . Article 3(4 ) of Directive 89 / 381 / EEC provides for the
promotion of Community self-sufficiency in human blood
and human plasma through voluntary unpaid donation .
The particular arrangements for the organization of blood
collection and the production of blood products within the
national territories, which are to be based on ethical or
health considerations, are to be decided by the Member
States . Production monopolies are not in themselves
contrary to Community law, provided that products
manufactured in other Member States in accordance with

Community legislation are allowed into the territory of the
Member State concerned on the same conditions as

products made locally .

3 . When Directive 89 / 381 / EEC was adopted in 1989, the
Council 's aim was to leave it to each Member State to

determine, on the basis of its particular situation with regard
to self-sufficiency, the best way to meet the ethical objective
of Community self-sufficiency through voluntary unpaid
donation of blood without depriving sick persons of
essential treatment . The desire of some Member States to

ensure the effective promotion of voluntary unpaid blood
donation by allowing blood derivatives to be made only
from such donated blood would seem to be one way of
implementing the recommendations of the Directive .

4 . The Council of Europe, to which Directive
89 / 381 / EEC refers, has laid down a definition of voluntary
unpaid blood donation, which is that blood, plasma or
cellular components should be donated by a person acting
on his own will and should not lead to any payment in kind
or in any other equivalent form . Modest tokens of thanks,
refreshments and the reimbursement of travel expenses
incurred to make a donation are compatible with voluntary
unpaid donations .

Following the communication from the Commission to the
Council and to Parliament, the Council, at its meeting on

13 December 1993, reaffirmed the need to achieve
self-sufficiency in blood and blood derivatives while
complying with the principle of voluntary unpaid donation,
to promote blood donation in the Member States with
Community support, to ensure the quality and safety of
collection and the optimum use of blood and blood
derivatives . The Council also welcomed the Commission 's

intention to update its studies on blood donation and the use

of blood and blood derivatives in the Community at regular
intervals .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2566 / 93

by John Bird ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 30 )

Subject : Disconnection of water supply to domestic
properties

What policies are pursued in the twelve Member States
concerning the disconnection of water supplies to domestic
properties ?

Is it illegal to cut off the water supply to domestic properties
in any of the Member States, even where the user has not
paid for the service provided ?

Is the Commission aware of any research studies that have
investigated the links between disconnection of water
supply to domestic properties, and the incidence of
dysentery, and viral hepatitis ?

Does the Commission intend to instigate any research into
this important subject, or to bring forth any proposed
legislation in respect of the disconnection of water supplies
to domestic properties ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1993 )

The Community has no powers over the disconnection of
water supplies to domestic properties .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2617 / 93

, by Jan Bertens ( ELDR )

to the Commission

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 31 )

Subject : Support for independent media in former
Yugoslavia

Why did the Commission not fund worthwhile projects to
support independent media in former Yugoslavia from the
Phare Democracy Programme to which applications had
been submitted ? Is it true, by contrast, that for 1992 and

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 17

1993 ECU 2,6 million of humanitarian ( ECHO ) aid has
been granted for the Radio-Brod (' droit de parole ') boat
broadcasting from the Adriatic, and that a further ECU 2
million has been promised this year ? There also has
apparently been very significant funding for the newspaper
' Oslobodjenje ' from ECHO 's budget . Does this indicate a
difference of approach by different sections of the
Commission ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2618 / 93

by Kenneth Coates ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 32 )

Subject : Support for independent media in former
Y ugoslavia

Despite the strongly expressed view within Parliament of the
importance of supporting independent media in all of
former Yugoslavia, the Commission draft Decision on the
Phare Democracy Programme in central and east European
countries excludes former Yugoslavia — apparently after
consideration had been given to making it possible to fund
independent media projects .

Can the Commission confirm that this is the case and

explain the reasons for this decision ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-26 17 / 93 and E-2618 / 93

given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1994 )

The Commission has received various proposals in recent
months concerning support for independent media in the
former Yugoslavia .

Requests for financial support under the Phare democracy
programme were received in respect of Radio Rijeka-Fiume
International, Radio 99, the independent Bosnian
newspaper Vrelo, the proposed independent Croat
newspaper Start Nove Generague, a proposal to set up a
PEN Club in Croatia, and also schemes presented by the
international journalists ' federation .

Although aware of the soundness and usefulness of the
proposed schemes, the Commission was unable to agree to
the requests under Phare because they fell outside its
geographical scope . Apart from Slovenia, the former
Yugoslav republics are ineligible under the Phare
Programme . The Commission presented a proposal to the

Council making the former Y ugoslav republic of Macedonia
eligible in July 1993 . Croatia was refused eligibility by
Parliament on 24 June 1992 .

However, the Commission decided to provide financial
support for independent media in the former Yugoslavia as
part of its humanitarian activities .

The Commission 's reasoning is that it is useful and desirable
to support specific projects, such as those referred to, as part
of its humanitarian activity on behalf of the stricken
population — failing other, more obvious sources of
financing — provided the projects are for limited amounts
and fit naturally into a situation that is tending to become
established and in which the needs of the people concerned
are becoming more varied and more complex as a result .

The Community 's total humanitarian aid effort in 1993 for
the people of the former Yugoslavia will amount to ECU
400 million, bringing the full amount committed since the
outbreak of the conflict to some ECU 700 million .

The crisis unit dealing with the former Yugoslavia, which
brings together representatives of all the Commission
departments concerned, examined the specific projects
concerning support for independent media .

Following this the Commission approved in June 1993 the
allocation of ECU 3,7 million to the ' Free Speech ' (' Droit de
parole ') group, distributed as follows :

— ECU 1,2 million for the radio broadcasting vessel

Brod,

— ECU 2,5 million for four independent newspapers,

namely Oslobodjenje ( Bosnia-Herzegovina ) ( 1993
Sakharov Prize ), Monitor ( Montenegro ), Vreme and
Borda ( Serbia ), and also for Radio B92 ( Serbia ).

The Commission had previously allocated ECU 1,45 million
to the group in December 1992, comprising ECU 1 million
for the radio braodcasting vessel and ECU 450 000 for the
above four newspapers and radio station .

The only criteria for selection were the objectivity, pluralism
and professionalism of the media concerned . Support was
provided in the form of supplies of equipment and
newsprint, the aim being to ensure maximum freedom of
information .

The Commission also made a grant in 1993 of ECU

100 000, under budget heading A-3030, for the ' AIM '
project presented by the European free radio federation, for
establishing a computerized network proposed by
independent journalists from the former Yugoslav
republics .

No C 332 / 18 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2514 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 33 )

Subject : Implementation of the agreements concluded at

the UN Conference on the Environment and

Development

What steps has the Commission initiated or does it intend to
initiate at Community and Member State level to implement
the agreements reached and other relevant texts drawn up at
the UN Conference on the Environment and Development
held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2636 / 93

by Paul Staes ( V )

to the Commission

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 34 )

Subject : World conference on the environment in Rio :

inclusion in Community policy

1 . What departments within the Commission are
responsible for shaping Community policy in line with the
spirit and the results of the Rio conference ?

2 . What modifications have had to be made to

Commission policy to implement those results ?

3 . To what extent have modifications already been
made ?

4 . What items of ' Agenda 21 ' has the Commission
already been able to implement in its policy ?

5 . What budget appropriations has it utilized to
implement the spirit and the results of the Rio conference
and ' Agenda 21 '?

In the context of the implementation of the Fifth Action
Programme on the Environment, which forms the main
basis of the implementation of the results of Rio internally
within the Community, the Commission recently adopted a
series of measures designed to ensure a better integration of
environmental protection requirements and of sustainable
development into its preparation of proposals for
Community policies as well as into its on-going activities .
These will strengthen and improve existing procedures and
practices and seek to ensure that environmental
considerations are taken into account at the early stages of
definition of policy and action . The Commission has
undertaken to examine all its actions to see if they have
implications for the environment and to assess their impact
if this is the case . Each Directorate-General has nominated a

senior official to ensure this is done and to ensure that

proposals contribute towards sustainable patterns of
development .

The Community submitted a progress report on the initial
follow up to Unced at the first substantive session of the
Commission on sustainable Development . A copy of this
report, which contains detailed information about the
initiatives the Community has already undertaken to
implement the measures agreed at Unced, as well as on the
budget appropriations utilized for this purpose, is sent direct
to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat-General

of the Parliament .

(!) OJ No C 234, 22 . 8 . 1994, p . 39 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2676 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(3 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 35 )

Subject : Banning age discrimination on the labour
market

What measures has the Commission taken to ban age
discrimination on the labour market ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2514 / 93 and E-2636 / 93

given by Mr Paleokrassas
on behalf of the Commission Answer given by Mr Flynn
(4 February 1994 ) on behalf of the Commission

(9 November 1993 )

As indicated in the reply given by the Commission to
Written Question No 2170 / 93 (*), the implementation of
the outcome of the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development ( Unced ) has to be seen as a
long-term, cross-sectoral endeavour which affects almost
every single aspect of the Community 's internal and external
policies .

The Commission is aware of the many problems facing older
job-seekers, including the problem of age discrimination .

This issue has been addressed in the 1991 and 1993 reports
of the European Observatory on Older People and a special

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 19

study on ' Age Discrimination in Employment ' has recently cent of total EIB annual lending . This reflects the more staff
been published, with Commission support . intensive nature of operations in this wide range of

countries . The Management Committee and the Board of
Directors are keeping this and other issues under close
review and, in addition to the EIB President 's regular report
to the Board of Governors, further public information will
be provided in the Bank 's Annual Report and other regular
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2807 / 93 publications .

by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission

(4 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 36 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2900 / 93

by Jean-Claude Pasty ( RDE )

Subject : The deliberations of the President of the EIB

The Board of Governors of the European Investment Bank

( EIB ), meeting in Luxembourg on 7 June 1993, heard an
interesting report by the President of this Community
institution, Sir Brian Unwin, in which he gave details of the
increase in the Bank 's funding operations to ECU 17 000
million in 1992, of which 16 000 were accounted for by
investments within the Community .

Speaking of the EIB activities outside the Community, the
President announced that the first loans for Latin America

and Asia would be proposed to the Board of Directors
before the end of the year . Would it be possible for
Parliament to be informed in the near future about these

credit lines, which have been strongly supported by some
Members of Parliament ?

Moreover, given that a third of the bank 's employees deal
with operations which make up less than ten percent of the
activities of the EIB and in view of other relevant

information, Sir Brian Unwin announced a period of
investigation and reflection . Could Parliament be informed
of the fruits of these mental efforts once the President has

reached some conclusions ?

to the Commission

( 11 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 37 )

Subject : Structural Funds in Portugal

1 . How much has been allocted to Portugal by the
Community since 1985 and what timetable and category of
funding were involved ?

2 . What sums have actually been utilized by the
Portuguese Government for each of the programmes or
Funds ?

3 . What measures have been taken to supervise or audit
the use made of these funds ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 1994 )

In view of the length of its answer, the Commission is
sending it direct to the Honourable Member and
Answer given by Mr Christophersen Parliament 's Secretariat .

on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 1993 )

Under the authorization of its Board of Governors to lend

up to ECU 750 million over three years for capital
investment projects in 30 Asian and Latin American
countries, the EIB has made good progress in identifying and
appraising a number of suitable projects . These are to be of
mutual interest to both the country in which the project is
implemented and the Community . The first financing
decisions have been taken by the Board of Directors . As
customary, the EIB will provide public information as soon
as the financing contracts are signed .

EIB President Sir Brian Unwin stated in his address to the
Board of Governors ' annual meeting of June 1993, with
regard to activity outside the Community, that about one
third of staff resources is being devoted to less than 10 per

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3021 / 93

by Luigi Vertemati ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 38 )

Subject : Fires in Europe

In view of the spate of fires lat summer in Italy, Spain, Greece
and other countries of southern Europe,

given that the number of fires is increasing each year,

No C 332 / 20 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

given that many of these fires have caused deaths and

destroyed vast areas of Community woodlands, which are
vital to the sustainable development of Europe,

given the current lack of fire-fighting facilities and the
organizational problems which frequently restrict or delay
fire-fighting measures,

given that arson is behind most of these fires, resulting from
ignorance of their real implications for the region,

will the Commission draw up proposals for a common
prevention and intervention policy, in particular to promote
exchanges of information between the Member States and
help set up appropriate services to combat the destruction of
Community woodlands ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 December 1993 )

In July 1992 the Council renewed and strengthened the
Community 's activities in forest fire prevention by adopting
Regulation ( EEC ) No 2158 / 92 which requires the Member
States :

— to communicate to the Commission the areas of their

territory at high and medium risk of fire ( the
Commission approved the lists of these areas in
Decisions on 24 June and 24 September 1993 ),

— to communicate their overall forest-fire protection plans

( these are currently being examined by the
Commission ),

— to submit projects which fit within these plans .

The Regulation also provides for the creation of an
information system on forest fires, with a view to a better
understanding of the causes of fires and to improving
protection systems .

A pilot scheme is currently in hand to help establish this
information system . Data on all fires in 1989, 1990 and

1991 have been collected and mapped by the Commission .
This has made it possible to improve the exchange of
information on forest fires at Community level .

In addition, the Community has been financing
five-prevention measures for several years through regional
development programmes . This work is carried out in close
cooperation with the working party on forest fires of the

Standing Forestry Committee, which has helped in drawing
up the above Regulation and which has the task of studying
and improving schemes to prevent forest fires .

A seminar on the role of farmers in the prevention of forest
fires was organized in Seville from 25 to 27 October 1993 by
the Spanish Association of Young Farmers in close
cooperation with COPA and the Commission . This meeting
provided the opportunity for an exchange of information
among the countries concerned on prevention policies and
on the involvement of the various partners ( foresters,
farmers, firemen, etc .) in the protection of forests .

Within the framework of the fight against forest fires, the
Commission set up a self-tuition programme starting in
December 1991 for senior fire officers who deal with forest

fires within the government bodies concerned . In order to
encourage inter alia the exchange of knowledge and
techniques and fire-fighting strategies, an exchange
programme for fire-fighting experts will be getting under
way as from 1994 (*).

(!) OJ No L 217, 31 . 7 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3037 / 93

by Luciano Vecchi ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 39 )

Subject : Obstacles to the participation of European NGOs

in the special programme for South Africa

The special programme for South Africa ( budget heading
B7-5010 ) has now assumed considerable proportions and
great importance for the development of democratic
processes in South Africa .

Since 1991, the programme has been managed in a direct
relationship between the Commission and the South Africa
Non-Governmental Organizations .

Incomprehensibly, the Commission services competent for
that programme still appear bent on discouraging or
preventing support for initiatives that promote a
partnership between European and South African NGOs .

The management of such programmes remains dogged by
problems of transparency .

What steps will the Commission take to promote a
partnership between European and South African
companies as part of the special programme for South
Africa ?

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 21

Will it state the reasons for its consistent rejection of any
project involving such a partnership ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(7 December 1993 )

In discussions between the Commission, European NGOs
and South Africas partners in mid - 1991, agreement was
reached on the new arrangements to be introduced which
would allow the special Programme ( budget line B7-5070 )
to respond in the most efficient way to the changing
situation in South Africa . In addition, the general direction
of these changes was supported by the Liaison Committee of
Development NGOs to the Communities .

In subsequent correspondence with the Liaison Committee,
the Commission has been able to further clarify the way in
which European NGOs can continue to contribute to the
implementation of the Special Programme . Bearing in mind
in particular that the programme should be driven from
within South Africa, the Commission encourages the
involvement of European NGOs to assist their South
African partners, it being understood in particular that there
must continue to be a clearly defined ' value added ' in that
relationship . It is the Commission 's understanding that
these objectives are also shared by the Liaison
Committee .

Therefore, the Commission is not of the opinion that
obstacles exist to the participation of European NGOs in the
implementation of the Special Programme .

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 January 1994 )

Stones, waste, gravel and sand are, due to their low value,
not in general worth transporting over long distances by
road . There is no evidence, on the base of transport
statistics, to indicate that the long distance transport of such
materials is effected by road .

With regard to the other questions, the Honourable
Member is referred to the answer to Written Question
No 764 / 93 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-31 16 / 93

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

( 10 November 1993 )

94 / C 332 / 41

Subject : Subsidies for promoting the Seville Universal

Exposition

Would the Commission state how much money was spent
on promoting the European Community 's Pavillion at the
Seville Universal Exposition ?

Would the Commission also state whether it employed an
advertising agency and, if so, which one, how much it was
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 109 / 93 paid and what services it provided ?

by Bartho Pronk ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 10 November 1993 ) Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

( 94 / C 332 / 40 on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1993 )

Subject : Safety of open lorries

In reply to my Written Question No 764 / 93 { x ) Mr Matutes
indicates that ' most of these loads ( stones, waste, sand and
gravel ) are transported locally .'

1 . What information does the Commission have to

confirm this ?

2 . If it does not have specific information, how can it make
such a statement ?

3 . If it does have such details, how can it maintain that
there is no information available which regard to
safety ?

f 1 ) OJ No C 350, 29 . 12 . 1993, p . 8 .

The Commission did not employ an advertising agency to
promote the Community pavilion in Seville . Instead,
it used staff members of the Office of the EC

Commissioner-General for the Seville Universal Exposition,
who came together in the Community pavilion from the
various institutions — including Parliament — with two
officials being particularly involved in the information and
communication programme .

However, an advertising agency was used to present the
pavilion to the press at the ' Expo ' site two months before it
opened, on 21 February 1992 .

No C 332 / 22 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3258 / 93

by Caroline Jackson ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 42 )

Subject : Re-cycling of household waste

In view of the very large quantities of household waste
generated throughout the European Community, most of
which is being deposited in landfill sites, and bearing in mind
the long-term damage this is doing to the countryside,
would the Commission consider ways in which such waste
could be made into a suitable and safe compost, near to the
sites of collection, so that this product could then be sent as
aid to countries in direct need ? The need for such a product
has already been established by several relief organizations .
It would, without doubt, involve considerable expense but
the continual transportation of food across the world is also
expensive . An evaluation should be made against the cost of
landfill, damage done to the countryside through leachate,
the rising cost of procuring suitable sites for infilling and the
cost of transporting food . Could the Commission comment
on this ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 February 1994 )

The Commission is aware of the problems caused by the
large amounts of household waste and has already
examined the possibility of Community action to tackle the
compost issue .

Very few Member States have encouraged such an initiative,
stressing that management of household waste is the
responsibility of local authorities and that the principle of
subsidiarity must apply here .

At present, therefore, the Commission is not in a position to
act on composting . However, it does not rule out the
possibility of laying down certain rules on the correct and
safe application and the development of this
waste-processing technology .

Like all other technologies, composting costs money . In this
case, the cost, which covers the separate collection or special
sorting of household waste, is fairly high, which makes
composting less attractive than other forms of processing .
However, the Commission expects the adoption of the
Directive on the landfill of waste to have repercussions on
composting . The stricter standards which will apply to
landfills will probably make that option more expensive and
it will thus become economically more interesting to
separate biological waste and compost it .

very high transport costs involved, to encourage local
re-cycling and composting .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3275 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 43 )

Subject : ' Slave trade ' in Greek workers in Belgium

Under the headline ' Slave trade in foreign workers ' Flemish
newspapers recently described the experiences of 50 Greeks
in Belgium, reporting that contractors and agents had sent
the 50 Greeks to work in the Boelwerf shipyards promising
them tickets, accommodation and a high salary . However,
the workers received only 70% of the salary which the
contractors and agents had promised them . Does the
Commission have the power to put an end to this slave trade
in Greek workers in Belgium ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 25 April 1994 )

The Commission is not in a position to comment on the
problem referred to by the Honourable Member as it is not
acquainted with the details .

In any case, the problem seems to be more one of
non-compliance with the relevant national legislation

( Belgian or Greek, according to the type of contract
concluded by the Greek workers ) and Community law is not
involved .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3445 / 93

by Giuseppe Mottola ( PPE )

to the Commission

(2 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 44 )

Subject : Crisis in the wine-growing sector on the island of

Ischia and the adverse effects on employment

As for the exportation of compost suggested by the One of the most important sectors of the economy of the
Honourable Member it would appear more useful, given the island of Ischia is wine production . The wine produced is of

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 23

high quality, much of it with a registered designation of
origin . However, in the last few years the sector has found
itself in a critical situation . 50 % of the wine produced in

1992 has not yet been sold . This is due to the general fall in
consumption on the national and Community markets and
the high production costs . The 1993 wine harvest is in
jeopardy at least because the national and local authorities
refuse to bring in support measures .

In view of this situation, can the Commission say whether,
in the context of the reform of the COM in the wine sector it

intends to introduce a programme designed to :

— sell existing unsold production by means of aid for

marketing, storage, distillation and transport costs,

— restructure the sector both at the stage when the raw

material is produced and when it is processed and sold
and provide assistance, loans and income support for
wine-growers,

— control fraud by means of severe penal and
administrative sanctions for those who contravene the

rules governing the sector,

— create a multi-sector organization to safeguard the

interests of producers and consumers ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3447 / 93

by Christopher Jackson ( PPE )

to the Commission

(2 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 45 )

Subject : Risk of monopoly supply of satellite de-coding

services

Satellite television programmes are increasingly received
through decoders marketed by a single broadcaster, which
enable the programme provider to charge for the

programme .

As consumes will clearly not be willing to spend substantial
amounts of money on buying additional de-coders, it is clear
that the dominant decoder supplier in each national
territory could develop a monopoly of control of access to
sattelite television viewers .

What measures are being considered by the Commission to
ensure that all satellite programme providers may have fair
and reasonably priced access to potential audiences in each
Member State ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 January 1994 ) (9 March 1994 )

The purpose of the discussion paper ( ) on the development
and future of the Community 's wine sector policy was to
draw attention to the structural wine surpluses with which
the Community and operators in the sector will be faced
with in future if the common organization of the market
continues unchanged .

The paper therefore proposes a new basic measure
consisting of drawing up, implementing and monitoring of
regional viticultural adjustment programmes .

The Commission 's aim is to keep the market open and to
prevent the erection of barriers to new market entrants . To
this end suppliers of coding technologies and de-coders must
be prevented from using restrictive practices in order to
restrain access to competing television channels .

The Commission examines such cases under the

Community rules i.e. Article 85 ( prohibition of cartels ) and
Article 86 ( abuse of a dominant position ) EC Treaty .
However, for the time being no complaints alleging
restrictive practices in this field have been brought to the
attention of the Commission .

This will involve establishing a partnership between the
Commission, the Member State and the region concerned in
order to programme land planning in the wine-growing
sector in an ordered fashion, at the same time adjusting
wine-growing potential in line with the planned regional
production objective .

order to programme land planning in the wine-growing Moreover, developments of digital technology will lead in
sector in an ordered fashion, at the same time adjusting the near future to new television services, including pay-TV
wine-growing potential in line with the planned regional services, based on this technology . The Commission is
production objective . monitoring these developments closely . The Council of

Telecommunications Ministers on 7 December 1993

stressed that conditional access systems for digital TV

Naturally, the reform provides for the introduction or should be based on standards in order to ensure fair and
strengthening of existing measures, such as the legal open competition in the interests of service providers and
framework for inter-branch cooperation and anti-fraud viewers . The Commission accepted the invitation of the
measures, with a view to achieving medium-term market Council at that meeting to pay particular attention to the
balance . issue of ensuring appropriate conditional access

arrangements which ensure fair and open cooperation in the
m COM(93 ) 380, 22 . 7 . 1993 . pay-TV field .

Naturally, the reform provides for the introduction or
strengthening of existing measures, such as the legal
framework for inter-branch cooperation and anti-fraud
measures, with a view to achieving medium-term market
balance .

No C 332 / 24 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3532 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 13 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 46 )

Subject : Restoration of democracy in Burundi

The government of Melchior Ndadaye, the democratically
elected president of the small central African country of
Burundi was recently toppled by the military . What
immediate economic and political measures has the
Community taken with a view to restoring democracy in
Burundi ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 February 1994 )

The Commission remains very concerned about the
situation in Burundi . The outbursts of ethnic conflicts have

resulted in thousands of deaths and in hundreds of

thousands of refugees and displaced persons within Burundi
and in neighbouring countries . The government cannot rely
on the security forces to maintain law and order . Under
these conditions restoration of democracy - is still a long way
off . First, public security must be re-established and trust
between the ethnic groups restored .

In this very difficult and delicate situation a number of steps
have been taken in order to improve the situation and relieve
human suffering .

Firstly, immediately following the attempted coup the
European Union issued a statement strongly condemning
the coup, reaffirming its support for the Government, which
was formed following democratic elections, and urging all
active forces in Burundi to ensure that constitutional order

be re-established and democracy respected .

Secondly, the Organization of African Unity ( OAU ) is
considering sending a military mission ( Microbu ) of about
200 men from various African countries to protect Burundi
authorities and diplomats in Bujumbura . Several Member
States of the European Union have indicated a willingness to
support the mission by making available logistics, transport,

etc .

Thirdly, an International Commission of enquiry will be
organized to look into the background of the rebellious
action and to try and find those responsible . This procedure
will assist the accused in getting a fair trial and thus reduce
the likelihood of acts of revenge . If the Commission receives

a request, it is prepared to contribute to the financing of this
Commission of Enquiry .

Since the outbreak of the civil disturbances, the Commission
has contributed to the relief of human suffering . A total
amount of about ECU 26 million has been provided for
emergency assistance to Burundi refugees in the
neighbouring countries . To displaced persons and to other
emergency operations inside Burundi, the Commission has
allocted an amount of ± ECU 5 million .

The Commission stands ready to assist in the preparation,
financing and implementation of rehabilitation and
reconstruction programmes as soon as peace and security
have been re-established .

The Commission is also ready to support initiatives and
measures aimed at restoring democracy, human rights and
the rule of law .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3617 / 93

by Gérard Deprez ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 17 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 47

Subject : Commission delegation to East Jerusalem

Can the Commission state when it is to set up a permanent
establishment for its delegation to East Jerusalem ? What
status will the delegation have and what will be the exact
nature of its duties ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

(2 March 1994 )

The Commission representative to the Occupied Territories
took up residence in East Jerusalem at the beginning of
February 1994 .

The representative, appointed in September 1991 in
response to the invitation of the European Council of
Dublin in June 1990, is responsible for the implementation
of the Community 's programme for the benefit of the
population of the Occupied Territories . He has immunity
and privileges equal to those granted to a representative of a
foreign country . He has a technical assistance office
comprising experts in project implementation at his
disposal .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 25

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3633 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 17 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 48 )

Subject : Discrimination by Greece on the grounds of

nationality against doctors wishing to become
specialists

Greece is discriminating on the grounds of nationality
against doctors seeking to become specialists . A foreign
doctor wishing to become a specialist, pursuant to law
No 2071 / 92, is required to have a knowledge of Greek . Will
the Commission ask the Greek authorities to desist from this

discrimination on the grounds of nationality ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn

n behalf of the Commission

( 26 April 1994 )

As regards Community law applicable in this field, I would
like to point out, firstly, that Article 3(1, second indent ) of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1612 / 68 ( l ) provides that national
provisions or administrative practices of a Member State are
not applicable ' where, though applicable irrespective of
nationality, their exclusive or principal aim or effect is to
keep nationals of other Member States away from the
employment offered '. However, in its Decision of
28 November 1989 ( Case 379 / 87, Groener, Rec . 1989,
p. 3991 ), the Court of Justice pointed out that the final
paragraph of the above provides that it ' shall not apply to
conditions relating to linguistic knowledge required by
reason of the nature of the post to be filled '.

Although the requirement to have a knowledge of the Greek
language is discriminatory in the sense that it does not apply
to Greeks, the fact that nearly all Greeks speak Greek means
that it can, in practice, only apply to foreigners . There is also
the question of whether the requirement to have a
knowledge of the Greek language should be deemed to
correspond in this case to the knowledge required by reason
of the nature of the post to be filled, within the meaning of
Article 3 of Regulation 1612 / 68 above .

Firstly, in Article 20(3 ) of Directive 93 / 16 / EEC ( 2 ) to
facilitate the free movement of doctors and the mutual

recognition of their diplomas, certificates and other
evidence of formal qualifications, the Community legislator,
aware of the importance of linguistic knowledge for
doctors, provided that Member States should ' see to it that,
where appropriate, the persons concerned acquire, in their
interest and in that of their patients, the linguistic
knowledge necessary to the exercise of their profession in

the host country '. The Commission requests the
Honourable Member to refer to the answer to Written
Question No 278 / 79 ( 3 ) in which it outlines its
interpretation of this provision .

A specialist post could, in principle, be regarded as a post for
which the requirement to have linguistic knowledge is
justified, particularly in view of the nature of the work
carried out by doctors, provided that implementation of this
requirement is proportionate . It should be remembered that
in the Groener Decision, the Court of Justice specified that
the level of knowledge required should not be
disproportionate to the objective pursued .

The Commission is prepared to examine the question of the
compatibility of Greek legislation as applied by the Greek
authorities with the principles of equal treatment of
proportionality . It would therefore be pleased to have any
information which the Honourable Member can provide on
this matter .

(!) OJ No L 257, 19 . 10 . 1968 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 165, 7 . 7 . 1993 .

( 3 ) OJ No C 183, 21 . 7 . 1980 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3664 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(3 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 49 )

Subject : New tanks for petroleum products in Menemeni

( Thessaloniki )

New tanks for petroleum products and other plant
belonging to the Greek Railway Authority ( OSE ), which
have been sited at random, are threatening to 'stifle ' the
already choked environment of western Thessaloniki and, in
particular, Menemeni . Can the Commission establish
whether operating licences have been issued for plant in this
area and whether such plant complies with the ' Seveso '
Directive ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 April 1994 )

The information provided by the Honourable Member does
not indicate whether the plant in question is subject to the
provisions of Directive 82 / 501 / EEC (*).

No C 332 / 26 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

This Directive makes no provision for the granting of an language pairs have so far been developed, mainly to
operating licence or authorization for the industrial cover the Commission 's internal requirements .
activities in question .

It falls to the competent national authorities to issue any
such licence in accordance with the relevant national laws

and to ensure, where appropriate, that the plant complies
with the provisions of the Directive .

(!) OJ No L 230, 5 . 8 . 1982 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3711 / 93

by Marianne Thyssen ( PPE )

to the Commission

(3 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 50

Subject : EC funds for the automatic translation system

European funds are being used to finance the development
of the automatic translation system .

Is it true that the Commission provides all the funding for
developing the system with regard to certain languages,
while requiring Member States to make a substantial
contribution in respect of other languages, with the
Commission 's contribution amounting to no more than
co-financing ?

When, and by whom, was this decision on unequal
treatment taken ? What criterion was used to differentiate
between the nine official and working languages of the
European Community ?

What is the level of Community ( co -) financing in respect of
each of those nine languages ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

Year Pair

1976 English-French

1 977 English-Italian
1978 French-English
1982 English-German

1982 French-German

1984 English-Dutch

1984 French-Dutch

1986 English-Spanish
1986 English-Portuguese

1987 French-Italian

1988 English-Greek
1988 German-English

1988 German-French

1989 French-Spanish
1989 Spanish-English
1989 Spanish-French

Development priorities are based on economic criteria, i.e.
the number of pages to be translated for each language
combination, as reflected in the statistics of translation
requests drawn up by the Commission, and secondarily on
technical feasibility criteria ( ease with which a new target
language can be developed from an existing source
language, availability of staff ). The Commission does not
require Member States to contribute to the development of
language pairs which include their own language .

The Commission is nevertheless prepared to examine
cofinancing proposals from any Member State which may
wish to make a financial contribution to the development
of a language pair in which it is particularly interested . For
example, since 1990 the Greek Government has
participated on its own initiative in the development of the
English-Greek language pair by seconding language experts .
This language pair became operational in 1993 .

( 29 March 1994 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3721 / 93

by Alex Smith ( PSE )

to the Commission
The Commission has so far taken two initiatives in the field

of machine translation . (3 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 51 )
1 . A specific programme under the Eurotra research and
development framework programme ( 1982 — 1992 )
covering the nine Community languages, co-financed by Subject : Coordination of information
the Commission and by research bodies in the Member EC
States, designed an experimental natural language
processing platform and developed a formalized How does the Commission
presentation of the structures of the nine official commitment to enhance
Community languages . activities within and without the

Subject : Coordination of information activities within the

EC

2 . Since 1976 the Commission has developed extensions
of the Systran machine translation system . Sixteen

How does the Commission intend to implement the
commitment to enhance coordination of information

activities within and without the Commission and how does
it envisage this will aid communication by telephone, postal
service and personal contact with citizens of the European
Community ?

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 27

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( IS March 1994 ) (2 March 1994 )

The conclusions of recent meetings of the European Council
contain a number of reference to the need for cooperation in
the field of information and communication between the

Community institutions and the Member States . On 10 — 1 1
November, 1993 a seminar took place, chaired by the
Presidency of the Council, with senior officials from the
Member States and the institutions to discuss ways to
achieve this . Further meetings are scheduled to increase the
existing bilateral and multilateral collaboration between the
institutions and the Member States .

The inter-institutional collaboration and cooperation with
the Member States covers a wide spectrum of joint
information activities — seminars, exhibits, information
visits — which have as their aim to increase the contacts with

European citizens . In this respect, telephone and postal
services are used to a great extent .

Moreover in its communication on Openness 0 ) the
Commission has indicated through which additional steps it
will improve personal contact with citizens . Following these
commitments internal improvements have been made in the
treatment of telephone, mail and other contacts with the
Commission . The Community 's public databases are made
more user-friendly and greater access to information
services has been provided .

The Commission regrets that it is unable to provide the
information requested by the Honourable Member, as it is
subject to the provisions of Article 194 of the Euratom
Treaty .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 760 / 93

by Sir James Scott-Hopkins ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 12 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 53

Subject : Production of a ' Eurospeak ' dictionary

Will the Commission support and fund the production of a
' Eurospeak ' dictionary ?

Is it aware that this would assist my constituents to
understand the significance in a Community context of
' TED ', ' DIANE ' and 'a hot banana '?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission
i 1 ) OJ No C 166, 17 . 6 . 1993 .
( 15 March 1994 )

The Commission would like to draw the attention of the

Honourable Member that such a dictionary already exists
enumerating the acronyms for Community action plans and
programmes ( fifth edition on sale at the Office for Official
Publications of the European Communities, or sales offices ).
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 73 7 / 93 This would meet the requirements of the Honourable

by Llewellyn Smith ( PSE ) Member 's constituents .

to the Commission

(3 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 52 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3775 / 93

by Bruno Boissière ( V )
Subject : Environment
to the Commission

(2 December 1993 )

Further to the reply to Question No 476 / 93 by Mrs Larive ( 94 / C 332 / 54
on uranium imports (*) will the Commission give specific
figures on nuclear materials imports as requested in
connection with the statement that significant quantities of Subject : Existence of a motorway
nuclear materials are imported for reprocessing, conversion tunnel in the Aspe Valley
and fabrication ?

Subject : Existence of a motorway link to the Somport

tunnel in the Aspe Valley

In his oral reply to questions H-l 117 / 93, H-l 123 / 93 and
(M OJ No C 292, 28 . 10 . 1993, p . 33 . H-l 135 / 93 of 17 November 1993, Commissioner Van den

No G 332 / 28 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Broek was somewhat ambiguous, first using the term
' motorway ' to describe the Pau-Saragossa link ( thereby
meeting the wishes of Mr Bru Puron ) and then going on to
mention a two - or three-lane ' road '.

1 . Does the Commission consider it logical for the
Community, Spain and France to invest over one billion
francs in the construction of a tunnel which, on the
French side, is to link up with a two-lane road, while
maintaining that a major international road link is being
built ?

2 . Will it guarantee that there will never be a two-lane dual
carriageway or a motorway in the Aspe Valley ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 March 1994 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its

answer to Written Question No 2927 / 93 by Mrs
Oddy (*).

(!) OJ No C 310, 7 . 11 . 1994, p . 45 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3795 / 93

on behalf of the Commission by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

( 11 January 1994 ), to the Commission

( 12 January 1994 )

The Commission has already made several statements on ( 94 / C 332 / 5.6 )
this issue .

The responsibility for this project lies chiefly with the
Member States concerned . In fact, since the Pau
Administrative Tribunal quashed the declaration of public
interest because the evaluation of the tunnel 's overall impact
on the environment was inadequate, the Commission has
suspended all funding to the project .

In addition, it should be emphasized that the sole objective
of alterations to the RN 134 in the Aspe Valley is to make
the road safer and provide a better service for users . In no
way do they constitute the construction of a motorway .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3781 / 93

by Ursula Schleicher ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 12 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 55 ) '

Subject : Marketing of rhinoceros products

Some countries, in particular Taiwan and China, repeatedly
infringe the Cites provisions prohibiting all trade in
rhinoceros products . Although Cites has announced
sanctions against those countries, it appears that some
Member States of the Community are not very strict in their
compliance with the Cites provisions . The goods appear to
reach the markets via Hong Kong .

1 . Is the Commission aware of this state of affairs ?

2 . Is there any possibility of the Commission persuading
the Member States to comply strictly with the Cites
provisions ?

Subject : Monetary deposits to be provided by EC citizens

changing their place of residence

Changes of residence from one country to another within
the Community are becoming increasingly frequent and as a
result EC citizens are becoming acquainted with new
environments and different national custonls .

However, the rights derived from the constitutional texts of
the Community are running up against the obstacles placed
by certain administrative authorities in the Member States in
the way of citizens who change their residence from one
country to another . Such obstacles include the requirement
to make a large monetary deposit, or surety, for a minimum
period of two years to ensure that an individual who has just
changed his residence does not sell any part of his furniture
or fittings .

In the light of current Community legislation, can the
Commission say whether national legislation requiring a
person transferring his residence from one country to
another within the Community to provide a surety or
deposit to ensure that he does not sell his furniture or fittings
is in accordance with Community legislation on mobility
and freedom of establishment ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1994 )

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member

that under current Community legislation it is not
permissible to require a deposit or surety to be provided in
respect of furniture imported in the case of a change of
residence from one Member State to another .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 29

The Commission is ready to look into any case in which Answer given by Mr Marin
Community citizens may have been called upon by the on behalf of the Commission
customs or tax authorities to provide a deposit or surety in (8 February 1994 )
the circumstances described above .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3823 / 93

by Des Geraghty ( NI )

to the Commission

( 17 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 57 )

Subject : Development cooperation — monitoring and

evaluation

How much of the monitoring and evaluation of
development cooperation in the course of the sixth and
seventh EDFs ( in financial terms ) has been carried out by
private companies based in EC countries ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 February 1994 )

To obtain independent evaluation, the Commission
contracts the services of firms ( by means of restricted
invitations to tender ) on a list kept by the Evaluation Unit of
the Directorate-General for Development . Joint ACP-EC
evaluation exercises are carried out by an ACP-EC pair of
consultancy firms . The monitoring of programmes and
projects by independent Community consultants is as an
integral part of these operations .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3825 / 93

by Des Geraghty ( NI )

to the Commission

( 17 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 58 )

Since 1982 the Commission has endorsed the policy of
encouraging the integration of women in its development
projects and programmes . This is a continuing policy,
therefore, and not merely a reaction to the preparations for
the Fourth World Conference on Women to be held in

Beijing in 1995 .

Thanks to the efforts of the Parliament, the creation of a
budget line in 1991 greatly facilitated the translation of this
policy into practice .

The Commission aims to ensure the full integration of
women, both as agents and beneficiaries, in development
actions throughout all phases of the project cycle . A strategy
has been elaborated to increase the capability of
development staff to deal with women 's issues in their daily
work .

The specific measures undertaken over the last five years
were described in a paper transmitted to the Parliament on
26 March 1993 I 1 ).

(M SEC(93 ) 464 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3838 / 93

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission

(8 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 59 )

Subject : Objective 3 Social Fund

In a plan for Objective 3 in Great Britain 1994 — 1999,
Executive Summary, one of the groups identified as a
priority group includes disadvantaged people whose first
language is not English .

Will the Commission confirm that funding will be available
for language training for those people whose first language
is not English including people from the Indian
sub-continent .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 1994 )
Subject : World Conference on Women

In view of the forthcoming World Conference on Women in
Peking in 1996, what measures has the Commission taken
to ensure that its development cooperation policies and
programmes take full cognizance of women and women 's
issues in development ?

The United Kingdom submitted its plan for the use of the
European Social Fund under Objective 3 on 4 November

1993 . This plan has been transmitted to the Parliament .

One of the priorities in the plan is to help unemployed
people facing particular disadvantages to compete

No C 332 / 30 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

effectively in the labour market . Within this priority, one
target is people needing training in English as a first other
language . The Commission has noted this proposal, which
could help to promote the integration of people excluded
from the labour market . This, as the Honourable Member
knows, is one of the tasks of the ESF under Objective 3 .

However, in the framework of the partnership, the
Commission has still to examine, with the British
authorities, the question of the best use to be made of the
limited resources of the ESF in the context of the labour

market in the United Kingdom . The examination which has
recently started, will cover the use of the ESF over the next
six year period, in the context of what is planned to be
achieved by means of finance from national resources . One
important question to be addressed is how . the ESF can best
complement training programmes undertaken within the
United Kingdom, and therefore which actions should be
accorded priority .

In this context, the Commission will consider, with the
British authorities, whether, and to what extent, language
teaching is desirable as an adjunct to training under other
priorities .

It is also possible that the ESF could grant assistance for such
courses in the context of its activities under the other

Objectives .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3848 / 93

by Enrique Sapena Granell ( PSE )

to the Commission

(8 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 60 )

Subject : Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market in

Alicante

The special European Council of 29 October 1993 decided
that the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 February 1994 )

1 . The Commission is unable at this stage to state exactly
when the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market

( trade marks, designs and models ) will be operational
because the date depends on a number of factors . The
availability of premises, whether existing or to be built, will
be crucial . As a rough guide, the Commission considers that
a period of between eighteen months and two years could
elapse after entry into force of the relevant Regulation .

2 . The Community 's budget did not include any
appropriation to cover a subsidy for the Office .

For 1994, the Commission proposed in its preliminary draft
budget an appropriation of ECU 1 million, but the budget
authority ( Council and Parliament ) entered only ECU
500 000 in the reserve ( in Chapter B0-40, under
Article B5 302 ). This is intended to cover the start-up
expenditure of the Office . In the light of progress in setting
up the Office and preparing its first budget, the Commission
will examine to what extent additional resources will be

necessary in 1994 .

When the Commission adopts its preliminary draft budget
for 1995 ( in April 1994 ), it will be in a position to propose
an appropriate level of subsidy for 1995 .

3 . Staffing will depend both on technical needs as
determined by the tasks which the Office will have to carry
out and — at least until such time as it no longer needs a
Community subsidy — on the financial resources it is
granted by the Community 's budget authority .

4 . On the subject of premises and other facilities that the
Office will need, the Commission is continuing discussions
with the Spanish authorities, which have shown that they
are extremely willing to contribute to the setting-up of the
Office .

( trade marks, designs and models ) would have its seat in
Spain in a town to be determined by the Spanish
Government . The Spanish Cabinet has decided to establish
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3853 / 93
the office in the environs of the city of Alicante .

by Filippos Pierros ( PPE )

When will the office be operative ? to the Commission

( 17 January 1994 )

What is the budget available to the Commission in 1993 and ( 94 / C 332 / 61 )
how much will be needed in 1994 and 1995 to enable it to

operate ?

How many officials or temporary and local staff will be
needed to work there ?

What kind of facilities does an office of this kind require ?
Will the buildings be owned by the Commission ?

Subject : Coordination and evaluation of Community
regional measures

The Summary of the Annual Report of the Court of
Auditors of the European Communities on the financial
year 1992 states in Chapter 6 on the regional sector that

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 31

' there still remains room for substantial improvement
within the framework of the coordination, monitoring
and assessment of the measures '.

It continues with the observation that

' the Commission should concentrate all its attention on

the significant loopholes observed by the Court in the
programming, the coordination and the evaluation of
expenditure '.

What practical measures will the Commission take to
remedy this situation following the adoption of the new
Structural Fund implementing regulations and with a view
to implementation of the measures under the Delors II
package ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

(8 March 1994 )

The Commission is aware that work remains to be done on

the programming, coordination and assessment of the
Structural Funds .

The revised Regulations governing the Funds, which came

into force on 3 August 1993 (*), will substantially improve
their method of operation . They clarify and reinforce the
principles of prior appraisal, monitoring and assessment .
The new Regulations, on which Parliament gave a
favourable opinion, should therefore create the optimum
conditions for implementation of the ' Delors II ' package .

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

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3885 / 93

by Ben Visser ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 14 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 332 / 62 )

Subject : Exclusion from the EC market of natural
carrageen from the Philippines

1 . Why is it that, even after two-and-a-half years, the
Scientific Committee is still unable to conclude its

deliberations and reach a decision, despite having given
frequent indications that it was about to do so ? Can
constant demands for additional studies, which in fact do
nothing but hold up proceedings and delay
decision-making, be justified on the grounds of
meticulousness ?

2 . Can the Commission guarantee that the Scientific
Committee is being totally independent and objective and
not letting itself be influenced directly or indirectly by press
articles originating from the EC producers concerned ?

3 . Is it not strange that countries with stricter legislation
than the EC have no objections to the importation and
consumption of PNG carrageen, while the EC does object ?
Does this not create the impression that the EC is guilty of
protectionism ?

4 . Will the Commission :

( a ) call on the Scientific Committee, which has been
deliberating on this question for at least two-and-a-half
years, to reach a conclusion without further delay ?

( b ) subsequently take immediate steps for the inclusion of

carrageen from the Philippines on the list of authorized
food additives ?

5 . Can the EC reply before 31 December 1993 in view of
the planned visit to the Philippines at the end of January

1994 by the delegation for relations with the Asean ;

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 January 1994 )

1 . The Scientific Committee for Food made clear in

December 1991 the toxicity data it requires to establish the
safety in use of alternatively refined carrageenan originating
in the Philippines . The tests it required are the subject of
protocols agreed by the international scientific community
and which are widely available . The Scientific Committee
for Food has not changed or in any way increased its
requirements since that date . The data required have been
made available to the Scientific Committee for Food by the
Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines in
instalments, and then only incompletely, over a protracted
period of time . The last contribution was made as recently as
8 December 1993 . The time taken for submission of the data

by the industry concerned is beyond the control of the
Commission and the Scientific Committee for Food .

2 . Commission Decision 74 / 234 / EEC, by which the
Scientific Committee for Food was established, requires
members to be nominated by the Commission on the basis
of their high scientific qualifications . The Decision requires
that the deliberations of the Committee relate to the requests
for opinion put by the representative of the Commission .
The members are required to declare to the representative of
the Commission any interest they have which is material to
the request for opinion in hand . Where a member declares
an interest material to the request for opinion in hand, he or
she may only contribute to the deliberations at the discretion
of the Chairman . The Commission is satisfied that these

No C 332 / 32 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

arrangements ensure the independence and objectivity of
the Committee .

3 . The Commission is unable to comment on the

justifications for the actions of countries outside the
Community .

4 . ( a ) The Scientific Committee for Food will formulate its
opinion on the basis of the totality of the scientific
data available . That data was supplemented by the
Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines as
recently as 8 December 1993 . The Scientific
Committee for Food cannot therefore be considered

tardy in its consideration of the dossier .

( b ) The addition of alternatively refined carrageenan to

the approved list of food additives is a matter for the
Council and the Parliament . Council Directive

89 / 107 / EEC provides that food additives can only
be approved if they present no hazard to the health
of the consumer at the level of use proposed . The
Commission will propose that alternatively refined
carrageenan be added to the approved list of food
additives only if the Scientific Committee for Food is
satisfied that this condition is met .

5 . The Honourable Member 's written question was
received on 15 December 1993 . An answer within 16 days
( including Christmas ) would hardly do justice to the
question . If such a speedy answer is required, the
Commission would suggest the Honourable Member use
more informal channels than those of the parliamentary
question ( e.g. telephone call or letter ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 898 / 93

by Hugh McMahon ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 63 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3903 / 93

by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 64 )

Subject : Training of nurses in Spain — hours of training

According to Directive 77 / 45 3 / EEC ( 1 ), training of a
specifically vocational nature for nurses responsible for
general care must comprise a three-year course or 4 600
hours of theoretical and practical instruction .

In Spain the regulations on training in this profession
stipulate that courses must last three years, but no more than
2 700 hours are devoted to theoretical and practical
instruction and the aim is to reduce this to 2 250 hours in

1994 .

In this situation,

1 . does the Commission consider that Spain is complying
with the Regulations on nurses by ensuring only that
courses last three years, without taking account of the
4 600 hours of training laid down in Directive
77 / 45 3 / EEC ?

2 . will the qualifications of a Spanish nurse who has
received fewer than 4 600 hours of theoretical and

practical training be recognized in the other countries of
the Community ?

3 . what steps can the Commission take or has it taken to

ensure that the Spanish Government complies with the
Regulations drawn up in the EEC in nursing and what
action must be taken as a result ?

(») OJ No L 176, 15 . 7 . 1977, p . 8 .
Subject : Food distribution for the poor

Can the Commission inform the European Parliament how
much of the Union 's food surplus was distributed to the
poor by 30 November 1993 ? What were the total sums and
tonnage for each Member State and which States did not
make use of their allocated quota ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 March 1994 )

The Commission will transmit the table containing the
information requested directly to the Honourable Member
and to the Parliament Secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4105 / 93

by Gerardo Fernandez-Albor ( PPE )

to the Commission

(7 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 65 )

Subject : Consultation on Directive 77 / 453 / EEC

According to Directive 77 / 453 / EEC, training of a
specifically vocational nature for nurses responsible for
general care must comprise a three-year course or 4 600
hours of theoretical and practical instruction .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 33

In Spain the regulations on training in this profession
stipulate that courses must last three years, but no more than
2 700 hours are devoted to theoretical and practical
instruction and the aim is to reduce this to 2 250 hours in

1994 .

In this situation, does the Commission consider that Spain is
complying with the Regulations on nurses by ensuring only
that courses last three years, without taking account of the
4 600 hours of training laid down in Directive
77 / 453 / EEC ?

Will the qualifications of a Spanish nurse who has received
fewer than the 4 600 hours of theoretical and practical
training laid down in Directive 77 / 453 / EEC be recognized in
the other countries of the Community ?

What steps can the Commission take or has it taken to
ensure that the Spanish Government complies with the
Regulations drawn up by the EEC on nursing and what
action can be expected as a result ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3907 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 66 )

Subject : Street children

There has been a noticeable increase lately in the nunmber of
ragged, barefoot and hungry children from Albania who
have come to Greece as illegal immigrants . These children
station themselves every day from dawn onwards at large
road junctions in Athens, Thessaloniki and other large
towns to beg for small change which enables them to survive
but at the same time ensures that they are exploited by wily
Albanian adults . Can the Commission state what measures

the Community and Greek authorities intend to take in
respect of street children whose numbers are on the increase
in Europe ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Joint E-3903 answer / 93 to and Written E-4105 Questions / 93 ( 15 March 1994 )

given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 1994 )

1 . In the Commission 's opinion, the current Spanish
regulations on training in nursing are not consistent with
Directive 77 / 453 / EEC and, in particular, do not comply
with Article 1 as regards the number of hours of
instruction .

2 . Member States are not required under Directive
77 / 452 / EEC to recognize diplomas awarded on completion
of training lasting less than the minimum period stipulated
in Directive 77 / 453 / EEC .

3 . In response to a number of complaints, the
Commission initiated infringement proceedings against
Spain under Article 169 of the EC Treaty . After receiving the
letter of formal notice, the Spanish authorities accepted the
Commission 's position and undertook to bring the
legislation into line with Directive 77 / 453 / EEC . The
Commission is currently checking that the draft measures
notified by the Spanish authorities satisfy the
requirements .

The Commission will be sure to inform the Honourable

Member of the action it takes in this matter .

The Commission is aware of the increasing number of
victims of poverty and exclusion, both young and old, and
of the need for measures to combat this situation .

Accordingly, the Commission has recently submitted a
Green Paper on European Social Policy — Options for the
Union, as well as a specific proposal for a new medium-term
programme to combat exclusion and promote solidarity .

The Treaty on European Union offers no provision
specifically concerning children, and policy remains within
the remit of the Member States . In general terms, however,
the Commission will contribute to the protection and
welfare of children within the current so-called ' Poverty 3 '
programme and other existing programmes and measures,
for instance in the framework of the Structural Funds

( Horizon, Now ) or its family policy measures .

It should be mentioned that several projects selected for
support within the current ' Poverty 3 ' Programme address
the welfare of children . One initiative, for example,
concentrates on the protection and the rights of street
children . It should also be added that the Commission

works closely with the European Forum for Child Welfare
on the organization of conferences on the situation of
children, and that the protection and welfare of children is a
major issue in the context of European family policy
measures launched by the Commission, including the
cooperation between experts from the Member States in the
European Observatory on national family policies .

No C 332 / 34 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3926 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission ( 26 April 1994 )

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 67 )

Subject : Reconstruction programme for Sarajevo

Does the Commission have plans for a Community
reconstruction programme in Sarajevo following the end of
the war and, if so, what are they ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 1994 )

In the action it has taken to come to the assistance of

Sarajevo, besieged as it is by Serb troops, the Community
has to make a distinction between, on the one hand, what is
essentially immediate, humanitarian action — to which it is
giving priority at present and devoting the lion 's share of
available resources — and, on the other hand,
reconstruction programmes .

The Community has begun to give thought to the problem
of reconstruction and the international community has
asked a group of experts ( the International Management
Group ) to carry out a first, systematic evaluation of
needs .

International action — including action by the Community
— presupposes, however, that any political settlement, or at
least the halt to the shelling of Sarajevo, is final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3943 / 93

by Carmen Diez de Rivera Icaza ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 68 )

Subject : Original language of Commission texts

In Parliament reports, the original language in which it was
drawn up is indicated on the cover page .

There are few Commission texts on which it is possible to
indicate the original language as is done on Parliament 's
working documents .

All the language versions of general legal instruments are
authentic . In the case of decisions addressed to an individual

party, only the text in the language of that party is authentic,
and this is in fact always indicated .

The language versions of the communications adopted by
the Commission are also considered to be equivalent . What
is more, in many cases the first versions are drafted in more
than one language or are amended in another language
thereby making the indication of an original language
meaningless .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3945 / 93

by Giuseppe Mottola ( PPE ) and

Agostino Mantovani ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 69 )

Subject : Satisfactory disposal of tobacco surpluses which

have arisen as a result of good weather

Article 12 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 3477 / 92 (*) prohibits the
submission of any tobacco surpluses during the following

year .

This is unsatisfactory as far as producers are concerned since
output is closely linked to variations in the weather .

It can happen that when the weather is favourable, despite
planning out areas and quantities, farmers produce 20 %
above average and so exceed their quotas .

When the weather is good, producers who have exceeded
their quotas do not leave the better quality leaves in the
fields but try to submit the surplus the following year .

In view of the impossibility of monitoring tens of thousands
of producers, will the Commission not grant producer
associations the right to store surpluses of 15% to 20%,
under supervision by the AIMA ( government agency for
intervention in the agricultural market ), and permit delivery
to processors the following year, with the deduction of a
corresponding quantity from the quota for the year of
submission ?

Could the Commission do the same for its texts, as this
would make them much easier to understand, given the not
always satisfactory quality of its transactions ? (!) OJ No L 351, 2 . 12 . 1992, p . 11 .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 35

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(2 March 1994 )

Article 9(2 ) of Regulation ( EEC ) No 3478 / 92 (*) obliges
producers to declare to the competent national authorities
the quantities of tobacco not delivered to a first processor by

15 May of the year following the harvest . The checks to be
carried out by the Member States under the same Article, as
well as the sanctions provided for in the case of
non-compliance ( Article 9 ) should prevent systematic
fraud .

The Commission will study the advantages and
disadvantages of the Honourable Members ' suggestion
when all the data regarding the 1993 harvest, which is the
first harvest to be subject to the new organization of the
market, is available .

(*) OJ No L 351, 2 . 12 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3946 / 93

by Bartho Pronk ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 70 )

Subject : Employment and research

1 . Is it a fact that large businesses are tending to carry out
their development of high-tech products ( costs and
investment ) within the European Union but to locate
employment elsewhere ? Such a development could be seen
as a subsidized internal European Union brain drain, whose
end results benefit businesses and employees outside the
Union .

2 . Does the Commission consider it right that the
subsidies provided should be used only to develop products
within the European Union, after which production is
carried out elsewhere ?

3 . Would it be possible to alter the relevant rules on
subsidies to protect European businesses and their
employees against this form of re-location of profits,
investment and employment ?

Answer given by Mr Rubrti
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1994 )

The Commission has not detected any preference being
expressed for re-location outside the Community as
described in the Honourable Member 's question . On the

other hand, the Commission, like other institutions, has
been observing the phenomenon of globalization of the
economy and technology . Under the Monitor Programme
experts have analyzed the effects of this trend towards
globalization on the re-location of research centres and
companies . Outlining a policy of global competitiveness, the
White Paper on ' Growth, competitiveness and employment '
notes that the time when it was possible to divide industry
and geographical space into well-identifed, relatively
autonomous segments has gone . The same applies to the
links between technological development and the
subsequent development of new products or procedures .
Although some firms are tending to establish closer contacts
with emerging markets outside the Community, others are
increasing the number of their sites in the Community to
benefit from the advantages of research carried out there
and take advantage of the unification of the market .

In view of this, the Commission does not envisage taking
specific regulatory measures .

Under the Community framework programme for research
and technological development, the allocation of available
resources rules out assistance at the stage of marketing the
new product . Nevertheless, the contractual rules governing
participation by research centres and firms in Community
RTD activities specify that contractors must exploit the
results of research part-financed by Community activities
and they must take account of the interests of the
Community in doing so . If such product development
cannot be carried out in the Community by contractors, the
latter must issue operating licences to any organization
applying to perform this activity under the same
conditions .

In addition, the Fourth Framework Programme

( 1994 —1998 ) ( Commission proposal ) i 1 ) must ensure that
the expected results are sufficiently accessible to industrial
players, including small and medium-sized enterprises,
which are the source of growth and creators of
employment .

(M COM(93 ) 276 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3958 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 71 )

Subject : Implementation of the Sixth Programme for the

promotion of olive oil

The national joint - trade committees of the olive ­
oil producing Member States of the European Union have
submitted a proposal for the introduction and
implementation of the Sixth Programme for the promotion
of olive oil, which provides inter alia for :

No C 332 / 36 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

— an increase in funds compared to previous years,

— the Community joint - trade Committee and the national

committees to act as technical advisers,

— the International Olive Oil Council to be given
responsibility for the direct administration of funds for
measures to be carried out in non-producer countries, on
a temporary and experimental basis .   

Will the Commission back the proposal by the national
joint-trade committees of the olive-oil producing countries
by supporting an amendment to the rules governing the
provision of technical advice under the programme ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1994 )

The Commission does not have the competence or the
means to follow the requests made by the national joint
trade committees of olive-oil producing Member States of
the Community .

However, the Commission would remind the Honourable
Member that it is working in collaboration with the
Community joint trade Committee for olive oil on which
representatives of the national joint trade committees are
represented, and that the Community Committee will
continue to be consulted before important decisions
concerning the Sixth Programme are taken .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3963 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 January 1994 )

development in the field of marine science and technology
MAST ( 1990 — 1994 ) ( 1 ). The total budget for the
programme is ECU 118 million, some ECU 30 million of
which is earmarked for marine technology . A total of 69
projects are currently under way .

A call for proposals was published in the Official Journal on
28 June 1991 ( modified in the Official Journal on
31 October 1991 ) and closed on 15 November 1991 for
marine technology and coastal science and engineering, and
on 14 February 1992 for marine science ( including major
targeted projects ).

There are no current plans for a new call for proposals for
new research projects under the Third Framework
Programme . The Council 's common position of 14 January

1994 on the Fourth Framework Programme provides for the
continuation of RTD in the field of marine science and

technology . The common position provides for RTD
activities in the field of transport and information and
communication technologies ( including telematic networks
and services applied to transport ), some of which might be
of interest in the marine field .

In addition, various research activities with a bearing on
marine technology are being undertaken in the current
programme of RTD in the field of industrial technology .
The RTD programme on non-nuclear energy also includes
work on the development of technologies capable of
producing energy by tapping the energy of ocean waves .

(!) OJ No L 192, 16 . 7 . 1991 .

( 94 / C 332 / 72 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3964 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

Subject : Funding of marine research and technological

development

to the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 73 )

Will the Commission say whether it is currently in a position
to fund marine research and technological development
activities, on the basis of the measures and provisions
currently in force ? Subject : European imports of cheap bicycles manufactured

in Asia

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

In the last four years, bicycles manufactured in certain Asian

on behalf of the Commission countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, have

( 30 March 1994 ) succeeded in securing 10 % of the European market because

of their low prices . Does the Commission feel that
anti-dumping measures should be taken in the bicycle
In its Decision 91 / 351 / EEC of 7 June 1991 the Council sector, as proposed by the association of European bicycle
adopted a specific programme of research and technological manufacturers ?

( 30 March 1994 )

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 37

given by Sir Leon Brittan A further round of multilateral talks will be held in Brussels

of the Commission on 21 April to review developments in the aluminium

( 16 March 1994 ) market .

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(!) OJ No L 198, 7 . 8 . 1993 .

An anti-dumping proceeding concerning bicycle imports ( 2 ) OJ No L 293, 27 . 11 . 1993 .
from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand was initiated on
3 February 1994 ( 1 ). A decision on possible anti-dumping
measures will be taken as soon as the results of the

investigation are available .

(!) OJ No C 35, 3 . 2 . 1994 . WRITTEN QUESTION E-3974 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3965 / 93 ( 94 / C 332 / 75 )

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

Subject : Setting-up the ESC in Greece
( 19 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 74 ) Have the Greek authorities told the Economic and Social

Committee when they intend to set up in their country the
Subject : Quotas for Russian aluminium imports national committee of this important instrument of social
dialogue ?

What steps does the Commission intend to take now that
the quotas for aluminium imports from Russia have
expired ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1994 )

( 26 April 1994 ) The Commission has not been officially informed of a
decision by the Greek authorities to set up a consultative
body representing the social partners .

Imports into the Community of un-wrought aluminium
from the countries of the former Soviet Union increased

considerably from 75 000 tonnes in 1990 ( including 60 000
tonnes imported into East Germany ) to 134 000 tonnes in

1991 and 351 000 tonnes in 1992 . Following a full
investigation, the Commission adopted on 6 August 1993
safeguard measures ( Commission Regulation ( EEC )
No 2227 / 93 ( 1 )) imposing quantitative restrictions in
respect of imports of un-wrought aluminium from the
former Soviet Union ( including the Baltic States ) of 60 000
tonnes until 30 November 1993 . On 27 November 1993,
the Commission extended the safeguard measures
( Commission Regulation ( EEC ) No 32 57 / 93 ( 2 )) which ran
until 28 February in the amount of 46 000 tonnes .

Negotiations have taken place on a bilateral basis with the
Russian Federation, and exploratory discussions on a
multilateral basis, with a view to finding solutions which
will improve conditions on the international aluminium
market .

At multilateral talks on 1 March 1994 in Ottawa, the
participants ( Australia, Canada, European Community,
Norway, Russian Federation and USA ) finalized a
Memorandum of Understanding concerning the aluminium
market . The Commission considers that the developments
envisaged in this document offer the best prospect at the
present time for greater stability in the aluminium
market .

Such a decision would, in any case, be a matter for the
national authorities alone . Bodies of this sort, which exist in
several Member States, are not the same as the national
sections of the Economic and Social Committee of the
European Communities, set up by the Treaties of Rome .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3981 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 76 )

Subject : Possibility for members of the family of a worker in

one country to have access to health care services in
another country

Will the Commission say whether the European Union
intends in the immediate future to take a decision to allow

members of the family of a worker in one country to have
access to the health care services in another, neighbouring,
country ?

No C 332 / 38 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 April 1994 ) (5 April 1994 )

The right of members of the family of an employed or
self-employed person to receive medical treatment in a
Member State other than the Member State in which they
are insured is covered by Regulation ( EEC ) No 1408 / 71 on
the application of social security schemes to employed
persons, to-self-employed persons and to members of their
families moving within the Community (*). This Regulation
provides that :

( a ) In cases where members of the family of an employed or
self-employed person require immediate medical
treatment while staying temporarily in another
Member State, they are entitled to treatment in that
State as though they were insured there . Form El 11
constitutes the proof that the person concerned is
entitled to sickness benefits .

( b ) In other cases ( i.e. cases other than the need for urgent

treatment while travelling abroad ), family members as
described above insured in one Member State may go to
another Member State for medical treatment
appropriate to their state of health provided they fulfil
certain conditions ; in particular, they must have
obtained the authorization from the competent
institution and must be in possession of form El 12 .
This authorization may not be refused where the
treatment in question is among the benefits provided
for by the legislation of the Member State on whose
territory the person concerned resides and where he Or
she cannot be given such treatment within the time
normally necessary for obtaining the treatment in
question in the Member State of residence, taking
account of his or her current state of health and the

probable course of the disease .

The wetland in question has not been classified by the Greek
authorities as a special protection area, though it has been
identified as an area of Community interest in accordance
with Directive 79 / 409 / EEC on the conservation of wild
birds ( 1 ).

A proposal for support through the LIFE financial
instrument must be accompanied by justifications of the
eligibility of the site and of the proposed action to conserve it
with regard to the criteria indicated in Regulation ( EEC )
No 1973 / 92 ( 2 ) and by its management committee, and to
the priorities established for the year in question .

0 ) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p . 1 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992, p . 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3995 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 26 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 78 )

Subject : The wetlands of Stefanovikio in Magnesia

normally necessary for obtaining the treatment in The Magnesia Centre for the Assistance and Protection of
question in the Member State of residence, taking Wild Animals and Birds has called on those responsible to
account of his or her current state of health and the protect the Stefanovikio wetlands . Does the Commission see
probable course of the disease . any possibility of making representations to the Greek

authorities and calling for this region to be designated an
(!) OJ No L 149, 5 . 7 . 1971 . area that must be absolutely protected from hunting and
over-fishing ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3994 / 93 ( 30 March 1994 )

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 26 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 77

Subject ; Wetlands of the Kanatadika region in northern

Euboea

The Kanatadika region in northern Euboea is a rare wetland
area and environmental organizations have therefore called
for it to be designated a region of great environmental
significance and included in the LIFE Programme . Does the
Commission have any scope for backing this proposal by
environmental organizations ?

The wetlands referred to are not classified by the Greek
authorities as a special protection area, nor have they been
identified as an area of Community interest under Directive
79 / 409 / EEC on the conservation of wild birds (*).

The Commission has not yet received any information
concerning sites of importance under the terms of Directive

92 / 43 / EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of
wild fauna and flora ( 2 ).

However, any proposal for funding under the LIFE financial
instrument must be backed up by reasons why the site is
considered eligible and why the proposed conservation
measures have been chosen, with reference to the criteria

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 39

laid down by Regulation ( EEC ) No 1973 / 92 ( 3 ) and by the
Management Committee for the Regulation, and to the
priorities identified for the year in question .

(!) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p . 1 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992, p . 7 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992, p . 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4006 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 26 January 1994 )

quickly . They are to invite tenders from interested
companies towards the end of February .

It should be borne in mind that the Retex Programme is
directed at all sectors of industry, and not solely at the
textiles and clothing sector .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4047 / 93

by José Vazquez Fouz ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 31 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 79 ) ( 94 / C 332 / 81 )

Subject : Training of farmers Subject : Fisheries cooperation

Does the Commission intend to provide financial support
for setting up museums ( particularly folklore museums ),
institutes and adult education centres for training farmers
and combating illiteracy ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 1994 )

The Commission is prepared to examine any proposal from
the Member States to improve or increase agricultural
training opportunities in the framework of Structural Fund
measures for the period 1994 — 1999 .

One of the most effective forms of cooperation is to send
experts to developing countries in order to train personnel,
provide know-how or improve technology and ways of
exploiting resources .

With regard to the fisheries sector, how many experts or
assistants has the Commission sponsored ?

Which countries have they been sent to and what tasks have
they been assigned ?

Would the Commission be willing to step up this form of
cooperation in the future by increasing numbers ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 March 1994 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-4007 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 26 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 80 )

Subject : Implementation of the Retex Programme in
Greece

Representatives of the Greek textile industry are calling for
accelerated implementation of the Retex Programme so that
in Greece too the sector can weather the crisis which it has

been experiencing in recent years . Could the Commission
contact the Greek authorities regarding this matter ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 16 March 1994 )

The Commission has drawn the Greek authorities ' attention
to the need to begin implementing the Retex Programme

The Commission agrees that investment in human resources
is important in ensuring development . Thus it is useful
to send European experts into developing countries
with which the European Union has cooperation

arrangements .

Furthermore, with the recognition that not all technology
lends itself to direct transfer into tropical conditions and a
different social and economic context, more emphasis is
being laid on the small-scale sector and the use of local
expertise for certain tasks which require knowledge of the
local conditions .

To achieve the desired long-term effects, there is also more
emphasis now on institutional collaboration between
European and developing countries . The rationale is to
encourage collaboration beyond the limited scope of a
project .

More than 660 examples of fisheries development
cooperation have taken place, are still going on, or are in
preparation, with finance in excess of ECU 450 million .
These activities include short-term studies, including project

No C 332 / 40 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

evaluation, and longer-term projects ranging from
investment to predominantly technical assistance,
cooperative research and NGO projects .

More than 90 countries ( most of the ACP countries, and
many of the countries in Latin America, Asia and the
southern and eastern Mediterranean ) have benefited from
fisheries cooperation activities and most have had some
form of European technical assistance . The tasks of the
experts have included the technological ( related to the
production process ), economic and management related,
and scientific and research oriented .

The cooperation of the European Union with developing
countries is defined in a negotiating process between the
countries concerned and the Commission . A unilateral

decision by the Commission cannot therefore increase one
element of the cooperation . As mentioned above, human
resources development, with the deployment of suitable
European expertise, is considered a priority by the
Commission in the negotiation process .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4058 / 93

by Christopher Jackson ( PPE )

to the Commission

(1 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 82 )

Subject : Implementation of the Telecommunications
Services Directive 90 / 388 / EEC

Would Vice-President Van Miert please comment on
progress on the implementation of Telecommunications
Directive 90 / 388 / EEC (*) in Member States and, in
particular, clarify which countries have not yet implemented
the Directive correctly in relation to data services,
value-added services and / or non-public voice services and
state what action the Commission is taking to ensure
compliance ?

(!) OJ No L 192, 24 . 7 . 1990, p . 10 .

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1994 )

According to Directive 90 / 388 / EEC, the Member States
were bound to communicate their implementation
measures, depending on the relevant provisions, either
before 1 January 1991 or before 1 January 1993 . Two
Member States ( Italy and Greece ) have not yet fully
complied with this obligation .

In some of the Member States which have implemented the
Directive in their national legislation, there are some

divergences between the actual practice and the
interpretation of the Commission as regards the extent of
liberalization of non-public voice services .

In the absence of positive results, the Commission has
started and will consider further proceedings under
Article 169 of the EC Treaty .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4072 / 93

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

(1 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 83 )

Subject : Biomed 1 . research projects

Although the European Society for the Study and Prevention
of Infant Deaths ( Espid ) submitted six projects, only one has
apparently been approved .

Why were the others rejected ?

Is research intended to prevent cot deaths included in any
other Commission programmes ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-18 / 94

by Paul Staes ( V )

to the Commission

(8 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 84 )

Subject : Biomed I and cot deaths ( sudden infant death
syndrome )

Every year, 10 000 children die in Europe as a result of
sudden infant death syndrome .

Under the Biomedical and Health Research Programme,
Biomed I ( 1990 — 1994 ), six proposals were submitted to
the European Society for the Study and Prevention of Infant
Deaths .

Only one research proposal received support .

1 . Can the Commission assure me that it is giving this

major health problem all the consideration that it
deserves ?

2 . What is the Commission doing to support research into

the causes and prevention of the problem ?

3 . Why has only one proposal been supported under

Biomed I ?

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 41

WRITTEN QUESTION E-380 / 94

by Winifred Ewing ( ARE )

to the Commission

(1 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 85 )

Subject : Funding for cot death research

Will the Commission make a commitment to allocate

funding to European research institutes which specialize in
discovering the causes of sudden infant death syndrome
which is responsible for the death of 10 000 babies in
Europe each year ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-4072 / 93, E-18 / 94 and E-380 / 94

given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1994 )

The European Commission recently decided, under the
biomedical and health research programme, to fund a
research project entitled ' Coordinated studies to determine
ways of reducing infant cot deaths in Europe '. The project is
being coordinated by Dr R.G. Carpenter of the London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and involves the
participation of 16 teams from 12 European countries . The
subsidy granted for the research covers 90% of the
coordination costs .

In 1993, 808 research proposals were received under the
Biomed I Programme . Every care was taken to ensure that
the proposals were fairly evaluated . Following evaluation,

108 proposals were the subject of research contracts .

The Commission is currently planning future biomedical
and health research activities for the period 1994 — 1998 .
Once these have been approved, it will be possible to submit
new proposals in reply to the calls which will be made .

Why was this research carried out ? To what action is it
intended to lead ?

Can the Commission guarantee that the report takes
sufficient account of the fifth recital of the Architecture

Directive of 1985 ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )

The strategic study of the construction and construction
product sectors, the final report of which was received in
November 1993, was intended mainly to provide the
Commission and the industry itself with information on
which to develop appropriate strategies for the two

sectors .

The findings of the study are to be circulated widely . The
Commission then intends to begin consultations with the
principal players in the two sectors in order to discover the
opinions of the industry and the Member States on the
expediency of the strategic recommendations set out in the
study . This will provide the necessary base on which, with
due regard to subsidiarity and transparency, to decide on
future Community measures .

As regards the questions raised by the Honourable Member
concerning compliance with the recitals of the Architecture
Directive ( 85 / 384 / EEC ) (*), it must be stressed, at this stage,
that the information and recommendations set out in the

study merely represent the point of view of the consultant
and are expressed under his responsibility alone . In any
future action, the Commission will of course have to take
account of the abovementioned Directive .

(!) OJ No L 233, 21 . 8 . 1985 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4091 / 93

by Ioannis Stamoulis ( PSE )

to the Commission

(7 February 1994 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4073 / 93 ( 94 / C 332 / 87 )

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

(1 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 86

Subject : Atkins report on the European building industry

What were the findings of the report drawn up by the firm of
Atkins and the University of Reading ?

Subject : Centre of studies for the dissemination and

promotion of Community languages

The Community languages which originated in Europe, the
cradle of civilization, constitute part of the world 's cultural
heritage . In an internationally interdependent world
characterized by continuous interchanges of all kinds, it is
increasingly important that linguistic communication
should be easy .

No C 332 / 42 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

However, this means that European languages such as Has the Commission taken any action in respect of this
Greek which have made a unique contribution to science, resolution and, if it has, when and in what form ?
philosophy and the arts will be penalized because of the
needs and pace of development of contemporary means of (!) OJ No C 42, 15 . 2 . 1993, p . 207 .
communications .

Does the Commission agree that a Community Studies
Centre for the dissemination and promotion of Community
languages should be set up to undertake tasks such as an
objective study of effective means to promote and
disseminate the use of the Greek language, which forms part
of Europe 's common heritage, so that satisfactory solutions
can be found to supplement and back up other Community
actions such as, for example, the Lingua Programme ?

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )

The Commission is of the opinion that the Community
languages are a very important part of the cultural heritage
of the Community .

The Lingua Programme, to which the Honourable Member
refers, gives priority to the least widely used and least taught
languages in the Community . Activities designed to promote
the use of the Greek language have received support,
particularly in the context of supplementary measures under
the programme .

With regard to its future activities, the Commission intends
to continue its policy of giving priority to the least widely
used and least taught languages .

However, in view of the principle of subsidiarity, it feels that
the main responsibility for promoting and encouraging the
study of the Community languages lies with the Member
States .

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 March 1994 )

The Commission would point out that its overall position
on the recognition of diplomas is to favour a general
approach ( see the ' general system ' Directives 89 / 48 / EEC (*)
and 92 / 51 / EEC ( 2 )) which deliberately refrains from any
coordination with regard to training and the range of
professional activity, as opposed to a sectoral approach
based on individual professions . In principle, therefore, the
Commission considers proposing specific measures in
respect of a given profession only if experience shows the
general system to be insufficient, in the light of that
profession 's special nature, to ensure the effective free
movement of those practising it . A sufficient consensus
would also be needed among members of the profession
from all the Member States and among the Member States
themselves with regard to the principle and the main
features of the measures to be proposed .

Nevertheless, the Commission considers that the
establishment, by the members of professions, of joint
European platforms may facilitate the practical
implementation of the general system for the recognition of
diplomas .

(M OJ No L 19, 24 . 1 . 1989 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 209, 24 . 7 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4097 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4094 / 93 by Alex Smith ( PSE )
by Mauro Chiabrando ( PPE ) and Ferruccio Pisoni ( PPE ) to the Commission

to the Commission

(7 February 1994 )
(7 February 1994 ) ( 94 / C 332 / 89
( 94 / C 332 / 88 )

Subject : Recognition of the profession of mountain
guide

In resolution A3-0385 / 92 (*) of 22 January 1993,
Parliament set out its views on the profession of mountain
guide in the Member States .

The resolution concluded with a call on the Commission to

'
draw up a proposal — in the form of a recommendation or
Directive — to ensure that the Community platform
governing the right to engage in and carry on the profession
of guide is properly transposed into the laws of the Member
States '.

Subject : Ownership of declared civil nuclear materials

What assessment has been made by the Commission of the
ownership of declared civil nuclear materials in the United
Kingdom under Articles 86 and 87 of the Euratom Treaty ?
How does the Commission view the statement by the UK
President of the Board of Trade, in his reply in the British
Parliament of 15 December 1993 to the MP for Blaenau,
Gwent, that, under Article 75 of the Euratom Treaty, special
fissile nuclear materials imported into the European
Community are outside the remit of Articles 86 and 87 ? Will
the Commission publish a table of known stocks of nuclear
fissile materials in the EC, listed by Member State ?

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 43

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

an official application by the Community and its Member
States for an amendment to the Convention .

( 18 March 1994 )

Although the Commission can influence the number of
meetings covered by the Convention itself, it has no say over
As was stated in the British Parliament, under the last the location of meetings which is decided, on a case-by-case
paragraph of Article 75 of the Euratom Treaty materials basis, by the Joint Assembly and it alone .
imported into the Community in compliance with
Article 75(c ) of that Treaty are not subject to the provisions
of Chapter VIII of the Treaty ( ownership of special fissile
materials ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4106 / 93

Article 194 of the Euratom Treaty requires that all
information communicated to the Commission regarding
stocks of fissile materials which are in the Community be
kept secret .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4101 / 93

by Victor Arbeloa Muru ( PSE )

to the Commission

(7 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 90 )

Subject : Joint Assembly costs

Since the situation in countries belonging to the Lome
Convention is generally pitiable and since the situation in
Europe is not exactly brilliant, does it not seem logical in
consequence to reduce the number of meetings of
representatives and locate them in places which will cut
down costs ?

For example, should not the number of meetings of the Joint
Assembly be reduced to one a year and should it not meet in
a place that is closer for everyone, such as Europe or Central
Africa, the resulting savings being used to help
representatives from distant countries of the Pacific and
Caribbean ? And, if so, should not excessive expenditure on
air travel, hotels and restaurants, etc . be avoided ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 1994 )

The Commission is aware of problems similar to those
raised by the Honourable Member and has made use of the
Mid-Term Review of the Fourth Lome Convention to put
forward proposals to simplify the operation of the
ACP-EEC Joint Assembly . Their main aim is to reduce the
number of the Assembly 's regular meetings to one a year,
although additional meetings may be held whenever
necessary . This change will affect both the Joint Assembly
and ACP-EC Council of Ministers . The proposal was
approved by the Council on 7 February when it adopted the
negotiating Directives for the Mid-Term Review and is now

by José Lafuente Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission

(7 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 91 )

Subject : Period of practice required in order to practise

law

The experience gained when an attempt was first made to
implement the Community provisions on freedom of
establishment for lawyers throughout the Community has
led inter alia to the requirement that they complete a specific
period of practice in order to confirm their experience as
practising lawyers .

In view of the variety of arrangements prevailing in the
various member countries, does the Commission consider
that the relevant criteria should be harmonized and that

those wishing to work as lawyers should have to complete a
set number of years in a legal practice in their country of
origin, such a requirement being harmonized throughout
the Member States ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 1994 )

The Commission takes the view that, particularly with
regard to the principle of subsidiarity, it is neither necessary
nor expedient to present a proposal for a Directive requiring
those wishing to carry on the profession of lawyer to
complete a specific period of practice .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 / 94

by Lyndon Harrison ( PSE )

to the Commission

(8 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 92 )

Subject : Protective headgear

Is the Commission aware of the anomalies regarding the
imposition by the British Government of VAT on protective
headgear sold in the UK ?

No C 332 / 44 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Currently, protective cycle helmets suitable for wearing by
children under 14 years of age are zero-rated, whereas
helmets suitable for both children over 14 and for adults are

standard-rated at 17,5% .

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 16 March 1994 )

Will the Commission take steps to exempt all forms of
protective headgear, industrial, occupational and sporting, 1 . An experimental social programme focusing on street
from VAT throughout the European Union ? children in Brazil was indeed adopted in 1992 and it became

operational in 1993 . In the interests of efficiency three
towns were chosen, and for the same reason it was decided
that any subsequent geographical extension would take
only a limited form .

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1994 ) The preparation and selection of projects and NGOs proved
much more difficult than expected, and this delayed the
whole programme . Certain administrative and budgetary
constraints also complicated the conceptual approach

legislation ( Article 28(2 ) of the adopted .

Under Community VAT legislation ( Article 28(2 ) of the
sixth VAT Directive as amended by Directive 92 / 77 / EEC ),
Member States may continue to apply, on a transitional
basis, those VAT zero rates which were in force on 1 January
1991 in accordance with Community law . They may not,
however, widen the scope of such zero rates or add new zero
rates . The relief from VAT applicable on 1 January 1991 in
the United Kingdom to protective headgear was limited to
helmets worn by motor cyclists, while that available for
pedal cycle helmets was part of the relief provided generally
for children 's clothing and footwear . There is thus no scope
for an extension of the coverage of the relief of the type the
Honourable Member suggests .

A small number of projects are now operational ; a larger
number are still being examined . It seems better at this stage
to refer only to those being conducted or actually being
launched, as indicated below :

( ECU )

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Médecins sans frontières —

Belgium ( Rio ) 113 000 104 000

Associação Projeto Roda Viva
( Rio ) 382 800 378 000

AEEC — community schools
( Recife ) 463 496 229 575

A fourth project ( agreement
about to be signed ) ( Salvador ) 445 954 342 789 325 985

The fifth and sixth projects are
almost ready ( Recife and Belo
Horizonte )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-17 / 94

by Paul Staes ( V )

to the Commission

(8 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 93 )

Since the financing of the second and the third years of the
projects is subject to an evaluation at the end of the first
Subject : European aid to NGO projects in Brazil ( street year, only the amounts for the first year have been

children ) committed .

The European Community has spent ECU 6 million on
funding NGO pilot projects for combating the problems At the same time, other sums must be taken into
associated with street children in three large Brazilian consideration ( remuneration of a local coordinator, projects
cities . financed under the headings ' women and development ' and

' human rights '), so that the total committed for the first year
is ECU 1,8 million .
1 . What are these projects ?

2 . What specifically has the money been used for ?

3 . What results have been achieved ?

2 . The sums allocated to these projects are for helping,
training and re-integrating the children, but also for
developing specialized training for their teachers .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 45

3 . Although the initial results are encouraging, it is too
soon to draw any overall conclusions . This year will provide
an opportunity to obtain useful information on the outcome
of the pilot projects, and this should help in reassessing the
remainder of the programme and could lead to
adjustments .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-48 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(9 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 94 )

Subject : Implementation of plans within the framework of

the ' social economy '

Will the Commission say what steps the Community is
taking to support proposals at local level for the
implementation of plans within the framework of the ' social
economy ' which are based on innovative approaches that
can help to create jobs ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1994 )

The importance of the local employment initiatives has been
recognized at Community level for some time . Since 1975,
the Commission has set up an information network on local
development, an action-research programme on local
employment development called LEDA, an action-research
programme for the long-term unemployed ( ERGO ), an
exchange programme of local development agents ( EGLEI ),
and a local initiatives programme for women ( ILE ).

All those programmes are essentially concerned with local
employment initiatives in the so-called ' third ' or ' social
economy ' sector, providing financial and technical
assistance, as well as transfer of know-how to those areas or
individuals active in this sector . Furthermore, there are the
Community initiatives Euroform, Horizon, Now —
which are targetted at specific objectives and there is the
Social Fund which is the main instrument for supporting
Member States labour market actions and expenditure .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-58 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(9 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 95 )

Subject : Medical examinations of immigrants and illegal

immigrants to diagnose tuberculosis and malaria

Figures supplied by the Pan-Hellenic Union of Public Health
Inspectors shows that 8889 cases of tuberculosis and 339
cases of malaria amongst illegal immigrants were recorded
between 1985 and 1992 . As the actual number of such cases

is probably far greater, given the shortage of public health
inspectors, does the Commission intend to urge the Greek
health authorities to ensure that immigrants and illegal
immigrants are subject to medical examinations so that
those suffering from tuberculosis and malaria can be
diagnosed ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1994 )

The Member States affected are justifiably concerned about
the increase in the number of legal or illegal immigrants in
the European Union carrying diseases such as tuberculosis
or malaria . The Commission shares this concern but it is not

part of its functions to exert pressure on the health
authorities of the Member States to ensure that they carry
out systematic early detection of these diseases .

Where border controls for public health purposes in the
Member States are concerned, a distinction must be made
between persons ' entitled under Community law ' and those

not .

The Community law in force ( Article 56 of the EC Treaty
and Council Directive 64 / 221 / EEC of 25 February 1964 )
determines the public health grounds which may justify
refusing entry into a Member State to persons entitled under
Community law ( Union citizens, members of their families
who are nationals of a third country and persons entitled
under the agreement setting up the European Economic
Areal ). In its communication ( 1 ) the Commission also
announced that it intended to take action, in application of
Article 129 of the EC Treaty, to step up cooperation
between the Member States and coordinate their policies on
communicable diseases .

Since the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union,
the rules governing the crossing of the external frontiers of
the Member States by persons not entitled under

No C 332 / 46 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Community law are ' matters of common interest ' under the
terms of Title VI of the Treaty on European Union on
cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs . In
accordance with this, in its proposal for a Decision
establishing the convention on controls on persons crossing
the external frontiers of the Member States ( 2 ), submitted to
the Council on 10 December 1993, the Commission
proposed ( Article 7(2)(e )) that any person may be refused
entry ' in all circumstances in which a national of a Member

'
State may be refused entry to another Member State — and
this includes reasons of public health .

(!) COM(93 ) 559 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 11, 15 . 1 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-63 / 94

       - by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 14 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 96 )

Subject : Insuring fair coffee prices for the developing

countries

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 12 / 94

by Sergio Ribeiro ( GUE )

to the Commission

( 17 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 97 )

Subject : Setting up the European Monitoring Centre for

Drugs

When the various Community headquarters were allocated
during the European Council in Copenhagen in June 1993,
the headquarters of the European Monitoring Centre for
Drugs and Drug Addiction were assigned to Portugal .

Given the lack of public information on the setting up of this
centre, and in the firm conviction that the decision in
question was not a mere publicity stunt, in view of the need
for an institution to help collect and process data concerning
drugs, I would ask the Commission :

— what steps have already been taken towards setting up

the centre,

— where in Portugal it is to be located,

— what timetable has been drawn up for its becoming

operational,

— what staffing it will require, and

In view of the fact that 25 million people in the developing
countries make their living out of coffee, does the — how the staff is to be recruited ?
Commission intend to look into the possibility of setting up
a temporary ' coffee fund ' to be financed indirectly by
revenue from a special contribution to ensure that the
developing countries obtain a fair price for coffee ?
Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 April 1994 )

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1994 )

The proposal to establish a European coffee fund, financed

by a variable levy on imports of green coffee into Europe,
has been examined in depth both by the Commission and by
Member States .

While sympathetic to the overall objectives, neither the
Commission nor Member States were able to support the
proposal, in part because of the complexity and implied cost
of distributing the funds generated, and in part because of
the inconsistency, in terms of international trade obligations

( namely GATT ), of raising a new and substantial levy on
imports .

The Commission is in active consultation with the
Portuguese authorities with a view to setting up the
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
in Portugal as soon as possible . The Centre will be located in
the Lisbon area .

The staffing requirements of the Centre will be determined
by decision of its management board and director . However
the budget estimate for 1994, as agreed by the budgetary
authority, was for a staff complement of some 30 people of
whom half would be officials and temporary staff and half
would be national experts .

Recruitment will be the responsibility of the director of the
Centre and the selection procedures will be in conformity
with the provisions of the staff regulations .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 47

WRITTEN QUESTION E-145 / 94

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission ( 21 April 1994 )

( 17 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 98

Subject : Promotion of EC pavilion at Seville

It should be pointed out that the answer given by
Commissioner Pinheiro to my Question No 3116 / 93 ( 1 ) is
incomplete .

The sole form of guarantee generally required under the
Phare and Tacis Programmes is that intended to secure
repayment of the advances granted to the contractor, and
this depends on whether the contractor requests an advance
or not . There are no tender bonds or performance
bonds .

Could he please also indicate how much was spent on These advances, which under normal circumstances do not
promoting the Community 's pavilion at the Universal exceed 40 and 60 % of the total contract price for service
Exposition ? and supply contracts respectively, enable the contractor to

meet expenditure resulting from the commencement of the
0 ) See page 21 of this Official Journal . contract .

Furthermore, it is normal Commission practice not to
Answer given by Mr Pinheiro require a guarantee for advances below ECU 35 000 or if

on behalf of the Commission one contractor is a non-profit-making organization .

( 30 March 1994 )

By way of supplementary answer to the Honourable
Member 's Written Question No 3116 / 93, the Commission
is able to state that of the total of ECU 15,3 million in the

1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992 budgets allocated to the
Community 's pavilion at the Universal Exposition in Seville,
approximately ECU 550 000 was spent on promotion ( not
including activities of a more specifically cultural nature ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-163 / 94

by Robert Delorozoy ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1994 )

Smaller contractors who find the advance attractive can

mobilise the corresponding bank guarantee as they have
sufficient financial standing with their bank . The advantage
of the advance may well offset the cost of the bank

guarantee .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 82 / 94

by Ben Visser ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 99 ) ( 94 / C 332 / 100 )

Subject ; Problem of deposits in tenders under the Phare and

    - Tacis Programmes Subject : Car design to reduce pedestrian injuries

Calls for tender under the Phare and Tacis Programmes
require various deposits from the tenderers ( tender bond,
advance payment bond, performance bond ).

The effect of the size of these deposits is to eliminate small
tenderers ( the problem is not the same for large consultants )
who have neither the cash to pay the deposits nor access to a
costly bank guarantee .

Will the Commission look into this matter and lay down
special arrangements for tenderers with a good product who
cannot offer the financial guarantees required ?

Improvements to the front end of cars aimed at reducing
pedestrian injuries are technically possible, and a draft test
specification has been formulated and received international
technical consensus . The recent cost benefit study carried
out by TRL in the UK indicates that such a measure would
be cost beneficial and could result in reductions of 7 per cent
in fatalities and 21 per cent of seriously injured pedestrian
casualties .

Will the Commission take urgent steps to propose a
Directive in this area ?

No C 332 / 48 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

WRITTEN QUESTION E-222 / 94

on behalf of the Commission

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )
( 29 April 1994 ) to the Commission

( 24 February 1994 )

The Commission is aware of the study carried out in the
United Kingdom and consideration is being given as to the
most appropriate way in which to draft a performance
standard to reflect the findings of the research .

The subject of pedestrian protection was discussed at a
recent meeting of the Motor Vehicles Working Group, at
which Member States agreed that a new or amending
Directive should be prepared . The Commission is treating
this as a matter of high priority .

At present the Commission is urgently pressing forward
with proposals for two new Directives relating to frontal
and lateral impact protection — areas of car design which
have been identified by the European Transport Safety
Council as representing the most important priorities for
casualty reduction .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-194 / 94

by Adriana Ceci ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 101 )

Subject : New rules proposed by the Italian Government

relating to the reorganization of the ISS

What is the Commission 's opinion of the new rules
proposed by the Italian Government relating to the
functional and administrative organization of the Istituto
Superiore della Sanita ( Higher Institute of Health )?

In particular, since the government 's proposals would
reduce the scientific and administrative independence of the
ISS by making it an operating arm of the Ministry, does the
Commission consider that restructuring along these lines
would be compatible with tasks currently carried out by the
ISS within Community bodies ?

( 94 / C 332 / 102 )

Subject : Late payment of bills

Is the Commission able to propose any solution to the
problem of late payment of bills, which poses a particular
problem for SMUs ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1994 )

A wide range of measures which could be taken at
Community level to help reduce the problem of payment
times in commercial transactions have been set out in a

working document which was the subject of wide-ranging
consultations in 1993 ( 1 ).

These consultations confirmed the scale of the problem and
the strong demand for Community initiatives aimed in
particular at stepping up measures to combat late payers .

The Commission will decide shortly how it intends to follow
up these consultations .

(!) SEC(92 ) 2214, 18 . 11 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-225 / 94

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 103 )

Subject : Cross-border transactions in the single market

bodies ? Does the Commission feel that the bureaucracy surrounding

cross-border transactions is still too complicated, and does
it have any plans to lighten the red tape burdens on
businesses ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 1994 ) Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

The organization of the ISS ( Higher Institute of Health ) is (6 April 1994 )
outside the Community 's jurisdiction .

The Commission is of the opinion that European business
generally has derived and will continue to derive

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 49

considerable benefits from the abolition of controls at the

Community 's internal frontiers on 1 January 1993 . In
particular, business benefits from the abolition of the
requirement for consignments in intra-Community trade
to be accompanied by any official administrative
documentation and to be declared to customs when entering
another Member State (*). This has resulted in a reduction in
transport times for firms, with consequential savings in
costs, stock management and cash flow . Instead of detailed
official documentation for every consignment which had to
be processed at every frontier, firms now only need to
submit a quarterly statement of the total value of all their
supplies to each of their customers in other Member States .
In other respects, collection of VAT on such trade is entirely
integrated into the normal VAT collection system applied to
domestic trade .

The Commission will continue to monitor the situation

closely with a view to ensuring that burdens on business are
reduced to a minimum particularly in the context of the
measures necessary for the introduction of the final VAT
regime .

i 1 ) Note : Intra-Community consignments of goods of a type

subject to excise duties must be accompanied by an
administrative accompanying document when moving under
duty-suspension arrangements .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-242 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

provisions as incorporated into their domestic legal systems
to television companies by whatever means they have at
their disposal .

f 1 ) OJ No L 298, 17 . 10 . 1989 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-302 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 28 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 105 )

Subject : Drafting of a recommendation on the right to

housing

Will the Commission examine the possibility of drafting a
recommendation on the right to housing incorporating the
following measures :

1 . the right of tenants not to be evicted unless housing is
available,

2 . the right of the authorities to requisition dwellings
which remain uninhabited for long periods of time,

3 . the enactment of legislation to control rent rises ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1994 )
( 24 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 104 )
At the moment the Commission has no plans for a
recommendation on the right to housing .

Subject : Application of the Community Directive requiring

10% of TV time to be earmarked for European
productions

Do all the Member States of the European Union apply the
Community Directive requiring 10% of TV time to be
earmarked for European productions, and does the
Commission still plan to stop cinema films less than two
years old from being shown on television ?

However, it is looking into the matter in connection with its
commitment to combat social exclusion .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-352 / 94

by Mary Banotti ( PPE )

to the Commission

(1 March 1994 )
Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission ( 94 / C 332 / 106 )

( 26 April 1994 )

The Television without Frontiers Directive

( 89 / 552 / EEC ) (*), which was to be transposed by 3 October
1991, coordinates the rules relating to independent
productions and to the distribution of films .

All the Member States ( with the exception of Spain, where
the legislation is still before Parliament ) have transposed
Articles 5 and 7 of the Directive . It is for them to apply these

Subject : TV broadcasting

Can the Commission clarify whether the recent Court
judgment — case of Informationsverein Lentia and others
v. Austria, 23 November 1993 — will now form part of the
' acquis communautaire '?

If so, what does the Commission envisage for Member
States where the State has the monopoly in TV
broadcasting ?

No C 332 / 50 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 April 1994 ) ( 28 March 1994 )

Under Article F(2 ) of the Treaty on European Union and the
case-law of the Court of Justice, fundamental rights form an
integral part of the general principles of Community law,
and these rights are defined in large part by reference to the
European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms .

The Court of Justice has power to examine the compatibility
of national rules with fundamental rights only if the rules
fall within the scope of Community law . On the subject of
broadcasting monopolies, the Court held in ERT that

' the limitations imposed on the power of the Member
States to apply the provisions referred to in Articles 66
and 56 of the Treaty on grounds of public policy, public
security and public health must be appraised in the light
of the general principle of freedom of expression
embodied in Article 10 of the European Convention on
Human Rights ' (*).

The European Court of Human Rights has interpreted
Article 10 in the Lentia case, and the Commission will
accordingly have to take account of that interpretation
when it has to assess the compatibility of a broadcasting
monopoly with Community law and to decide whether the
monopoly rights are out of proportion to the objective
pursued, as they were found to be in Lentia .

There are not at present any cases in which proceedings
under Article 169 or Article 177 of the EC Treaty have been
initiated in respect of a broadcasting monopoly .

(!) Case C-260 / 89 [ 1991 ] ECR 1-2925, paragraph 45 .

As announced by the commissioner responsible for social
affairs in his address at the closing conference of the
European Year of Older People and Solidarity between
Generations, the Commission is currently preparing a new
set of actions for older people .

The aspect of solidarity between generations will still be
highlighted in actions supported by the Commission in 1994
especially in issues relating to the International Year of the
Family .

Further, in October 1993 a third network of innovative
projects was launched under the title of ' Solidarity between
Generations through Training and Education '. This
network will operate until mid-1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-433 / 94

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Commission

(3 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 108 )

Subject : Statutes of the European association, European

cooperative society and European mutual
society

Will the Commission state what progress has been made on
adopting the draft Regulations on the statutes of the
European association, European cooperative society and
European mutual society and the draft Directives which
accompany them ?

In view of the difficulties facing the Community it is urgent
to give the citizens of Europe tangible proof that the
Member States and Community authorities have the
political determination to press on towards political,
WRITTEN QUESTION E-364 / 94 economic and monetary union .

by James Nicholson ( PPE )

to the Commission

(1 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 107 )

Subject : European Year of the Elderly

Now that the European Year of the Elderly has ended, what
action does the Commission intend to take to support and
further encourage ' solidarity between generations ' in the
European Union ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1994 )

On 18 December 1991 the Commission approved three
draft Regulations on the Statutes for a European
Association ( EA ), a European Cooperative Society ( SCE )
and a European Mutual Society ( ME ) and the draft
Directives on the involvement of employees in these three
kinds of entity .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 51

The Economic and Social Committee ( May 1992 ) and the
European Parliament ( January 1993 ) expressed broadly
favourable opinions and proposed a number of
amendments, most of which were incorporated jn the
version forwarded to the Council on 6 July 1993 .

The Council Working Party completed its first reading of
the Regulation on the European Cooperative at its meeting
on 7 December 1993 . The Belgian Presidency of the Council
delivered a progress report on the Working Party 's
deliberations at the Council meeting on the internal market
on 16 December 1993 .

The Working Group began its second reading of the
Regulation on the European Cooperative Society at its
meeting of 28 January 1994 .

( a ) conditions of entry and movement by nationals of
third countries on the territory of Member
States ;

( b ) conditions of residence by nationals of third

countries on the territory of Member States,
including family reunion and access to
employment ;

( c ) combating unauthorized immigration, residence
and work by nationals of third countries on the
territory of Member States ;

4 . combating drug addiction in so far as this is not covered

by 7 to 9 ;

5 . combating fraud on an international scale in so far as
this is not covered by 7 to 9 ;

6 . judicial cooperation in civil matters ;

WRITTEN QUESTION E-463 / 94

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE ) 7 . judicial cooperation in criminal matters ;

to the Commission

(7 March 1994 ) x 8 . customs cooperation ;

( 94 / C 332 / 109 )
9 . police cooperation for the purposes of preventing and
combating terrorism, unlawful drug trafficking and

security and the K4 Committee other serious forms of international crime, including if

necessary certain aspects of customs cooperation, in

give details of the operating connection with the organization of a Union-wide
Committee, which is apparently system for exchanging information within a European
vernmentaF Police Office ( Europol ).

Subject : International security and the K4 Committee

Could the Commission give details of the operating
arrangements of the K4 Committee, which is apparently
active in the area of inter-go vernmentaF cooperation on
international military security ?

What reference documents on this matter can be consulted

by Members of the European Parliament ?

100 C :

The third countries whose nationals must be in possession of
a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member
States .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

International military security is not, therefore, a
( 15 April 1994 ) responsibility of the K4 Committee, but is covered by Title V
of the Treaty on European Union .

The mandate of the K4 Committee is set out in the Treaty on
European Union itself . Article K.4 of the Title VI of that
Treaty defines the role of the Committee . In addition to
coordination, its task is to give opinions for the attention of
the Council, either at the Council 's request or on its own
initiative ; and to contribute to the preparation of the
Council 's discussions in the areas referred to in Article K1

and Article 100 C of the Treaty establishing the European
Community . Those areas are

WRITTEN QUESTION E-466 / 94

by José Mendes Bota ( ELDR )

to the Commission

K.l : (7 March 1994 )

1 . asylum policy ;

2 . rules governing the crossing by people of the external

borders of the Member States and the exercise of

controls thereon ;

3 . immigration policy and policy regarding nationals of

third countries ;

( 94 / C 332 / 110 )

Subject : Consumption of alcoholic beverages

In view of the difference in the blood / alcohol levels allowed

for drivers in the various Member States, the severity of

No C 332 / 52 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

which has, in the most extreme cases of Portugal and

Greece, led to a sharp reduction in the consumption of
alcoholic beverages, thereby aggravating the crisis in this
sector, could the Commission answer the following
questions :

1 . Is it considering drafting a proposal to harmonize these
limits throughout the Community ?

2 . What campaigning measures is it taking or planning to

take, in particular in schools, to encourage more
moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages among
the socially most vulnerable groups ?

3 . Is it aware of the growing uncontrolled consumption of
certain pharmaceutical products, which is based on the
claim that these products instantly mask the effects of
alcohol consumption ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 19 April 1994 )

no tangible information at its disposal to enable it to assess
whether or to what extent this takes place .

(!) COM(88 ) 707 final — OJ No C 25, 21 . 1 . 1989 .
( 2 ) COM(93 ) 559 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-468 / 94

by Jesus Cabezon Alonso ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 18 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 111 )

Subject : Future EEC Regulations on the careers of deck

officer and engineer officer in the merchant

navy

Can the Commission say whether it intends to draw up any
proposals for Regulations or recommendations on the
access to and training for the posts of engineer officer and
deck officer in the merchant navy ? What qualifications will
be required ? Are there any plans for measures to standardize
the qualifications in the different Member States of the
Union and to coordinate them with IMO conventions ?

1 . In 1989 the Commission transmitted to the Council a
proposal for a Directive (*) to fix the maximum permitted
blood / alcohoL concentration for vehicle drivers at

0,5 mg / ml . This proposal was approved by Parliament on
23 May 1989 . Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 March 1994 )
2 . For several years, the Commission has been
supporting initiatives from Member States or associations in
the form of conferences, projects or studies aimed at making
the public more aware of the effects of alcohol on health and A proposal for a Directive on the minimum level of training
safety and encouraging the exchange of experience in the for maritime occupation was presented in May 1993 ( 1 ) to
prevention of alcohol abuse . As far as schools are concerned, the Council and the Parliament . It provides for minimum
the Commission, in conjunction with the Council of Europe training requirements with regard to masters, engineer
and the WHO European Office, is supporting the European officers, deck officers, ratings and lifeboatmen . The training
Network of Health Promoting Schools, the objective of requirements proposed are based on the provisions of the

IMO 's 1978 International Convention on Standards of

which is to encourage pupils to adopt healthy lifestyles and
positive attitudes towards risk factors ( particularly alcohol ) Training Certification and Watchkeeping ( STCW
and health determinants . Convention ).

The question of the recognition of maritime certificates is

In its communication of 24 November 1993 ( ) on the also covered in the proposal, by reference to Council
framework for action in the field of public health, the Directive 92 / 51 / EEC ( 2 ) on a second general system for the
Commission indicated its intention to draw up a recognition of professional education and training to
programme of horizontal measures in the field of health supplement Council Directive 89 / 48 / EEC ( 3 ).
promotion, information and education, including
prevention of alcohol abuse .
(M COM(93 ) 217 final .
( 2 ) OJ No L 209, 24 . 7 . 1992 .
( 3 ) OJ No L 19, 24 . 1 . 1989 .
3 . As far as the consumption of special pharmaceutical
products is likely to mask or reduce the effects of alcohol or
blood / alcohol concentration, the Commission currently has

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 53

WRITTEN QUESTION E-491 / 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 17 / 94

by Diego Santos López ( ARC )

Santos López ( ARC ) by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission to the Commission

to the Commission

( 14 March 1994 )

( 14 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 112 ) ( 94 / C 332 / 113 )

Subject : Carrying out a study into the substantive effects of

Subject : Elections to the European Parliament in June

1994

At various times in the process of European integration,
Parliament has expressed its desire for a uniform electoral
procedure to be introduced in all the Member States ; the
Council 's undertaking on the subject is contained in
Article 138 of the Treaty on European Union .

According to various Parliament resolutions, elections
based on a uniform electoral procedure in all the Member
States would increase Parliament 's political authority by
consolidating its democratic legitimacy in preparation for
turning the Community into a genuine European Union of a
federal nature .

Furthermore, Parliament considers that the expression of
common political will at European level needs to be
stimulated since this constitutes a basic means of increasing
public awareness of belonging to a single European
society .

In Andalusia the intention is to hold the European and
regional parliament elections at the same time .

Does the Commission not think that the joint holding of two
such elections will prevent the general public from gaining a
direct and exclusive knowledge of the major European
issues being raised in the Union and will sideline valuable
topics for discussion which would raise the awareness of the
people of Europe as citizens of the Union ?

What does the Commission think of the holding of joint
elections ?

itinerant activities on the economies of the

different regions of the Community

Could the Commission draw up a study into the specific
effects of itinerant activities on the economies of the various

Community regions ( competition, the activities of
small - and medium-sized undertakings, combating
unemployment, etc .)?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 1994 )

The Commission is closely monitoring the itinerant trading
sector, a market sector unique in its mobility . Following a

1988 Commission study entitled ' Itinerant trade in the
European Community : current situation, markets and fairs,
and outlook for 1992 ', several international fairs have been
co-financed by the Commission, in Strasbourg in 1990, in
Manchester in 1992 and in Saragossa in 1993 .

In order to draw the conclusions from the projects already
undertaken and analyze the changes which are taking place
in the sector, the Commission plans to support the creation
by itinerant trade professionals of a working party whose
recommendations could be submitted to the Committee on

Commerce and Distribution ( CCD ) established by the
Commission Decision of 20 May 1981 i 1 ).

(!) OJ No L 165, 23 . 6 . 1981 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 72 / 94

by Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V ) and Paul Lannoye ( V )

to the Commission

(9 March 1994 )
Answer given by Mr Pinheiro ( 94 / C 332 / 114 )

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1994 )

The fixing of dates of national, regional and local elections is
exclusively a matter for the national authorities .

Subject : Biological effects on children of pulsed
electromagnetic radiation

For some years, researchers in various countries have shown
that exposure to pulsed electromagnetic radiation from
cathode-ray tube screens in computers and television
receivers is harmful to living organisms ( embryo and
pre-puberty stages ).

No C 332 / 54 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

Work under way in France seems to show that, following a
40-minute exposure in front of a cathode-ray tube screen,
delateralization of the hemispheres of the brain occurs,
causing dyslexia lasting several hours in children under
five .

Apparently, these harmful effects are not produced with
cathode-ray tube screens fitted with shielding .

Is the Commission aware of this work ? Should it be
established that pulsed electromagnetic radiation is
harmful, what action does it propose to take to safeguard
the safety and health of users of computers and of television
receivers in the Union, especially children ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-605 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 16 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 116 )

Subject : ILO Convention No 105 on the banning of forced

labour

Will the Commission state whether all Member States have

ratified ILO Convention No 105 of 1957 banning forced
labour ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-593 / 94 and E-605 / 94

given by Mr Flynn
Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission
on behalf of the Commission (4 May 1994 )
( 26 April 1994 )

The Commission informs the Honourable Member that

both these Conventions have been ratified by the 12
The Commission does not as yet have any inforrrxation on Member States .
the studies carried out in France, to which the Honourable
Member referred .

As regards the exposure of workers, Directive 90 / 270 / EEC
of 29 May 1990 (*) lays down the minimum safety and
health requirements for work with display screen
equipment .

Limitation of the exposure of the public, and especially
children, is not strictly speaking within the Community 's
jurisdiction ; however, the Commission will take the
necessary steps to obtain the French studies in question and
assess their possible implications for public health .'

H OJ No L 156, 21 . 6 . 1990 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-631 / 94

by Kenneth Collins ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 17 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 117 )

Subject : Hungary

In addition to high import taxes, EC spirit drinks are subject
to restrictive quota arrangements in Hungary .

Has the Commission raised this unsatisfactory situation
with the Hungarian authorities ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-632 / 94

by Kenneth Collins ( PSE )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-593 / 94 to the Commission

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

( 17 March 1994 )
to the Commission

( 94 / C 332 / 118 )

(9 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 115 ) Subject : Poland

Subject : ILO Convention No 29 on forced labour

Will the Commission say whether all the Member States

have ratified ILO Convention No 29(1930 ) on forced
labour ?

EC spirit drinks face high import tariffs and restrictive
quotas in Poland . As a result there is widespread smuggling
from neighbouring countries with a consequent loss of
revenue to the Polish Government .

Has the Commission brought this unsatisfactory situation
to the attention of the Polish Government ?

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 55

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-631 / 94 and E-632 / 94

given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

( 12 April 1994 )

The Commission is aware of the import regime applicable to
spirit drinks in Poland and in Hungary . In the Europe and
Interim Agreements, Poland has agreed to dismantle its
quantitative restrictions on imports from the Community of
these goods within five years following entry into force of
the Interim Agreement ( see Article 20 of the Europe
Agreement ). As the trade practices seem to be in line with the
agreements, the Commission so far has not raised this issue
with the Polish and Hungarian Governments .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-705 / 94

by Arie Oostlander ( PPE )

to the Commission

The procedure for setting up and financing new schools is
set out in the Protocol of 13 April 1962 to the Statute of the
European School of 12 April 1957 .

If circumstances warrant it, the Community representative
on the Board of Governors will when the time comes take

whatever steps are needed to ensure that the children of staff
of the new agencies receive the best education possible .

The Honourable Member is reminded that the Staff

Regulations contain provisions to help any official whose
place of employment is 50 km or more from a European
School or from an educational establishment which the

child attends for imperative educational reasons, or whose
child is prevented by serious illness or invalidity from
earning a livelihood .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-739 / 94
( 21 March 1994 )

by Joan Colom i Naval ( PSE )
( 94 / C 332 / 119

to the Commission

Subject : New seats and European Schools

On 29 October 1993 the European Council decided to set
up new European institutions in many towns . The decisions
on the new seats of the European institutions will make it
necessary for large numbers of officials to move, and in
many cases their partners and children will move with
them .

How does the Commission intend to provide education in
the mother tongues of these officials ' children ? Does it
intend to double the number of European Schools in order
to meet the inevitable need for education in children 's

mother tongues ? What contributions are Member States to
make ? What does the Commission expect of Member
States ?

If there are no plans for setting up new European Schools,
what alternative solutions does the Commission envisage,
inter alia in order to avoid inequalities in officials '
entitlements ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 April 1994 )

The European Schools were set up to educate the children of
Community staff together in the interest of the proper
operation of the Communities . Clearly, the setting up of
new Community agencies may justify the opening of new
schools where necessary .

( 25 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 120 )

Subject : Community aid for the training of translators into

Chinese in Macao

On 18 November 1993, Parliament adopted a resolution on
the Community 's contribution to safeguarding human
rights in Macao ( B3-1573 / 93 ). Can the Commission say
what action it has taken to comply with the resolution ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 March 1994 )

At last June 's meeting of the EC-Macao Joint Committee,
both parties agreed that the authorities in Macao would
draw up a list of priority programmes for which financial
assistance would be sought from the Commission .

The training of translators into Chinese in Macao is not
among the priorities identified so far . The Commission
would naturally give careful consideration to any such
request from the authorities in Macao .

No C 332 / 56 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-748 / 94

by Gérard Deprez ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 22 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 121 )

Subject : Ehlass Programme

The purpose of the Ehlass Programme is to create data bases
by gathering information inter alia from hospital casualty
departments, on the nature and causes of domestic accidents
in the Community, with a view to taking measures to reduce
the number of accidents and victims .

1 . Would the Commission state how many hospitals took

part in data gathering in 1991, 1992 and 1993, by
Member State ?

2 . What steps have already been taken on the basis of the

results of the programme, e.g. information campaigns
and technical rules and standards ?

3 . Has an overall assessment of the impact of these
measures already been carried out and has there been
any reduction in the number of accidents in the Member
States ? Could the Commission give statistics on this ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

attention ( like aquaparks or ' do it yourself tools ) or
activities with a high level of risks ( skiing, use of helmets
when cycling or riding ).

Financial support has also been given in 1993 to the
improvement of test methods for specific products — e.g. a
project in Germany for testing helmets and in France the
project ' Elaboration d'un appareillage reproduisant les
mouvements de machoires humaines '.

Ehlass data have also given rise for example to
standardization actions in CEN and Cenelec on surface

temperatures .

3 . Consumer protection is first of all the responsibility of
the Member States so the evaluation of the results of

information campaigns also has to be made by the Member
States .

As for the total amount of accidents, it can be reported that
in 1989 458 079 accidents had been registered in the Ehlass
system, and a first rough estimate for the period
1991— 1992 shows an average of 424 928 accidents

( excluding Germany ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-752 / 94

by Gérard Deprez ( PPE )

(2 May 1994 ) to the Commission

( 22 March 1994 )

1 . The numbers of hospitals participating in each
Member State in 1991, 1992 and 1993 are shown in the
table forwarded direct to the Honourable Member and to

the Secretariat-General of the Parliament .

2 . Information campaigns based on Ehlass data have
taken place in almost all Member States as means of
enhancing the safety of consumers and prevention of
accidents . These campaigns are either very broad, like the
French campaign by Le Groupe Chouette — ' prevention des
accidents domestiques ', or specific, like the Danish
campaigns on ' dangers arising from the use of electric
boilers ' and ' campaign for safe sports ', the Irish campaign
for ' toy safety ', or the Dutch campaign for ' product safety
for elderly people '.

Regulatory or standardization initiatives have also taken
place in several Member States in various areas e.g.
pushchairs, childcare articles, and sports helmets .

At Community level no information campaigns have been
undertaken . However, the Commission gives financial
support to campaigns or actions performed by Member
States or by consumer organizations on the basis of Ehlass
data . Such actions concern special risk groups ( like children
or elderly people ), areas and products that need special

( 94 / C 332 / 122 )

Subject : Devaluation of the CFA franc

What possible courses of action could the Commission
adopt to combat the disastrous effects on the ACP countries
of the devaluation of the CFA franc ?

In particular, can a reduction in the possibilities of
importing medical supplies into these countries be
prevented ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 26 April 1994 )

The Commission 's main means of action are provided for by
the fourth Lome Convention . These instruments, including
the recently signed Stabex 92 Agreement, will be all the more
effective with the resumption of the World Bank and the
IMF 's rapid disbursing programmes, which was basically
contingent on the parity readjustment of the CFA franc .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 57

The structural adjustment facility provided for under Lome
IV will therefore be mobilized shortly for those franc zone
countries which meet the requisite conditions . Several are
being appraised and it is expected that by July the
Commission will have agreed to finance import
programmes for most of the franc zone countries .
Depending on the country, the amounts made available
from the facility may be topped up by uncommitted
resources from the corresponding national indicative

programmes .

The medicinal products situation following the devaluation
of the CFA franc has been the subject of intense
consultations between the main donors involved in the

sector ( Commission, World Bank, WHO, Unicef, France,
Germany, Belgium ) which were formalized at a meeting in
Paris on 4 February . The Commission also financed a
meeting of franc zone health ministers which was held in
Abidjan from 15 to 18 March .

Opinions converge on the following points :

— without appropriate accompanying measures,
devaluation will reduce people 's access to essential
medicines ;

— sliding-scale subsidies could be applied for a limited

period of time in order to curb price rises in public
sectors taking cost recovery measures ;

— support could be provided to encourage a far-reaching

change of approach in the private sector ( which accounts
for 90 % of imports of medicines in the zone ) directed
away from a wide range of products and towards
essential medicines and competition between
manufacturers of medicines, resulting in lower supply

costs .

The aim of these measures is to maintain, if not increase, the
volume of essential medicines imported and at the same time
to achieve a considerable reduction in unit costs .

The Commission 's structural adjustment support will
help :

— to step up the role of the public sector in countries where

it is inadequate ;

— to subsidize the selling prices of medicines in countries

which have applied essential medicine policies in the
public sector ;

— to support moves in the private sector towards the

introduction of a range of good quality, low price,
essential medicines .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-762 / 94

by José Vazquez Fouz ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 123 )

Subject : Educational programmes for girls as part of aid to

refugees

The Commission is one of the major contributors to aid for
refugees,' in a variety of forms, including education and
infant schooling programmes, as I have witnessed in situ to
on more than one occasion . Female pupils, however, are
conspicuously absent, a situation exacerbated in Moslem
countries, and which flies in the face of the principle of
equality of opportunity . While I am aware of the serious
problems in this area, I would ask, in view of the goals of
action in the educational field, whether the Commission
would be prepared to make a special effort in the field of
education for girls within its aid programmes for refugees in
particular, and in its cooperation programmes with third
countries in general ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 26 April 1994 )

Education and training are among the priorities generally set
for both Commission-run development cooperation
projects and aid towards self-sufficiency for refugees and
displaced persons ( under budget item B7-3020 ).
Infant schooling programmes, usually provided by
non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ), are always
included in the latter, and girls ' education is particularly
closely monitored .

On a wider scale, aid towards social development in rural
and urban communities, which accounted for around half of
all cooperation projects in 1993, plays a key role in
upholding the right to education and combating educational
discrimination against girls .

In assisting projects in ACP States under Article 255 of the
Lome Convention, the Commission has always singled out
vulnerable groups such as women and children and financed
specific projects targeted at them in fields such as health and
education ; the bulk of these are run by NGOs or the Office
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
both of which are particularly sensitive to the problem
raised by the Honourable Member .

No C 332 / 58 Official Journal of the European Communities 28 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-803 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission (3 May 1994 )

( 23 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 124 )
The Commission does not envisage the creation of such a
European institute .
Subject : Social protection of volunteers working in
developing countries

Will the Commission take steps to establish a legal
mechanism for the social protection of volunteers working
in developing countries ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-8 19 / 94

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(5 May 1994 ) ( 23 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 126 )

On 13 June 1985 the Council adopted recommendation
85 / 308 / EEC (*) on social protection for volunteer
development workers, which recommended the Member
States to recognize as one of the objectives of their social
policy the introduction of social protection for volunteer
development workers or the removal of shortcomings in this

area .

The Commission presented a report on implementation of
this recommendation to the Council on 24 March
1992 ( 2 ).

This should be seen as part of the more general framework
of Community convergence policy, which in 1 992 led to two
Council recommendations ( recommendation 441 / 92 ( 3 ) on
common criteria concerning sufficient resources and social
assistance in social protection systems and recommendation
442 / 92 ( 2 ) on the convergence of social protection objective ?
and policies ).

0 ) OJ No L 163, 22 . 6 . 1985 .
( 2 ) SEC(92 ) 591 .
( 3 ) OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-813 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 23 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 125 )

Subject : Creation of a European Institute on Geriatrics and

Gerontology

In view of the gradual ageing of the Community 's
population and the figures showing a substantial increase in
life expectancy, can the Commission look into the
possibility of setting up a European Institute on Geriatrics
and Gerontology ?

Subject : Health education throughout schools in the
European Union

In view of the increasing importance of disease prevention
and the fundamental role which health education in schools

can play in this connection, does the Commission intend to
take specific measures ( and, if so, what type of measures ) for
the introduction and further improvement of health
education in schools throughout the European Union at
Community and national level ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 1994 )

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that
health education in schools plays a vital role in the
prevention of disease and the promotion of health of young
people .

The Commission has already undertaken a number of
actions in this field, both in the context of the ' Europe
against Cancer ' Programme, and in response to relevant
Council and Parliament resolutions . These actions, as
announced in Commission communication of 23 November

1993 ( 1 ) on the framework for action in the field of public
health, will be strengthened and better structured in
forthcoming proposals for Community programmes on
health promotion and health education and on specific
diseases .

In these proposals emphasis is placed on the role that can be
played by health promoting schools, a concept actively
supported by the Commission in collaboration with the
World Health Organization and the Council of Europe .

28 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 332 / 59

Moreover, health education in schools is one of the main Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
subjects included in Chapter II ( Europe at School ) of the on behalf of the Commission
' Socrates ' proposal adopted by the Commission ( 2 ). (5 April 1994 )

i 1 ) COM(93 ) 559 final .
( 2 ) COM(93 ) 708 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-901 / 94

by Filippos Pierros ( PPE )

to the Commission

(9 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 332 / 127 )

Subject : Commission support for a census in the former

Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The Commission is planning to spend ECU 2 million to help
organize a republic - wide census in the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia .

What is the legal basis for such technical assistance ?

Former Yugoslavia was formally included into the list of
Phare recipient States contained in Regulation ( EEC )
No 3906 / 89 . This mention, which has not changed, has
been interpreted by the Commission and the Council in a
way to ensure continuity of the economic and humanitarian
assistance in favour of the Fyrom . Further to the decision
taken at the Edinburgh European Council in December

1992 to allocate 'a substantial economic aid ' of ECU 100

million ( to be equally shared by the Community and the
Member States ) to the Fyrom, the Commission started
implementing in 1993 a ECU 50 million programme
including humanitarian aid and technical assistance . In
order to finance this programme, in 1993, ECU 25 million
were taken out of ECHO budget ( European Community
Humanitarian Office ) and ECU 25 million out of Phare
budget . The ECU 25 million Phare Programme was
approved by the Member States at the 22nd meeting of the
Phare Management Committee on Thursday, 15 April

1993 . This confirms the Member States ' willingness to
interpret Phare Regulation ( EEC ) No 3906 / 89 as indicated
above .