Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-698 6

##### C 283
# Official Journal

Volume 36
### of the European Communities 20 October 1993

Volume 36

20 October 1993

lit '

II

i ^

i 99
Information and Notices
English edition

L ­

ft s

8 '

Notice No Contents

  - a . — Page

J - I Information

k

b ' IF European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

i a .

93 / C 283 / 01

4

f ]

93 / C 283 / 02

  - Ji .*

93 / C 283 / 03

  

IL

«i « £ - ' 
» »• - 1 - . 93 / C 283 / 04

V

i ',*' .

93 / C 283 / 05

" 93 / C 283 / 06

93 / C 283 / 07

93 / C 283 / 08

i j  - 93 / C 283 / 09

CIS .

    - <

2

.- a Ml » - - - X

No 944 / 91 by Mr Kenneth Collins to the Commission
Subject : Consumer integration 1

No 965 / 9 1 by Mr Madron Seligman to the Commission
Subject : Receipts for Member States from the Community 's R&D programme 1

No 1484 / 91 by Mr Yves Verwaerde to the Commission
Subject : Shortage of staff in the Commission 2

No 1834 / 91 by Mr Hemmo Muntingh to the Commission
Subject : Destruction of the Sarawak rain forests 3

No 1835 / 91 by Mrs Solange Fernex to the Commission
Subject : Tropical rain forests in Sarawak 3

No 1838 / 91 by Mrs Christa Randzio-Plath and Mr Terence Wynn to the
Commission

Subject : The EC, USA and tropical rain forests of Sarawak 3

No 1839 / 91 by Mrs Annemarie Goedmakers to the Commission
Subject : The destruction of the tropical rain forest of Sarawak ( Malaysia ) 3

No 1842 / 91 by Mr Jan Bertens to the Commission
Subject : Destruction of the tropical rain forest of Sarawak ( Malaysia ) 4

No 1843 / 91 by Mr Wilfried Telkämper to the Commission
Subject : Logging politics in Sarawak 4

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1834 / 91, 1835 / 91, 1838 / 91, 1839 / 91, 1842 / 91

and 1843 / 91 4

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 283 / 10 No 1852 / 91 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Failure of the operation to sell Spanish barley to the USSR

93 / C 283 / 11 No 3194 / 91 by Mrs Hiltrud Breyer, Mr Paul Lannoye and Mrs Eva-Maria Quistorp to
the Commission

Subject : Environmental liability measures

93 / C 283 / 12 No 123 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Possible revival of the nuclear power industry in the United States

93 / C 283 / 13 No 718 / 92 by Mr Bartho Pronk to the Commission
Subject : Pollution of the Schelde and Meuse rivers

93 / C 283 / 14 No 724 / 92 by Mr Karmelo Landa Mendibe to the Commission
Subject : Construction of a new port in the outer Bilbao estuary

93 / C 283 / 15 No 737 / 92 by Mr Alexander Langer to the Commission
Subject : Destruction of trees in, and cooperation with, Albania

93 / C 283 / 16 No 1065 / 92 by Mr Virginio Bettini to the Commission
Subject : Plans for a ' Club Mediterranee ' holiday village opposite the St Mark 's Square in
Venice

93 / C 283 / 17 No 1456 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The Lesbos squirrel

93 / C 283 / 18 No 1494 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Community coordination of regional information bodies

93 / C 283 / 19 No 1754 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The ancient site of Methymna

93 / C 283 / 20 No 1853 / 92 by Mr Kenneth Stewart to the Commission
Subject : Worldwide shipping losses

93 / C 283 / 21 No 2334 / 92 by Mr Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Restructuring of DGs XII and XIII

93 / C 283 / 22 No 2476 / 92 by Lord O'Hagan to the Commission
Subject : Tourism

93 / C 283 / 23 No 2535 / 92 by Mr Edward Newman to the Commission
Subject : ' Television without frontiers ' Directive

93 / C 283 / 24 No 2546 / 92 by Mrs Maartje van Putten to the Commission
Subject : International trafficking in children

93 / C 283 / 25 No 2571 / 92 by Mr Jose Lafuente Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Gradual reduction in the use of wooden railway sleepers

93 / C 283 / 26 No 2585 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Fomentation of violence at sports events

93 / C 283 / 27 No 2586 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Hazards posed by earthquakes and possible counter measures

93 / C 283 / 28 No 2645 / 92 by Mrs Brigitte Langenhagen to the Commission
Subject : Increase in salmonella poisoning

5

5

6

7

8

9

9

9

10

10

11

11

12

12

13

13

14

14

15

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 283 / 29

93 / C 283 / 30

93 / C 283 / 31

93 / C 283 / 32

93 / C 283 / 33

93 / C 283 / 34

93 / C 283 / 35

93 / C 2*83 / 36

93 / C 283 / 37

93 / C 283 / 38

93 / C 283 / 39

93 / C 283 / 40

93 / C 283 / 41

93 / C 283 / 42

93 / C 283 / 43

93 / C 283 / 44

No 2716 / 92 by Mr Dieter Rogalla to the Commission
Subject : Losses to the EC budget as a result of fraud - 15

No 2724 / 92 by Mr Alexander Langer and Mr Virginio Bettini to the Commission
Subject : Research with a view to building a tunnel beneath the Brenner 16

No 2727 / 92 by Mr Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Economic and social situation in Patras 17

No 2766 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Expansion of the AEBE-ELANI company to include new plants ( Supplementary
answer ) 18

No 2773 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Earthquake victims in Aghia Triada in Patras 18

No 2835 / 92 by Mr Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : ' Internal market ' publicity campaign 18

No 2937 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Violation of the human rights of two journalists in Greece 19

No 2946 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Poisoning of a bear in a Greek national park 19

No 3368 / 92 by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffin to the Commission
Subject : Disappearance of brown bears in Greece 20

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2946 / 92 and 3368 / 92 20

No 2965 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Destruction of the woodland of Bathi Avlidas 20

No 2975 / 92 by Mr Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Quarrying and the development of tourism in Thasos 21

No 3026 / 92 by Mr Jan Sonneveld to the Commission
Subject : Food aid in the form of tinned beef 21

No 3074 / 92 by Mr Luigi Moretti to the Commission
Subject : Suspension of funding for the International Centre for European Community Studies and
Documentation ( CISDCE ) 22

No 3106 / 92 by Mr Gianfranco Amendola, Mr Jean-Pierre Raffin and Mr Virginio
Bettini to the Commission

Subject : Community funding in Eastern European countries in favour of nature conservation
projects . . 22

No 3167 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of Regulation ( EEC ) No 768 / 89 by Greece 24

No 3249 / 92 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Subsidies to non-governmental international youth organizations 24

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 283 / 45

93 / C 283 / 46

93 / C 283 / 47

93 / C 283 / 48

93 / C 283 / 49

93 / C 283 / 50

93 / C 283 / 51

93 / C 283 / 52

93 / C 283 / 53

93 / C 283 / 54

No 3250 / 92 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Subsidies to organizations advancing the idea of Europe 24

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 3249 / 92 and 3250 / 92 24

No 32.55 / 92 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Subsidy for education for the handicapped 25

No 32.84 / 92 by Mr Bouke Beumer to the Commission
Subject : Digital technology and the protection of copyright 25

No 3346 / 92 by Mrs Ursula Schleicher to the Commission
Subject : Salmonella poisoning — compulsory indication of the date on which eggs are laid . . . 26

No 3418 / 92 by Mrs Annemarie Kuhn to the Commission
Subject : Compulsory indication on egg packaging of the date when eggs were laid 26

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 3346 / 92 and 3418 / 92 27

No 3378 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject :: Special problems facing the beef and veal sector in Greece 27

No 3403 / 92 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Commission #
Subject : Development aid in Africa 28

No 3424 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of Directive 91 / 414 / EEC 28

No 3443 / 92 by Mr Peter Crampton to the Commission
Subject : Suckler cow premium 28

No 3451 / 92 by Mr Karmelo Landa Mendibe to the Commission
Subject : The Itoiz reservoir ( Navarre — Spanish state ) and the interrelation between Community
policies on the environment, agriculture and regional development 29

93 / C 283 / 55 No 3464 / 92 by Mr Domènec Romera i Alcazar to the Commission

Subject : Planned measures for the elderly 30

93 / C 283 / 56

93 / C 283 / 57

93 / C 283 / 58

93 / C 283 / 59

93 / C 283 / 60

No 3477 / 92 by Mr Enrico Falqui to the Commission
Subject : Lack of an environmental impact assessment for a planned plant for producing oil from
live residues at Radicondoli ( Tuscany, Italy ) 30

No 3493 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Information regarding Community directives 31

No 3503 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Commercial policy on fisheries 31

No 3514 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : IMP projects in Greece 32

No 3516 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Malaria in a Greek village 32

93 / C 283 / 61 No 4 / 93 by Mr Diego de los Santos López to the Commission
Subject : The ' death road ' between Iznallor and Campotejar ( Granada ) 33

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 283 / 62

93 / C 283 / 63

93 / C 283 / 64

93 / C 283 / 65

93 / C 283 / 66

93 / C 283 / 67

93 / C 283 / 68

93 / C 283 / 69

93 / C 283 / 70

93 / C 283 / 71

93 / C 283 / 72

93 / C 283 / 73

93 / C 283 / 74

93 / C 283 / 75

93 / C 283 / 76

93 / C 283 / 77

93 / C 283 / 78

93 / C 283 / 79

No 5 / 93 by Mr Diego de los Santos López to the Commission
Subject : Cadiz-Huelva link 33

No 7 / 93 by Mr Edward Kellett-Bowman to the Commission
Subject : Subsidies for fur farms

No 12 / 93 by Mr Felice Contu to the Commission
Subject : Slaughtering of sheep

No 21 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Water consumption

No 26 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Payment of cotton producers in Thessaly

No 47 / 93 by Mr Michael Welsh to the Commission
Subject : Action on agriculture and the environment

No 83 / 93 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : MFA and Bangladesh

No 85 / 93 by Mr Gerhard Schmid to the Commission
Subject : High inspection costs of organic farming

No 104 / 93 by Mr Guiseppe Mottola to the Commission
Subject : Crisis affecting the market in potatoes produced in the Abruzzi and Fucino areas and
market recovery initiatives

No 113 / 93 by Lord O'Hagan to the Council
Subject : Social Action Programme

No 115 / 93 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Plan for university exchanges with Latin America

No 117 / 93 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Clean coal technologies

No 152 / 93 by Mrs Sylviane Ainardi to the Commission
Subject : Utilization of appropriations from budgetary heading B2-514

No 155 / 93 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Serious threat to forest fire-fighting in Greece

No 159 / 93 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Designation of origin of ' Dehesa de Extremadura ' ham

No 160 / 93 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Designation of origin of Cabrales cheese

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 159 / 93 and 160 / 93

No 179 / 93 by Mr Diego de los Santos López to the Commission
Subject : Drought in the Donana National Park area

No 183 / 93 by Mr Ben Visser to the Commission
Subject : EC air fares

34

34

35

35

36

36

37

37

38

38

39

39

40

41

41

41

41

42

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 283 / 80

No 203 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Award of feasibility study by the Greek Ministry of Finance 42

93 / C 283 / 81 No 218 / 93 by Mr Joaquim Miranda Da Silva to the Commission
Subject : Deterioration in the social situation in the Alentejo ( Portugal ): cases of famine 43

93 / C 283 / 82

93 / C 283 / 83

93 / C 283 / 84

93 / C 283 / 85

93 / C 283 / 86

93 / C 283 / 87

93 / C 283 / 88

93 / C 283 / 89

93 / C 283 / 90

93 / C 283 / 91

93 / C 283 / 92

93 / C 283 / 93

93 / C 283 / 94

93 / C 283 / 95

No 219 / 93 by Mr Rogério Brito to the Commission
Subject : Difficulties for local authorities as a result of incorrect and bureaucratic management of
structural funds 44

No 224 / 93 by Mrs Ursula Braun-Moser to the Commission
Subject : Polish exports of coal to the Community 44

No 230 / 93 by Mrs Anne Andre to the Commission
Subject : The hundredth anniversary of the invention of the cinema 45

No 232 / 93 by Mrs Anne Andre to the Commission
Subject : The Conver programme and the Wallonia region 45

No 248 / 93 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : Threat of an upsurge in elephantiasis in Guadeloupe 45

No 269 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Illegal olive oil subsidies 46

No 281 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Night work in industry 46

No 284 / 93 by Mr Willy De Clercq to the Commission
Subject : Schuman Centre ( DG X ) 47

No 324 / 93 by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark to the Commission
Subject : Information and communication policy of the Commission : Visitors ' programmes . . . 47

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 284 / 93 and 324 / 93 47

No 451 / 93 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Council
Subject : European Investment Bank loan 48

No 614 / 93 by Cristiana Muscardini, Pietro Mitolo, Mario Melis, Sotiris Kostopoulos,
Fran /. Schönhuber, Pierre Ceyrac and Bruno Gollnisch to the Council
Subject : Electoral systems and democratic pluralism . . . 48

No 1364 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to European Political Cooperation
Subject : The embargo against Cuba i 49

No 1376 / 93 by Mr Thomas Spencer to the Council
Subject : EC recovery budget Ethiopia 49

No 1467 / 93 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to European Political
Cooperation
Subject : Report on the activities of the head of the Israeli Shin Beth organization 50

( Continued on inside back cover )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 283 / 96 No 1474 / 93 by Mr Hugh McMahon to the Council
Subject : European Political Cooperation 50

93 / C 283 / 97 No 1476 / 93 by Mr Paul Staes to the Council
Subject : Introduction of a label for tropical wood 51

93 / C 283 / 98 No 1564 / 93 by Mr Alex Smith to European Political Cooperation
Subject : Supply of arms to Iran 51

93 / C 283 / 99 No 1596 / 93 by Mr Filippos Pierros to European Political Cooperation
Subject : NATO 's force restructuring 52

93 / C 283 / 100 No 1648 / 93 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to European Political Cooperation
Subject : Arms trade 52

93 / C 283 / 101 No 1680 / 93 by Mr Paul Staes to the Council
Subject : Transport of radioactive material by air 52

93 / C 283 / 102 No 1739 / 93 by Mr Ian White to European Political Cooperation
Subject : European political cooperation 53

93 / C 283 / 103 No E-l 803 / 93 by Mr Franco Borgo to the Council
Subject : New common fisheries policy 54

93 / C 283 / 104 No E-l 908 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to European Political Cooperation
Subject : Christians of Iraq 55

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION No 944 / 91

by Mr Kenneth Collins ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

Advisory Committee on Cooperatives

Committee on Commerce and Distribution

( 15 May 1991 ) not to mention all the agricultural Advisory Committees

( 93 / C 283 / 01 ) f 1 ) OJ No L 31, 8 . 2 . 1993, p. 479 .

Subject : Consumer integration

Will the Commission

1 . list all of its advisory and consultative committees on
external relations ; economic and financial affairs ;
internal market and industrial affairs ; competition ;
employment, industrial relations and social affairs ;
agriculture ; transport ; development ; information,
communication and culture ; the environment and
nuclear safety ; science, research and development ;
telecommunications ; fisheries ; financial institutions ;
energy ; customs union and tourism ?

2 . indicate which ones have representatives nominated by a
European consumer body ?

Answer V given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION No 965 / 91

by Mr Madron Seligman ( ED )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 17 May 1991 )

( 93 / C 283 / 02 )

Subject : Receipts for Member States from the Community 's

R&D programme

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Will the Commission tabulate for each Member State total

receipts for the period 1979 — 1989 from the Community 's
R&D programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
( 19 July 1993 ) on behalf of the Commission

1 . The Commission would refer the Honourable (2 July 1993 )

Member to the budget of the European Communities i 1 ),
which lists Commission Advisory Committees working The Commission would emphasize
under Article A-2510 . R&D contracts contractors

2 . By way of example, representatives of European
consumers ' associations sit on the following Committees :

— Advisory Committee on Foodstuffs

— Advisory Committee on Fisheries

— Advisory Committee on Customs Matters

The Commission would emphasize that, in the context of
R&D contracts, contractors have access to all the
knowledge obtained as part of the projects which they
develop . Hence the important financial amount for a firm is
the total project cost, not the subsidy relating to an element
of the project which cannot be dissociated from the
whole .

In addition, financial support granted by the Community
under R&D programmes goes to bodies participating in

No C 283 / 2 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

research projects, i.e. to the players involved in the research,
not the Member States . However, as a result of their
cross-border character and multi-partner format, which
have long been key features of Community R&D policy,
practically all research projects backed by the Commission
go beyond the national dimension . In an ever-increasing
number of cases, therefore, it is no longer possible to
pinpoint where certain expenditure has been incurred . »

Elementary concerns of good management and reducing
bureaucracy mean that in multi-partner projects a principal
contractor is specified to which the whole of the Community
funding is paid . For the same purposes, the Commission
encourages the formation of consortia in the form of

' European Economic interest Groupings ' ( EEIGs ).
Payments from the Community are therefore often in a
currency which is not necessarily that of the recipient
bodies . In addition, the money allocated to a partner is often
spent in another partner 's country, for the purchase of
equipment or the secondment of staff .

For these reasons the Commission is unable to give a precise
reply to the question . However, the Commission does draw
up annual lists which show, in respect of each contract in the
majority of programmes, the name of the participants and
the total amount of the Community contribution . The last
list which has been drawn up in this way is being sent
directly to the Honourable Member and Parliament 's
Secretary-General .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1484 / 91

by Mr Yves Verwaerde ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 July 1991 )

( 93 / C 283 / 03 )

Subject : Shortage of staff in the Commission

In its XXIVth general report the Commission complains of a
manifest shortage of staff .

Can the Commission specify its needs by
Directorate-General and specialized service and indicate
whether improved arrangements for transfers of personnel
would not, at least in part, solve its staffing problems ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 June 1993 )

1 . Following the screening exercise carried out in all the
Directorates-General and other departments in May 1991,

Number of posts 3 075 214 462 594 1 805

CAP 1 980 35 150 500 1 295

NP 1 095 179 312 940 510

Posts corresponding
to needs identified

outside the screen ­

ing exercise ( e.g.
external relations ) ( 356 )

                                                                                          

( ! ) Of which 28 in reserve .

The NP balance of 510 is calculated net of the 356 posts
granted in 1992 for the rapid expansion of the
Commission 's external relations activities, notably in
Central and Eastern Europe, not foreseen at the time of the
screening exercise .

3 . Since 1991 the Commission has undertaken a series of

redeployment activities .

Experience has shown that teams of staff with the
qualifications needed to face new priorities can rapidly be
set up from existing resources . But in the medium term this
must be offset by the provision of replacement resources ;
otherwise, the work previously done by those redeployed
may have to be abandoned .

At a time when budgetary restrictions can be expected to
remain tight, the medium-term prospect is that

the Commission concluded that two basic objectives should
be assigned to its target-oriented human resources planning
and management policy :

( a ) reconstituting the central corps of permanent staff,
through requests for new posts ( NP );

( b ) promotion of a better balance in the overall structure of

resources through the conversion of appropriations
into posts ( CAP ), the appropriations being those used
to pay staff on contract .

2 . The policy is to be implemented in a multiannual
programme ; the budgetary authority was given the details in
the course of the budgetary procedure .

The total volume of needs identified by the Commission and
the response of the budgetary authority year by year is
summed up in the table below :

Total

needs

( screening )

1991 1992 1993 Balance

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 3

redeployment will offer neither a complete nor a durable
solution to the Commission 's shortage of permanent
staff .

conclusions were reached ? Was Sarawak discussed ? Was the

issue of import ban discussed ?

Were tropical rain forests also on the agenda of the meeting
of the Economic Ministers ? If not, how would the EC hold
Malaysia to whatever promises were made at the Foreign
Ministers ' meeting or at ITTO meetings ? As we know, for
the Asean grouping, the economic ministries and ministers
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1834 / 91 are more important than the foreign ministries and

by Mr Hemmo Muntingh ( S ) ministers, since trade is their chief concern .
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1991 ) What conclusions were reached and what commitments
( 93 / C 283 / 04 ) made by the Malaysian and Asean Economic Ministers ?

Subject : Destruction of the Sarawak rain forests

The European Parliament, in its report on Sarawak in 1988

( A2-0092 / 88 ) 0 ) called for a bilateral timber agreement
with Malaysia which specifies that timber imports into the
Community must come from concessions shown to be
ecologically and socially acceptable by the exporting

country .

Can the Commission provide information on the percentage
of reforesting after logging in the areas of Sarawak the EC
imports are coming from ?

Has the Commission made any progress in this
direction ?

Is the Commission aware of the phenomenal increase in
timber production of 18 million cubic metres ( Independent,

10 June 1991 ) in Sarawak which exceeds the ITTO 's
recommendation of reducing timber production from 13
million to 9 million cubic metres ?

Given the obvious unwillingness of the Government of
Sarawak to abide by the ITTO recommendations, will the
Commission now finally ban the import of timber from
Sarawak in order to forestall the depletion of the forests in
the next five years ?

(!) OJ No C 235, 12 . 9 . 1988, p. 196 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1838 / 91

by Mrs Christa Randzio-Plath and Mr Terence Wynn ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1991 )

( 93 / C 283 / 06

Subject : The EC, USA and tropical rain forests of
Sarawak

The 1989 Congressional report on the ' Tropical Timber
Industry in Sarawak ' speaks of working with other nations
and organizations to promote bilateral and multilateral
initiatives in support of programmes which will ease the
pressure on forests and encourage economic alternatives to
timber production . Is there any contact with the USA on this
matter to find some forms of cooperation in this
direction ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1839 / 91

by Mrs Annemarie Goedmakers ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1835 / 91
(1 September 1991 )

by Mrs Solange Fernex ( V )

( 93 / C 283 / 07 )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1991 )

( 93 / C 283 / 05 )

Subject : The destruction of the tropical rain forest of

Sarawak ( Malaysia )
Subject : Tropical rain forests in Sarawak

As tropical rain forests were discussed at the meeting in
Luxembourg with the Asean Foreign Ministers, what

Considering the severity of the situation in Sarawak, does
the Commission agree that an emergency unit is needed to

No C 283 / 4 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

coordinate the work of the different DG units towards a

more effective salvation of the tropical rain forests and its
population, especially in Sarawak .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1843 / 91

by Mr Wilfried Telkamper ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1991 )

Could the Commission provide an overview of the money ( 93 / C 283 / 09 )
that has been allocated for the conservation of tropical rain
forests, especially in Sarawak ?

Subject : Logging politics in Sarawak

Does the Commission have internal or external reports on
the effectiveness of the money spent on conservation of
tropical rain forests ? If so, could it communicate the content
of such reports ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1842 / 91

There exist two lists of logging companies whose owners are
associated with those in political power . How can the EC
continue to import tropical hardwoods from Malaysia in
this knowledge ? Clearly, one knows who benefits and who
suffers . Does the maintenance of diplomatic relations with
Malaysia for the motive of developing closer economic ties
mean that logging politics and environmental and ecological
concerns take second place ?

by Mr Jan Bertens ( LDR ) Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1834 / 91, 1835 / 91,

to the Commission of the European Communities 1838 / 91, 1839 / 91, 1842 / 91 and 1843 / 91

(1 September 1991 J

( 93 / C 283 / 08 )

Subject : Destruction of the tropical rain forest of Sarawak

( Malaysia )

Representatives of the Penans, other indigenous peoples and
human rights organizations have been demanding for a long
time that tropical forest products should not be imported
from areas where there are unsolved land disputes between
governments and indigenous peoples .

Can the Commission provide detailed information about
what areas are the source of EC imports ?

Is it informed of the figures concerning Sarawak ? If not, is it
willing to undertake a study to determine the respective
quantities of EC imports of tropical rain forest products
from areas where land disputes prevail ? The information
should include a breakdown of the kinds of tropical wood,
stage of processing and region of origin ?

Is it ready to impose a ban or moratorium on imports from
those disputed areas ?

Can it provide detailed information about the number of
threatened workplaces when enacting an immediate
moratorium on the import of tropical timber from
Sarawak ? If not, is it ready to initiate the necessary research
to establish reliable figures ?

(2 July 1993 )

The Commission attaches primordial importance to the
respect of human rights and democratic principles . These
represent an essential element in the Communities ' relations
with third countries .

The subject of human rights was a central part of the
discussion during the 10th Asean-EC Ministerial Meeting in
Manila 29— 30 October 1992 .

The Commission is very concerned with the unfortunate
consequences of deforestation in Sarawak, Malaysia, also in
respect to the living conditions of the indigenous » people .

In its Work Programme for 1993, the Commission laid
particular emphasis on environmental questions and
notably on the protection of tropical forests .

In Malaysia, the Commission already participates in
programmes for the protection and conservation of tropical
forest resources while other programmes are being planned
with the Government of Malaysia .

The dialogue with Malaysian authorities has offered the
Commission the opportunity to express its concern in
regard to the intensive logging in Sarawak and to offer its
cooperation — as additional measures to what is already
done by some of the Community Member States — to assist
in the reduction of destructive logging activities, to promote
greater use of sustainable forest management and to
enhance the diversification of the local economy .

The ITTO Mission to Sarawak in 1990 recognized that the
sustainable management of Sarawak 's forests is being partly

given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 5

achieved, but stated also a number of areas to be improved .
The Commission welcomes the action plans and proposals
which the Malaysian Government and the Sarawak State
Government have developed on the basis of the ITTO
Mission Report . The Commission is closely following the
extent to which these commitments are being fulfilled .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(2 July 1993 )

At the request of the Spanish government and following on
the credit granted to the USSR by Spain, in January 1991 the
The Commission is of the opinion that questions on the Commission opened an invitation to tender for the export of
conservation of tropical forests can only be resolved in a 500 000 tonnes of intervention barley to the USSR .
broad international context with full and active

participation of all the concerned parties, taking account of
all the factors involved, notably socio-political, economic Intervention cereals are exported by invitation to tender .
and technical and human rights . Tenders submitted by operators are only accepted where

The Commission supports the objectives and policies which
are elaborated within the context of the ITTO and is

recommending the inclusion of Target 2000 within the
renegotiated ITTA . In line with Target 2000, all tropical
timber entering international trade should emanate from as
sustainably managed source by the year 2000 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1852 / 91

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1991 )

( 93 / C 283 / 10 )

Subject : Failure of the operation to sell Spanish barley to

the USSR

The failure of the operation to sell 500 000 tonnes of
Spanish barley to the USSR came as a surprise to the Spanish
agriculture sector, aware that Spain currently has barley
stocks of over 1 million tonnes .

Intervention cereals are exported by invitation to tender .
Tenders submitted by operators are only accepted where
they are in line with the world market price . The costs of
transport from the intervention store to the nearest port of
export are defrayed by the EAGGF and cannot therefore
affect the competitiveness of Spanish intervention cereals on
the export market . However, to prevent distortion of
competition, the Commission does not normally take
account of the higher port costs in certain Member States or
certain ports when tenders are considered . Even though an
effort was made to take this into account in the invitation to

tender in question, the tenders were so low that they would
in any case have been rejected .

Lastly, the Commission wishes to point out to the
Honourable Member that following the 1987 agreement
between the EEC and the USA on imports of maize and grain
sorghum into Spain, several invitations to tender for exports
of Spanish barley from the free market were opened . Under
those invitations to tender, refunds were fixed at a suitable
level taking account of the problems of infrastructure in
Spain .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3194 / 91

by Mrs Hiltrud Breyer, Mr Paul Lannoye

and Mrs Eva-Maria Quistorp ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 January 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 11 )
The fact that the price offered by the USSR was considerably
lower than that normally obtained on the Spanish market
was merely a stumbling block which could have been
avoided with imagination and determination, overcoming Subject : Environmental liability
the imbalance in the prices prevailing on the two markets,
had the Community acted as mediator to resolve the
problem . Is the Commission working on

Subject : Environmental liability measures

problem . Is the Commission working on horizontal measures to

address the issue of environmental liability, and if so, when
can its proposal be expected ?
Can the Commission indicate whether it was aware of the

negotiations on the matter and if Community intervention
mechanisms exist which might have allowed the operation What is the Commission 's position with respect to the
to go through, thereby benefiting both the Spanish Council of Europe 's preparation of a ' Convention on civil
countryside and the budgetary costs of the CAP, by reducing liability for damage resulting from activities dangerous to
its enormous stocks of barley ? the environment '?

What is the Commission 's position with respect to the

Council of Europe 's preparation of a ' Convention on civil
liability for damage resulting from activities dangerous to
the environment '?

No C 283 / 6 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

What will be the relationship between the Council of
Europe 's convention on environmental liability and future
EC legislation in this area ? How important will the earlier
instrument be in determining the content of a future EC
measure, or could such a convention by the Council of
Europe obviate the need for an EC directive ?

In particular, what is the Commission 's position with regard
to the Council of Europe 's proposal to limit the scope of its
environmental liability Convention to ' dangerous
genetically modified organisms ', in contrast to all genetically
modified organisms ( GMOs )? Does the Commission
consider it justified to introduce the concept of ' dangerous
GMO ', as distinct from ' GMO ', for the purposes of
qualifying environmental liability coverage, given that, at
the present stage of scientific and technological
development, very little is known about the behaviour of
GMOs in the open environment ?

Convention . A ' dangerous activity ' for the purpose of the
Convention now includes :

'. . . the production, culturing, handling, storage, use,
destruction, disposal, release or any other operation dealing
with one or more :

genetically modified organisms which as a result of the
properties of the organisms, the genetic modification and
the conditions under which the operation is exercised,
pose a significant risk for man, the environment or
property . . .'.

í 1 ) OJ No C 149, 29 . 5 . 1993 : COM(93 ) 47 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 123 / 92

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )
Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas to the Commission of the European Communities

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 July 1993 )

(7 February 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 12 )

Subject : Possible revival of the nuclear power industry in

1 . The Commission adopted a Green Paper on
the United States
remedying environmental damage 0 ) in March of this year
which addressed both civil liability as a mechanism for
allocating responsibility for, and the costs of, environmental An article by Aline
restoration and the possible creation of joint compensation américain sort de
schemes for environmental restoration costs not recoverable journal ' Les défis du CEA
through the legal mechanism of civil liability . Responses to 9—14 ).
the Paper are requested by 1 October .

An article by Aline Gérard entitled ' L'electronucléaire
américain sort de l'hibernation ' was published in the French
journal ' Les défis du CEA ' ( issue 3 November 1991, pages
9—14 ).

The main conclusion in it, foreshadowed in the title, is that

2 actively . The participated Commission in the, with negotiations the Member on the States Council, has of the new United nuclear States power is stations reviewing, taken the decision as a result to of construct the accident no
Europe Convention on civil liability for damage resulting at the Three Mile Island facility in March 1979, and that this
from activities dangerous to the environment . The stems partly from a desire to protect the environment, given
Convention will be open for signature from 21 June 1993 at that 88,5% of energy consumed in that country is
a meeting for Ministers of justice at Lugano . At present, in fossile-derived and almost half of that is accounted for by
the light of the publication of the Commission 's Green Paper imported oil . Parallel to this, there is a desire to find a
on the whole subject the Commission is not seeking a solution to the serious problem of nuclear waste, which
mandate from the Council to sign the Convention although continues to be stored on a temporary basis .
this may be an option to be followed after the results of
consultations on the Green Paper have been considered . Does the Commission have its own information on or
assessment of the analysis set out in the article ?

3 . If the Community decided to accede to the Convention
of the Council of Europe it would have to ensure its
implementation across the Community . A number of
Articles in the Convention permit flexibility in the method
of their implementation . Furthermore, Community
legislation implementing the Convention could go beyond
the requirements of the Convention as far as protection of
persons and of the environment is concerned, on the basis of
Article 25 ( 1 ) of the Convention .

4 . Following a proposal presented by the Commission,
the word ' dangerous ' has been deleted as a qualification of
genetically modified organisms in the text of the

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 1993 )

Since the publication in November 1991 of the article
referred to by the Honourable Member, developments in the
United States have not been to the advantage of the nuclear
power industry : the administration in office since January
appears to want to steer American energy policy towards
other energy sources and public opinion in the United States

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 7

does not seem to be in favour of relaunching a nuclear
programme for which it sees no need at a time when energy
is plentiful on the world market .

The situation remains, nevertheless, relatively fluid .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 718 / 92

by Mr Bartho Pronk ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 13 )

Subject : Pollution of the Schelde and Meuse rivers

In answer to my Written Question No 1320 / 90 (^ the
Commission stated, with regard t o question 1, that it would
check whether the various relevant directives were being
adhered to by the three states along the Schelde .

1 . Has the Commission obtained an answer from the

Member States and will it be taking measures
accordingly ?

2 . What is the situation with regard to the Meuse river,

given the various pollution being caused in Wallonia by
high concentrations of pyridine and aniline ? The
Walloon Minister, Mr Lutgeri, is reported by the PZC as
saying that levels of 7,6 micrograms per litre, i.e. 4,6
micrograms above the EC upper limit had been recorded
in Eijsden . Was this an isolated discharge or are such
discharges a regular occurrence ?

3 . Does the Commission intend to investigate further the
serious pollution of the Meuse and enforcement of
European legislation in this respect ? Can the
Commission establish whether the Belgian Government
or the Walloon administration is monitoring
developments sufficiently closely and to what extent
failure to do so is endangering drinking water supplies in
Belgium and the Netherlands ?

4 . The North Sea action programme requires programmes

to be drawn up for the cleaning up of all rivers flowing
into the North Sea . Given the lack of progress in
reducing pollution in the Meuse and Schelde rivers and
since the relevant agreements have not achieved the
desired results, does the Commission not agree that it is
a matter of urgency to draw up a programme of action
for the Meuse and Schelde similar to that drawn up for
the Rhine, with the Commission playing an
intermediary role ?

(!) OJ No C 28, 4 . 2 . 1991, p. 18

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 August 1993 )

The Commission has received information on

authorizations to discharge certain substances into the
Dutch part of the Scheldt which were granted by the
competent authorities . That information is under
examination .

The Commission has noted the absence of any programme
by the two other Member States through which the Scheldt
runs for the reduction of surface-water pollution in
accordance with the quality aims set out in Article 7 of
Directive 76 / 464 / EEC ( J ). It is continuing actively to
examine the matter .

Moreover, the outline questionnaires intended to
harmonize the reports on the implementation of those
Directives, as provided for by Article 2 of Directive
91 / 692 / EEC ( 2 ), have been finalized by the Commission .
They are intended to permit the harmonized, systematic
collection of the data by oro-hydrographic or
oro-administrative entitly .

The Commission was made aware of pollution pointed out
by the Honourable Member via resolutions B3-0541, 0546,
0551 and 0560 / 92 ( 3 ) to which it has, moreover, replied .
It would like to remind the Honourable Member that

pyridine and aniline are currently not covered by
aquatic-environment quality standards . These substances
are included in list II in Directive 76 / 464 / EEC, for which
programmes of regular discharge reductions are to be drawn
up by the Member States .

The Commission would again point out with regard to the
pollution of the Meuse, that the Court of Justice judged
against Belgium on 11 June 1991 for failure to implement
Directive 75 / 440 / EEC ( 4 ) on the quality required from
surface water intended for the production of drinking water

( case C 290 / 89 of 11 June 1991 ). To the Commission 's
knowledge Belgium has still not taken the steps required to
comply with that judgement .

Finally, according to the Commission, there is, at regional
level, a monitoring network for the quality of the entire
Meuse basin ( comprising about 80 sampling stations ) which
enables the competent authorities to identify the quality of
the environment . Where there is accidental pollution the
authorities in each state and the drinking-water distributors
work together .

Negotiations are currently under way between the countries
through which the Scheldt and Meuse flow on a draft
' Convention on cooperation on the management of the
Meuse and the Scheldt '. If necessary the Commission could
consider involvement in the capacity of an observer .

I 1 ) OJ No L 129, 18 . 5 . 1976 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 337, 31 . 12 . 1991 .

( 3 ) SP ( 92)3191 / 2 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 194, 25 . 7 . 1975 .

No C 283 / 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 724 / 92

by Mr Karmelo Landa Mendibe ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 14

Subject : Construction of a new port in the outer Bilbao

estuary

The socio-economic effect of the projected new port in the
Bay of Biscay will be particularly unfavourable, given the
far-reaching social and ecological effects and serious impact
on the landscape of the infrastructural works involved .

The project was authorized and the tendering procedure
commenced in October 1990 without an environmental

impact study being carried out as required by Directive
85 / 337 / EEC ( l ). In January 1991 the minister responsible
indicated that such a study was not necessary . Was the
Commission informed under Article 2 ( 3 ) of Directive
85 / 337 / EEC of the reasons for this ? What reasons were

given by the Spanish Government ?

                                                                 

In April 1991 a study was carried out and in October 1991
the contracts were awarded without the necessary
environmental impact statement . Does the Commission
consider this to be an infringement of Community
environmental rules ?

Is the Commission aware that the project was authorized,
invitations to tender issued and contracts awarded without

the necessary budgetary appropriation, thereby infringing
Spanish legislation concerning public tendering
procedures ?

Has Community funding through the ERDF, EIB etc, been
granted, requested or earmarked for this purpose ? If so,
what are the amounts, for what purpose have they been
earmarked and what percentage of the estimated cost will
they cover ?

Has the Commission drawn up any study on the
development of shipping or other types of transport which
should justify the projected port or has any such study been
provided by the Spanish Government ? If so, could it
forward this study ?

Has the Commission drawn up guidelines on port traffic
control and if so is Bilbao one of the ports whose capacity is
to be strengthened ?

In view of the possible infringements, does the Commission
intend to carry out an exhaustive investigation into
compliance with Community law and make Community aid
dependent upon this ?

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

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 July 1993 )

t
The Commission was not informed under Article 2 ( 3 ) of
Directive 85 / 337 / EEC of any decision by the Spanish
authorities to exempt the projected new port in Bilbao from
the provisions of that Directive .

According to the information received by the Commission,
the works in question concern modifications to the existing

port .

In the case of projects covered by Annex II to Directive
85 / 337 / EEC, it is for the Member States to decide whether
the characteristics of the modifications to be carried out

justify an assessment of the environmental impact .

According to the Commission 's information, studies were
carried out at the planning stage on certain aspects of the
impact of the ' superport ' project in question ( impact on the
land and marine environment ). However, the project per se
has not been made subject to an environmental impact
assessment in accordance with the abovementioned

Directive .

The legislation incorporating the Directive into Spanish law
transposed Annex I correctly . However, no provisions have
been adopted for projects covered by Annex II . As a result,
the Commission has delivered a reasoned opinion to the
Spanish authorities in accordance with Article 169 of the
EEC Treaty .

The project to renovate the port of Bilbao is included in the
operational programme for the Basque country for
1989 — 1991 . This provides for a contribution of ECU 13
million ( 25 % of the total cost ) from the European Regional
Development Fund .

The Spanish Government has made no formal request for
financing from the cohesion financial instrument .

This project reflects the priorities laid down in the
Community support framework for Objective 2 areas in
Spain for the period 1989 —1991 .

Furthermore, the operational programme includes a clause
requiring compliance with the Community directives on the
environment . The Commission has no evidence of failure to

observe this requirement .

As regards the alleged infringement of the national rules on
public tendering procedures concerning the budgetary
obligations to be met, it is not for the Commission to
comment on national provisions on public procurement
which are not designed to implement Community
legislation .

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 9

WRITTEN QUESTION No 737 / 92

by Mr Alexander Langer ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 April 1992 )

( 9 3 / C 283 / 15 )

Subject : Destruction of trees in, and cooperation with,

Albania

I recently visited Albania with a ' Committee for Solidarity
and Cooperation with Albania and Albanians in Italy ' set up
on the initiative of the Greens . We took substantial supplies
of food with us and had talks on possible ' sustainable
cooperation ' at government and non-government level .

The visit confirmed the urgent need for food and medical aid
and cooperation particularly in respect of ecological
farming methods and tourism, university education,
vocational training, crafts and small industries,
environmental improvement and protection, afforestation,
transport infrastructures compatible with a long-term
environmental policy and reorganization of the social and
health sectors . But of the many signs of degradation, what
struck us most was that every tree in sight had been hacked
down by the exasperated population, to get firewood or
timber without any protests or even attempts at dissuasion
being made . Apparently, many difficulties could be resolved
with a better system of transport : ( so that firewood could be
brought to where it was needed ) and in particular a more
efficient electricity grid .

In view of the above and the urgent need to help Albania to
prevent the devastation of its forests, what steps can the
Commission take, has it taken or does it intend to take ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 July 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the problem of deforestation in
certain parts of Albania . This is caused by the fact that wood
is the traditional fuel for heating . The country 's leaders did
nothing in the past to tackle deforestation . Today, Albania
seems to realize the seriousness of the situation t o which the

Honourable Member refers . The law now makes it possible
to combat arbitrary felling of trees . Reforestation
programmes have also been started . Albania has
furthermore been developing new sources of heating,
primarily using heat / power generating stations . The
ultimate aim is to confine the use of wood for heating to a
few mountain areas .

The Community has joined other international donors in
supporting Albania 's new approach . It is providing
technical assistance under the Phare programme for the

recently established National Energy Committee, which has
been given decision-making powers and is responsible for
determining the country 's energy policy . On the
environmental side, the Commission is planning to
contribute to the prevention of deforestation .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1065 / 92

by Mr Virginio Bettini ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 30 April 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 16 )

Subject : Plans for a ' Club Méditerranée ' holiday village

opposite the St Mark 's Square in Venice

1 . Is the Commission aware that the ' Club Mediterranee '

intends to open a holiday village on the island of San
Clemente in Venice, a few minutes from St Mark 's
Square ?

2 . Does the Commission consider that all procedures laid
down in the environmental impact assessment directive are
being complied with ?

3 . What urgent steps will the Commission take to ensure
that what forms part of the cultural heritage of Europe and
the world is not spoilt by a holiday village, which would
have a significant effect on the environment of the
lagoon ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 July 1993 )

As far as the Commission is aware, the project in question
has been abandoned .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1456 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

(9 3 / C 283 / 17

Subject : The Lesbos squirrel

Despite the fact that it is protected by international
conventions, and notably the Berne Convention, this rare

No C 283 / 10 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

species of squirrel, which is found nowhere in Europe but on
the island of Lesbos, is threatened with extinction . These
squirrels, which are 25 cm in length and live in trees on the
island, are called ' galies ' by the locals . Although hunting this
rare species is forbidden and it is even forbidden to keep it in
captivity or to stuff it, groups of adults or children, as soon
as they find a squirrel 's nest in a tree, do t heir utmost to drive
it out and kill it . Sometimes they pour boiling water into it or
they burn green leaves at the base of the tree . When car
drivers catch sight of a squirrel they do their best to kill it in
order to stuff it . Most hotels and many private houses in
Mitilini contain stuffed squirrels .

an invaluable counterpart to the Commission 's work in
disseminating information .

This proliferation of information agencies, however,
urgently requires rationalization and coordination in order
to enhance efficiency and avoid unnecessary duplication .

Does the Commission believe that it should take the

initiative of establishing direct coordination with the
appropriate regional information agencies, so as to create a
Community network which is both as wide and as
cost-effective as possible ?

Does the Commission intend to take effective action to
protect this rare species of squirrel threatened with Answer given by Mr Pinheiro
extinction on the island of Lesbos ?

on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 July 1993 )

The squirrel ' Sciurus anomalus ' is a strictly protected species
pursuant to the habitats Directive 92 / 43 / EEC which will
come into force on 9 June 1994 ( 1 ). However, it is not
included in Annex II ( list of species whose habitat requires
protection ).

The Greek authorities have already included this squirrel in
the list of protected species . It is therefore a question of the
implementation of national legislation which, in accordance
with the subsidiarity principle, is the responsibility of the
national authorities . The Commission does not have a study
programme for this species .

( 13 July 1993 )

The Commission welcomes the efforts made by regional
governments to bring general and specific information
about the Community to public attention .

In many cases the information is produced in conjunction
with the Commission . However, any coordination of
information activities between regional government
agencies in the Community would have to be initiated by the
regions themselves .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1754 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(2 July 1992 )
(!) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992 .,
( 93 / C 283 / 19 )

Subject : The ancient site of Methymna

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1494 / 92

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 18 )

Subject : Community coordination of regional information

bodies

In Molyvo on the island of Lesbos in the area of the ancient
site of Methymna excavated by the German archaeologist
and professor of the University of Giessen, Hans-Gunther
Bucholz, there are plans to build a hotel bungalow complex .
Is the Commission aware of this fact and what steps does it
intend to take to prevent this development which is harmful
to the ancient sites of Methmyna ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 July 1993 )
Community regional administrations are paying ever
greater attention to specific Community matters, actively The Commission is taking steps to
collaborating in making Community affairs in general better awareness of the need to protect and
known and in providing information about the specific architectural heritage of Europe .
repercussions of Community action for their own the

regions .

At regional level, community affairs departments have
sprung up throughout the Community, and now constitute

The Commission is taking steps to enhance general public
awareness of the need to protect and promote interest in the
architectural heritage of Europe . However, it does not have
any powers as regards the protection of listed monuments
and sites . National, regional or local authorities have sole
responsibility for listed monuments and sites .

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 11

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1853 / 92

by Mr Kenneth Stewart ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 20

Subject : Worldwide shipping losses

The Commission is no doubt aware that shipping losses for
last year rose 40 % to reach the highest level for more than a
decade .

Statistics released by the Institute of London Underwriters
showed that the total gross tonnage lost, 1,71 million gross
tonnes, was the highest since 1979, and that a total of 182
ships were write-offs in 1991, compared to 139 in 1990 .

The ILU blames the increasing age of tonnage, reduced
maintenance and substandard crews . The ILU 's figures
show a clear link with flags of convenience and poor safety
standards .

Does the Commission agree that despite all the proposals by
the Commission the Council has failed completely to halt
the decline in the European fleet, and that flagging-out is on
the increase ?

Will it also say why Parliament 's recommendations on
incentives have continually been ignored while the
Community fleets suffer with the lack of a scrap-and-buiid
policy by the Member States to rid the seas of the menace of
old ships which put their crews ' and passengers ' lives at
risk ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 July 1993 )

The Commission is fully aware of and concerned about the
continuing decline of the Community fleet and of the need
for improved maritime safety and environmental
protection, particularly in the case of oil tankers . At the end
of February last the Commission adopted its
communication 'A common policy on safe seas ' which
contains a comprehensive action programme ( 1 ).

A series of Community and international measures, rather
than a single measure, are likely to prove the most effective
means of eliminating substandard ships from the world
fleet . In its communication the Commission announced its

intention to assess in consultation with government experts,
shipbuilders and shipowners the scrapping requirements
and facilities for phased-out ships .

The establishment of the Euros-register, for which a
proposal of the Commission has been on the table of the
Council for some time now, would be an important step .

Japanese shipbuilders are calling for urgent action to remove

ageing tonnage from the market . From information
provided to the Commission, it appears that they have
established — in cooperation with the shipowners — a
committee to coordinate plans for scrapping and recycling
tankers and to find ways and means to accelerate the
scrapping process on an international basis .

Recent successful efforts in Norway have led to the
reduction of substandard vessels in their ports through more
intensive inspections of these vessels . A similar system of
enhanced inspections through mandatory Community port
State control would undoubtedly offer the most effective
means of achieving the desired result for a large number of
sub-standard vessels that operate in European waters . The
Commission intends to submit specific proposals to this end
in the near future ( planned for the third quarter of 1993 by
the Commission legislative programme ).

H COM(93 ) 66 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2334 / 92

by Mr Alex Smith ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 21 )

Subject : Restructuring of DGs XII and XIII

In the Commission 's judgment, what benefits will arise ( a ) in
the short term and ( b ) in the longer term from the
restructuring of Directorates-General DG XII and DG XIII ;
on what basis did the Commission decide to reorganize and
partially integrate the Directorates and how will the changes
affect the allocation of project support by the Commission
in the fields of basic science, telecommunications,
information industries and innovation ?

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

( 19 July 1993 )

When DGs XII and XIII were reorganized the distribution of
portfolios among the members of the Commission provided
that those two Directorates-General should be assigned
jointly to the Commission Member responsible for research
and technology .

The reorganization decided upon by the Commission on

15 July 1992 was essentially further to dovetail the tasks

No C 283 / 12 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

common to both Directorates-General and thus to lighten
the burden on the relevant Commission Member . The

reorganization has not in any way altered either the nature
or the scope of the assistance given to projects in the areas
quoted by the Honourable Member .

The redistribution of portfolios within the Commission in
early 1993 has made the . bases for the reorganization
decision of 15 July 1992 irrelevant . The organization of
DG XII and XIII has thus been tailored to the new situation,
the same applying to the organization ( if DGs III and XIII
respectively following the transfer to DG III of certain areas
of activity previously covered by DG XIII .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2476 / 92

by Lord O'Hagan ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 22 )

Subject : Tourism

Is the Commission satisfied that Member States national

tourism policies are sufficiently coordinated to encourage
incoming visitors from the western world ?

What proposals does the Commission now have in this
field ?

the Commission decided to aid some European wide
travel-trade organizations with similar projects .

(M OJ No L 231, 13 . 8 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2535 / 92

by Mr Edward Newman ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 23 )

Subject : ' Television without frontiers ' Directive

In accordance with Article 25 of the so-called ' Television

Without Frontiers ' Directive ( 89 / 552 / EEC ) ( 1 ), can the
Commission say which Member States, if any, have brought
into force the laws, regulations and administrative
provisions in the fields governed by this directive, in
particular Article 22, which obliges Member States to ensure
that television programmes do not contain incitement to
hatred on grounds of race, sex, religion or nationality and
Article 12, which provides the same prohibition for
television advertising ?

Under this same Article 25, Member States were given until

3 October 1991 for the introduction of the aforementioned

pieces of legislation and required to inform the Commission
accordingly . Can the Commission provide a progress report
on this matter and state which Member States have

complied with the said Article 25, which have not done so,
and what action the Commission intends to take ?

(!) OJ No L 298, 17 . 10 . 1989, p . 23 .
Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission is not to date in a position
comprehensively to assess the arrangements for
coordination of national tourism policies to encourage
incoming visitors to Europe . Council Decision
92 / 421 / EEC { x ) lists as a priority measure promotion in
third countries . This is however confined to pilot projects to
promote Europe as a tourist destination on the markets of
distant countries, particularly North America and Japan . It
is hoped that the experience gained from these projects will
enable the Commission to have a clear view on the efficiency
of arrangements for marketing Europe as an entity and how
the most efficient and effective use of resources could be

ensured .

It might also be noted that the Commission has previously
contributed to efforts by the European Travel Commission
aimed at marketing Europe in the USA and Japan . In 1992,

( 22 July 1993 )

Article 25 of Directive 89 / 552 / EEC of 3 October 1989

requires the Member States to inform the Commission of the
national measures they have adopted to implement this
Directive . Only Spain has not yet done so .

The other Member States have notified the Commission of

their measures and these are now being examined by the
Commission . The provisions to which the Honourable
Member refers ( Articles 12 and 22 ) are receiving the same
close attention in this regard as the rest of the Directive .

To ensure full and uniform implementation of this Directive
in all Member States, the Commission has already initiated

»

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 13

infringement procedures under the EEC Treaty against and does not have the necessary funds available to respond
those States which have failed to notify it of their measures adequately to the situation . The new Agreement between
or have transposed the Directive incompletely or the Community and Brazil contains special provisions to
incorrectly . enable effective action to be taken to assist abandoned and

maltreated children . Finally, it should be noted that the
Commission is endeavouring to make a specific
contribution by defining and preparing appropriate
measures through pilot projects forming part of an action

programme .
WRITTEN QUESTION No 2546 / 92

by Mrs Maartie van Putten ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 24

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2571 / 92

Subject : International trafficking in children

1 . Is the Commission aware of the Interpol symposium
on offences against children and young people which was
held in Lyons from 7 to 9 April 1992, at which
representatives of Brazil 's federal police raised the issue of
international trafficking in children and serious concern was
expressed about the fact that large numbers of children who
have been kidnapped or have disappeared fall into the hands
or organized gangs ? Of particular interest was the concern
expressed by the federal police that there was large-scale
international trafficking in organs from Brazilian
children .

2 . Is the Commission aware that, as was also stated by
the federal police, trafficking in children occurs under the
cover of international adoption ? One of the main
circumstances facilitating this traffic is that some 500 000
girls aged around 13 are active as prostitutes in Brazil, as a
result of which enormous numbers of babies are born who

can fall victim to illegal adoption .

3 . In the light of the development relationship with
Brazil, is the Commission willing to support those forces in
Brazilian society, such as the federal police in their
investigations or the ' Movimento Nacional de meninos e
meninas de rua ' ( National Movement for street children ),
which vigorously oppose trafficking in children and the
serious circumstances of the hundreds of thousands of street

children in general ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 1993 )

1 . The Commission devotes a great deal of attention to
the problem of persons without legal protection in many
countries, and in Brazil in particular .

Interpol did indeed hold a symposium in Lyon in 1992 on
crimes and offences against children and adolescents in
Brazil, in the course of which the problems of trafficking in
children and trade in human organs were discussed .

2 and 3 . These questions raise particularly painful issues,
but the Commission is not vested with the necessary powers

by Mr Jose Lafuente Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 25 )

Subject : Gradual reduction in the use of wooden railway

sleepers

The ever more pressing need to conserve trees for the sake of
the ecology, in accordance with the well-known maxim that
' when the last tree dies there will be no more life on earth ',
raises the issue of using wood only for really essential

purposes .

In view of the fact that there are other materials perfectly
suitable for replacing wood when laying railway tracks, it
seems unnecessary that wooden sleepers are still being used
in some Member States when track networks are extended

or renewed .

Does the Commission therefore consider that it should

advise the relevant authorities that, when they extend or
renew the railway tracks in question, modern materials such
as iron and concrete should be used rather than the

traditional wooden sleepers, thereby benefiting our
environment by conserving trees ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 July 1993 )

According to the Commission 's information, the situation
as regards the use of wooden railway sleepers is as
follows :

— Quality wood sleepers ( made from oak, tropical woods

and other woods ) were used in the past because of their
durability and flexibility and the comfort and quietness
they afforded . For economic and environmental reasons,
they have not been used in the Member States for 20

years .

No C 283 / 14 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

Sleepers made of wood from special forest plantations
using tailored planting and felling cycles reduce the
impact on the environment and are cheap . However,
since they are also of a lower quality, their use has been
confined to certain types of renovation work and
particular sections of new lines, notably track fittings
such as points and frogs, which require longer
sleepers .

— Concrete sleepers ( of reinforced, pre-tensioned or
post-tensioned prestressed concrete ) have been in
widespread use for 20 years . Rapid technological
developments in their manufacture have made it : possible
in recent years to produce special sleepers for the uses
mentioned above . This means that concrete sleepers can
be used for track fittings, making it possible to eliminate
joins and track welding .

— Wooden sleepers are now rarely used in modernizing

lines or building new lines, particularly where traffic
density, axle weights or a combination of the two create
heavy loads . As a result, the Madrid to Seville high-speed
line, for instance, used no wooden sleepers at all .

With progress in the quality of railway sleepers causing
wood to be phased out, action by the Commission does not
seem to be warranted .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2585 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 26 )

Subject : Fomentation of violence at sports events

In view of the European Parliament 's repeated declarations
against racism, violence and xenophobia and the fact that
certain sports clubs are indifferent to — or are even partly
responsible for — the behaviour of their fans in the
grandstands who flaunt symbols of totalitarianism and
sometimes indulge in racist abuse, does the Commission
intend to draw up legislation aimed at effectively preventing
violence at sports events ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 July 1993 )

Community has no powers in this matter . However, the
Member States ' Ministers of the interior, meeting as the
Trevi Group, have considered this issue, and the
Honourable Member might address his question to the
Presidency .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2586 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 27 )

Subject : Hazards posed by earthquakes and possible

counter measures

Certain populated areas — for instance the Ionian islands —
are at great risk from earthquakes which occur frequently
there . Does the Commission agree that the Member States
concerned should at least ensure that buildings in inhabited
areas in earthquake zones are examined to see whether they
are structurally sound and meet minimum safety
requirements ? Does it also agree that there should be an
increase in the research needed to provide early warning of
earthquakes ? Does it consider that a Community policy is
needed to deal with the hazards posed by earthquakes ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 April 1993 )

The regions of the Community, and more specifically the
Mediterranean area, which are vulnerable to earthquakes,
are clearly identified . The Commission takes the view that it
is for the Member States to ensure that building and civil
engineering works are designed and executed in such a way
that they do not endanger personal safety ( J ). The local
authorities are the best placed to lay down regulations
governing town and country planning, taking particular
account of the levels of seismic activity recorded in the

past .

Since 1986 the Commission has been funding seismology
research projects, notably in the context of the programme
on Climatology and Natural Hazards ( 1986 — 1990 ), the
Epoch programme ( 1989 — 1992 ) and the Environment
programme ( 1991— 1994 ). A total of 18 multinational
projects have been funded so far, relating to basic
seismology studies, studies on precursors of earthquakes,
and studies on the vulnerability of structures .

In accordance with the Council resolution of 8 July 1991 on
The Commission does not intend to propose legislation improving mutual aid between Member States in the event
aimed at preventing violence at sports events because the of natural or technological disaster ( 2 ), the Commission has

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 15

introduced a procedure to enable mutual aid between the diagnostic procedures and control measures and establish
Member States to be developed in an effective manner . guidelines for measures to control specific zoonoses .

A unit which operates around the clock has been set up
within the Commission 's departments to assist Member
States in taking action . The Commission is also
endeavouring, by means of training activities and joint
exercises, to improve the capacity for action of the national
civil protection outfits .

Specific action has already been established to control
Salmonella enteritidis in breeding flocks .

Additional actions are envisaged on the basis of the
epidemiological findings and the results of the above
studies .

(*) See first recital of Council Directive 89 / 106 / EEC of
21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws, regulations (M OJ No L 62, 15 . 3 . 1993 .
and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to
construction products ( Oj No L 40, 11.2 . 1989 ).

( 2 ) OJ No C 198, 27 . 7 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2716 / 92

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2645 / 92

by Mrs Brigitte Langenhagen ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

Y27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 28 )

Subject : Increase in salmonella poisoning

What steps is the Commission taking to prevent any further
increase in the spread of salmonella poisoning occurring in
certain Member States ?

Does the Commission consider that salmonella poisoning
can be combated more effectively by means of Community
legislation with regard to animal feedingstuffs, breeding
methods, slaughterhouse hygiene, food health standards
and epidemic control ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 May 1993 )

The Council adopted on 17 December 1992 Directive
92 / 117 / EEC concerning measures for protection against
specified zoonoses and specified zoonotic agents in animals
and products of animal origin in order to prevent outbreaks
of foodborne infections and intoxications ( l ).

This directive obliges the Member States to collect
information on diseases due to some zoonotic agents,
including salmonellosis in humans and in farm animals .
Furthermore, the Member States are obliged to present
plans for research of zoonotic agents in animals,
feedingstuffs and food of animal origin .

The Commission will conduct specific studies, in particular
in relation to the evaluation of risks from zoonotic agents,

by Mr Dieter Rogalla ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 29 )

Subject : Losses to the EC budget as a result of fraud

1 . What criteria are used by the EC authorities, in
particular the Commission, in assessing reliability and
investigating - m the possibly fraudulent use of EC funds ?

2 . What changes have there been in EC staff responsible
for these questions since 1979 ?

3 . What losses have been suffered by the EC budget ( in
each year ) and how have they been made good ?

4 . To what extent has the Commission acted on relevant

proposals from the European Parliament and what are the arrangements for cooperation on this matter between all the
EC institutions concerned ?

5 . What are the arrangements for cooperation with the
competent authorities in the Member States in the most
important individual cases, what improvements could be
made and when could they be introduced ?

Answer given by Mr Schmidhuber

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 April 1993 )

1 . The risk of fraud is one of the Commission 's main

preoccupations both in the preparation of legislative
instruments and in the organization of preventive and ex
post facto inspections . The Commission can supply the
Honourable Member with all the information he may
request on a specific sector .

J

No C 283 / 16 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

2 . The staff assigned to protection of the Community
budget against fraud currently number around 100, all
categories combined, which is well up on the complement of
a few years ago . When the Commission decided to set up
UCLAF in the Secretariat-General late in 1987 0 ), it also
decided that anti fraud units should be set up in all spending
Directorates-General along the lines of what the
Directorate-General for Agriculture had already done in

1983 . The human resources assigned to fraud units and
hybrid units ( 2 ) were reinforced considerably between the
formation of these units and the end of 1992 :

in the Directorate-General for Agriculture, from 14 staff
in 1983 to 41 in 1992, eight of them responsible for
inspections in the wine industry and fruit and
vegetables ;

in the Directorate-General for Budgets, from two staff in
March 1988 to ten in 1992, seven of them working
specifically on monitoring and reviewing own resources
legislation ;

Member will find fuller information, gives examples of
these . The working programme appended to it calls for a
number of improvements to, among other things,
cooperation procedures .

(M COM(87 ) 572, 20 . 11 . 1987 .

( 2 ) Some of these units are responsible not only for fraud

specifically but also for other matters ( reviewing legislation,
specific inspection activities, drugs, etc .).

( 3 ) SEC(93 ) 943 final, 26 . 5 . 1992, report on 1991 . The report on

1992 is to be published shortly .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2724 / 92

by Mr Alexander Langer and Mr Virginio Bettini ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

in the Directorate-General for Financial Control, no ( 29 October 1992 )
change from the four staff operating in 1990, though it ( 93 / C 283 / 30 )
will be remembered that DG XX 's whole team of 120 or

so is involved in detecting fraud and irregularity cases in
the course of its ordinary activities ; Subject : Research with a view to building a tunnel beneath

the Brenner

in the Directorate-General for Customs Union and
Indirect Taxation, from six staff in 1 988 to 26 in 1992, The Commission
eight of them working full-time on measures to combat
trafficking in drugs and other ' sensitive ' goods . a Council decision on

UCLAF 's complement rose from 10 staff in 1988 to 29 in

1992 .

3 . The losses to the Community budget of which the
Commission is notified under the various Regulations that
apply are set out in the annual reports on the fight against
fraud ( 3 ). The figures cover only notifications made by the
Member States in the various areas ( agriculture, structural
Funds, customs, etc .) and correspond to data-sets defined in
the Regulations . Any attempt to assess the aggregate loss to
the Community budget must proceed from these figures .

4 . The internal organization of the Commission
substantially reflects Parliament 's concerns . The staff
assigned to anti-fraud activities will be reinforced in
accordance with the priorities established by the budgetary
authority . On the question of cooperation between
Community institutions, it was agreed at the Council
meeting ( Economic and Financial Affairs ) of 23 November

1992 that in future the Council, Parliament and the
Commission will act in concert to determine priorities for
the annual programme of anti-fraud work .

5 . Cooperation between the Commission and the
Member States on serious individual fraud cases consists of

information exchanges and joint inspections . The annual
report on the fight against fraud, where the Honourable

The Commission communication containing a proposal for
a Council decision on the creation of a trans-European road
network ( COM(92 ) 231 final ) proposes a further
revamping of the Community 's transport policy, which has
been the target of a great deal of criticism . The document
makes particular reference to the Brenner railway axis,
stating that ' the construction of a new base tunnel is being
considered . . . The project is costed at ECU 10 billion .
Heading 700 ( support totalling ECU 5,7 million ) has helped
pay for the preliminary technical, economic and financial
feasibility studies '.

1 . What studies have been funded in this way and with

what results ?

2 . Have alternatives been considered ( improving the
existing line without a tunnel, separation of goods and
passenger traffic, various types of tunnel, etc .)?

3 . What is the Commission 's present stance ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 July 1993 )

1 . The following studies on the Brenner have been
financed by the Commission from heading B5-700 of the
Community budget :

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 17

— ' Feasibility study for a Brenner tunnel " ( IT ): ECU
500 000, Decision C(86 ) 2485 / 5 of 23 December 1986 .
The study is now complete . It concluded that the ' new '
route, from the Austrian border to Fortezza, should be
chosen . The route includes an extra exit at Campo di
Trens with a marshalling yard but also a direct route for
avoiding this exit .

— ' Feasibility study into private financing for the Brenner

tunnel ' ( Community of European Railways ): ECU
100 000, Decision C(89 ) 1935 / 15 of 4 December

1989 .

— ' Study into extra investment for the tunnel to facilitate

combined transport on the Brenner route ' ( Community
of European Railways ): ECU 100 000, Decision C(89 )

1935 / 15 of 4 December 1989 ;

t

— ' Munich - Verona Transversal ', preliminary study into a

new basis tunnel ( DE ): ECU 4 million, Decision C(92 )

1798 / 5 of 14 October 1992 .

The last three studies are still under way .

2 . As far as the Commission is aware, there are no official
alternatives, only private studies into direct tunnels between
Germany and Italy (' Tyrol Tunnel ' project and others ).

3 . It is difficult to ignore the reaction of local
communities and their concern for environmental

protection . In addition to the noise, pollution from exhaust
fumes endangers forests, which are a vital bulwark against
avalanches and the effects of bad weather . A rail alternative

to a road should therefore be considered . As a result, the
Brenner route remains one of the Community 's top
priorities in both its high-speed and combined transport
masterplans for European networks .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2727 / 92

by Mr Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 31 )

Subject : Economic and social situation in Patras

For a number of months there has been a wave of protest by
almost all political and professional circles concerning the
economic and social situation of Patras and its

surroundings . There can be no doubt that its industry is in
decline and that the infrastructures of the city and its

surroundings are hopelessly outdated . In addition to the
policy of successive governments, major shortcomings and
inadequacies in Community policy are also blamed insofar
as it has a bearing on the situation in Patras . In view of
this :

1 . Are the development and social programmes concerning
Patras proceeding as planned and, if not, why not ?

2 . More specifically, is it true that the Patras technological
park project, which is of particular significance for the
development of modern SMU, is meeting obstacles with
regard to Community funding and, if so, why ?

3 . Is it true that Community funding for the Patras i ring
road which is essential to relieve congestion is being
jeopardized by delays or other factors and what are the
reasons for this ?

4 . Does the programme for the modernization of the textile
sector refer to Petras 's textile industry or cover it in some
other way and, if so, how, and if this is the case what are
the prospects for its modernization and recovery ?

5 . Have there been any proposals or decisions for
Community participation in projects such as the transfer
of port facilities, the modernization of the
Athens — Patras railway and improvement of the Patras
water supply, which is at present failing to reach an
acceptable standard ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 1993 )

1 . The Commission is aware of the particular problems
of Patras and the surrounding region . Assistance in the form
of Community loans and grants under the structural fund
programmes operating in the area, notably the Regional
Operational Programme and the Integrated Mediterranean
Programme, are specifically designed to tackle these
problems . These programmes are largely on target with
some minor exceptions . It should be noted that such
programmes cover a wide range of activities and can be
adapted as circumstances change .

2 . It is correct that the technology park project has run
into difficulties . It is understood that residents of the area in

which the park is to be located have objected . The
Commission will be raising this at a Monitoring Committee
meeting .

3 . The part of the Patras ring road project covered by the
programmes is also delayed because of land acquisition
problems . The Commission will make every effort to ensure
that the implementation of this important project goes
ahead .

No C 283 / 18 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

4 . The Commission has not approved the Greek
authorities proposals for the modernization of their textile
industry . However, it expects shortly to approve the
RETEX operational programme for Greece which is
designed to offset the effects of the decline in the textile and
clothing sector by diversification of economic activities in
the regions concerned . No doubt the Patras region will be
able to benefit from this programme .

5 . No decision has been taken on Community funding
for the projects mentioned by the Honourable Member .
Depending on proposals from the Greek authorities in their
next Regional Development Plan these projects may be
considered for assistance in the context of the next

Community Support Framework for Greece .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2766 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 32 )

Subject : Expansion of the AEBE-ELAN1 company to

include new plants

Considering that tens of millions of tonnes of liquid and
gaseous fuel are already stored on the Thriasian Plain and
taking into account that on 26 August the Greek Council of
Ministers adopted Act 112 authorizing the installation of
new plants in the area of Eleusina and the ' modernization ' of
the existing ones by the AEBE-ELANI mining, transport and
maintenance company, does the Commission propose to
call for the enforcement of the ' Sevezo ' Directive and the

alignment of Greek legislation so that the necessary
measures are taken to ensure the safety of citizens living in
this area ?

Supplementary answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

In the event that the company in question makes an official
application for permission and examination of the
application reveals that the plant concerned is subject to the
provisions of the ' Seveso ' Directive 82 / 501 / EEC ( 2 ), all the
provisions of the Directive, in particular Article 5 ( 2 )

( notification of the hazard study to the authorities ) will be
applied, as requested by the Honourable Member .

t 1 ) OJ No C 106, 16 . 4 . 1993 .

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

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2773 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 November 1992 )

93 / C 283 / 33

Subject : Earthquake victims in Aghia Triada in Patras

72 houseowners in Aghia Triada in Patras, victims of the
1989 earthquake, who have asked for their crumbling
houses to be demolished and for state aid in finding
alternative accommodation, have been asked to pay a
special property charge under recent Greek Government
legislation . Does the Commission intend to call on the Greek
authorities to demolish the houses in question in Aghia
Triada because they are unsafe and to exempt the 72
houseowners involved from the special property charge
unjustly imposed on them ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 July 1993 )

The tax problem referred to by the Honourable Member is a
matter solely for the Greek authorities . It does not come
within the Commission 's jurisdiction .

( 29 July 1993 ) WRITTEN QUESTION No 2835 / 92

by Mr Sérgio Ribeiro ( CG )

to the Commission of the European Communities

Further to its answer of 10 February 1993 ( 1 ), the
Commission can now supply the following information .

The company AEBE-Elani has not yet applied to the
competent authority, the Ministry of Industry, Energy and
Technology, for permission to build a fuel storage complex .
However, the Ministry is aware of a plan to build such a
complex with a total storage capacity of under 100 000

tonnes .

( 16 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 34 )

Subject : ' Internal market ' publicity campaign

Following other measures of a similar nature, the
Commission has decided to explain to the citizens of Europe
the workings of the internal market, which is to come into

4

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 19

being on 1 January 1993 . This ambitious and apparently
precipitate media campaign follows the French referendum
and, judging by the first programmes broadcast by Antenne
2 's morning service, there appears to be greater concern with
making up for lost time than with strict accuracy .

presidential decree ( PD 342 / 1977 ) which has been used to
humiliate two independent journalists who have been
fighting to defend human rights in Greece . The two
journalists, Mr L. Papageorgiou and Mr S. Vorinas, who
work for the authoritative independent morning newspaper

'O Logos ', after being convicted of ' slandering the

, for campaign and, could the moment the Commission at the least budgetary, to indicate voice heading the further cost Athens authorities security Court police ' and of for paying Appeal eight the hours, were fines like held imposed common unlawfully by criminals the by third the,
appropriations were entered for 1992 ? fingerprinted and finally charged with ' contempt '. Will the

Commission convey to the Greek authorities its disapproval
of such unprecedented police action against journalists,
their humiliation and sentences and the violation of the
Answer given by Mr Pinheiro rights Greece of ? the press and human rights in general in

I do not intend, for the moment at least, to voice further
criticism . However, could the Commission indicate the cost
of this publicity campaign and the budgetary heading
against which the appropriations were entered for 1992 ?

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 July 1993 )

The publicity campaign to which the Honourable Member
refers forms part of the public information campaign on the
single market decided on by the Commission in October
1992 .

Preliminary contacts between the Commission and the
audiovisual production company which initiated the project
took place in January 1992 . Broadcasts in a number of
countries, including France, began at the end of September

1992 ; this was because the campaign was made up of 100
clips to be broadcast daily, starting 100 days before

1 January 1993, and thus providing a countdown to the
starting date of the single market .

Several European television channels took part in the
project, and so far the series has been transmitted by eight
channels in six Community countries . Part of the series has
also been used in a national public information campaign on
the single market organized by the national authorities of
one Member State ; this campaign will continue until the end
of 1993 .

Commission financial support for the production company
involved totalled ECU 350 000, which is less than a third of
the total cost . This sum was charged to budget heading
B3-303 ( General communication work ).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2937 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

(9 August 1993 )

The Commission would point out that the Treaties do not
confer on the Community any general responsibility for
ensuring that human rights are respected in the Member
States . The Community has jurisdiction in the matter only
when the application of Community law is involved, since
Community law is founded on respect for human rights .

Greece is a contracting party to the European Convention
on human rights, which stipulates in Article 10 that all
persons shall have the right to freedom of expression . There
are mechnisms provided for in the Convention for
upholding the rights set out in it, in cases where national
means of redress have failed .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2946 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 36 )
( 24 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 35 )

Subject : Violation of the human rights of two journalists in

Greece

The press and public opinion in Greece have been outraged
and alarmed at the resurrection of a long-forgotten

Subject : Poisoning of a bear in a Greek national park

A male bear weighing 300 kg died recently at Gina in the
community of Milia in Metsovo, i.e. in the heart of the
Pindos national park of Valia Kalda, after eating a poisoned

No C 283 / 20 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

bait . The ' Friends of the Bear ' Association have publicly
accused the Greek General Forestry Administration failing
to take any real measures to protect the rarest of Greek
mammals, of ' allowing ' the use of poisoned baits to
exterminate ' pests ' and, worst of all, of not making any
attempt so far to discover who was responsible and to have
them arrested and punished . Does the Commission intend to
ask the Greek authorities :

1 . to protect this mammal, notably in Greek national parks
and

2 . to establish who is responsible for the death of this bear
which died after eating a poisoned bait placed in the
centre of the Valia Kalda National Park and ensure that

they are punished in an exemplary manner ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3368 / 92

bv Mr Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 21 January 1993 )

However, the species is included in Annexes II and IV of
Directive 92 / 43 / EEC (*) ( on the preservation of natural
habitats and of wild fauna and flora ) which must be
implemented by the Member States as from June 1994 .

In addition, according to recent information, the Greek
Government and non-government organizations are
currently working on the development of action
programmes and studies aimed at guaranteeing the
protection of this species . These programmes provide for the
protection of the bear 's habitat and for more specific actions
such as the creation of a care centre for bears and other wild

animals .

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

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2965 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 93 / C 283 / 37 ( 24 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 38 )

Subject : Disappearance of brown bears in Greece

What steps has the Commission taken in response to the
resolution adopted by Parliament and in particlar
paragraph 11 thereof, ( report by Mr K. Collins
A3-0214 / 92 ) ( J ) on the implementation of the Berne
Convention in the European Community ?

According to reports from Greece, at least four brown bears
were killed in the north of the country in October 1992 : one
adult bear was killed in the village of Milia and a she-bear
with two cubs near the village of Itea in the prefecture of
Fiorina .

What steps will the Commission take to prevent the
destruction of a species in urgent need of protection at
European level ?

f 1 ) OJ No C 176, 13 . 7 . 1992, p . 258 .

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 2946 / 92 and 3368 / 92

given by Mr Paleokrassas
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 April 1993 )

The brown bear is a protected species under Greek law and
it is the responsibility of national authorities to take
appropriate measures to put an end to any unlawful
activities .

Subject : Destruction of the woodland of Bathi Avlidas

Scores of hectares of woodland are being destroyed at Bathi
Avlidas with the approval of the Greek authorities . The
ecological association ' Environmental Action ' has alleged
that this area of woodland which currently belongs to the
local agricultural cooperative is to be expropriated and
ceded to the Chalkida Cement company so that a quarry can
be built on the site . Given that, even though pollution in this
area is becoming a serious problem, the measures provided
for in Directives 76 / 464 / EEC ( a ) and 84 / 360 / EEC ( 2 ) are not
being implemented, does the Commission intend to ask
the Greek authorities not to go ahead with this
expropriation ?

(!) OJ No L 129, 18 . 5 . 1976, p . 23 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 188, 16 . 7 . 1984, p . 20 .

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 July 1993 )

The Community can only act within the limits of the powers
explicitly assigned to it by the EEC Treaty .

Property ownership is not an area in which Member States
have transferred powers to the Community . It thus remains
an exclusively national matter ( Article 222 of the EEC
Treaty ).

The Commission is therefore not in a position to intervene in
connection with the compulsory expropriation of the

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 21

woodland in question, as the matter is solely the
responsibility of the Greek national authorities .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2975 / 92

by Mr Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 30 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 39

Subject : Quarrying and the development of tourism in

Thasos

A number of major infrastructure projects are currently
being carried out on the island of Thasos with Community
funding including a marina and major road inprovements
on the island and in its capital . The main aim is to promote
tourism, for which the island is eminently suited . At the
same time, however, on the island 's being ravaged by the
completely uncontrolled ' development ' of marble quarries,
the vast majority of which are totally illegal under both
national and Community law .

The sites are unauthorized, they infringe prospecting
specifications, surveys are fabricated, environmental impact
assessments have not been carried out, no provision has
been made for restoring the landscape, etc . According to
official records, the number of quarries has doubled or even
tripled and they are spreading from the location in which
they are currently concentrated over the entire island . In
addition, the materials remaining after the extraction of the
marble have literally disfigured the landscape over large
areas of the island and are obstructing other activities .

1 . How is it possible to justify funding for investment in the

tourist industry if at the same time such activities and
future quarries are to be tolerated ?

2 . Will the Commission urge Greece to respect, if not its
national law, at least Community law ( e.g. Council
Directive 85 / 337 / EEC ( L )), as it has done on other
occasions ?

3 . Will it take the earliest opportunity ( for example review
of regional programmes ) to request the Greek
authorities to clarify their laws for the future and
indicate the return on investment already channelled
into the tourist sector, as there is a risk that this may
prove to be fruitless as a result of the development of
quarrying on the island ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 June 1993 )

The facts mentioned by the Honourable Member
concerning the conditions of activity of the marble careers
on the Thassos island fall within the Greek authorities '

competence, which the appropriate measures to protect the
environment on this island can take .

The Commission does not have elements allowing it to
conclude that the provisions of the Directive 85 / 337 / EEC
are not respected to Thassos .

The choice of investments in infrastructure under

construction in the island is dictated by the needs and the
potential of the island, in particular in the sector of tourism,
and their completion will contribute in a notorious way to
increasing the Thassos attractiveness . It will be the same for
the future possible activities financed by the Structural
Funds on the island in question .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3026 / 92

by Mr Jan Sonneveld ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 14 December 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 40 )

Subject : Food aid in the form of tinned beef

The demand for international food aid is expected to
increase in the next few years, in particular, aid programmes
for Eastern Europe and parts of Africa . Under the food-aid
programme, beef is distributed from Community
intervention stocks, for which purpose it is necessary to
conserve it for the purposes of transport, given the problems
which can arise affecting the quality of frozen meat during
transport and distribution .

However, for transport in tins, the usual solution,
production can take up to two months . To ensure rapid and
efficient distribution of food aid the Community should
have available a strategic supply of, for example, 100 000
tonnes of tinned meat .

1 . What view does the Commission take of holding

strategic stocks of tinned meat available for food aid ?

2 . Which directorate-general would be responsible for
(M OJ No L 175, 5 . 7 . 1985, p. 40 . administering such strategic food aid stocks ?

No C 283 / 22 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

3 . If obstacles to holding strategic stocks of meat products
are purely procedural, will the Commission take
immediate steps to remove such obstacles ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 1993 )

1 . The Commission is currently examining the possibility
of creating a stock of tinned beef and veal products from
which food aid could be drawn when needed .

2 . Management of such a stock is dependent upon many
factors, currently being studied, which govern the nature of
the stock . Pending the outcome of this study, the
Commission is not in a position to decide who should
administer the stock .

3 . There are no purely procedural obstacles to creating
such a stock .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3074 / 92

What steps will the Commission take, and when, to prevent
the closure of this Centre ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 July 1993 )

The International Centre for European Community Studies
and Documentation ( CISDCE ) was founded in 1958 in
Milan . It performs an important function providing
documentation for university students and staff, for local
government and for business . It cooperates closely with the
Commission Office in Milan, near which it is located .

Of all the European documentation centres the CISDCE has
the most comprehensive range of material on European
affairs and international organizations, and it would be
highly regrettable if it were to close for lack of funding from
the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs .

According to information from the CISDCE itself it would
seem that the Ministry released the funds on 31 November

1992 .

N

bv Mr Luigi Moretti ( ARC ) WRITTEN QUESTION No 3106 / 92

to the Commission of the European Communities

by Mr Gianfranco Amendola, Mr Jean-Pierre Raffin

and Mr Virginio Bettini ( V )

( 14 December 1992 )

to the Commission of the European Communities
93 / C 283 / 41 )

( 14 December 1992 )

( 93 / C 283 / 42

Subject : Suspension of funding for the International Centre

for European Community Studies and
Documentation ( CISDCE )

In a letter dated 2 September 1992 ( 037 / 020594 ), the Italian
Foreign Ministry suspended funding for the International
Centre for Community Studies and Documentation

( CISDCE ) based in Milan, which is a non-profit-making
organization and therefore depends completely on such
public funding .

The Centre, which is the only one of its kind in Italy, carries
out extremely important work in the field of research,
information and dissemination of information about the

European Community and is used by very wide public free
of charge, including university students, companies and
national and European Members of Parliament .

In view of this, does the Commission consider that
suspension of funding and the resulting closure of the centre
can be regarded as a genuine contribution by the Italian
Government to the current process of political, social and
economic cohesion in Europe ?

Subject : Community funding in Eastern European
countries in favour of nature conservation

projects

The Community has provided funding for Eastern
European countries, including funds for environmental
protection measures . These funds were recently increased
under the Phare programme .

Certain animal populations and biotopes which have now
become rare in the Member States still exist in these

countries ( including the former GDR ) owing to the different
systems of agriculture and exploitation of tourist areas .

The Community finances measures for the preservation of
threatened species and biotopes through its LIFE
programme, whose beneficiaries now include the former
GDR since the unification of Germany .

1 . Can the Commission finance nature conservation

projects irl Eastern European countries in the
framework of existing financial instruments ?

V t

     

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 23

2 If so, has the Commission already funded or co-funded Warta River Foundation ; support of independent

projects for the protection of animal and / or plant species foundation that will facilitate nature conservation in the
belonging to natural biotopes in the countries of Central region and develop protective instruments in
and Eastern Europe ? cooperation with other agencies in the region ( ECU 0,5

million ).
3 If

4

If so, has the Commission already funded or co-funded
projects for the protection of animal and / or plant species
belonging to natural biotopes in the countries of Central
and Eastern Europe ?

If the answer to the second question is yes, what projects
have been financed and how much was allocated to each

project ?

If the answer to the first question was no, does the
Commission intend to provide funds for the protection
of natural habitats in Eastern European countries ? If so,
how ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 March 1993 )

The protection of the environment in the countries of
Central and Eastern Europe has always been considered an
important part of the Phare Programme, and under its
recently increased budget its environmental programmes
will in the foreseeable future continue in Poland, the Czech
and Slovak Republics, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania and
also expand into the three Baltic States and Albania .

In the framework of the projects in favour of the countries of
Eastern Europe the Commission has, through budget line
B.4-3010, contributed to projects in the former East
Germany relating to nature conservation . In 1991, the
contribution was ECU 3,0 million and in 1992 ECU 4,5
million allocated as follows :

— Protection and improvement of the biotopes at the plain

of the lower parts of the Havel Valley ( Brandenburger
Land ECU 1,05 million ).

Support for the establishment of a National Park in
Vorpommern ( ECU 3,75 million ).

Support for first phase of the creation of a National Park
in ' Unter Oder ' ( Brandenburger Land ECU 1,5 million )
and

Conservation of biotopes in Brandenburger Land ( ECU
1,2 million ).

The Commission is able to finance nature conservation

through the Phare Programme provided it is a subject of
priority for the recipient country .

A number of specific projects, summarized below, relating
specifically to nature conservation, have already been
financed through the Phare programme :

Poland 1990

The great Mazurian Lakes Foundation ; support for the
independent foundation, and study of water pollution in
the area which includes many nature reserves, support
for development of ecological farming and tourism in
the area which will enhance and improve existing nature
conservation and harmonize future investment with

Poland 1991

— Green lungs of Poland ; programme planned to run pilot

projects for water and forest protection in protected
forests in Eastern Poland ( budget not yet defined ).

Hungary 1990

Koros Oxbov Rehabilitation ; support for the
preparation of an environmental impact assessment
leading to a proposal for dredging the silt and for
disposal method and sites environmentally acceptable .

Study on Environmental Impacts of Agricultural
Intensification ( ECU 0,04 million ).

 - Wetlands and Grasslands Protection Study ( ECU 0,2

million ).

Support for the establishment of Ferto Lake National
Park ; technical and logistical support for the
establishment of the National Park ( ECU 1,4
million ).

Hungary 1991

Support for the development of new legislative and
administrative practices for nature conservation and
institutional strengthening ( ECU 0,5 million ).

Support for the installation of a computerized
information system in support of the activities of
national and local authorities involved in nature

conservation ( ECU 0,3 million ).

Study on Eco-Tourism in National Parks and on zoning ;
the study provides an assessment of the potential of
eco-tourism in Hungary and prepares the framework for
the development of eco-tourism ( ECU 0,25 million ).

Programme for the protection of the Great Bustard

( ECU 0,13 million ).

Albania 1992

An adviser on eco-tourism has been seconded to the

Albanian government to help develop environmentally
favourable tourism which will protect the rich heritage
of unspoilt wilderness and wildlife .

Regional 1991

— Extension of the Corine Biotope Programme to Poland,

Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Romania ;
support for the application of the methodologies
developed through the Corine programme ( ECU 0,5
million ).

the area which will enhance and improve existing nature Two components in the Integrated Environmental
conservation and harmonize future investment with Programme for the Danube River specifically relate to

priority for protected areas ( ECU 1,8 million ). nature conservation : 1 . Danube Delta applied research

No C 283 / 24 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

programme ( ECU 3,5 million ) and 2 . Inventory of
biological resources in the Danube River Basin ( Budget
still to be defined ).

In addition to its existing projects in nature conservation,
the Commission warmly welcomes the recent initiative of
the Global Environment Facility in its US $ 4,5 million
bio-diversity programme in Poland . The Commission plans
the closest cooperation with other donors and development
agencies in improving the process of nature protection
elsewhere in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe .
To this end activities relating to the development and
improvement of the forest protection and reafforestation of
damaged forest areas will be given priority . Preliminary
discussions with FAO relating to the protection of the
genetic resources in the Countries of Central and Eastern
Europe have just been initiated .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3167 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3249 / 92

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 44 )

Subject : Subsidies to non-governmental international
youth organizations

Budget Article A-322 provides for an appropriation for
subsidies to non-governmental international youth
organizations .

Which organizations received subsidies in 1991 and 1992 ?
How much was allocated to them ? Please give a brief
description of each project financed and state where the
organizations are based .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3250 / 92

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 93 / C 283 / 43 ) (6 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 45 )

Subject : Implementation of Regulation ( EEC ) No 768 / 89

by Greece

The Greek authorities have so far failed to implement
Regulation ( EEC ) No 768 / 89 { l ) which provides for aid for
products adversely affected by the reform of the original
common agricultural policy . Does the Commission intend
to ask for a specific programme for the immediate
implementation of the above-mentioned regulation, to be
submitted to the EC for approval ?

(!) OJ No L 84, 29 . 3 . 1989, p. 8 .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 May 1993 )

It is true that the Greek authorities have not to date

implemented Regulation ( EEC ) No 768 / 89 concerning
transitional aid to agricultural income . However Member
States are not under the terms of this Regulation required to
introduce such schemes . Equally, it is not incumbent upon
the Commission to request implementation of this
Regulation .

However, the Greek authorities recently notified the
Commission a draft programme of transitional agricultural
income aid and the Commission is at present cooperating
with these authorities in examining compliance of the
proposed programme with Community income aid rules .

Subject : Subsidies to organizations advancing the idea of

Europe

Budget Article A-304 is intended to cover aid to groups,
movements, circles or activities of a European nature . It is
also to be used to finance the associations which support
local and regional authorities in their efforts to promote
better structural organization at European level and finance
the activities carried out by them .

What groups, movements, circles or activities received
subsidies in 1991 and 1992 ? How much was allocated to
them ? Please give a brief description of each project
financed .

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 3249 / 92 and 3250 / 92

given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 July 1993 )

The Commission would draw the Honourable Member 's

attention to the fact that lists of the organizations subsidized
under the budget headings in question are sent to
Parliament 's Secretary-General every year . Further
information may be obtained direct from Parliament 's
Committee on Budgetary Control .

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 25

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3255 / 92

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 January 1993 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3284 / 92

by Mr Bouke Beumer ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 46 ( 93 / C 283 / 47 )

Subject : Subsidy for education for the handicapped

Budget Item A-3261 provides for an appropriation for a
subsidy to ' an establishment ' specializing in the social
integration of handicapped people .

Which ' establishment ' is this and how much was allocated

to it in 1991 and 1992 ? Please give a brief description of the
project subsidized .

Where is the ' establishment ' based ?

Subject : Digital technology and the protection of
copyright

Digital technology has made the distribution, editing,
mixing and copying of audiovisual material increasingly
simple and, in theory at least, copies can be made which are
of the same high quality as the original product .

1 . Does the Commission agree that, as a result of digital
technology artists / producers of audiovisual material are
increasingly losing control of their original product ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission 2 .

Can the Commission confirm and if possible explain the
fact that, in the United States apparatus enabling
unlimited numbers of pirate copies to be made of digital
compact cassettes is prohibited while in the Community
it is not ( as yet )?

( 28 May 1993 )

Item A-3261 ( Education for the handicapped ) was first
included in the Commission budget in 1992 . It carried a
token entry and, since no transfer was made to the item in

1991, no projects were financed .

The item was included in the 1 993 preliminary draft budget
by mistake . For although the new project devised by the
Commission, for which it has sought and obtained an
appropriation of ECU 300 000, does entail action to assist
the handicapped, it does not focus specifically on
education .

The Commission proposes to launch a pilot project in the
shape of a ' Europe Foundation ', whose task it will be to
stimulate progress in this area . The item heading will
therefore be altered accordingly in the 1994 preliminary
draft budget .

The ' Europe Foundation ' will encourage the integration of
the handicapped on two fronts :

— through the example which the European institutions, as

public authorities, can set in recruiting handicapped
people and in their duty of care towards handicapped
people directly dependent on their staff ;

— by promoting recognition of the rights of the
handicapped, further cooperation, the dissemination of
methods, increased resources and greater collective

awareness .

The Foundation will have a flexible organization and consist
exclusively of professionals with particular skills with
regard to the handicapped, possibly assisted by a number of
seconded Community officials .

1993 will be a trial year, and appropriations cannot be used
until the second half of the year .

3 . In view of the increasing use of digital technology, what
steps are envisaged by the Commission to ensure
compliance with copyright provisions ?

4 . Has the question of copyright and digital technology
been raised during the current round of GATT
negotiations and have any agreements been reached ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( IS July 1993 )

1 . The significance of the home copying issue and the
impact of digital technology was recognized by the
Commission in both the 1988 Green Paper on Copyright
and the Challenge of Technology ( x ) and in the 1991
follow-up to the Green Paper ( 2 ). Digital technology
provides a new means for the fixation, transmission,
broadcasting, reproduction and presentation of text, image
and sound materials . This diversifies the means by which
rightholders can exploit their works . It also creates new
means for high quality reproduction of the materials made
available in digital form . The extent to which this new
technology represents a gain or loss to rightholders depends
on the uses made of the technology and the conditions
applied to those uses under contractual and other
arrangements within the framework of applicable copyright
protection .

2 . The Commission can confirm that no action has been

taken at Community level to prohibit the manufacture,

No C 283 / 26 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

distribution or sale to the public of digital compact cassette
recording equipment capable of making unlimited numbers
of copies . Agreement was reached in 1989 between
European and Japanese manufacturers to apply the Serial
Copy Management System ( SCMS ) to digital audio tapes to
limit copying to one generation ( that is, recordings taken
direct from pre-recorded media ); thereby preventing copies
being taken from copies already taken from the
pre-recorded source, further copies from those copies, etc .
The Commission is monitoring the situation in relation to
any problems which might arise out of the presence on the
market of equipment capable of serial copying of sound
recordings from digital compact cassettes within the
Community .

3 . The question whether action would be appropriate at
the Community level in this context is still under
examination within the Commission .

themselves must also be stamped with the date on which
they were laid .

So far the r Commission and the majority of the other
Member States have rejected Germany 's demand to make it
compulsory to indicate the date on which eggs are laid .

Why does the Commission reject this ?

Does the Commission see any connection between the very
long period between laying and packing eggs ( 10 days !) and
the increasing incidence of salmonella poisoning ?

Is the Commission prepared to review the relevant EC rules
on the labelling of eggs ?

The impact of digital technology on copyright is not a
subject of specific provision in the present stage of the WRITTEN QUESTION No 3418 / 92
GATT negotiations .

( x ) Copyright and the Challenge of Technology — Copyright Issues

Requiring Immediate Attention COM(88 ) 172 final of 7 June

1988, Chapter 3 .

( 2 ) Follow-up to the Green Paper — Working Programme of the

Commission in the Field of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights
COM(9Q ) 584 final, Chapter 3 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3346 / 92

by Mrs Ursula Schleicher ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 48 )

Subject : Salmonella poisoning — compulsory indication of

the date on which eggs are laid

In Germany as well as other Member States there has been
an alarming increase in the number of cases of salmonella
poisoning, which is often fatal in old people . One of the
main causes of this appears to be that food containing fresh
eggs is not properly heated .

At present EC marketing standards require only the date of
packaging to be indicated on egg cartons . These rules limit
the period between the egg being laid and packed to a
maximum ten days ! Although in Germany, for example, this
period is usually reduced to four or five days, it is, to put it
mildly, misleading to take the date of packaging as an
indication of the freshness of the eggs .

At the moment there is no scope under Community law for
laying down national rules making it compulsory to indicate
the date on which eggs are laid . However, it is possible to do
so voluntarily . In this case the eggs cartons must be labelled
accordingly when the eggs are packed but the eggs

by Mrs Annemarie Kuhn ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 49 )

Subject : Compulsory indication on egg packaging of the

date when eggs were laid

t

In Germany, the number of cases of salmonella poisoning
have almost quadrupled in recent years, from 30 000 in

1985 to over 115 000 at present in the original Federal
Lander alone . In 1986, 48 death from salmonella poisoning
were recorded in the old Federal Republic, and in 1990 the
number had risen to 116 . In view of this trend, which is
currently being reflected in almost all European countries, it
is totally incomprehensible that hen 's eggs which may be up
to 10 days old may still be sold as fresh eggs .

1 . The only information available to the consumer
purchasing eggs is printed on the packaging . What
prompted the Commission to oppose compulsory
indication of the date when the eggs were laid, as was
requested by the German Government in connection
with amended marketing legislation ?

2 . In view of the above statistics, does the Commission
now see any objections to introducing Community rules
on compulsory indication on the packaging of the date
when the eggs were laid ?

3 . Will the Commission take suitable steps to ensure the
consumer can obtain information on how old the eggs
really are ?

4 . To date, the cold storage or refrigeration of eggs during
transport has not been compulsory . Does not the

Commission consider that a ' cold chain ' from producer
to consumer would reduce the danger of salmonella
poisoning, and does it consider that action should be
taken accordingly ?

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 27

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 3346 / 92 and 3418 / 92

given by Mr Steichen
on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 1993 )

1 . It is unrealistic to require the compulsory
date-stamping of eggs since it would be impossible to carry
out routine checks to verify this information, especially in
the case of small-scale producers and packers . Given current
marketing conditions, Member States have hitherto found it
acceptable to combine obligatory indication of the packing
date, which normally takes place within three or four days
of the laying date, with the optional indication of
supplementary dates ( date of laying, recommended sell-by
date or best-before date ).

2 . Scientific research has shown that it takes at least 21

days for salmonella to proliferate in contaminated eggs
stocked at ambient temperature . This being the case, the
Commission feels that there is no connection between the

maximum time lapse permitted between the date of laying
and the date of packing, which is 10 days, and outbreaks of
salmonella .

3 . The Commission, on the basis of available scientific
knowledge, is currently consulting the Member States with a
view to revising Community rules governing both the dates
which should appear on eggs and appropriate marketing
requirements .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3378 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 January 1993 )

93 / C 283 / 50 )

Subject : Special problems facing the beef and veal sector in

Greece

The Community 's measures to deal with problems in the
beef and veal sector are generally satisfactory . In Greece,
however, these measures are creating problems because of
the particular difficulties with feeding and, especially, the
lack of pastureland . In an effort to promote extensification
of production it was decided that subsidies would be
granted, both for bulls and suckler cows, on an area-related
basis, the standard density from 1996 being set at 2 LU per

hectare . During the transitional period the density
coefficient will be as follows : 1993 3,5 LU / ha, 1994 3 LU / ha
and 1995 2,5 LU / ha . This structural system, which is in fact
the most rational way of producing livestock products,
unfortunately cannot apply in Greece . Despite the fact that
provision has been made for small holdings and the two
types of premium, setting density at 15 LU, it is estimated
that the total in ECU of the two subsidies which Greece

receives at present will be reduced in spite of the increase in
the subsidy for suckler cows as a considerable number of
holdings do not fulfil the density conditions and others are
unable to adjust . Will the Commission submit a proposal for
resolving the problems faced by the beef and veal sector in
Greece ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 June 1993 )

The difficulties in the beef and veal sector mentioned by the
Honourable Member stem basically from increased
production largely due to an expansion of intensive farming
involving feeding based on maize or on cereal substitutes
and oilseeds ( soya ) that the Community has in great
measure to import .

Faced with such a situation it appeared essential, as part of
the common agricultural policy reform supported in its
main lines by Parliament in March 1992, to curb
intensification of production methods, encourage
extensification and help agriculture move to more
environmentally friendly methods by promoting quality
products .

The Commission is well aware of the difficulties that

intensive producers may encounter as a result of the reform
changes . It must be stressed however that it is this type of
farm that will be the main beneficiary of lower cereal prices
and that small farms with some 15 livestock units ( 15
suckler cows or 25 young male bo vines ) are exempt from the
maximum stocking density requirement .

As regards application of premiums in Greece, it should be
remembered that since Greece is an Objective 1 region
farmers also receive, an ECU 20 supplement to the suckler
cow premium from the EAGGF Guarantee Section and that
additional reserves of premium rights are scheduled for less
favoured areas .

The Commission has already made plans to monitor the
new premium arrangements closely, in particular overall

\

" No C 283 / 28 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

quota levels and producer take-up in the different parts of
the Community, so that it will be aware of any danger of
serious imbalance that in fact arises .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3403 / 92

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

deliberate policy which gives them an advantage of
approximately 15% over European firms in all
international invitations to tender .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3424 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 January 1993 )

( 25 January 1993 ) ( 93 / C 283 / 52 )

( 93 / C 283 / 51 )

Subject : Implementation of Directive 91 / 414 / EEC

Subject : Development aid in Africa

Is there any truth to the claim by Ferhat Yunes,
Vice-President of the African Development Bank, that ' only
seven out of every one hundred dollars spent in Africa reach
their intended recipient '?

What are the implications of that claim for total EC aid to
Africa ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 July 1993 )

The claim attributed to the Vice-President of the African

Development Bank that no more than 7 % of the dollar sum
spent on Africa reaches its intended recipients seems
completely unfounded, and would in any case be impossible
to substantiate without further details .

In general terms, it can be said that most of what is spent on
Africa does reach the continent, whether as funds ( in dollars
or another form ) or as goods and services acquired with
those funds .

In the case of Community aid to Africa, the claim holds no
truth whatsoever, as this assistance is given almost entirely
in the form of grants . As a result, it goes entirely to the
recipient countries, with the net transfer approaching 100 %
of the total . In addition, many operations focus directly on
local communities, particularly the most disadvantaged .
Examples are microprojects, co-financing of NGO projects,
food aid, emergency humanitarian aid, welfare-related
projects and programmes in areas . such as health and
education, and projects and programmes for rural
development .

With regard to contracts financed with Community aid

( from the EDF, which is the main source for Africa ),
approximately 40 % are awarded to local firms, thanks to a

Has Directive 91 / 414 / EEC (*) on the placing of plant
protection products on the market been implemented and
have uniform principles for the evaluation of pesticides been
put into effect ?

(•) O ] No L 230, 19 . 8 . 1991, p. 1 .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 May 1993 )

Directive 91 / 414 / EEC on the placing of plant protection
products on the market stipulates that Member States must
conform to the provisions of the Directive by 25 July 1993,
the only exception being Article 10, paragraph 1 on mutual
recognition of authorizations . This provision has to be
implemented by Member States within one year of adopting
the uniform principles . The uniform principles have to be
adopted by the Council on Commission proposal and must
ensure that Member States make decisions on authorization

which equally satisfy each of the criterion for authorization
set out in the Directive .

The Commission is finalizing the proposal in question .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3443 / 92

by Mr Peter Crampton ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 53 )

Subject : Suckler cow premium

Can the Commission tell me which Member States pay the
optional supplement and what the percentage of SCP
payments in EC countries is ?

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 29

Answer by Mr Steichen
on behalf of the Commission

( 19 July 1993 )

reservoirs, which would have serious environmental and
social repercussions, with the aim of providing irrigation
systems for over 800 000 hectares .

It should be pointed out that farmers are currently ceasing to
1 . According to information from Member States, in grow many types of crop on irrigated land and the future of
1992 the national addition to suckler cow premium was some 40 % of such crops is very uncertain .
granted by Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and United
Kingdom on the basis of their own funds and for Greece, In view of the new common agricultural policy ( CAP ) and
Ireland and Northern Ireland financed by the EAGGF the recent definition of the environment as an objective
Guarantee Section . Regarding the year 1993, final decisions which should guide and be included in various Community
have not been made by some Member States yet . policies and Community legislation in general :

2 . The table below sets out the percentage of allocation
of suckler cow premiums granted per Member State in 1991

( figures for 1992 are not yet available, as the period of
retention could finish at the end of June 1993 ). As regards
payments in Member States, these figures result from the
total number of suckler cows which received a premium

(8 496 780 ) multiplied by ECU 50 per cow ( amount of the
premium for 1991 / 92 ).

( % )

Belgium 3,1

Denmark 1,1

Germany 2,4

Greece 1,7

Spain 15,4

France 38,4

Ireland 8,8

Italy 8,2

Luxembourg 0,1

Netherlands 0,5

Portugal 2,8

United Kingdom 17,5

Total 100,0

Does the Commission consider that the Spanish
Government 's plans for constructing 272 new reservoirs,
whose water would be used for new crops grown on
irrigated land, are satisfactory ? Are they compatible with
the recent reform of and future plans for the CAP ?

In view of the fact that reservoirs are ' infesting ' mountain
and hillfarming areas and having regard more generally to
the impact of such projects on the environment, are these
draft guidelines compatible with the Community 's policy
for developing mountain and hill-farming regions ? Does the
Commission not agree that they are incompatible with the
reform of agricultural structures, one of the guiding
principles of which is environmental protection ?

How can all these projects be reconciled with Community
environmental law and environmental action programmes,
particularly the fifth environmental action programme,
which focus on ' biological diversity ', ' natural habitats ',
reduction of the risks of natural disasters ( erosion, flooding,
etc .) and the relation between the environment and
agriculture within the framework of ' sustainable
development '?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(2 July 1993 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3451 / 92 The view of the Commission on the Itoiz reservoir

by Mr Karmelo Landa Mendibe ( NI ) development is that the Spanish plans with respect to water

resources remain predominantly the domain of the Member
to the Commission of the European Communities State, in line with the principle of subsidiarity .

( 25 January 1993 )

93 / C 283 / 54 The CAP reform last year has to be implemented by means
of national legislation, ensuring the adaptation of all plans
and projects to take it into account . The Commission cannot
Subject : The Itoiz reservoir ( Navarre — Spanish state ) and pre-judge the adequacy of programmes before the Member

the interrelation between Community policies on States submit them for possible co-financing .

the interrelation between Community policies on States submit them for possible co-financing .
the environment, agriculture and regional
development
Under Directive 85 / 337 / EEC ( l ) on environmental impact
assessment, the Itoiz reservoir development and indeed each

Government recently made public its draft of the projects included in the plans for 272 new reservoirs
on the water resources plans for the different would be classified as annex II projects . They would thus be
areas throughout the Spanish state . The plans subject to an environmental impact assessment ( EIA ), were
for the construction of 272 new regulating the environmental effects of the projects felt to be notable .

The Spanish Government recently made public its draft
guidelines on the water resources plans for the different
catchment areas throughout the Spanish state . The plans
provide for the construction of 272 new regulating

No C 283 / 30 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

The procedure should allow the identification and taking
into account of possible environmental risks associated with
the project by consideration at an early stage of the
project .

However, integration of the environmental dimension in the
preparation of national and regional operational
programmes as well as in the follow up to implementation of
measures, is one of the objectives pursued in the context of
the new state of the Structural Funds .

t 1 ) OJ No L 175, 5 . 7 . 1985 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3464 / 92

by Mr Domènec Romera i Alcàzar ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 55 )

»

Subject : Planned measures for the elderly

Can the Commission say what measures for the elderly are
currently being financed by the European Social Fund and
what future ESF measures are planned in the context of the
European Year of the Elderly, which is now
commencing ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(2 June 1993 )

During 1993, European Year of Older People and Solidarity
between Generations, numerous different activities will take
place across the Community, in the following categories :

— studies and publications on key topics carried out

Community-wide by the Commission ;

— establishment, by the Commission, of networks linking

innovative projects across the Community ;

— joint initiatives, involving the Commission and national

authorities on policy issues concerning older people ;

— learning and awareness-raising projects, led in the main

by older people 's organizations, at all levels .

The last category is numerically the most important,
comprising by the opening of the European Year some 500

activities . Some of these activities are supported financially
by the Commission and / or national authorities, others by
neither . In so far as the activities financially supported by the
Commission are concerned, the funding arrangements are as
laid down in the Council Decision concerning European
Year 1993 . The European Social Fund is not involved in this
funding .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3477 / 92

by Mr Enrico Falqui ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 28 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 56 )

Subject : Lack of an environmental impact assessment for a

planned plant for producing oil from live residues
at Radicondoli ( Tuscany, Italy )

Considering that there is a project to set up a plant for
producing oil from olive residues in the Radicondoli area

( Sienna, Tuscany, Italy );

considering that this plant is designed to process 230 000
tonnes per year of olive residues left over from the extraction
of olive oil and various seeds of uncertain origin and,
moreover, of widely differing characteristics, including
matter that might be considered ' special waste ' in view of its
composition ;

whereas the plant may have a damaging effect on the
environment both in terms of atmospheric pollution and the
quality of the surface waters, particularly the Fosso
Fiumarello, which at the moment contains water of high
quality ;

whereas the arrival and departure of heavy goods vehicles in
an area that is know to be vulnerable and liable to landslides

will cause grave problems ;

whereas applications have been made for EEC funding for
the implementation of the project under the Thermie
programme for energy saving, which in fact would seem to
be groundless, as it is predicted that the factory will only use
geothermal energy for some 20 % of its requirements ;

whereas the area is currently well-suited to agricultural use
and a project of the type outlined here would, for this
reason, have an adverse impact on economic development in
the area ;

whereas the project, which is covered by Annex II to
Directive 85 / 337 / EEC ( point 7a ) ( 1 ), has not been the
subject of an environmental impact assessment study ;

Does not the Commission consider it should make

representations to the competent authorities and request

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 31

them to reconsider the appropriateness of giving this project
the go ahead .

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

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 July 1993 )

As the Honourable Member stated in his question, the
planned olive oil plant is covered by the scope of Directive

85 / 337 / EEC as it appears in Annex II to the Directive .

Under Article 4 ( 2 ), therefore, this type of project must
therefore be the subject of an environmental impact
assessment if it is considered that it is likely to have
significant effects by virtue inter alia of the location or size of
the project itself .

In the case of the project at Radiocondoli in T uscany, the
information available does not at this stage enable the
Commission to conclude that the Italian authorities have

failed to exercise the power of assessment invested in them
under the above Article .

Lastly, the Commission has not yet received any request for
Community finance for this project under the Thermie
programme for energy saving .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3493 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 28 January 1993 )

strategic programme for the management and development
of the internal market before the end of this year . This
programme is the outcome of widespread consultation on a
working paper adopted by the Commission on 2 June

1993 ( 2 ) that was communicated to Parliament, the Council,
the Member States and economic operators .

Information policy is one of the key elements of the strategic
programme, the aim being to improve information on the
operation of the internal market .

A number of initiatives have already been launched in this
field, subject of course to current budgetary constraints
which for 1993 reflect those of the previous year .

One such initiative is the Info 92 database . Updated almost
daily, it contains a mass of information on Directives
relating to the single market, detailing their content, their
Official Journal references, their current state of progress,
national transposition measures and consolidated texts .
This database, which has been available in all nine official
languages since 1989, contains more than 600 files .

All the data is available electronically and is published on a
regular basis ; the information on national transposition
measures is published twice a year .

The Commission has now produced seven annual reports,
duly presented to the Council and the Parliament, on the
implementation of the White Paper on completing the
internal market .

The first annual report on the operation of the internal
market is due to be published this year to help the authorities
in the Member States to establish priorities and to provide
the business world with information an how the internal

market operates .

( 93 / C 283 / 57 ) (M Resolution A3-0401 / 92 .

( 2 ) COM(93 ) 256 final .

Subject : Information regarding Community directives

The legal framework for the implementation of the internal
market consists of over 300 Community directives laying
down the rights and obligations of the Member States, the
national authorities, undertakings and citizens . Given the
great demand for public information on this matter, will the
Commission say when and how it intends to undertake a
public information campaign in cooperation with the
governments of the Member States of the Community ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3503 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 28 January 1993 )

93 / C 283 / 58

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 July 1993 )

In the wake of the resolution adopted by Parliament on

18 December 1992 ( J ), the Commission is to propose a

Subject : Commercial policy on fisheries

As regards commercial policy, the Community has
expressed its intention to reach a balance between the

No C 283 / 32 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

interests of fishermen on the one hand and of the consumers

on the other as well as of the fish processing sector . Can the
Commission state whether a specific proposal to implement
this plan has been drawn up ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(3 June 1993 )

The major elements of the commercial policy in the fishery
sector can briefly be characterized by the principle of
' Community preference ' and the principle ' Access to
markets — access to resources '. These principles have been
implemented in particular in a number of bilateral
agreements with third countries, striking a balance between
the interest of Community fishermen on the one hand and
that of the processing sector and consumers on the
other .

Due to the Community 's prevailing supply deficit for fishery
products, it is necessary — on an annual basis — to
supplement the market supply for certain whitefish
products . This is done through autonomous tariff quotas
and tariff suspensions, mainly to the explicit benefit for the
EC processing industry . The quantitative volume of these
tariff concessions, as well as the level of the duty reductions,
is determined in such a way that the principle of Community
preference is safeguarded .

private firms the Greek Government has appointed to
provide management advice on and assess the 13 IMP
projects and 13 regional programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 June 1993 )

»

Since the firms in question were selected by the Greek
authorities it would be more appropriate for the
Honourable Member 's question to be addressed to the
Greek Ministry of National Economy .

»

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3516 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 28 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 60

Subject : Malaria in a Greek village

The 535 inhabitants of the Greek village of Mouriki in

has recently proposed a number of Boeotia are in a very difficult situation . Four inhabitants of
concessions, which will enter into force during the village are suffering from malaria, a disease which was

reflect the completely new supply situation thought to have been eradicated in Greece many years ago .
from the entry into force of the EEA Unconfirmed reports state that a further five persons are
. suffering from the same disease . The village is on the banks

of the lake of Paralimni which has turned into a swamp
because excessive amounts of water have been pumped out
and is now an enormous breeding ground for this disease .
Given that the spraying of the area of powerful insecticides
has so far proved ineffective and that Paralimni is close both
to agricultural land and to the lake of Iliki which is used as a
WRITTEN QUESTION No 3514 / 92 water supply for Attica, can the Commission say how it can
help the Greek authorities deal with this situation ?

The Commission has recently proposed a number of
autonomous concessions, which will enter into force during

1993 and reflect the completely new supply situation
resulting from the entry into force of the EEA
Agreement .

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 28 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 59 Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 April 1993 )

Subject : IMP projects in Greece

According to allegations published in the Greek newspaper
Ethnos on 30 November 1992, the Under-Secretary of State
for the Economy, Mr Tsiplakos, has shown favouritism
towards the brother of the Greek Minister of Agriculture,
Mr Koskinas, and entrusted him with the task of supervising
all IMP projects in Crete, for which services he will receive
Dr 31 million and a percentage on the individual projects
providing they utilize more than 80 % of funds . In view of
the above allegations, can the Commission name the 38

The Commission has no powers under which it can verify
the accuracy of reports of malaria cases to which the
Honourable Member refers or make proposals to the Greek
Government for measures to protect people who are
exposed to the risk of communication of disease by reason
of local practices .

The Commission can confirm the Honourable Member 's

statement that malaria has been eradicated from Western

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 33

Europe in general and Greece in particular for several
decades now . It is true that malaria is still endemic in other

parts of the world, notably in Africa . The sporadic cases of
malaria recorded in Europe tend to have been contracted in
places where the disease remains endemic rather than in
Europe itself .

It is for the relevant Greek authorities to assess the specific
situation of the village of Mouriki in Boeotia and on Lakes
Iliki and Paralimni and either to suspend the draining of the
lakes or to eradicate malaria-bearing mosquitoes by familiar
chemical techniques that pose no threat to agriculture ; other
Member States where the problem occasionally exists
already do this .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 4 / 93

by Mr Diego de los Santos Lopez ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(3 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 61 )

Subject : The ' death road ' between Iznallor and Campotejar

( Granada )

The reply from Commissioner Millan to Written Question
No 2058 / 92 (*) states that ' the Commission 's only task is to
ensure that the projects in question relate to specific regional
development problems and help to develop and forge
territorial links in the regions where they are carried
out '.

What is the Commission 's opinion of Article 25 ( 1 ) of
Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 4253 / 88 ( 2 ) of 19 December

1988, which states that ' within the framework of the
partnership, the Commission (. . .) shall ensure effective
monitoring of implementation of assistance from the Funds,
geared to the « Community support framework and specific
operations '?

In the context of Written Question No 2058 / 92, how can
the Commission ensure effective monitoring of the
assistance provided ?

H OJ No C 61, 3 . 3 . 1993, p . 13 .,

to these . It is established by close cooperation between
the Commission, the Member State concerned and the
appropriate bodies designated by it ... named
Partnership . The partnership covers the preparation,
financing, the follow-up and the evaluation of the
actions ' ( 1 ).

' The Commission and the Member States, within the
framework of the partnership, ensure an effective
monitoring of the implementation of aid from the Fund
on a level with the Community Support Framework and
on a level with the specific actions ( programmes,
etc .)' ( 2 ).

Concretely the follow-up is ensured by the taking into
physical and financial indicator account making it possible
to indicate :

— the state of progress of the operation,

— the progress of management and the possible related

problems .

At all the stages of the actions, it is up to the Commission to
take care of the respect of the Community policies and
standards ( environment, public markets, aid schemes etc .).
In the respect of the principle of subsidiarity, it does not
replace the Member States in the competences which fall
them, such as the definition of the technical criteria which
have to be filled by the roads .

( V ) Extract of Article 4, first paragraph of Council Regulation

( EEC ) No 2052 / 88 of 24 June 1988 ( OJ No L 185, 15 . 7 .
1988 ).

( 2 ) Extract of Article 25, first paragraph of Council Regulation

( EEC ) No 4253 / 88 of 1 9 December 1988 ( OJ No L 374, 31.12 .
1988 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 5 / 93

by Mr Diego de los Santos López ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(3 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 62 )

( 2 ) OJ No L 374, 31 . 12 . 1988, p . 1 . Subject : Cadiz-Huelva link

The Commission has adopted an Operating Programme for
the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir

Answer given by Mr Millan ( 1990—1993 ).
on behalf of the Commission

( 26 May 1993 )

A more complete quotation of relevant regulation is
necessary in order to illustrate the role of the Commission in
this context :

' The Community project is conceived as a complement
of the corresponding national actions or a contribution

The programme makes provision for a total investment of
Ptas 27 317,3 million, of which some Ptas 14 901,5 million
are provided by the ERDF .

It includes the proposed construction of a tunnel under the
River Guadalquivir, which would be of vital importance for
communications between the Andalusian provinces of
Huelva and Cadiz .

No C 283 / 34 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

In the context of cooperation pursuant to Article 25 ( 1 ) of
Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 4253 / 88 ( J ), can the
Commission provide some information on the development
of Community resources for the building of the tunnel ?

— the establishment of an industry fur institute ;

— the promotion of furs .

It should be borne in mind that the fur industry is the

What stage of implemen tation has the project reached, what backbone of economic activity throughout much of the
sums have been made available and when is work expected region of western Macedonia . The towns of Siatista and
to be completed ? Kastoria have long been established in the furriery sector,

treating large quantities of animal skins, almost all of which
i 1 ) OJ No L 374, 31 . 12 . 1988, p. 1 . are imported from abroad .

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

(6 July 1993 )

The Operational Programme for the lower reaches of the
Guadalquivir provides for the construction of a tunnel
under the River Guadalquivir . The total cost of the project
will be ECU 24,96 million, of which ECU 14,98 million will
be borne by the European Regional Development Fund .

According to information supplied by the Junta of
Andalusia, the project, which was the subject of a
supplementary technical study, was given a public airing at
the beginning of April . The tendering procedure is scheduled
to take place shortly .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 7 / 93

by Mr Edward Kellett-Bowman ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(3 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 63 )

Subject : Subsidies for fur farms

Can the Commission confirm press reports that European
funds are being used to subsidize fur farms in Greece,
including subsidies for sales exhibitions and showrooms,
and, if so, what authorization was given by the Commission
to the Greeks to use EC funds in this way ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 27 April 1993 )

Schemes part-financed by the Structural Funds in the
context of the IMP Macedonia-Thrace and the MGP

Western Macedonia involve :

— the construction of a building incorporating showrooms

and salesrooms in Kastoria ;

WRITTEN QUESTION No 12 / 93

by Mr Felice Contu ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(3 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 64 )

Subject : Slaughtering of sheep

1 . Is the Commission aware of the serious hardship
arising from the planned severe restrictions on the
slaughtering of sheep and marketing of sheepmeat in
Sardinia as a result of new Community rules in this area,
given the inadequacy of the existing facilities ( abattoirs ) on
the island for the traditional slaughtering of half a million
lambs over the Chistmas period ?

2 . Will it not be necessary to allow temporary
exemptions from this Community legislation, as for
Germany and Greece ?

3 . In any case, will it not be necessary to interpret the
term ' local consumption ' as including consumption in the
country of origin ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 June 1993 )

Council Directive 64 / 43 3 / EEC on health conditions for the

production and marketing of fresh meat, amended and
updated by Directive 91 / 497 / EEC (*), lays down specific
rules for small slaughterhouses . These cover the facilities of
and control at slaughterhouses handling not more than 12
livestock units ( LU ) per week and a maximum of 600 LU per

year .

Furthermore, Member States may authorize
slaughterhouses handling not more than 20 LU per week
and 1 000 LU per year located in regions suffering from
special geographical constraints or affected by supply
difficulties and which fulfill the hygiene requirements to
apply the same rules .

In addition, pursuant to Directive 92 / 120 / EEC ( 2 ),
slaughterhouses handling not more than 20 LU per week

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 35

and 1 000 LU per year may apply the special rules until
31 December 1994 .

Transitional provisions granting limited temporary
derogations to other establishments in operation before
1 January 1992 were enacted by Council Directive
91 / 498 / EEC of 29 July 1991 on the conditions for granting
temporary and limited derogations from specific
Community health rules on the production and marketing
of fresh meat i 1 ), in order to avoid the sudden closure of
establishments .

Community legislation thus takes account of the problems
affecting a number of both large and small slaughterhouses
throughout the Community . It is the responsibility of the
Member States, under the supervision of the Commission,
to take the measures necessary for implementing the
abovementioned Directives . The Commission takes the view

that there is no justification for granting a temporary
derogation for Sardinia or for widening the term ' local
consumption ' to ' consumption in the country of origin ',
which, given the abolition of the Community 's internal
borders, would not have the scope intended .

(!) OJ No L 268, 24 . 9 . 1991 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 62, 15 . 3 . 1992 .

primarily with a view to improving water management,
reducing losses and bringing down operating costs .
Considerable resources are provided by the EAGGF
Guidance Section and the ERDF and deployed through the
Integrated Mediterranean Programmes ( IMPs ), the national
agricultural structures Operational Programme ( OP ), the
regional Operational Programmes, and the Interreg and
Envireg initiatives . Through the latter in particular tests are
being conducted for the first time in Greece on methods of
collecting and re-using urban waste water .

The Commission, aware as it is of the problems of water
shortage in Greece and of the need for further improvement
in water management, will, within a partnership framework
and according to the priorities of the Member State
concerned, accord particular importance to this whole
question, including the recovery and re-use ofwaste water in
agriculture, in preparations for the structural measures to be
implemented during the period 1994 — 99 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 26 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(3 February 1993 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 21 / 93 ( 93 / C 283 / 66

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(3 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 65 )

Subject : Water consumption

According to official statistics, agriculture accounts for the
bulk of water consumption, particularly in Greece, where
90 % of the water supply, that is to say 7 000 million cubic
metres per year is used by agricultural, compared with only
200 million cubic metres by industry and approximately
700 million cubic metres bv cities . Given the serious water

shortage, will the Commission propose a long-term
programme for reducing the amount of water consumed by
agriculture and in particular for recycling of the abundant
quantities of waste water ?

Subject : Payment of cotton producers in Thessaly

Cotton producers in Thessaly have still not been paid
although they delivered their cotton two months ago . The
reason for this is that the Greek government has failed to
find a rapid and effective way of paying Community
subsidies, either through the ginning plant owners or
directly to producers who, in fact, are the sole legal
recipients of these funds . Does the Commission intend to
demonstrate its concern that the cotton producers of
Thessaly should be paid forthwith ?

                           - < f

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 April 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 April 1993 )

The Community cofinances, under the current CSF, a very
large number of agricultural water supply operations,

The Commission shares the Honourable Member 's opinion
that Member States should pay Community aid without
delay as soon as entitlement to such aid has been established
by the appropriate authority . If they do not, the economic
effect of the aid could be compromised .

No C 283 / 36 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

If payments are not made within these time limits, the
Commission reserves the right to refuse, through the
clearance of accounts, to finance the expenditure which
would then have to be charged to the national budget .

Community legislation also provides for Member States to
pay, at the request of the recipient, an advance on the aid
equal to the amount of the aid, as soon as the cotton is taken
into supervised storage . Under these conditions there is no
reason why ginning plant owners should not pay producers
the minimum price shortly after the raw cotton has been
delivered .

integrate environmental concerns into their production
systems . The regulation provides direct income payments to
farmers in return for positive environmental undertakings .
These might include the extensification of production, both
in terms of input useage and stocking levels, the use of
practices compatible with the ecological features of various
areas, the rearing of breeds in danger of extinction, the
upkeep of abandoned farm lead or woodlands, the setting
aside of land for at least 20 years for purposes connected
with the environment and also the management of land for
public access and leisure activities .

In the more distant future, after implementation of the
reforms common agricultural policy, as agreed last year,
many other possibilities for making the environment more
central to agriculture policy can be considered .

(') OJ No L 215, 30 . 7 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 47 / 93

by Mr Michael Welsh ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 67 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 83 / 93

Subject : Action on agriculture and the environment

Attached to the CAP compromise of 21 May was the
following statement :

Environment protection

' The Council confirms its commitment to pursuing the
requirements of environmental protection as an integral
part of the CAP and calls on the Commission to make
early proposals to take full account of these
requirements .'

by Mrs Anita Pollack ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(9 February 1993 )

93 / C 283 / 68

Subject : MFA and Bangladesh

early proposals to take full account of these Has the Commission received representations from
requirements .' Bangladesh asking to be taken off the list of countries

subject to an EC import quota under the MFA, and is any
consideration being given to the position of Bangladesh in
What progress has the Commission made in preparing this regard, since it is one of the poorest countries in the
proposals ; what areas will be covered ; when will the world ?
Commission present its proposals ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 May 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the commitment to

environmental protection as an integral part of the common
agricultural policy .

In the near future Member States will be implementing zonal
programmes to cover all Community territory under
Regulation ( EEC ) No 2078 / 92 ( :1 )' ' on agricultural
production methods compatible with the requirements of
the protection of the environment and the maintenance of
the countryside '. Uptake is mandatory by Member States,
though voluntary for farmers . As such, all farmers can

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 April 1993 )

Imports into the EC of textile and clothing products from
Bangladesh are subject to the provisions of an MFA

agreement .

The agreement, which does not provide for any restrictions
of Bangladeshi exports of textile and clothing products to
the EC, but only for a surveillance system for certain
categories of clothing products, constitutes on the other
hand an indispensable requisite for the unilateral granting
by the EC of preferential tariffs for the Bangladeshi exports
of textiles and clothing .

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 37

The surveillance measures, established with the cooperation
of the Bangladeshi authorities, aims at preventing fraud
concerning the Bangladeshi origin of imports into the
EC .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 104 / 93

by Mr Guiseppe Mottola ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 10 February 1993 )

No representations have been received from Bangladesh ( 93 / C 283 / 70 )
asking the Commission to consider excluding Bangladesh
from the group of countries having an MFA agreement with
the EC .

Subject : Crisis affecting the market in potatoes produced in

the Abruzzi and Fucino areas and market recovery
initiatives

WRITTEN QUESTION No 85 / 93

by Mr Gerhard Schmid ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(9 February 1993 )

The market in potatoes produced in the Abruzzi area in
particular Fucino, is being hit by a very serious crisis because
of the severely depressed state of the market .

( 93 / C 283 / 69 ) About 2 million quintals of potatoes are produced in the
Abruzzi over an area of 4 000 hectares by 3 000 holdings
employing 5 000 workers .

Subject : High inspection costs of organic farming

Under Regulation ( EEC ) No 2092 / 91 ( J ), organic farming is
subject to stringent monitoring by the authorities of the
Member States . In the Federal Republic of Germany, related
costs are borne by the farmers concerned . Farm inspections
cost between DM 250 and DM 450 per year . An inspection
of a bakery using organically produced ingredients costs at
least DM 800 .

1 . Does the EC regulation state that the entrepreneurs
themselves must bear the costs of inspection, or are the
Member States at liberty to decide who should defray
such costs ?

2 . How is the matter dealt with in other EC countries ?

(!) OJ No L 198, 22 . 7 . 1991, p. 1 .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(9 July 1993 )

1 . Can the Commission take special measures to
supplement producers ' incomes ?

2 .

3 .

Will the Commission call on the national bodies

responsible « ( Ministries for Agriculture, Foreign Affairs,
External Trade and the Abruzzi region ) to draw up a
specific programme of aid compatible with the common
agricultural policy, given that potatoes are not covered
by any market intervention regulations ?

Can the Commission ensure that food aid for Eastern

Europe and developing countries include a minimum of

1 million quintals of potatoes purchased at reasonable
prices from traders in this crisis-stricken sector, in the
form of potato flakes and other potato derivatives which
are easier to preserve and considerably cheaper to
transport ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2092 / 91 leaves it up to on behalf of the Commission
Member States to operate the inspection system by a public (6 July 1993 )
authority or by approved private bodies, and to decide how
the costs of the inspection are financed .

The Commission will publish in the near future a
communication listing the inspection system in each
Member State and the designated inspection authorities or
bodies .

near a 1 . Up until now there has been no common market
communication listing the inspection system in each organization for potatoes . This means that, in principle, the
Member State and the designated inspection authorities or Community market is governed by supply and demand . This
bodies . may lead to a favourable level of producer prices in years of a

poor harvest, or to price falls due to excessive supply .
According to the information available to the Commission,
most Member States have decided in favour of an inspection
system by private bodies, which charge the inspection cost The Commission 's proposal for a common market
to the operators . for submitted to the Council in

The Commission 's proposal for a common market
organization for potatoes submitted to the Council in
November 1992 ( a ) does not intend to interfere with the
functioning of the market in potatoes .

No C 283 / 38 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

2 . It is a matter for the national bodies whether or not

they want to consider an intervention plan . The
Commission does not have a role in judging whether a
regional intervention plan for potatoes is appropriate .

3 . One of the principles with respect to food aid is that
only those commodities for which a request has been made
by the recipient are delivered . The United Nations services in
charge of distributing food aid in the former Yugoslavia
have not included potatoes in their food basket, i . e . they are
not considered a basic food . No request for delivery of
potatoes or potato products other than the delivery of some

1 300 tonnes of instant mashed potatoes to former
Yugoslavia several weeks ago has been made to the
Commission .

(!) OJ No C 333, 17 . 12 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 113 / 93

by Lord O'Hagan ( PPE )

to the Council of the European Communities

( 10 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 71 )

Subject : Social Action Programme

To what extent will the Social Action Programme be

affected by the introduction of subsidiarity ?

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

In principle, subsidiarity should apply to the
implementation of the Social Action Programme in the same
way as to other spheres of Community activity .

The Presidency conclusions of the Edinburgh European
Council of 11 and 12, December 1992 lay down the
guidelines which the Council will apply in respect of
subsidiarity after the entry into force of the Treaty on
European Union ; the European Council also agreed that this
approach would guide the Council 's work in the
meantime .

Moreover, as the Honourable Member knows, talks are
going on between the European Parliament, the Council and
the Commission to reach an inter-institutional agreement
on how the principle of subsidiarity is actually to be applied
by all the institutions .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 115 / 93

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 10 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 72

Subject : Plan for university exchanges with Latin
America

According to the Spanish press, on 18 December 1992 in
Salamanca Commissioner Matutes produced a programme
for university exchange between the EC and Latin America,
more than 200 universities would be involved and the

Commission would provide funds of ECU 32 million .

No one can doubt the potential importance of this initiative
in strengthening relations between two large regions of the
world that need to understand each other and work together
to achieve peace and prosperity . At the same time, for
example, the number of Mexicans studying in the United
States has fallen by 40 % since 1981 . ( See ' The Challenge of
Interdependence ' published by the Mexican Fund for
Economic Education )

Could the Commission given more information about this
initiative and the way in which the plan will be
administered ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 29 July 1993 )

A university exchange programme between the Community
and Latin America was announced late last year and is now
under preparation . The programme will be open to
universities and other higher education institutions in Latin
America and Europe . The programme is threefold in nature,
comprising :

— exchange projects between European and Latin America

universities ;

— graduate exchanges ( mobility ) between Latin America

and the Community ;

— student exchanges ( mobility ) between Latin America

and the Community .

The overall budget is about ECU 40 million ( spread over five
years ), of which the Community is planning to provide from
ECU 30 million to ECU 32 million . The remainder will be

drawn from other sources of funding, both public and
private .

The programme will be run by the Commission ( Directorate
for Latin America ). The practical arrangements are
currently being studied . A management committee and an

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 39

advisory committee may be set up for programme 's
implementation . Proposals and applications will be selected
in accordance with the guidelines and procedures laid down
by the Commission for the programme . Implementation of
the programme is scheduled to begin early next year, after its
approval by the ALA Committee .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 1 7 / 9 3

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 10 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 73 )

Subject : Clean coal technologies

Of the main systems which currently exist alongside each
other for the purpose of achieving ' clean ' coal combustion,
two are being used intensively in Spain . One uses coal
gasification and a combined cycle which burns the gas . The
other employs a circulating fluidized bed in accordance with
technology developed in Carling ( France ). These systems are
resulting in the establishment of two major complexes in
Spain, one in Puertollano and the other in Teruel, the former
with considerable help from the European Community .

Can the Commission give more details of its participation in
the Puertollano project and of its assessment of the
advantages and disadvantages of both systems so that the
one more likely to ensure the clean use — at prices
acceptable to the market — of coal can be chosen and other
less suitable systems phased out ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 April 1993 )

The Commission participates in the Puertollano project
through the Thermie programme . Indeed, this project has
been implemented as a targeted project within this
programme . This project exists because the Commission
took the initiative to promote this technology through wide
cooperation amongst electricity companies in the EEC . The
advantages of the technology promoted in this project are
two-fold : first, being a very efficient system, the technology
saves energy and limits accordingly the emission of C0 2 into
the atmosphere ; second, this technology is certainly the
cleanest way for producing electricity from coal as the
emission of sulphur-dioxide is in the range of 10 mg per
normal cubic metre and the emission of nitrogen oxide is in
the range of 60 mg per normal cubic metre . Directive
88 / 609 / EEC i 1 ) dealing with these emissions provides a limit
of 400 mg per normal cubic metre for sulphur oxide and
600 mg per normal cubic metre of nitrogen oxide . The very
low emission of nitrogen oxide will be three times less than
the best emission of state-of-the-art power plants .

Regarding the technology of circulating fluid bed
combustion, the emissions are not so low as with the IGCC
technology ( S0 2 : 200 mg per normal cubic metre and NO x :

( 400 mg per normal cubic metre ), even though they are well
below the limits imposed by the Directive on large
combustion plants, but this technology has the advantage
that it is at a more advanced stage of development as it has
been demonstrated in Carling . The Teruel project to which
the Honourable Member is referring has been presented to
the Commission and is presently being evaluated in the
framework of the 1993 Thermie invitation to submit

applications .

The Commission believes that both technologies will have,
in the future, a share of the market : probably circulating
fluidized bed combustion will be limited to medium sized

power plants and to difficult or very difficult coal to burn,
while IGCC will probably be used for very large power
plants and good quality coal .

It is for this reason that the Commission will continue to

promote these two technologies .

H OJ No C 336, 7 . 12 . 1988 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 152 / 93

by Mrs Sylviane Ainardi ( CG )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 17 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 74 )

Subject : Utilization of appropriations from budgetary
heading B2-514

Budgetary heading B2-514 is concerned with training and
information in the agricultural sector . Will the Commission

state :

1 . How were the appropriations allocated to national and
European organizations in 1991 and 1992 shared out
between them ?

2 . What criteria must a national or European organization

meet in order to qualify such aid ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 June 1993 )

1 . In 1991 and in 1992 more than half of the loans

awarded for training and information projects went to
agricultural organizations operating at a European level
such as COPA ( Committee of Agricultural Organizations ),
CEJA ( European Council of Young Farmers ), EFA

( European Federation of Agricultural Workers ' Trade

No C 283 / 40 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

Unions ), PEJA ( Young Farmers ' Exchange Programme ),
CEPFAR ( European Training and Development Centre for
Farming and Rural Life ), MIJARC ( International
Movement of Catholic Agricultural arid Rural Youth ) and
the AEFPR ( Rural training body ).

The loans awarded to these organizations help to finance
training and information activities such as seminars,
information visits, exchange schemes for young farmers and
other training activities . Each organization receives an
annual appropriation for a programme of activities agreed
on by the Commission . Where appropriate specific activities
are carried out at the request of the Commission or on an
initiative by one of the organizations may receive additional
support on a case by case basis . In addition, the Commission
may also assume some of the responsibility for the cost of
interpreting relating to activities carried out at European
level for the most part by these organizations .

Moreover, in response to specific requests the Commission
has also financed in part or in whole information / training
activities organized by agricultural organizations at sectoral,
regional, national or even European level . These are
intended for very specialized target groups such as young
people, wage-earners, cooperatives, women farmers,
specialized producers, supervisory staff within specific
regions and small-scale farmers . Approximately one
hundred organizations have benefitted from such

support .

Lastly, a proportion of funds has contributed towards the
organization of some one hundred information visits for
national regional agricultural organizations to discuss
current issues arising from the CAP .

2 . Strictly speaking there are no exclusive criteria other
than those laid down by the notes to the budget heading .
Nevertheless, credit proposals take various factors into
account such as the subject matter of the activity, how far it
corresponds to the priorities of the common agricultural
policy, the target sector, the possible multiplier effect, the
cost of the activity and the funds available from other
sources . Finally, the selection of applications sets out to
ensure a satisfactory sectoral and geographical spread of
recipients and activities financed .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 155 / 93

by Mr Alexandros Alavanos ( CG )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 17 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 75 )

Subject : Serious threat to forest fire-fighting in Greece

The Greek Government 's plans to entrust the task of aerial
fire detection to a private company at a cost of ECU 400

million led to the resignation of the Minister of Agriculture
on 26 November 1992 and has met with a hostile reception
from scientific organizations concerned with forestry .

Has Greece submitted an integrated plan for the protection
of forests as required by the recent regulation ( 1992 ) on the
protection of Community forests from fires ? What funds
has the Community granted to Greece for the protection of
forests over the last three years a,nd which programmes were
involved ? What other Community Member States have
entrusted the task of aerial fire detection to private
companies ? What proportion of funds do the
Mediterranean Member States allocate to aerial and to

ground-based detection and fire-fighting operations ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 May 1993 )

Greece has been granted Community financial assistance for
the prevention of forest fires for a number of years now in
the context of regional development programmes such as
the Integrated Mediterranean Programmes and multifund
operational programmes . Fire protection is also covered by
the 1 993 forestry operational programme for Greece, which
was adopted in November 1992 with a total budget
allocation of ECU 31 million .

In addition, Regulation ( EEC ) No 3529 / 86 ( ! ) on the
protection of the Community 's forests against fire, amended
in 1992 by Regulation ( EEC ) No 2158 / 92 ( 2 ), provides for
Community assistance totalling ECU 9,88 million for
fire-prevention projects submitted by Greece during the
period 1990 to 1992 .

Greece has not yet submitted its integrated plan for the
protection of forests against fire required under Regulation

( EEC ) No 2158 / 92 .

The Commission does not have sufficient information to be

able to provide the Honourable Member with detailed
figures on detection and fire-fighting costs as between aerial
and ground-based operations in the Mediterranean
countries .

Aerial detection of forest fire is the responsibility of
individual Member States, which have each developed their
own specific approach . Regional divergencies are also
common with strategies adapted to suit local conditions, e.g.
private companies may or may not be used for specific
operations .

It should finally be pointed out that the Commission will
be organizing a mutual-learning workshop on the

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 41

coordination of aerial and ground-based fire fighting
methods before the end of 1993 . The purpose of this event is
to encourage an exchange of information at Community
level on the fire-fighting strategies used in the various
Member States, ensuring that the national authorities
concerned with this area are as well-versed as possible in
developments in fire-fighting throughout the Community .

(!) OJ No L 326, 21 . 11 . 1986 .

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

WRITTEN QUESTION No 159 / 93

by Mr José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 17 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 76 )

Subject : Designation of origin of ' Dehesa de Extremadura '

ham

Why has the Commission not approved the designation of
origin of ' Dehesa de Extremadura ' ham under Directive
88 / 182 / EEC 0 )?

(!) OJ No L 81, 26 . 3 . 1988, p. 75 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 160 / 93

by Mr José Valverde Lôpez ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 17 February 1993 )

regulation on the ' Dehesa de Extremadura ' designation of
origin and the relevant supervisory board, and also the
Ministerial Order of 29 June 1987 approving the regulation
on the ' Cabrales ' designation of origin, Spain failed to
discharge its obligations under the abovementioned
Directive .

The infringement procedures opened against Spain
accordingly relate exclusively to the failure to notify and
carry no implications as regards conformity of either
designation .

There are not at the moment any Community level
provisions on protection of designations of origin but
Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2081 / 92 of 14 July 1992 on
the protection of geographical indications and designations
of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs ( ! ),
adopted on 14 July 1992 and due to come into force on
26 July this year, will institute a protective system with its
own rules and registration procedure . Article 17 of the new
Regulation establishes a simplified procedure under which,
within six months of the date of its entry into force, Member
States will inform the Commission which of their legally
protected names they wish to register under it .

Under Article 1 of the new Regulation, Directive
83 / 189 / EEC will immediately cease to be applicable to
designations of origin .

(!) OJ No L 208, 24 . 7 . 1992 .

( 93 / C 283 / 77 WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 79 / 93
by Mr Diego de los Santos López ( ARC )

Subject : Designation of origin of Cabrales cheese to the Commission of the European Communities
( 17 February 1993 )

What problems has the Commission encountered over
recognizing the designation of origin af Cabrales ( Spain )
cheese under Directive 88 / 182 / EEC ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 159 / 93 and 160 / 93

given by Mr Steichen
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 June 1993 )

Council Directive 83 / 189 / EEC laying down a procedure for
the provision of information in the field of technical
standards and regulations, amended by Directive
88 / 182 / EEC, obliges Member States to notify to the
Commission all draft technical standards and regulations,
including those for designation of origin .

By adopting without prior notification to the Commission
the Ministerial Order of 2 July 1990 approving the

( 93 / C 283 / 78 )

Subject : Drought in the Donana National Park area

Livestock farming in the Donana National Park area, which
is organized on traditional extensive lines, with livestock
being put out to graze in and around the park, is being
seriously endangered by drought .

The shortage of water and pasture is now endangering
indigenous species of cattle ( such as the ' Mostrenca ' cattle )
and horses ( such as the ' Marismeno ' breed ) without any
alternative solutions having yet been put forward to
safeguard stockbreeding interests and the park itself .

Can the Commission commence talks with the Spanish
Government with a view to finding solutions that will
ensure the survival of these indigenous breeds in times of
drought .

No C 283 / 42 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

Will the Commission provide aid similar to that provided
for other drought-stricken areas in the Community ?

4 . If the Commission does not consider the fares

excessively low, can it be concluded that they were far
too high before they were reduced ? What are the
implications of this for the ' basic fare '?

5 . Can the Commission answer these questions without
Answer given by Mr Steichen delay, given the critical situation ?

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 May 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission is aware of the fact that the drought in the on behalf of the
south of Spain causes problems of the importance of those ( 16 July 1993 )
that the Honourable Member describes and that it affects

the autochthonal species livestock-farming of the
surroundings of the Donana national park .

The Commission, sensitive to the mentioned problem, is
willing to examine any proposal forming part of the context
of the Community Support Framework . However, since this
cooperation instrument is about to come to an end, the
possible proposals for measures should integrate into the
new cofinancing measures for the next period which goes
from 1994 to 19 99 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 83 / 93

by Mr Ben Visser ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 17 February 1993 )

As part of the liberalization of air transport in the
Community, airlines have since 1 January 1993 had a free
hand in setting the prices they charge for services within the
Community . Provision was made for two safeguards,
however . One seeks to protect the consumer from
excessively high basic fares, and the other to protect airlines
if an obvious state of crisis is provoked by a fares war
between all carriers . The safeguards apply only in
exceptional circumstances . They can be triggered either by a
Member State or, in response to a request from an interested
party, by the Commission . No Member State has yet used
these safeguards, nor has the Commission received a
complaint . This means that there are no grounds for action
by the Commission .

Another consideration is the fact that the competition rules
prevent an airline in a dominant position from pricing below
cost with the intention or effect of forcing a competitor out
of the market . The Commission has established an

expedited procedure to cope rapidly with any serious threat
to competition in such a situation . The fares charged since

( 93 / C 283 / 79 ) 1 January of this year have produced no complaint under
these rules .

Subject : EC air fares

On 1 January 1993, liberalization of the EC air transport
sector entered its third phase, resulting in an intra-EC
air-fare war . In many cases, air fares have suddenly become
hundreds of guilders cheaper . However, in this phase, air
companies do not have full freedom to set their fares, since
excessive increases and reductions are prohibited . The
purpose is, on the one hand, to protect the consumer against
excessively high monopolistic fares and, on the other, to
prevent air companies from competing with each other by
charging fares far below the cost price .

1 . Does the Commission consider the fares applying as at

1 January 1993 to be excessively low ?

2 . Does the Commission consider that fares are still

reasonable in proportion to costs ?

3 . If the Commission considers the fares excessively low
and hence in contradiction with the opportunities
offered by the third phase, what steps has the
Commission taken and what steps will it take ?

In examining this issue in specific cases the Commission
would in any event have to concentrate on precise fares and
routes . A general response to the Honourable Member 's
question is consequently not possible .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 203 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 17 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 80 )

Subject : Award of feasibility study by the Greek Ministry of

Finance

Greek MPs have alleged that the award by the Financial
Ministry of a feasibility study worth Dr 1,5 billion to IBM

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 43

constitutes a gigantic scandal because this company has only
computerized 68 of the 125 Econonic Service Directorates
and failed to meet the contractual deadlines which expired
on 24 May 1992 . The also note that the Ministry of Finance
rushed to award the contract to IBM on 9 December 1991,
despite the fact that this company has violated, and is
continuing to violate, the terms of the tender contract by
rejecting the penal clauses . On 14 July 1992 the Ministry of
Finance dispatched a text for publication in the EC Official
Journal containing an invitation for a restricted competition

for the award of this project but this invitation was
withdrawn ; according to MPs, the Ministry dug its heels in
and on 25 August 1992 sent a new, condensed version of the
invitation for a restricted competition in which it falsely
stated that computerization had been completed in 133
Finance Service Directorates, even though IBM has not
completed this work or even begun it . Does the Commission
not agree that it should re-examine this matter ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 July 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the procedure applied in
awarding the contract for the computerization of the Greek
Finance Ministry . According to the documents in its
possession, the procedure was transparent and did not give
rise to any problems of incompatibility with Community
law .

In particular, the matter of penalties for late completion,
which was a condition of the acceptability of IBM 's tender,
falls as such within the ambit of national law . This follows

notably from Article 6 ( 1 ) ( a ) of Directive 77 / 62 / EEC
coordinating procedures for the award of public supply
contracts ( J ), which, with regard to the acceptability of
tenders, refers to national law .

Furthermore, the Commission does not check whether the
particulars given in a contract correspond to the actual
situation provided that no infringement of Community law
can result from it .

(!) OJ No L 13, 15 . 1 . 1977 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2 1 8 / 93

by Mr Joaquim Miranda Da Silva ( CG )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 81 )

Subject : Deterioration in the social situation in the Alentejo

( Portugal ): cases of famine

The economic and social situation in the Alentejo ( Portugal )
has continued to deteriorate . Desertification and high
unemployment, aggravated by drought, have been followed
now, as the Portuguese media have recently reported, by
cases of famine which have particularly affected families on
the left bank of the Guadiana in the district of Beja .

This situation requires emergency assistance to be provided
for the many people, already affected by famine and also
fundamental measures to avoid repetition in the future .

It is well known that the Community has food surpluses and
that the opinion requested by the Portuguese Government
from the Commission on the viability of the Alqueva
initiative is still awaited .

Is the Commission aware of the seriousness of the social

situation in that region of Portugal ? Does the Commission
intend to do anything of a specific nature to support the
families suffering from famine ? Does the Commission
accept that such a situation is harsh evidence that the
Alqueva initiative is indispensable and should be concluded
in the forthcoming Community support framework ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 May 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the serious problems which
currently exist in the Alentejo . In 1992, as part of its
structural policy, it financed the ' drought ' programme, to
which the Community contributed ECU 50,99 million . This
programme was intended to improve water catchment and
supply on agricultural holdings, strengthen fire prevention
and fighting methods and provide subsidized loans to the
farmers affected .

In addition, in 1 992 the Commission financed a study on the
multi-purpose Alqueva investment project, the final report
of which was sent by the Commission to the Portuguese
authorities in January 1993 . That report contains the basic
facts on which to make a decision on the project and it is
now up to the authorities to put concrete proposals to the
Commission, which will then take the appropriate
decisions .

No C 283 / 44 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 219 / 93 line and ERDF resources have been approved to provide the

by Mr Rogerio Brito ( CG ) appropriate interest rate subsidies .
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 82

WRITTEN QUESTION No 224 / 93

Subject : Difficulties for local authorities as a result of

incorrect and bureaucratic management of
structural funds

by Mrs Ursula Braun-Moser ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 February 1993 )

Having regard to the fact that at the beginning of 1992, ( 93 / C 283 / 83 )
Seixal Town Hall, in Portugal, applied for a loan under the
scheme established by the ERDF / EIB / CGD protocol for Subject : Polish exports of coal to
subsidized loans, for several projects included in the IDO,
and having regard to the fact that almost a year has gone by Will the Commission publish
and the loan has yet to be subsidized ;

Subject : Polish exports of coal to the Community

Will the Commission publish statistics for the following :

Having regard to the fact that in June 1992, during the
acceptance phase of the application for the loan, the CGD
agreed with the Town Hall that the loan would be subject to
approval of an increase in the subsidized loan, a matter
which it said would be resolved soon, however, according to
information supplied by the State Secretariat for Regional
Development ;

Noting that this situation still persists, with serious
difficulties for the local authority, which is overburdened
with additional costs and penalized because of the delay in
the granting of parts of the loan ;

1 . the tonnage of Polish exports of coal to the Community
during 1989

2 .

the percentage that Polish coal exports to the
Community represented of total Community coal
imports during 1989

3 . the statistics ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) for the years 1991 and 1992

4 . the estimated tonnage of Polish coal exports to the
Community during 1993 and the percentage that this
tonnage represents of estimated or forecast coal imports
by the Community in 1993 .

Does the Commission foresee an enhanced role for Polish

coal in satisfying the Community 's primary energy
demand ?

Is the Commission aware of this and other similar situations

demand ?

which make the accomplishment of projects conditional on
them being carried out within the initial deadlines and costs
forecast, and which necessarily affect the rights of citizens Does the Commission agree that Poland 's
and the local and regional expectations of social and primary and raw materials to the Community
economic progress ? What measures does the Commission enabling Poland to purchase capital goods and
consider are needed to avoid situations which jeopardize Community firms ?
good management of structural funds, and which could
legitimately be viewed as bureaucratic or even political
obstacles created by the central authorities ? Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

Does the Commission agree that Poland 's ability to sell
primary and raw materials to the Community is essential in
enabling Poland to purchase capital goods and services from
Community firms ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 June 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the situation described by the
Honourable Member . The delay in granting new loans from
the joint credit line has occurred because the additional EIB
allocation cannot be released until the ' Decreto-Lei '

No 266 / 92 of 28 November 1992 has been implemented .
The law concerns the role of the Portuguese state in covering
exchange rate risks and, unfortunately, it has not yet proved
possible to complete its implementation .

The Caixa Geral de Depositos ( CGD ) has recently decided
to release its own additional contribution to the joint credit

on behalf of the Commission

(6 July 1993 )

Total Community imports of hard coal from Poland
amounted to some 6,7 million tonnes in 1989 . This tonnage
represented some 6,5 % of the total imports of hard coal
from third countries during that year .

Imports in 1991 and 1992 were 7,4 million tonnes and 7,7
million tonnes respectively and the share of total imports
from third countries was around 5,6 % in both cases .

The forecast of coal imports from Poland for 1993 is around

8.4 million tonnes ; such a tonnage would represent some
6.5 % of total expected coal imports .

Whether Polish coal will in the future play a greater role in
satisfying the Community 's primary energy demand will
depend on its ability to compete with world market prices

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 45

and possibly on internal demand and supply in Poland itself,
where production has fallen from about 200 million tonnes
in 1988 to around 120 million tonnes in 1992 .

The Commission is convinced that opening up the
Community market for Polish products is essential for the
economic recovery of Poland, and that the development of
international trade will benefit all partners . It should be
remembered that since January 1990 the Community has
made a number of unilateral and extensive concessions for

imports from Poland . Since 1 March 1992 an interim
Agreement is in force which will gradually establish a free
trade area between the Community and Poland . This
agreement, on which the European Parliament gave a
favourable opinion, is published in the Official
Journal ( J ).

(!) OJ No L 114, 30 . 4 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 230 / 93

by Mrs Anne André ( LDR )

to the Commission a of the European Communities

( 18 February 1993 )

93 / C 283 / 84 )

Subject : The hundredth anniversary of the invention of the

cinema

What plans does the Commission have to celebrate the
hundredth anniversary of the invention of the cinema ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

(5 July 1993 )

The Commission has already been approached regarding
the hundredth anniversary of the cinema by various
institutions and organizations, including the Council of
Europe .

For the time being, the Commission has not adopted any
position as to which activities, might be undertaken or
sponsored to celebrate the centenary .

The Commission intends first to examine the matter

together with the other institutions and then possibly to put
forward some proposals for the 1994 preliminary draft
budget .

In addition, the various projects covered by the Media
programme will be adapted, as appropriate, to include the
centenary in their 1995 working programmes .

                                   

WRITTEN QUESTION No 232 / 93

by Mrs Anne André ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 85 )

Subject : The Conver programme and the Wallonia
region

What financial aid will the Wallonia region receive under
the Conver programme, following the amendment adopted
by Parliament in December 1992 ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

(1 June 1993 )

t

The Commission is making the 1993 allocation of
appropriations among the Member States on the basis of the
information which it currently has available following the
study on the regional impact of reductions in military
spending which it had carried out in 1992 .

The Member States and Parliament will be notified of this

allocation when it has been completed and the Member
States will be asked to state what areas they regard as
priorities for assistance from Konver in 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 248 / 93

by Mr Ernest Glinne ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 86

Subject : Threat of an upsurge in elephantiasis in
Guadeloupe

Apparently, many shoes imported into Guadeloupe,
although attractive and relatively inexpensive, have soles
made from composite materials (a mixture of cardboard
and leather dust ) which soften and become sodden as soon
as they come into contact with water .

Doctors in Guadeloupe now fear an upsurge in
elephantiasis, a filterable virus disease which causes the
lower limbs to swell up, with the town of Pointe-a-Pitre
being most at risk .

The commercial and medical problem this poses seem to me
to warrant the attention of the Commission, the
Guadeloupe authorities and the French Ministry of Health .
Have they taken any action ?

No C 283 / 46 Official Journal of the European Communities - 20 . 10 . 93

Answer given by Mr Marin Answer given by Mr Steichen
on behalf of the Commission on behalf of the Commission

(8 July 1993 ) (4 May 1993 )

The Commission was not aware that elephantiasis can be
caused by a viral infection, but would be grateful for any
further information the Honourable Member can provide
on this matter .

Elephantiasis, a thickening and fissuring of the skin on the
limbs or genitals, is mostly commonly the result of filariasis,
mainly caused by Wuchereria bancrofti ; this type of
infection, however, is vectored by mosquitoes .

Elephantiasis may also be the result of a sexually transmitted
bacterial infection .

There is a form of elephantiasis caused by lymphatic
obstruction following the absorption of aluminium silicate
through the skin . Some parasites, notably hookworms and
Strongylus, can also attack humans through the skin, but the
resultant parasitic disease, ancylostomiasis and
strongyliasis, do not cause elephantiasis . In such cases,
however, the wearing of shoes, even if they are of poor
quality, can prevent infection .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 269 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 February 1993 )

1 . Within the framework of his visit to Athens on

16 October 1992 the Director of the EAGGF asked to be

informed of the measures taken by the Greek authorities,
following the denunciations made in the press by the
Federation of Employees of the Ministry of Agriculture,
relating to irregularities in the olive oil sector .

According to the explanation given during this visit and the
documentation provided to the Commission on this subject,
the Greek authorities immediately asked the Federation for
details in order to investigate further the case . It should be
noted, however, that until that moment there was no
response by the Federation to this request .

2 . The Commission again put the question to the Greek
authorities during a recent visit of EAGGF officials to
Athens, asking to be informed of any further developments
in the case . However, there has been no reply to date from
the Federation concerning these denunciations .

The Commission is ready to take all supplementary
measures in order to clarify these allegations as soon as the
Federation gives details on its denunciations relating to the
subject .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 281 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 87 ( 93 / C 283 / 88 )

Subject : Illegal olive oil subsidies

Further to my Question No 2967 / 92 (*) on the illegal
payment of olive oil subsidies and Mr Mac Sharry 's answer
on behalf of the Commission (4 January 1993 ), neither the
Greek authorities nor the director of the EAGGF have

shown any interest so far in requesting the data which the
press has repeatedly claimed is available from the federation
of employees of the Ministry of Agriculture in connection
with this case . Will the Commission therefore :

1 . re-investigate the matter to prevent a ' cover up ' of the
illegal payment of olive oil subsidies and bring the guilty
parties to justice, and

2 . demand explanations as to why this tactic has been
pursued ?

(!) OJ No C 127, 7 . 5 . 1993, p. 36 .

Subject : Night work in industry

Greece is about to abolish the law banning night work for
women in industry . In view of this and bearing in mind
current social conditions, does the Commission intend to
put forward proposals for more effective protection for
night workers including such provisions as a reduction in
working hours at night, longer leave and the compulsory
provision of transport to take workers to and from the
workplace ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 July 1993 )

As regards night work by women and men, the Commission
is aware that a large proportion of the labour force works

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 47

under conditions which, according to research findings, may members of the public a day, i.e., approximately 25 to
have an adverse affect on workers health . After examining 30 000 visitors a year .
the various approaches to the problems of night work
adopted by the Member States, the Commission prepared a 3 . Although mentioned in the official Commission
proposal for a Directive on certain aspects of the establishment plan ( February and November 1992 ), the
organization of working time . In this proposal, as amended Schuman Centre has apparently discontinued its activities
following the opinion of the European Parliament, the since the end of 1991 and the staff involved are still waiting
Commission proposes that a worker 's normal working time for new postings .
should not exceed an average of eight hours per 24-hour
period . In addition, night workers whose work involves 4 . Could the Commission say whether this information is
special hazards or heavy physical or mental strain must not correct and, if so, whether it intends to rectify this situation
work more than eight hours over a period of twenty-four which is damaging to the Community 's image and deprives
hours during which they are engaged in night work .

3 . Although mentioned in the official Commission
establishment plan ( February and November 1992 ), the
Schuman Centre has apparently discontinued its activities
since the end of 1991 and the staff involved are still waiting
for new postings .

4 . Could the Commission say whether this information is
correct and, if so, whether it intends to rectify this situation
which is damaging to the Community 's image and deprives
the public of necessary information ?

This proposal also stipulated that all workers should be
granted at least four weeks ' annual paid holiday .
WRITTEN QUESTION No 324 / 93

In the Commission 's view, the adoption of this proposal
would provide night workers with a minimum degree of
protection without affecting Member States ' right to apply
or introduce provisions of the kind mentioned by the
Honourable Member, which would afford greater
protection for the safety and health of workers, or to allow
the implementation of collective agreements or agreements
between the social partners which are also more favourable
to the safety and health of workers .

As regards night work by women, the Commission has
drawn the attention of certain Member States to the

discriminatory nature of ILO Convention No 89 and
suggested that the governments concerned denounce this
Convention . At the same time, the Commission is closely
monitoring developments in legislation on night work in the
various Member States and a study of the current situation is
now under way . The Commission will consider what action
to take in the light of this study and of developments in the
Member States mainly concerned .

by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 March 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 90 )

Subject : Information and communication policy of the

Commission : Visitors ' programmes

According to the Commission 's Directory ( page 79 of last
edition, February 1992 ), confirmed by the ' provisional
edition ' of November 1992, one of the services coming
under Directorate C of DG X ( Culture, Communication and
People 's Europe ) is the Schuman Centre .

Since October 1991, and especially after the retirement from
the Berlaymont, the Schuman Centre is apparently no longer
able to welcome approximately 30 000 visitors per year .
What is the reason for this ?

Can the Commission agree that the Schuman Centre has
been an important instrument of its information and
communication policy ?

If so can it say whether and when the Schuman Centre will
be given again the opportunity of welcoming visitors and
WRITTEN QUESTION No 284 / 93 particularly visiting members of the ' general public '?

by Mr Willy De Clercq ( LDR )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 February 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 89 )

Subject : Schuman Centre ( DG X )

1 . Could the Commission provide information about the
current situation of DG X 's Schuman Centre ?

2 . According to the information available (' Diagonale ',
' Panoptique ' etc .), until the Berlaymont was abandoned, the
Schuman Centre had the facilities to receive some 200

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 284 / 93 and 324 / 93

given by Mr Pinheiro
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 July 1 993 )

As the Honourable Members point out, the Schuman Centre
ceased operating when the Commission left the Berlaymont
at the end of 1991 .

Since the beginning of 1992 the Visits Unit of DG X, to
which the Schuman Centre belonged, has continued
organizing visits for the general public . In 1992 over 5 600

No C 283 / 48 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

visitors in 184 groups were received, even though the
capacity available for receiving them in the Commission 's
new buildings are far less extensive than in the Berlaymont .
Capacities have been boosted this year, thanks to
cooperation from Parliament, which puts some of its rooms
at the Commission 's disposal during its part-session
weeks .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 614 / 93

by Cristiana Muscardini, Pietro Mitolo ( NI ), Mario Melis

( ARC ), Sotiris Kostopoulos, Franz Schònhuber ( NI ),

Pierre Ceyrac and Bruno Gollnisch ( DR )

to the Council of the European Communities

(1 April 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 92 )
In the first four months of this year, the Commission
received about 5 000 visitors in the general public category ;
that is very nearly the same as for the whole of 1992 .

Subject : Electoral systems and democratic pluralism

The Italian Parliament is about to adopt amendments to its
WRITTEN QUESTION No 451 / 93 electoral law with a view to changing from proportional
by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARC ) representation to single member majority voting .
to the Council of the European Communities

( 11 March 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 91 ) This will result in two opposing factions on the Italian
national political scene, Christian Democracy and the
current PDS ( formerly PCI ), with the disappearance of all

Bank loan other representative political movements which have arisen

throughout Italy 's national history, thereby depriving
millions of electors of any electoral representation outside

a 1982 — 1992 loan earlier than

the Catholic and Communist groupings .

Subject : European Investment Bank loan

In 1989 the EIB repaid a 1982 — 1992 loan earlier than
expected, coupon date 1 December ( 8,25% )

Some banks however failed to inform their clients of this and

continued paying interest . At the end of the term the clients
were presented with a bill reclaiming the interest which had
been paid, and no further interest was paid .

Does the Council consider that misuses of power of this kind
by financial institutions can continue to be tolerated ? How
does the Council intend to deal with cases of this sort ?

Does the Council plan to impose clear and strict rules which
financial institutions will have to observe in their relations

with individual clients, in order to protect the clients ? In this
context should also be mentioned unauthorized commission

on exchange transactions .

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

It is not for the Council to pronounce on cases of this sort . In
so far as the Honourable Member 's question raises points of
principle which are under Community jurisdiction, it is for
the Commission to decide whether or not to exercise its right
of initiative in the performance of the tasks assigned to
it .

The problem to which the Honourable Member alludes has
not been referred to the Council .

The creation of two large groupings in a country whose
national unity is relatively recent and where the nature of the
democratic relationship between electors and elected has led
to the rapid spread of graft and an increase in the power of
party secretariats at every level, could be considered nothing
less than an attack on electoral freedom and democratic

participation by the electorate, particularly in view of the
fact that the institutional reform which in establishing a
Presidential Republic, would have given Italian voters the
possibility of participating and controlling the political
management of the country, has not yet taken place in
Italy .

In other western states majority voting exists in the context
of a presidential republic or constitutional monarchy and
Italy would therefore be the only country in Europe to
change from proportional to first-past-the-post elections in
the absence of a presidential republic, resulting in the
abolition of individuals ' control through the representation
of minority parties in parliament and transferring minority
votes invalidated under the new law to the majority party,
thereby infringing the principle of democracy and
preventing millions of citizens from voting as they wish .

It has been shown that representation of opposition political
minorities freely elected in full accordance with the
democratic rules of proportional representation with a
minimum percentage limit is essential to guarantee the
fundamental rights of pluralism .

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 49

In view of this and the resolution by the European contained in the Cuban Democracy Act . In their contacts
Parliament ( rapporteur : De Gucht ) advocating proportional with the United States, they have also pointed out the
representation as a uniform electoral system, what steps will possibility that the embargo may be having
the Council of Ministers take in order to guarantee political counter-productive consequences . To claim, however, that
pluralism and the rights of minorities to be represented ? most of Cuba 's problems are due to the United States

embargo is hardly in keeping with the facts . The
fundamental reason for the disastrous state of Cuba 's

economy must rather be found in structural problems
Answer inherent in its centralized economic system .

( 16 September 1993 )

Since this is a question which relates exclusively to the
internal political organization of a Member State, the
Council is not competent to reply to the Honourable
Members ' question .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1364 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to European Political Cooperation

(4 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 93 )

                         - N

Subject : The embargo against Cuba

World-famous writers who have visited Cuba ( such as
Gunther Grass writing recently in the Spanish newspaper El
Pais ) have appealed to the international community for the
embargo to be lifted . The writers have emphasized that the
embargo is not playing a constructive role in fostering
internal political reforms in Cuba and that, indeed, it is
generating a tendency among the vast majority of Cubans to
ascribe all their problems to the boycott .

While it is of course true that 60 % of Cuba 's problems are
due to the embargo, the remaining 40 % are purely internal .
The writers claim that, in order to be able to create a better
future for themselves, Cubans first need the embargo to be
lifted and then need to implement internal reforms to set
them on the path to parliamentary democracy .

Bearing these conclusions in mind, do the Ministers meeting
in EPC intend to take any steps towards helping Cuba and
its people ?

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

The European Community and its Member States have
indicated their disagreement, from the legal point of view,
with the extra-territorial application of certain measures

The European Community and its Member States regularly
impress upon the Cuban authorities the need to respect
human rights and urge a more open political system . They
regard this as the best way of encouraging a peaceful
transition to democracy in Cuba . As for the problems of the
Cuban people, the European Community and its Member
States are endeavouring to assist by providing humanitarian
aid .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1376 / 93

by Mr Thomas Spencer ( PPE )
to the Council of the European Communities

(4 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 94

l

9

Subject : EC recovery budget Ethiopia

Would the Council of Ministers agree that the Transitional
Government of Ethiopia has done remarkably well in
organizing a peaceful transition after the overthrow of the
military regime of Mengistu Hailemariam, and in taking
steps to deal with the severe economic situation it inherited ?
Would the Council not agree with the recent submission
from European NGOs that there is a great need for
establishing an EC recovery budget, to enable Ethiopia, and
countries like Ethiopia emerging from conditions of war and
drought, to provide farmers with the means of production
and repair the shattered infrastructure ?

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

After discussing a Commission communication on a ' special
rehabilitation support programme in developing countries ',
the Development Council meeting on 25 May 1993 adopted
a special initiative for Africa, pending further discussion of
the Commission communication in preparation for the next
meeting of the Development Council .

No C 283 / 50 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

This initiative meets the concerns raised by the Honourable
Member .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1467 / 93

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru ( S )

to European Political Cooperation

( 14 June 1993 )

The Council considers it to be of the utmost importance for
the Community to move with determination as early as ( 93 / C 283 / 95 )
possible in 1 993 from emergency assistance to rehabilitation
assistance in a selected number of sub-Saharan African
countries by developing and implementing a special Subject : Report on the activities of
programme targeted on the pressing rehabilitation needs of Shin Beth organization
these countries .

Subject : Report on the activities of the head of the Israeli

Shin Beth organization

Such rehabilitation assistance should be fully coordinated
with the UN organizations and other donors, implemented
where appropriate in close cooperation with NGOs and
should bridge the gap between emergency aid and
longer-term development assistance so that there can be a
return to an adequate level of subsistence . In this context,
the Council recognizes the importance of establishing and
maintaining stability and security in the countries concerned
and the need for assistance in this area .

A number of countries affected by man-made or natural
disasters, among which are some of the least developed,
need fast-track assistance such as the immediate supply of
agricultural and other inputs ( e.g. seeds and tools ) to restore
rural productivity and support the rehabilitation of basic
infrastructures and social services . Swift action is also

necessary to reconstitute the cattle population and food
stocks, to ensure replantation and to reintegrate refugees
and displaced persons and assist demobilized soldiers .

The Council believed that this assistance should be urgently
rendered in order to maximize the effectiveness of the

initiative and move the situation away from instability and
conflict . It accordingly requested the Commission to
prepare fast-track rehabilitation programmes forthwith so
that they could be rapidly implemented initially in countries
where the Community was already involved in
rehabilitation programmes and in other sub-Saharan
countries as conditions permitted .

Ethiopia, for which the Commission had already prepared a
rehabilitation programme in May 1992, is among the
countries to be given priority in implementing this
initiative .

Are the ministers aware of the report drawn up by an
investigating committee on the activities of the head of the
Israeli Shin Beth organization and his dealing with
Palestinian detainees ?

Answer

(6 September 1993 )

The report to which the Honourable Member is referring
has not been discussed within the framework of European
Political Cooperation .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1474 / 93

by Mr Hugh McMahon ( S )
to the Council of the European Communities

( 14 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 96 )

Subject : European Political Cooperation

When did the Council last have an exchange of views on
security matters in Norway and what was the outcome ?

Answer ( J )

(6 September 1993 )

The Council considered that a sum of at least ECU 100

million should be allocated immediately to this initiative .
The main financ ing source should be a flexible use of EDF
funds and consideration should be given to providing The matter raised by the Honourable Member has not been
resources supplementary to those funds from relevant and discussed in the EPC framework .
available Community budgetary sources . Furthermore,
Member States will consider how best to give support to this (') This reply has been provided by the Foreign Ministers meeting
initiative through coordinated bilateral action . in within whose the

The matter raised by the Honourable Member has not been
discussed in the EPC framework .

in political cooperation, within whose province the question

came .

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 51

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1476 / 93

by Mr Paul Staes ( V )

to the Council of the European Communities

( 14 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 97 )

Subject : Introduction of a label for tropical wood

Austria is the first country to have introduced a compulsory
labelling scheme for tropical wood . This label indicates
whether a product contains tropical wood . In this way
Austria intends to curb the use of woods which are not

cultivated on a sustainable basis . The regulation takes effect
in September 1993 .

The issue of introducing compulsory labelling and a quality
label was discussed in the GATT General Council on 4 and

5 November 1992 . At that time the European Commission
stated that the Austrian measures did not run counter to the

GATT agreements . The Commission also took the view that
a more detailed investigation was required .

1 . Will the European Council and the Member States
support Austria 's position in the GATT discussion ?

2 . What initiatives does the EC Presidency propose to take

on the protection oi tropical woods ?

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

1 . The Council is able to inform the Honourable

Member that Austria recently decided to withdraw its
measures concerning the compulsory labelling of tropical
wood and that it has informed the Contracting Parties to

GATT accordingly . This specific point is therefore no longer
the subject of GATT discussions .

The Council can, however, confirm that the general
question of labelling is one of the major topics in discussions
being held by the GATT Working Group on Environmental
Measures and International Trade . In general, as restated in
the Resolution adopted at its meeting on 10 May 1993 on
the relationship between environmental protection and
international trade, the Council 's fundamental aim is to
promote an international dialogue, particularly within
GATT, making it possible to agree on negotiated rules to
clarify the issues arising in the international trade and
environment interface . The Community will endeavour to
achieve a multilateral consensus on global arrangements
making it possible to ensure that relevant environment
concerns are duly taken into account by the multilateral

trade system . The Council would like the discussions
embarked on under GATT to be speeded up on conclusion
of the Uruguay Round .

2 . Regarding the protection of tropical forests, inter alia
by measures taken in the tropical timber trade, at its meeting
in Bali in 1990, the International Tropical Timber
Organization Council adopted Target 2000 intended to
ensure the sustainable management of forests as from the
year 2000 . The European Community and its Member
States think it of major importance that Target 2000 should
be included in the new Tropical Timber Agreement which is
currently being negotiated under the aegis of the United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development .

The European Community and its Member States would
like to see the inclusion of Target 2000 in the new
Agreement accepted without reservation by all members of
the new Agreement . That strategy, if established by common
accord between consumer and producer countries, will
make it possible to market tropical timber while
safeguarding the forest heritage .

3 . The Council would also point out that on 26 February
1993 the Commission forwarded to it a proposal for a
Regulation on action at Community level to complement
action by the Member States concerning tropical forests .
Consultation of the Parliament has been requested on that
proposal .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1564 / 93

by Mr Alex Smith ( S )

to European Political Cooperation

( 17 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 98 )

Subject : Supply of arms to Iran

Will EPC establish an investigation into the supply by
companies Muiden Chemie of the Netherlands, Allivane of
the United Kingdom, Gea Remie and Erbeyr of Italy and
Spel of Portugal ( part financed by the Banca Nationale del
Lavoro in Italy ) of arms and other military equipment to
Iran in 1987 contrary to the EC embargo ?

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

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

An official EC arms embargo against either Iran or Iraq did
not exist in 1987, however export of arms to countries at

No C 283 / 52 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

war was at that time in general prohibited under national Delhi in April 1993 calling for a global ban on the trade in
export regulations . arms, based on the report by Germany 's Elke Leonhard ?

Violations of national export regulations, in fact of
international embargoes should these exist, are punishable
under national law hence prosecution is a national
discretion . The European Political Cooperation is not
competent to conduct investigations as referred to in the
question .

For the time being, the Community and its Member States
apply towards Iran the common criteria on arms exports
agreed by the European Council on 28— 29 June 1991 to all
arms exports to third countries .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1596 / 93

by Mr Filippos Pierros ( PPE )

to European Political Cooperation

( 18 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 99

Subject : NATO 's force restructuring

In the wake of NATO 's latest force reorganization, which
represents the closest integration to date of United States
and Allied — notably German — troops, the role of France
in the alliance is as ambiguous as ever .

Is EPC seeking to forge a suitable political and military role
for France in NATO, and if so, what proposals to that end
has it made ?

Answer

(6 September 1993 )

The issue raised by the Honourable Member is not of EPC

competence .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1648 / 93

by Mr Llewellyn Smith ( S )

to European Political Cooperation

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

The specific issue raised by the Honourable Member has not
been discussed in the framework of European Political
Cooperation .

However, I would like to stress that transparency in the
transfer of conventional weapons has always been one of the
main concerns of the Community and its Member States .

The Community and its Member States have been
encouraging all UN members to comply with the UN
Resolutions on the issue, namely :

— UNGA Resolution 47 / 52 L, which requests Member

States to provide data and information to the UN
Register on Conventional arms by 30 April 1993,
established in 1991 following an initiative by the
Community and its Member States and Japan .

— UNGA Resolution 46 / 36 L, which requests Member

States to provide information on international arms
transfers ;

— UNGA Resolution 46 / 35 A, which requests Member

States to make their CBM returns within the framework

of the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention ;

— and UNGA Resolution 40 / 91 B, which requests Member

States to report on military budgets .

I can assure the Honourable Member that transparency in
the transfer of armaments will continue to be a priority for
the Community and its Member States .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1680 / 93

by Mr Paul Staes ( V )

to the Council of the European Communities

( 28 June 1993 )

Subject : Arms trade

( 28 June 1993 ) ( 93 / C 283 / 101 )

( 93 / C 283 / 100

Subject : Transport of radioactive material by air

What consideration has been made by EPC of the proposals
agreed at the 89th Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in New

There are reports that even flights are planned for 1993 for
the transport of 123 plutonium fuel rods (a total load of 1,2

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 53

tonnes ) from Hanau in Germany to Dounreay in Scotland
— flying over inter alia densely populated Belgian
territory .

A number of flights to transport 8 tonnes of plutonium from
Sellafield to Germany are planned for 1994 .

1 . Can the Council confirm the above ?

The Council has not received any Commission proposal on
the banning of flights carrying radioactive materials from
European airspace .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1739 / 93

by Mr Ian White ( PSE )
to European Political Cooperation

( 29 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 102 )

Subject : European political cooperation

In view of the European Communities ' failure to impose
effective economic sanctions against the military regime in
Haiti, what steps are being undertaken by European
political cooperation to restore Jean-Bertrand Aristide as
the legitime President of Haiti ?

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

As the Honourable Member will be aware, the European
Community and its Member States have continuously taken
the position that the legitimate President of Haiti has to be
restored . The Community and its Member States have
supported the adoption by the UN Security Council of
resolution 841 imposing a trade embargo on petroleum,
petroleum products and arms and related material of all
types and freezing assets of the de facto regime abroad . The
necessary decisions within the Community framework —
Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 1608 / 93 of 24 June 1993 —
and within the competences of Member States are being
taken to make these sanctions effective .

The Community and its Member States have expressed their
full support for the Agreement of Governors Island ( New
York, 3 July 1993 ) signed by Jean-Betrand Aristide,
President of the Republic and the Commander-in-chief of
the Armed Forces, and under the auspices of the United
Nations and the Organization of American States ( OAS )
which foresees the return of the President of the Republic,
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, to Haiti on 30 October 1993 .

The Agreement also includes the nomination of a Prime
Minister by the President and indicates the suspension,
under the initiative of the United Nations Secretary General,
of the sanctions adopted under UN Security Council
Resolution 841 once this Prime Minister has assumed

office .

The Community and its Member States have subsequently
indicated their willingness to resume cooperation relations
with Haiti after the suspension of sanctions imposed by the
Security Council .

2 .

The Council is aware of the problems which arise in
transporting plutonium by road, rail or water . These
problems are even more serious where air transport is
concerned, particularly under the extreme conditions to
which the packaging of such material would be exposed
in the event, for instance, of an aeroplane crash .

Moreover, plutonium is packed in containers designed
to withstand a fall of no more than nine metres .

Experts say that a crash could make hundreds of square
kilometres uninhabitable and cost millions of Belgian
francs .

The Council is also aware that Canada and the United

States, for instance, have taken unilateral decisions to
ban such flights from their airspace .

Does the Council agree that flights carrying radioactive
material should be banned from European airspace ?

3 . If so, what action will the Council take to ban flights
carrying radioactive material from European
airspace ?

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

In its conclusions of 27 November 1989, the Council
emphasized the importance which it attaches to ensuring
that the transport of radioactive materials within the
Community is conducted in complete safety .

The Council can assure the Honourable Member that,
should the information to which he refers be confirmed, all
international and Community provisions relating to the
transport of radioactive materials would apply .

The transport of radioactive materials is the subject of
regularly updated worldwide codification in the form of a
Regulation within the framework of the International
Atomic Energy Agency . All these provisions are
incorporated in the regulations enacted by international
transport organizations, including the International Civil
Aviation Organization, and in national legislation .

Furthermore, with regard to health protection, the transport
of radioactive materials is covered by the Council Directive
of 15 July 1980 laying clown the basic safety standards for
the health protection of the general public and workers
against the dangers of ionizing radiation .

No C 283 / 54 Official Journal of the European Communities 20 . 10 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No E    - 1803 / 93

by Mr Franco Borgo ( PPE )
to the Council of the European Communities

( 12 July 1993 )

93 / C 283 / 103

Subject : New common fisheries policy

Regulation ( EEC ) No 3760 / 92 of 20 December 1992
establishing a Community system for fisheries and
aquaculture ( x ) totally ignores the main priorities set out by
Parliament in its opinion of 15 December 1992 and its
resolutions of 10 December 1991 ( 2 ) and 15 May 1992 ( 3 )
on the common fisheries policy and its adaptations .

In particular, the text adopted by the Council makes no
reference to the following points :

— involvement of those in the trade and their trade

organizations ;

— need for systematic compensation and / or accompanying

social measures when applying measures to restrict
fishing or restructuring, providing appropriate financial

resources ;

— administrative rather than pecuniary nature of fishing

licences ;

— a priori examination by the Commission to ensure that

national licensing schemes conform with the
Community framework scheme governing the issue and
management of licences by the Member States ;

— obligations of the Member States to apply the
monitoring and surveillance system and penalization in
the event of non-compliance by a Member State with the
restrictions on catches and fishing activity ;

— increased role and resources for the research

institutes .

4

Does the Council intend to remedy these omissions in the
more specific texts to supplement this framework
regulation, and in what way, or is the disregard for the
priorities clearly set out by Parliament the result of views
opposed to those of our institution ?

In the latter case, how does the Council propose to resolve
the current crisis in resources and in the sector without

giving the Community the means to apply its policy and
have it accepted ?

(!) OJ No L 389, 31 . 12 . 1992 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 13, 20 . 1 . 1992, p. 37 .

( 3 ) OJ No C 150, 15 . 6 . 1992, p . 317 .

Answer

( 17 September 1993 )

1 . It seems appropriate first of all to point out that the
Council shares the view of the European Parliament that an
essential aim of the CFP must be to safeguard fisheries as a
viable economic activity, while ensuring the rational
conservation and management of that resource .
Responsible fishing must be the framework in which any
solution to the current crisis in the industry is to be
found .

2 . The Council would like to emphasize that in drawing
up the new basic Regulation ( EEC ) No 3760 / 92 it has
attempted to secure a global and integrated approach to
implementation of the CFP . It is important in this context to
point out that, while the Regulation itself does not always
specify the means to achieve these objectives, the fact
remains that it undoubtedly creates the appropriate legal
framework in which the implementing Regulations derived
from the basic Regulation can specify such means .

3 . With regard to the specific points raised by the
question, the following comments are called for :

4 . The Council attaches great importance to the
involvement of the trade in the CFP, both in preparing and
in implementing the relevant legislative acts . Involvement of
this kind offers the best guarantees for acceptance of the
CFP by the industry . For that reason, the Council welcomes
regular consultation of the industry through the Advisory
Committee on Fisheries which the Commission set up
precisely for that purpose ( J ). It would point out, moreover,
with regard to participation by the industry in the
management of the CFP, that market regulations ( 2 ) assign
producers a fairly substantial role, as regards both the
operation of market regulation mechanisms and
opportunities for involvement in certain aspects of fisheries
production . In the light of positive experience acquired in
this area, it seems appropriate for participation by the trade
and trade organizations to continue to be regulated under
specific regulations so that greater account can be taken of
the special characteristics of each sector .

5 . The Council is convinced of the need to introduce

accompanying social measures designed to offset to some
extent the negative effects of restructuring of the industry .
Explicit references to that effect are made several times in
the basic Regulation ( 3 ). The practical instruments for
introducing such measures must, however, be incorporated
into the wider framework of the regulations on the
Structural Funds .

6 . The basic Regulation expressly excludes the
possibility that fishing licences to be issued by the national
authority under a Community system may have a pecuniary
nature . Thus, Article 5(1 ), second subparagraph, stipulates
that the fishing licence is to be attached to the vessel .

7 . The Community licensing system which is to apply
from 1 January 1995 at the latest will lay down the rules on
the minimum information to be contained in fishing licences
to be issued and administered by Member States . Given that
this basic principle is enshrined in the Regulation and that
more specific rules on the subject will be laid down by the

20 . 10 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 283 / 55

implementing Regulation, a priori conformity of the found themselves caught up in the war between the Baghdad
national arrangements to be introduced alongside the regime and the Kurds . As a result of the war many have been
Community framework system will have to be ensured killed and 150 000 have been forcibly moved to
through these instruments . squatter-like refugee camps around the Iraqi capital ." Their

lives are unbearable and they want to return to their homes,
8 . Matters relating to application of the control system though they are prevented from doing so mainly by Iraqi
provided for in the basic Regulation are currently under soldiers but also by Kurds .
discussion in the Council on the basis of a Commission

proposal ( 4 ) on which the European Parliament has already
given its opinion ( 5 ). In view of this, what can be done to help the Christians of
Iraq to return to their traditional homes ?

9 . The Council would point out that one of the tasks
explicitly entrusted to the Scientific, Technical and
Economic Committee on Fisheries is the submission of an

annual report on requirements in the field of scientific and
technical research for the fisheries and aquaculture sector .
On the basis of that information, the Council will decide in
good time on the stimulus to be given to fisheries research
and will determine the financial resources necessary for that

purpose .

10 . In conclusion, those questions to which the
European Parliament accords top priority have been taken
properly into account by the Council, both as regards the
basic regulations and the guidelines for implementing
measures to be adopted in future .

Answer

( 16 September 1993 )

The Community and its Member States are concerned about
the human rights situation in Iraq, including the fate of the
Christians . They are monitoring the situation closely in
conjunction with the United Nations and international
humanitarian organizations, particularly the ICRC . They
have urged Iraq to act in conformity with its obligations
under UN Security Council resolutions 687, 688, and other
relevant Security Council resolutions as well as the various
international human rights instrument and international
humanitarian law, and to cooperate with the UN and the
ICRC .

H

( 2 )

( 3 )

( 4 )

( 5 )

Commission Decision of 25 February 1 971, OJ No L 68, 23 . 3 .
1971 .

Regulation ( EEC ) No 3759 / 92 of 17 December 1992, OJ No
L 388, 31 . 12 . 1992 .
See Article 11 and recitals 16 and 19 thereof .

9019 / 92 Peche 271 .

Resolution of 15 December 1.992 .

The Community and its Member States sponsored the
resolution on the human rights situation in Iraq passed by
the 49th session of the United Nations Commission on

Human Rights in March 1993 . Based on the
recommendation of the UN Special Rapporteur to Iraq, the
resolution requests the Secretary-General for the first time
WRITTEN QUESTION No E-1908 / 93 ever to send human rights monitors to Iraq .

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )

to European Political Cooperation

( IS July 1993 )

( 93 / C 283 / 104 )

Subject : Christians of Iraq

In recent year, the 500 000 Christians of Iraq, the vast
majority of whom live in the north-west of the country, have

The Community and its Member States consider that the
most effective way to help the civilian population is by
acting in close cooperation with the UN effort . They
continue to support the United Nations Inter-Agency
Programme for the region . The UN Agencies involved have a
clear understanding of the humanitarian situation in the
field, and the UN Guard Force is playing an important role
in ensuring the safety of the population and of UN
personnel .

r V