Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-6986

#### C 61
# Official Journal

Volume 36

### of the European Communities

###### Information and Notices

English edition

3 March 1993

Notice No Contents Page

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

93 / C 61 / 01 No 1767 / 92 by Mr Henry Chabert to the Commission
Subject : Protection of threatened animal species 1

93 / C 61 / 02 No 1769 / 92 by Mrs Ursula Schleicher to the Commission
Subject : Irradiation of garments 1

93 / C 61 / 03 No 1778 / 92 by Mrs Marguerite-Marie Dinguirard to the Commission
Subject : Radiocommunications — Merchant ships 2

93 / C 61 / 04 No 1785 / 92 by Mr Enrique Sapena Granell, Mrs María Izquierdo Rojo and
Mr Pedro Bofill Abeilhe to the Commission

Subject : New gas pipeline between the Maghreb countries and Europe 2

93 / C 61 / 05 No 1791 / 92 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Ostrich farming 3

93 / C 61 / 06 No 1799 / 92 by Mr Jose Lafuente Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Extension of the Acnat programme to the protection of the Spanish goat ( capra
hispanica ) 3

93 / C 61 / 07 No 1804 / 92 by Mrs Mechthild von Alemann to the Commission
Subject : Forwarding agents and the internal market 4

93 / C 61 / 08 No 1808 / 92 by Mrs Mechthild von Alemann to the Commission
Subject : Forwarding agents and the internal market 4

93 / C 61 / 09 No 1821 / 92 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Commission
Subject : Discrimination with regard to human rights 4

93 / C 61 / 10 No 1830 / 92 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Additional measures to prevent drought in Thrace 5

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No 1876 / 92 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Commission
Subject : Refugees and water in the Occupied Territories

No 1891 / 92 by Mr Dimitrios Dessylas, Mr Vassilis Ephremidis and Mr Rogério
Brito to the Commission

Subject : Aggravation of problems facing olive growers

No 1892 / 92 by Mr Arthur Newens to the Commission
Subject : Human rights in the Occupied Territories of Palestine

No 1898 / 92 by Mr Lode Van Outrive to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of the Directive of 28 June 1990 on the right of residence ( prior to 30
June 1992 )

No 1924 / 92 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Commission Delegation in Lesotho

No 1925 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The killing of cormorants on an island in the River Drava in Hungary

No 1945 / 92 by Mrs Maria Izquierdo Rojo to the Commission
Subject : Immigration and the new partnership with the Maghreb

No 1963 / 92 by Mrs Simone Veil to the Commission
Subject : Combating AIDS

No 1967 / 92 by Mr Andre Sainjon to the Commission
Subject : The penetration of Korean automobiles in the EC

No 1974 / 92 by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission

Subject : Trade in agricultural products

No 1987 / 92 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Italian milk quotas

No 1988 / 92 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Application of the directive extending the scope of the directives relating to proprietary
medicinal products and laying down special provisions for medicinal products derived from
human blood or human plasma

No 1990 / 92 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Community health care powers

No 1993 / 92 by Mr Yves Verwaerde to the Commission
Subject : Switzerland 's application to join the EEC

No 1998 / 92 by Mr Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Euratom safeguards

No 1999 / 92 by Mr Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Euratom safeguards

No 2022 / 92 by Mr Christos Papoutsis to the Commission
Subject : Financial aid for former Pirkal employees

No 2058 / 92 by Mr Diego de los Santos López to the Commission
Subject : The ' death road ' between Iznallor and Campotejar ( Granada ) in Andalusia

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93 / C 61 / 29 No 2247 / 92 by Mr Antoni Gutierrez Diaz to the Commission
Subject : Eligibility of roads for Community funding 14

93 / C 61 / 30 No 2398 / 92 by Mr José Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Problems with the N-323 road from Bailén to Motril, co-financed by ERDF funds ... 14

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2058 / 92, 2247 / 92 and 2398 / 92 14

93 / C 61 / 31 No 2066 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Damage to agricultural production in Rodopi 14

- 93 / C 61 / 32 No 21 12 / 92 by Mr Freddy Blak to the Commission
Subject : Transport of animals 15

93 / C 61 / 33 No 21 14 / 92 by Mr Aymeri de Montesquiou Fezensac to the Commission
Subject : Community organization of the market in wine 15

93 / C 61 / 34 No 21 16 / 92 by Mr Andrea Bonetti to the Commission
Subject : Administration of port activities in Genova and the Mediterranean 16

93 / C 61 / 35 No 2127 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Organ donors 17

93 / C 61 / 36 No 2128 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Central America Human Rights Democracy Fund 17

93 / C 61 / 37 No 2158 / 92 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Regulation of sales of frozen bread 18

93 / C 61 / 38 No 2162 / 92 by Mr Miguel Arias Cañete to the Commission
Subject : Discrimination against Arcos de la Frontera in the context of the Leader programme . . 18

93 / C 61 / 39 No 2175 / 92 by Léon Schwartzenberg, Roberto Barzanti, Rinaldo Bontempi, Alonso
Puerta, Giacomo Porrazzini, Antonio Coimbra Martins, Barbara Schmidbauer, Yves
Frémion, Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop, Ben Fayot, Rolf Linkohr, Marie-José Denys,
José Duarte Cendán, Maria Belo, Nora Mebrak-Zaïdi, Djida Tazdaït, Gepa

Maibaum, Claude Cheysson, José Happart, Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza, Karin
Junker, Renzo Imbeni, Mechtild Rothe, Bernard Frimat, Marc Galle, Jean-Paul

Benoit, Alain Bombard, Virginio Bettini, Frédéric Rosmini, Leyla Onur, André
Sainjon, Magdalene Hoff, Maria Aglietta, Paul Lannoye, Christine Oddy, Hemmo
Muntingh, Nereo Laroni, Juan Bandrés Molet, Birgit Cramon Daiber, Jean-Pierre
Raffin, Max Simeoni, Paul Staes, Lissy Grôner, Carole Tongue, Marguerite-Marie
Dinguirard, Maria Santos, Arthur Newens, Detlev Samland, Jannis Sakellariou,
Marijke Van Hemeldonck, Dagmar Roth-Berendt, Claude Delcroix, Michael Elliot,
Gérard Caudron and Dieter Schinzel to the Commission

Subject : The damage to artistic creativity and the European broadcasting and film industry
caused by different interpretations of the Berne Convention by its signatories ; accession of the
Community and its Member States to the Berne Convention 19

93 / C 61 / 40 No 2177 / 92 by Peter Crampton, Henry McCubbin, Alex Smith, Kenneth Coates,
Barry Seal, Brian Simpson, James Ford, Ian White, Anita Pollack, Christine Oddy,
David Bowe, Terence Wynn, Freddy Blak, Stephen Hughes, Michael Elliott, Hugh
McMahon, Imelda Read, Alexander Falconer, Roger Barton, Michael McGowan,
David Martin, Pauline Green, Thomas Megahy, David Morris and Christine
Crawley to the Commission
Subject : Kidnapping and imprisonment of Mordechai Vanunu 20

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 61 / 41 No 2179 / 92 by Mr Virginio Bettini and Mr Mario Melis to the Commission
Subject : Coal gasification 20

93 / C 61 / 42 No 2196 / 92 by Mrs Maria Izquierdo Rojo to the Commission
Subject : Community aid to Mediterranean non-member countries 21

93 / C 61 / 43 No 2197 / 92 by Mrs Maria Izquierdo Rojo to the Commission
Subject : Community aid to countries on the EC 's southern border . ; 21

93 / C 61 / 44 No 2198 / 92 by Mrs Maria Izquierdo Rojo to the Commission
Subject : Community aid to the countries on the EC 's eastern border 21

93 / C 61 / 45 No 2199 / 92 by Mrs Maria Izquierdo Rojo to the Commission
Subject : Brochure entitled ' The EC and its southern neighbours ' 21

93 / C 61 / 46 No 2220 / 92 by Mrs Marie-Claude Vayssade to the Commission
Subject : Social economy 22

93 / C 61 / 47 No 2225 / 92 by Mr Florus Wijsenbeek to the Commission
Subject : Transport of bicycles 22

93 / C 61 / 48 No 2228 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Exports of greyhounds from Ireland to Spain 22

93 / C 61 / 49 No 2229 / 92 by Mrs Michele Alliot-Marie to the Commission
Subject : Liberalization of air transport in the Community in the light of discriminatory practices
by the Portuguese airline TAP 23

93 / C 61 / 50 No 2255 / 92 by Mr Herman Verbeek to the Commission
Subject : Overpayment of EC subsidies to Italy for durum wheat 24

93 / C 61 / 51 No 2270 / 92 by Mr Herman Verbeek to the Commission
Subject : Current low barley prices 24

93 / C 61 / 52 No 2291 / 92 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : Euratom report 25

93 / C 61 / 53 No 231 1 / 92 by Mr Michael Welsh to the Commission
Subject : Excise and other taxes on diesel fuel 25

93 / C 61 / 54 No 2325 / 92 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Environmental impact of traffic 26

93 / C 61 / 55 No 2327 / 92 by Mrs Hiltrud Breyer to the Commission
Subject : Novel food 26

93 / C 61 / 56 No 2341 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Plant health directive 27

93 / C 61 / 57 No 2343 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Apartheid in South Africa 27

93 / C 61 / 58 No 2344 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Human rights in India 28

( Continued on page 42 )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 61 / 59 No 2360 / 92 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Killing of turtle doves in France 28

93 / C 61 / 60 No 2364 / 92 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Human rights in Iran 28

93 / C 61 / 61 No 2367 / 92 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Time frame for the approval of an SPC by national patent offices 28

93 / C 61 / 62 No 2368 / 92 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Definition of ' innovative drugs ' 29

93 / C 61 / 63 No 2369 / 92 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : EC initiatives for European ' generic ' medicines 29

93 / C 61 / 64 No 2370 / 92 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Pharmaceutical products 29

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2367 / 92, 2368 / 92, 2369 / 92 and 2370 / 92 .... 30

93 / C 61 / 65 No 2376 / 92 by Mrs Maartje van Putten to the Commission
Subject : EC procedures for the evaluation of development projects 31

93 / C 61 / 66 No 2389 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Return of the aksumite obelisk to Ethiopia 31

93 / C 61 / 67 No 2413 / 92 by Mr Pol Marck to the Commission
Subject : Checks on sea fishing 31

93 / C 61 / 68 No 2416 / 92 by Mr Peter Crampton to the Commission
Subject : CAP reform — oil seed rape . 32

93 / C 61 / 69 No 2428 / 92 by Mr Francois Musso to the Commission
Subject : Drift nets 32

93 / C 61 / 70 No 2430 / 92 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : Trade with Cuba 33

93 / C 61 / 71 No 2439 / 92 by Mr Leen van der Waal to the Commission
Subject : Failure by French and Spanish customs offices to extend their opening hours 33

93 / C 61 / 72 No 2442 / 92 by Mr Francesco Speroni to the Commission
Subject : Accession of Malta to the Community while requirements concerning hunting are not
complied with 34

93 / C 61 / 73 4 No 2472 / 92 by Lord O'Hagan to the Commission
Subject : Wine in United Kingdom 34

93 / C 61 / 74 No 2477 / 92 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Draft for a proposed Council Directive on the limitation of emissions of organic
solvents 34

93 / C 61 / 75 No 2478 / 92 by Mr Madron Seligman to the Commission
Subject : Rabies protection 35

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No 2483 / 92 by Lord Inglewood to the Commission
Subject : Industrial fishing

No 2484 / 92 by Lord Inglewood to the Commission
Subject : Industrial fishing

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2483 / 92 and 2484 / 92

No 2502 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Small watercourses in the Greek capital

No 2533 / 92 by Mr Enrico Falqui to the Commission
Subject : Progress of the Commission 's inquiry into the danger to the inhabitants of Priolo G.,
Melilli, Augusta and Siracusa from the petrochemical complex situated there

No 2534 / 92 by Mr Enrico Falqui to the Commission
Subject : Vacant post of the Commissioner for the environment

No 2536 / 92 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Wild-caught primates used for research

No 2555 / 92 by Mr Otto Habsburg to the Commission
Subject : EC funding for organizations in the Republic of South Africa

No 2556 / 92 by Mr Panayotis Roumeliotis to the Commission
Subject : Entry by the Republic of Skopje for the Felix awards

No 2580 / 92 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : German bread produced with additives

No 2622 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Investments in the Province of Granada ( Spain ) from the ERDF

No 2634 / 92 by Mr David Martin to the Commission
Subject : Co-decision procedure

No 2635 / 92 by Mrs Maria Aglietta and Mr David Martin to the Commission
Subject : Conclusion of international agreements

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2634 / 92 and 2635 / 92

No 2731 / 92 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Non-compliance with Community directives on continuous working hours in customs
offices

No 2849 / 92 by Mr Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Verification visits in the UK

No 2868 / 92 by Mr Louis Lauga to the Commission
Subject : Rosin imports

No 2916 / 92 by Mrs Guadalupe Ruiz-Gimenez Aguilar to the Commission
Subject : European Community aid to El Salvador

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I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1767 / 92

by Mr Henry Chabert ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(2 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 01 )

Subject : Protection of threatened animal species

Can the Commission give an initial assessment of the
conclusions reached at the Tokyo Conference on the
protection of threatened animal species ?

What decisions were taken to improve the protection of
the principal endangered species listed in the annexes to
the Washington Convention ?

What exactly is the situation as regards the monk seal and

Pyrenean bear and what Community measures will be
taken to safeguard these two species which are in
imminent danger of extinction ?

Does it consider that the decision of 1990 to impose a
total ban on ivory imports into the Community has been
fully respected and has it noted any favourable impact in
the form of even a slight increase in the number of
elephants in Africa ? In view of the contradictory figures
currently available can it also say what is the present
number of elephants in Africa and what positions have
been adopted by the Tokyo Conference on African
pachyderms ? Does it consider that the Conference
revealed a more positive attitude on the part of Japan and
other Asian countries which are the main consumers of

ivory ?

CITES ( held in Kyoto from 2 to 13 March 1992 ) to the
Council and the European Parliament shortly .

                  

The amended Appendices to the Convention have
meanwhile been published ( x ).

The monk seal and brown bear are now seriously
threatened and their numbers are declining . The
Community has a major programme to safeguard these
species, under the nature section of the LIFE regulation .

The Community banned imports of ivory in April 1989
followed by a CITES Appendix I listing in January 1990 .
This has indeed had a positive effect on elephant
populations and particularly on the reduction of poaching
and subsequent illegal trade in ivory .

The currently estimated numbers of African elephants
range from 600 000 to 700 000 . The Kyoto Conference of
the Parties to CITES discussed proposals to downlist
Southern African elephant populations back to Appendix
II . The countries concerned withdrew their proposals in
the course of these discussions in view of the opposition
of the majority of the Parties .

The position of Japan has always been in accordance with
the decisions taken in 1989 and has not changed . Other
Asian countries also stopped imports of ivory and their
position has not been modified since .

O OJ No L 201, 20 . 7 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1769 / 92

by Mrs Ursula Schleicher ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(2 July 1992 )

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission ( 93 / C 61 / 02 )

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 November 1992 )

The Commision will submit a report on the outcome of
the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to

Subject : Irradiation of garments

What information does the Commission have concerning
irradiation techniques ( e.g. with strontium ) used by the

No C 61 / 2 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

textile and clothing industry for the labelling of garments
or their components ( fibres )?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of tne Commission

( 20 October 1992 )

National legislation for the identification of textiles and
fibres prescribes a clearly visible identification system in
accordance with Council Directive 83 / 623 / EEC ( 1 ). This
textile marking which comprises designations or code
numbers should be visibly attached, either printed or

woven .

Within the area of piracy by branded articles one works,
however, with additional invisible markings on the basis
of phosphorescence or thermoluminescence .

In principle the use of radioactive substances in products
for household use requires prior permission by the
competent authorities of the Member States in application
of Article 2, and in particular Article 5 of Council
Directive 80 / 836 / Euratom . The Commission is not aware
that such authorizations on this subject have been given .

O OJ No L 353, 15 . 12 . 1983 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1778 / 92

by Mrs Marguerite-Marie Dinguirard ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(2 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 03 )

Subject : Radiocommunications — Merchant ships

Does the Commission share the view that, following the
change in radiocommunications systems on board
merchant ships, the post of radioelectronics officer is still
essential for security purposes, complementing all the
other radiocommunications systems ( in accordance with
IMO Resolution A 420 )?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 November 1 992 )

With Resolution A 420 ( XI ) the Assembly of the
International Maritime Organization ( IMO ) adopted on

15 November 1979 a policy plan to prepare, and to take all
necessary measures, to change from the ' Morse '
radiotelegraph communication system in shipping to
satellite radiotelephone communication, for the purpose
of safety and distress messages from ships to shore and

vice versa . In November 1988 the action plan was
finished, and at a diplomatic conference amendments to
the 1974 Solas Convention on this subject were adopted .
These amendments came into force on 1 February 1992
for all States which are Parties to the Convention . To
facilitate the transition from one system to the other, a
period of seven years is taken up in the amendments . This
period ends on 1 February 1999 .

All Member States are contracting Parties to the 1974
Solas Convention . They have not opposed the new rules
and have to implement fully the requirements of the new
rules on safety and distress communication, within the
time-frame adopted . In addition the World
Administrative Radio Conference held in February 1992

( WARC'92 ) also endorsed the changes made to the 1974
Solas Convention by eliminating differences in Article 56
of the International Radio Regulations .

The Commission supports the rules adopted and is
convinced that the safety of ships will be improved by the
new system for the communication of safety and distress
messages in shipping, provided the shore link of the
system is in existence and fully operational .

The Member States have full responsibility to prescribe to
the owner the composition of the crew of a ship . The 1974
Solas Convention, as amended, permits a Member State
not to require a radio officer on board a ship under its flag
if it is fully equipped in accordance with the rules .

The overall question of crew functions and qualifications
on board is currently the object of examination by the
Commission . A specific R&D exercise is being carried out
in the framework of Euret .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1785 / 92
by Mr Enrique Sapena Granell, Mrs María Izquierdo Rojo

and Mr Pedro Bofill Abeilhe ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities,
(2 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 04 )

Subject : New gas pipeline between the Maghreb countries

^ nd Europe

At the end of 1995 a new gas pipeline 1 265 km long will
link the Hassi R'Mel gaswells in Algeria to Seville, passing
through northern Morocco and the Strait of Gibraltar .

This new infrastructure, which is considered vital for the

link between the Algerian wells supplying the gas and
consumer plant in Morocco, the Iberian Peninsula and
the rest of the European Community, is the result of
cooperation between six countries ( Algeria, Morocco,
Spain, Portugal, France and Germany ).

3.3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 3

What view does the Commission take of this project ?

Does the Commission consider that this project will
contribute to the industrial development of the two major
Maghreb countries ?

Is the Community providing funding for this project,
which is expected to cost more than ECU 1 billion ?

Does the Commission not consider that this project could
provide a good example for the restructuring of relations
between countries on either side of the Mediterranean ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 9 November 1 992 )

The Commission shares the opinion of the Honourable

Metnbers that the gas pipeline linking Hassi R'Mel to
Seville via Morocco and the Straits of Gibraltar is a

project of vital importance .

It had the opportunity to stress this to the Ministers of
Energy of Algeria, Morocco and Spain at a meeting in
Brussels on 28 May last year .

The European Investment Bank has also stated that it
would be interested in investing in the project . It is

considering financing it under the new Mediterranean
policy and as a project of Community interest under
Article 1 8 of its Statute .

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 1992 )

The Commission has recently made a proposal for a

Council Directive concerning the protection of animals
kept for farming purposes ('), based on the European
Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for
Farming Purposes .

This proposal includes a provision that ' no animal shall be
kept for farming purposes unless it can be reasonably
expected, on the basis of its genotype or phenotype, that it
can be kept without detrimental effects on its health or
welfare '.

As all Member States are contracting parties to the
European Convention it is their responsibility to apply the
provisions of the Convention, which require farm animals
to be housed, fed, watered and cared for in an appropriate
manner . As no Member State has, to the knowledge of the
Commission, forbidden the farming of ostriches or
imposed restrictions on such farming which could affect
intra-Community trade, the Commission does not intend
at present to take any initiative on the subject .

O COM(92 ) 192 final — OT No C 156, 23 . 6 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1799 / 92

by Mr José Lafuente Lôpez ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 06 )
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1791 / 92

by Mrs Anita Pollack ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(2 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 05 )

Subject : Ostrich farming

The recent introduction of ostrich farming into Europe
has led to considerable concern being expressed about the
animal welfare problems of such a farming enterprise and,
therefore, will the Commission comment on this matter
and give assurances that its long overdue directive for the
protection of animals kept for farming purposes will
contain proposals that, in the future, will ensure that the
farming of exotic or non-indigenous species in the
European Community will not be permitted by the
Commission unless it can be clearly demonstrated that
there are no welfare problems ?

Subject : Extension of the Acnat programme to the

protection of the Spanish goat ( capra hispanica )

The Spanish goat ( capra hispanica ) is one of the most
valued and valuable species of the southern Spanish
mountains . Unfortunately, for various reasons it is now in
serious danger of extinction, which would be a
unmitigated ecological disaster .

For this reason, the Community 's Acnat nature
conservation programme which has so far achieved some
fine results should be extended to include measures to
protect the capra hispanica in the southern Spanish
mountains . Special funding might also be provided to
preserve the species and its habitat .

Does the Commission consider it possible for the
Community Acnat programme to be extended to include a

No C 61 / 4 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

project for the protection of the capra hispanica in the
southern Spanish mountains and what channels should be
used by those responsible to secure Community
participation in this nature conservation project ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 8 December 1 992 )

The Community has already supported measures to
conserve the species Capra pyrenaica hispanica . For
example, the project entitled ' Regeneration of habitats of
endangered species in the Sierras de . Cazorla, Segura and
las Villas Nature Park ' presented by the Government of
Andalusia was cofinanced by the Community for the
period 1989 — 1991 under the Medspa programme .

The Commission considers that such measures should be
taken by the competent administration of the Member
State in the framework of the management plans in force
for such species .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 804 / 92

by Mrs Mechthild von Alemann ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 07 )

Subject : Forwarding agents and the internal market

On 6 May 1992 the Commission presented a plan for
accompanying measures aimed at adapting the occupation
of forwarding agent to the internal market .

Will steps be taken to ensure that associations are

immediately informed as to where applications may be
made in Germany ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 9 November 1 992 )

The authorities to which applications for assistance can be

submitted are those designated in each Member State for
the implementation of the European Social Fund . In
Germany, applications should therefore be submitted to
the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 808 / 92
by Mrs Mechthild von Alemann ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 08 )

Subject : Forwarding agents and the internal market

On 6 May 1992 the Commission presented a plan for
accompanying measures aimed at adapting the occupation
of forwarding agent to the internal market .

Can the Commission confirm that the funds may be used
as from 1 January 1993 since forwarding agents will be
needed in their present jobs until 31 December 1992 ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 November 1 992 )

As from this year, vocational training for persons
threatened with unemployment — as is the case with
customs and forwarding agents from the least developed
regions and areas of the Community ( i.e. those covered by
objectives 1, 2 and 5b ) — may be financed by the
European Social Fund .

As from 1 January 1993, customs and forwarding agents
from all Community regions will be eligible for assistance
from the Fund . The Commission felt that, starting from
that date, a fair solution would be to give members of the
profession in question who lost their jobs the status of
long-term unemployed .

As regards specific projects outside the structural funds,
the Commission is currently financing a series of
measures costing a total of ECU 2 million, and has
proposed a new budget heading of ECU 30 million for

1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1821 / 92
by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 09 )

Subject : Discrimination with regard to human rights

In the opinion of the Commission, what would be the best
way of preventing the EEC from discriminating in any
way in its treatment of small developing countries and
more powerful countries with regard to the issue of
human rights ?

3.3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 5

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 23 November 1992 )

The Commission appreciates the concern expressed by
the Honourable Member about the risk of discrimination
in terms of evaluation of the human rights situation in the
various developing countries .

It recalls that the 28 November 1991 resolution of the
Council and of the Member States meeting in the Council
on human rights, democracy and development formulated
concrete guidelines, procedures and lines of action
designed to improve the cohesion and consistency of
initiatives to promote human rights and democracy in the
developing countries, which implies a strictly
non-discriminatory policy .

This is the underlying aim of several Parliament
resolutions which put forward coordinated and effective
strategies .

A careful, concerted approach is needed to implement the
Council resolution and take account of Parliament 's

wishes ; the Commission will not fail to inform Parliament
of the results of this approach .

reinforcement of agricultural structures in Greece, which
forms part of the Community Support Framework,
contains plans for a major programme of hydraulic
operations for the entire country for a total eligible cost of
ECU 126,5 million . The large Lefkoya-Kato Nevrokopi
construction project is also planned, for a total cost of
ECU 16,5 million ( current ECU rate ).

Furthermore, at the request of the Greek authorities, the
Commission has agreed to include in the Operational
Programme a series of operations directly linked to the
consequences of the drought, adding a sum of ECU
29,2 million ( current ECU rate ). The primary concern of
these operations is to construct small reservoirs in the
watercourses for water storage, to replenish the water
table, reduce water loss by upgrading existing canals,
improve existing boreholes and develop watercourses, etc .
The EAGGF Guidance Section finances up to 65 % of the
eligible costs of all of the above operations . A large
number of the operations are carried out in eastern
Macedonia and Thrace .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1876 / 92

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1830 / 92
( 23 July 1992 )

by Mr Alexandros Alavanos ( CG )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 93 / C 61 / 11 )

(6 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 10 ) Subject : Refugees and water in the Occupied Territories

Subject : Additional measures to prevent drought - in

Thrace

Repeated droughts in Thrace have almost entirely
destroyed farming in the region while in the very small
areas where cereals are still cultivated fungal diseases have
spread because of the lack of rain .

Since this is a peripheral region of the Community, which
is particularly vulnerable in social and economic terms :

What plans are there under the CSF or other programmes
for small water collection projects ( reservoirs ) and
improvement of the water table in the region, and what
additional measures will the Commission take to devise a
permanent solution to the problem of repeated droughts ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

(7 October 1992 )

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member

that the Operational Programme for the development and

With regard to the two problems raised by the delegation

at the negotiations in Vienna, does the Commission
believe that the questions of water and the Palestinian
refugees have been and still are key issues for debate and
negotiation in the already lengthy talks being held by the
Commission with Israel on the Occupied Territories ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 November 1 992 )

The issues ' refugees ' and ' water ' are discussed in the
framework of the multilateral peace negotiations as
agreed on at the conference in Moscow in January 1992 .
The respective working groups have taken place in May in

Ottawa ( refugees ) and in Vienna ( water ).

These multilateral working groups deal with matters of
regional interest . Both subjects mentioned are indeed of
vital importance to many neighbouring countries in the
region .

No C 61 / 6 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3.93

Therefore these are not dealt with in the bilateral
relationship between Israel and the Community as far as
the Occupied Territories are concerned .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1891 / 92
by Mr Dimitrios Dessylas, Mr Vassilis Ephremidis and

Mr Rogério Brito ( CG )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 12 )

Subject : Aggravation of problems facing olive growers

The problems facing olive growers are being aggravated
by the price slump and corresponding drop in their
income caused by over-production disrupting the market
last year . In addition, Community intervention is being
delayed since it is not scheduled to commence before 1
July 1992 and producers will receive payment at least four

months later . The situation is aggravated for producers
and cooperatives by the problem of marketing the oil .

At the same time, illegal commercial practices at the cost
of the producers, cooperatives, consumers and the
Community budget, involving mainly the adulteration of
top quality oils with oils of lesser quality and the blending
of oils from different EC Member States, together with
abuse of the system of MCAs and conversion premiums,
the import of oil from third countries and its sale as
domestic oil and over - and underpricing have all assumed
gigantic proportions .

What measures will the Commission take to ensure

immediate intervention in the olive oil sector, measures to
safeguard olive growers ' incomes, the strengthening of
cooperatives, the provision of guarantees concerning the
origin and quality of oil and the protection of consumers
from adulterated products and illegal commercial
practices ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 October 1992 )

The Commission has closely monitored the trend in the

Community olive oil market which has seen ample
production during this marketing year .

At the beginning of the year, the Commission took
measures on storage contracts and export refunds to
support and stabilize the market .

The measures have had a positive effect on the market

and the quantities offered for intervention remain low to
this day as a result .

As regards guarantee of origin, the Commission would
remind the Honourable Members that the Council has

adopted the Regulation relating to the protection of
geographical indications and designations of origin of
foodstuffs .

As regards guarantees of quality and the protection of
consumers, the Commission last year adopted by means
of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2568 / 91 (') the most advanced
analytical tests to determine the characteristics of the
various types of olive oil so as better to guarantee the
purity and quality of the product . This new Regulation,
which will be regularly updated as scientific research
progresses, will also ensure that consumers are better
protected against fraud .

o OJ No L 248, 5 . 9 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1892 / 92

by Mr Arthur Newens ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 13 )

Subject : Human rights in the Occupied Territories of

Palestine

Would the Commission please give information on any
recent interventions by EC representatives to the Israeli
Government on the subject of human rights in the
Occupied Territories, particularly in the light of the
recent reports of the killings by ' undercover Israeli army
units ' and of reports of the increased use of torture in

. Israeli detention facilities ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 November 1 992 )

The Commission is fully aware of the actions taken by
special undercover units of the Israeli army and shares the
concern of the Honourable Member on this matter .

The Isiraeli authorities have been approached on various
occasions recently regarding the human rights situation
either at the level of the Consul Generals in
East-Jerusalem or through the Ambassadors of the
Member States in Tel Aviv . A recent demarche to the
Israeli government by the Community and its Member
States strongly demands that Israel should fully meet its
obligations towards the residents of the Occupied
Territories and abide by the provisions of the Fourth
Geneva Convention .

3 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 7

The Commission, which is in constant contact with the

Member States in the framework of European Political
Cooperation on this issue, hopes that the new atmosphere
already noticeable in the Near East Peace Process will
have a positive effect on the human rights situation, and
expects that the new Israeli government will do everything
in its power to redress this matter .

Work has started on examining the conformity with
Community law of the corresponding legal instruments
enacted in those four countries . The Commission is not
yet in a position, therefore, to provide the detailed
information requested by the Honourable Member .

The Commission would draw the Honourable Member 's

attention to the fact that, in a ruling dated 7 July 1992, the
Court of Justice of the European Communities set aside
the Directive on the right of residence for students while
maintaining in force the effects of that Directive . The
obligation on the Member States to transpose the three
Directives into national law thus remains unchanged .
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1898 / 92

by Mr Lode Van Outrive ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 14 ) WRITTEN QUESTION No 1924 / 92

Subject : Implementation of the Directive of 28 June 1990

on the right of residence ( prior to 30 June 1992 )

How have the Member States implemented Directives
90 / 364 / EEC ('), 90 / 365 / EEC ( 2 ) and 90 / 366 / EEC ( 3 ) in
their respective national legislations ?

How do the Membet States interpret in their legislation
and the implementation thereof the ' sufficient resources '
criterion ( Article 1 of Directives 90 / 364 / EEC,
90 / 365 / EEC and 90 / 366 / EEC )? What level of income
must be proven in each Member State ? When and how are
resources investigated in the Member States ? How do the
Member States interpret within their legislation and the
implementation thereof the definition of the family
( Article 1 ( 2 ) ( a ) of Directives 90 / 364 / EEC and
90 / 365 / EEC and Article 2(2 ) of Directive 90 / 366 / EEC )?

How do the Member States interpret in their legislation
and the implementation thereof the provisions on
' enrolment for a vocational training course ' ( Article 1 of
Directive 90 / 366 / EEC )? What proof must be provided by
students in each of the Member States ?

How are citizens informed about this new legislation ?

o OJ No L 180, 13 . 7 . 1990, p . 26 .
O OJ No L 180, 13 . 7 . 1990, p . 28 .
O OJ No L 180, 13 . 7 . 1990, p . 30 .

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 November 1 992 )

Only three Member States, Denmark, Spain and the
Netherlands, met the deadline of 30 June 1992 for
transposing into national law the three Directives of 28
June 1990 on the right of residence . Greece has since

notified the Commission that it has transposed the three
Directives .

by Mr Ian White ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 15 )

Subject : Commission Delegation in Lesotho

1 . Who instructs the EC Diplomat currently ( or to be )
appointed at the EC Legation in Lesotho ?

2 . To whom is he or she accountable ?

3 . What was the cost of the Legation in Maseru ?

4 . Who designed the building ?

5 . What was the criterion for the architect 's brief ?

6 . How many members of staff will be employed at the
Legation ?

7 . From what source are funds derived to meet the

capital cost incurred or to be incurred for the building ?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha

on behalf of the Commission

( 9 November 1 992 )

1 and 2 . The EC officials working in the Delegation of
the Commission in the Kingdom of Lesotho receive their
instructions from the Directorate - General for

Development .

3 . The cost was 5 216 228 maloti ( ECU 1 304 615 at
the September 1992 rate ).

In accordance with the Financial Regulation, the project
was submitted to the Advisory Committee on
Procurement and Contracts before work began .

4 . The Lesotho-registered architectural firm HMH
( Househam, McPherson, Henderson ) Architects &
Planners was responsible for the design and supervision
of the buildings .

No C 61 / 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3.93

5 . The architect 's brief was :

' to provide full professional services required to design
and supervise the construction up to final completion
of the following works : ( a ) office building of
approximately 450 m 2, ( b ) residence of 400 m 2 and ( c )
residence of approximately 300 m 2 — with associated
outbuildings and landscaping of garden '.

6 . There are three Commission officials and eight
locally recruited staff working in the Delegation .

7 . Article A 281 of the general Community budget .
Budgetary years 1990 and 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1925 / 92

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

( 23 July 1992 )

Community are growing increasingly acute : In the past
few months there has been a tragic increase in the number
of illegal Moroccan immigrants who have died trying to
cross the straits to Spain in conditions of extreme
suffering and subhuman exploitation .

In view of the fact that the European Community cannot
stand idly by in the face of these developments at its own
frontiers which directly impinge on its policy of
cooperation, and its defence of human rights, and in view
of the draft document on the ' new Europe-Maghreb
partnership ' which will be considered at the next summit
in Lisbon, does the Commission intend to take any
immediate steps to deal with the growing problems of
migration from the Maghreb to Europe ?

( 93 / C 61 / 16 ) Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : The killing of cormorants on an island in the ( 9 November 1 992 )

River Drava in Hungary

As chance would have it, an environmental disaster
caused by Croatian fishermen was discovered on World
Environment Day . The Hungarian nature conservation
authorities announced that on 2 June 1992 a group of
armed Croatian fishermen had crossed the border into
Hungary, entered a nature reserve and killed two
thousand cormorants . These unfortunate birds lived on a

small island in the River Drava close to the Croatian town
of Micholjak . Does the Commission intend to ask the
Croatian authorities to punish those responsible for this
massacre in an exemplary manner ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

No . It is for the Governments directly concerned to take
any measures which might be considered necessary .

The European Community is aware of the growing

number of cases of clandestine immigration in recent
months, many of which have come to grief .

The Commission is concerned about this problem and

feels that, as things stand, only preventive measures can
be of help . These could take the form of :

— special economic assistance to the regions and areas

from which the bulk of the would-be emigrants come .
In this connection the Commission has financed a
study into migratory flows between the Maghreb and
the Community, the findings of which will be used to
help shape cooperation projects . Some of those
schemes will receive funds from the heading in the
preliminary draft 1993 budget aimed at supporting job
creation in the Maghreb .

— a coherent immigration policy which addresses the

problem of clandestine immigration, which the
strategy for the Community 's external frontiers must
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1945 / 92 also take into account .

by Mrs María Izquierdo Rojo ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

The subject of immigration will, albeit of course from

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 1 September 1 992 ) quite a different angle, be among the topics dealt with in

( 93 / C 61 / 17 ) the future Community-Maghreb partnership agreements,

notably via the political dialogue . An agrrement with
Subject : Immigration and the new partnership With the Morocco is currently at the stage of exploratory talks .

( 93 / C 61 / 17 )

Maghreb

The demographic and socio-economic problems of the

Maghreb and the resultant migration towards the

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 9

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1963 / 92

by Mrs Simone Veil ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 18 )

Subject : Combating AIDS

Could the Commission put forward an action plan for
combating AIDS in ACP and non-ACP States over the
next five years ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 October 1992 )

1 . For the next few years the main objective of the
campaign against AIDS will be the prevention of
transmission, namely :

— sexual transmission,

— transmission by blood,

— perinatal transmission .

Prevention is undeniably the most important objective of
the world strategy, since it is the only way of avoiding all
the human, social and economic costs of HIV infection,
which, in the absence of a cure, ends in death . It is
unlikely that a universally effective preventive vaccine will
be available at a reasonable price before 2000 .

Because of the spread of the disease over the coming years
a new priority will be to reduce the individual and social
impact of the pandemic .

According to WHO estimates, between 10 and 12 million
adults and children have been infected by HIV since the
epidemic started, and by 2000 the aggregate figure may
well be 30 to 40 million .

A combination of research and practical measures will be
needed to cushion the impact . Plans will have to be drawn
up to take care of the several million children who by 2000
will have lost their parents as a result of AIDS .

2 . The multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach

AIDS poses a problem not only in health but also in
development, social and economic terms . It is therefore
essential that the health sector and all the sectors which
depend on human resources should play a part in
combating AIDS . It is increasingly necessary to take

account of AIDS in cooperation as a whole and in each
project deploying human resources .

3 . Non-governmental organizations and grassroots
associations

Non-governmental organizations, including voluntary
grassroots associations, play an important role in the
promotion of safer sexual behaviour and in providing
support for people affected by HIV / AIDS and for AIDS
orphans . It is therefore essential to establish even closer
cooperation with non-governmental organizations and
grassroots associations on the spot .

4 . Regional cooperation

The countries of a region must take measures in order to
cooperate closely in combating AIDS . Certain target
groups are the same in a number of neighbouring
countries in Africa . Regional cooperation will also
facilitate the training of skilled staff, particularly for
blood transfusion and combating sexually transmissible
diseases . It is therefore necessary to pay special attention
to increased support for regional cooperation .

5 . Coordination between donors

A number of factors call for an increase in the external
financial resources for preventing and combating AIDS in
the developing countries . This support must come in
addition to the aid already provided for the health sector .
An increase in overall development assistance is vital not
only for lessening the impact of the pandemic on all
sectors of the economy but also for alleviating the poverty
which encourages the spread of HIV in these countries .

It is unlikely, however, that aid will be increased over the
next few years . Some donors are prepared to maintain
their present aid budget but other major donors may
reduce their support for developing countries despite
promising official declarations .

In view of this situation, it is essential to improve and
strengthen coordination between donors . At world level,
the WHO must play a vital role in coordination and at the
same time the efforts of the Community and its Member
States should be coordinated more effectively .

6 . The implementation of new programmes

The aid provided by the Commission will therefore have a
longer-term objective in the coming years . Projects will
last for an average of four rather than two years . Up to
now, the average allocation by project has been ECU
370 000 . The average allocation was relatively low and
this was justified at the emergency stage . In future, with
longer-term projects, the amounts will be higher, and this
will facilitate technical and financial management and will
reduce the technical and administrative costs per project .
The campaign against AIDS is now also part of countries '
national indicative programmes and will be incorporated
in the Commission 's development policy, particularly in

No C 61 / 10 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3.93

the field of health . The aim is also to give ACP
governments more responsibility for executing projects
and programmes .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1967 / 92

by Mr André Sainjon ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

continue to give due and careful attention to the impact of
Korean exports to the Community as it indicated in its
communication of 18 January 1990 on a single market for
vehicles .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1974 / 92

( 93 / C 61 / 19 )
( 1 September 1 992 )

Subject : The penetration of Korean automobiles in the

EC

The Korean industrial group Hyundai, which already has
branches in a number of European Community countries,
is setting up a plant in France next September .

This undertaking, which forms part of a vast empire with

interests as diverse as electronics, shipbuilding and iron
and steel, produces 1,2 million vehicles a year and may
one day pose a real threat to the Community industry .

Korean manufacturers must undertake to restrict exports
to Europe during a transitional period that has not yet
been fixed .

The motor vehicle industry agreement concluded between
Tokyo and Brussels last July constitutes a benchmark for
future negotiations, even if it is vague on certain points .

What is the present state of relations between the

Commission and the Korean Government as regards the
problem of the market penetration of Korean vehicles in
the European Community ? Since these vehicles cost 10%
less than Japanese vehicles, what does the Commission
intend to do to protect European manufacturers and
avoid job losses resulting from Korean competition ?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 November 1992 )

The Commission closely follows trends in the car industry
in Europe, particularly with reference to completion of
the single market . As regards the Community car market
as a whole, it believes that despite the increase in imports
from South Korea to 37 681 last year from 15 334 in 1990,
their share of the market is, at 0,4% of new registration
between January and April this year, still very low .

Nevertheless, the Korean car industry may well become
one of the toughest competitors on international markets
because of its potential and the competitiveness of many
of its manufacturers . The Commission will therefore

( 93 / C 61 / 20 )

Subject : Trade in agricultural products

In the light of the prospects and economic developments
arising from the completion of the single European
market by 1993, traders in agricultural products have
already made major investments to provide the large
storage capacity which will be necessary to meet demand .

In most regions of France, these investments have been
made during consecutive drought years, which restricted
employment and led to increased costs in this sector .

It is under these conditions that agricultural traders are
being faced with competition from a cooperative sector
additionally favoured by tax provisions which place the
private sector at a clear disadvantage .

Does the Commission consider that the disparities in
taxation between the private and cooperative sectors may
amount to a system of aid which is illegal under
Community rules since it distorts competition ?

Can the Commission bring pressure to bear on the French
administration to correct these disparities, thereby
ensuring a spirit of free competition in trade in
agricultural products ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 October 1992 )

The measures taken by the French administration in
favour of cooperatives are in keeping with the system
applied to cooperatives in most Member States . For
historical and practical reasons, most Member States
grant special tax provisions to cooperatives .

The Commission believes that the tax provisions granted
to the cooperative sector compared with private
companies in France cannot really be considered to be a

3 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities N0C6I / II

specific and unfair measure in favour of the agricultural
sector since the measures are within the framework of

general tax regulations applicable to all areas of trade .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1987 / 92

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

immediate reduction in Italian milk production and the
effective implementation of the quota system . As soon as
these conditions are met, the Commission will be able to
submit a proposal to adapt the Italian quota to the true
position as regards milk production in Italy .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1988 / 92

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 93 / C 61 / 21 ) (1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 22 )
Subject : Italian milk quotas

Italian milk quotas have been fixed according to
parameters which no longer correspond to the reality of
Italian milk production . This is clear from the amount of
dairy products in Italy . To ensure that Italian producers
do not continue to be penalized excessively, it is therefore
necessary to adjust the figures to take account of the real
situation of this sector in Italy . Does the Commission not
agree that it is in its interests and is its duty to safeguard
milk producers through a fair distribution of quotas in
accordance with the current market and not in accordance
with figures which are often manipulated by local
interests ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 4 December 1 992 )

The Italian application for an increase in the milk quota,
along with the measures to reduce the surplus in milk
production, were discussed at the Agriculture Councils in
May and June 1992 in the context of the negotiations on
the reform of the CAP . No solution to the problem was
found, however . At the request of Italy, the European
Council at its meeting in Lisbon on 26 and 27 June 1992
asked the Agriculture Council to find, if possible at its
next meeting, an equitable solution to the dispute
concerning the milk quota system, given its problematic
implementation in Italy .

The Agriculture Council on 13 and 14 July 1992 asked the

Special Committee on Agriculture to carry out a technical
examination of all the factual data relating to the matter .
It was not possible on the basis of this examination to
establish what had been the level of Italian milk
production in 1983, the base year on which the Italian
quota was fixed .

The Commission believes however that the Italian
application could be satisfied and the political problems
experienced by the other Member States in seeking a
solution for Italy could be satisfactorily resolved by an

Subject : Application of the directive extending the scope

of the directives relating to proprietary medicinal
products and laying down special provisions for
medicinal products derived from human blood
or human plasma

In view of the tragic situation in France, where many
haemophiliacs received transfusions of contaminated
blood, and given that there are still many risks connected
with blood transfusion, does the Commission not
consider that it should update Directive 89 / 381 / EEC ( x )
in order to harmonize legislation and blood transfusion
practices in the 12 Member States and to reduce the risk
of stable plasma derivates made from sold blood being
made available on the market ? Does it not consider that it
should label stable plasma derivatives in order to make it
clear which of them have been made from donated blood,
which is indisputably safer for patients ?

o OJ No L 181, 28 . 6 . 1989, p. 44 .

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 October 1992 )

Directive 89 / 381 / EEC relating to proprietary medicinal
products derived from human blood and plasma was
unanimously adopted by . the Council in 1989 following a
favourable opinion from the European Parliament . The
Directive covers stable blood derivatives but not blood,
plasma or blood cells .

Medicinal products derived from blood and plasma are
therefore now subject to harmonized rules for
authorization of production and marketing in order to
ensure quality, safety and efficacy and therefore to
protect public health .

The Community objective of self-sufficiency in blood and
blood derivatives by means of unpaid donation is clearly
expressed in Directive 89 / 381 / EEC and the Member
States are required to inform the Commission of the

No C 61 / 12 Official Journal of the European Communities 3.3.93

action they take in this regard . The twelve Member States
have therefore committed themselves to achieving a
system of voluntary, unpaid donation and to developing
the production of medicinal products from such
donations .

For the recipient of blood derivatives, unpaid donation
does not in itself provide an absolute guarantee of safety .
Article 4 of Directive 89 / 381 / EEC therefore stipulates
for these products that Member States shall take all
necessary measures to ensure that the manufacturing and
purifying processes are properly validated, attain
batch-to-batch consistency and guarantee, insofar as the
state of technology permits, the absence of specific viral
contamination .

Every medicinal product is therefore the subject of an
individual, detailed evaluation of its quality, safety and
efficacy and is not authorized unless the outcome of the
evaluation is acceptable . It is therefore unacceptable to
provide labelling which would suggest different levels of
safety .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1990 / 92

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )
to the Co mm ission of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1993 / 92

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

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 24 )

Subject : Switzerland 's application to join the EEC

Can the Commission clarify its position on the Swiss
Federal Council 's application to join the European
Economic Community, on the basis of amended
Article 237 of the Treaty of Rome ?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 November 1992 )

The Commission 's position on Switzerland 's application
to join the European Communities will be set out in the
opinion which the Council has requested the Commission
to prepare, in accordance with Articles 98 ( ECSC ), 237

( EEC ) and 205 ( Euratom ). This opinion will be
transmitted to Parliament for information purposes .

( 1 September 1 992 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 998 / 92
( 93 / C 61 / 23 )

Subject : Community health care powers

The Maastricht Treaty provides for Community powers

in the field of health care . In Italy, the health care budget
is in such a parlous state that in many regions pharmacists
have not been paid for months what they are owed by the
regional authorities, which has also led or may lead to
serious repercussions not only for pharmacists but also
for patients who will be obliged to pay directly for their
medicines . Can the Commission urge the Italian health
authorities to provide effective safeguards for citizens '
health, while respecting the legitimate rights of
pharmacists ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 October 1992 )

Reimbursement of medicines is a matter which falls within
the Member States ' competency and is not covered by the
Health article of the Maastricht Treaty on European
Union .

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 25 )

Subject : Euratom safeguards

In regard to paragraph 1 1 3B of the second report on the
operation of Euratom safeguards ( SEC(92 ) 80 final ) has
the Commission published its report on the analysis of the
Safeguards Criteria for 1991 — 95 ( as prepared by the
International Atomic Energy Agency ) considered for the
High Level Liaison Committee ? How many meetings of
the HLLC are held annually and what information is
made public on its deliberations ?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 October 1992 )

It was not the intention of the Commission to publish its
analysis of the IAEA 1991 — 1995 safeguards criteria .
Consultations with the IAEA have however taken place .

The Higher Level Liaison Committee ( HLLC ) usually

meets once or twice each year .

by Mr Alex Smith ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

3.3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 13

The records of the meetings are not made public due to
plant specific and confidential information contained in
the documents .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1999 / 92

by Mr Alex Smith ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 26 )

Subject : Euratom safeguards

In regard to paragraphs 114A and 114B of the second
report on the operation of Euratom safeguards ( SEC(92 )

80 final ), will the Commission make a statement on any
additional progress made on :

1 . The conclusion of new facility attachments and

2 . The implementation of IAEA safeguards in nuclear

weapon states ?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 October 1 992 )

In the period covered by the second safeguards operation
report O, 21 facility attachments were prepared for
consultations with Member States concerned and 20
facility attachments entered into force .

The Commission wishes to draw the attention of the
Honourable Member to the provisions of the voluntary
offer agreements between the IAEA, the Community and
the two Member States, whereby it is the decision of the
IAEA whether or not to designate relevant facilities for
inspection .

1 . What steps will the Commission take to provide

financial aid for these former employees ?

2 . Will it also include them in the Perifra programme,

since they were employed in an arms-related industry ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 October 1 992 )

The Commission will give favourable consideration to

any proposal likely to facilitate the vocational and social
reintegration of workers laid off by the arms firm Pirkal .

The authorities concerned may accordingly submit to the

secretariat of the multifund operational programme
( MOP ) for Attica concrete proposals for measures
requiring financing notably by the European Social Fund,
and these will be examined by the Monitoring Committee
for the programme in question .

The Commission would also point out that decisions have

already been taken under the regional MOPs on measures
to achieve the same objectives,, namely assistance for
workers laid off by firms in difficulty .

As regards measures financed under Perifra for 1992, the
Commission at the beginning of August adopted a list of
the projects selected .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2058 / 92
by Mr Diego de los Santos López ( ARC )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )
(') SEC(92 ) 80 final . ( 93 / C 61 / 28 )

Subject : The ' death road                                  - between Iznallor and
Campotejar ( Granada ) in Andalusia

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2022 / 92

by Mr Christos Papoutsis ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(9 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 27 )

Subject : Financial aid for former Pirkal employees

In view of the fact that the Greek Government has

dismissed 500 Pirkal workers :

The Iznallor-Campotejar stretch of the N 323 between

Bailen and Motril has achieved sad notoriety as a death
trap . In a short period of time 200 lives have been lost on
this stretch of road which runs through the province of
Granada in Andalusia and fatal accidents are continuing
to occur, despite numerous complaints that the road is
dangerous, as a result of both bad design and incorrect
road signs .

Can the Commission provide all available information on
the financing of this road by the ERDF, in particular :

No C 61 / 14 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

— the specifications submitted by the Spanish
Government, including technical data and its
eligibility,

— the deadlines,

— the percentage of funding provided and the total

amount,

— conditions laid down by the Commission for the

funding of the road ?

Can the Commission also investigate the way in which the
project was carried out and completed in order to ensure
compliance with Community rules ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2247 / 92

by Mr Antoni Gutiérrez Díaz ( GUE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 29 )

Subject : Eligibility of roads for Community funding

According to the Spanish media certain conditions must
be fulfilled for roads to be eligible for Community
funding specifically, they must be expressways . It is
alleged that the reason for the signs on the CN 323 trunk
road wrongfully indicating higher speeds than are safe in
view of driving conditions on the section skirting the
Cubillas reservoir is to avoid losing Community funding .

Does the Commission impose conditions relating to the
speed of traffic on roads financed from the structural
funds ? If so, what are these conditions ? What information
does the Commission have with regard to the CN 323 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2398 / 92

by Mr José Valverde Lôpez ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 October 1992 )

last four years . The main causes of this high accident rate
are considered to be the poor quality of the road surface,
adverse cambers and inadequate signposting . In view of
the fact that the construction of this road was partly
financed by the EC from ERDF funds, could the
Commission say whether the work was carried out with
due regard to proper technical and safety requirements,
and corresponds to the plans which were submitted and
for which funding was awarded ?

Joint answer to Written Questions
Nos 2058 / 92, 2247 / 92 and 2398 / 92

given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 2 December 1 992 )

The Commission part - funds the construction of various
types of roads using the forms of assistance specified in
the structural Fund Regulations . The Commission does
not however set technical criteria or lay down conditions
in respect of implementation, responsibility for which
rests with the national, regional or local authorities
responsible for the preparation and completion of the
project .

The Commission 's only task therefore is to ensure that
these projects are a response to specific problems of
regional development and contribute to developing the
regions concerned and improving road links within them .

In the case in point, the European Regional Development
Fund ( ERDF ) contributed PTA 427,4 million
( approximately ECU 3,1 million ) to complete the section
of road between Campotejar and Venta de la Nava
( 18,5 km ), the total cost of which reached PTA

1 459,3 million ( approximately ECU 10,4 million ).
According to the information provided by the ERDF,
work started on 10 September 1983 and ended on 31

December 1987 . The period eligible for structural Fund
aid ran from 7 November 1985 to 31 December 1987 .

( 93 / C 61 / 30 ) WRITTEN QUESTION No 2066 / 92

Subject : Problems with the N-323 road from Bailen to

Motril, co-financed by ERDF funds

Serious problems have become apparent with regard to
the construction, layout and marking of the N.323 ( Bailen

— Motril ) road in Andalusia, which is now known as the
' highway of death '. There have been more than 500
accidents on the section between La Venta de la Nava and
Campotejar ( Granada ), where 230 people have died in the

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

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 31 )

Subject : Damage to agricultural production in Rodopi

The drought and recent hailstorms have caused a vast

amount of damage to agricultural production in Rodopi

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 15

and farmers in the prefecture are in a desperate situation .
Damage caused by the drought to cereals amounts to Dr
2,5 billion . In the region of Sappa damage to cereals and
tobacco amounts to between 80 and 100% of total
production . Does the Commission intend to provide
economic assistance for those farmers in the Prefecture of
Rodopi whose crops have been badly affected by adverse
weather conditions ? Does it intend to use the special
programmes drawn up to cover cases of this kind in this
instance ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 October 1992 )

The Commission is aware of the problems faced by
farmers in some regions of Greece following recent harsh
weather conditions .

The Commission is presently working with the Greek

authorities to try to find structural solutions to the
problems caused by the drought within the Community
support framework for Greece . Furthermore, in addition
to introducing extensive hydraulic measures under the
IMP for Macedonia and Thrace, the multifund
operational programme for Eastern Macedonia and
Thrace and the operational programme for agricultural

structures, the Commission amended the latter on 13
August 1992 and set up several new programmes, one of
which was created exclusively to tackle the problems
caused by drought and water shortages in Greece, notably
the affected regions in Thrace . The objective of this
programme is to save water and promote a more effective
management of water resources .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2112 / 92

by Mr Freddy Blak ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 November 1 992 )

The Commission is very concerned about animal welfare

in the Community and, in the areas falling within its
sphere of competence, it has already taken steps to ensure
that animals are protected .

Council Directive 9 1 / 628 / EEC on the protection of
animals during transport (') lays down rules for the
welfare of animals during transport and requires the
Commission to make a report, possibly accompanied by
proposals, on certain aspects of transport including the
maximum period for which animals may be transported
before they must be fed, watered and given rest, stocking
densities and standards for the means of transport . The
Commission expects to submit a proposal for further
legislation to the Council in the near future .

Council Directive 74 / 577 / EEC on the stunning of
animals before slaughter ( 2 ) requires all cattle, pigs,
horses, sheep and goats to be humanely stunned before
slaughter by an approved method .

At the end of last year, the Commission made a proposal

( COM(91 ) 136 final ) for a Council Regulation on the
protection of animals at the time of slaughter or
killing ( 3 ).

The draft Regulation contains detailed rules concerning
the movements, lairaging, restraint, stunning, slaughter
and killing of animals, and will replace Directive
74 / 577 / EEC .

Matters such as local festivals, which are not subject to
Community rules, remain the responsibility of the
Member State concerned .

i ]
o OJ No L 340, 11 . 12 . 1991 .
O OJ No L 316, 26 . 11 . 1974 .
O OJNoC 314, 5 . 12 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2114 / 92
by Mr Aymeri de Montesquiou Fezensac ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 ) ( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 32 ) ( 93 / C 61 / 33 )

Subject : Transport of animals

Via television and the press, public attention has again
been drawn towards the cruel treatment of animals during
and after transport to slaughterhouses and at festive
events . Since I am convinced that the Commission is
anxious to ensure that no living creature suffers
unnecessarily, I look to it to say promptly how this is to be
achieved at European Community level .

Subject : Community organization of the market in wine

At the meeting of the Intergroup on lifestyle and tradition
on 7 July 1992, questions were asked as to the
Commission 's proposals on the Community organization
of the market in wine by way of a follow-up to the Dublin

agreements .

How does the Commission propose to involve
Parliament ?

No C 61 / 16 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3.93

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 October 1992 )

Following the European Council summit held on 3 and 4
December 1984 in Dublin, new Community
administrative measures were implemented .

These measures failed to establish a lasting balance on the
market in wine for a number of reasons .

There is to be a new reform in the wine sector, taking into
account the reform of the CAP .

Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 1756 / 92 (') requires that
the Commission first send reports to the European
Parliament and the Council on the key problems in the
wine sector, such as the improvement and effects of
structural measures .

The Commission will involve Parliament in work on the
reform of the Community organization of the market in
wine in accordance with Community Regulations on the
legislative process .

This should not prevent Parliament from submitting its

comments on the reform to the Commission .

O OJNoL 189, 1.7 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2116 / 92

by Mr Andrea Bonetti ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 34 )

Subject : Administration of port activities in Genova and

the Mediterranean

Given that in its judgment of 12 December 1991, in the
case of Siderurgica Gabrielli / Societa Merci
Convenzionali del Porto di Genova, the Court of Justice
of the European Community ruled that companies may
not abuse their dominant position in ports on the basis of
a monopoly of port labour,

and given the previous decision of the Italian
Constitutional Court on the precedence ; of Community
legislation over the laws of Member countries and the
direct applicability of Community, judgments ( and
subsequent jugdments by the Courts of Marina di Carrara
on 28 May 1992 and of La Spezia on 2 June 1992 ).

1 . Is the attempt by the port companies not only to
perpetuate their monopoly but also to introduce it into
newly constructed ports, thereby frustrating all
modernization of the Community 's ports, compatible

with the Community 's interests and its international

commitments ?

2 . What steps does the Commission intend to take to

correct the distorsions that exist in the administration
of port activities in Italy ?

3 . In particular, will the Commission make firm
approaches to the relevant Italian authorities to ensure
that the Court of Justice 's judgment is respected ?

4 . What steps does the Commission intend to take to

follow up the EP 's resolution on transport in the
Mediterranean, adopted on 12 June 1992 ( Doc .
A3-0120 / 92 ), which highlighted the need to
contribute to port reorganization, particularly in the
Mediterranean, by establishing an ad hoc Report
Programme similar to the Renaval and Rechar
programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Sir Leon Bnttan

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 November 1 992 )

1 to 3 . Following the ruling by the Court of Justice on
10 December 1991 (' Port of Genoa '), the Commission has
decided to institute infringement proceedings against the
Italian Government in respect of the Italian legislation
establishing a monopoly for port operations .

It maintains that the legislation in question ( Navigation
Code ), which stipulated that port operations
( loading / unloading / handling ) fall within the exclusive
competence of the port companies, is manifestly at
variance with the obligations laid down in the Treaty

( Article 90 ( 1 )), read in conjunction with Articles 86, 59,
30 and 48 ).

As part of the proceedings, the Italian Government and
the port companies benefiting from the State measure
being challenged have been given notice to submit their
observations .

In the meantime, the Italian Government has, by
Decree-Law No 409 ('), taken steps to bring the relevant
national legislation into line with Community legislation .

The Decree-Law repealed both the last paragraph of
Article 1 10 of the Navigation Code, which established the
Italian port labour monopoly, and the last paragraph of
Article 1 1 1 of that Code, which required concessionary

companies to use a port company employing exclusively
workers of Italian nationality for performing port
operations .

The compatibility of all the other provisions of the
Decree - Law is currently being vetted .

The Commission would assure the Honourable Member

that it will continue to attach utmost importance to this

matter .

4 . In the regions eligible for structural Fund assistance,
the national and regional authorities responsible for

3 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 17

drawing up the development plans that will serve as the Commission use the fund to ensure that up-to-date
basis for structural Fund assistance in the period accurate electoral registers are kept in Central America ?
1994 — 98 may propose measures aimed at creating new
jobs and diversifying economic activities . In implementing
those measures, they may see to it that the areas with most
conversion problems receive special attention, irrespective
of whether their problems stem from a contraction in port
activity or from job losses due to industrial difficulties . Answer on behalf given of the by Commission Mr Matutes

The magnitude of the problem raised by the Honourable
Member is not, however, such as to necessitate specific
treatment similar to that accorded to areas heavily
dependent on the coal or clothing / textile industry .

(') Published in the Official Journal of the Italian Republic

No 246 of 19 October 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2127 / 92

by Mrs Christine Oddy ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 35 )

Subject : Organ donors

What plans does the European Commission have to
introduce a standard European organ donor card which
would be valid throughout the European Community ?

Is the Commission aware that many Member States have
such cards and that harmonization of these cards would

save many lives ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to
the reply to Written Question No 1951 / 92 by Mrs
Pollack (').

O OJN0C6, 11 . 1 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2128 / 92

by Mrs Christine Oddy ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 36 )

Subject : Central America Human Rights Democracy

Fund

What are the criteria for allocating this fund ? Does the

money go to governments or NGOs ? Would the

( 25 November 1992 )

As the Honourable Member is aware, budget Item
B7-5078 ( former 3021 ) entitled ' Subsidies to support the
democratization process in Central America and Chile '
was introduced on the initiative of Parliament for the first
time in 1990 . The item, involving ECU 10 million, was
entered in the 1991 and 1992 budgets and has been
extended to all countries in Latin America .

For the utilization of this item the Commission adopted
the criterion of acting within the context of the
Esquipulas II Agreements to provide support for the
reinforcement of peace, democracy and respect for
human rights in the Central American region .

With this view the Commission gave priority to schemes
creating or reinforcing the democratic bases of society, by
supporting the electoral processes, the separation of
powers, the decentralization of administrative bodies, the
political and trade union organizations, the courts, and
training for the armed forces and security services,
namely all that is required to underpin the reinforcement
of a state governed by the rule of law .

In 1991 the Community financed 23 projects in Central
America for a total of ECU 5,9 million . Most were set up
by regional institutions known for their moral and
technical qualities, such as the Inter-American Institute of
Human Rights, the United Nations Latin American
Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment
of Offenders and the University for Peace, which are all
specialized in training and information concerning human
rights .

During this period Guatemala and El Salvador were the
countries that attracted most funding because of the
political and social instability and human rights violations
there . The most effective projects in Guatemala were
back-up for the Special Prosecutor for human rights
abuses and assistance for non-governmental
organizations helping street children ; in El Salvador the
projects concerned support for the legislative assembly,
the non-governmental commission for human rights and
action to promote demobilization .

For the current year this budget item has already largely
been used up . The general criteria established in 1991
have been by and large observed . It must be pointed out
that there has been a considerable increase in the number
of projects financed since they cover a range of recipient
organizations whose activity taken as a whole can bring

No C 61 / 18 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

about an effective improvement in the human rights
situation and enhance the process of national
reconciliation in that area . Furthermore, the multiannual
programme for the promotion of human rights signed in
the context of the San Jose VIII ministerial conference is
currently being implemented .

This year the main beneficiaries are Nicaragua ( two
schemes to promote the social and economic integration
of demobilized personnel and to help war-torn civilian
society ), El Salvador ( support for two bodies responsible
for monitoring and supervising the Chapultepec Peace
Agreements ) and Guatemala ( continuation of the schemes,
for street children ).

As regards the second question, funding is given not only
to governmental bodies but also to a large number of
NGOs . Of the forty or so schemes envisaged, half will be
managed by NGOs, likewise with a view to positive
promotion of fundamental rights, involving training
programmes and technical and data-processing support .

On the third question, it is proposed to assist the Supreme
Electoral Council to update the population register in
Nicaragua . Along the same lines, assistance will be given
to the corresponding body in Costa Rica .

set out in its communication to the Council and the
European Parliament on completion of the Single Market
concerning Community legislation for foodstuffs .

Furthermore, Council Directive 89 / 108 / EEC of 21
December 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States on quick-frozen foods intended for
human consumption ('), which also covers frozen bread,
lays down the temperatures to be maintained throughout
the food chain, including retail sale to the final consumer,
and that quick-frozen foods must be packaged by the
manufacturer or packer in appropriate packaging to
protect them from microbial or any other contamination
from outside and against desiccation .

Failure to comply with these rules constitutes an
infringement of Community law .

O OJ No L 40, 11.2 . 1989 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2162 / 92

by Mr Miguel Arias Cañete ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

- WRITTEN QUESTION No 2 1 58 / 92
( 93 / C 61 / 38 )

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 37 )

Subject : Regulation of sales of frozen bread

In view of the fact that retailers in certain Community
Member States offer frozen bread for sale while failing to
respect legislation on packaging and storage temperatures
( in Italy for example, the firm ' Esselunga alia Minerva '
sells frozen bread which is pre-packed a long time in
advance and has not been kept at the required
temperature ), will the Commission issue a directive on the
whole process of bread-making, setting out health
standards to be respected from the time bread is actually
made to the time it is sold ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 October 1 992 j

The Commission does not have any intention to prepare a
regulation on bread-making since it applies the principles

Subject : Discrimination against Arcos de la Frontera in

the context of the Leader programme

The Community adopted the Leader programme on 19

March 1991 . In Spain, the initiative took the form of a
programme presented to the Commission on 19
September 1991, as part of which a programme for the
Sierra de Cadiz, to which the Community was to make a
contribution of Ptas 352,04 million, was approved in
December 1991 .

However, when the time came to implement the
programme, the local action group selected for the
purpose excluded the municipality of Arcos de la Frontera
from its benefits, although Arcos suffers from more
serious economic and social problems than most of the
towns which have been included .

In the light of this injustice, is the Commission aware of
the discrimination practised against the municipality of
Arcos de la Frontera, as a result of which it has been
excluded from sharing the benefits of the programme in
the Sierra de Cadiz covered by the Community initiative
for rural development, Leader ? If so, what measures will
it take to rectify this unfair situation ?

3 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 19

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 October 1992 )

The Community initiative Leader applies to clearly
defined rural areas for which a rural development project
has been drawn up by various local social, economic and
political bodies . The municipality of Arcos de la Frontera
is not included in any of the Leader projects presented by
the Spanish authorities at the Commission and cannot
therefore have been discriminated against .

The ' Sierra de Cadiz ' Leader project covers 19 local

authority areas of which Arcos de la Frontera is not one .
They are situated in ' Grazalema ' and ' Los Alcornocales '

nature reserves and the approved measures can be applied
within this area only .

— Article 5 ( 2 ) of the Convention states that protection

of the work shall not be subject to any formality ; this
is not being applied in the United States ;

— as the Convention is not applied directly in American

law, it cannot be cited in a court of law .

1 . How does the Commission envisage rectifying the

damage to authors and the cinema and broadcasting
industry in Europe, caused by a minimalist
interpretation of the Berne Convention by some of its
signatories, particularly the United States, which
results in less protection for European works in the
United States compared with the guaranteed
protection of US works in Europe ?

2 . What is the situation as regards ratification of the

Berne Convention at Community level ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2175 / 92 Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

by Léon Schwartzenberg ( S ), Roberto Barzanti, Rinaldo

Bontempi, Alonso Puerta, Giacomo Porrazzini ( GUE ), ( 11 December 1 992 )

Bontempi, Alonso Puerta, Giacomo Porrazzini ( GUE ),
Antonio Coimbra Martins, Barbara Schmidbauer ( S ), Yves

Frémion ( V ), Barbara Duhrkop Dührkop, Ben Fayot, Rolf
Linkohr, Marie-José Denys, José Duarte Cendán, Maria
Belo, Nora Mebrak-Zaïdi ( S ), Djida Tazdaït ( V ), Gepa
Maibaum, Claude Cheysson, José Happart, Carmen Díez
de Rivera Icaza, Karin Junker ( S ), Renzo Imbeni ( GUE ),
Mechtild Rothe, Bernard Frimat, Marc Galle, Jean-Paul
Benoit, Alain Bombard ( S ), Virginie Bettini ( V ), Frédéric
Rosmini, Leyla Onur, André Sainjon, Magdalene Hoff ( S ),
Maria Aglietta, Paul Lannoye ( V ), Christine Oddy,
Hemmo Muntingh, Nereo Laroni ( S ), Juan Bandrés Molet,
Birgit Cramon Daiber, Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V ), Max
Simeoni ( ARC ), Paul Staes ( V ), Lissy Grôner, Carole
Tongue ( S ), Marguerite-Marie Dinguirard ( V ), Maria
Santos, Arthur Newens, Detlev Samland, Jannis
Sakellariou, Marijke Van Hemeldonck, Dagmar
Roth-Berendt, Claude Delcroix, Michael Elliot, Gérard

Caudron and Dieter Schinzel ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 39 )

Subject : The damage to artistic creativity and the
European broadcasting and film industry caused
by different interpretations of the Berne
Convention by its signatories ; accession of the
Community and its Member States to the Berne
Convention

The Berne Convention is still the main instrument for the
international protection of authors ' rights .

The United States ratified it in 1989, but :

— it refuses to recognize that the Convention has any

retroactive force, thus works dating from before 1989
are effectively deprived of any protection ;

Following the United States ' accession on 1 March 1989
to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary
and Artistic Works, the formalities to be met for the
granting of copyright protection in the United States
( reserve of copyright, registration of works and deposit of
copies ) were abolished for works published after that
date .

However, US law does not provide copyright protection
for works already in the public domain in the United
States before its accession to the Berne Convention, in
particular because the ' reserve of copyright ' formality was

not met .

As a result of this situation, the Commission has been
informed by several European cinematographic
associations that a number of European audiovisual
works for which formalities had not been completed by 1

March 1989 do not at present enjoy copyright protection
in the United States .

On the basis of the information received by the
Commission, this situation, rightly raised by the
Honourable Members, seems to present a real problem .
The Commission is currently examining the matter in

depth in order to determine the legal implications and to
assess the scale of the problem . On the basis of this
analysis, it will lay down the guidelines to be followed and
will take all appropriate steps in the matter .

At Community level, the Berne Convention has been
ratified by the 12 Member States . However, neither
Belgium nor Ireland has ratified the last Act of the

No C 61 / 20 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

Convention ( Paris Act, 1971 ). At the moment, the which could be an important element for a possible review
Community as such is not party to the Berne Convention . of Mr Vanunu 's case .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2 177 / 92
by Peter Crampton, Henry McCubbin, Alex Smith,
Kenneth Coates, Barry Seal, Brian Simpson, James Ford,
Ian White, Anita Pollack, Christine Oddy, David Bowe,
Terence Wynn, Freddy Blak, Stephen Hughes, Michael
Elliott, Hugh McMahon, Imelda Read, Alexander
Falconer, Roger Barton, Michael McGowan, David
Martin, Pauline Green, Thomas Megahy, David Morris

and Christine Crawley ( S )
to the Commission of the European Co mm unities

(4 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 40 )

Subject : Kidnapping and imprisonment of Mordechai

Vanunu

Mr Mordechai Vanunu was abducted from Rome by the
Israeli authorities, tried in Israel for the alleged offence of
revealing the extent of Israel 's stock of nuclear weapons
and sentenced to eighteen years in prison .

On 22 March this year, Mr Vanunu spent his 2000th day
in solitary confinement .

Can the Commission tell the House what steps it has
taken to fulfil the demands made in resolutions of this

Parliament on 14 June 1990, 22 November 1990 and 9
October 1991 ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 November 1992 )

The Commission constantly monitors the human rights

situation throughout the world, and has frequently
expressed its determination to promote individual human
rights and have them respected whenever transgressions

occur .

The Commission is following closely this case in the light
of the Resolutions adopted by the European Parliament .

The Commission hopes that the new atmosphere already
noticeable in the Middle East peace process will have a
positive effect on the human rights situation in the
countries of the region .

More specifically, there is no doubt that progress in the
discussions concerning security in the region will be
conducive to a different attitude on sensitive information

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2179 / 92

by Mr Virginio Bettini ( V ) and Mr Mario Melis ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Cbmmunities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 41 )

Subject : Coal gasification

With reference to the further serious crisis affecting the
coal industry in many European countries and the
resulting increase in unemployment,

1 . does the Commission not consider it essential that, in
order to ensure energy supplies, forms of research into
the use of coal should be developed that will maintain
production while protecting the environment ?

2 . With regard to the technology of coal gasification,

which in many areas has already proved a valid
alternative to the coal exploitation found in many
regions ( e.g. Sardinia and Asturias ),

what further expenditure by what bodies, in what
programmes ( in addition to the scant appropriations
available to Thermie ) and on what time-scale does the
Commission intend to allocate to the development of
this technology ?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 October 1992 )

1 . Coal research has long been supported by the
Commission, since Article 55 of the ECSC Treaty
expressly provides for this activity .

The Commission is examining how ECSC activities in this
area can gradually be brought under the EEC Treaty . In
recent years emphasis has been placed on environmental
protection and more and more projects in this field are
being financed .

Under the Thermie programme activities aiming at the
clean use of coal are eligible for funding, and here too the
environment aspect is the main concern .

2 . The Commission has provided steady funding for
coal gasification . For example, under the demonstration
programme carried out between 1978 and 1989 this
particular area received ECU 123 million worth of aid,
and this helped to maintain a leading-edge activity in the
Community . Under the Thermie programme, a major
coal-gasification project has been launched at the

3.3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 21

Commission 's instigation : the Puertollano IGCC
( Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle ) power station
project, which will be carried out by a company set up
specially for this purpose . The Commission does not
intend to stop there and envisages other programmes in
this area .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2196 / 92

by Mrs María Izquierdo Rojo ( S )

( Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt ) totalled ECU 312
million, including ECU 175 million for Egypt as a part of
financial assistance measures for the countries most
directly affected by the Gulf crisis .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2198 / 92

by Mrs María Izquierdo Rojo ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1 992 )

to the Commission of the European Communities ( 93 / C 61 / 44 )

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 42 )

Subject : Community aid to Mediterranean non-member

countries

What is the total amount of Community financial aid

approved for Mediterranean non-member countries in
the 1991 financial year ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 November 1 992 )

Community assistance for Mediterranean non-member
countries approved in 1991 amounts to : ECU 785 million,
of which 500 million for the countries most immediately
affected by the Gulf crisis, i.e. Egypt, Jordan and Turkey .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2197 / 92

by Mrs María Izquierdo Rojo ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 43 )

Subject : Community aid to the countries on the EC 's

eastern border

What is the total amount of Community financial aid

approved for third countries along the EC 's eastern
border in the 1991 financial year ?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 November 1 992 )

The Community 's programme of support for the Central

European countries in 1991 amounted to ECU 790
million . This amount has been committed in the form of
non-reimbursable grants to the beneficiary governments,
which are Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania,

Bulgaria, Albania, the Baltic States and, until the outbreak
of war, Yugoslavia . In addition some humanitarian aid
has been provided from other budgetary sources than the
specific programmes of assistance to the Central
European countries .

Also, loans in support for macro-economic policies were
signed with several of these countries . The total amount
in 1991 was ECU 1,2 billion . In the same year the
European Investment Bank signed loan agreements with
the Central European countries for a total amount of
ECU 285 million .

Subject : Community aid to countries on the EC 's WRITTEN QUESTION No 2199 / 92
southern border by Mrs María Izquierdo Rojo ( S )

What is the total amount of Community financial aid
approved for third countries along the EC 's southern
border in the 1991 financial year ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 November 1992 )

EC financial aid approved last year for the Mediterranean
countries on the Community 's southern border

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 45 )

Subject : Brochure entitled ' The EC and its southern

neighbours '

The Commission has recently published a brochure on the
Community and its eastern neighbours .

Is the Commission considering publishing a brochure
concerning the Community and its southern neighbours,
particularly its Mediterranean neighbours ?

No C 61 / 22 Official Journal of the European Communities 3.3.93

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 November 1 992 )

The Commission has already published a folder entitled

' The European Community and Mediterranean countries '
on the same pattern as that on ' The Community and its
Eastern neighbours '.

A number of other brochures oft Community relations
with Mediterranean countries and the GCC are being
prepared .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2220 / 92

by Mrs Marie-Claude Vayssade ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 46 )

Subject : Social economy

Does the Commission intend, as has happened in the past,
to allow the Council to delete the amount entered for line
B5-3210 concerning the social economy and to replace it
by a token entry, without reacting in any way ? If so, is it
aware that it is aiding and abetting a reduction in the
European Parliament 's budgetary powers with regard to
policies initiated by it and since deemed priorities by the
Council of Ministers and the Commission in the area of
cooperatives, mutual associations and other associations ?

Answer given by Mr Schmidhuber

on behalf of the Commission

( 9 November 1 992 )

The Commission joins the Honourable Member in

deploring the fact that once again the Council has
replaced the amount entered for Article B5-321
concerning cooperatives with a token entry .

For the last three years, the Commission has been making
a sustained effort to integrate this sector, as is shown by
both its budgetary proposals ( inclusion of these
operations in the preliminary draft budget ), and its
legislative proposals on cooperatives, mutual associations,
and associations (').

In order to make its objectives in this field even clearer the
Commission is about to adopt a work programme for
cooperatives, associations, and mutual associations .

(') COM(91 ) 273 final — OJ No C 99, 21 . 4 . 1992 ( Proposals for

Council Directives and Regulations on the Statutes for a
European cooperative society and for a European mutual
society ).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2225 / 92

by Mr Floras Wijsenbeek ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 47 )

Subject : Transport of bicycles

Is the Commission aware of the most recent measures by
national railway authorities making the intra-Community
transport of bicycles as registered luggage impossible,
particularly in the United Kingdom and Italy ?

Is the Commission prepared to take this matter up with
the 12 European railway authorities in order to facilitate
the transport of bicycles and increase the ECF 's grant to
speed up completion of its study on the transport of
bicycles in the Community ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 December 1 992 )

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission 's
reply to Written Question No 141 1 / 92 by Mr Brok ( 1 ).

The Commission has now received a draft report from the
European Cyclists ' Federation .

This being the case the Commission sees no need to

increase the grant already given .

O OJN0C6, 11 . 1 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2228 / 92

by Mrs Christine Oddy ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 48 )

Subject : Exports of greyhounds from Ireland to Spain

Is the Commission aware that there is a considerable
amount of public disquiet about the conditions in which
greyhounds are kept for racing in Spain and what steps
does it intend to take about this serious matter ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 October 1992 )

The Commission is very concerned about animal welfare

in the Community and, in the areas falling within its

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 23

sphere of competence, it has already taken steps to ensure
that animals are protected .

However, the conditions under which dogs are kept and
raced in Spain is, under Community law as it now stands,
a matter for the local authorities, not for the Commission .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2229 / 92

by Mrs Michèle Alliot      - Marie ( RDE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 49 )

Subject : Liberalization of air transport in the Community

in the light of discriminatory practices by the
Portuguese airline TAP

It appears that the Portuguese authorities wish ' to limit
access to passenger charter flights between Portugal and
France to immigrants working in France and their
families .

Apart from the fact that the relevant rules do not appear
to comply with existing Community directives, in France
the notion of emigrant worker no longer applies to the
Portuguese community, since both countries introduced
complete free movement for workers on 1 January 1992,
thereby anticipating the relevant Community decisions .

Does the Commission consider that :

— TAP is entitled to take charge of controls and

embarkation procedures at airports and that it can
replace the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation ?

— TAP is entitled to prevent the normal operation of its

subsidiary operation flights to and from France ?

— the Portuguese airline concerned is entitled to a debt

write-off from the Portuguese Government to Esc 1,3
billion ?

If not, what steps will the Commission take to end these
discriminatory practices whose sole objective appears to
be to prevent the normal operation of charter flights
between France and Portugal ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 October 1992 )

Any airline or travel agency wishing to operate or charter

non-scheduled international passenger flights in the

Community must obtain approval from both Member
States concerned . Each Member State has laid down rules
and criteria with which such flights must comply, and is
responsible for granting approval . On 30 April 1956
Portugal and France both signed an ECAC multilateral
agreement liberalizing a number of activities such as
humanitarian flights, carriage of less than 20 passengers
and non-scheduled carriage of cargo . By means of
Decree-Law No 274 / 77, as amended by Regulation
( EEC ) No 129 / 79, Portugal extended this list to include
student flights, flights for the Portuguese community
abroad and their families, package tours and charters for
special events .

Accordingly, the Portuguese authorities grant
authorization only for flights which fall within one of the
above categories and satisfy the requirements set out in
Regulation ( EEC ) No 129 / 79 relating to the conditions
governing sale, access and advertising .

The third package of measures (') for the liberalization of

air transport, which will enter into force on 1 January
1993, does, unlike the two preceding sets of measures,
cover non-scheduled flights . Consequently, from 1
January 1993 there will no longer be any rules restricting

opportunities for non-scheduled flights . Charter
companies will be able to operate without restrictions as
to types of passenger and conditions of sale and stay in
respect of flights within the Community .

With regard to the three more specific questions asked by
the Honourable Member, the Commission is able to
provide the answers and explanations set out below :

In Portugal, the national airline TAP has a monopoly on
the provision of ancillary airport services to third parties,
including check-in operations . In accordance with the
abovementioned Regulation, TAP must satisfy itself at
the time of checking-in that passengers are able to prove
that they satisfy the conditions for the flight concerned as
regards age, place of residence, nationality, etc .

Nevertheless, having received a complaint on this matter
the Commission is continuing to investigate the issue and
has asked the firms concerned to supply additional
information . It has also undertaken a general study of the
pfosition with regard to ancillary services at airports in the
Community .

With regard to TAP 's decision not to allow its subsidiary
Air Atlantis to operate flights to and from France, the
Commission is of the opinion — confirmed by the
European Court of Justice 's ruling in Case 15 / 74
Centrafarm v Sterling Drug ( 1974 ) ECR 1147 — that
' Article 85 of the Treaty is not concerned with agreements
or concerted practices between undertakings belonging to
the same concern and having the status of parent company
and subsidiary, ... if the agreements or practices are
concerned merely with the internal allocation of tasks as
between the undertakings '.

No C 61 / 24 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

The Portuguese authorities have notified the Commission
that they intend to compensate TAP for its losses, under
its public service obligation, on routes between the
mainland and the Azores and Madeira .

The Commission is currently examining this proposal in
the light of the EEC Treaty 's provisions on state aid .

o QJNoL240, 24 . 8 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2255 / 92

by Mr Herman Verbeek ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 50 )

Subject : Overpayment of EC subsidies to Italy for durum

wheat

Satellite photographs show that the area used to cultivate
durum wheat in Italy is only 800 000 hectares instead of

1,7 million hectares .

1 . For how many years has Italy been receiving excessive

EC subsidies calculated on the basis of the declared

area of 1,7 million hectares of land under durum
wheat ?

2 . What is the total overpayment of EC Funds received

by Italy for durum wheat cultivation ?

3 . Will the EC reclaim the excess durum wheat subsidy

paid to Italy, in view of the fact that the Italian
Government acknowledges the above findings and
accepts that the area under durum wheat is smaller
than had been claimed ?

4 . Is this the first time that such an ' area adjustment ' on
the basis of satellite photographs has occurred or have
there been previous cases of such information leading
to adjustments of the area reported as being used to
cultivate EC-subsidized crops in a Member State ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 November 1 992 )

The question raised by the Honourable Member is based
on inaccurate information .

In 1991, for the first time, an extremely thorough check
on applications for production aid for durum wheat was
organized by Italy using aerial photographs . The
Commission was not involved in the operations . It should
be pointed out that the applicable rule (') stipulates that
approximately 10% of applications are to be checked .

Applications for aid for durum wheat submitted in 1991
covered 1 450 000 hectares ; the figure of 17 million
hectares is apparently taken from national statistics,
which do not refer to aid applications .

The Italian check revealed that at least 1 360 000 hectares
of the declared area were definitely being used to cultivate
durum wheat . However, there has been a large number of
irregularities mostly concerning areas smaller than
declared .

These errors explain the figure of 800 000 quoted by the
Honourable Member, which refers to areas eligible for
aid before adjustment for error is made . Italy has
authorized producers to correct these errors, provided
that no changes are made to the areas declared . When all
these errors have been corrected, the eligible areas will be
close to the figure of 1 360 000 .

In view of the above, the answers to the Honourable
Member 's questions are as follows :

1 . and 2 . No longer applicable .

3 . Italy will only pay and will only be reimbursed by the

EAGGF on the basis of areas that have definitely been
recognized as being eligible .

4 . Community Regulations require a certain percentage

of declarations to be checked . An exhaustive routine
check, even by remote sensing, would be much too
expensive . Remote sensing can, however, be used to
obtain very precise overall statistics but would
provided no information on individual plots of land . It
is therefore not possible to draw any conclusions
regarding financing for individual cases . The Italian
example is unique and is regarded as an exception even
by the Italian authorities .

( 1 )' Commission Regulation ( EEC ) No 1738 / 89 of 19 June 1989,

laying down detailed rules on production aid for durum
wheat ( OJ No L 171, 20 . 6 . 1989 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2270 / 92

by Mr Herman Verbeek ( V )
/ to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 51 )

Subject : Current low barley prices

The price for newly harvested barley is very low — 32 to

33 cents / kg on the Dutch corn exchange .

3 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 25

1 . Can the Commission explain how it is that this price
has dropped so low, especially as yields have been cut
by drought ( Denmark, for example, is at present
importing rather than exporting barley )?

2 . Is it possible that the trade is manipulating prices in
anticipation of the price reduction consequent on the
' Mac Sharry reform '?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

(9 November 1992 )

1 . It is true that the market price of feed barley is lower
than the intervention price in the Netherlands . The same
applies to France and Germany, which are big producers
of feed barley .

This is not an unusual situation at the beginning of the
season, bearing in mind that intervention in the north of
the Community does not open until 1 November, and that
there are batches of low-quality barley on the market
which fall below minimum quality requirements for
intervention . Furthermore, the current barley harvest
( approximately 43 million tonnes ) is still enough to meet
internal demand for feed barley . In addition, there are
large intervention stocks of barley ( 7,4 million tonnes at
the beginning of the season ).

2 . The price of barley in Rotterdam and elsewhere is
completely independent of the reform of the common
agricultural policy, which will take effect from the

1 993 / 94 harvest .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2291 / 92

by Mr Llewellyn Smith ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 52 )

Subject : Euratom report

Has any assessment and response been made to the report
on the ' Revision of the Euratom Treaty ', prepared by
Suzanne Oberhauser for the European Parliament 's
scientific and technology options ( STOA ) experts panel,
published in March 1991 ?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 November 1 992 )

The report referred to by the Honourable Member
reproduces to a large extent the contributions made by

various experts at the seminar organized by the
Friedrich-Ebert Foundation on 14 March 1991 .

Given the high calibre of the participants in the seminar,
the report in question contains elements, of great political
and technical interest, which the Commission has studied
attentively .

The relevant provisions of the European Treaty allow for
two types of revision of the Treaty . The first invplves an
overall revision under the terms of Article 204, requiring
ratification by the national parliaments, and the second
involves limited revisions of certain specific chapters
( Chapters VI, VII and VIII ). These do not require
ratification by the national parliaments, but are adopted
unanimously by the Council after consultation of the
European Parliament .

The Commission has made use of its right of initiative by
proposing the revision of Chapter VI of the Euratom
Treaty in 1964, 1970, 1982 and 1984 . None of the
proposals was adopted due to lack of political consensus .

Finally, Title IV of the Treaty on European Union, signed
on 7 February 1992,t makes provision for procedural
amendments only to the Euratom Treaty .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2311 / 92

by Mr Michael Welsh ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 53 )

Subject : Excise and other taxes on diesel fuel

Would the Commission publish a table showing the rate
of excise duty per 100 litres of diesel fuel in each of the
Member States with details of any other tax applied to this
commodity ?

Could the Commission also publish the retail price of
diesel in ECU per litre on 1 June 1992 in each Member
State ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 November 1992 )

The information requested by the Honourable Member is
published each week by the Commission in the ' Bulletin
Petrolier '.

A copy of this publication is being sent direct to the

Honourable Member and Parliament 's Secretariat .

No C 61 / 26 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

— fuel prices and other determinants of future fuel

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2325 / 92 — fuel prices and

Mrs Anita Pollack S consumption, etc .

by Mrs Anita Pollack ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(') OJNoC 161,28.6 . 1989 .
( 2 ) The Commission is sending a copy of this publication direct

( 8 September 1 992 )

to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat of the
( 93 / C 61 / 54 )
Parliament .

Subject : Environmental impact of traffic

In answer to my Written Question No 563 / 90 ('), the
Commission stated that Eurostat was assessing the
possibilities of extending their environmental statistics,
particularly in the area of traffic . What is the current state
of play and what are the future plans ?

by Mrs Hiltrud Breyer ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2327 / 92

(') OJ No C 272, 29 . 10 . 1990, p. 17 .
( 8 September 1 992 )                                                            

Answer given by Mr Christophersen

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 November 1 992 )

The development of statistics on environment and
transport are Undertaken in the framework of the
Statistical Programme of the European Communities

1989 / 92 (') which is currently extended to 1993 / 97 . The
programme deals with the links between transport and
environment in the chapters on transport statistics and
environment statistics, and there is close collaboration
between the two sectors .

In transport statistics a new methodology ( TRAINS ) to
provide coherent data for all transport modes is currently
under development and discussion . Environmental effects
and particularly energy consumption will be a focal point
in the revised system of transport statistics .

The recent second edition of the Eurostat publication

' Environment statistics 1991 ' ( 2 ), presents sectoral as
indicators on transport trends . Statistics are published on
energy consumption and air emissions by traffic,
information on unleaded petrol and lead emissions and
basic indicators for the development of traffic . Also the
results of the Corinair project on air emissions by road
traffic are integrated into this publication .

The choice and definition of suitable environmental

indicators to ensure a quick response to the growing
demand for reliable information on the effectiveness of
political measures taken in this field are under way . They
will present basic information on the development
infrastructure, fleet characteristics and traffic
performance but also gather more specific information
such as :

— pollutant and CO - emissions

— fuel consumption data of vehicle stock and new

vehicles,

( 93 / C 61 / 55 )

Subject : Novel food

1 . In a Commission press release dated 8 July 1992, it
was stated that there have been a number of patent

applications for so-called novel foods ( or genetically
engineered food ) which do not fall within the scope of
existing food legislation . Could the Commission please
provide a list of these patent applications, including name
of applicant, date of application, type of product, nature
of the ' novelty ', and whether the patent has been granted ?

2 . In point 7 of its explanatory memorandum to the
draft Regulation on novel foods and novel food
ingredients ( COM(92 ) 295 final — SYN 426 ), the
Commission states that there have already been a number
of requests for assessment by manufacturers to the
Commission on an own-initiative basis of certain novel
foods and that these products are being examined by the
Scientific Committee on Food . Could the Commission
please provide a list of those, requests which have been
received to date, including date of receipt, name of
manufacturer, type of product, nature of novelty, and
action taken by the Scientific Committee on Food ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 9 December 1 992 )

Patent applications are submitted to national or
international Patent Offices and not to the Commission,
which is therefore not in a position to supply the detailed
information requested by the Honourable Member of the
Parliament .

The Commission has had several contacts both with
authorities and with manufacturers and importers
interested in knowing the legal status at Community level
for products that might be considered as ' novel foods '. In

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 27

the absence of a legal instrument for taking any action, no
formal submissions have been received by the
Commission to date .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2341 / 92

by Mrs Christine Oddy ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2543 / 92

by Mrs Christine Oddy ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 57 )

Subject : Apartheid in South Africa

( 23 September 1992 ) What steps is the Commission taking to ensure

compliance with Parliament 's resolution of 9 July 1992 ?
( 93 / C 61 / 56 )

Subject : Plant health directive

Is the Commission aware that there is considerable
concern about derogations from the plant health
directive ? I have received letters expressing fears about
the introduction of pine wood nematode into the
European Community and wish to receive the
Commission 's comments on this problem .

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 November 1 992 )

The Commission is aware that there is a considerable
concern about derogations from the Plant Health
Directive, in particular in respect of the importation of
coniferous wood from countries infested by Pinewood
Nematobe ( PWN ).

Commission Decisions 92 / 12 / EEC and 92 / 13 / EEC (')
authorized some Member States to provide for a
derogation, which allows the importation of
non-kiln-dried sawn wood from Canada and the United
States of America into the Community .

As regard the duration of the derogation, the
abovementioned Decisions prescribe a limited period
expiring on 31 December 1992, because the results of the
joint Canada / Community research programme were still
not available at the beginning of 1992, when these
Decisions were prepared and adopted .

In the meantime the results have become available and
from 1 January 1993 coniferous logs and lumber
originating in North America will have to be heat treated
( whether this is done by kiln-drying or by pasteurization )
to achieve a minimum wood core temperature of 56 °C
for 30 minutes . There will, however, be an exception from
that heat treatment requirement for wood of Western Red
Cedar ( Thuja ) which should only be debarked and free
from grub holes .

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 November 1992 )

The Commission has duly taken note of the points
expressed in the resolution adopted by the Parliament on
9 July 1992 . By taking part in the work of the Political
Cooperation ( namely during the recent Troika mission to
South Africa, as well as with the EPC declaration of 8
September 1992 ), the Commission has played its part in
impressing on the South African government the need to
investigate thoroughly the recent killings of Boipatong
and Bisho ; as well as the urgency of preventing further
violence, inter alia by keeping control of the security
forces throughout the country . The Commission is also
examining the possibility of contributing observers to the
group of 20 who will be sent by the Community and its
Member States to join the structures of the National
Peace Accord and the Goldstone commission .

The Troika also reiterated the appeal to all the parties
concerned to resume promptly the negotiation process : a
bilateral ANC / Government meeting on 26 September

1992 appears now to have set the stage for such
resumption to take place in the near future .

The Commission shares the view that the South African
police and security forces should be re-trained, to cope
with the profound changes in the social environment
which have followed the end of statutory apartheid . It
notes, however, that collaboration with South Africa in
the area of security is still in principle ruled out by the
EPC restrictive measures of 1985 .

Similarly, cooperation with the South African

from grub holes . government to improve housing conditions for migrant

Following the risk assessment made, the Commission workers (' hostels ') could not be carried out under the
believes the abovementioned measures to be adequate and existing ' guidelines ' for EC financial help under the
sufficient to prevent the introduction of the PWN into the positive measures programme . Such guidelines, in fact,
Community . explicitly rule out at present contribution to

government-run programmes .

o OJN0L6, 11 . 1 . 1992 .

Following the risk assessment made, the Commission
believes the abovementioned measures to be adequate and
sufficient to prevent the introduction of the PWN into the
Community .

No €61 / 28 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3.93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2344 / 92

by Mrs Christine Oddy ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 58 )

Subject : Human rights in India

What steps is the Commission taking to ensure that
human rights are not violated in India ?

Will it support Amnesty International 's campaign for a

10-point programme to combat torture ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 November 1 992 )

The issue of human rights is being followed closely and

has been on the agenda in the political dialogue between

India and the Community and its Member States and will
continue to be so . The Indian authorities are well aware of
the importance which the Community and its Member
States attach to the respect of human rights . The
establishment of a Human Rights Commission in India is
very encouraging . In this context, the Commission highly
respects the work of Amnesty International and other
international and non-government organizations in
combating human rights violations .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2360 / 92

by Mr Ian White ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 59 )

Subject : Killing of turtle doves in France

What action does the Commission propose to take in

response to the reported death of 30 — 35 000 turtle doves
in the Medoc region of France in spring this year, such
killing being perpetrated illegally by hunters ?

closely and in May of this year it asked the French
Ministry of the Environment for details of how the
situation is developing on the ground . On the basis of the
French reply, the Commission will decide whether or not
to continue with the proceedings .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2364 / 92

by Mrs Mary Banotti ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 60 )

Subject : Human rights in Iran

Does the Commission have information on human rights
abuses against members of the Bahai faith in Iran and
what actions has it taken to stop the persecution of these
people on religious grounds ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

(1 5 December 1 992 )

The Commission has received information concerning the
continual persecution of Bahai'is in Iran, particularly the
execution of Mr Bahman Samandari and the threatened
executions of Mr Mitnagi and Mr Khalajabadi .

After discussion of this question in the European Political
Cooperation framework, the Presidency had an interview
in Tehran with Mr Hosseini, the Director of Human
Rights in the Foreign Ministry of Iran in Tehran, and a
Troika also met the Ambassador of Iran at Geneva . On
these occasions, the Community and its Member States
resolutely condemned the actions of the Iranian
government and demanded that persecution of minorities
in Iran should cease forthwith .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2367 / 92

by Mrs Mary Banotti ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 61 )
Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 December 1 992 )

The infringement proceedings against France in respect of
the matter referred to by the Honourable Member are
continuing . The Commission is following the matter

Subject : Time frame for the approval of an SPC by

national patent offices

Under the recently approved Regulation ( EEC )
No 1768 / 92 (') a holder of a patent is required to make an
application for a Supplementary Protection Certificate

3 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 29

within a given time frame, i.e. within six months of the
date of first authorization .

However, there appears to be no corresponding
requirement upon the patent authorities to arrive at a
decision within a reasonable time after application is
made .

Could the Commission make up for this omission, by
indicating to the relevant patent offices a reasonable time
limit by which a decision has to be made ? Could the
Commission also ensure that the decisions of the relevant
patent offices are published throughout the Community
and within the earliest time possible after the decision is
made ?

0 ) OJ No L 182, 2 . 7 . 1992, p. 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2368 / 92

by Mrs Mary Banotti ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 62 )

Subject : Definition of ' innovative drugs '

The recently adopted Regulation ( EEC ) No 1768 / 92
creates a right of patent extension of up to five years for
medical products .

According to the explanatory memorandum of the

Commission 's original proposal ( COM(91 ) 101 final,
only ' innovative ' products were to be covered by the
Regulation and granted a Supplementary Protection
Certificate .

Could the Commission please provide a definition for the
term ' innovative pharmaceutical product ' and indicate
how it seeks to ensure that only ' innovative ' products will
receive an SPC by patent authorities implementing
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1768 / 92 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2369 / 92

by Mrs Mary Banotti ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 63 )

Subject : EC initiatives for European ' generic ' medicines

Regulation ( EEC ) No 1768 / 92, which establishes a
Supplementary Protection Certificate for pharmaceutical
products will be implemented from 1 January 1993 .

Although this regulation will provide important
advantages for Europe 's research-based pharmaceutical
industry, it will also create problems for Europe 's
' generic'-based pharmaceutical industry, which produces
inexpensive ' after the patent ' equivalent products .

Consequently, has the Commission considered measures
at the EC level for the promotion of European produced
generic medicines ? Such measures could include :

— greater encouragement for the prescribing of generic

medicines,

— provision of more information to consumers / patients

on the availability of generic medicines,

— providing generic manufacturers with a right to make

preparations for marketing and developing products
before the patent expires .

The last measure would be of particular importance to

European generic manufacturers since, at present, in
many EC countries, they are prohibited from making or
submitting preparations during the patent . Consequently,
European generic manufacturers have to wait several
years until after patent expiry before they can place their
products on the market . An EC measure that allowed
' working the patent ' would enable European
manufacturers of generic medicines to place their
products on the market the day patent expires .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2370 / 92

by Mrs Mary Banotti ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 64 )

Subject : Pharmaceutical products

According to the recently adopted Regulation ( EEC )
No 1768 / 92 two dates are essential for calculating the
starting date and length of a Supplementary Protection
Certificate . These dates are :

— the date of first authorization to place the product on

market in the Community,

— the date on which the application for the basic patent

was lodged with the authorities of the Member State
where first authorization was first granted .

In order that all Member State health authorities and

. health security systems are fully informed of the effect of

this regulation, could the Commission provide Parliament
with a list of all pharmaceutical products since 1 ' January

No C 61 / 30 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3.93

1983 which have received authorization in the European
Community ? Could the Commission ensure that this list
contains the precise dates of first authorization together
with the corresponding dates of first application for the
basic patent ?

Joint answer to Written Questions
Nos 2367 / 92, 2368 / 92, 2369 / 92 and 2370 / 92

given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

( 26 November 1992 )

1 . As regards the time-limit for approval of an
application for a supplementary certificate by national
industrial property offices, the Commission would
emphasize that Regulation ( EEC ) No 1768 / 92 refers, in
the absence of express provisions, to the procedural
provisions applicable under national law to the basic
patent ( Article 18 ).

As a general rule, the public authorities in the various
Member States are not obliged to take decisions within
fixed periods, even though, in the interests of sound
management and administration, they would be expected
to do so within a reasonable time .

As to the publication of decisions taken by the competent
authority, express provision is made for this in the
Regulation ( Article 11 ).

2 . So far as the definition of ' innovative

pharmaceutical products ' is concerned, the Commission
would point out that the certificate can only be used for a !
product — i.e. an active ingredient used in a medicinal
product — covered by a patent . Under all the Member
States ' current legal rules on patentability, this can only be
a product, new world-wide, resulting from a specific
inventive activity . The patent in question must also be
valid and should be at the end of its legal term .

In addition, the pharmaceutical use of the active
ingredient is demonstrated by the fact that the latter must
have received administrative authorization, issued under
Community law and intended to certify the quality,
effectiveness and safety of the product as a medicinal
substance .

Lastly, the Commission would emphasize that the limit
laid down by the Regulation — only one certificate to be
granted per active substance ( Article 3 ( c )) — provides an
additional guarantee that a relatively small number of
certificates will be issued, not exceeding the number of
new active substances authorized to be placed on the
market as medicinal products ( barely 50 a year ).

3 . As regards Community initiatives relating to
European generic medicinal products, the Commission is
currently preparing a proposal for a directive amending
Council Directive 89 / 105 / EEC of 21 December 1988

relating to the transparency of measures regulating the
pricing of medicinal products for human use and their

inclusion in the scope of national health insurance
systems (').

The Commission is contemplating whether to accompany
this proposal with a recommendation to the Member
States concerning various measures for strengthening
competition on the medicinal products market ; such
measures include encouragement for the prescription and
substitution of generic products and the adoption of
measures aimed at informing health professionals and
patients alike more fully about whether generic medicinal
products may be available . The Commission will not fail
to inform the Honourable Member of any action which it
takes here .

As regards the possibility for manufacturers of generic
medicines to carry out research with a view to submitting
an application for authorization to place their product on
the market, before the end of the period of protection
conferred by the certificate, the Regulation provides only
that ' the certificate shall confer the same rights as
conferred by the basic patent ' ( Article 5 ) without further
specification .

The courts in several Member States have ruled that the
use of the patented product for obtaining authorization to
place on the market does not constitute straightforward
experimental use ( which third parties are allowed in
derogation from the exclusive rights of the patentee ) but
an act with a commercial purpose and thus liable to be
prohibited by the holder of the patent .

The Commission would also emphasize that, in the
context of the Regulation, this question cannot be
isolated from that of the maximum duration of the
certificate, which has been substantially reduced by the
Council from ten to five years, thus reflecting the
concerns of manufacturers of generic pharmaceuticals .

4 . The annual volume of authorization to place
pharmaceutical products on the market issued by the
Member States is considerable, given that any alteration
of the product necessarily involves a new authorization .

For the purpose of the Regulation, the only relevant
authorizations are those which cover for the first time in
each Member State an active ingredient protected by a
patent in force in that State . Consequently, the research
and matching required in order to establish a list of
products containing the dates of initial authorization in
the Community and those for the filing of the relevant
basic patent for each Member State require resources
which the Commission does not have .

In accordance with the Regulation, which in this respect
follows current legislative practice concerning industrial
property, it is for the applicant to provide the requisite
data in support of his application, and for the competent
authority in each Member State to verify that the
application satisfies the issuing conditions laid down in
the Regulation .

o OJ No L 40, 11.2 . 1989 .

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 31

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2376 / 92 operational phase of the project once the financial

commitments from the external donor have been

by Mrs Maartje van Putten ( S )

completed . The Commission applies these principles in its
to the Commission of the European Communities day-to-day cooperation with the developing countries .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2376 / 92

by Mrs Maartje van Putten ( S )

( 23 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 65 )

Subject : EC procedures - for the evaluation of
development projects

1 . Is the Commission aware of the need for joint
evaluations of development projects in which local
authorities are involved, such as UNDP and World Bank
projects ?

2 . Does the Commission not think that local or
national authorities should be involved systematically in
EC evaluation procedures ?

3 . Does the Commission not think that there is also an
indispensable local contribution to the projects ( for
example in the form of investment or labour force ) which
should be fully recognized ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 26 November 1992 )

1 and 2 . The Commission is not only aware of this
need but has, for a number of years, been carrying out
joint evaluations of development projects through the
involvement of local authorities, the inclusion of ACP
experts in their evaluation teams and the submission of
the draft evaluation reports to the beneficiary countries,
etc . The principle of joint evaluations, which goes back as
far as the Lome II Convention, has been elaborated in
detail in Articles 320 ff of the Lome IV Convention .
These provisions explicitly insist upon the involvement of
the beneficiary countries in monitoring and evaluation of
EDF-financed projects and programmes . They follow the
usual procedure, requested from the national authorizing
officer, joint preparation of a short-list, tender procedure,
selection of the contractor, etc .

Other examples for joint evaluations financed from the
CEC budget may be found in the sector of small and
medium-sized enterprises, urban development, mining
sector, infrastructure and telecommunications etc . In
these cases, the evaluation is or will be implemented by a
mixed team of European and ACP experts and the local or
national authorities are systematically involved .

3 . The Commission has never neglected the
importance of local contributions to development
projects . The beneficiaries contribute to all the projects,
to a greater or lesser extent, with money or manpower, or
in kind . The Commission attaches the highest degree of
priority to the sustainability perspectives of a project, and
sustainability may only be achieved if the beneficiaries are
committed to the project by supplying their own
contributions and by taking over full responsibility for the

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2389 / 92

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

(6 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 66 )

Subject : Return of the aksumite obelisk to Ethiopia

Under Article 37 of the 1947 Treaty, Italy undertook to
return to Ethiopia all the objects it had seized from that
country after 3 October 1935 . Does the Commission
intend to support the initiative to have this obelisk —
which is presently located at the entrance to the FAO
building in Rome — returned to Ethiopia ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 24 November 1 992 )

The Member States have sole responsibility for the return
of cultural property between Member States of the
Community and other countries .

As a result the Honourable Member 's question does not
come within the Commission 's jurisdiction .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2413 / 92

by Mr Pol Marck ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 67 )

Subject : Checks on sea fishing

Can the Commission provide overviews of the following
for the past three years :

1 . monitoring by national governments of compliance

with fisheries policy ( for each country separately ) ?

No C 61 / 32 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

2 . the relative numbers of checks carried out on Member DQmestic rapeseed harvests (') have been :
States ' own national vessels and those of other
Member States ( specified by inspecting country ) ? 1988 : 5,6 million tonnes
1989 : 5,4 million tonnes
1990 : 6,2 million tonnes
1991 : 7,3 million tonnes

Answer given by Mr Marin 1992 : 6,0 — 6,5 million tonnes
on behalf of the Commission

(4 November 1992 ),

Each year, in compliance with Article 1 of Regulation
( EEC ) No 3561 / 85 ('), Member States communicate to
the Commission in respect of the previous calendar year :

( a ) the number of days of inspection at sea carried out by

national inspection vessels in each ICES division,
NAFO region and / or CECAF region .

( b ) the information concerning :

— inspection of Member States ' own national
vessels and those of other Member States carried

out at sea or in port, and of the catch landings ;

— infringements observed ;

— official written warnings given ;

— administrative penalties imposed ;

— infringements brought to court .

Summary tables of inspections of fishing activities carried
out in the past three years by each Member State will be
sent directly to the Honourable Member and to the
Secretariat of the European Parliament .

o OJ No L 339, 18 . 12 . 1985 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2416 / 92

by Mr Peter Crampton ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 68 )

Subject : CAP reform — oil seed rape

What is going to happen to the oil seeds crushing industry
when the area sown to rape drops by 10 and 15% ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 October 1992 )

The annual capacity of the European oilseeds crushing

industry is estimated to exceed 30 million tonnes . The
industry draws its supplies from domestically produced
oilseeds and imports of oilseeds, notably soyabeans .

The effect on the industry of fluctuations in the level of
domestic supplies of rapeseed depends on the level of
price of imported supplies of this and other oilseeds .

(') Includes figures for the ex-DDR .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2428 / 92

by Mr Francois Musso ( RDE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 69 )

Subject : Drift nets

Is the Commission aware of the presence in the
Mediterranean Sea, off the east coast of Corsica, of
fishing vessels laying very long drift nets which are wiping
out all species of fish, regardless of size ?

If so, what measures has the Commission taken to protect
the fish stocks and natural environment of regions which,
like Corsica, are the victims of such practices ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 6 November 1 992 )

The Commission occasionally receives information from
various sources concerning the ban on using one or more

drift nets with an individual or total length exceeding
2,5 km ( application in Community waters of Regulation
( EEC ) No 345 / 92 of 27 January 1992 ) (').

The Commission was unaware of any infringements as
regards drift nets laid by fishing vessels off the east coast
of Corsica .

It nevertheless wishes to point out that the enforcement of
national and Community legislation is initially the
responsibility of Member States .

As regards the application of the common fisheries policy,
the Commission 's inspection body has the task of
checking if national inspection bodies are applying

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 33

Community legislation correctly . If need be, the
Commission may ask national authorities to take the
necessary measures to improve inspection standards .

In the case of Corsica, the Commission is looking into the
matter and will contact the national authorities to ensure
that adequate checks are being carried out .

However, it would also point out that maintaining the
single party system with its objection to any organized
opposition may hinder implementation of the objectives
of constitutional reform .

As regards the value of trade between Cuba and the EC,
the Commission has the following figures :

O OJ No L 42, 18 . 2 . 1992 . ( in million ecu )

EC exports to Cuba Imports

1989 586 432

1990 59 7 319

1991 629 320
WRITTEN QUESTION No 2430 / 92

by Mr Ernest Glinne ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 70 )

Subject : Trade with Cuba

Constitutional reform was ( unanimously ) adopted by the
Cuban People 's Assembly on 1 1 July 1992 . Certain articles
appear to present an opening up, to some extent, toward
private property, qualifying what is virtually absolute
collective ownership of the means of production by
referring to the ' basic ' means of production . This would
appear to mean heavy industry and agriculture, certain
activities in small-scale trading and in the tourism
industry being returned to the private sector .

Can the Commission :

1 . already give an assessment of this process in the light

of the draft laws and regulations which have been
prepared for implementing the constitutional reform
referred to above ?

2 . say what was the value of trade between Cuba and the
European Community, i.e. imports and exports, for

1989, 1990 and 1991 ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 4 December 1 992 )

It is still difficult for the Commission to gauge the
practical impact of the changes made by the Cuban
authorities to the 1977 constitution .

How effective reforms are will depend chiefly on the
degree of genuine independence the Cuban government
gives economic players and on its attitude to certain
fundamental liberties, such as freedom of association,
that are needed for the development of decentralized
economic activities . The Commission has noted with
interest the new religious freedom, which is an important
part of free expression .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2439 / 92

by Mr Leen van der Waal ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 71 )

Subject : Failure by French and Spanish customs offices to

extend their opening hours

Under Council Directive 91 / 342 / EEC (') of 20 June 1991
the following measures must be taken by 1 September

1991 :

— customs offices must be open 24 hours per day with

corresponding provisions for transit procedures and
documentation, and vehicles travelling unladen,

— frontier offices and customs services situated inside

the country must be open from Monday to Friday
during an uninterrupted period of at least 10 hours
and on Saturday during a period of at least six hours,
unless the day is a public holiday .

However, the French and Spanish customs offices have
not as yet extended their opening hours and according to
reports the customs authorities are not even aware of the
directive .

Can the Commission confirm these reports and ensure
that the directive is implemented in the Member States
concerned ?

o OJ No L 187, 13 . 7 . 1991, p. 47 .

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 November 1992 )

Under the Directive referred to by the Honourable
Member the facilities in question are provided by Member
States ' where the volume of traffic so warrants '.

No C 61 / 34 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

However, the completion of the internal market should
render the provisions of the Directive null and void as
such controls at internal frontiers will be scrapped once
and for all from 1 January next year .

Nevertheless, on 20 May notice was served on the two
Member States in question for failing to communicate to
the Commission the measures they had taken to transpose
the Directive into their national legislation .

Finally, in order to give the Honourable Member all the
information he requires, the Commission needs to know
the precise circumstances which gave rise to his question .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2442 / 92

by Mr Francesco Speroni ( ARC )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 72 )

Subject : Accession of Malta to the Community while

requirements concerning hunting are not
complied with

In Malta hunting, especially fowling, is practised
indiscriminately regardless ' of both domestic and
international regulations on the subject . What relevance
will be attached to this fact when considering Malta 's

application for membership of the Community ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 9 December 1 992 )

The Commission is fully aware of the problem arising

from practices of bird hunting in Malta, and this will be,
in principle, reflected in its opinion on Malta 's accession
to the European Community .

Maltese competent authorities are already perfectly
informed of the situatidn . Malta has enacted regulations
to control bird hunting more strictly, and its authorities
are currently preparing new amendments which would
bring their legislation into closer conformity with EC
provisions, and in particular with those of Council
Directive 79 / 409 / EEC on the conservation of wild

birds 0 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2472 / 92

by Lord O'Hagan ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 73 )

Subject : Wine in United Kingdom

There are repeated reports that the Commission proposes
to discriminate against wine from the United Kingdom .

1 . Is this true ?

2 . What does the Commission now propose ?

3 . Is it the intention of the Commission to prevent
expansion of wine growing in the United Kingdom,
even if the wines are of a high quality ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 November 1992 )

1 . The Commission can assure the Honourable
Member that there is certainly no discrimination against
UK wine and the Commission is wondering to which
sources of information the Honourable Member refers .

2 . It is not the intention of the Commission to make
any proposal which could discriminate against UK wine
production .

3 . According to Article 6 ( 1 ) of Regulation ( EEC )
No 822 / 87 (') on the common market organization in the
wine sector, no new plantations of vineyards are
permitted until 31 August 1996 due to overproduction .
Any expansion of wine growing in the UK is not allowed
for production exceeding 25 000 hi ( Article 11 of the
same Regulation ).

o OJ No L 84, 27 . 3 . 1987 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2477 / 92

by Mr Ian White ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 74 )

Subject : Draft for a proposed Council Directive on the

o OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979 . limitation of emissions of organic solvents

1 . Why is DG XI not having more extensive
discussions with the industries concerned and their

3 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 35

respective European Associations / Federations to ensure
the effect of conformance to the proposed Directive will
give rise to long term environmentally acceptable and
sound systems and not just to short term expediency ?

2 . Why is so much emphasis being placed on
containment / abatement of the present emissions ( e.g.
' end of pipe ' solutions )?

3 . Why is greater emphasis not placed on the removal
of organic solvents from the processes by replacement
technology and / or process change ?

4 . Why is such a wide range of industries / processes
intended to be covered by a similar regime of
control / reduction legislation ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1992 )

The Commission 's departments are currently drawing up
a draft proposal for a directive on the control of emissions
of organic solvents from certain processes or industrial
installations .

— tattoo number ( if present )

— breed

— type of coat

and any distinguishing marks and the name and address
of the owner .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2483 / 92

by Lord Inglewood ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 12 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 76 )

Subject : Industrial fishing

In view of the House of Lords ' ' Review of the common
fisheries policy ', is it the Commission 's intention to
recommend the phasing out of industrial fishing over the
next 1 0 years ?

Part of this work involves consultations with
WRITTEN QUESTION No 2484 / 92
representatives of the industries concerned .

by Lord Inglewood ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2478 / 92

by Mr Madron Seligman ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 12 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 77 )

Subject : Industrial fishing

of the European Communities In the absence of adequate scientific knowledge, would

October 1 992 ) the Commission support the banning of industrial fishing

without such research having been carried out ?
( 93 / C 61 / 75 )

( 8 October 1 992 )

Subject : Rabies protection

What system is used on the European Continent to match
the vaccination certificate with the vaccinated dog
correctly ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 1992 )

Dogs travelling on the European Continent must be
accompanied by an internationally agreed rabies
vaccination certificate . The certificate must contain the
following information :

— name of the animal

— sex

— date of birth

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 2483 / 92 and 2484 / 92

given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 25 November 1992 )

The Commission would be reluctant to support the
banning of industrial fishing in the absence of adequate
scientific knowledge and without appropriate research
being carried out .

In this context, the Commission has recently convened a
meeting of scientists to investigate the impact of industrial
fisheries on the stocks of their main target species
( Norway pout, sandeel and sprat ) and on species taken as
by-catch ( mainly herring, withing and, to a lesser degree,
haddock ). In addition, the Herring Working Group of
the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
reported on the current impact on herring of some of the
industrial fisheries . A report from the Commission to the

No C 61 / 36 Official Journal of the European Communities 3.3.93

Council will soon appear in which reference is made to the
results of the work just indicated and which discusses
more widely the industrial fisheries in the North Sea,
Skagerak and Kattegat .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2502 / 92

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

1 2 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 78 )

Subject : Small watercourses in the Greek capital

Some time ago there were some 700 small streams, creeks
and torrents in and around Athens . Less than 70 of these
remain today and the number is dwindling rapidly . The
rest have been turned into roads, developed or been
covered over for ' aesthetic ' reasons . Does the

Commission not agree that these streams or small rivers
should be viewed from an ecological standpoint ? Does it
consider that the Community should now make
provisions for an agreement to enable the ecological
potential of these small streams in the Greek capital to be
exploited ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 8 December 1 992 )

The Commission believes that the questions raised fall
under the competence of the authorities of the Member
States .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2533 / 92

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

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 79 )

Subject : Progress of the Commission 's inquiry into the

danger to the inhabitants of Priolo G., Melilli,
Augusta and Siracusa from the petrochemical
complex situated there

The Italian Government has failed to reply to the

Commission 's request for information on the major
industrial accident hazards facing the inhabitants of
Priolo G., Melilli, Augusta and Siracusa, and the
Commission therefore decided to request the information

directly from those concerned in order to pursue its
inquiries more effectively .

The author notes that the information requested was
supplied to the Commission by the local environmental
bodies concerned within the set deadline, while there is no
sign of the information that should have been supplied by
the local authorities responsible for the implementation of
the Seveso I Directive and the plant operators .

The investigation into the implementation of the Seveso I
Directive in Priolo G., Melilli and Siracusa has been going
on for almost two years and the dangerous situation
referred to in Written Question No 12 / 91 (*) has not
changed and recently appears to have been aggravated by
earth tremors in this area . In view of this, will the
Commission pursue its investigations and with what
instruments ?

(') OJ No C 168, 27 . 6 . 1991, p. 18 .

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 November 1992 )

In Written Questions 11 / 91 and 12 / 91 the Honourable
Member drew the Commission 's attention to the hazard
which certain industrial enterprises represented for the
people of Porto Scuso and Sarroch, as well as those of
Priolo, Melilli, Augusta and Syracuse .

In line with its answer to these written questions, the
Commission questioned the Italian authorities in 1991 on
the application of Directive 82 / 501 / EEC ('). Given the
size and number of the industrial plants mentioned in the
questions, the Commission felt that the enquiry should
not be limited to application of the Directive to these
plants, but that the Italian authorities should be
questioned on the general application of the Directive in
Italy .

The Italian authorities ' reply, received in January 1992,
contains very inadequate information on application of
the Directive to the industrial plants representing a
hazard for the inhabitants of the towns mentioned above .

It has also led the Commission to the conclusion that the
application of Articles 7 and 8 ( notification to be given by
the operators to the competent authorities and provision
of information to persons liable to be affected by a major
accident ) in Italy is inadequate .

The Commission intends to continue the enquiry into the
general application of Directive 82 / 501 / EEC in Italy, and
in particular its application to the industrial sites
mentioned by the Honourable Member . It will, if
necessary, use the procedures provided for in Article 169

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 37

of the Treaty, to obtain all the relevant information from
the Italian authorities .

O OJ No L 230, 5 . 8 . 1982 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2534 / 92

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

( 8 November 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 80 )

Subject : Vacant post of the Commissioner for the
environment

Some three months after Mr Carlo Ripa di Meana left his
post as Commissioner for the environment, it is still not
clear who is now Parliament 's direct interlocutor on
questions in this field and whether, in the absence of any
indications to the contrary from President Delors, the
Commissioner will be replaced on an interim basis for as
long as his post is vacant .

Can the Commission inform the European Parliament as
soon as possible who it should consider as its direct
interlocutor on environmental issues until the new

Commissioner for the environment is appointed ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 18 November 1 992 )

On 2 July 1992 the Commission decided that Mr Van
Miert would take over the portfolio previously handled
by Mr Ripa di Meana .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2536 / 92

by Mrs Anita Pollack ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

purposes are they used and how much unnecessary
duplication is there ?

Is this trade regulated in any way ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 8 December 1 992 )

The importation of primates into the Community is
regulated under Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3626 / 82
on the implementation in the Community of the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (').

Imports since 1984 are listed in the Commission
publications containing the European Community annual
report to Cites .

The last report published is that for 1989 ( 2 ).

The reports contain details on numbers imported per

species, per country of origin and per Member State of
importation and, for specimens of Cites Appendix I
species, an indication of the general purpose of import .
The latter indication is not provided for specimens of

Cites Appendix II species as the purpose of import is not
subject to restrictions under the Convention . Information
on where animals are kept in transit is not subject to
reporting procedures either .

The Commission is further not in a position to assess the
extend of unnecessary duplication of research on the basis
of the reports concerned .

o OJNoL 384, 31 . 12 . 1992 .
O ISBN 92-826-3931-2 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2555 / 92

by Mr Otto Habsburg ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 93 / C 61 / 81 ) ( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 82 )

Subject : Wild-caught primates used for research

Will the Commission conduct a review of the number of
wild-caught primates entering the EC bound for research
and testing establishments ?

This review should include the source country, the

destination and where they are kept in transit . For what

Subject : EC funding for organizations in the Republic of

South Africa

What organizations, churches and trade unions have
received Community funding since the beginning of

1991 ?

No C 61 / 38 Official Journal of the European Communities 3 . 3 . 93

What were the amounts in each case ?

What steps were taken to ensure that the funds were used
for their intended purpose ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 7 December 1 992 )

The breakdown of the allocation for 1991 and 1992 for
the special programme for South Africa per channel is
given below .

Number of
million ECU
projects

Southern African Catholic

Bishops Conference 23 8,4

South African Council of

Churches 23 3,5

Kagiso Trust 117 109,5

ICFTU 10 2,2

UNHCR / Red Cross 2 10,3

Others ( Universities, NDT
etc. ) 5 6,1

Total 180 140,0

As the Honourable Member will appreciate, the
Commission controls the application of funds by deciding
on each project individually after consultations with
experts from Member States, through on-site checks of
projects in South Africa itself and by close scrutiny of
reports which are produced on these projects by
European NGO 's or by the abovementioned channels
with whom individual contracts are signed . These tasks
have been facilitated by the opening of a Programme
Coordination Office in South Africa in February 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2556 / 92

by Mr Panayotis Roumeliotis ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 83 )

Subject : Entry by the Republic of Skopje for the Felix

awards

The European Cinema and Audiovisual Acts Academy

has recently invited the Republic of Skopje to enter for
the Felix awards next December under the name of the

' Republic of Macedonia '.

What view does the Commission take of this given that it
is totally contrary to the decision taken in Lisbon not to
recognize the state under that name ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Co mm ission

( 30 November 1992 )

The Commission accepts no responsibility for the terms
used by the European Cinema Academy in invitations to
the Felix award ceremonies, since the Academy is a wholly
independent body .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2580 / 92

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 84 )

Subject : German bread produced with additives

Is the Commission aware of a survey conducted by the

Stern magazine, according to which German bread is
made with a high percentage of ' additives ', including
chalk — which acts as a stabilizer — and certain types of
soap and detergent with a bleaching effect ?

If so, what action does it intend to take to ensure that this
bread is withdrawn from the domestic and European
market ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 November 1 992 )

The Commission is not aware of the inquiry concerning
the use of additives conducted by the weekly publication

Stern . The Commission will contact the German
authorities on the matter and will report back to the
European Parliament as soon as elements become
available .

Concerning the use of additives in foodstuffs in general
the Council of Ministers adopted a framework Directive
89 / 107 / EEC (*) on the approximation of the laws of
Member States concerning additives which may be used in
foodstuffs for human consumption . This Directive
establishes the general principle of a positive list of food
additives and their conditions of use . The Commission

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 39

has made proposals for Council directives on colours,
sweeteners and all other food additives which contain
positive lists for all food additives . All other substances
which are not mentioned on that list are to be forbidden .

The Directive on official control of foodstuffs

89 / 397 / EEC ( 2 ), which lays down the general principles,
requires Member States to carry out controls concerning
raw materials, ingredients, processing aids and ' other
products used in the manufacturing of foodstuffs .

be submitted under Article 1896 of the Treaty on
European Union, assuming that it enters into force on 1
January 1993 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2635 / 92

by Mrs Maria Aglietta ( V ) and Mr David Martin ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

O OJ No L 40, 11.2 . 1989 . ( 27 October 1992 )
O OT No LI 86, 30 . 6 . 1989 . ( 93 / C 61 / 87 )

Subject : Conclusion of international agreements

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2622 / 92

by Mr José Valverde Lôpez ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 85 )

Subject : Investments in the Province of Granada ( Spain )

from the ERDF

Can the Commission say what investments have actually
been made in the province of Granada from the ERDF
since Spain joined the EC, and what amounts have been
paid annually ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 November 1992 )

The Commission will be forwarding directly to the

Honourable Member and to the Secretariat of the
European Parliament the list of projects approved
between 1986 and 1992 by the European Regional

, Development Fund for the province of Granada and the

Can the Commission give a list of existing agreements
concluded by the European Communities under
Article 228 ( 3 ) of the Treaty establishing the European
Community as amended by the Treaty on European
Union and the corresponding articles of the other treaties,
which will, in future, be submitted to the European
Parliament for its assent ?

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2634 / 92 and

2635 / 92

given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 December 1992 )

The Commission will make a point of sending Parliament
the lists in question well before the entry into force of the
Treaty on European Union .

operational programme entitled ' Sur y Este de Jaen y
'
Norte de Granada for the period 1991 — 93 . WRITTEN QUESTION No 2731 / 92

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 November 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 88 )
WRITTEN QUESTION No 2634 / 92

by Mr David Martin ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 86 )

Subject : Co-decision procedure

Can the Commission provide a detailed schedule of
legislative proposals — broken down by legal basis — to

Subject : Non-compliance with Community directives on

continuous working hours in customs offices

Is the Commission aware of the fact that complaints have
been received from those engaged in port operations in La
Spezia that they are being greatly hampered by inefficient
customs administration resulting in delays to vessels and
the formation of queues for loading and unloading, which
therefore prevent the smooth flow of traffic ?

«

No C 61 / 40, Official Journal of the European Communities 3.3.93

Is it aware that these problems are generally attributed to
insufficient staff numbers, which make it impossible to
apply the Community directive requiring the customs
offices to remain open for at least 10 hours per day ? The
rule is not applied since it is not possible to work double
shifts .

Is the Commission aware that, in 1991, the customs
authorities collected 40 % more in customs duties than in

1990, amounting to Lit 360 billion in import duties alone ?
This involved the issuing of about 30 000 documents in
two months by a single department with a staff of only
eight .

Is the Commission aware that the operational difficulties
faced by the La Spezia customs authorities are affecting
city traffic, causing environmental pollution from large
diesel engines and making the port operations less
economic and thereby making the firms working in the
port less competitive ?

Will the Commission take steps to ensure that
Community customs directives are incorporated in Italian
legislation ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

It is first and foremost the responsibility of the relevant
authorities in the Member States, in the context of their
Treaty obligations, to ensure the efficient running of
customs operations .

Nevertheless the Commission is closely monitoring the
application of Community customs rules and the
transposition of directives into the legislation of each
Member State .

With regard to Directive 91 / 342 / EEC referred to by the

Honourable Member, the Commission sent a formal
complaint to the Italian customs authorities on 20 May
because of their failure to notify the Commission of any
measures they may have taken in order to transpose the
directive in question into national law (').

It should be noted that the completion of the single
market will render obsolete certain parts of this Directive
relating to customs activities, since internal border
controls will be abolished from 1 January 1993 with, as a
result, a smoother passage of goods within the
Community . The Commission will not neglect to continue
monitoring the implementation of controls by the
Member States ' customs authorities with regard to trade
with third countries .

o OJNoL 187, 13.7 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2849 / 92

by Mr Alex Smith ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 89 )

Subject : Verification visits in the UK

What verification visits has the Commission undertaken

in Scotland, Wales and the United Kingdom as a whole
since 1973 pursuant to its powers to check environmental
and radiological monitoring procedures under Article 35
of the Euratom Treaty ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 December 1992 )

Verification visits, under the terms of Article 35 of the

Euratom Treaty, were undertaken in the early 1960s and
then discontinued in favour of other priorities . However,
by decision of the Commission on 20 December 1989, it
was decided to reinstate this practice and negotiations

have taken place with the individual Member States to
establish the necessary procedures .

These negotiations were only recently completed with the
United Kingdom, for which the first verification visit is
now planned for Spring 1993, and will concern Dounreay .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2868 / 92

by Mr Louis Lauga ( RDE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 November 1 992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 90 )

Subject : Rosin imports

Following the anti-dumping complaints by a Portuguese
association of rosin producers against European
importers of rosin from China and in view of the fact that
increased levies on imports of Chinese rosins into Europe
place American manufacturers in a strong competitive
position on the Community market, thereby endangering

3 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 61 / 41

European manufacturers, can the Commission state its
view and say what measures it will take to avoid a
reduction in European rosin self-sufficiency levels and
prevent European manufacturers from being weakened ?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

( 17 December 1 992 )

The Commission initiated the proceeding in question and
commenced an investigation on 1 August 1992 .
Subsequently, questionnaires were sent to the parties
concerned in order to obtain the information deemed to
be necessary for the investigation . The information so
obtained is now being examined and might have to be
verified, in some cases, at the premises of the companies
concerned .

At this early stage of the investigation its outcome in
particular with regard to the existence of dumping and
injury resulting therefrom cannot be forecasted .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2916 / 92
by Mrs Guadalupe Ruiz-Gimenez Aguilar ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 61 / 91 )

Subject : European Community aid to El Salvador

Can the Commission state the amount of Community aid
granted to El Salvador in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ? Can it also
provide a list of the various projects currently under way,
as well as those completed in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1992 )

The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable
Member and to Parliament 's Secretariat the information

in its possession .