Source: EURLEX
Language: en
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# Official Journal

ISSN 0378-6986

#### C 340

Volume 38

### or the European Communities 18 December 1995

###### English edition Information and Notices

Notice No Contents p age

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

95 / C 340 / 01 E-339 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Council
Subject : Return of cultural treasures to their countries of origin 1

95 / C 340 / 02 E-738 / 95 by Anne Van Lancker to the Council
Subject : Employment of disabled persons in the institutions of the European Union 2

95 / C 340 / 03 E-1050 / 95 by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel to the Council
Subject : Quota Regulation for the appointment of handicapped workers in the European
institutions 2

Joint answer to Written Questions E-738 / 95 and E-1050 / 95 2

95 / C 340 / 04 P-825 / 95 by Per Gahrton to the Council
Subject : Third stage of EMU 3

95 / C 340 / 05 E-1507 / 95 by Hiltrud Breyer to the Council
Subject : Euratom authorization for imported plutonium in Munich 3

95 / C 340 / 06 E-1509 / 95 by Hiltrud Breyer to the Council
Subject : Euratom authorization for imported lithium-6 in Munich 3

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1507 / 95 and E-1509 / 95 3

95 / C 340 / 07 P-1545 / 95 by Aldo Arroni to the Council
Subject : Polish trade policy measures 3

95 / C 340 / 08 E-1581 / 95 by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark to the Council
Subject : Currency flow from the European Union to Russia 4

95 / C 340 / 09 E-1621 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Financing of Teokar Ltd under various programmes 4

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95 / C 340 / 10 E-1623 / 95 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Council
Subject : The Committee of the Regions and elections in Italy

95 / C 340 / 11 E-l 774 / 95 by Riccardo Nencini to the Council
Subject : Employment crisis

95 / C 340 / 12 E-l 889 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Radiology laboratories in Greece

95 / C 340 / 13 E-l 890 / 95 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor to the Commission
Subject : Community aid to restore pilgrims ' hostels along St James 's Way

95 / C 340 / 14 E-l 894 / 95 by Joaquin Sisó Cruellas to the Commission
Subject : Appropriations intended for the promotion of a healthy diet

95 / C 340 / 15 E-1900 / 95 by Honório Novo to the Commission
Subject : Reform of the common organization of the market in bananas

95 / C 340 / 16 E-l 91 7 / 95 by Ana Miranda de Lage to the Council
Subject : Increase in EIB loans

95 / C 340 / 17 E-l 91 9 / 95 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : The eco-label

95 / C 340 / 18 E-l 946 / 95 by Christine Crawley to the Commission
Subject : Low-frequency noise

95 / C 340 / 19 E-1950 / 95 by Johanna Maij-Weggen to the Commission
Subject : Checks at external borders

95 / C 340 / 20 E-l 965 / 95 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Council
Subject : Facilities in EU buildings

95 / C 340 / 21 E-1993 / 95 by Juan Colino Salamanca and Jesus Cabezón Alonso to the Council
Subject : Open competition for administrators

95 / C 340 / 22 E-l 995 / 95 by Jacques Donnay to the Council
Subject : Effects of agri-monetary disturbance on competition among European ports

95 / C 340 / 23 E-2004 / 95 by Peter Skinner to the Commission
Subject : Stray dogs used in research experiments

95 / C 340 / 24 E-2073 / 95 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Use of stray dogs for research in Portugal — Directive 86 / 609 / EEC

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2004 / 95 and E-2073 / 95

95 / C 340 / 25 E-2009 / 95 by Brian Crowley to the Commission
Subject : Drug addicts in the EU

95 / C 340 / 26 E-2038 / 95 by Karl-Heinz Florenz to the Commission
Subject : Sewage sludge and compost

95 / C 340 / 27 E-2059 / 95 by Andre Sainjon to the Commission
Subject : Destruction of the Bergasol company

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E-2063 / 95 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Institute for European-Latin American Relations 14

E-2072 / 95 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Establishment of a European Primate Resources Network ( Eupren ) 14

E-2075 / 95 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Dumped chemical weapons 15

E-2124 / 95 by Mathias Reichhold to the Commission

Subject : Dangerous feed additives 15

95 / C 340 / 32 E-2 128 / 95 by Gerhard Schmid to the Commission
Subject : Kaleidoscope — my Written Question E-332 / 95 15

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E-2141 / 95 by Spalato Belleré to the Commission
Subject : Copyright and performing rights 16

E-2143 / 95 by Nuala Ahern to the Commission
Subject : Insurance for nuclear installations 17

95 / C 340 / 35 E-2144 / 95 by Nuala Ahern to the Commission

Subject : Maximum liability 17

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E-214 5 / 95 by Nuala Ahern to the Commission
Subject : Agricultural land at Chernobyl 18

E-2148 / 95 by Mark Killilea to the Commission
Subject : Operational programme for the environment — costal erosion works 18

E-2 154 / 95 by Giuseppe Rauti to the Commission
Subject : Discharge of radioactive waste 19

E-2 170 / 95 by Marianne Thyssen to the Commission
Subject : Labelling of foodstuffs : indication of addresses 19

E-22 17 / 95 by John McCartin to the Commission
Subject : Disadvantaged farming areas in Ireland 20

E-2231 / 95 by Jose Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado to the Commission
Subject : Research and development in the veterinary products industry 20

E-2235 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for central Macedonia 21

E-2236 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for mainland Greece 21

E-2237 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for the Peloponnese Region

( ERDF ) 21

E-2238 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for Crete 22

( Continued overleaf )

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95 / C 340 / 46 E-2240 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for western Greece ( ERDF ) . . .

95 / C 340 / 47 E-2241 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for mainland Greece

95 / C 340 / 48 E-2242 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for Crete

95 / C 340 / 49 E-2243 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for central Macedonia ( ERDF )

95 / C 340 / 50 E-2244 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for the Epirus region

95 / C 340 / 51 E-224 5 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for eastern Macedonia and Thrace

( ERDF )

95 / C 340 / 52 E-2246 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for mainland Greece

95 / C 340 / 53 E-2247 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for mainland Greece

95 / C 340 / 54 E-2248 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for Attica ( ERDF )

95 / C 340 / 55 E-2249 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for the southern Aegean

95 / C 340 / 56 E-2250 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for the Ionian Islands

95 / C 340 / 57 E-2251 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first CSF for the Thessaly region ( ERDF )

Joint answer to Written Questions E-223 5 / 95 to E-2238 / 95 and E-2240 / 95 to

E-2251 / 95

95 / C 340 / 58 E-2254 / 95 by Joaquim Miranda to the Commission
Subject : Imports of milk into Portugal

95 / C 340 / 59 E-2261 / 95 by Susanne Riess-Passer to the Commission

Subject : ORF monopoly in Austria

95 / C 340 / 60 E-2272 / 95 by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel to the Commission
Subject : Access by small businesses to the internal market

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95 / C 340 / 61

95 / C 340 / 62

E-2278 / 95 by David Martin to the Commission
Subject : Commission at voting procedure in Council 28

E-2285 / 95 by Giuseppe Rauti to the Commission
Subject : Child labour in India and the Third World 29

95 / C 340 / 63 P-22 95 / 95 by Georg Jarzembowski to the Commission

Subject : Regulation ( EEC ) No 1893 / 91 29

95 / C 340 / 64 E-2306 / 95 by Nuala Ahern to the Commission
Subject : Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference 30

95 / C 340 / 65 E-2330 / 95 by Glyn Ford to the Commission

Subject : BSkyB and NIREX / Telework 31

95 / C 340 / 66 E-2333 / 95 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Financial aid to Paraguay 31

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E-2338 / 95 by Jürgen Schröder to the Commission
Subject : Postage and telephone charges within the EU 32

E-2346 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Suspension of payments from the Cohesion Fund 32

E-2355 / 95 by Karla Peijs, Peter Pex and Bartho Pronk to the Commission
Subject : Aid to German ship-builders 33

E-2361 / 95 by Concepció Ferrer to the Commission

Subject : Fourth European Union action programme on equal opportunities 33

E-2382 / 95 by Glyn Ford to the Commission
Subject : Competitive tendering in France 34

E-2388 / 95 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Council
Subject : Bosnia and the political survival of the European Union 34

E-24 16 / 95 by Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Recruitment and contracting of Portuguese labourers to work on building sites in other
Member States 35

E-2423 / 95 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Safety of Members of the Cambodian National Assembly 35

E-2427 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Commission

Subject : Purpose of eco-label 36

E-2430 / 95 by Carles-Alfred Gasòliba i Bohm to the Commission
Subject : Compatibility of the Spanish legislation governing limited liability companies with
Community law 36

E-2432 / 95 by Florus Wijsenbeek to the Commission
Subject : The Union in the Olympic Games 37

95 / C 340 / 78 E-2465 / 95 by Anita Pollack to the Commission

Subject : IT procurement policy 37

95 / C 340 / 79 E-2466 / 95 by Pieter Dankert to the Commission
Subject : Tendering procedure in respect of Structural Fund assistance for Flevoland 37

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E-2476 / 95 by Hans-Gert Poettering to the Commission
Subject : Postal traffic in some Member States 38

E-2478 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Commission
Subject : Harmonization in the security industry 39

E-2490 / 95 by Jannis Sakellariou to the Commission
Subject : Blinding laser weapons 39

E-2493 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Human rights 39

P-2494 / 95 by Yannos Kranidiotis to the Commission
Subject : Timetable for Commission proposals concerning the situation affecting the Greek textile
sector 40

E-2499 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Car prices 40

E-2507 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Health care 41

E-25 13 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Violence against minors 42

E-25 17 / 95 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : Humanitarian aid for Sierra Leone 42

P-2531 / 95 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : Humanitarian aid for Bangladesh 43

E-2550 / 95 by Richard Balfe to the Commission
Subject : 1963 EEC-Turkey Agreement — new Member States 43

E-2551 / 95 by Richard Balfe to the Commission
Subject : EEC Association Agreements — non-discrimination provisions 44

E-2560 / 95 by Joaquin Sisó Cruellas to the Commission
Subject : Anti-dumping duties on North American sodium carbonate 44

E-2570 / 95 by Glyn Ford to the Commission
Subject : Criminal injuries compensation 45

E-2576 / 95 by Susan Waddington to the Commission
Subject : Risk to employees ' health from diesel emissions in the workplace 45

E-258 9 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Research activities 46

E-2590 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Mountaineering accidents 47

P-2596 / 95 by Georg Jarzembowski to the Commission
Subject : Roundabouts 47

E-2639 / 95 by Joan Colom i Naval to the Commission
Subject : Concept of foreign nationality in the field of professional sport 48

( Continued on inside back cover )

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95 / C 340 / 99 P-264 9 / 95 by Marilena Marin to the Commission
Subject : Action plan for the introduction of advanced television services

95 / C 340 / 100 E-2670 / 95 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Aid to Jaffna, Sri Lanka

95 / C 340 / 101 E-2671 / 95 by Arthur Newens to the Commission
Subject : Equal treatment of European Union citizens within Member States

95 / C 340 / 102 E-2683 / 95 by Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Application of Directive 89 / 391 / EEC

95 / C 340 / 103 E-2 687 / 95 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Incorporation into Spanish law of the Directive on minimum safety and health
requirements for the workplace

95 / C 340 / 104 P-2699 / 95 by Peter Skinner to the Commission
Subject : Provision of information concerning European industrial relations

95 / C 340 / 105 E-2707 / 95 by Guido Podestà to the Commission
Subject : Children 's camps in China

95 / C 340 / 106 E-2709 / 95 by Stephen Hughes to the Commission
Subject : NOW programme

95 / C 340 / 107 P-2737 / 95 by Luigi Florio to the Commission
Subject : Contract for removal of asbestos from the Berlaymont building

95 / C 340 / 108 E-2750 / 95 by David Hallam to the Commission
Subject : Establishment of a European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia

95 / C 340 / 109 E-2769 / 95 by Peter Crampton to the Commission
Subject : Private security industry in the EU

95 / C 340 / 110 P-2789 / 95 by Peter Truscott to the Commission
Subject : Pension equalization

95 / C 340 / 111 E-2809 / 95 by Salvador Garriga Polledo to the Commission
Subject : Improvements in budgetary administration

95 / C 340 / 112 P-2968 / 95 by Luigi Vinci to the Commission
Subject : Motion against homosexuals

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18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 1

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( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION E-339 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Council

( 16 February 1995 )

Answer

(8 November 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 01 )
National treasures possessing artistic, historic or
archaeological value are expressly mentioned in Article 36
of the EC Treaty, which clarifies with respect to them the
scope of the rules for elimination of restrictions on trade in
goods between Member States ( Articles 30 to 34 ).
Subject : Return of cultural treasures to their countries of

origin

The Treaty on European Union declares that the European
Union shall contribute to the development of the cultures of
the Member States, respect their national diversity and
encourage cooperation between them . However, is an
unresolved problem here, namely the need to return various
aristic and cultural treasures to their countries of origin,
thereby filling gaps in their artistic traditions caused by the
removal of treasures and monuments to other countries .

The restitution of these artefacts would benefit citizens,
scholars and students in Europe and the rest of the world,
since they would have the opportunity to view, study and
take pleasure in complete works of art and unbroken artistic
traditions in the places in which they were created .

Will the Council say whether it is addressing the need to
restore the unity of the cultural traditions in various
Member States by returning monuments, etc . to their places
of origin, in accordance with the resolutions taken by the
UN General Assembly, and whether it intends to examine
the matter in depth during the review of the Treaty on
European Union by formulating a policy to enable cultural
artefacts to be returned to the Member State of origin ?

Since the establishment on 1 January 1993 of the internal
market including an area without economic frontiers, a
Directive on the return of cultural objects unlawfully
removed from the territory of a Member State ( 93 / 7 / EEC )
and a Council Regulation on the export of cultural goods
(( EEC ) No 3911 / 92 ) contain provisions on the subject .

In accordance with Article 13 thereof, the Directive applies
only to cultural objects unlawfully removed from the
territory of a Member State on or after 1 January 1993 .
However, Article 14(2 ) states that ' Each Member State may
apply the arrangements provided for by this Directive to
requests for the return of cultural objects unlawfully
removed from the territory of other Member States prior to

1 January 1993 .'

The system introduced by the Directive and the Regulation
does not address the issue of the return to a Member State of

national treasures originating in another Member State ; the
Council has received no proposals on that subject .

No C 340 / 2 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-738 / 95

by Anne Van Lancker ( PSE )

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-738 / 95 and E-1050 / 95

to the Council (8 November 1995 )

( 16 March 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 02 )

Subject : Employment of disabled persons in the institutions

of the European Union

On 24 July 1986 the Council adopted a recommendation on
the employment of disabled people in the Community
( 86 / 379 / EEC (')). A number of recommendations were
addressed to the Member State concerning the elimination
of discrimination, for example, and on positive action for
the disabled .

It is, I feel, a matter of course that the institutions of the
Union should be setting an example in their own
services .

What positive action has the Council, as an institution,
taken to encourage the employment of the disabled in its
services ? How many registered disabled are employed in
each grade by the services of the Council ? What special
action has the Council taken to encourage the employment
of such persons ?

Has the council given any thought to setting quotas, as a
positive measure and as a guideline for employing disabled
persons in its services ?

(') OJ No L 225, 12 . 8 . 1986, p . 43 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1050 / 95

by Elly Plooii-van Gorsel ( ELDR )

to the Council

( 11 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 03 )

Subject : Quota Regulation for the appointment of
handicapped workers in the European
institutions

Is there a quota Regulation in the European institutions for
the appointment of handicapped workers ?

If so, what are the results of this Regulation with regard to
the appointment of such workers in 1992, 1993 and

1994 ?

If not, why not ?

Would you be prepared to introduce such a quota
Regulation giving qualified handicapped workers
preference in appointments to positions within the
European institutions ?

1 . Within statutory constraints ( Article 28 of the Staff
Regulations ) ( ] ) the Secretariat-General of the Council has
an open attitude to the recruitment of disabled people . This
is manifested in the following areas :

( i ) In common with other institutions, the
Secretariat-General of the Council makes every
attempt to enable disabled people to compete on fair
terms in open competitions . The aim should always be
for persons with disabilities to be able to apply for a
job on equitable conditions . Also, work premises are
as far as possible adapted in such a way that they are
accessible to persons with disabilities .

A specific optional reference to the disabled will in
future be included in the application forms for open
competitions organised by the General Secretariat .

( ii ) The General Secretariat has set up an internal Working
Group with a mandate to make proposals within the
existing constraints of the Staff Regulations to enable
the recruitment of disabled people .

( iii ) At the same time, the General Secretariat is actively
participating in the interinstitutional Working Party
set up by the College of Heads of Administration to
make proposals in respect of the recruitment of
disabled people . The report of this Working Party will
be submitted shortly and is expected to raise the
question of the use of quotas for disabled people by the
Community institutions .

2 . It is not possible to state with precision how many
registered disabled persons are employed by the General
Secretariat of the Council, as there is no obligation on a
candidate for an open competition to declare the fact that
he / she was registered nationally as a disabled person . The
Council Medical Service estimates that eight officials
currently in service were disabled persons at the moment of
recruitment .

The grades of these officials are as follows : 1 A3, 1 LA3, 3
LA5, 1 LA6, 1 C3 and 1 C4 .

In addition, a number of officials are employed who have
become partially disabled in the course of their career .

0 ) OJ No L 56, 4 . 3 . 1968 .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 3

WRITTEN QUESTION P-825 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1509 / 95

by Per Gahrton ( V )

Per Gahrton ( V ) by Hiltrud Breyer ( V )

to the Council to the Council

(8 March 1995 )

to the Council

(9 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 04 ) ( 95 / C 340 / 06 )

Subject : Third stage of EMU

Is it the Council 's view that any EU Member State that fulfils
the convergence criteria under the Maastricht Treaty
automatically joins EMU and is required to take part in the
third stage, including a common currency, or does the
Council take the view that each Member State 's parliament
is free to decide whether to join the third stage of EMU even
if the Member State fulfils the convergence criteria ?

Answer

(8 November 1995 )

The Honourable Member is requested to refer to the reply
which the President of the Council gave on 1 1 October 1995
to his Question No H-683 ( identical ).

Subject : Euratom authorization for imported lithium-6 in

Munich

1 . When ( on what date ) did Euratom authorize the
import of the consignment of lithium-6 from Russia, which
arrived in Munich on 10 August 1994 ?

2 . What was the reason ( intended use ) indicated on the
application for the licence to import lithium-6 into Germany
and who submitted it ?

3 . Who were the designated recipients and what
handling instructions and authorizations were they stated to
have received ?

4 . Who was designated as the owner of the lithium-6
during, before and after transport ?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1507 / 95 and E-1509 / 95

(8 November 1995 )

QUESTION E-1507 / 95 The Honourable Member is requested to refer to the replies

given by the Commission to her ( identical ) Questions

Hiltrud Breyer ( V ) E-1489 / 95 and E-1508 / 95 .

to the Council

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1507 / 95

by Hiltrud Breyer ( V )

(9 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 05 )

Subject : Euratom authorization for imported plutonium in

Munich

1 . When ( on what date ) did Euratom authorize the
import of the consignment of plutonium from Russia, which
arrived in Munich on 10 August 1994 ?

2 . What was the reason ( intended use ) indicated on the
application for the licence to import the plutonium into
Germany and who submitted it ?

3 . Who were the designated recipients and what
handling instructions and authorizations were they stated to
have received ?

4 . Who was designated as the owner of the plutonium
during, before and after transport ?

5 . What comparative isotopic analyses ( years, quantities,
plants, intended uses ), were carried out on the plutonium
consignment discovered in Munich ?

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1545 / 95

by Aldo Arroni ( UPE )

to the Council

( 30 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 07 )

Subject : Polish trade policy measures

The Polish Government has launched a protectionist
economic policy the provisions of which are constantly
changing . In order to favour the national confectionary
industry, it threatened to increase customs duties from the
current average of 45 % to around 1 10 % from 1 July 1995 .
Recently the Polish Government has modified its position : it
will reduce the customs duties by 10 % and at the same time
triple the tax on sugar ( from ECU 0,0017 / kg to ECU
0,005 1 / kg ). This much has been gleaned from Polish
financial newspapers close to the Government, which
continues to evade questions, thus keeping the market in a
state of complete uncertainty . This means that the change
does nothing at all to alter the current complex situation
regarding customs duties for the confectionery industry .

No C 340 / 4 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

Since the Polish Government is at the same time negotiating
rules within GATT to improve export conditions for
agricultural products, will the Council intervene to ensure
that the Polish Government takes a less discriminatory line
with regard to confectionery products ?

sector is currently Council Directive 91 / 308 / EEC on
prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose
of money laundering . Under the Directive the Commission
is obliged to draw up a report on application of the Directive
at least every three years and submit it to the European
Parliament and the Council .

The Council has no other information of relevance to the
Answer
Honourable Member 's question .

(8 November 1995 )

The Council is aware of the problems caused by Poland 's
unilateral trade policy measures, which are also affecting a
number of other areas apart from the one referred to by the
Honourable Member .

These general questions were brought to Poland 's attention
both at the meeting of the Association Council on 17 July
1995 and during the Association Committee 's discussions
on 29 and 30 June 1995 .

In respect of the specific problems affecting the
confectionery industry, discussions are being held in the
relevant technical fora of the Association Committee to try
to find a solution before the end of the year .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1581 / 95

by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark ( PPE )

to the Council

(9 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 08

Subject : Currency flow from the European Union to

Russia

I have confirmation from the Financial Crimes Enforcement

Network ( FinCEN ) in the United States that the New York
Federal Reserve Bank is shipping approximately US$ 100
million to Russia each day . A research project has been
initiated to identify what percentage of this currency flow
represents the movement of criminal proceeds or is destined
for non-legitimate users within the former Soviet Union .

Can the Council estimate what flows of currency are taking
place from the European Union to Russia ? Is the Council
prepared to initiate, in conjunction with national
governments, a similar study to that being carried out by
FinCEN ?

Answer

(8 November 1995 )

The only legislative act based on the Treaty of Rome aimed
specifically at combating criminal activities in the banking

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1621 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 12 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 09 )

Subject : Financing of Teokar Ltd under various

programmes

The Teokar Ltd . car assembly undertaking in Volos has
suspended operations, thereby making hundreds more
people unemployed in the region .

Has the Commission provided funding for this undertaking
in the past, and if so, under which programmes ( IMP, first
CSF, co-financing under Greek development laws, employee
training programmes, etc .)?

What level of funding has been provided ? Has this
undertaking made any commitments in respect of this
funding, and if so, what commitments ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 September 1995 )

The Teokar company ( car assembly ) has been financed by
the Commission only in respect of a training programme
under which 164 employees were trained in 1993 and 185 in

1994 . The Tecom company, a subsidiary of Teokar,
participated in the same programme, under which 1 1 of its
employees were trained in 1993 and 25 in 1994 .

The rest of the elements required to complete the answer to
the abovementioned Written Question have not been made
available yet by the Greek authorites . The Commission
assures the Honourable Member that as soon as the

information requested becomes available it will be
transmitted to him .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 5

QUESTION E-1623 / 95 The office of member of the Committee of the Regions is not

Muscardini ( NI ) mentioned in that Article, which is to be strictly

to the Council interpreted .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1623 / 95

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

( 14 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 10 )

Subject : The Committee of the Regions and elections in

Italy

Since the Committee of the Regions was established on
15 March 1994 general, provincial and local elections have
been held in Italy . As a result, none of the Italian members of
the committee ( whether full or alternate members ) reflect
the political changes brought about by these elections : none
of the members appointed in March 1994 retained the
national posts which they held at the time and many of them
were not re-elected .

Does not the Council feel that, notwithstanding the
provisions of Article 198a of the EC Treaty, this situation
undermines the legitimacy and credibility of the Committee
of the Regions, whose composition no longer reflects the
democratically expressed will of the people ?

Might not the proposal that only ' elected members of a local
or regional assembly ' should be eligible for appointment to
the Committee of the Regions ( see Bourlanges / Martin
resolution ) provide a possible remedy to this situation, and
does the Council feel that membership of Parliament is
compatible with membership of the Committee of the
Regions, given that the EP is the budgetary authority and the
Committee of the Regions the beneficiary of appropriations
decided by the EP ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 774 / 95

by Riccardo Nencini ( PSE )

to the Council

( 26 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 11 )

Subject : Employment crisis

A large firm in central Italy ( Florence ), ' Acqua Panna ', is
about to be transferred to the district of Tione for no

apparent reason, with the probable loss of over 100 jobs .
Although production is to move to another region, the water
will apparently continue to be named after the original
spring . Can the Council prevent this transfer, bearing in
mind inter alia that the name ' Acqua Panna ' will apparently
be used for water taken from the new spring rather than the
original spring ?

Answer

( 13 November 1995 )

The Council is not competent to answer the Honourable
Member 's Question .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 889 / 95
Answer by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

(8 November 1995 ) to the Commission

(3 July 1995 )

1 . The Council appoints the members of the Committee ( 95 / C 340 / 12 )
on the basis of proposals from the Member States . It is up to
the latter to decide who represents their regional and local Subject : Radiology laboratories in Greece
authorities .

The members are appointed by the Council for four years .
The Council does not have the power to decide that a
member of the Committee does not represent / no longer
represents a regional or local authority . The Council may
only replace a member of the Committee under the terms of
the Treaty .

2 . The Council is not in a position to comment on this
proposal, which could, if appropriate, be examined at the

1996 Intergovernmental Conference .

3 . The rules relating to the incompatibility of the office of
representative of the European Parliament with other offices
are laid down in Article 6 of the Act of 20 September 1976 .

The Greek authorities have made the replacement of
traditional equipment in private radiology laboratories a
condition for the renewal of operating licences ; the cost of
this measure has been estimated as between Dr 15 and Dr 40

million per laboratory, which is beyond the means of the
individuals concerned under the present conditions of
economic austerity and the government 's unrealistic cost
estimate . On the other hand, the Pan-Hellenic Association
of Radiologists maintains that the replacement of the
equipment in question will not serve any real purpose, since
it will not lead to any — or, at least, any substantial —
reduction in the dose of radiation to which patients are
exposed, as emerges from studies and publications issued by
the Greek Radiation Protection Society, in its leaflet of
January 1993 entitled ' How to protect yourself from

radiation '.

No C 340 / 6 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 .. 12 . 95

Will the Commission say :

1 . Whether radiology laboratories in the countries of the

European Union are required to replace traditional
radiology equipment as a condition for having their
operating licences renewed, or are these licences granted
for the duration of the working life of the equipment in
question, on condition that they are monitored regularly
to ascertain whether they are functioning properly ?

2 . Is it considering the possibility of Community financial
aid for renewing the equipment, either through the
operational programmes for health under the Second
Community Support Framework, or through other
Community funds ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1890 / 95

by Gerardo Fernandez      - Albor ( PPE )

to the Commission

(3 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 13 )

Subject : Community aid to restore pilgrims ' hostels along

St James 's Way

The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is one of the most
universally recognized traits of European civilization and is
classified as part of the European heritage . The steady
stream of pilgrims all along the route bears witness to the
fact that untold generations have seen it as a mirror of faith
in the beliefs on which our historical European values are
based .

It is therefore surprising that many hostels used by pilgrims
( 22 September 1995 ) on their way to Santiago de Compostela are in a terribly
neglected state, in sharp contrast to the high ideal which
inspires believers to undertake this arduous pilgrimage .

Community standards and legislation for the radiological
laboratories are the following :

— medical staff radiation protection at the work place and

protection of the public is covered by Council Directive

80 / 836 / Euratom of 15 July 1980 on the basic safety
standards for the health protection of the general public
and workers against the dangers of ionizing
radiation ('). Member States have to submit any activity
which involves a hazard from ionizing radiation to a
system of reporting and authorization ( Article 3 ).
Member States also have to establish a system of
inspection to supervise the application of the provisions
of the Directive ( Article 45 ).

— Health and safety matters related to the design,

manufacture, placing on the market and the first use of
radiological devices are covered by Directive 93 / 42 / EEC
of 14 June 1993 on medical devices ( 2 ).

— Patient radiation protection matters are covered by

Council Directive 84 / 466 / Euratom of 3 September 1984
laying down basic measures for the radiation protection
of persons undergoing medical examination or
treatment ( 3 ).

In the framework of the structural funds no financing is
planned for radiological laboratories in Greece .

(M OJ No L 246, 17 . 9 . 1980 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 169, 12 . 7 . 1993 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 265, 5 . 10 . 1984 .

Does the Commission consider that it is in a position to
propose a general programme with a view to joint efforts
between the various Community, national and regional
administrations along St James 's Way, which passes
through a number of Community countries, so as to ensure
that pilgrims ' hostels along the route are restored to the
extent necessary in each case, with the result that pilgrims
will not have to suffer additional hardship when they
demonstrate their faith by making a pilgrimage to Santiago
de Compostela ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 September 1995 )

The Commission is fully aware of the inmportance of the
cultural traditions linked to the pilgrimage to Santiago de
Compostela .

The structural funds can, in principle, finance cultural
measures, but these need to be linked to economic
development, such as for example tourism .

In this context, the Commission is prepared to examine
appropriate proposals from the authorities of the Member
States concerned .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 7

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1894 / 95 were to transmit them, accompanied by a reasoned opinion,

by Joaquin Siso Cruellas ( PPE ) to the Commission by 30 September .

to the Commission

(') COM(95 ) 230 .
(3 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 14 )

Subject : Appropriations intended for the promotion of a

healthy diet

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 900 / 95

by Honorio Novo ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

The Confederation of Family Organizations in the (3 July 1995 )
European Community ( Coface ) and the European ( 95 / C 340 / 15
Community of Consumer Cooperatives ( Euro Coop ) have
criticized the fact that the Commission has not used the Ecu

10 million set aside for measures and programmes to
promote healthy eating habits in 1 994 / 95 and, in some cases
such as the Butter Council 's campaign against vegetable fat,
the criteria governing the use of these appropriations .

Can the Commission provide information on the sum which
was not used for 1 994 / 95, why it was not used and what will
be done with it ?

How many million Ecu will be earmarked for the promotion
of healthy eating habits in 1995 / 96, what measures will
benefit from these appropriations and what criteria have
been followed in selecting them ?

Subject : Reform of the common organization of the market

in bananas

Press reports reveal that, during his recent trip to
Washington, Mr Franz Fischler, Commissioner, expressed
support for the US Government 's intentions regarding
revision of the COM in bananas, with a view to increasing
the Community import quota .

In view of the fact that Community banana production is
located in extremely remote areas and that any decrease in
production will create even more social and economic
problems in areas which are already burdened by the cost of
their isolation, could the Commission say whether the above
reports are accurate and what its intentions are ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission
on behalf of the Commission
(1 August 1995 )
( 15 September 1995 )

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member

that Community promotional action covers several
agricultural sectors, including milk and milk products . The

1995 budget for that sector is ECU 9 million .

The approval procedure for milk consumption promotion
programmes for the 1994 / 95 marketing year took longer
than expected as additional information had to be called for
to complete scrutiny of the proposals, and since the
contracts could not be signed until January 1995 financing
from the 1995 budget .

The Commission has recently transmitted to the Council a
communication on the 1995 / 96 milk year action
programme to promote milk and milk product consumption
in the Community ( J ). The timetable laid down in this
communication was for proposals to be submitted by
31 August to the competent national authorities, which

The Commission 's position on Petition 301 has not
changed . The Commission has always stated that the
objectives and basic features of the common organization of
the market in bananas would not be questioned, although
specific adjustments would not be excluded .

The Commission has sent the Council two proposals (*) to
amend Regulation ( EEC ) No 404 / 93 involving in particular
a necessary increase in the quota on account of the accession
of Austria, Sweden and Finland, and changes in the way
licences are allocated .

In attempting to resolve its differences with the US
administration the Commission will keep in mind the need
to aid production both in the Community and in the
African, Caribbean and Pacific States, and to observe its
international commitments .

0 ) COM(95 ) 114 and COM(95 ) 115 .

No C 340 / 8 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1917 / 95

by Ana Miranda de Lage ( PSE )

to the Council

(3 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 16 )

Subject : Increase in EIB loans

Following the arrival of three new EU Member States the
European Investment Bank 's credit ceiling now exceeds
ECU 155 billion .

Approximately 10% of lending goes to non-Community
countries such as the developing countries of Africa and
Latin America, South Africa, Mediterranean and eastern
European countries, etc .

In view of the fact that the EIB has been so successful, is the
Council willing to support a significant increase — for
example, a doubling of the current allocation for the
developing countries of Africa and Latin America ?

Answer

( 13 November 1995 )

It should be remembered that on 15 February 1993 the
Council decided to grant a guarantee under the Community
budget to EIB loans in third countries with which the
Community has concluded cooperation agreements . The
maximum amount guaranteed is ECU 250 million per year,
for a three-year period .

The Council also decided that the ceiling in that decision
would be reviewed at the end of the three-year period .

The Council is therefore of the opinion that any comment on
the question raised by the Honourable Member would be

premature .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1919 / 95

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

1 . agree that this situation damages businesses in these
countries by depriving them of an important
commercial and quality policy instrument ?

2 . agree that failure to implement the Regulation causes
real damage, particularly to small and medium-sized
businesses and helps to distort competition ?

3 . intend to bring pressure to bear on the Member States in
default, with a view to remedying this unsatisfactory
situation ?

(') OJ No L 99, 11 . 4 . 1992, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

The Commission considers that those Member States not

having yet designated a body responsible for carrying out
certain tasks as provided in Regulation ( EEC ) No 880 / 92

( eco-label ), are in fact penalizing their producers, both large
and small, in the sectors for which eco-labelling criteria have
been established and applications to obtain the label may be
made . Moreover those Member States may not initiate the
process of establishing eco-label criteria ( Article 5,
paragraph 2 of the Regulation ) and are not in a good
position to participate in the operation of this eco-labelling
scheme . Finally, in the absence of effective implementation
of the scheme in all Member States, its Community
character is weakened .

The Commission has insisted on many occasions on the
need to designate the eco-label bodies and render them
operational . In the absence of positive developments, the
Commission intends to open infringement proceedings
against Member States in breach of that requirement of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 880 / 92 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1946 / 95

by Christine Crawley ( PSE )

to the Commission

to the Commission
(6 July 1995 )

(3 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 18 )
( 95 / C 340 / 17

Subject : The eco-label Subject : Low-frequency noise

Regulation ( EEC ) No 880 / 92 of 23 March 1992 on a
Community eco-label award scheme (*) provides for the
designation by each Member State of a body responsible for
carrying out the tasks provided for in the Regulation . Given
that some Member States have apparently not yet done so,
does the Commission :

May I thank the Commission for their reply to my earlier
question on low-frequency noise ( E-2307 / 94 ) ( J ). In that
reply it is stated that ' the transportation of natural gas in
high-pressure pipeline systems is generally considered
benign ': in fact, there is mounting evidence that this
transportation is far from benign and is causing many

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 9

people much discomfort . Having brought this to the Answer given by Mr Monti
attention of the Commission, will it, in the interests of health on behalf of the Commission
and safety, investigate the problem ? ( 13 October 1995 )

(') OJ No C 75, 27 . 3 . 1995, p . 31 .

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 September 1995 )

In high pressure pipeline systems very low frequency
pulsations may occur in the vicinity of the pumps and where
the pipelines change their direction . These pulsations are
below 20H Z and cannot be heard directly .

Following complaints in the United Kingdom, the Building
Research Establishment ( BRE ) carried out a two year study
for the Department of the Environment . The report dated
October 1994 found no evidence of a link between the

complaints of low-frequency noise and gas plant .

The Commission is not aware of complaints of
low-frequency noise from gas pipelines in other Member
States . If the ' evidence ' of this problem is confined to the
United Kingdom, the matter maybe pursued at the national
level with the UK authorities .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1950 / 95

by Johanna Maij-Weggen ( PPE )

to the Commission

(6 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 19 )

Subject : Checks at external borders

A group of concerned Netherlands nationals has informed
me that on a coach journey from Prague to the Netherlands
via Dresden on 28 May they were not subjected to a single
check in the bus at the German / Czech border crossing at
Zinnwald / Cinovec .

This leads them, quite properly, to wonder about the
stringency of checks at the Union 's external borders since
the introduction of the Schengen Agreement . They consider
they could quite easily have smuggled in with them into the
EU a considerable quantity of prohibited goods or illegal
immigrants .

What is the Commission 's reaction to this ?

Two distinctions need to be made, between controls on
goods and controls on people, on the one hand, and between
the rules of the Schengen Convention and those of the
Union, on the other .

As far as controls on goods are concerned, Member States
have a duty to ensure adequate customs surveillance of
goods entering the Community . Customs checks in the
luggage of travellers entering the Community are the
responsibility of national customs authorities, most of
whom apply border controls on goods selectively, on the
basis of risk analysis . For this reason, and also to avoid
unnecessary delays at the border, checks are not always
carried out on the baggage of all travellers .

With regard to controls on persons at external frontiers,
however, the only rules currently in force requiring
systematic checks to be carried out fall exclusively within the
scope of application of the Schengen Convention ; no such
rules have so far been adopted for the purposes of applying
Community legislative instruments or measures taken under
Title VI of the Treaty on European Union .

Equivalent provisions concerning the Union as a whole are
under discussion as part of the Union 's cooperation in the
fields of justice and home affairs . The relevant draft
convention on the crossing of external frontiers has not yet
been adopted . All Member States nevertheless acknowledge
the importance of establishing reliable checks at the Union 's
external frontier .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1965 / 95

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Council

( 10 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 20 )

Subject : Facilities in EU buildings

Can the Council state what facilities are provided in its
various buildings for the benefit of its officials ?

In which building is each facility housed and what are their
opening times ? Are specialist staff employed in these
facilities and if so, how many, and by whom are they
paid ?

No C 340 / 10 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

Finally, what infrastructure is provided outside the
Council 's buildings at the EU 's expense, and how much does
it cost ?

We now feel obliged to draw attention to Open Competition

( Council / A / 33 8 ): administrators, notified in the Official
Journal of the European Communities ( 1 ).

Answer The notification itself provided very little information .

(8 November 199S ) Nevertheless, many people spent time and money on

tutoring and books to prepare for the competition . Finally,
in March 1995, there was a rumour that the competition
In reply to Written Question E - 1965 / 95, the Honourable might be cancelled .
Member will find below information relating to the facilities
available to officials in the European Union buildings :

Answer

(8 November 199S )

1 . Facilities : restaurants, cafeterias, newsagent, sports
hall

2 . ( a ) These facilities are situated in the following

Given the damage this has evidently caused, can the Council
state what reasons were given for cancelling the tests ?

buildings : Is the Council aware of the harm which may be done by
— Justus Lipsius : Three restaurants, each with 320 cancelling such tests ?

seats, Two cafeterias, each with 320 seats, one
newsagent, one sports hall .

— Frere Oorban : one cafeteria with 120 seats .

( b ) The opening hours from Monday to Friday are as

follows :

— Restaurants : 12.15 to 14.15 .

Does the Council not consider that, at all events, potenial
applicants should be given better and earlier
information ?

(!) OJ No C 15, 18 . 1 . 1994 .
— Cafeterias : 8.30 to 10.30, 12.15 to 14.15, 15.30

to 16.15 .

— Newsagent : 7.45 to 18.30 .

— Sports hall : hours to be decided .

( c ) The staff of the restaurants and cafeterias is made up

of cooks, serving staff and washers-up . These are
category D staff, the wage bill for whom is covered
on a 50 / 50 basis by the budget and restaurant
receipts .

3 . For staff of Community institutions with their
headquarters in Brussels an Interinstitutional Centre
situated in Overijse provides a range of sporting, social
and cultural activities . The contribution from the budget
of the Council of the European Union is approximately
ECU 30 000 per year .

Answer

(8 November 1995 )

1 . The Flonourable Members are asked to refer to the

reply given to their Written Question No 985 / 95 ( ! ).

2 . With regard to informing candidates of the
cancellation of the competition :

— notification of cancellation was published in Official

Journal of the European Communities ( 2 );
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1993 / 95

by Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE ) and —

— all the candidates were informed of the cancellation of
Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE )

the competition by letter at the end of February

to the Council 1995 ( 3 ).

( 10 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 21 )

(') OJ No C 230, 4 . 9 . 1995 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 39, 16 . 2 . 1995 .

Subject : Open competition for administrators ( 3 ) Copy of letter available on request .

We have already expressed to the Commission on previous
occasions our concern at what we regard as the lack of
transparency in the recruitment of officials .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 11

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1995 / 95

by Jacques Donnay ( UPE )

to the Council

( 10 July 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION

E-2004 / 95

by Peter Skinner ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 95 / C 340 / 22 (8 July 1995 )

95 / C 340 / 23 )

Subject : Effects of agri-monetary disturbance on
competition among European ports

The system of the common agricultural policy and the
current agri-monetary disturbance are at the cause of
serious distortion of competition among European ports .

In the export of sugar and other agricultural products,
exporters from northern Europe now prefer to operate from
Belgian ports rather than the port of Dunkerque, in order to
obtain higher export refunds .

What measures are envisaged by the European Union to
restore the conditions for healthy and fair competition
among European ports in this area ?

Answer

(8 November 1995 )

The agri-monetary Regulation decided on by the Council in
December 1994 makes provision for a period of
confirmation before a reduction is made in the agricultural
conversion rate ( ACR ) where the positive monetary gap for
a currency exceeds the 5-point threshold . In the turbulent
monetary circumstances prevailing in the first few months
of 1995, considerable gaps in excess of 7% persisted for
relatively long periods ; such gaps are likely to affect the
smooth operation of trade .

Following the Agriculture Council in June of this year,
which took measures, consistent with budgetary
constraints, to assist producers affected by appreciable falls
in the ACR, these rates were reduced for several strong
currencies including the Belgian and Luxembourg franc and
the German mark . The discrepancies between various
currencies were thus substantially reduced and should have
been brought down to a level which does not have the effects
to which the Honourable Member alludes .

Should monetary upheavals recur giving rise to more
substantial gaps, the agri-monetary Regulation gives the
Commission appropriate powers to amend the length of the
confirmation period during which these substantial gaps are
retained so as to avoid trade distorsions .

Subject : Stray dogs used in research experiments

I understand from the British Union for the Abolition of

Vivisection ( BUAV ) that at least two Portuguese
laboratories are still operating illegally by using stray dogs in
research experiments — this despite Directive
86 / 609 / EEC ( ] ) which categorically prohibits the use of
stray dogs in experiments . Can the Commission please
confirm whether this is the case and, if it is true, what it
intends to do to remedy the situation ?

(') OJ No L 358, 18 . 12 . 1986, p . 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2073 / 95

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

95 / C 340 / 24 )

Subject : Use of stray dogs for research in Portugal —

Directive 86 / 609 / EEC

Serious breaches of Directive 86 / 609 / EEC concerning the
use of stray dogs for research in Portugal were brought to
the attention of the Commission in 1994, and a formal
complaint ( No 94 / 4735 ) was made . Further investigations
by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection this
year revealed that stray dogs continue to be used in this

way .

What action does the Commission intend to take to end this

breach of law by a Member State ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2004 / 95 and E-2073 / 95

given by Mrs Bjerregaard
on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 1995 )

Transposition into Portuguese law and application in
Portugal of Council Directive 86 / 609 / EEC of 24 November

1986, on the approximation of laws, regulations and
administrative provisions of the Member States regarding
the protection of animals used for experimental and other
scientific purposes, is not satisfactory .

As far as the transposition is concerned, the Portuguese
authorities communicated to the Commission

implementing legislation which has been considered as
insufficient . The Commission thus took up contact with the
Portugese authorities, which recently provided a
complementary legal act currently under examination by the
Commission .

No C 340 / 12 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

As regards the particuliar question raised by the Honourable
Members, the Commission has been informed of the limited
use of stray dogs in some Portuguese laboratories . The
Commission is currently investigating a complaint which
raises this issue and has addressed representations to the
Portuguese authorities requesting them to outline their
position . The response of the Portuguese authorities is
awaited .

A systematic attempt to compare national data on
criminality would be hampered by the widely differing
statistical methodologies, legislation and definitions of
criminal law and penal sanctions in the Member States .

(') OJ No L 36, 12 . 2 . 1993 .

The Commission will do its utmost to remedy the situation
should there be any lack of compliance with Directive
86 / 609 / EEC . WRITTEN QUESTION E-2038 / 95

by Karl-Heinz Florenz ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 26 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2009 / 95

by Brian Crowley ( UPE )

to the Commission

(8 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 25 )

Subject : Drug addicts in the EU

1 . Will the Commission provide information regarding
the present number of known drug addicts in each of the
Member States, including those on hard drugs, and can it
also provide similar figures for 1990, 1985 and 1980 and, if
the information is available, according to different age
groups and whether male or female ?

2 . Will the Commission also provide information on the
most recent figures available at EU level covering
drug-related crimes and the number of convictions secured
and sentences implemented ?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin
on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Sewage sludge and compost

Council Directive 86 / 278 / EEC of 12 June 1986 on the
protection of the environment ( J ), and in particular of the
soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture, permits
concentrations of heavy metals in sewage sludge intended
for agriculture, which lead to an increase in concentrations
of heavy metals in the soil .

1 . How soon will the limit values for concentrations of

heavy metals in the soil be reached, if sewage sludge
containing the maximum permitted levels of heavy
metals is regularly used as fertilizer ?

2 . Does the Commission agree that, almost 10 years after
the adoption of the Directive on sewage sludge, the
maximum permitted levels of heavy metals in sewage
sludge intended for agricultural usage need to be
substantially reduced, in order to protect the soil ?

3 . Does the Commission intend to establish limit values for

organic pollutants when it addresses the urgent task for
updating the Directive on sewage sludge ?

( 12 September 1995 ) (■) OJ No L 181, 4 . 7 . 1986, p . 6 .

1 . The Commission is not able to provide the
Honourable Member with the information requested . This
is because objective, reliable and comparable data regarding
the number of drug addicts in the Community is not yet
available .

This gap is expected to be filled by the output of the
European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction

( EMCDDA ), a decentralized Community agency,
established by Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 302 / 93 ( 1 ).
The EMCDDA will publish, on a yearly basis, a report on
the state of the drugs problem in Europe which will provide
objective, reliable and comparable information concerning
drugs, drug addiction and their consequences . Its first
annual report is expected to be published during 1996 .

2 . The Commission does not collect data covering drug
related crimes, number of convictions and sentences
implemented .

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 1995 )

1 . It is not possible to answer this question
unequivocally . Indeed, the time lapse needed in order to
reach the limit thresholds for heavy-metal concentrations
when sewage sludges are used for agricultural purposes
depends upon a number of parameters that can vary from
case to case . Those parameters are :

( a ) the quantity and quality of the sludges spread . Their
quality is affected by :

— the quantity and quality of the effluents reaching

the reclamation works,

— the type and performance of those works,

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 13

— the physical and chemical form, and concentration,

of the heavy metals in sludges,

( b ) the quality, structure, chemical composition and initial

concentration of heavy metals in the soil which
influence metal behaviour,

( c ) the metal absorption capacity of all of the flora and
fauna living in and on the soil,

( d ) the climate, and in particular the rainfall, which may

leach heavy metals from the soil .

Each case is thus highly specific . Thus, according to the
results of spreading at irregular intervals on a sandy
unctuous soil planted with various cereals and herbs, it has
been estimated that the period in question varied from 43 to
315 years, depending upon the heavy metals and their
concentration ( initial in the soil and variable in sludges ).

2 and 3 . The Commission intends to send to Parliament a

report on the implementation of the Directive based on the
national reports sent to it by the Member States towards the
end of 1995 .

The matter of a possible amendment to the Directive could
be discussed on the basis of that report .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2059 / 95

by André Sainion ( ARE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 27 )

Subject : Destruction of the Bergasol company

Since the end of the 1980s Bergasol 's competitors, using
experts from certain Member States, have been trying to
obtain a prohibition of psoralen through the Adaptation
Committee for the Directive and the Scientific Committee

on Cosmetology .

These experts failed on their first attempt on 1 June 1992 as
the text, which the Adaptation Committee adopted on
28 April 1995, had originally been rejected by it .

A large international symposium, approved by the
Commission and organized by Bergaderm on 3 and 4 June

1991, which brought together 40 worldwide specialists who
had carried out Bergasol trials, was internationally
boycotted by a Commission official responsible for
consumer affairs . The members of the Scientific and

Adaptation Committees were prevented from taking part
because the same official had organized a working meeting
of these two committees on these dates .

1 . Does not the Commission think that the entire

procedure should be started all over again,
independently, impartially and objectively, before the
Directive on adapting cosmetic products is adopted ?

2 . Can the Commission explain why the international
symposium, held in Brussels on 3 and 4 June 1991 with
the agreement of the Member States, and which brought
together 40 internationally renowned scientists who had
carried out trials of the final Bergasol product, was
intentionally boycotted by the Commission official
responsible for consumer affairs, although all the
Member States ' representatives and the members of the
Scientific Committee on Cosmetology were invited to
it ?

3 . Does the Commission realize that by allowing these
procedural irregularities it has, in practice, favoured a
large European pharmaceutical group determined to
destroy a competing cosmetic product, as was the case
with the Rhone-Poulenc pentachlorophenol incident ?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

on behalf of the Commission

(4 October 1995 )

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member

that it consulted the Scientific Committee on Cosmetology

( SCC ) before preparing its proposal for an 18th Directive
adapting to technical progress the annexes of the Cosmetic
Products Directive and containing inter alia a ban on
furocoumarines in excess of 1 mg / kg in sun creams and
bronzing products . At its plenary meeting of 24 June 1994
the SCC upheld its 1992 opinion, pursuant to which the
maximum quantity of 5-MOP in these products should be
limited to 1 ppm .

Similarly, the Cosmetic Products Working Party, which
represents the Member States, consumer organizations and
industry, examined the draft proposal for an 18th Directive
at its meeting of 16 February 1995, before the proposal was
submitted to the Committee for Adaptation to Technical
Progress, which examined it in turn and delivered a
favourable opinion on 28 April 1995 .

Moreover, the Commission did not boycott the
international symposium held on 3 and 4 June 1991 and the
members of the SCC were indeed informed about the results

of this symposium .

Hence the Commission considers that it is unnecessary to
answer the third question put by the Honourable
Member .

No C 340 / 14 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2063 / 95

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 28 )

Subject : Institute for European-Latin American Relations

What were the activities of the Institute for European-Latin
American Relations in 1994 ?

What is the Institute 's establishment plan ?

Has the Institute any other income apart from the subsidy
from the European Union and, if so, from what sources and
what is the ratio of such revenue to the EU subsidy ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(4 October 1995 )

In 1994 the Institute for European-Latin American
Relations ( IRELA ) organized eight conferences, in Europe
and Latin America, which were attended by 426 persons
from those regions . It also produced 21 publications, or 37 if
translations are included : books, files, working papers,
reports, etc . IRELA developed six projects in collaboration
with the Commission, the Latin American Economic System
and the Pan American Health Organization . To provide
more detailed information on the Institute 's work

programme, its 1994 Annual Report, giving a more
comprehensive overview of what it did, is being sent direct
to the Honourable Member and the Secretariat of

Parliament .

IRELA has a workforce of 18 with a grade structure
consisting of a director, two deputy directors, and
administrator, graduate staff and supporting personnel . Its
organization chart can be obtained from the Institute
itself .

Its resources are broken down into a subsidy from heading
A3020 of the general budget of the Community and projects
which it develops at the request of the Commission or the
Inter-American Development Bank . The Institute also
receives a small subsidy from the Luxembourg Government
and obtains some revenue from the sale of its publication . It
is thus true to say that the bulk of the Institute 's finance
comes straight from the Community institutions .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2072 / 95

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 29 )

Subject : Establishment of a European Primate Resources

Network ( Eupren )

The European Primate Resources Network ( Eupren ) was
established in 1994, comprising five breeding centres for
research primates in Europe . The aims of the network
include the securing of availability of research primates by
expanding the breeding capacity of these centres,
coordinating primate research and facilitating research
collaborations which could apply for funding from the
Commission 's research budget .

Would the Commission confirm whether Directorate ­

General XI will be providing funding for this network . If so,
how may such action be reconciled with the Commission 's
aim of reducing experiments on vertebrate animals by 50 %
by the year 2000, as stated in the 5th Environmental Action
Programme ? Would the Commission give the reasons
behind any decision taken on this matter ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 1995 )

The Commission 's Directorate General for the

Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection ( DG XI )
has no plans to provide funding for Eupren .

However, DG XI intends to co-finance a conference to be
held in March 1996 to discuss the Community policy of a
50% reduction in the overall use of laboratory animals by
the year 2000 .

The purpose of this conference is to bring together key
players with responsibilities and concerns in the field of
animal experimentation with a view to discussing how a
programme for substantial reduction can be established,
implemented and sustained . It will represent the first public
discussions of the Community 's target of the reduction . As
such, the aim of a conference is to stimulate debate on the
implementation of the main objectives of the fifth
environment programme .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 15

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2075 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 124 / 95

by Alex Smith ( PSE ) by Mathias Reichhold ( NI )

to the Commission to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 ) ( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 30 ) ( 95 / C 340 / 31

Subject : Dangerous feed additives

Subject : Dumped chemical weapons At the meeting of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural
Development on 27 June 1995 Commissioner Fischler
stated that there are feed additives more dangerous than

In answer to Question No 87 by Christine Crawley MEP hormones .

( H-293 / 95 ) (') regarding dumped chemical weapons the
Commission states that : ' It is for the authorities concerned What precisely was he referring to ?

to . . . provide information . . . ( and ) investigate the risks to
the environment and human activities in order to minimize

them '.
Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 27 September 1995 )
Given that no investigation of this nature has been carried
out by the UK Government concerning the dumping of
chemical weapons in the sea between Scotland and Ireland, Mr Fischler was referring in particular to beta-agonists and
what action will the Commission now take to ensure that especially clenbuterol, the fraudulent administration of
the UK Government conducts such an investigation ? which has caused several severe poisonings in man in recent

years . Other information points to various cocktails of
substances ( in particular combining beta-agonists and
(') Debates of the European Parliament No 4 ( May 1995 ). corticosteroids ) currently being administered fraudulently
to fattening animals in their feed .

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2128 / 95

by Gerhard Schmid ( PSE )

(6 October 1995 ) to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

95 / C 340 / 32 )

Under Article 155 of the EC Treaty, the Commission Subject : Kaleidoscope — my Written Question E-332 / 95
ensures that the provisions of the Treaty and the measures
taken by the institutions pursuant thereto are applied . For 1 . Why has not the Commission provided a precise
the purpose of the Article, the Commission fnay only act as answer to Written Question E-332 / 95 ( } ), even though
guardian of the Treaty in so far as an infringement against purpose of the question was quite unambiguous ?
Community law could be established or, at least,
presumed .

1 . Why has not the Commission provided a precise
answer to Written Question E-332 / 95 ( } ), even though the
purpose of the question was quite unambiguous ?

2 . What were the costs in 1994 of the three full-time

members of Commission staff ( two officials and one
secretary ) responsible for Kaleidoscope ?

In view of the fact that, in the present state of Community
law, dumping chemical weapons dating from World War II
does not contravene either the Treaty or any other existing
Community legislation, the Commission has no competence
to intervene and compel a Member State to carry out specific
tasks in this field .

3 . What were the approximate ( estimated ) costs of
equipment and supplies for the programme in 1994 ?

4 . Roughly what costs are involved for the countless
persons of the service who were involved, on questionable
grounds, in administering grants of Kaleidoscope funds in

1994 ?

(') OJ No C 175, 10 . 7 . 1995, p . 33 .

No C 340 / 16 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

Answer given by Mr Oreja
on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2141 / 95

by Spalato Belleré ( NI )
( 16 October 1995 ) to the Commission

1 and 2 . The Commission regrets that its previous
answer did not satisfy the Honourable Member . It is able to
provide the following additional information .

At present the Kaleidoscope programme is administered by
one A-grade official, one B-grade official and one C-grade
official, who also perform other duties in the relevant
Directorate . The salary scales of Commission officials,
which are published regularly in the Official Journal, and
press releases on the Kaleidoscope programme for 1994 and

1995 are being sent direct to both the Honourable Member
and Parliament 's Secretariat .

Managing the Kaleidoscope programme entails a six-month
period of intensive work as well as a preparatory and
information phase during which the officials concerned also
perform other tasks relating to cultural policy . It is therefore
difficult to give an accurate estimate of the personnel costs
connected with the programme .

3 and 4 . During the six-month period when the
programme requires full-time management, the
Commission must call on the help of other personnel, at
present recruited as outside staff . The Kaleidoscope
programme is geared to the arts world in all the Member
States and generates a considerable volume of
correspondence for the complex business of exchanging
information in the eleven Community languages on the
projects submitted . This requires a knowledge of foreign
languages and expertise in specific areas of the arts which
the three persons in charge of the programme cannot be
expected to supply on their own . Far from having a large
staff at its disposal, the Commission is in fact faced with a
shortage of personnel in the cultural field .

It is also difficult to put an exact figure on the cost of
equipment ( fax, telephones, paper, computers, etc .)
connected with the programme, as these items come under
the general expenditure of the Directorate-General for
Information, Communication, Culture and Audiovisual
Media .

However, the Commission can state that the cost of
managing the Kaleidoscope programme in 1994 ( personnel
costs and equipment ) was around ECU 130 000, i.e. less
than 4% of the total budget allocation for 1994 of ECU
3 360 000 . Nevertheless, because ot the special nature of
these costs, they were not charged to the programme 's own
budget item — B3 2001 ( Programme to support artistic and
cultural activities having a European dimension ).

The situation described above may change following the
adoption by Parliament and the Council of the new
Kaleidoscope programme proposed by the Commission .

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 33 )

Subject : Copyright and performing rights

Composers and songwriters are protected by copyright by
the relevant organizations in the different Member
States .

Will the Commission assess the current situation and draw

up Directives to protect the original performer(s ) of new
musical compositions, at least for an adequate period of
time ?

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

(3 October 1995 )

As the Honourable Member indicates, composers and
songwriters enjoy copyright protection as defined by the
Berne Convention, which governs the protection of artistic
and literary works, including musical compositions .

The protection enjoyed by performers is governed at
international level by the Rome Convention for the
Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonogram and
Broadcasting Organizations . The Convention consolidates
for such rightholders certain privileges generally termed
' related rights '.

At Community level, Council Directive 92 / 100 / EEC of

19 November 1992 on rental right and lending right ( J )
harmonized on the basis of the Rome Convention certain

rights related to copyright . For several of those rights,
harmonization has produced a greater degree of protection
than that available under the Rome Convention . The

Directive thus significantly strengthens within the
Community the degree of protection for holders of related
rights and hence for performers .

Lastly, with regard to the term of protection provided, this
has been harmonized by Directive 93 / 98 / EEC of 29 October

1993 ( 2 ), which has secured at Community level a term of
protection for related rights extending to 50 years after the
event giving rise to the right .

(') OJ No L 346, 27 . 11 . 1992 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 290, 24 . 11 . 1993 .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 17

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2143 / 95 Answer given by Mr Papoutsis
on behalf of the Commission

by Nuala Ahern ( V )

to the Commission (4 October 1995 )

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 34 )

Subject : Insurance for nuclear installations

How much are the civilian nuclear installations in the EU

insured for ?

All Member States with nuclear power stations have
acceded to the Paris Convention on third-party liability in
the field of nuclear energy . Under this convention, the
operator of a nuclear installation is liable for damage to or
loss of life of any person and damage to or loss of any
property if such damage or loss was caused by a nuclear
incident involving either nuclear fuel or radioactive waste in,
or nuclear substances coming from, the installation .

Damage to the nuclear installation itself and means of
transport in the case of an accident during transport, are
excluded from this liability . To cover this liability, which is
Answer given by Mr Papoutsis limited, the operator is required to have insurance or other

on behalf of the Commission financial security .

(5 October 1995 )

The information requested is not available to the
Commission . Insurance of nuclear installations is a

commercial transaction between the operator of the nuclear
installation and the insurance company and, as such, is
confidential . There are no statutory limits for such
insurance . It is however known that the insurance capacity
available from nuclear insurance pools worldwide is not
enough to provide for full value insurance of a new major
nuclear power station and that, for commercial reasons,
operators of nuclear installations may take out insurance
below the maximum available capacity amount . There is
therefore not necessarily any uniformity in the amounts for
which nuclear installations are insured .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2144 / 95

The operator 's liability is fixed within the margins allowed
by the Paris Convention by domestic nuclear legislation in
the Member States, which thus also determines the
compensatory insurance coverage . The insurance limits for
major nuclear installations are currently :

( million SDR ( M )

Belgium 86

Germany 90

Spain 127

France 75

Italy 18

Netherlands 200

Finland 150

Sweden 175

United Kingdom 150

( 1 ) ( SDR ) special drawing right of the International Monetary Fund .

by Nuala Ahern ( V )

All these Member States are also party to the Brussels

to the Commission Convention supplementary to the Paris Convention .

( 19 July 1995 ) Therefore, where domestic nuclear legislation limits the

operator 's liability to below 175 million SDR, additional

( 95 / C 340 / 35 ) compensation is made available by the installation State for

the difference between the insured limit and 175 million

SDR . Further, a collective fund established under the
Brussels Convention will make available a third tier of

Subject : Maximum liability compensation, increasing the limit to 300 million SDR .

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 35 )

What is the maximum amount that a nuclear operator in the
EU is liable for in the event of an accident ?

No C 340 / 18 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 145 / 95 general rule, to their own products and to those imported
from other Member States .

by Nuala Ahern ( V )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 36 )

Subject : Agricultural land at Chernobyl

What restrictions were placed upon agricultural land and
products in the EU at the time of the Chernobyl accident,
and what restrictions are still in place ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

No significant direct risk to health was posed by soil
contamination as a result of the Chernobyl accident .
Consequently, and for obvious practical reasons,
restrictions were placed not upon Community land as such
but upon agricultural products . On 6 May 1986, a few days
after the accident, the Commission — having consulted
the Member States — addressed recommendation

No 86 / 156 / EEC (') to all Member States with a view to
coordinating the national measures to be taken in respect of
agricultural products, chiefly with regard to radioactive
contamination by iodine-131 which has a relatively short
half-life (± 8 days ). The recommendation laid down
maximum levels of radioactivity, decreasing over time, for
milk and milk products, fruit and vegetables on the
Community market, and urged that Member States apply
the same limits to products intended for export .

Shortly afterwards, on 12 May 1986, the Council adopted
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1388 / 86 ( 2 ) — valid until 31 May

1986 — on the suspension of the import of certain
agricultural products ( fruit, vegetables, milk and milk
products, meat, fish, etc .) originating in certain third
countries ( Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Poland, Romania and Yugoslavia ).

On 30 May 1986, the Council adopted Regulation ( EEC )
No 1707 / 86 ( 3 ) laying down accumulated maximum levels
for caesium-134 and - 137 ( the most relevant radionuclides
in the medium and long term ) in agricultural products,
applicable to products imported into the Community ( 370
Bq / kg for milk, milk products and baby food ; 600 Bq / kg for
other products ).

When the Regulations governing imported agricultural
products were negotiated by the Council in 1986, the
Member States undertook to apply the same limits, as a

(') OJ No L 118, 7 . 5 . 1986 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 127, 13 . 5 . 1986 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 146, 31 . 5 . 1986 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2148 / 95

by Mark Killilea ( UPE )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 37 )

Subject : Operational programme for the environment —

costal erosion works

In drawing up proposals for spending the allocation of funds
set aside by the Irish Government under the Operational
Programme for the Environment 's coastal erosion
protection measures, the Department of the Environment
requested the list of priority projects from each county
council throughout the country .

In the case of Galway County Council, the two top projects
are Inishboffin Island and Tawin Island . These have been

formally agreed within the Council and forwarded to the
Department of the Environment with the relevant support
data . However, it has come to my attention that the
department appears unwilling to release the relevant funds
to carry out the very necessary works on these two projects,
in spite of the fact that these EU funds are with the
department at this time .

Has the Commission been notified of any difficulty on the
part of the Department of the Environment to release these
funds, and if not, will it undertake to investigate with the
department why such a delay is taking place ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

The coastal protection measure within the environmental
services operational programme for Ireland 1995 — 1999
has an overall budget of ECU 6,3 million, of which ECU 4,7
million is being provided by the European Regional
Development Fund . While expenditure under this measure
was slower than expected in 1994 due to the need for
extensive consultation with the coastal local authorities and

the volume of demand for this assistance, the Commission is
not aware of any particular problem with regard to the

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 19

release of funds . The minor slippage that occurred in 1 994 is
expected to be recovered in 1995 . The Department of the
marine is responsible for implementing the measure, while
the Department of the environment is charged with
overseeing the implementation of the programme as a
whole .

Most of the funds available for 1995 have already been
allocated . A second round of grants should be announced
over the next month or so . As however requests for funding
far outweigh the resources available, not all projects
submitted will receive support under the programme .
Priority is given to those projects which are likely to
contribute the most in terms of economic and other benefits

to Ireland .

Queries on the status of individual projects should be
addressed in writing to the Department of the marine, by the
applicant local authority .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 154 / 95

by Giuseppe Rauti ( NI )

to the Commission

( 28 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 38 )

Subject : Discharge of radioactive waste

Is the Commission aware that a judicial inquiry has been
initiated in Italy into the alleged discharge of radioactive
waste from the Trisaia ENEA Centre in the Province of

Matera ?

Would the Commission agree that it should also initiate an
inquiry, given that the centre is partly financed by the
European Union and that the ' discharges ' allegedly affect a
large stretch of the Ionian Sea along the Basilicata coastline,
which is one of the most promising tourist sites in the
Mediterranean ?

The situation of treatment and storage of radioactive waste
at the pilot plant is, to the knowledge of the Commission,
safe and no violation of Community legislation, in
particular of the basic safety standards in radiation
protection or of the Italian radiation protection legislation,
has been brought to the attention of the Commission .

Administrative aspects of licensing of the plant are outside
the competence of Community legislation .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 170 / 95

by Marianne Thyssen ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 28 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 39 )

Subject : Labelling of foodstuffs : indication of addresses

Pursuant to Article 3(1 )( 6 ) of Directive 79 / 112 / EEC on the
labelling and presentation of foodstuffs for sale to the
ultimate consumer ( J ), labels must indicate ' the name or
business name and address of the manufacturer or packager,
or of a seller established within the Community '.

In the vast majority of cases, labelling rules reflect a two-fold
requirement, namely to provide consumers with
information and to protect consumers .

Can it be inferred from the need to protect consumers that
the underlying principle of the requirement to indicate an
address is inter alia that the supervisory authorities should
be able to trace manufacturers, packagers or sellers
established in the Community quickly and effectively ?

Does the Commission agree that the indication on the label
of no more than a post-box address is not sufficient and that
a full address should be given at which a contact is in fact
available to deal with queries ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission (') OJ No L 33, 8 . 2 . 1979, p . 1 .

( 13 October 1995 )

The Commission is aware of a legal inquiry concerning the
treatment of radioactive waste at the Itrec pilot plant for
reprocessing spent fuel located in the Trisaia research centre
in the Matera province in Italy .

Active operation of the pilot plant ceased in 1979 . The
Commission has co-financed, in its shared-cost research and
development programme on de-commissioning of nuclear
installations, the ' demonstration and remote dismantling
tests in the Itrec reprocessing plant '. The results have been
published as report EUR 14640 by the Office for Official
Publications in Luxembourg .

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 September 1995 )

The requirement to include the name and address of the
manufacturer, packager or a seller on the labelling of
foodstuffs is mainly intended to enable the consumer to
contact a person responsible for the manufacture or
packaging of the foodstuff with a view to expressing any
positive or negative criticism about the product
purchased .

No C 340 / 20 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

This information may be useful to the supervisory
authorities but is not directly intended for them since the
person or firm concerned may be domiciled in a country
other than that in which the product is sold .

In regions where the conditions of farming are exceptionally
disadvantaged, Community legislation allows the national
authorities to designate extremely handicapped areas within
the existing less-favoured areas, subject to Commission
approval .

livestock unit . This additional benefit applies in
approximately 70 % of the less-favoured areas .

The address given on the labelling must obviously enable to designate
actual contact to be made and must therefore conform to the the existing less-favoured
postal regulations of the Member States concerned . The use approval .
of a post-box address is acceptable provided it enables a
person responsible for the product to be contacted . (') OJ No L 218, 6 . 8 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-22 17 / 95

by John McCartin ( PPE )

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2231 / 95

by José Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 28 July 199 5 )
(9 SIC 340 / 41 )

(9 SIC 340 / 40 )

Subject : Disadvantaged farming areas in Ireland

Is the Commission aware that the areas in which

compensatory allowances are paid in Ireland are now spread
over a large part of the country ? As a result, it has now been
proposed by farmers ' representatives that the severely
handicapped areas in mountains and along the west coast
should be re-classified to restore to them some advantage . Is
the Commission considering any such option at the
moment ?

Subject : Research and development in the veterinary

products industry

In 1980 the European Union accounted for 40 % of world
investment in research and development in the veterinary
products industry . This figure has fallen to 18 % because of
stringent European legislation in the sector which prompts
companies to invest in other sectors where legislation is
more advantageous . This reduction has had an impact at
social level and on jobs and trade that is clearly harmful to
the European industry, leaving the United States and Japan
to benefit with their more flexible laws and bureaucracy,
which encourage investment by means of lower costs .

Answer given by Mr Fischler Is the Commission looking into this situation and, if so,
on behalf of the Commission what measures does it plan to take ?

( 27 September 1995 )

The compensatory allowances are paid to livestock farmers
in the designated less favoured areas, which cover some
71 % of the total agricultural area of Ireland . These areas are
characterized by the presence of relatively infertile land
unsuitable for cultivation, mainly used for livestock farming
at a low stocking rate ( less than one adult bovine livestock
unit per hectare ).

In conformity with the Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 2328 / 91 ( ! ) and in particular Articles 17— 19, on
compensatory allowances, the level of payments are fixed by
the Irish authorities according to the severity of the natural
permanent handicaps . In this way the more severely
handicapped areas in Ireland, including the west-coast areas
mentioned by the Honourable Member, currently receive a
higher allowance in the order of an additional ECU 10 per

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 September 1995 )

The Commission supports a strong research-based industry
in Europe to develop the best possible veterinary medicines,
and the removal of unnecessary obstacles .

It is essential that pharmaceutical products are safe,
effective, and of the necessary quality, taking into account
the fact that foodstuffs from animals which have been

treated with a medicine may enter the human food-chain .
Regulatory authorities in the Community, the United States
and Japan are in constant contact with a view to
harmonizing requirements on an international basis .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 21

The Commission has been working with the industry to
replace divergent national requirements with harmonized
provisions . Most recently, the establishment of the
European agency for the evaluation of medicinal products

( EMEA ) has meant Community, rather than national,
marketing authorization for innovatory veterinary
medicinal products . These now have simpler and more rapid
access to the market of the whole Community, allowing
industry to recoup research and development costs over a
single market .

The figures quoted by the Honourable Member are open to
question . Many companies do not distinguish between
expenditure for research on human and veterinary
medicines, so information is only available for the
pharmaceutical sector as a whole . According to most
sources, research and development expenditure on
medicines was roughly the same in the United States and the
Community throughout the period under discussion .
However, there is no cause for complacency, and the
Commission is studying ways of making the research effort
of the Community more effective .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2235 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 42 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for central Macedonia

The Multifund Operational Programme ( MOP ) for central
Macedonia ( Action 7.2 ) provides for projects amounting to
ECU 461 000 to continue projects which had been included
in the first CSF ( IMP-MOP ) but were not completed before
its expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational by
31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,

even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above action ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Action 7.2 were

completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which projects are still unfinished and what
constructional phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Action 7.2 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2236 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 43

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for mainland Greece

The Multifund Operational Programme for mainland
Greece ( Action 7.3 ) provides for the completion of projects
which were not completed under the first CSF in the
Prefecture of Evritania, aimed at contributing to
overcoming the isolation of this Prefecture and promoting
its development . These projects cost a total of ECU

17 897 000 and are intended as a follow-up to projects
included in the first CSF .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational by
31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . What progress has been made as regards work on the

Karpenisi-Lamia and Karpenisi-Karditsa road axes ?

2 . Which specific projects were included in the above

Action ?

3 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,

even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Action ?

4 . Which of the projects provided for in Action 7.3 were

completed by 31 July 1995 ?

5 . Which projects are unfinished and what constructional
phases have yet to be undertaken ?

6 . What was the take-up rate for Action 7.3 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2237 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 44 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for the Peloponnese Region ( ERDF )

The Multifund Operational Programme ( MOP ) for the
Peloponnese ( Sub-programme 7 ) provides for projects
amounting to ECU 9 815 000 to continue projects which

No C 340 / 22 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

had been included in the first CSF ( IMP — MOP ) but were
not completed before its expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above
action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Sub-programme ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Sub-programme 7
were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which projects are still unfinished and which
constructional phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Sub-programme 7 ?

6 . Where was the Tsakonas-Paradisio section of the

Tripoli-Kalamata road entered ? What sum was
allocated to this project and what is the structure of the
project ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2238 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 45

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for Crete

The Multifund Operational Programme ( MOP ) for Crete

( Sub-programme 7 ) provides for projects amounting to
ECU 10 628 000 to continue projects which had been
included in the first CSF ( IMP — MOP ) but were not
completed before its expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above
action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Sub-programme ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Sub-programme 7
were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for this Sub-programme ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2240 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 46 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for western Greece ( ERDF )

The Multifund Operational Programme ( MOP ) for western
Greece ( Code VII . I ) provides for projects amounting to ECU
6 050 000 which were not completed before the expiry of
the first CSF .

These concern :

( a ) 11 road-construction projects and a project in Patras
harbour ;

( b ) Six water-supply networks, one sewage system, one
biological-purification plant and one refinery ;

( c ) the development of tourists areas, and

( d ) the improvement of training levels .

Given that these projects must have been completed by
31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which of these projects have been completed ?

2 . Which of the remaining projects remain uncompleted
and which constructional phases have yet to be
undertaken ?

3 . What was the take-up rate for the programme in

question ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2241 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 47 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for mainland Greece

The Multifund Operational Programme ( MOP ) for
mainland Greece ( Action 7.2 ) includes measures to
complete the operational phases of infrastructure projects
amounting to ECU 1 755 000 to continue projects which
had been entered in the first CSF . The bodies responsible for
implementing this Action are the local government
organizations .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 23

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Action ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Action 7.2 were
completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Action 7.2 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2242 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 48 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for Crete

The Multifund Operational Programme ( MOP ) for Crete

( Sub-programme 7 ) provides for projects amounting to
ECU 4 411 000 to continue projects which had been
included in the first CSF ( IMP — MOP ) but were not
completed before its expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above
action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Sub-programme ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Sub-programme 7
were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Sub-programme 7 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2243 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 49 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for central Macedonia ( ERDF )

The Multifund Operational Programme for central
Macedonia ( Action 7.1 ) provides for projects amounting to
ECU 30 953 000 to continue projects which had been
included in the first CSF ( IMP — MOP ) but were not
completed before its expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

Action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Action ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Action 7.1 were

completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Action 7.1 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2244 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 50 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for the Epirus region

The Multifund Operational Programme ( MOP ) for the
Epirus region ( Sub-programme 6 ) provides for projects
amounting to ECU 8 095 000 to continue projects which
had been included in the first CSF ( IMP — MOP ) but were
not completed before its expiry .

No C 340 / 24 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Sub-programme ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Sub-programme 6
were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Sub-programme 6 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2245 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

(. 95 / C 340 / 51 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for eastern Macedonia and Thrace ( ERDF )

The Multifund Operational Programme for eastern
Macedonia and Thrace provides for projects amounting to
ECU 47 586 000 to continue projects which had been
included in the first CSF ( IMP — MOP ) but were not
completed before its expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,

even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above action ?

3 . Which projects were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2246 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 52 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for mainland Greece

The Multifund Operational Programme ( MOP ) for
mainland Greece ( Action 7.4 ) provides for the completion
of unfinished projects under the first CSF for prefecture of
Fokida . These projects cost a total of ECU 2 754 000 and
are the continuation of projects included in the first CSF .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

Action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,

even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Action ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Action 7.4 were
completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Action 7.4 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2247 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 53 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for mainland Greece

The Multifund Operational Programme for mainland

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional Greece ( Action 7.1 ) covers measures for the completion of

the operational phases of infrastructure projects amounting

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

to ECU 30 288 000 to continue projects which had been
included in the first CSF, but were not completed before its
5 . What was the take-up rate ? expiry .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 25

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

Action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,

even though uncompleted, were not included in the
above Action ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Action 7.1 were

completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Action 7.1 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2248 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 54 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for Attica ( ERDF )

The Multifund Operational Programme for Attica

( Sub-programme 7 ) provides for projects amounting to
ECU 65 259 000 to continue projects which had been
included in the first CSF ( IMP — MOP ) but were not
completed before its expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,

even though uncompleted, were not included in
Sub-programme 7 ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Sub-programme 7

were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2249 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 55 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for the southern Aegean

The Multifund Operational Programme for the southern
Aegean ( Sub-programme 7 ) provides for projects
amounting to ECU 10 700 000 to continue projects which
had been included in the first CSF but were not completed
before its expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above
action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in
Sub-programme 7 ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Sub-programme 7

were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Sub-programme 7 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2250 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 56 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for the Ionian Islands

The Multifund Operational Programme for the Ionian
Islands ( Sub-programme 6 ) provides for projects amounting
to ECU 20 967 248 to continue projects which had been
included in the first CSF but were not completed before its
expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above

5 . What was the take-up rate for Sub-programme 7 ? action ?

No C 340 / 26 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in
Sub-programme 6 ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Sub-programme 6
were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Sub-programme 6 ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2251 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

[9 SIC 340 / 57 )

Subject : Completion of unfinished projects from the first

CSF for the Thessaly region ( ERDF )

The Multifund Operational Programme for the Thessaly
region ( Sub-programme 8 ) provides for projects amounting
to ECU 5 059 000 to continue projects which had been
included in the first CSF but were not completed before its
expiry .

Given that these projects must possess a minimum
functional autonomy and be able to become operational
before 31 July 1995, will the Commission say :

1 . Which specific projects were included in the above
action ?

2 . Which projects were launched under the first CSF but,
even though uncompleted, were not included in
Sub-programme 8 ?

3 . Which projects provided for under Sub-programme 8
were completed by 31 July 1995 ?

4 . Which are still unfinished and which constructional

phases have yet to be undertaken ?

5 . What was the take-up rate for Sub-programme 8 ?

selecting individual projects . The choice of individual
projects to be financed under such programmes is then the
task of the Member State .

In the case in point, the criteria for the selection of the
projects which would be financed under the ' clean-up '
sub-programmes were as follows :

( a ) projects had to have received funding under the first
Community support framework ( CSF ) without having
reached functional autonomy ;

( b ) financing under the second CSF was only to cover the

completion of a fully functional phase ;

( c ) in general, the physical facility financed under the
second programme should not exceed 50% of the
amount financed under the first programme ;

( d ) 30 September 1995 was to be regarded as the closing

date for this measure .

By the end May 1995, these ' clean-up ' sub-programmes
showed the following take-up rates by region :

Aegean ( south ) 82 [°] /o [/]
Aegean ( north ) 34,6 [o] [/0] [/]
Attica 71 [°Z] /o

Epirus 70 [°] /o [/]
Crete 78 [°] /o [/]

Macedonia-Thrace 65 [°] /o [/]

Thessaly 79 [°] /o [/]
Ionian Islands 56 [°] /o [/]

Mainland Greece 72 [°] /o [/]

Central Macedonia 59 [°] /o [/]

Western Macedonia 37 [°] /0 [/]
Peloponnese 45 [°] /0 [/]
Western Greece 76 [°] /o [/]

The Commission, in the interests of sound management of
Community funds, will be ensuring that all the projects
financed under the first CSF actually attain their planned
functional autonomy .

With regard to the other information requested, the
Flonourable Member is invited to address himself to the

Greek authorities .

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2235 / 95 to E-2238 / 95 WRITTEN QUESTION E-2254 /

and E-2240 / 95 to E-2251 / 95 by Joaquim Miranda ( GUE / NGL )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2254 / 95

and E-2240 / 95 to E-2251 / 95

given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies to the Commission
on behalf of the Commission

( 18 September 1995 ) ( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 58 )

The Commission would like to point out that the present
approach consisting of financing complete programmes is Subject : Imports of milk into Portugal
based on an agreement among the partners concerned

( Member State / region / Commission ) on the stated objectives
of each programme as well as on the criteria to be used for

Imports of milk into Portugal from other Member States for
sale particularly in large supermarkets and hypermarkets

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 27

have incresed substantially in recent times and are likely to
continue doing so in the near future .

It is doubtful, however, that this is happening under
conditions of normal, transparent competition since inter
alia the price paid to producers in Portugal is no higher than
that paid in other countries and transport costs inevitably
increase the price of imported products .

Can the Commission give assurances that this situation is
not the result of dumping or other illegal competition
practices within the Union, to the detriment of one of its
Member States ? If such practices are being engaged in, what
action does the Commission intend to take ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

( 27 September 1995 )

The Commission possesses no information which would
corroborate the existence of unfair competition in trade in
liquid milk between Portugal and other Member States .

It is important to remember that the drinking-milk market
in the Community has for several years now seen very keen
competition both among manufacturers of these products
and among major food retailing chains . The sale of drinking
milk at highly competitive prices is therefore not limited to
the Portuguese market alone .

If the Commission were to receive information pointing to
illegal competition practices in this sector, it would be able
to conduct a detailed enquiry on the basis of its powers
under competition policy and, if necessary, set in motion the
procedures provided for in that connection .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2261 / 95

by Susanne Riess-Passer ( NI )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 59 )

Subject : ORF monopoly in Austria

The television and radio sector in Austria is exclusively
controlled by a State-dominated monopoly .

In 1993 the European Court of Human Rights condemned
the Austrian monopoly situation in the TV and radio sector
as a violation of the right to free expression of opinion . To
date, however, there has been no change in the monopoly
situation in either the television or the radio sector .

1 . Do Austrian citizens have the right to claim damages for
violation of their right to free expression of opinion ?

2 . Can undertakings claim damages if they have made
initial investments in anticipation of liberalization of the
radio sector — which was legally prohibited by the
Austrian Government — and have suffered losses as a

result of the continuing monopoly situation ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 September 1995 )

Claims arising from judgments delivered by the European
Court of Human Rights are covered by the provisions laid
down in the European Convention on human rights and the
internal law of the contracting State which is a party to the
decision of the Court, in the present case Austria .

Thus the Commission has no jurisdiction to deal with the
question, which is a matter for the national authorities, as
well as for the Committee of ministers of the Council of

Europe which supervises the execution of the Court 's
judgment ( Article 54 of the Convention ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2272 / 95

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

95 / C 340 / 60 )

Subject : Access by small businesses to the internal
market

It is clear from the Commission 's progress report on the
internal market in 1994 that small businesses still have

trouble gaining a foothold in the European market .

This is evidently due to differing interpretation of European
Regulations in the various Member States, their excessively
bureaucratic application in national law, and technical
barriers, especially in areas where no rules have been laid
down .

The complaints procedure is often a wretched experience : it
is costly, takes a long time and often had an adverse impact
on the company 's public image .

1 . Is the Commission aware that small businesses would

rather produce goods than take people to court ?

2 . Does the Commission agree that small and
medium-sized enterprises ought to profit from the
internal market, instead of being obstructed by it ?

No C 340 / 28 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

3 . If so, would the Commission consider it a good idea to
appoint a special ombudsman for small businesses, who
could investigate and settle such complaints or problems
in an acceptable and rapid way that small businesses can
afford ?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 October 1995 )

The Commission is very much aware of difficulties
experienced by small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs )
with the interpretation of rules and their administrative
consequences in the Member States . This is even more the
case when small firms operate in the internal market .

This problem was central to the Commission 's integrated
programme in favour of SMEs and the craft sector (*) of
which one element relates to a concerted action with

the Member States on administrative and legislative
simplification for business . The Commission has been
invited by the Council to set up a committee with Member
States and European organizations representing SMEs to
improve and simplify the administrative and legislative
business environment .

On 19 and 20 June 1995 the committee held a first forum to
identify best practice in the field of the establishment of new
businesses . Similar fora will be organized with a view to
examining other phases in the life cycle of businesses .

With respect to the proposal to nominate an ombudsman
for SMEs for analysing and resolving complaints, the
Commission would like to draw the attention of the

honourable Member to the following points :

— the Commission has forwarded a proposal for a

Decision of the Parliament and the Council establishing
a procedure for the exchange of information on national
measures derogating from the principle of the free
movement of goods within the Community ( 2 ). This
procedure seeks to provide Member States and the
Commission with information on cases in which a

Member State takes steps to prevent the free movement
of goods, although these have been lawfully produced or
placed on the market of another Member State . Such a
decision, on which a common position was reached in
the Council on 29 June 1995, should help Member
States and the Commission to find appropriate solutions
to problems arising in non harmonized areas without
waiting for complaints, in particular for SMEs . In
addition, this proposal provides that the Member States
shall seek to ensure that a contact point or a network of
contact points is established in order to act as an initial
point of reference for all inquiries about the grounds on
which other national rules are not recognized ;

— a proposal for a Directive on the access to justice is

currently under preparation, under which national
professional organizations will be entitled to enter
complaints in other Member States, so as to ensure an
effective implementation of Community legislation
concerning consumer protection and avoid distortions
in competition . This development should help SMEs as
the complaint can remain anonymous and SMEs can
better influence their organization to handle the case
with efficiency and speed ;

— the Parliament has under the EC Treaty nominated an

ombudsman to which complaints can be directed . In
addition, some Member States have already such a
structure, and the Commission would certainly welcome
it if other Member States set one up ;

— if the difficulty constitutes a breach of Community law, a

complaint can be lodged with the Commission which
will ensure that the appropriate measures are taken to
remedy the situation ; moreover, the Euro info centre
network is prepared to assist the aggrieved party in the
formulation of the complaint at the levels of both
national and European law .

(') COM(94 ) 207 .

( 2 ) COM(94 ) 250, modifying COM(93 ) 670 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2278 / 95

by David Martin ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 61 )

Subject : Commission at voting procedure in Council

In its reply to my question E-1534 / 95 ( l ), the Commission
states that its proposal on the unit of account and the
conversion rates to be applied for the purposes for the
common agricultural policy ( 2 ) was discussed in the Council
and formed the subject of a political orientation of the
Council on the basis of a compromise solution .

Who proposed the compromise solution, if it was not the

Commission ?

Was the political orientation subject to any form of formal
or informal approval by the Council, prior to the
Commission amending its proposal to conform to the
compromise ?

(!) OJ No C 257, 2 . 10 . 1995, p . 52 .

( 2 ) COM(94 ) 498 final .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 29

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 27 September 1995 ) ( 12 October 1995 )

During the Council of 12 — 15 December 1994, the
presidency presented a possible compromise solution based
on the proposals of the Commission and some adjustments,
in particular as far as the agrimonetary proposal was
concerned .

From the discussion on that possibility it appeared that a
qualified majority of Member States, and the Commission,
could approve the compromise .

Thus the Commission amended its agrimonetary proposal
according to Article 189A, paragraph 2 of the EC
Treaty .

On 23 January 1995, taking account of the opinion of the
Parliament given on 20 January 1995, the Council formally
adopted, by qualified majority, the amended proposal of the
Commission .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2285 / 95

by Giuseppe Rauti ( NI )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

{9 SIC 340 / 62 )

Subject : Child labour in India and the Third World

The Commission has been monitoring the positive
developments in India which culminated in the adoption on

13 July 1995 of a system of certificates for carpets attesting
to the fact that the carpets are not made using child labour,
which is a real scourge of society in India and many other
countries in south-east Asia and the Third World in general .
Just two months ago, the powerful All India Carpet

Manufacturers ' Association managed to block similar
legislation . However, the problem is by no means solved, as
child labour, and women 's labour, often in conditions of
virtual slavery, is widespread in many other sectors, as
evidenced by the fact that, in the Indian sub-continent alone,
at least 80 million of the 450 million children aged under 15
are the victims of this detestable exploitation, and the new
Government of Tamil Nadu recently made it a priority of its
new programme to abolish by the year 2000 child labour
involving children aged under 12 .

Is the Commission considering initiatives aimed at
introducing a ' social clause ' in respect of all exports from
Third World countries in which such forms of work

unfortunately persist ?

Since the new Generalized Scheme of Tariff Preferences

( GSP ) was brought into force in the industrial sector ( see
Regulation ( EC ) No 328 1 / 94 ) ( 1 ) the Community may — in
certain circumstances and after a thorough investigation —
decide to take measures for the temporary withdrawal of
preferential arrangements from beneficiary country where it
is proved that forms of slavery are practised ( As defined in
the Geneva Conventions of 25 September 1926 and
7 September 1956 and International Labour Organization
Conventions Nos 29 and 105 ; see Article 9 of the
abovementioned Regulation ).

In addition, the ' social affairs ' clause in Regulation ( EC )
No 3281 / 94 which provides special incentive arrangements,
in the form of additional preferences, for non-member
beneficiary countries which put in place advanced social
policies which they cannot yet afford . Such preferences may,
in particular, be granted from 1 January 1998 to beneficiary
countries which apply the rules of International Labour
Organization ( ILO ) Conventions Nos 87 and 98, on the
right to organize and to bargain collectively, and No 138
concerning the minimum age for admission to employment

( child labour ).

To that end the Council is to carry out a review of the GSP
based on a Commission report on the results of the studies
on the relationship between trade and labour rights to be
carried out by the ILO, the World Trade Organization

( WTO ) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development ( OECD ). In the light of that review the
Commission will send the Council a proposal for a Decision
on the intensity of the special incentive arrangements and
ways of implementing them .

(') OJ No L 348, 31 . 12 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2295 / 95

by Georg Jarzembowski ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 25 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 63 )

Subject : Regulation ( EEC ) No 1893 / 91

The Commission 's answer ( 15 June 1995 ) to Written
Question P-381 / 95 (*) is not exhaustive . The references to
the first and second sentences of Section 9(3 ) of the Railways
Act pursuant to Article 5 of the Railways Reorganization
Act of 27 December 1993 and Article 1(5)(2 ) of Regulation

No C 340 / 30 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

( EEC ) No 1191 / 69 ( 2 ), together with the assertion that the
two are mutually compatible, go beyond the scope of the
question . The Railways Act, pursuant to Section 1 thereof,
applies to local passenger railways, e.g. the rapid transit
services ( S-Bahn ) operated by German Railways, and
corresponding Land rail companies . By contrast, the
Written Question related to urban, suburban and regional
transport undertakings coming under the Passenger
Carriage Act ( PCA ). Only in respect of those undertakings
has the provision quoted in the question — Section 8(4 ),
second sentence, of the PCA — extended the concept of
independent profitability to make it possible, under certain
conditions ( grouped undertakings at local authority level,
affiliations involving profit-and-loss transfer agreements ),
not to revoke, re-impose or regulate by agreement
public-service obligations in accordance with Regulation

( EEC ) No 1191 / 69, but, rather, to maintain them and to
cover the resulting deficits through equity capital transfers,
e.g. from profits made by group undertakings or from the
national budget . As from 1 January 1996, any
circumvention in this regard would no longer be covered by
Article 1(2 ), second sentence, of Regulation ( EEC )
No 1191 / 69, since exemption under the Federal
Government Amending Regulation of 29 November 1994
laying down the scope of the ( EEC ) Regulation referred to
ceases after 31 December 1995 .

May equity capital transfers from the national budget
and / or profits of affiliated group undertakings be used after
31 December 1995 to cover losses by local public transport
undertakings, as a third form of financing local public
transport in addition to what is provided for in Article 1(4 )
and ( 5 ) of Regulation ( EEC ) No 1191 / 69 ? If so, what is the
relationship between this third option and Article 1(3 ) of the
abovementioned Regulation and the principles, set out in its
preamble, of restoring equality of competition and of
transport undertakings ' financial independence ?

enterprises in the public sector that the Honourable
Member raises, involves complex legal and accounting
issues . The Commission will examine the matter once more

with the German authorities .

(•) OJ No L 169, 29 . 6 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2306 / 95

by Nuala Ahern ( V )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 64 )

Subject : Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference

Further to the Commission 's reply to my question
E-l 522 / 95 ( l ) on the outcome of the Non-Proliferation
Treaty Conference, will the Commission explain why Main
Committee II of the conference was not able to reach

consensus . Exactly what is the Commission doing in liaison
with the International Atomic Energy Agency to make
nuclear safeguards more effective ?

(') OJ No C 230, 4 . 9 . 1995, p . 47 .

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission
(') OJ No C 270, 16 . 10 . 1995, p . 2 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 156, 28 . 6 . 1969, p . 1 . (4 October 1995 )

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 September 1995 )

The Commission considers that the German authorities

have met the provisions of Regulation ( EEC )
No 1893 / 91 ('), amending Regulation ( EEC ) No 1191 / 69
on action by Member States concerning the obligations
inherent in the concept of a public service in transport by
rail, road and inland waterway in relation to public service
obligations . This applies to all types of public service which
the Regulation covers although Article 1 § 1 of the
Regulation does allow the Member States to exclude any
undertakings whose activities are confined exclusively to the
operation of urban, suburban or regional services . The
question of possible cross-subsidies between different

The principal task of the main committee II during the
nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ( NPT ) review and
extension conference held in New York from 17 April to

12 May 1995 was to review the implementation of the
provisions of the NPT relating to non-proliferation of
nuclear weapons, safeguards and nuclear weapon-free
zones . The main provisions discussed were Articles I, II and
related preambular paragraphs in their relationship to
Articles II and IV ; Article III and related preambular
paragraphs in their relationship to Article IV ; and
Article VII .

In these discussions several complicated issues were raised,
including export controls, safeguards in nuclear weapon
states, safeguards arrangements for re-processing facilities,
the problems of safeguards application in Iraq and North
Korea and a nuclear weapon-free zone in the Middle East .
On some of these sensitive issues, it was not possible to reach
consensus because of a lack of political agreement between
parties .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 31

Although it is difficult to say why this was not possible, it
was undoubtedly partly due to lack of time . In this context it
should however be noted that in spite of the fact that the
report of Main Committee II could not be agreed by
consensus, it remains an important working document .
Moreover, the political decision adopted by the conference
on principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation
and disarmament contains provisions which will guide the
international community on those issues over the coming

years .

With regard to the second part of the question, the
Community and its Member States have three verification
agreements in operation with the International Atomic
Energy Agency ( IAEA ) through which non-proliferation
safeguards are implemented in the Community . Both
organizations work closely together to improve the quality
of their safeguards activities in the framework of the
agreements . The recent agreement between the Commission
and the IAEA on the ' new partnership approach ' will also
help to render safeguards more effective and efficient . The
Honourable Member can refer for more details to the

communication of the Commission to the Council and the
Parliament dated 12 April 1995 (') on a memorandum on
the activities of the European atomic energy Community
relevant to the objectives of Articles III and IV of the NPT
which was drafted for the 1995 NPT review and extension

conference .

(') COM(95 ) 127 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2330 / 95

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 65 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2333 / 95

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 66 )

Subject : Financial aid to Paraguay

The Commission, quite naturally, maintains contacts with
local authorities and organizations in Paraguay in the
context of projects supported by the Union .

With whom does the Commission maintain contacts in the

Chaco region ? Does the Commission feel these are
representative organizations ? If so, on what basis ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 16 October 1995 )

In cooperating with Paraguay the Commission has so far
developed only one project in the Chaco Region :
' Sustainable Development of the Chaco Region '; the process
of signing the financing agreement is in hand .

In developing this project the Commission relied on
collaboration from several discussion partners as
representatives of the various parties concerned :

— Official bodies :

— The Paraguayan Government : democratically
elected in 1993 ;

— An ad hoc Commission for developing a project for

sustainable development of the Chaco Region,
reporting to the Presidency of the Republic ;

— INDI, Instituto Paraguayo del Indigena ;

— IBR, Instituto de Bienestar Rural ;
Subject : BSkyB and NIREX / Telework

— SSERMA, Sub-Secretaría de Recursos Naturales y

Is the Commission satisfied that the above deal for supply of
programmes is not anti-competitive ?

Medio Ambiente ;

— ASCIM, Asociación de Servicios de Cooperación

Indígena Mennonita ;

— IAP, Iglesia Anglicana Paraguaya .
Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission — European level :

( 21 September 1995 ) — The Commission Delegation in Paraguay ;

— The Member States ' Ambassadors ;

The Commission assumes that the Honourable Member

refers to the cable carriage deals between BSkyB and the
cable operators Nynex and Telewest . In this matter, a
complaint has been filed by some United Kingdom cable
operators against BSkyB . The Commission is in the process
of examining this complaint .

— GTZ ( German Cooperation Agency );

— Anthropologists ( Dr Volker von Bremen ).

— Native representation :

— On the basis that the non-democratic native

representative is the tribal headman, the
Commission delegation visited various tribes while

No C 340 / 32 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

the project was being worked out and held talks with
their headmen in order to take their points of view on
the project into account .

In the week of 18 September, nine headmen from the Enxet
tribe held talks with the delegation, expressing keen interest
in the project and wishing to know its probable date of

commencement .

There is no doubt about the representativeness of the
organizations mentioned above . Native representativeness,
however, is not on an equal footing ; it must be considered
having regard to the context of its nature .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2338 / 95

by Jurgen Schroder ( PPE )

to the Commission

particularly small packets and parcels . It should be noted, in
this context, that parcels are liberalized in all Member States
and small packets in most Member States, so that these
services are not only offered by reserved service providers
but also by competing private postal operators .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2346 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 68 )

Subject : Suspension of payments from the Cohesion
Fund

The Ecofin meeting of 1 1 July 1995 voted to issue a warning
to the countries benefiting from the Cohesion Fund that
payments would be suspended unless they cut back their

(1 September 1995 )

public deficits .
( 95 / C 340 / 67 )

Subject : Postage and telephone charges within the EU

Are there any plans to reduce telephone and postage

( particularly parcel post ) charges within the EU in the near
future ?

If so, what timescale is envisaged for this reduction ?

1 . When is the assessment to be made of whether these

countries are complying with the conditions concerning
public deficits ?

2 . What criteria will be used ?

3 . When is the suspension of payments expected to
commence ?

4 . Will it apply to all Cohesion Fund projects, including
those already in progress ?

5 . On what terms might payments be resumed and
Answer given by Mr Bangemann when ?

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 September 1995 )

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

Tariffs for telephone and postal services are not fixed at
Community level but in each Member State pursuant to the ( 25 September 1995 )
rules and procedures in force there and subject to market
forces where services have been opened to competition .

The Commission expects significant decreases in tariffs for
telephone services, particularly for cross-border telephone
calls, as effective competition develops . The public
telephone service has already been liberalized in Finland,
Sweden and the United Kingdom and will be fully open to
competition in the rest of the Community by the beginning
of 1998, except for additional transitional periods in
Member States with less-developed networks .

As competition develops, reductions in the prices of
cross-border calls of the order of 30 — 40 % can be expected .
During the last two years, the average price of cross-border
calls has fallen by about 12 % in nominal terms .

The Commission has no information on a general reduction
of tariffs in the near future for postal services, and more

1 . The convergence criteria to which the Honourable
Member refers arise directly from the EC Treaty and from
the protocol on economic and social cohesion . It is
stipulated in the protocol that the Member States which are
to be eligible for the Cohesion Fund must have set up a
programme to meet the conditions of economic convergence
referred to in Article 104c of the Treaty . It is therefore the
task of the Council to determine whether or not there is an

excessive deficit within the meaning of the Treaty .

2 . The criteria are those set out in Article 104c(2 ) of the
EC Treaty .

3 . Council Regulation ( EC ) No 1164 / 94 establishing a
Cohesion Fund provides in Article 6(3 ) that a suspension of
funding cannot take effect before the expiry of a two-year
period from the entry into force of the Treaty on European
Union, namely on 1 November 1995 .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 33

4 . The suspension of financing from the Cohesion Fund
involves new projects, or in the case of large projects in
several stages, any new stages, but not projects for which a
Commission Decision has already been adopted . Projects or
stages of projects already under way on the basis of a
Commission Decision granting aid from the Cohesion Fund
will be carried out and completed normally .

5 . The suspension will cease as soon as the Council, in
accordance with Article 104c(12 ), repeals its decision taken
under Article 104c(6 ).

confirmed that the programme will be duly notified and
when it materializes .

The Commission will carefully monitor any further
developments in this affair .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2361 / 95

by Concepcio Ferrer ( PPE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2355 / 95 ( 95 / C 340 / 70 )

by Karla Peijs ( PPE ), Peter Pex ( PPE ) and

Bartho Pronk ( PPE )

Subject : Fourth European Union action programme on

to the Commission
equal opportunities

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 69 )
The European Trade Union Confederation ( ETUC ) stated in
a declaration issued to commemorate International

Women 's Day that the objective of better employment will

Subject : Aid to German ship-builders be achieved only when there is a fairer distribution of family

and work responsibilities between women and men .

Is the Commission aware that Bremen city council is
providing DM 250 million in financial assistance to Bremer
Vulkan, a ship-building conglomerate in Bremen and
Bremerhaven ?

Does this accord with the rules laid down in Council

Directive 94 / 73 / EC ( J ) in connection with the OECD
agreement of 17 July 1994, particularly bearing in mind that
this aid directly impedes the proper functioning of the
internal market ?

Ought not measures to be taken at an early date to bring this
situation to an end ?

0 ) OJ No L 351, 31 . 12 . 1994, p . 10 .

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 October 1995 )

The Commission took note of numerous articles in the press
about plans of the Bremen regional government to grant
restructuring aid to shipyards of Bremer Vulkan in Bremen
and Bremerhaven . Upon a request from the Commission the
German Government stated that the plans to give such aid
are still under internal discussion in the Bremen

Government, which explicitly stated to the company that
any restructuring aid will have to comply with Community
legislation and State-aid rules . The German Government

Does the fourth EU action programme on equal
opportunities, which is supposed to be adopted by the
Council by the end of the Spanish Presidency, embody a
joint approach designed to achieve a fairer distribution of
the time devoted to family responsibilities, so as to enable
women to take greater part in professional and working
life ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

The Commission has long recognised the importance of
reconciling the work and family responsibilities of women
and men, especially as a means to enable women to play a
greater role in professional and working life . The fourth
action programme on equal opportunities, adopted by the
Commission on 19 July, continues this approach . It
recommends a mixed approach to the development of
policies, particularly with respect to working time and leave
arrangements, so as to encourage both women and men to
realise their true potential in the labour market and to play a
full part in family life . The Commission values the expertise
that the social partners, including the European trade union
confederation, can contribute to this process of policy
development .

No C 340 / 34 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-23 82 / 95

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-23 88 / 95

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission to the Council

(1 September 1995 ) (1 September 1995 )

95 / C 340 / 71 ) ( 95 / C 340 / 72 )

Subject : Competitive tendering in France

Is the Commission concerned at the view, expressed and
substantiated in the documentation forwarded separately,
that criteria for public contract tenders in France contain a
subjective element which favours French national
companies ? Has the Commission considered, or will it now
consider, investigating this matter ?

Subject : Bosnia and the political survival of the European

Union

the Commission this matter considered ?, or will it now Despite not managed the fall to of take the up Berlin the role Wall which the United is rightly Nations theirs have, that

of maintaining peace in the world . On the contrary, the
number of local conflicts has increased and become much

worse, involving areas which were thought to be safe from
Answer given by Mr Monti the upheavals of war .
on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 1995 )

The Honourable Member 's question is based on
information provided by a company which has already
lodged a complaint with the Commission .

The complainant claims to have been systematically
discriminated against by contracting authorities and entities
when bidding for public supply contracts in France . The
firm has mentioned in support of its complaint a large
number of contracts which raise a variety of legal issues that
may be tackled in the light of the public procurement
Directives ( Council Directives 93 / 36 / EEC on supply
contracts and 93 / 38 / EEC on procurement by utilities ) ( ] ),
Article 30 of the EC Treaty, which bans discriminatory
technical requirements, and Articles 85 and 86 of the EC
Treaty, which are applicable to the French market as a
whole . The Commission is looking closely into the different
issues raised by this extremely complex case and is carrying
out the necessary checks .

In the case of the contracts mentioned in the documentation

forwarded by the Honourable Member, the Commission
cannot comment at this stage on situations which the
company describes only briefly and without substantiating
its claims . The public procurement Directives allow
contracts to be awarded to the tenderer offering the lowest
price, which is very often the case for the contracts reported
by the complainant, but also according to the criterion of the
' most economically advantageous tender ', which takes
account of other factors such as quality or technical merit .
The company also claims to have suffered discrimination in
relation to technical requirements which is not always easy
to prove, as it itself recognizes in the documentation
supplied .

The Commission will inform the Honourable Member of

the outcome of its investigation and of the action taken .

(') OJ No L 199, 9 . 8 . 1993 .

NATO is unable to operate without the decisive support of
the United States, and the European Union has been unable
to meet its responsibilities as regards the dramatic events
unfolding on its very doorstep . The result of these
shortcomings is the Bosnian tragedy .

In Bosnia the system of values based on the rule of law,
which underpins all democratic societies, is at stake, and
hence the very future of Europe . And that is not all . Time is
on the side of the Serbs, aggression and barbarity .

Definitive and rapid decisions are called for . If a serious
military option is chosen it will necessarily involve all the
Member States, notwithstanding the neutrality of some of
them and the deficiencies of the Treaties, since not only the
survival of Bosnia is at stake, but that of the European Union
and our whole concept of a free society . The moral weight of
a decisive and truly united European Union could convince
the United States and Russia, and above all Serbia, that we
must not give in .

Can the Council take steps to persuade the Member States of
this ?

Answer

( 13 November 1995 )

As the Honourable Member knows, the European Union
has been closely involved since the beginning of the crisis in
former Yugoslavia in seeking a negotiated settlement and in
humanitarian aid to the civil population dramatically
affected by the repercussions of the conflict .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 35

The Union has always been fully aware of the implications
of this crisis and of the importance of the values at stake .
This awareness has been reflected since the onset of the

conflict by untiring diplomatic activity ( by the Union as such
and by its Member States ) in a decisive contribution to the
UN peace-keeping effort, in a determination to alleviate the
humanitarian crisis created by the conflict and in the
decision to exert any necessary pressure to convince the
parties to reach a negotiated settlement to a conflict which
has gone on for too long .

The political and diplomatic prospects opened up by the
meeting in Geneva on 8 Sepember 1995 are an important
first result on the basis of a plan which the Union played a
large part in drafting in the Contact Group . The European
Union is totally involved inter alia through its mediator Carl
Bildt, in the process which we hope will lead to a peaceful
settlement and the rebuilding of the States of the former
Yugoslavia .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2416 / 95

by Sérgio Ribeiro ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 73 )

Subject : Recruitment and contracting of Portuguese
labourers to work on building sites in other
Member States

In October 1994 a question ( E-2184 / 94 ( J )) was put to the
Commission concerning the contracting of workers on the
basis of freedom of movement . The Commission 's reply was
highly satisfactory from the point of view of the information
it provided but it has not had the slightest effect on
reality .

As a result of connivance between building companies and
contractors of the most varied kind the enticement of

Portuguese labourers continues — as may be ascertained
every day from advertisements placed in Portuguese
newspapers — under the cover of contracts of highly
dubious legality ( totally in contravention of Directive
91 / 533 / EEC ( 2 )), on the basis of highly precarious transport
and accommodation arrangements and in the complete
absence of security and social stability .

In view of the fact that, in these circumstances, such a state
of affairs leads to trafficking in and the exploitation of
workers and fuels racism and xenophobia, would the
Commission say once again how it monitors the situation
and what action it could take in association with the

Governments of the Member States ( in this case Portugal
and, especially, Germany ) to protect the social and

economic rights of citizens of one Member State working in
another Member State ?

(') OJ No C 36, 13 . 2 . 1995, p . 50 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 288, 18 . 10 . 1991, p . 32 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

The Commission remains very concerned about the risks of
worker exploitation associated with the development of
trans-national sub-contracting practices . The Honourable
Member has already been informed about the existence of
Community provisions designed to discourage and prevent
such abuses .

The Member States are closely involved in ensuring the
effective and efficient application of these provisions, in that
it is the duty of their authorities to ensure full compliance
with Community legislation .

Council Directive 91 / 533 / EEC, one of the main points of
which is the obligation to inform workers seconded to other
Member States of the conditions applicable to their
employment contract or employment relationship, has been
transposed into Portuguese law by Decree-law No 5 / 94 of

11 January 1994 . Monitoring the application of this
Decree-law is primarily the responsibility of the Portuguese
authorities, on the basis of procedures established in
Portugal .

The Commission would also like to reaffirm the need for a

Directive on worker secondment specifically concerned with
preventing abuses, which are detrimental to the interests of
both workers and undertakings .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2423 / 95

by Alex Smith ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 74 )

Subject : Safety of Members of the Cambodian National

Assembly

Is the Commission aware of the concern which has been

expressed on the safety of Members of the Cambodian
National Assembly ?

The international human rights organization, Amnesty
International, has claimed that death threats have been
made against certain Members of the National Assembly
who have made statements in support of the position of Sam

No C 340 / 36 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

Rainsy, the former Minister of Economics and Finance, who
was expelled from the National Assembly on 22 June 1995 .
Concern has also been expressed for the safety of
journalists, threatened apparently because of the expression
of their political views .

Amnesty International called in June 1995 for the Royal
Cambodian Government to provide guarantees for the
safety of all elected representatives and their families, and to
uphold the rights to freedom of opinion and expression in
the country .

What information does the Commission have on these

allegations, and will the Commission act to support the call
made by Amnesty International ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2427 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 75 )

Subject : Purpose of eco-label

Is the Commission happy to accept the fact that the eco-label
has been proposed for hairsprays tested on animals, in view
of the 1998 deadline for the proposed EU-wide ban on
cosmetic tests ?

How does the Commission square the two proposals ?

Answer given by Mr Marin Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard
on behalf of the Commission on behalf of the Commission

( 11 October 1995 ) (6 October 1995 )

The Commission is kept regularly informed of concerns
regarding the safety of Members of the Cambodian
National Assembly .

In this context, Amnesty International is an important
source of information on human rights and its analyses are
valuable in helping to determine what appropriate practical
action may be taken, particularly in terms of measures
which seek to uphold rights to freedom of opinion and
expression in Cambodia .

The Commission has been following very closely
developments in the political situation in Cambodia since

1992 . In this context, together with the numerous
re-habilitation measures initiated, the Commission has
focused its attention in particular on the promotion of
human rights and the functioning of the new Royal
Government institutions .

The Commission has been kept informed of the matters to
which the Honourable Member refers, principally through
the Phnom Penh Technical Coordination Office

( operational for the past year ), the Bangkok regional
delegation, and direct contacts with Members of the
National Assembly, former Minister Sam Rainsy, and
Khmer and European NGOs working in Cambodia on
behalf of the Community .

The call made by Amnesty International merely reinforces
the Commission 's determination to step up its dialogue with
Members of the National Assembly and the Khmer
authorities, to cement its support for the Cambodian
Parliament through appropriate assistance to the
parliamentary commitee on human rights, and to promote
concerted action in conjunction with the UN Centre for
Human Rights on behalf of representatives of the
Cambodian media .

The Commission has not established any eco-label criteria
for hairsprays .

A proposal for such criteria has been presented to the
Commission by the United Kingdom eco-label board,
within the framework of Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 880 / 92 ( j ).

For the time being, the finalization and eventual adoption of
those criteria is not among the priorities of the Commission
in the area of eco-labelling .

The Commission intends to clarify the relationships
between the purely ecological eco-labelling criteria,
presently foreseen by Regulation ( EEC ) No 880 / 92, and
other desirable objectives, such as animal welfare, and
occupational health, when revising that Regulation in the
near future .

(') OJ No L 99, 11 . 4 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2430 / 95

by Carles-Alfred Gasoliba i Bohm ( ELDR )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 76 )

Subject : Compatibility of the Spanish legislation governing

limited liability companies with Community law

Does the Commission consider that there is discrimination

under Community law where the legislation of a Member
State lays down that the statutes of a limited liability
company may stipulate that members who are resident
abroad may only be invited to meetings individually if they

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 37

have supplied an address in that Member State for
notification to be sent to ?

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

The Commission does not consider that Community law is
infringed by clauses in the statutes of limited liability
companies requiring members who are resident abroad to
supply an address in the Member State concerned to which
individual invitations to attend general meetings are to be

sent .

It takes the view that such a requirement could be justified
by the need to complete the procedure for convening the
general meeting swiftly and promptly .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2432 / 95

by Florus Wiisenbeek ( ELDR )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

At the last Olympic games held in Albertville and Barcelona

in 1992, major public relations operations were mounted by
the Commission, notably at the opening and closing
ceremonies .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2465 / 95

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

(9 SIC 340 / 78 )

Subject : IT procurement policy

Does the Commission have a single supplier policy or
strategy for procurement in the IT sector ? If so, for which
technologies or services ? How long has this policy been in
place ? What is the justification for this policy ?

What does the Commission consider to be the advantages
and disadvantages of such a policy ?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 95 / C 340 / 77 ) ( 25 October 1995 )

Subject : The Union in the Olympic Games

Is the Commission aware of the Brussels regional authority 's
bid to stage the Olympic Games ?

Is the Commission willing, and does it intend, to give
tangible support to this bid and the corresponding
commitments ? If so, how ?

Does not the Commission consider that, in the event of the
Brussels bid being successful, a Union team should take part
in the Games ? Is the Commission prepared at this time to
take the necessary steps to enable this ? If so, what steps does
it intend to take ? If not, why not ?

Answer given by Mr Oreja
on behalf of the Commission

The Commission has a single-supplier policy whenever
technical imperatives make it essential for a single
contractor to be responsible for carrying out the work . This
is particularly true of the setting-up and operation of the
internal data transmission network .

In all other cases, the Commission has a multi-supplier
policy .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2466 / 95

by Pieter Dankert ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 79 )

( 12 October 1995 ) Subject : Tendering procedure in respect of Structural Fund

assistance for Flevoland

According to the information available to the Commission,
the idea of a bid by the Brussels regional authority to stage
the Olympic Games was indeed discussed in the sports
world and received attention in the national and

international press .

The federal Belgian and the regional Brussels authorities
recently gave a negative opinion and it is therefore up to the
Belgian Olympic authorities to decide whether a formal bid
will be put forward .

The 10 June 1995 edition of the newspaper Vrij Nederland
contained a report of a meeting in Lelystad on 1 0 April 1995

at which subsidy brokers and other intermediaries were
informed by the Province of Flevoland about the money
available under the Structural Funds ( Objective 1 ). The
article claimed that the official responsible ' anyone putting
some money into the pot had good chances of winning
contracts as a subsidy broker ' and that ' one of the
accountants ' offices had already promised 100 000
guilders .

No C 340 / 38 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

In the Commission 's view, are these contracts covered by WRITTEN QUESTION
Directive 92 / 50 / EEC ( J ) or any similar rules ? If so, has a by Hans-Gert Poettering
procedure been carried out in accordance with the Directive to the Commission
or other rules ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2476 / 95

by Hans-Gert Poettering ( PPE )

( 11 September 1995 )

95 / C 340 / 80
If the claims made in the article are correct and a procedure
has been carried out, does the Commission take the view
that the procedure was carried out properly ?

Subject : Postal traffic in some Member States

If no procedure has ( yet ) been carried out, although this is a
statutory requirement, what steps does the Commission
intend to take ?

If, in the Commission 's view, no procedure in accordance
with Directive 92 / 50 / EEC or any other rules is required,
does it not regard this is a distortion of competition or a
breach of Community law ? If so, what steps does the
Commission intend to take ?

(') OJ No L 209, 24 . 7 . 1992, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 September 1995 )

Despite the completion of the internal market in 1993 and
the consequent harmonization in the services sector, action
is still needed where the public sector and the postal service
is concerned .

1 . Is it true that in postal traffic in some Member States the
standard international country abbreviations, e.g. ' NL '
for the Netherlands, are insufficient, and that the
address must also include the country name in full ?

2 . Is post processed as quickly in the Member States
concerned if the address includes only the country
abbreviation, and not the full country name ?

3 . With a view to harmonization, what steps does the
Commission intend to take against such obviously
excessive national postal regulations ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

The single programming document for Flevoland for the (9 October 1995 )
period 1994 — 1999 includes a measure ' Consultancy
services for small and medium-sized entreprises '. Under this
measure a subsidy scheme for service contracts has been It is a fact that the single market — an
developed and will soon become operational . Small and within which the free movement of
medium-sized entreprises may then apply for a subsidy for and capital is guaranteed — has still
services supplied by consultants concerning, among other regards postal services . To a great
things, marketing and the development of new products and governed by the national regulations,
new processes . The maximum contract value eligible under major differences between the
the subsidy scheme is Fl 15 000 . Directive 92 / 50 / EEC does dealing with mail noted within the
not apply to these contracts . The Directive concerns public
service contracts with an estimated value, net of VAT, of not

less than ECU 200 000 .

It is a fact that the single market — an area without frontiers
within which the free movement of goods, persons, services
and capital is guaranteed — has still not been completed as
regards postal services . To a great extent these are still
governed by the national regulations, as witnessed by the
major differences between the operational methods of
dealing with mail noted within the Community .

As the service contracts covered by the subsidy scheme
described above do not fall under Directive 92 / 50 / EEC or
any other comparable Directive, no specific Community
procedures have to be followed .

As the applicant for a subsidy for a service contract with a
consultant is free to choose the consultant and as the rules
under the subsidy scheme are the same for all consultants,
no distortion of competition or breach of Community law
results from this scheme .

However, on 26 July 1995, the Commission adopted a body
of measures constituting a proposal for a Parliament and
Council Directive on common rules for the expansion of
Community postal services and improvements to the quality
of service, and a draft note on the application of the
competition rules to the postal sector . These measures will
guarantee that a universal, harmonized service is provided at
Community level and that, at the same time, the market will
be opened up to greater competition .

Moreover, with more specific regard to the moves towards
the technical harmonization of the postal sector, the
Commission conferred a remit on the European Committee
for Standardization ( CEN ) in 1994 in order to study those
forms of standardization which could promote improved
inter-operability between the postal operators ' networks,
thus improving the quality of service to users .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 39

Among the topics under examination is, in particular, that
of the conditions under which mailing addresses could be
harmonized at Community level ( address structure, content
of information ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2478 / 95

by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 11 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 81 )

Subject : Harmonization in the security industry

What plans are there, if any, to introduce legislation to
harmonize the security industry, particularly relating to
private detectives, throughout the EU ?

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

( 13 October 1995 )

Currently there are no plans to introduce legislation to
harmonize the security industry neither in a general sense
nor relative to the particular profession of private
detectives .

In Member States where professions in the security sector
are regulated, the recognition of professional qualifications
is possible under the terms of the two general system
Directives on the recognition of professional education and
training, Directive 89 / 48 / EEC (') ona general system for the
recognition of higher education diplomas awarded on
completion of professional education and training of at least
three years ' duration, and Directive 92 / 51 / EEC ( 2 ) on a
second general system for the recognition of professional
education and training to supplement Directive
89 / 48 / EEC .

Coronet Prince, Compass Hammer and Cameo Bluejay
are among those defined as potentially blinding laser
weapons ?

— the US Government will be deciding in the next few

months whether to bring some of these weapons systems
into mass production ?

— such mass production would be the first on this scale in

the USA, if not in the world ?

2 . What measures does the Commission intend taking in
this matter ? If it has no plans to take any measures, why
not ?

3 . Is the Commission aware that other countries such as

Russia, China, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United
Kingdom and Israel have research and development
programmes for tactical laser weapons ?

4 . Is the Commission also aware that more than 20

different European States, led by Sweden, are striving to
bring about the prohibition of blinding laser weapons
means of an international agreement ( in the form of a
protocol to the 1980 Conventional Weapons
Convention )?

5 . Does the Commission have plans to support this
initiative ? If so, what are they ? If not, why not ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(9 October 1995 )

The Commission is conscious of the need to prevent the
introduction of new categories of weapons and in this
context is aware of the potential problem of blinding laser
weapons . The forthcoming Vienna Conference to review the

second general system for the recognition of professional 1980 Weaponry Convention offers a unique opportunity to
education and training to supplement Directive address this problem and the Commission is fully associated
89 / 48 / EEC . with the common position of the Member States, promoting

actively the adoption of an additional protocol to the
(') OJ No L 19, 24 . 1 . 1989 . Convention relating to blinding lasers .

( 2 ) OJ No L 209, 24 . 7 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2490 / 95

by Jannis Sakellariou ( PSE )

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2493 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

( 11 September 1995 )

( 11 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 83 )
( 95 / C 340 / 82 )

Subject : Blinding laser weapons Subject : Human rights

1 . Is the Commission aware that The President of the Italian Football Federation, Mr
Antonio Matarrese, has expressed his unwillingness to

— the laser weapons systems developed in the USA and allow the Italian national football team to travel to Split for

code-named Laser Countermeasure System ( LCMS ), the European Championship qualifying game against
Saber 203, Stingray, Outrider, Dazer, Cobra, Perseus, Croatia in spring 1996 .

— the laser weapons systems developed in the USA and

code-named Laser Countermeasure System ( LCMS ),
Saber 203, Stingray, Outrider, Dazer, Cobra, Perseus,

No C 340 / 40 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

This question has provoked differing reactions on the part
of public opinion and sporting circles in Italy .

Croatia is still in a state of war and last month during the
terrible conflict in the Balkans, the Croats were responsible
for shameful acts of war and ethic cleansing, in violation of
the human rights resolutely upheld by the European
Union .

In its own answer to the same question ( E-l 169 / 95 ) ( 2 ), the
Commission indicated that it would examine the matter

without delay, in collaboration with the Greek
Government, and that it would draw up proposals taking
into consideration the interests and problems of the textiles
and clothing sector throughout the Community .

The Commission should also bear in mind that the situation

in this sector is steadily deteriorating in Greece, as evidenced
by the recent shut-down of the Filiates textile plant .

Given the serious security concerns to which the match by recent
might give rise and, in particular, the fact that it would have
to be played in a country in a state of war, will the Council When will the Commission table
make representations to the governing body of European the Council ?
football ( UEFA ) with a view to having the match cancelled,
postponed, or, preferably, played in a country that is not in a
state of war ? (') OJ No C 230, 4 . 9 . 1995, p . 29 .

When will the Commission table proposals on this matter to
the Council ?

( 2 ) OJ No C 213, 17 . 8 . 1995, p . 37 .

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission
( 16 October 1995 )

(5 October 1995 )

The Commission keeps a careful watch on the development
of respect for human rights in Croatia . It made this one of
the prime conditions for entering into contractual links with
that country . Recent political and military events in Krajina
prompted the Community to suspend negotiations for
cooperation agreement with Croatia and the
implementation of the Phare Programme .

The Commission hopes that a good outcome to the peace
process begun at Geneva early in September will bring a
rapid close to the fighting in former Yugoslavia and
dissipate the resulting climate of insecurity in some parts of
Croatia .

In accordance with the joint Council and Commission
declaration of March 1995, the Commission has analysed
the situation of the Greek textiles and clothing industry .
When carrying out this analysis, the Commission contacted
both the authorities and economic operators in Greece .

The Commission confirms that it intends to submit its
proposals before the end of the year, taking into
consideration the situation in this sector in the Community
as a whole .

With particular regard to the venue and date of the football
match referred to by the Honourable Member, the
Commission has no power to intervene in that sphere, which
in any event is run by a private European Federation . WRITTEN QUESTION E-2499 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 85 )

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2494 / 95

by Yannos Kranidiotis ( PSE )

to the Commission

Subject : Car prices

(6 September 1995 )

The Commission has identified three key factors which have
( 95 / C 340 / 84 ) had a bearing on price differences :

Subject : Timetable for Commission proposals concerning

the situation affecting the Greek textile sector

In reply to my Written Question E-l 168 / 95 ( ] ) concerning
measures to be taken in response to the situation affecting
the Greek textiles and clothing sector, the Council indicated
that it had not yet examined the question, since no proposals
had been submitted by the Commission .

1 . Even though exchange rate variations have been limited
to some 3,5 % against the ECU, the falling value of the
Italian lira ( down 11,5 % ) and the pound ( down 6,3 % )
has thrown the Italian car market into confusion, since
most non-Italian manufacturers have refrained from

altering their prices in lire, in spite of the devaluation, in
order to be able to compete with Italian models . As a
result, the ecu prices of 51 out of 75 models are lower in
Italy than in other Member States .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 41

2 . Generally speaking, manufacturers have increased their
prices in Member States where the going rates were
already higher, that is to say, in Germany, France,
Belgium, and Luxembourg .

3 . Austria has been a member of the European Union since

1 January 1995, and the Austrian market has long been
one on which prices are high ( in the case of 33 models
out of 75 ).

What will the Commission do to ensure that car price
differences in the various Member States are reduced to a

minimum ?

a justification for practices consisting in obstructing parallel
imports and exports in the single market .

(') OJ No L 145, 29 . 6 . 1995 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 15, 18 . 1 . 1985 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2507 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 86
Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 October 1995 ) Subject : Health care

As the Commission noted in its recent study ' Car price
differentials in the European Union on 1 May 1995 ', price
differentials in the Community widened further during the
first half of 1995 .

The Commission also found that most foreign
manufacturers increased their recommended prices in Italy
between 1 November 1994 and 1 May 1995, without fully
off-setting the negative effect arising from the depreciation
of the lira . It should be noted that the lira has risen sharply in
recent months, and this should lead to a marked reduction in
price differentials .

The new Commission Regulation ( EC ) No 1475 / 95 of
28 June 1995 on motor vehicle distribution ( J ) strengthened
the existing Regulation in order to promote parallel imports
by final consumers, allowing them to take advantage of
price differentials and thereby tending to reduce those
differentials . Manufacturers do not have the right to block
or impede such imports .

It should also be borne in mind that the Commission may
withdraw the benefit of the application of the Regulation
where prices or conditions are continually being applied
which differ substantially between Member States .
However, it must be demonstrated that such differences are
due chiefly to obligations exempted by the Regulation and
not to cyclical factors such as exchange-rate fluctuations .
The Commission communication of 18 December 1991

concerning Commission Regulation ( EEC ) No 123 / 85 of

12 December 1984 ( 2 ), which sought to explain which price
differentials between Member States were regarded as
acceptable and which could not be permitted, remains
valid .

In their statement of 24 July 1995, Mr de Silguy and Mr
Monti acknowledged that a number of sectors, such as the
automobile industry, and border zones were suffering
difficulties as a result of recent exchange-rate movements,
and stressed the need to tackle the causes of monetary
instability . However, such instability cannot be regarded as

Health costs are imposing an increasing strain on the
budgets of all European countries, and opportunities are
consequently being sought to make savings without
lowering the standard of service .

Home care could no doubt do much to help in the above
connection . However, the Community programme of
promotion, information, education, and training measures
in the field of health does not contain the necessary
provisions .

Does the Commission not believe that it should conduct a

survey in order to gain an accurate insight into the role of
home care in the Union 's different health care systems ? Does
it not believe that it should draw up a Directive to regulate
this form of treatment with a view to harmonizing the rules
on competition and the prices of medicines ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 October 1995 )

The control of rising health care costs is a major concern
throughout the Community, and there has certainly been an
increasing tendency to care for people, where feasible,
outside hospitals, not least as a way of reducing costs .

The operation of health care services, including the use of
home care and treatment, is a matter for individual Member
States . However, the Commission is undertaking a number
of actions which aim to help Member States maximise the
effectiveness and efficiency of their health systems, for
example, by improving the quality of information and data
on health and health services and by promoting the
exchange of experience and good practice, particularly in
the area of disease prevention and health promotion .

No C 340 / 42 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 13 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 87 )

Subject : Violence against minors

In the recent past, the European media have reported an
incredible series of acts of violence against minors
perpetrated all over the world, including in Community
Member States . The subject had already received attention
previously, but the phenomenon has now assumed
genuinely alarming dimensions and therefore calls for
attention and a response .

The Council, Commission and European Parliament must
all act on this as a matter of urgency, because there is a
glaring need for a global commitment to defend one of the
most natural human rights .

What measures will the Commission adopt ?

Would it be too much to ask for the Intergovernmental
Conference to consider the possibility of incorporating into
the Treaty on European Union a section entirely devoted to
violence against and other abuse of minors ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 October 1995 )

The Commission shares the Honourable Member 's acute

concern at the oppressive — and in some cases intolerable —
position in which children find themselves in many parts of
the world, including in Member States of the
Community .

To alleviate the worst situations, the Commission already
has a number of operations under way for helping and
protecting children and for promoting their readjustment
and education .

Under Community law as it stands at present, legislation on
children 's rights is mainly a matter for the Member States .
With regard to the question of incorporating in the Treaty
on European Union a section devoted entirely to acts of
violence and other forms of abuse committed against
minors, the Commission 's position is that it is unable at this
stage to pre - judge the outcome of the Intergovernmental
Conference .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 17 / 95

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dorfler ( V )

to the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 88 )

Subject : Humanitarian aid for Sierra Leone

According to a report of Agence Europe of 1 August 1995
the European Commission is granting Sierra Leone food aid
worth ECU 700 000 . The European Community 's
Humanitarian Aid Office ( ECHO ) is to supply the
inhabitants of Freetown with rice and edible oil for a period
of six months .

Where ( in what country or region ) was this food purchased,
and how much did it cost ?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 October 1995 )

The Commission has indeed approved a food aid package
for Sierra Leone . An ECU 700 000 contract was signed with
the NGO ' Catholic Relief Services ' for the purchase and
distribution of rice and oil in Freetown, which is now home
mostly to displaced people fleeing the civil war in the
provinces . These people are penniless in a town where prices
are rising constantly .

The CRS tender procedure is now under way . The supplier
of oil has not yet been decided but rice will be supplied from
Pakistan by Euronaid at a price of ECU 447 tonnes DDP

( delivery duty paid ).

The Commission would take this opportunity to point out
that in the case of humanitarian operations it normally
hands the running of specific projects over the NGOs and
international organizations such as the UNHCR and the
ICRC .

These agencies then launch their own invitations to tender
for supply contracts .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 43

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2531 / 95 ECU )

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Ddrfler ( V )

to the Commission

( 12 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 89 )

Subject : Humanitarian aid for Bangladesh

According to an article in Agence Europe of 5 August 1995,
the European Commission is providing victims of the latest
floodings in Bangladesh with humanitarian aid worth ECU

1,4 million . This is intended to cover medical, logistical and
food aid .

Name Unit price Quantity

5 % Dextrose in Aqua — 500 cc 0,83 12 000

5 % Dextrose in Aqua — 1 000 cc 1,04 12 000

Injection Jesuquine — 2 % 0,40 24 000

Injection Oradexone 0,25 12 000

Injection Diphen 0,22 12 000

Tablets Jesuquine 5,56 9 000

Tablets Sulfamine 2,04 6 000

Tablets Primaquine 2,22 6 000

Syrup Chloroquine 0,30 12 000

What food has been supplied ? WRITTEN QUESTION E-2550 / 95

by Richard Balfe ( PSE )

Where ( in what country or region ) was this food purchased,
and how much did it cost ?

to the Commission

( 20 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 90 )

Does the medical aid include drugs ?
Subject : 1963 EEC-Turkey Agreement — new Member

States

If so, where were they purchased and what did they

cost ?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 1995 )

The Commission supplied humanitarian aid for victims of
the floods in Bangladesh following the torrential rains in
June and July, which left millions homeless .

The aid, amounting to ECU 1,4 million, was used to finance
non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ), so enabling them
to cover the worst-hit regions .

Articles financed included foodstuffs, which were
distributed by Concern, an Irish NGO, in Tangail Province,
north-west of Dhaka . The food, bought locally, was rice

( 220 tonnes at ECU 0,27 / kg ) and beans (9 200 kg at ECU
0,65 / kg ).

Part of the medical aid did indeed consist of medicines for

use in a programme run by Caritas Germany to combat the
malaria epidemic . The medicines, also bought on the spot
and their prices, were as follows :

When will the Commission submit to the three new Member

States the supplementary protocol on the acceptance of the
provisions of the 1963 EEC-turkey Agreement and the
subsequent decisions of the EEC-Turkey Association
Council ?

Bearing in mind the comparatively large Turkish
Community in Austria, and the rather restrictive laws on
residence and work permits there, what action can the
Commission possibly take if the signing and ratification of
this protocol is delayed beyond the end of this century ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 October 1995 )

The Council is currently discussing the protocol to be
appended to the Association Agreement between the
Community and Turkey to take account of the accession of
Austria, Finland and Sweden, and a number of technical
points have still to be resolved . However, it is expected that
the protocol will be adopted by the end of the year and it will
then be presented to the EC Member States and Turkey for
signing .

Once the protocol has been signed it has to be concluded by
the Community and ratified by the Member States and
Turkey . The time required for ratifiction depends on the
constitutional arrangements governing the procedure in
each individual country .

No C 340 / 44 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2551 / 95

by Richard Balfe ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 20 September 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2560 / 95

by Joaquín Sisó Cruellas ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 22 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 91 ) ( 95 / C 340 / 92 )

Subject : Anti-dumping duties on North American sodium

Subject : EEC Association Agreements — non ­
discrimination provisions

What are the Member States in which the EEC Association

Agreements with Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia,
respectively, apply, in particular with regard to the
provisions on non-discrimination against workers who are
nationals of these countries and residing legally in a Member
State in the areas of working conditions or remuneration
and social security ?

What will the Commission do to ensure the application of
these clauses to the other EU Member States ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 12 October 1995 )

The cooperation agreements with Algeria, Morocco and
Tunisia bind the Community, and hence all of its Member
States ( 1 ). It is therefore incumbent on them to uphold the
principle of non-discrimination as regards working
conditions, pay and social security enshrined in those
accords .

The fact that the Court of Justice has on several occasions
recognized the direct effect of the provision granting equal
treatment to Tunisia, Moroccan and Algerian workers
effectively guarantees the application of this principle ( 2 ).

The Commission recently called on Member States to
communicate to it any laws, administrative notices and,
where appropriate, judicial decisions concerning equal
treatment in the field of social security .

carbonate

On 10 March 1995, at the request of the European
Chemical Industries Council ( CEFIC ), of which the Solvay
and Brunner Mond ( formerly ICI ) groups, which account
for the largest share of European sodium carbonate
production, are members, the European Commission
established certain provisional anti-dumping duties in
respect of US producers of sodium carbonate, ranging from
5,4 % to 14,3 %, for six months following approval by the
European Parliament, scheduled for the autumn .

These events have led to fears on the part of the Standing
Committee of Glass Industries of the EEC ( CPIV ) and
national glass manufacturers in the EU that, as happened
between 1983 and 1990 when certain anti-dumping
measures were established, this will encourage the
development of certain activities amounting to clear
restrictions on competition, which will exacerbate the
shortage of this product and push up prices .

In view of the extremely adverse effects which the measure
may have on the European glass-making industry, which is
beginning to pick up, what are the Commission 's reasons for
taking this step ?

The CPIV maintains that the economic and commercial data

used by the Commission when looking into CEFIC 's request
are totally outdated as they reflect a different economic
situation from the present, in which the majority of
European sodium carbonate producers realize substantial
profits . In view of these claims, can the Commission state
whether it took account of more recent data when taking its
decision ?

Bearing in mind that in 1990 the Commission criticized
European sodium carbonate producers for restrictive
practices and imposed large fines on solvay and ICI, is it not
afraid that these undertakings are merely seeking to protect
the European market and restrict competition ?

( 1 ) OJ Nos L 263, 264 and 265, 27 . 9 . 1978 . Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission
( 2 ) Case C-18 / 90 Kziber, ECR, 1991, p . 199 ; Case C-58 / 93,

Yousfi, ECR, 1994, p . 1353 ; Case C-43 / 93, Vander Elst, ECR, ( 13 October 1995 )
1994, p. 1-3803 ; Case C-103 / 94, Krid, judgment of 5 April
1995 .

Provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of sodium
carbonate from the United States were fixed after the

Commission 's investigation, which showed there was ( 0,1

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 45

to 14,3% ) dumping, material injury to the Community
industry ( reflected in a fall in market share, worsening
financial results, and job losses ), and a causal connection
between dumping and injury . It was also established that the
measures taken served the interest of the Community . In
that context the Commission paid particular attention to the
possible effect of the measures in question on the production
costs of the Community 's glass-making industry,
establishing that such effects were negligible .

The provisions of the basic anti-dumping regulation require
the investigation to cover a specified period immediately
preceding the initiation of the proceeding, in this case the
period 1 January 1992 to 30 June 1993, in order to establish
the dumping and injury margins . In assessing the interest of
the Community, however, more recent events were
considered .

With regard to developments in the situation on the
Community sodium-carbonate market, there is nothing to
indicate that definitive anti-dumping duties will have the
effect of reducing competition . Quite the reverse : the
removal of the unfair advantages resulting from dumping
will be a means of preventing the decline of the Community
industry and so help to keep a wide range of producers
afloat in order to maintain competition . And factors such as
the fall of the dollar against European currencies and the
ability to turn to other sources of supply, in eastern Europe
and the former Soviet Union in particular, should also
strengthen competitive forces .

A careful analysis has been made of the impact of the
December 1990 decisions penalizing discriminatory
practices on the part of certain sodium carbonate producers .
Those decisions no doubt increased competition on the
Community sodium carbonate market considerably . To the
Commission, it is out of the question that the anti-dumping
measures described in the foregoing should call into
question that beneficial outcome .

Answer given by Mrs Gradin
on behalf of the Commission

( 24 October 1995 )

The Commission understands that citizens may face
problems in getting compensation when they are victims of
violent acts in other Member States . It fully supports the
development of compensation schemes for victims of violent
crimes, and is committed to taking care that no
discrimination on grounds of nationality arises .

Were it appropriate to harmonize these schemes or to set up
a common legal framework at Community level, the
Commission however would have no direct competence in
the matter which remains the responsibility of Member
States .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 76 / 95

by Susan Waddington ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 94 )

Subject : Risk to employees ' health from diesel emissions in

the workplace

What action is the Commission taking to reduce the danger
of ill-health due to the inhalation of particulate and gaseous
pollutants such as PM10, emitted from small diesel engines

( such as in forklift trucks ) operating in the workplace, often
within confined areas, ( more than 30 world-wide studies
have linked particulates to ill-health ), and what further
action is the Commission considering to remove these risks
completely from the workplace in view of increasing
WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 70 / 95 evidence that particulate emissions are carcinogenic (*).

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 93

0 ) Classification of diesel exhaust emissions, International Agency

for Research on Cancer ( WHO ), 1988 .

Subject : Criminal injuries compensation Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Since different Member States have very different systems to ( 27 October 1995 )
deal with victims of violent crime and increasing numbers of
Union citizens are being affected by violent crimes in a
Member State other than their own, what steps is the
Commission proposing to encourage the development of a The risks to workers in the proximity of diesel engine
common European legal framework to address these emissions are covered by the general provisions of existing
issues ? Community legislation on the protection of safety and

No C 340 / 46 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

health of workers from the risks related to their work and in
particular Council Directive 80 / 1107 / EEC ( J ), which deals
with the protection of workers from chemicals, amended by
Council Directive 88 / 642 / EEC ( 2 ), ( including those emitted
by diesel engines ) and the framework Directive
89 / 391 / EEC ( 3 ) on general measures for the protection of
workers . This framework is complemented by a specific
Directive concerning carcinogens at work

( 90 / 394 / EEC ) ( 4 ).

Furthermore, in order to improve the protection of health
and safety of workers exposed to hazardous chemicals, the
Commission is updating and consolidating these texts as
follows :

1 . a proposal for a Directive on the protection of health
and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical
agents at work was forwarded in 1993 to the Council
and Parliament ( 5 ). An amended proposal, based on the
opinion of the Parliament, was forwarded in June

1994 ( 6 ). A common position has not yet been
adopted ;

2 . forwarding in 1995 to the Council and Parliament a
proposal for a Directive amending Council Directive
90 / 394 / EEC, on the protection of workers from the
risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work ( 7 );

3 . consulting informally since 1990 at the request of the
Council, a scientific expert group on occupational
exposure limits . Commission Decision 95 / 320 / EEC of

12 July 1995 ( 8 ) setting up a scientific committee for
occupational exposure limits to chemical agents has
now put this group on a formal basis . The committee
will supply the Commission with opinions on any
matter related to the toxicological examination of
chemicals for their effects on health of workers at

work ;

4 . as regards underground workings of the extractive
industries the Safety and health commission for the
mining and other extractive industries ( Shcmoei ) has
established proposals to the Member States on the use of
diesel engines underground . At present Shcmoei is
updating this document with a view to incorporate the
most recent scientific findings .

These measures taken together provide a comprehensive
framework which requires that employers reduce exposure
to, and risk from, carcinogens and other chemicals . This
includes emissions from diesel engines .

out by the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh
and the results are expected later in 1996 . This will help
decide whether specific measures on diesel engine emissions

are necessary .

(') OJ No L 327, 3 . 12 . 1980 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 356, 24 . 12 . 1988 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 183, 29 . 6 . 1989 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 196, 26 . 7 . 1990 .

( s ) COMÍ93 ) 155 .

( 6 ) COM(94 ) 230 .

( 7 ) COM(95 ) 425 .

( 8 ) OJ No L 188, 9 . 8 . 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-25 89 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

( 27 September 1995 )

(9 SIC 340 / 95 )

Subject : Research activities

In connection with the funds which the European Union
allocated to research and development activities between

1991 and 1995, would the Commission state :

1 . the total appropriations transferred to Member States in

1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 and, in particular, the
amount allocated to Italy during these years ;

2 . who received the funds in Italy ( universities, research

institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises, big
business, etc .)?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 October 1995 )

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
answer the question . It will communicate the outcome of its
research as quickly as possible .

As a preliminary guide, the Commission is sending the
Finally, in the framework of the fifth ECSC ( European Coal report on the indicators directly to the Honourable Member
and Steel Community ) medical research programme, the and to Parliament 's Secretariat .
Commission is part financing research into ' occupational
exposure and occurrence of cancer in coal mines : the effects
of diesel fumes and dust composition '. This project is carried

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 47

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2590 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

— less environmental pollution as a result, and

to the Commission — lower operating costs in the long term .

( 27 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 96 )
If there are to be more roundabouts throughout Europe, a
uniform rule on priority, combined with a uniform
' roundabout ' sign, makes sense and is also necessary in the

Subject : Mountaineering accidents interests of road safety .

Given the number of accidents which occur at high altitudes

( no fewer than 31 people have died in Italy since January )
and, above all, the fact that many tourists go climbing and
often treat mountaineering as a game — setting off without
proper training or equipment, thinking that they know what
they are doing — would the Commission agree that it should
consider introducing at European Union level a series of
aptitude tests for anyone wishing to climb or explore
glaciers and crevasses, with a ' European licence ' being
awarded on the basis of courses and tests, since this would
undoubtedly lead to a drastic reduction in the number of
accidents ?

1 . Does the Commission subscribe to the above view of the

benefits of roundabouts, and if not, why not ?

2 . Will the Commission support the wider introduction of
roundabouts in the Member States, and if so, in what
manner and over what timescale ?

3 . Is the Commission prepared to support a uniform
' roundabout ' sign and a uniform rule on priority, and if
so, in what manner ?

Answer given by Mr Oreja
on behalf of the Commission Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission
( 21 November 1995 )

(6 October 1995 )

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible . 1 . The infrastructure working party, established by the
high level group of representatives of the Member States on
road safety together with the Commission, recommends
inter alia the establishment of roundabouts for reasons of

road safety . The Commission entirely concurs with their
view .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2596 / 95

by Georg Jarzembowski ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 14 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 97 )

Subject : Roundabouts

According to the most up-to-date information, which is
based on scientific research and positive experience gained
in France and the United Kingdom, in particular, more
roundabouts on roads in the European Union would be an
extremely good idea . They offer the following advantages
over ordinary road junctions and those equipped with
traffic lights :

— markedly fewer accidents,

— smoother traffic flow,

2 . Although the Commission feels that widespread use of
roundabouts would be reasonable, the planning of
roundabouts is decided by the authorities of the Member
States on a case by case basis taking into account the
different factors involved . Given that decisions are usually
taken at local or regional level, the Commission, naturally,
has only limited competence in this matter .

3 . For reasons of road safety the Commission has striven
for years for a harmonization of the road signs extending
beyond the Vienna Convention . In connection with the
trans-European networks a first joint action in this area was
rejected by a majority of Member States . Although the
prospects for success on a uniform road sign for
roundabouts are not very encouraging in the near future, the
Commission will continue to make every effort to advance
this case .

No C 340 / 48 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2639 / 95

by Joan Colom i Naval ( PSE )

to the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 98 )

Subject : Concept of foreign nationality in the field of

professional sport

During the 1984 — 1989 parliamentary term, Parliament
considered the issue of compatibility between Community
law and some Member States ' regulations with regard to
professional sport . Specifically, it drew attention to
discrimination against Community nationals engaged in
professional sport on the basis of whether or not they were
nationals of the Member State, and the fact that
non-nationals were treated as if they were third country
nationals .

Following the answers to Written Questions No 2767 / 86,
No 2 785 / 86, No 3038 / 86 and No 28 / 87 ( ] ), what positive
steps has the Commission taken to eliminate this form of
discrimination ?

(') OJ No C 198, 27 . 7 . 1987, p . 38 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(8 November 1995 )

The matter raised by the Honourable Member was referred
for a preliminary ruling to the Court of Justice ( Bosman
Case C-415 / 93 ). The opinion of the Advocate-General,
delivered on 20 September 1995, was that nationality
clauses are contrary to Articles 48 and 85 of the EC Treaty .
The ruling of the Court of Justice is expected towards of the
end of this year . The Commission will examine all the means
at its disposal to ensure that this ruling is properly
implemented in the Member States .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2649 / 95

by Marilena Marin ( UPE )

to the Commission

( 21 September 1995 )

funding . Each year three calls for proposals are made, of
which one is addressed to broadcasters and two to

programme producers .

Italy responded to the action plan for the first time in 1995
with four projects, of which two were accepted on the basis
of preselection . The first was submitted by a consortium of
broadcasters from Southern Italy, Syntesia, representing five
broadcasters ( Antenna Sicilia, Tele Etna, RTP & TGS
Siciliane, and Antenna Sud Pugliese ). The principal
publishers of daily papers in southern Italy, such as La
Sicilia, La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, II Giornale di Sicilia
and La Gazzetta del Sud are shareholders in these

broadcasting companies . The second project was submitted
by the Editoriale San Marco . This company 's shareholders
are major industrialists in Veneto such as Rossi, Benetton,
Coin, Stefanel, Riello, Tognana, etc . Both projects meet in
full the technical, economic and financial conditions laid
down by law .

Last June, three members of the Commission visited the
broadcasters and agreed that they met the technical
requirements . The deadline for concluding contracts with
the broadcasters selected expired on 30 June 1995 . Two
months later, the Commission had still given no sign of
formal authorization . It has recently been said unofficially
that the Italian projects have been ' suspended ' without any
plausible explanation . There has been no official
communication on the matter to either the broadcasters '

representatives or the representatives of the Italian
Government on the committee or at the permanent
representation to the EU .

It should be noted that the criteria for awarding contracts
state inter alia that the Commission is required to ensure
equitable distribution between the Member States, and
avoid undue concentration or the creation of monopolies or
cartels between entities . Specific criteria for selection are
then listed which are met in full by both projects which in
fact originate from a country which has a higher percentage
of funding than the 50 % laid down by law . Taken together,
the Italian projects have requested funding for 850 of the
additional 20 000 hours provided for by the action plan .

Will the Commission therefore inform Parliament of the

reasons for this situation which is seriously and pointlessly
penalizing Italy, which is, we repeat, the net promoter of and
contributor of funding to the action plan ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 95 / C 340 / 99 ) ( 10 October 1995 )

Subject : Action plan for the introduction of advanced

television services

In July 1993 the EU Council adopted an action plan for the
introduction of advanced television services . Italy is a
promoter of the project, and pledged a high percentage of

The Commission approved on 18 September 1995 the list of
projects to receive the financial support of the Community
for broadcasting in the 16:9 format following the action
plan for the introduction of advanced television services .
Before that date, it was not appropriate to inform any of the
applicants of the outcome of their bid .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 49

It is true that in 1995, for the first time since the start of the
action plan in 1993, Italian companies submitted two
projects . The Commission considered their projects very
seriously, to the extent of visiting those companies to seek
clarification on the proposals . While the Commission was
convinced of the high technical capacity and financial
soundness of the applicants, these two proposals could
nevertheless not be retained as submitted, as they were
judged to be insufficiently strong in their business plan .

It should be recalled that the objective of the action plan is to
accelerate the development of the market for widescreen
television . Projects having satisfied the essential technical
and financial criteria are therefore primarily judged on how
likely it is that they can achieve this objective .

In the event, there is this year a supplementary call for
proposals . The Commission is currently in discussion with
the proposers with a view to explain in detail what are the
requirements, in order to facilitate the submission of a better
proposal, should these companies wish to do so .

When the Commission has any doubts, it does not hesitate
to carry out an evaluation mission to determine the
effectiveness or efficiency of its partners .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2671 / 95

by Arthur Newens ( PSE )

to the Commission

(4 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 101 )

Subject : Equal treatment of European Union citizens within

Member States

to so . Is refusal of benefit to social security claimants in the United

Kingdom on the grounds that they do not fulfil a test of
' habitual residence ', which has been used against individuals
with up to three years residence in the UK, compatible with
the right of all citizens of the European Union to be treated
equally, with regard to the provision of social security
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2670 / 95 benefits, in all Member States ?

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

(4 October 1995 ) Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission
( 95 / C 340 / 100 )

( 27 October 1995 )

Subject : Aid to Jaffna, Sri Lanka

Further to the answer to Question No E-1266 / 95 ( ), in
which the Commission listed a breakdown of ECU 360 000

of humanitarian and medical aid to the people of the Jaffna
peninsula, what guarantee does the Commission have that
this aid reached the people of the Jaffna area ?

(!) OJ No C 202, 7 . 8 . 1995, p . 50 .

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 October 1995 )

The humanitarian aid operation financed by the
Commission in Sri Lanka, was implemented by the
International Committee for the Red Cross ( ICRC ) which
has been present in this region for quite some time .

The effectiveness of this humanitarian aid is known to the

Commission through the exchange of information during
the implementation of the operation and the timely
submission of the intermediate and final reports required on
termination of the project .

The United Kingdom introduced a ' habitual residence test '
for income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit
in August 1994 . The test is applied only to applicants for
these social assistance benefits, and not to people claiming
social security benefits .

According to the United Kingdom legislation which
introduced the residence test, the Income-related benefits
schemes ( miscellaneous amendments ) ( No 3 ) regulations

1994, ' no person shall be treated as not habitualy resident in
the United Kingdom who is :

— a worker for the purposes of Council Regulation ( EEC )

No 1612 / 68 on freedom of movement for workers
within the Community ('), or Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 1251 / 70 on the right of workers to remain in the
territory of a Member State after having been employed
in that State ( 2 ), or

— a person with a right to reside in the United Kingdom

pursuant to Council Directive No 68 / 360 / EEC on the
abolition of restrictions on movement and residence

within the Community for workers of Member States
and their families (*) or No 73 / 148 / EEC on the abolition
of restrictions on movement and residence within the

Community of nationals of Member States as regards
establishment and provision of services ( 3 )'.

No C 340 / 50 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

This means, in effect, that a worker or other national of one
of the Member States who comes within the scope of the
above acts should be treated as habitually resident for the
purposes of claiming benefits .

In the framework of social security benefits, Council
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1408 / 71, which coordinates the social
security systems of Member States, does not prohibit the
condition of a residence test for eligibility to benefits .

The Commission understands that the residence test is also

applied in the case of an application for the above ­
mentioned benefits by a person seeking employment in the
United Kingdom . According to the judgment of the Court of
Justice in the case of Lebon ( C-316 / 85 ), equal treatment

with regard to social and tax advantages which is laid down
by Article 7(2 ) of Regulation ( EEC ) No 1612 / 68 operates in
principle only for the benefit of workers in employment, and
does not apply to nationals of Member States who move in
search of employment .

(») OJ No L 257, 19 . 10 . 1968 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 142, 30 . 6 . 1970 .

( ? ) OJ No L 172, 28 . 6 . 1973 .

necessary to comply with the Directive by 3 1 December

1992 and communicate to the Commission the texts of

the provisions of national law covered by the Directive,
and

— whereas there continue to be a large number of industrial

accidents and occupational diseases,

will the Commission say :

1 . whether Greece has communicated to it the texts of the

provisions of national law complying with Directive
89 / 391 / EEC and, if so, when,

2 . whether Greece has statistical data on all occupational
diseases,

3 . whether, in its view, Greece is in breach of Article 2

( Scope ) of the Directive through ignoring occupational
diseases in agriculture, fishing etc ., and

4 . whether it will intercede with the Greek authorities to

ensure that they comply with Directive 89 / 391 / EEC ?

(') OJ No L 183, 29 . 6 . 1989, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2683 / 95 on behalf of the Commission
by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE / NGL ) (7 November 1995 )
to the Commission

(4 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 102 )

Subject : Application of Directive 89 / 391 / EEC

According to a Commission survey carried out among 12
Member States of the UE in 1992 / 93, Greece is the only
country that does not have a statistical register of
occupational diseases suffered by those employed in
agriculture, fishing, forestry and shipping .

Having regard to :

— Directive 89 / 391 / EEC (*) on the introduction of
measures to encourage improvements in the safety and
health of workers at work,

— Article 2 thereof, which states that the Directive shall

apply to all sectors of activity, both public and private

( industrial, agricultural, commercial etc .),

— Article 18(1 ) and ( 2 ) thereof, which state that the
Member States shall bring into force the legal provisions

1 . Greece informed the Commission of national

measures implementing Directive 89 / 391 / EEC on
24 February 1995, and the Commission is in the process of
analysing them . Should this analysis show transposal to be
incomplete or inadequate, the Commission would then take
appropriate remedial action .

2 . Greece has a list of 52 diseases recognised as being of
occupational origin, as well as a statistical system for
collecting data on these diseases . Occupational diseases
affecting workers in undertakings in agriculture and fishing
are recognised .

3 . Directive 89 / 391 / EEC aims to prevent occupational
risks in undertakings or establishments through active
participation of both employers and workers in the
organization and management of safety and health
protection for workers at work . The procedures for
collection of statistics on occupational diseases and
industrial accidents by the Member State authorities are not
covered by Article 2 of Directive 89 / 391 / EEC .

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 51

QUESTION E-2687 / 95 Commission usually avoid its own procedures ? Does the

Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) Commission feel that it was regularly supplied with the best

value-for-money service by the industrial relations

Commission

observatory and that this was an essential part of the social

October 1995 ) dialogue ? Can the Commission explain why this system was

95 / C 340 / 103 ) changed and why the scope and organization for monitoring
has been changed ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2687 / 95

by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission

(4 October 1995 )

Subject : Incorporation into Spanish law of the Directive on

minimum safety and health requirements for the
workplace

Could the Commission say whether or not the Spanish
Government has complied with Directive 89 / 654 / EEC f 1 )
concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for
the workplace ?

(M OJ No L 393, 30 . 12 . 1989, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 27 October 1995 )

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member

that it initiated infringement proceedings at the Court of
Justice on 16 March 1995 against the Kingdom of Spain ( ! )

for failure to incorporate Directive 89 / 654 / EEC into
Spanish law .

(M Case C-95 / 079 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2699 / 95

by Peter Skinner ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 28 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 104 )

Subject : Provision of information concerning European

industrial relations

What provisions exist at present to monitor the day-to-day
situation of industrial relations within the European Union ?
For example, how would the Commission supply an MEP
with up-to-date and reliable information on an industrial
dispute in a Member State that had an economic and
political effect in Europe ? Does the Commission not agree
that this is essential in order to be able to monitor industrial

relations and inform the social dialogue ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 October 1995 )

In its medium-term social action programme ( MTSAP )
1995 — 1997 ('), the Commission has announced the
following ( item 9.3.1 .):

European industrial relations observatory : during

1995, the Commission will consolidate arrangements
for the effective functioning of the European
industrial relations observatory, in close
collaboration with the European foundation for the
improvement of living and working conditions . A
first report on the work of this Observatory will be
produced before the end of 1996 .

The inclusion of this project in the MTSAP illustrates the
importance which the Commission attaches to it . The
Commission is also of the opinion that such an Observatory
is needed to monitor the day to day situation of industrial
relations within the Community, in particular since the
availability of reliable and detailed information on the
development of industrial relations in the Member States is
an important element of the policy formulation process, in
which the European institutions, the Member States and
social partners ' organizations play their role . In addition,
the Observatory is also an instrument to support the
development of the dialogue between management and
labour at European level, in accordance with Article 1 1 8b of
the EC Treaty .

Since the contract with the previous Observatory ( EURI )
came to an end by the end of June 1994 and could not be
prolonged, the Commission has been engaged in
preparations with the European Foundation for the
Improvement of Living and Working Conditions ( Dublin )
to make a new start with the European industrial relations
observatory . Initially it had been envisaged to start the new
project in 1 995, but due to certain problems, in particular of
budgetary nature, the new start will now be in 1996 .

The operational details of the new Observatory have not yet

been decided . Consultations with the organizations of the
social partners about their needs and suggestions are still
going on .

(') COM(95 ) 134 final .
How can the Commission claim that there is a social

dialogue when the monitoring system for industrial
relations has not been in place for over 12 months ? Does the

No C 340 / 52 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2707 / 95

by Guido Podestà ( UPE )

to the Commission

(6 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 105

Subject : Children 's camps in China

Is the Commission aware of the press reports concerning the
problem of children 's camps in China ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 November 1995 )

No .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2709 / 95

by Stephen Hughes ( PSE )

to the Commission

(6 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 106 )

asbestos from the Berlaymont building ? The contract was
awarded to a temporary association of companies whose
price was Bfrs 140 million higher than that quoted by
another temporary association of companies, which was
refused the contract because the value of the insurance

policy submitted was slightly less than that of the successful
bidder . Is the Commission aware that the ' professional
experience ' section of the invitation to tender was
completely disregarded by the awarding committee ?

Is the Commission aware that the association which has

been awarded the contract intends to discharge the
approximately 5 000 tonnes of asbestos into a tip with an
annual capacity of no more than 500 tonnes, which means
that the asbestos cannot possibly be disposed of within the
time limit set for refurbishment of the building ? Is it aware
that the aforementioned unsuccessful bidder actually
proposed to use environmentally safer methods for
discharging the asbestos, such as cementing procedures and
vitrification ? Does the Commission intend to deal with this

pressing problem by taking appropriate steps in respect of
' Berlaymont 2000 ', the Brussels Municipality property
business which owns the building ?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 October 1995 )
Subject : NOW programme

How many women from the north-east of England have
benefited from the NOW programme, and what was the
extent of the Community contribution ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(8 November 1995 )

In the north-east of England ( Cleveland, Durham,
Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear ) in 1991 — 1994

15 785 women benefited from the NOW programme, and
the European Social Fund allocation was £ 15 137 987 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2737 / 95

by Luigi Florio ( UPE )

to the Commission

( 28 September 1995 )

As the Honourable Member is aware, responsibility for the
repair and renovation works on the Berlaymont building lies
solely with the owner, the company ' Berlaymont 2000 ', in
which the Belgian State is, the main shareholder .

The Commission has begun talks with ' Berlaymont 2000 '
concerning the possibility of moving back into the building
once renovation is complete . It is in this connection only and
to ensure that all the asbestos has been properly removed
that the Commission has kept itself briefed on the nature of
the works involved .

According to the information at the Commission 's disposal,
the procedure followed for the selection of the association of
companies entrusted with the removal of the asbestos was
consistent with the European Directives on public works
contracts and the methods to be used conform to both the

Belgian and the European rules governing the handling of
asbestos .

( 95 / C 340 / 107 ) The Commission has no power to influence either prices or
the choice of contractors . It has not received any complaint
Subject : Contract for removal of asbestos from the which could lead to proceedings for infringement of
Community law .
Berlaymont building

Is the Commission aware of the serious allegations of
irregularities regarding the contract for the removal of

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 53

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2750 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2769 / 95

by David Hallam ( PSE )

David Hallam ( PSE ) by Peter Crampton ( PSE )

to the Commission to the Commission

( 12 October 1995 )

to the Commission

( 12 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 108 ) ( 95 / C 340 / 109 )

Subject : Establishment of a European Monitoring Centre

on Racism and Xenophobia

What action has been taken regarding the proposals by the
consultative committee for the establishment of a European
Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia at the
Corfu Summit, June 1994 ?

Can the Commission explain the reasoning behind the
Cannes Summit decision merely to ' study . . . the feasibility '
of such a centre and why the proposals of the consultative
committee seem to have been largely discounted ?

With regard to the urgent need to work determinedly
towards an end to the fragmentation and division of society
in the European Union caused by racism and xenophobia,
can the Commission give an account of the timetable for the
feasibility study and measures planned and already taken to
ensure that this study is presented as soon as possible ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Private security industry in the EU

Does the Commission have any plans to bring forward
legislation covering the regulation of the private security
industry ( private investigators / detectives and those involved
in guarding property ) in the EU ?

Does any existing EU legislation impact on this industry in
any way ?

Answer given by Monti
on behalf of the Commission

( 16 November 199 5 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its

answer to his Written Question E-2478 / 95 ( ! ).

(') See page 39 of this Official Journal .

( 27 October 1995 ) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2789 / 95

by Peter Truscott ( PSE )

to the Commission

The consultative committee on racism and xenophobia was
set up by the Council, and includes members appointed by
each Member State and the Commission, and observers
from the Parliament and the Council of Europe .

The conclusions of the Cannes European Council were
prepared by the General Affairs Council .

The consultative committee has met on 1 and 29 September

1995 and has scheduled further meetings in October,
November and December in order to study, in close
cooperation with the Council of Europe, the feasibility of a
European monitoring centre on racism and xenophobia, as
requested by the conclusions of the European Council of 26
and 27 June 1995 .

The Commission will, later this year, present a
communication on the fight against racism including an
action plan and a proposal to designate 1997 as European
year against racism . The communication will take into
consideration the recommendations of the Consultative

Committee on Racism and Xenophobia .

(5 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 110 )

Subject : Pension equalization

Could the Commission clarify whether the plans of the
British Government to equalize retirement age for men and
women at 65 are fair ?

Furthermore, would the Commission comment on the
fairness of equalizing retirement age in the UK only by the
year 2020 ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 October 1995 )

The British Government 's plans to equalise retirement age
for men and women at 65 from the year 2020 are wholly
consistent with existing Community law regarding equal
treatment for men and women .

No C 340 / 54 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18 . 12 . 95

It is for the Member States alone to determine the age at
which old-age or retirement pensions are granted under a
statutory social security scheme . Under the terms of
Article 7(1 )( a ) of Council Directive 79 / 7 / EEC of
19 December 1978 on the progressive implementation of
the principle of equal treatment for men and women in
matters of social security ( J ), Member States have the right
to maintain different retirement ages for men and
women ( 2 ).

A proposal for a Directive completing the implementation of
the principle of equal treatment for men and women in
social security schemes, put forward on 23 October
1987 ( 3 ), aims among other things to settle the problem of
retirement age . Under Article 9 of this proposal, two
solutions are put forward :

— the same age for men and women, or

— the introduction of a flexible retirement system with the

same conditions for both sexes .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2809 / 95

by Salvador Garriga Polledo ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 16 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 111 )

Subject : Improvements in budgetary administration

As part of the policy of transparency in budgetary
administration which the Commission wishes to pursue, has
any consideration been given to the possibility of providing
instantaneous public access to information on the use of
Community funds by means of freely accessible information
networks such as the Internet and others ?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 November 1995 )

This proposal for a Directive is still before the Council,
despite being endorsed by Parliament and the Economic and The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
Social Committee .
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible .

In accordance with the medium-term social action

programme ( 4 ) and the fourth medium-term Community
action programme on equal opportunities for women and
men ( 1996 — 2000 ) ( 5 ), the Commission should revise this
proposal for a Directive, putting forward amendments
where necessary to take account of developments in case law
covering occupational schemes . It should be borne in mind
that, although a Community Directive will at some stage be
adopted for the purpose of equalising retirement ages for
men and women, the question of setting the same age will
still fall solely within the competence of the national
authorities .

0 ) OJ No L 6, 10 . 1 . 1979 .

( 2 ) Pursuant to its judgment of 17 May 1990 and subsequent

interpreting judgments, the Court of Justice has ruled that
benefits provided by supplementary or occupational schemes
must be regarded as pay within the meaning of Article 1 1 9 of the
EC Treaty, which deals with equal pay for men and women .
Consequently, where paid workers are concerned ( Article 119
applies only to paid workers ), it is no longer permissible to
derogate in any way from the principle of equal treatment for
men and women ; this applies also to the pensionable age for the
purpose of granting old-age or retirement benefits under an
occupational scheme .

( 3 ) COM(87 ) 494 final .

( 4 ) COM(95 ) 134 final .

( 5 ) COM(95 ) 381 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2968 / 95

by Luigi Vinci ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 27 October 1995 )

( 95 / C 340 / 112 )

Subject : Motion against homosexuals

On 27 April 1995 Verona city council obliged the city 's
administrative body, by means of the attached motion, not
to consider provisions aimed at establishing the same rights
for homosexual couples as for ' natural ' families . The motion
in question states that homosexuality is contrary to ' the law
of nature ' and that therefore implementation of the EP 's
resolution A3-28 / 94 { ] ) has adverse effects on the
upbringing of young people and on families .

Professor Padovani, member of Verona city council, who
tabled the motion in question, also put forward the
argument that women should be prepared for marriage and
motherhood and be induced to become housewives by

18 . 12 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 340 / 55

means of a kind of ' imprinting ' to be imposed on them in
their early childhood in an appropriate ' environment '.

Can the Commission say whether it considers that in view of
the above the Italian authorities should be prevailed upon to
ensure that civil rights and the principle of equality among
citizens underlying the agreements establishing the Union
are respected in Verona ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 November 1995 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its
answer to Written Question E-2354 / 95 by Mr Vecchi ( 1 ).

(') OJ No C 61, 28 . 2 . 1994, p . 40 . f 1 ) OJ No C 326, 6 . 12 . 1995, p . 40 .