Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-6986
# Official Journal C 336

Volume 37

### of the European Communities

Information and Notices
English edition

30 November 1994

Notice No Contents p age

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

94 / C 336 / 01 E-2509 / 91 by Michele Alliot-Marie to the Commission
Subject : Community agreements with the eastern European countries, the USSR, Yugoslavia and
Albania and Community aid to these countries 1

94 / C 336 / 02 E-21 87 / 91 by Mauro Chiabrando, Franco Borgo and Giuseppe Mottola to the
Commission

Subject : Gluten feed 2

94 / C 336 / 03 E-2608 / 91 by Simone Martin to the Commission
Subject : Corn gluten feed 2

Joint answer to Written Questions E-21 87 / 91 and E-2608 / 91 3

94 / C 336 / 04 E-2836 / 91 by Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Habitat damage and official complaints 3

94 / C 336 / 05 E-1266 / 92 by Ursula Braun-Moser to the Commission
Subject : Equality for the German language 3

94 / C 336 / 06 E-3 105 / 92 by Virginio Bettini and Gianfranco Amendola to the Commission
Subject : Bird-catching at Pontida ( BG ) in Lombardy ( Italy ) ( Supplementary answer ) 4

94 / C 336 / 07 E-637 / 93 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Slaughter of domestic animals ( dogs and cats ) 4

94 / C 336 / 08 E-686 / 93 by Virginio Bettini to the Commission
Subject : Dogs intended for slaughter 4

Joint answer to Written Questions E-637 / 934 and E-686 / 93 5

2 ( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

94 / C 336 / 09 E-796 / 93 by Ursula Braun-Moser to the Commission
Subject : Distortion of competition in passenger transport resulting from the ' place of departure '
criterion contained in the Sixth VAT Directive 5

94 / C 336 / 10 E-826 / 93 by Sir James Scott Hopkins to the Commission

Subject : Increasing freight by rail 5

94 / C 336 / 11

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E - 996 / 93 by Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Special interests of aboriginal peoples 6

E-1216 / 93 by Leen van der Waal to the Commission
Subject : Swine vesicular disease 6

E-1227 / 93 by Lord O'Hagan to the Commission
Subject : Pollution of water and beaches 7

E-1501 / 93 by Rogério Brito to the Commission
Subject : The right of organization and the principles of representation, association and
transparency in the Portuguese agricultural sector 7

E-l 607 / 93 by Bryan Cassidy to the Commission
Subject : Supplement ' C ' and ' S ' to the Official Journal of the European Communities 8

E-1706 / 93 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission

Subject : Use of languages 8

94 / C 336 / 17 E-l 798 / 93 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Europass for pensioners 9

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E-l 886 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Special vehicle taxes maintaining fiscal disparity on the European car market 9

E-l 904 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Energy problem of the Greek islands 10

E-2036 / 93 by Carlos Perreau de Pinninck Domenech to the Commission
Subject : Community tenders published in the Official Journal of the European Communities 10

E-2 156 / 93 by Mark Killilea to the Commission
Subject : International Year of the Family 10

E-2 163 / 93 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Rehabilitation of ex-offenders 11

E-2 164 / 93 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Rehabilitation and employment of ex-offenders 11

E-2207 / 93 by Gianfranco Amendola, Jean-Pierre Raffin and Paul Staes to the
Commission

Subject : Implementation by the Commission of the policy of transparency in its relations with
Parliament 's representatives 11

E-2234 / 93 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Anabolic steroids in beef 12

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94 / C 336 / 26 E-2271 / 93 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Human rights in Albania 12

94 / C 336 / 27 E-2305 / 93 by Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza to the Commission
Subject : Appropriations allocated to Greece under the European Regional Development Fund
( ERDF ) and environmental programmes 13

94 / C 336 / 28 E-2565 / 93 by Klaus Riskær Pedersen to the Commission
Subject : Financial institutions ' solvency ratios 13

94 / C 336 / 29 E-2678 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Checking the consistency of current legislation, policies and Community programmes 14

94 / C 336 / 30 E-2724 / 93 by Glyn Ford to the Commission
Subject : Role of medical secretaries 15

94 / C 336 / 31 E-2775 / 93 by Patrick Cooney to the Commission
Subject : Damage to Wexford Quays 15

94 / C 336 / 32 E-2784 / 93 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Air pollution : Nitrogen dioxide 15

94 / C 336 / 33 E-2785 / 93 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Limit values for nitrogen dioxide 15

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2784 / 93 and E-2785 / 93 16

94 / C 336 / 34 E-2894 / 93 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Evaluation of the operational research programme in Spain 16

94 / C 336 / 35 E-2922 / 93 by Francois Guillaume to the Commission
Subject : Scope of the monopoly granted to undertakers in certain Member States 16

94 / C 336 / 36 E-2935 / 93 by Victor Arbeloa Muru to the Commission
Subject : Local authorities and the subsidiarity principle 17

94 / C 336 / 37 E-2939 / 93 by Victor Arbeloa Muru to the Commission
Subject : The benefits of subsidiarity 17

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2935 / 93 and E-2939 / 93 17

94 / C 336 / 38 E-2975 / 93 by Panayotis Roumeliotis to the Commission
Subject : Problems with markets for Greek peaches 18

94 / C 336 / 39 E-3002 / 93 by Raphaël Chanterie, José Valverde López, Karl-Heinz Florenz, Caroline
Jackson, Ursula Schleicher, Mary Banotti and Ria Oomen-Ruijten to the
Commission

Subject : Fifth Environmental Action Programme 18

94 / C 336 / 40 E-3020 / 93 by Luigi Vertemati to the Commission
Subject : Holidays and consumer protection 19

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

94 / C 336 / 41 E-3055 / 93 by Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : Measures taken by the Zurich multinational insurance company . . 19

94 / C 336 / 42 E-3064 / 93 by Honor Funk and Reimer Böge to the Commission
Subject : Audit of beneficiaries of export refunds 20

94 / C 336 / 43 E-3262 / 93 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Evaluation reports conducted on CSFs for Spain 21

94 / C 336 / 44 E-3385 / 93 by Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Structural Funds 22

94 / C 336 / 45 E-3433 / 93 by Fernando Suarez Gonzalez to the Commission
Subject : Cooperation with Central America 22

94 / C 336 / 46 E-3436 / 93 by Fernando Suarez Gonzalez to the Commission
Subject : Cooperation with Central America 23

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3433 / 93 and E-3436 / 93 23

94 / C 336 / 47 E-3478 / 93 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : European patent 23

94 / C 336 / 48 E-3535 / 93 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Water pollution as a result of the uncontrolled disposal of sewage 24

94 / C 336 / 49 E-3585 / 93 by Hemmo Muntingh to the Commission
Subject : Protection of birds of prey in the Dadia Forest, Greece 25

94 / C 336 / 50 E-3590 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Quality and quantity of drinking water 26

94 / C 336 / 51 E-3615 / 93 by Christopher Jackson to the Commission
Subject : ' Simplified Procedures ' used by customs authorities of Member States 26

94 / C 336 / 52 E-3632 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Qualifications for voting in the European elections 27

94 / C 336 / 53 E-3679 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Areas of ecological importance 27

94 / C 336 / 54 E-3754 / 93 by Cristiana Muscardini and Jas Gawronski to the Commission
Subject : A Community observatory of industrial regions in decline 27

94 / C 336 / 55 E-3832 / 93 by Jas Gawronski to the Commission
Subject : Protecting the Olympus massif in Greece 28

94 / C 336 / 56 E-3833 / 93 by Raymond Chesa to the Commission
Subject : Moroccan tomato exports to the European Community 28

94 / C 336 / 57 E-3835 / 93 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Role of Greek companies in Tacis contracts 29

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E-3855 / 93 by Henry McCubbin to the Commission
Subject : Charges for access to ECHO and TED 30

E-3904 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Support for Europe 's cinematographic heritage 30

E-3982 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Establishment of a computer network for exchanges of personal data relating to insurance,
etc 31

E-3996 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Plight of crocus growers in Kozani 32

E-4046 / 93 by Jose Vazquez Fouz to the Commission
Subject : Artificial reefs 32

E-4070 / 93 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission
Subject : Blade-stopping time 33

E-73 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Disposal of the large quantities of tobacco from Greece 's 1993 tobacco crop 33

E - 115 / 94 by Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Raphael Chanterie, Doris Pack, Viviane Reding and
Jan Sonneveld to the Commission

Subject : European assistance to flood victims 33

E - 132 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Quantity of alcohol produced in the Community used to produce fuel 34

E-149 / 94 by Neil Blaney to the Commission
Subject : Consolidated text of the Maastricht and Rome Treaties 35

E-200 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Progress as regards compensation for Greece owing to the continuing conflict in the former
Yugoslavia 35

94 / C 336 / 69 E-232 / 94 by Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza to the Commission

Subject : Corine and the European Environment Agency 36

94 / C 336 / 70

94 / C 336 / 71

94 / C 336 / 72

94 / C 336 / 73

94 / C 336 / 74

94 / C 336 / 75

E-238 / 94 by Raymonde Dury to the Commission
Subject : Human rights violations in Libya 36

E-282 / 94 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission
Subject : What is meant by ' the millenium '? 36

E-3 12 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Further support for the research sector 37

E-343 / 94 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor to the Commission
Subject : Possible Community action against the effects of discharging toxic waste into the rias of
Galicia ( Spain ) 37

E-349 / 94 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Social needs of the elderly 38

E-464 / 94 by Tullio Regge and Rinaldo Bontempi to the Commission
Subject : Employment threats facing disabled citizens in Italy 38

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

94 / C 336 / 76 E-482 / 94 by Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : Portable telephones and health risks 39

94 / C 336 / 77 E-5 18 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The creation of structures for upgrading the image of itinerant traders 39

94 / C 336 / 78 E-525 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Drawing up a Directive for stamping out poliomyelitis 39

94 / C 336 / 79 E-568 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Rights of pensioners ' associations in Gibraltar 40

94 / C 336 / 80 E-595 / 94 by Bouke Beumer to the Commission
Subject : Reliability of inflation figures 40

94 / C 336 / 81 E-655 / 94 by Gerardo Fernandez - Albor to the Commission
Subject : Community programme to reduce the effects of Alzheimer 's disease 41

94 / C 336 / 82 E-672 / 94 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission
Subject : Women and economic and social policy 42

94 / C 336 / 83 . E-703 / 94 by Marianne Thyssen to the Commission
Subject : Non-use of Dutch in Eures course 42

94 / C 336 / 84 E-740 / 94 by Rolf Linkohr to the Commission
Subject : Disapproving remarks by Commissioner Matutes concerning the CO 2 tax 43

94 / C 336 / 85 E-783 / 94 by Henry McCubbin to the Commission
Subject : Occupational pension rights of migrant workers 43

94 / C 336 / 86 E-8 15 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Setting up a Community mechanism for channelling funds to the unemployed as an act of
solidarity 44

94 / C 336 / 87 E-842 / 94 by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark to the Commission
Subject : Future actions for older people — Second EU programme for older people 45

94 / C 336 / 88 E-858 / 94 by Terence Wynn to the Commission
Subject : Food shortages in Eritrea and Ethiopia 45

94 / C 336 / 89 E-893 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Financial irregularities which have occurred in vocational training seminars organized in
Attica for Greeks from Northern Epirus 46

94 / C 336 / 90 E-8 99 / 94 by Jean-Pierre Raffin to the Commission
Subject : European Franchise Federation 46

94 / C 336 / 91 E-l 174 / 94 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Prisoners in the EU 46

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2509 / 91

by Michèle Alliot-Marie ( RDE )

to the Commission

(8 November 1991 )

( 94 / C 336 / 01 )

Subject : Community agreements with the eastern European

countries, the USSR, Yugoslavia and Albania and
Community aid to these countries

Can the Commission provide a synopsis in tabular form
( indicating the principal sectors concerned, the amounts, the
dates of entry into force and expiry etc .) of all agreements
concluded or currently being negotiated between the
Community and each of the central and eastern European
countries, the USSR, Yugoslavia and Albania ?

Can it also provide synoptic tables indicating all types of aid

( emergency food aid etc .) which have been granted or are
about to be granted to all these countries ?

Finally, can it give an initial assessment of the BERD 's work
for these countries ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 February 1994 )

1 . The Commission regrets the delay in replying, and
would refer to its ' General Report on activities of the
European Communities ' for the year 1991 : Chapter III,
section 2 ' Relations with the Soviet Union and the countries
of central and eastern Europe ', and for the year 1992 :
Chapter IV, section 3 ' Countries of central Europe and

Independent States of the former Soviet Union '. Reference
may also be made to the 1993 General Report, recently sent
to Parliament .'

2 . In summary, the present situation on agreements is as
follows :

— With Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia,

Romania and Bulgaria, Europe Agreements establishing
associations have been signed . Awaiting ratification by
all Member States of these agreements, the trade and
trade related matters which are of Community
competence, have, with the exception of Bulgaria,
entered into force by way of Interim Agreements . The
Europe Agreements with Poland and Hungary came into
force on 1 February 1994 .

Europe Agreements establish political dialogue and
favourable trade relations including the gradual
establishment of bilateral free trade areas . They include
provisions concerning practically all aspects of economic
activity such as competition rules and approximation of
law, as well as technical assistance, financial support and
cultural cooperation .

On 16 September 1992, Parliament gave its assent to the
Europe Agreements with Poland and Hungary, and on
27 October 1993 to the Europe Agreements with
Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and with the Czech
Republic .

— With Albania and the Baltic States, trade and economic

cooperation agreements have been concluded . They are
accompanied by declarations on political dialogue . In
addition the Community grants its favourable
Generalized System of Preferences ( GSP ) to these
countries . Parliament expressed favourable opinions on
each of these agreements .

— With Slovenia, a cooperation agreement, a financial

protocol and a transport agreement were concluded in

No C 336 / 2 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

1993 . The non reciprocal preference cooperation from its operations . Hopefully, the books will balance once
agreement is accompanied by a declaration on political its project and lending portfolio generates more income .
dialogue and provides for the option of moving towards
a ' Europe agreement ' establishing an association . The
financial protocol ( 1993— 1997 ), which is linked with
the transport agreement, provides loans worth ECU 150
million from the EIB for transport infrastructure
projects and grants of ECU 20 million to subsidize the
EIB 's loans .

— Partnership and cooperation agreements ( PCA ) are
being negotiated with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and
Kazakhstan and initial discussions have taken place with
Kirghizistan . They will provide for MFN treatment both
for trade and for the establishment and operations of
companies and for economic cooperation in a wide
range of activities . Financial assistance through Tacis is
provided for . The PCA with Russia will in addition
mention that in 1998, the parties will examine the
possibility of starting negotiations on establishing a free
trade area .

— In addition to the trade provisions to be included in the

agreements, the Community has taken a number of
autonomous measures to open its market to products
from Russia and from the other successor States of the

former Soviet Union . As of 1 January 1993, these
countries are included in the GSP .

3 . The Phare and T acis Programmes ( ref . General Report
1992 ex . Chapter IV, section 3 ) provide for different types
of financial and technical assistance for the countries

mentioned by the Honourable Member . In addition the EIB
may extend loans to Poland, Hungary, Czech and Slovak
Republics, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, the Baltic States .

The Commission has extended medium term loans in

support of macro-economic reforms to several central
European countries ( ref . General Report 1992 Chapter III,
section 2 ).

4 . First results of BERD activities

The BERD was set up in April 1991, since when 134 projects
Jiave been approved by its Board of Directors . These

represent Bank financing of ECU 3,2 billion ( as at end
October 1993 ) for investments totalling nearly ECU 10
billion . However, only ECU 358 million has actually been
disbursed for projects because of the slowness in finalizing
and launching them . 44 % of projects involve private sector
operations . The Bank 's statutes stipulate that this should
rise to no less than 60% .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 187 / 91

by Mauro Chiabrando ( PPE ), Franco Borgo ( PPE ) and

Giuseppe Mottola ( PPE )

to the Commission

(4 October 1991 )

( 94 / C 336 / 02 )

Subject : Gluten feed

Reports have appeared in the Italian press of a dispute in
progress between the EEC and the US on the subject of
gluten feed . The main problem is that the composition of
gluten feed imported from America into the Netherlands
does not always comply with Regulations in-as-much-as it
contains between 10% and 40% other substances ( maize
germ cake, broken grain and various other ingredients ). This
practice is harmful to European maize producers and
constitutes unfair competition which has an effect on
production costs .

1 . Will the Commission state whether these reports are
true ?

2 . Does the Commission intend to take specific steps to
clarify the matter ?

3 . If the reports are true, will the Commission monitor the

situation and lay down standards so as to prevent the
addition of substances not yielded directly from the
starch extraction process ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2608 / 91

by Simone Martin ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 19 November 1991 )

( 94 / C 336 / 03 )

Subject : Corn gluten feed

Numerous consignment of American corn gluten feed have
been held up in a number of European ports ( after analyses
In 1991 and 1992, the Bank posted an operating loss as its revealed that they did not meet the required standards ),
out-goings were still more than its liquid assets and income necessitating months of negotiation to resolve the dispute .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 3

Given the lengthy nature of the administrative procedures
for resolving such disputes and the need to avoid the same
situation arising again, does the Commission not think a
definition of feed cakes should be adopted ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2187 / 91 and E-2608 / 91

given by Mr Steichen
on behalf of the Commission

— Axios Delta, Greece : complaint submitted March

1989 ;

— Aliakmon Estuary, Greece : complaint submitted

November 1989 ;

— Nestoa Delta, Greece : complaint submitted
February 1990 ?

3 . In any of the above cases, did the Commission seek an
injunction to prevent damage ?

(3 August 1993 ) (!) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p . 1 .

Corn gluten feed, which is defined as the residues of the
manufacture of starch from maize, has been imported
without duty into the Community since 1967 when a zero
duty GATT commitment for such residues was agreed in the
framework of the Kennedy Round .

Since then there have been successive clarifications in the

definition of corn gluten feed .

A first clarification took place with the memorandum of

1991 ; and the second with the text agreed in 1992 which
forms part of the Blair House Agreement . As a result, there
are detailed criteria for the starch, fat and protein content in
corn gluten feed . The permissible level of screenings is also
laid down . Certification and monitoring procedures are
foreseen to ensure that the criteria are respected .

The necessary adaptations to the EC customs rules are now

under discussion .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2836 / 91

by Ian White ( PSE )

to the Commission

(5 December 1991 )

( 94 / C 336 / 04 )

Subject : Habitat damage and official complaints

According to a report in ' The Economist ' ( 20 July 1991 ), it
takes an average of 50 months for a case to come to the
Court of Justice under Directive 79 / 409 / EEC (*).

1 . Is the Commission able to use any kind of injunction
procedure in cases where habitat damage is believed to
be imminent ?

2 . What is the current state, in terms of conservation value,

of the sites concerned in the following complaints :

— Acheloos estuary ( Mesolonghi wetland ), Greece :
complaints submitted November 1988 and February

1990 ;

— Amvrakikos Gulf : complaint 278 / 89 and second

complaint submitted April 1990 ;

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 July 1993 )

1 . Whenever the Commission receives information or a

complaint that environmental damage which may
contravene Community law is about to be or is being
caused, it investigates the matter within its powers under
Article 169 of the EEC Treaty . For this purpose, it contacts
the Member State concerned to ask for information . If it
concludes that Community law has been infringed, it calls
on the Member State to take the action required under
Community Regulations . If, despite this request, the
Member State fails to fulfil its obligations under
Community law, the Commission may refer the matter to
the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg to have it
established that the Member State has infringed Community
law .

2 . The Greek authorities have declared the Acheloos

Estuary ( Mesolonghi wetland ), the Amvrakikos Gulf, the
Axios Delta and the Nestos Delta to be special protection
areas under Article 4 of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC .

According to information from these authorities, the
Aliakmon Estuary is one of the areas which have top priority
for being declared special protection areas as referred to in
Article 4 of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC .

3 . The Commission has initiated infringement
proceedings for the failure of the Greek authorities to define
precisely the limits of the special protection areas concerned .
The Commission is actively pursuing the matter . Unless the
Court is seized with a case, the Commission has no power
under the Treaty to seek an injunction in order to prevent
damage .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1266 / 92

by Ursula Braun-Moser ( PPE )

to the Commission

(4 June 1992 )

( 94 / C 336 / 05

Subject : Equality for the German language

Contrary to Regulation 1 of 1958 (*), pursuant to which, in
implementation of Article 217 of the EEC Treaty, the

No C 336 / 4 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

official and working languages of the institutions of the
European Community are German, French, Italian and
Dutch, for a number of years only French and English have
been used as working languages, on cost grounds, although
German is the most widely spoken regional language in
Europe and German is spoken by the Member State with the
largest population ( now 80 million ). There is therefore a
language monopoly for the United Kingdom and France,
which these countries are unwilling to give up, while
German citizens are being flagrantly disadvantaged,
however, and this hampers not only access to information in
German, but also early involvement in the Community 's
legislative process .

What action does the Commission propose to take to
comply with Regulation 1 / 58 and, as is laid down, use
German as an official and working language of equal status,
and does the Commission propose to continue to cite high
translation costs, which account for only 2% of the
Community budget ( over 28 % of which is contributed by
the Federal Republic of Germany ) as justification for
denying Germans this right, as has been the case for
years ?

(!) OJ No 17, 6 . 10 . 1958, p . 385 .

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

In the province of Bergamo and Brescia instruments have
been set up to capture and kill birds, contrary to the
provisions of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC .

Does the Commission not plan to initiate infringement
proceedings against the Italian authorities for failure to
comply with the above Directive ?

C ) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p . 1 .

Supplementary answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 April 1994 )

The Commission has contacted the Italian authorities to

remind them of the obligation to ensure that the provisions
of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC are complied with on their
territory, in particular as regards hunting .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-637 / 93

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

( 23 November 1993 ) to the Commission

(5 April 1993 )

The practice of the Commission as regards the use of ( 94 / C 336 / 07 )
languages was confirmed on the adoption of its new Rules of
Procedure C ), which entered into force on 11 September
1993 : Subject : Slaughter of domestic animals ( dogs and cats )

— documents intended for external use are submitted in the

official languages of the European Communities,
namely Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek,
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish ;

— documents for internal Commission use only are drafted

in the languages corresponding to actual requirements .
In the case of documents submitted to the Members of

the Commission for a Decision, a German version is
always available .

0 ) OJ No L 230, 11 . 9 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 105 / 92

by Virginio Bettini and Gianfranco Amendola ( V )

to the Commission

According to press reports, the German Government has
ordered the slaughter of dogs to be suspended .

Will the Commission confirm whether dogs have in fact

been slaughtered in the Federal Republic of Germany and, if
so, when this practice was suspended ?

What inspections does the Community carry out to monitor
and prevent the slaughter of domestic animals ( dogs and
cats ) and their use for food ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-686 / 93

by Virginio Bettini ( V )

to the Commission

(6 April 1993 )

( 14 December 1992 ) ( 94 / C 336 / 08 )

( 94 / C 336 / 06 )

Subject : Dogs intended for slaughter

Subject : Bird-catching at Pontida ( BG ) in Lombardy
( Italy )

Bird-catching is prohibited under Directive 79 / 409 / EEC (*)
on the conservation of wild birds .

An estimated 4 000 dogs are imported annually from Italy
into Germany for slaughter . Dogs are also imported into
Germany from Spain and Greece . The animals are
slaughtered, the meat is sold and the hides tanned .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 5

In Germany the slaughtering of dogs is authorized by law . Answer given by Mrs Scrivener
What steps will the Commission take to put an end to this on behalf of the Commission
commerce and harmonize legislation in the various Member ( 25 October 1993 )
States ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-63 7 / 934 and E-686 / 93

given by Mr Steichen
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 June 1993 )

According to the information available to the Commission
no Member State allows the slaughter of dogs or cats for
human consumption . The Commission does not, therefore,
intend to propose any measures on the subject .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-796 / 93

by Ursula Braun-Moser ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 19 April 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 09 )

Subject : Distortion of competition in passenger transport

resulting from the ' place of departure ' criterion
contained in the Sixth VAT Directive

In its proposal for a Council Directive amending the
Directive on the value added tax arrangements applicable to
passenger transport the Commission uses the ' place of
departure ' criterion in assessing the rate to be applied, that is
to say the normal, reduced or zero rate .

This rule can lead to distortion of competition between the
Member States using the normal rate and neighbouring
States using the zero or reduced rate, since it encourages
companies to select a place of departure outside their
national borders in order to benefit from lower tax rates .

This places German companies, which are subject to a 15 %
rate, at a distinct disadvantage .

Moreover, the Commission proposal to levy the full rate of
value added tax on transport services will make passenger
transport in the EC relatively more expensive than travel to
third countries . This would lead to considerable losses in the

EC tourist sector .

The Commission 's proposal for a Directive amending the
Sixth VAT Directive is aimed merely at establishing a new
rule of territorial application for passenger transport by
road or inland waterway whereby the place of departure will
be used as the criterion for determining the place where the
service is provided .

The new rule is necessary because, following the abolition of
checks at the Community 's internal borders, it has become
difficult to apply the existing rule, according to which
transport is taxed on the basis of the distances covered in the
different Member States .

The proposal allows Member States to maintain existing
exemptions, whatever the means of transport used . Closer
approximation of VAT rates is to be achieved at a later
stage, on the basis of a study that is to take particular
account of the situation with regard to competition . In
addition Directive 92 / 77 / EEC (*) on the approximation of
rates allows Member States to tax passenger transport at a
reduced rate of not less than 5% .

All these measures are likely to limit considerably the
re-location of departure points and price increases . As
regards the risk of re-location, the Commission is looking
into a measure to deter carriers from choosing a
non-member country as a fictitious place of departure for an
intra-Community road journey . Furthermore, the amount
of VAT currently charged on transport services varies
considerably depending on the countries crossed, owing to
differences between the arrangements applied by Member
States . The Commission 's proposal cannot therefore be
expected to lead to a systematic increase in prices .

(!) OJ No L 316, 31 . 10 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-826 / 93

by Sir James Scott Hopkins ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 21 April 1993 )

94 / C 336 / 10 )

Subject : Increasing freight by rail

Is the Commission aware of these distortions of competition
and what steps can it take to remedy them ? What proposals does the Commission intend to bring

forward to encourage greater use of the railways for freight
(M COM(92 ) 416 final . throughout the Community ? With some 90% of freight

No C 336 / 6 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

throughout the Community going by road, is not this a most Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
urgent problem, particularly with regard to environmental on behalf of the Commission
considerations ?
( 22 June 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 October 1993 )

The great majority of freight transport in the Community
consists of short distance movements which are not suitable
for rail transport . In relation to the long distance, high
volume flows, where the railways can offer an efficient
alternative to road, the Commission has indicated its
intention to support rail transport . However, all
Commission actions have to respect the Community rules
notably on competition and State aids . With this proviso the
Commission has already proposed that a network of routes
suitable for combined road / rail ( x ) transport be established
in the Community . When the proposal is approved it will
provide the base for Community support for appropriate
infrastructure measures . The Commission has also recently
instigated a new programme, under Commission Decision
93 / 45 / EEC ( 2 ) designed to improve the quality of service on
combined transport ( PACT, Pilot Actions for Combined
Transport ). The impact of these measures will also be
enhanced by the recent Council agreement on the
introduction of new fiscal measures for road freight

transport .

The Framework Agreement for commercial and economic
cooperation of 20 September 1976 between the European
Communities and Canada ( x ) is inspired, as stated in its
preamble, by the common heritage, special affinity and
shared aspirations which unite the countries of the
European Communities and Canada . The Trans-atlantic
Declaration on relations between the Community and
Canada of 22 November 1990 reiterates the common
attachment to those shared values and explicitly includes the
commitment to support democracy, the rule of law, and
respect for human rights and individual liberty .

There is no doubt that those openly proclaimed objectives
encompass inter alia the rights and liberties of minority
groups, including the aboriginal populations . The
Commission scrupulously respects this principle in its
relations with Canada .

(!) OJ No L 260, 24 . 9 . 1976 .

(!) COM(92 ) 239 final .
( 2 ) OJ No L 16, 26 . 1 . 1993 . WRITTEN QUESTION E-1216 / 93

by Leen van der Waal ( EDN )

to the Commission

( 18 May 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 12 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-996 / 93

by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE )

to the Commission

(3 May 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 11 )

Subject : Special interests of aboriginal peoples

The Community has signed a number of international
agreements with third countries affecting the interests and
demands of the aboriginal communities in those countries
who are concerned is that long-standing treaties signed with
the former central government should be upheld and that
their ancient customs and ways of life be respected .

A case in point is Canada . Can the Commission say whether
and how it takes account of the interests and the demands of

the aboriginal communities ( Inuit, Mic-mac etc .) in shaping
its relations with Canada, e.g. in the fisheries sector ?

Subject : Swine vesicular disease

On 26 March 1993 the Commission issued a Decision

( 93 / 179 / EEC ) ( 1 ) repealing Decision 93 / 128 / EEC ( 2 )
concerning certain protection measures with regard to
swine vesicular disease, in the Netherlands and Italy .

In the fourth recital the Commission states that certain
protection measures specific to the situation in the
Netherlands and Italy must be adopted with regard to swine
vesicular disease .

What protection measures are these, and why do they need
to be adopted only for the situation in the Netherlands and
Italy and not for all Member States ?

0 OJ No L 74, 27 . 3 . 1993, p . 93 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 50, 2 . 3 . 1993, p . 29 .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 7

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(3 August 1993 )

In February the swine vesicular disease situation within the
Community required the establishment of some additional
protection measures to ensure that the disease did not
spread via trade in live pigs . The Commission thus adopted
Decision 93 / 128 / EEC concerning certain protection
measures, with regard to swine vesicular disease, in the
Netherlands and Italy . These interim measures, were
reviewed by the Standing Veterinary Committee and on
26 March 1993 replaced by measures in Decision
93 / 177 / EEC ( 1 ). Subject to certain health conditions listed in
Decision 93 / 177 / EEC pigs originating from the Netherlands
and Italy could again enter into intra-Community trade .
Further on 26 March 1993 the Commission adopted
Decision 93 / 178 / EEC 0 ) whereby all Member States were
requested to participate in a specified serological screening
programme and to apply the same protection measures
when swine vesicular disease is suspected and confirmed .
The interim measures introduced by Decision 93 / 128 / EEC
were only established as specific disease problems occurred
in the Netherlands and Italy .

The general Community measures for the control of swine
vesicular disease are given in Council Directive
92 / 119 / EEC ( 2 ), and the measures provided for in this
Directive are applicable in all Member States .

3 . What steps has the Commission taken to ensure that

these recalcitrant States do comply ?

4 . Has the Commission recommended taking this matter
up in the Court of Justice ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(7 July 1993 )

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission 's

Report to the Parliament on its control of the application of
Community law, 1992 (*), and to the Commission 's report
on ' Quality of Bathing Water, 1991 '.

(!) COM(93 ) 320 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1501 / 93

by Rogério Brito ( CG )

to the Commission

( 14 June 1993 )

(») OJ No L 74, 27 . 3 . 1993 . ( 94 / C 336 / 14 )

( 2 ) OJ No L 62, 15 . 3 . 1993 .

Subject : The right of organization and the principles of

representation, association and transparency in
the Portuguese agricultural sector

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 227 / 93

by Lord O'Hagan ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 18 May 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 13 )

Subject : Pollution of water and beaches

The Commission will be aware that European Community
legislation on the purity of water and beaches is very
expensive to enforce, particularly in the south-west of the
United Kingdom .

1 . Is the Commission satisfied that all Member States are

complying with the legislation on this topic ?

2 . Which Member States are not fully complying ?

Without any constitutional or legal basis under national or
Community law, the Portuguese Government is continuing
arbitrarily to give sole recognition or, to be more precise, to
impose as the sole socio-professional interlocutor in the
Portuguese agricultural sector the Confederation of
Portuguese Farmers ( CAP ). In this way it is shouldering
aside the most significant organization in terms of real
influence and representativity of small and medium-sized
farmers, the National Farmers ' Confederation ( CNA ). At
the same time, it is attempting to reduce or detract from the
scope and effectiveness of measures by associated producer
organizations, such as the Association of Tras-os-Montes
Farmers ( two documents received by the signatory
concerning this question have been forwarded to the
Commission to date ).

Moreover such a situation encourages favouritism in and
the absence of transparency, is even conducive to fraud,
with the CAP being involved in cases of corruption
perpetrated by those in positions of authority and associated
organizations . The CAP is also accused of abuse of influence
and of political and financial privileges wrongfully accorded

No C 336 / 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

by the Government, leading to unfair discrimination
between similar organizations, preventing the democratic
expression of the wishes and organizational structures of
Portuguese farmers and undermining the Community 's own
credibility .

Since the Commission 's attention has already been drawn to
this on other occasions and the author of this question is
awaiting an answer to a question tabled by him several
months ago, what steps has the Commission taken or will it
take to ensure that the rights and principles of
representation, association and transparency are respected
and given the necessary credibility ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1607 / 93

by Bryan Cassidy ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 18 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 15 )

Subject : Supplement ' C ' and ' S ' to the Official Journal of

the European Communities

Can the Commission provide me with the current
breakdown of the circulation of the ' C ' an ' S ' series to the

Official Journal of the European Communities, separately
by Member State ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro
( 18 March 1994 ) on behalf of the Commission

( 19 November 1993 )
The Honourable Member 's attention is drawn to the
No Commission 573 / 93 from 's supplementary Mr Brito ( M. answer to Written Question The ' C ' series of the Official Journal of the European

(M OJ No C 268, 26 . 9 . 1994, p . 3 .

Communities is normally distributed with the ' L ' series . The
breakdown by Member State of the circulation for each
number of L + C and S was, at the beginning of June

1993 :

Series B DK D GR E F IRL I L NL P UK Total

L + C 4 597 563 2 235 421 2 275 2 361 158 2 410 1 715 778 841 1 426 19 780

S 996 644 1 595 80 389 1225 95 957 674 690 212 3 508 11 065

Total 5 593 1 207 3 830 501 2 664 3 586 253 3 367 2 389 1 468 1 053 4 934 30 845

QUESTION E-l 706 / 93 I have tabled dozens of questions to the Commission on the

Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE ) way in which it constantly attempts to play down the

the Commission importance of lesser-used languages . Many of these

questions have not been answered . Can the Commission tell
( 28 June 1993 ) me if an answer will be forthcoming, and if so, when ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 706 / 93

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

( 94 / C 336 / 16 )

Subject : Use of languages

I read a notice of invitation to open tender in connection
with the LED A Action Research Programme (*).

In point 6 ( c ) of the notice, the Commission States that
tenders must be submitted in one of the official languages of
the Community, but that it would be appreciated if French
or English were used .

Why did the Commission do this ? Does it not think that it is
contravening the language provisions adopted by the
-, Council in accordance with Article 217 of the Treaty

establishing the European Economic Community ?

(!) OJ No C 39, 13 . 2.J993 .

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1993 )

The notice of tender for the LEDA Action-Research

Programme states that

' It would be appreciated when submission is in a
language other than French or English, if a translation in
either language could also be attached to facilitate
understanding and accelerate examination of
proposals '.

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 9

The objective here is simply to accelerate the overall
procedure for the examination of submissions, which is of
benefit to tenderers, who often wait for a considerable time
before being informed of the results of tender procedures .
There was no obligation on the part of tenderers to provide a
translation .

The Commission accepts, however, that the notice might be
interpreted as such, and will not include this phrase in future
tenders .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 798 / 93

In addition, the Commission intends to pursuit the
possibility of mutual recognition by Member States of
existing travel card schemes for older people .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 886 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 15 July 1993 )

by Anita Pollack ( PSE ) ( 94 / C 336 / 18 )

to the Commission

( 20 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 17 ) Subject : Special vehicle taxes maintaining fiscal disparity

on the European car market

Subject : Europass for pensioners

Following the Commission recommendation
89 / 350 / EEC (*) on a Europass for pensioners which was
supposed to have been implemented by January 1991 but
which has not been put into practice in any of the 12
Member States to date, will the Commission admit it has
caved in to the overwhelming pressure from Member States
to do nothing about this recommendation ?

If it is in fact to be ignored will the Commission have the
honesty to withdraw it and, if not, will it outline the steps it
plans to pursue its implementation ?

(!) OJ No L 144, 27 . 5 . 1989, p . 59 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 20 October 1993 )

The Commission has been carrying on discussions with
Member States on implementation of its recommendation
of 10 May 1989 on a European Over Sixties ' Card .

In order to increase awareness in the field of concessions to

older people travelling outside their own countries a Report
on ' Travel and Culture : Access to Concessions by Older
people in Europe ' and a Travel Guide showing special
advantages were published . Copy of the report and the
guide are transmitted direct to the Honourable Member and
to the Secretariat - General of the Parliament .

Based on a suggestion made by a wide range of interests in
the ageing field the Commission intends to promote a
symbol for special concessions for older people in the area of
culture and leisure throughout the Community .

There is still significant fiscal disparity on the European car
market even since 1 January 1993 because some national
authorities have maintained special taxes on new ( and even
used ) cars . What possibilities are open to the Commission to
take measures to abolish these taxes ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 1993 )

In accordance with Article 3 ( 3 ) of Council Directive
92 / 12 / EEC of 25 February 1992 on the general
arrangements for products subject to excise duty and on the
holding, movement and monitoring of such products, (*)
Member States may introduce or maintain taxes levied on
products other than mineral oils, alcohol and alcoholic
beverages, and manufactured tobacco provided that those
taxes do not give rise to border-crossing formalities in trade
between Member States .

If Member States chose to apply such taxes and if the latter
satisfied the above condition and were consistent with

Article 95 of the EEC Treaty, those taxes could not, subject
to examination, be regarded as being in breach of
Community tax rules .

(!) OJ No L 76, 23 . 3 . 1992 .

No C 336 / 10 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1904 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( IS July 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 19 )

Subject : Energy problem of the Greek islands

The Greek islands, or at least some of them, are faced with a
serious energy problem . What steps will the Commission
take to solve this problem ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 November 1993 )

The answer to the Honourable Member 's question can be
found in the Commission 's report of 23 December 1992 on
the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea ( x ).

In this report the Commission sets out proposals which take
account of the specific needs, considered collectively, of the
smaller and medium-sized Greek islands of the Aegean Sea,
with the exception of Crete and Evvia .

(!) COM(92 ) 569 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2036 / 93
by Carlos Perreau de Pinninck Domenech ( RDE )

to the Commission

( 23 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 20

notice of contracts awarded only states the total number of
firms participating in an invitation to tender . There are no
plans for a breakdown by Member State .

The nine language versions in the Official Journal are
published simultaneously in Luxembourg and placed in the
postal system in the nine Member States on the day of
publication .

The electronic version is available on the TED data base
which contains all the published notices from the day of
publication . They remain accessible until the deadline . The
TED data base is available worldwide .

Information concerning notices of invitation to tender is
available from the Commission 's Euro-info centres .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2156 / 93

by Mark Killilea ( RDE )

to the Commission

( 26 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 21 )

Subject : International Year of the Family

1994 has been designated International Year of the
Family .

Can the Commission indicate at this stage what measures, if
any, it intends to take in support of this event, and if so, what
level of funding is envisaged for such measures ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Community tenders published in the Official ( 19 October 1993 )

Journal of the European Communities

Can the Commission supply information on the
participation of Spanish firms in Community tenders
published in the Official Journal of the European
Communities f

Could it also state whether the Official Journal is published
on the same date in all the Member States ?

If not, do businessmen in the various Member States have
other means at their disposal for finding out about such
invitations to tender ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 November 1993 )

The number of Spanish firms participating in invitations to
tender published in the Official Journal is not available . The

The Commission is planning a number of initiatives as a

Community contribution to the International Year of the
Family .

It is currently preparing a report on Europeans ' perceptions
of the family today ( subjects such as marriage, divorce, role
of the father and the mother and children 's education,
reconciling family life with a career, and solidarity between
the generations ), based on a recently completed
Eurobarometer survey . The report will be available at the
start of 1994 and will be disseminated to a wide

audience .

At the same time, the Commission is in the process of
organizing a conference on the future of the family, to take
place in the second half of 1994 . The level of funding will
depend on the resources available to the Commission for the
family in 1994 .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 11

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2163 / 93 Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission (3 May 1994 )

( 26 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 22 )

Subject : Rehabilitation of ex-offenders

Does the Commission have details of schemes in all 12

Member States for rehabilitation of ex-offenders ? What

steps does it intend to take to coordinate information in this
area ?

Does the Commission have details of which Member States

have legislation similar to that of the United Kingdom 's
' Rehabilitation of Offenders Act ' which allows less serious

crimes not to be disclosed after a certain period of time has
elapsed ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1994 )

The Commission is using the opportunity offered by the
decision of Parliament in its final adoption of the 1993
budget to develop knowledge on Member State policy and
practice on all aspects of the reintegration of ex-offenders
into employment and the labour market . This activity aims
to package and disseminate this information and to help
develop and improve Member State action through this

process .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2164 / 93

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 28 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 23 )

Subject : Rehabilitation and employment of ex-offenders

How much money has been allocated to the budget line for
research and policy projects in the area of ex-offenders ?

What are the main decision criteria for allocating the
money ? What specific examples of projects have been
funded under this budget line ?

In 1993, the amount allocated by Parliament for this activity
was ECU 1,5 million . No specific amount was allocated in
the 1994 budget .

The principal criteria for allocating funds are :

— improving knowledge of policies and practice of the

Member States

— improving policies and actions by supporting research,

development and evaluation

— contributing to a better understanding of the particular

approaches to integration needed by ex-offenders

— demonstration of either transnational activity or
transfer of trans-national lessons

— projects must be for activity with a clear labour market

link .

In 1993, the Commission supported 12 projects under this
budget line . Among the projects were APRES ( Belgium ),
Equipo Estrategias ( Spain ), I.A.R.D. ( Italy ), NI-ACRO

( Northern Ireland ), and Lawtec ( UK ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2207 / 93

by Gianfranco Amendola ( V ), Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V ) and

Paul Staes ( V )

to the Commission

( 29 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 24 )

Subject : Implementation by the Commission of the policy

of transparency in its relations with Parliament 's
representatives

Whereas on 2 June 1993 the Commission issued a press
release ( IP(93 ) 427 ) informing the press that the
Commission had adopted internal rules to ensure more
effectively that other Community policies took
environmental considerations into account ;

whereas the document containing those rules is not being
supplied to Members of Parliament on the instructions of
the private office of Commissioner Paleokrassas, who is
forbidding its distribution,

1 . can the Commission say whether the contents of
Directive 90 / 313 / EEC ( l ) also apply to the
Commission ?

2 . irrespective of its reply to that question, can it say
whether it considers that it should comply with that
Directive in its relations with Parliament ?

No C 336 / 12 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

3 . can it say why Parliament 's representatives may not

know in detail what arrangements the Commission is
making to implement more effectively Article 13 Or of
the Treaty but must be contented with a meagre press
release ?

4 . can it say how it understands the concept of
transparency in its relations with Parliament and its
representatives ?

0 ) OJ No L 158, 23 . 6 . 1990, p . 56 .

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 November 1993 )

The spirit and contents of Directive 90 / 313 / EEC will be
observed by the Commission in its relations with the
Parliament even though the Directive is addressed to the
Member States .

On 2 June, the Commission agreed a series of measures
designed to ensure that the Commission in it 's own work
would take account of the need to ensure a better integration
of environmental protection requirements into the
definition and implementation of Community policies . A
copy of the Commission 's internal documents is sent
directly to the Honourable Member and to the
Secretariat-General of Parliament . Its detailed contents were
also communicated in a press release issued after the meeting
and were thus made available to the Honourable

Members .

The Commission 's interpretation of the concept of
transparency is set out in a number of communications on
the matter (*) transmitted to the Parliament, the Council and
the Economic and Social Committee .

( J ) OJ No C 63, 5 . 3 . 1993 ; OJ No C 156, 8 . 6 . 1993 ; OJ No C 166,

17 . 6 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2234 / 93

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 1994 )

The results of testing for clenbuterol and other beta-agonists
reflect largely the volume of testing and the method of
selection of the live and slaughtered animals for sampling .
Member States do not all have the same strategy . In some
cases programmes are based largely on random sampling, in
others a more targetted approach is applied, focussed on
suspect animals or on fattening farms . The diversity of
approach among the Member States makes it difficult to
carry out a valid comparison of results . Member States are
not required to publish results of analyses .

In its communication of 21 April 1993 on residues ( ] ), the
Commission proposed that the rules be revised to ensure
that Member States operate comparable programmes, and
that sampling be based on a targetted approach . The
Commission 's proposals require also that results af residue
testing programmes be published by Member States . A ban
on beta-agonists for all purposes, other than the therapeutic
treatment of horses and of pet animals, is also proposed .

There has been a substantial increase, from some 12-000 in

1990, 100 000 in 1991 to 133 500 in 1992, in the number
of analyses for beta-agonists carried out by the Member
States . Some 300 positive results were identified in 1990,
1 500 in 1991 and 2 068 in 1992 .

The Commission is not aware of positive results following
analyses of meat from third countries .

(!) COM(93 ) 167 final .

by Anita Pollack ( PSE ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2271 / 93

to the Commission by Filippos Pierros ( PPE )

to the Commission
( 30 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 25 ) (1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 26 )

Subject : Anabolic steroids in beef

What are the number of recorded incidents of clenbuterol Subject : Human rights in Albania
abuses in

1 . each Member State individually,

2 . the EC as a whole,

3 . beef imported from third countries,

in each of the last three years ?

Article 1 of the Commercial and Economic Cooperation
Agreement between the European Community and Albania
stipulates that respect for democratic principles and human
rights, such as those enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act and
in the Paris Charter for a New Europe, constitutes an
essential component of this Agreement .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 13

Given that Article 21(3 ) of the same Agreement provides financial years and the use made of Community funds under
that part — or the whole — of this Agreement may be EC environment programmes ?
suspended in the case of serious violations of the main
provisions, will the Commission say what specific measures
it intends to take in an attempt to put an end to the flagrant
violations of human rights taking place in Albania which Answer given by Mr Millan

on behalf of the Commission

have recently come to a head with the expulsion of
Archimandrite Chrysostomos Maidonis ? (1 March 1994 )

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 1994 )

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

(9 November 1993 )

The Commission is closely monitoring the human rights
situation in Albania, paying special attention to the
treatment of religious groups . The Community and its
Member States have repeatedly reminded the Government
of Albania of its commitment to abide strictly by relevant
CSCE provisions .

In this context the adoption in March 1993 of a
constitutional law of human rights, which includes
provisions on the rights of minorities, has been a positive
step . However much still remains to be done with regard to
its implementation inter alia by the adoption of legislation to
ensure that all members of the Greek minority effectively
enjoy their fundamental rights . The work of the ' Albania
Task Force ', established by the Council of Europe earlier
this year on request of the President of Albania, is helpful in
this respect . The Community and its Member States will
continue to urge the Albanian authorities to take the

necessary measures .

The Commission will continue to follow closely
developments in the field of human rights and
democratisation in Albania favouring a constructive
dialogue between all the parties concerned .

The European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF )
supports operational programmes in Greece, not individual
projects .

Two environment programmes are part-funded : the Greek
operational programme on the environment and the Envireg
Community initiative .

In the case of the operational programme, the amount of
ERDF aid committed in each year is as follows :

( ECU million )

1990 0,44

1991 3,34

1992 3,86

1993 9,78

The ERDF aid committed each year for Greece under the
Envireg initiative is :

( ECU million )

1991 4,80

1992 13,16

1993 60,96

Expenditure carried out so far mainly involves municipal
waste water treatment plants and waste disposal .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2565 / 93

by Klaus Riskær Pedersen ( NI )

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2305 / 93
by Carmen Diez de Rivera Icaza ( PSE ) (1 September 1993 )

to the Commission ( 94 / C 336 / 28 )

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 27 ) Subject : Financial institutions ' solvency ratios

Subject : Appropriations allocated to Greece under the

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF )
and environmental programmes

Can the Commission give a breakdown of projects in Greece
which have received ERDF assistance in the past four

Details have appeared in the international financial press
concerning an extensive financial market on which leading
banks issue standby letters of credit which are transferred to
beneficiaries who subsequently can sell back the paper to the
banks . The issues are neither registered on any market nor to
be found in any electronic pricing or trading system . In
addition, apparently, the issues are off-balance-sheet items
for the issuing banks . Furthermore, purchased SLCs can

No C 336 / 14 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

reportedly be used by a bank as an asset for solvency ratio
calculations .

1 . Can the Commission confirm that such issues take place
and say how extensive the market is and which authority
supervises it, given that the market is largely
denominated in US dollars ?

2 . Can the Commission confirm that these issues enable

banks to expand their off-balance-sheet business, and
can it say whether it is true that the paper can be
regarded by certain financial institutions as an asset in
connection with solvency requirements ?

3 . Where are traders registered and how much
transparency is there for outsiders not involved in actual
trading, and is it correct that this is overwhelmingly an
electronic market ?

funds in the context of SLC transaction . If it buys stand-by
letters of credit from the beneficiary, this cannot lead to the
creation of own funds . If in issuing a stand-by letter of credit
it receives a deposit in return, that deposit cannot count as
an item of own funds .

3 . Apart from stand-by letters of credit being recorded
under the appropriate headings in the annual accounts of
banks, the Commission is unaware of any other register for
such transactions or of any information concerning such a
market in the Community .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2678 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(3 September 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi ( 94 / C 336 / 29 )

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 February 1994 )

1 . The Commission does not have any information on
the existence of an organized market in stand-by letters of
credit ( SLC ) in the Community . This does not mean that
these instruments may not have been bought and sold .
According to information from national authorities, such
operations between banks are rather rare and sometimes
they have been approached by third parties with fraudulent
intentions . For this reason the Commission is unable to

indicate the size of any such market .

As to supervision of operations by credit institutions, this is
a matter for the banking supervisory authorities of each
Member State as part of their prudential function,
specifically when they assess the solvency of the institutions
concerned .

2 . Each time a bank issues a stand-by letter of credit, the
' off-balance-sheet ' total is indeed increased and this must be

reflected in the ' off-balance-sheet ' section of the institution 's

annual accounts . It is not true, however, that such issues
may be considered as ' own funds ' under Council Directive
89 / 299 / EEC on the own funds of credit institutions . To the

contrary, SLC operations are risk items and therefore
require to be covered by own funds of the issuing institution
in accordance with Council Directive 89 / 647 / EEC on a

solvency ratio for credit institutions .

The Commission has difficulty in understanding how and in
what other form a credit institution might generate own

Subject : Checking the consistency of current legislation,

policies and Community programmes

Is the Commission satisfied with the measures taken to

check the consistency of current legislation, policies and
Community programmes with a view to bringing them into
line with each other ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 19 November 1993 )

The Commission is always attentive to the consistency of
legislation, policy and programmes in the Community . To
concentrate its efforts, it is gradually perfecting the planning
instruments which it presents to Parliament and the other
institutions from time to time . It considers that, in the light
of both the joint declaration of 21 April 1993 and the
Belgian programme for the Council Presidency for the
second half of 1993, considerable progress has been made
this year . It is determined to step up its practical
contribution to bringing about a more consistent
Community fabric ; the Treaty on European Union will
provide valuable support for this .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 15

Answer given by Mr Schmidhuber

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2724 / 93 Answer given by Mr
on behalf of the Commission

by Glyn Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission ( IS December 1993 )

(8 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 30 )

Subject : Role of medical secretaries

Can the Commission provide a State-by - State analysis of the
job description and comparative salary grading of medical
secretaries ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(4 November 1993 )

The Commission does not have the data requested by the
Honourable Member .

If the profession is a regulated profession for the purposes of
the general systems on the mutual recognition of
professional qualifications (*) the national co-ordinators
designated under the respective Directives ( Directive
89 / 48 / EEC (*) and Directive 92 / 51 / EEC ( 2 )) may be able to
give the information sought by the Honourable Member . A
current list of the co-ordinators is being sent direct to the
Honourable Member and to the Secretariat-General of the

Parliament .

The Irish authorities have applied for Community assistance
from the cohesion financial instrument for the first phase of
the Wexford Drainage Scheme and the Commission is
expected to approve this application shortly . This stage
includes the planning and design work for the scheme, and
the initial construction phase . It does not include the
interceptor sewer under the quays, which will be a later stage
of the construction programme . If the authorities wish to
receive Community assistance from the cohesion instrument
for the later stages of the scheme, it will be necessary to make
a further application . Until a formal application, with a
detailed description of what is proposed, is received, the
Commission cannot comment on the matter .

Similarly, if the project were to be co-financed under a
programme supported by the European Regional
Development Fund, the administering national authority
would need to ensure that Community law is to be complied
with before funding would be granted .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2784 / 93

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 28 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 32 )

(!) OJ No L 19, 24 . 1 . 1989 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 209, 24 . 7 . 1992 . Subject : Air pollution : Nitrogen dioxide

Given the detrimental effects to human health of nitrogen
dioxide, is the Commission satisfied that the limit values for
nitrogen dioxide emissions laid down in Directive
85 / 203 / EEC (*) are sufficiently stringent ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2775 / 93

by Patrick Cooney ( PPE )

to the Commission

Are any proposals being developed to tighten up these limit
values ?

( 28 September 1993 ) (!) OJ No L 87, 27 . 3 . 1985, p . 1 .

( 94 / C 336 / 31 )

Subject : Damage to Wexford Quays

Could the Commission inform me whether the Irish
authorities in seeking EC structural funding for the main
drainage project in Wexford, Ireland, involving the building
of an interceptor sewer along the Quays in Wexford
Harbour have taken into account the damage that may be
done to the famous Wooden Quays and to the present scale
of the Wexford Quays front ? Is the Commission happy that
these historic quays are to be destroyed and that the Irish
authorities have taken all possible measures to avoid this
outcome ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2785 / 93

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 28 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 33 )

Subject : Limit values for nitrogen dioxide

Is the UK conforming with the limit values for nitrogen
dioxide laid down in Directive 85 / 203 / EEC on air quality
standards for nitrogen dioxide ?

No C 336 / 16 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

Joint answer to Written Questions Answer given by Mr Millan

E-2 784 / 93 and E-2785 / 93 on behalf of the Commission

given by Mr Paleokrassas (1 March 1994 )
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )

The Commission has made a critical assessment of the air

quality policy introduced over the years since the 80s and
drawn a number of conclusions . These will be taken into

consideration in the draft Council framework Directive on

air quality assessment and management which will shortly
be put forward by the Commission .

One of the points covered in the draft will be the laying
down of environmental air quality objectives for a number
of substances, including in particular nitrogen dioxide . The
quality objectives proposed will be based on the
recommendations of competent working parties, in
particular the work now being carried out by the World
Health Organization . It is very likely that the limit values
currently in force will be revised ( downwards ).

On the subject of compliance by the United Kingdom with
the limit values laid down in Directive 85 / 203 / EEC, it would
appear from the information supplied by the UK authorities
that the threshold was exceeded once only in London in

1989 .

More generally, the Commission has started infringement
proceedings against the United Kingdom for failure to
implement the Directive fully . The various points raised in
the reasoned opinion sent include the problem of the
inadequate number of stations for the measurement of
ambient NO ? concentrations .

At the last meeting of the Monitoring Committee for the
operational programme for scientific infrastructure in
Spain, the Spanish authorities reported that virtually all the
funds had been committed and that payment under the
programme amounted to 57,09% .

The Spanish authorities draw up a record of each meeting of
the Monitoring Committee .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2922 / 93

by François Guillaume ( RDE )

to the Commission

( 18 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 35 )

Subject : Scope of the monopoly granted to undertakers in

certain Member States

In certain Member States, particular undertakers hold a
recognized monopoly at local level, in that they have
contracts granting them the exclusive right to provide
services .

Can the Commission say whether, in the light of
Community law — particularly Article 86 of the Treaty
establishing the European Economic Community — such an
arrangement can prevent an undertaker without exclusive
rights from providing undertaking services against payment,
at the request of the family of a deceased person, within the
territory of a municipality which has granted exclusive
rights to another undertaker ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2894 / 93 ( 27 January 1994 )

by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 11 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 34 )

Subject : Evaluation of the operational research programme

in Spain

Can the Commission give details of the state of
implementation of the operational research programme in
Spain and release the progress reports pertaining thereto ?

In its preliminary ruling of 4 May 1988 in Case 30 / 87
Bodson v. Pompes funebres des regions liberees (*), the
Court of Justice held that

' Article 86 of the EEC Treaty applies in a case in which a
number of communal monopolies are granted to a single
group of undertakings whose market strategy is
determined by the parent company, in a situation in
which those monopolies cover a certain part of the
national territory and relate to the " external services "
for funerals,

— where the activities of the group, and the

monopoly enjoyed by the undertakings in

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 17

question over a part of the territory of a Member
State, affect the importation of goods from other
Member States or the possibility for competing
undertakings established in other Member States
to provide services in the first-mentioned Member
State,

where the group of undertakings occupies a
dominant position characterized by a position of
economic strength which enables it to hinder
effective competition on the market in funerals,
and

where that group of undertakings charges unfair
prices, even though the level of those prices is
fixed by the contract specifications which form
part of the conditions of the contract for the
concession .'

the federal level, and that their sphere of competence is not
marked out by clear-cut, exclusive powers which would,
furthermore, be difficult to uphold in court under our legal
system ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2939 / 93

by Victor Arbeloa Muru ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 18 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 37 )

Subject : The benefits of subsidiarity
The situation referred to by the Honourable Member, which
involves the effects, at local level, of national legislation on a
single communal monopoly, and not a group of communal Does the Commission not feel that from a political
monopolies as in case before the Court of Justice, does not standpoint, in addition to making Community bodies aware
seem to be caught by Article 86 of the EC Treaty, which of the issue of regionalism and acting as a criterion for the
concerns the existence of dominant positions within a allocation of powers, the subsidiarity principle can also
substantial part of the common market . Nevertheless, it provide valid grounds for the designation or creation of new
cannot be excluded that such a situation may be referred to levels of responsibility and, in short, a generalization and
the national authorities under national competition law . strengthening of regionalism in the Community ?

Moreover, if the Honourable Member, in referring to
certain Member States, essentially has France in mind, it
should be pointed out that the communal monopoly in
question, which was established by the Law of 28 December

1904 and liberalized to a certain degree in 1986, was
abolished, albeit subject to transitional provisions, by Law
No 93-23 of 8 January 1993 amending Title VI of Book III
of the Municipal Code and governing funerals ( 2 ).

f 1 ) [ 19881 ECR 2479 .
( 2 ) Journal officiel de la République française, 9 January 1993,

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2935 / 93 and E-2939 / 93

given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 January 1994 )

p . 499 .
The principle of subsidiarity inspired the wording of the
second paragraph of Article A of the Treaty on European
Union, which states that decisions are to be taken as closely
as possible to the citizen .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2935 / 93

by Victor Arbeloa Muru ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 18 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 36 )

Subject : Local authorities and the subsidiarity principle

Does the Commission not feel that local authorities are,
more than anyone, in need of the subsidiarity principle,
given that the principle of local autonomy lacks the
conceptual, procedural and organizational basis obtaining
in respect of relations between States or communities and

However, the application of subsidiarity to the relations
between Member States and regional or local authorities is a
matter of institutional organization within each Member
State and falls within the competence of each Member State .
Nevertheless, the Commission is convinced that regional
and local authority involvement in the project of European
construction is essential .

The establishment in the Treaty on European Union of the
Committee of the Regions is an important step towards
greater participation by regional and local authorities,
whose position is also strengthened in institutional terms .

No C 336 / 18 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2975 / 93

by Panayotis Roumeliotis ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 25 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 38 )

Subject : Problems with markets for Greek peaches

According to recent statements by representatives of
farming cooperatives and Greek civil servants, 30 % of this
year 's peach crop in central Macedonia ( some 350 000
tonnes ) will be withdrawn from the market because of the
impossibility of transporting produce through the former
Yugoslavia .

How does the Commission intend to deal with this problem
faced by Greek producers ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 1994 )

To deal with the problem referred to by the Honourable
Member, the Council has granted aid of ECU 2,3 per 100 kg
for the marketing years 1991 / 92 and 1992 / 93 ( to be
increased to ECU 4 per 100 kg from 1 October 1993 ) for
Greek fruit and vegetables dispatched to other Member
States with the exception of Italy, Spain and Portugal
( Regulations ( EEC ) No 525 / 92, ( EEC ) No 3438 / 92 and

( EEC ) No 936 / 93 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3002 / 93
by Raphael Chanterie ( PPE ), José Valverde López ( PPE ),
Karl-Heinz Florenz ( PPE ), Caroline Jackson ( PPE ), Ursula

Schleicher ( PPE ), Mary Banotti ( PPE ) and

Ria Oomen-Ruiiten ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 39 )

Subject : Fifth Environmental Action Programme

1 . The Fifth Programme of policy and action in relation
to the environment and sustainable development is intended
to halt the relentless deterioration of the general state of the
environment by means of changes in the ecological
structure . What measures could initiate a fundamental
change of ecological course, and when does the Commission
expect to submit proposals for this purpose ?

2 . What new political, legislative and financial measures
has the Commission already taken, or does it intend to take,

following the UN Conference on Environment and
Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 ?

3 . What measures does the Commission intend to take to

coordinate environment policy within the Commission and
in the individual Directorates-General in a worthwhile and

efficient manner ? Does the current organizational structure
of the Commission ensure comprehensive and legally
effective application of the fundamental principle laid down
in Article 130r ( 2 ) of the EEC Treaty that environmental
protection requirements shall be a component of the
Community 's other policies ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 April 1994 )

1 . The adoption of the Community 's Fifth Environment
Action Programme ' Towards Sustainability ' has already
launched a fundamental change of the Community
environmental policy . The programme 's main objective is to
change the present patterns of consumption, production
and behaviour . Only by socio-economic measures built on
partnership can the structural changes needed to reach
sustainable development be achieved . One of the key
elements here is the integration of environmental
considerations into other policies and sectors . The
Programme focuses on five economic sectors : industry,
energy, transport, agriculture and tourism .

Measures in the Programme will be introduced over the next
years as far as there is a need to do this at Community level .
In 1993 the Commission proposed several new measures
and began discussions with representatives of a range of
sectors . In November 1993 together with the Belgian
Presidency, the Commission organized a major conference
on ' Environment and Development / Towards a European
Model of Sustainable Development ', at which
representatives of public authorities, industry, NGOs and
academia gave their view on how to achieve sustainability
and shared responsibility and how to measure progress
through the use of indicators .

In the spirit of subsidiarity and shared responsibility, these
measures will complete those introduced at national,
sub-national and company level .

2 . The implementation of the outcome of Unced has to
be seen as a long-term, cross-sectoral endeavour which
affects almost every aspect of the Community 's internal and
external policies . The Fifth Programme forms the key
element of the implementation within the Community,
while the decisions are also being progressively integrated
into the Community cooperation policy . The Community
submitted a progress report on the initial follow-up to
Unced at the first substantive session of the UN Commission

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 19

on Sustainable Development ( CSD ). A copy of this report is
sent to the Honourable Member and to Secretariat-General

of the Parliament . A new report to the CSD is in preparation
and will be submitted at the second session .

3 . On 2 June 1993 the Commission adopted a series of
internal measures which, in compliance with Article 130 of
the EC Treaty, are designed to ensure a better integration of
environmental protection requirements and of sustainable
development into its preparation of proposals for
Community policies as well as into its on-going activities .
This set of mechanisms will strengthen and improve existing
procedures and practices and seek to ensure that
environment considerations are taken into account at the

early stages of definition of policy and action . In considering
all its actions, the Commission will examine if there are
implications for the environment and will assess their
impact if this is the case . The Commission 's legislative
programme will indicate which proposals require such an

assessment .

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 January 1994 )

In 1993 an assistance service for holiday-makers was piloted
in Italy, at the initiative and with the financial support of the
Commission, by an Italian consumer association .

This experiment proved to be a great success amongst
consumers in general and among tourists who encountered
difficulties during their holidays . First results show that over
5 000 complaints were introduced, mainly concerning
over-booking and other hotel problems .

The deadline for transposing Council Directive
90 / 314 / EEC (*) of package travel, package holidays and
package tours was 31 December 1992, and so it is not
possible to establish a link between the problems referred to
and failure to implement the Directive properly . Hence it
would seem premature to consider statutory amendments at
this stage .

At any event, and before taking other initiatives, the
Commission intends to widen the experiment in 1994 to
other Member States with a big tourist trade .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3020 / 93

by Luigi Vertemati ( PSE ) OJ No L 158, 23 . 6 . 1990 .

to the Commission

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 40

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3055 / 93

Subject : Holidays and consumer protection

A service referred to as ' pronto soccorso vacanze ' ( holiday
rescue service ), set up by consumer protection groups
belonging to the European Bureau of Consumers ' Unions,
operated in southern Europe during the summer of

1993 .

This has shown that there are many cases of hotels, travel
agencies and tourist organizations failing to provide
satisfactory services .

Will the Commission therefore state whether a

country-by-country survey of the work of the ' holiday
rescue service ', in the various countries of southern Europe
has been carried out and whether its results could be made

available ?

Has this survey highlighted the need to deal with problems
in this area through legislative proposals to supplement the
Directive on package holidays ?

Does the Commission intend to propose any initiatives in
the coming months to deal with the problem of failure to
provide satisfactory tourist services ?

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 29 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 41 )

Subject : Measures taken by the Zurich multinational

insurance company

According to a report by the International Federation of
Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical
Employees ( FIET ), 15 avenue de Balexert, 1269 Chatelaine
— Geneva ( Switzerland ), appearing in its journal ( Issue
No 5, 1993 ) the Zurich insurance company recently
launched what can only be described as a text-book example
of a social dumping offensive . In January 1993 it purchased
part of the British Municipal Mutual Insurance Co . ( MMI )
— one of the largest insurance companies in the United
Kingdom (2 300 staff in the spring of 1992 providing
services to local authorities and frequently to other
members ) — the Zurich cancelled the collective agreement
with the MSF Union concluded 20 years previously .

At the beginning of March 1993, almost 1 600 MMI posts
were transferred to the new employer, the Zurich
Municipal, staff having to accept without consultation, the
immediate revocation of their pension entitlements,

No C 336 / 20 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

forfeiting their MMI cover for the considerably lower involved simple acquisition of capital in the company
benefits offered by the Zurich company . The director of the concerned .
new company subsequently stated that it was not the policy
of the Zurich company to sign written agreements with any
recognized union and would take measures to end the
current agreement, since collective agreements were not
binding and no period of notice was required . In my
opinion, this is a gross violation of ILO Conventions,
European directives ( particularly with regard to
consultation in respect of redundancies, restructuring and WRITTEN QUESTION E-3064 / 93
company transfers ) and the spirit of the European Social by Honor Funk ( PPE ) and Reimer Boge ( PPE )
Charter .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3064 / 93

by Honor Funk ( PPE ) and Reimer Boge ( PPE )

to the Commission

What is the Commission 's opinion and what steps will it
take ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 January 1994 )

Community law contains no provisions concerning trade
union rights . The Community Charter of Fundamental
Social Rights for Workers set out certain principles
regarding freedom of association and collective bargaining,
but it is not legally binding .

Under Article 118 of the EC Treaty, the Commission has a
responsibility to promote close cooperation between
Member States which extends to ' the right of association,
and collective bargaining between employers and
workers '.

The Commission has no plans to submit proposals to the
Council on harmonizing trade union rights at European
level . This matter is in any case no longer within the
Community 's jurisdiction in the social field as set down in
the Agreement on Social Policy annexed to the Treaty on
European Union .

Concerning the Community Directives on collective
redundancies ( 75 / 129 / EEC ) and transfers of businesses
( 77 / 1 87 / EEC ), non-recognition of the unions by MMI 's new
management could present a problem if, in future, it stands
in the way of the requirement for information and
consultation of workers ' representatives in the conditions
set down in these two Directives .

A further point is that Directive 77 / 1 87 / EEC provides for
the transfer of work contracts maintaining full observance
of the obligations and rights of the parties in the event of any
business transfer within the meaning of the Directive . This
includes collective agreements in force at the time of
transfer, which remain applicable at least until their expiry
date . However, in this case it would first have to be
established whether Zurich 's takeover of MMI was in fact a

' transfer of undertaking ' within the meaning of the said
Directive, which would not be the case if the operation

(5 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 42 )

Subject : Audit of beneficiaries of export refunds

In its resolution of 12 February 1993 ( A3-0037 / 93 ) ( ! ) the
European Parliament welcomed the audit of beneficiaries of
expert refunds by the Court of Auditors and called on the
Court of Auditors to further extend it . In this connection

and, in particular, concerning the carrying out of audits by
the Court of Justice the following points arise :

1 . The final paragraph of Article 87 of the consolidated

version of the Financial Regulation applicable to the
general budget of the European Communities ( 2 ) reads
as follows :

' The grant of Community funds to beneficiaries
outside the institution shall be subject to the
agreement in writing by the recipients to an audit
being carried out by the Court of Auditors on the
utilization of the amounts granted '

Although these Financial Regulation provisions are, as
such, only directly binding on the Commission, does the
Commission nevertheless take the view that they are,
without further transposition, also binding on private
undertakings receiving subsidies and, if so, on what legal
basis ?

2 . If the answer to this question is positive, does the
Commission foresee problems in so far as this might
hamper the implementation of national law ? In the
Commission 's opinion, how will this affect the principle
of equal treatment in all Member States ?

3 . How does the Commission explain the difficulties

referred to by the Court of Auditors in carrying out the
audit ?

4 . If the answer to Question 1 is negative, how does the
Commission consider the provisions can be transposed
and who does it consider to be responsible for doing
so ?

5 . If the Commission considers that transposition is

necessary and that the Commission itself is responsible
for doing so, what steps has it taken to date ?

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 21

6 . If Member States are responsible for transposing the
provisions, what steps has the Commission taken to
ensure that it is done in a uniform manner by all Member
States, and does it know what stage has been reached ?
What steps will the Commission take if one or more
Member States have not yet carried out the necessary
transposition ?

0 ) OJ No C 72, 15 . 3 . 1993, p . 187 .
( 2 ) OJ No C 80, 25 . 3 . 1991, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 February 1994 )

1 . Article 206a of the EC Treaty ( which has become
Article 188c by virtue of the Treaty on European Union )
establishes the right of the Court of Auditors to audit
undertakings which qualify for Community assistance .
Paragraph 3 of the said Article reads as follows :

' The audit ( by the Court of Auditors ) shall be based on
records and, if necessary, performed on the spot in the
other institutions of the Community and in the Member
States . In the Member States the audit shall be carried out

in liaison with the national audit bodies or, if these do
not have the necessary powers with the competent
national departments . These bodies or departments shall
inform the Court of Auditors whether they intend to take
part in the audit .

The other institutions of the Community and the
national audit bodies or, if these do not have the
necessary powers, the competent national departments,
shall forward to the Court of Auditors, at its request, any
document or information necessary to carry out its
task .'

2 to 4 . It should be noted that the power to monitor
beneficiaries of Community aid bestowed on the Court of
Auditors by the EC Treaty is similar to the power conferred
on the Commission by Article 9 of Council Regulation
( EEC ) No 729 / 70 on the financing of the common
agricultural policy .

In both cases, the national authorities are required to
facilitate the audits in question, including on the spot
checks .

It can also happen in either case that the national authorities
are unable to comply with an application for assistance in
carrying out such audits because to do so would conflict
with certain national provisions, for example, on
confidentiality or professional secrecy or the protection of
information stored on computer .

In such circumstances, specific provisions such as Articles 6
and 8 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 4045 / 89 ( ex-ante scrutiny of

accounts ), Articles 3(3 ) and 10 of Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 595 / 91 ( information system on irregularities ) and,
where appropriate, the Court of Justice, place limits on the
Commission 's powers of audit .

The Commission believes that the difficulties to which the

Honourable Members refer are similar in kind and, in the
absence of any specific provisions governing the audits
carried out by the Court of Auditors, should be resolved in a
similar manner using the criteria limiting the Commission 's
powers of audit which the Court of Justice developed most
notably in its judgments of 10 January 1980 in Case
C-267 / 78 (' Como ') and of 9 October 1990 in Case
C-366 / 88 (' sampling ').

The Commission does not believe that the absence of more
detailed rules such as exist for checks carried out by the
Commission seriously prejudices either the auditing role of
the Court of Auditors or in this context the equal treatment
of beneficiaries of Community aid in the Member States .

5 and 6 . If a Member State systematically and
unjustifiably refused to assist the Court of Auditors in its
auditing, the Court could inform the Commission with a
view to its opening the infringement procedure provided for
in Article 169 of the EC Treaty against the Member State in
question .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3262 / 93

by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 43 )

Subject : Evaluation reports conducted on CSFs for Spain

What evaluation reports has the Commission received
relating to Community support frameworks for Spain ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 25 February 1994 )

At present the Commission has received the following
evaluation studies of the various Community Support
Frameworks ( CSFs ) for Spain ( the title of the study, the
company that carried it out and the date of receipt of the
final report are given for each CSF ):

No C 336 / 22 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

Objective 1 CSF :

— ' The Economic Impacts of the Community Support

Is the Commission aware that the gender balance on these
boards was so deplorable that they had to be enlarged to
enable the co-option of women members ?

Frameworks for the Objective 1 regions ( 1989 — 1993 )'
— Jorg Beutel ( April 93 );

— Does the Commission consider that funds to the County

Enterprise Boards should be blocked until they reflect more
— ' Evaluation macro-économique du CCA 1989 — 1993 equal gender balance ?

relatif aux régions de l'objectif 1 de l'Espagne ' —
Cadmos SA ( April 91 );

— ' Evaluation de la mise en œuvre du CCA 1989 —1993

relatif aus régions de l'objectif 1 de l'Espagne ' —
Cadmos SA ( October 91 ):

— ' Impacto económico de las inversiones de los fondos

estructurales comunitarios en España ' — ÑERA
( January 1992 );

The first three studies were carried out at the Commission 's

initiative, the last was part-financed with the Member State
under the technical assistance provided for in the CSF .

Objective 2 CSF :

— ' Evaluation ex-ante des interventions financières

communautaires dans les zones objectif 2 de la région de
'
la Catalogne — Estudis ( May 1991 );

— ' Evaluation et impact de la politique régionale

'
communautaire au Pays Basque — Information y
desarrollo ( July 1991 ).

Objective 3 and 4 CSFs :

— ' Evaluation ex-ante du cadre communautaire d'appui

objectifs 3 & 4 Espagne ' — Cirem ( June 1991 ).

Objective 5 ( b ) CSF :

— ' Ex-ante evaluation of objective 5b CSF / OP in Sierra de

'
Madrid — CEP ( November 1991 );

— ' Evaluación ex-ante del Objectivo 5b MCA / PO de

'
Cantabria — CEP ( November 1991 ).

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 1994 )

The National Development Plan provides for expenditure of
£ Irl 114 million on Local Enterprise . The expected
contribution by the Structural Funds towards this amount is
not indicated in the Plan .

New Regulations governing all Structural Funds, which
came into force in August 1993, adopt a much more
pro-active approach in the area of promotion of equal
opportunities between men and women . Under the new
European Social Fund ( ESF ) Regulation, reference is made
directly to areas of work in which women are
under-represented, to women without vocational
qualifications and to women returning to the labour
market .

The Commission recognises the important contribution
women make to local development and will seek to ensure
that the structures agreed in the Community Support
Framework to support local development, will encourage
their involvement in the economic development of their
communities .

The composition of the County Enterprise Boards is a
matter for the Irish authorities and the Commission does not

propose to take a position on the question .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3433 / 93

by Fernando Suárez González ( PPE )

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3385 / 93 (2 December 1993 )

by Mary Banotti ( PPE ) ( 94 / C 336 / 45

to the Commission

( 26 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 44 )

Subject : Structural Funds

What portion of Structural Funds are targeted by the Irish
Government 's National Plan to the County Enterprise
Boards ?

Subject : Cooperation with Central America

The Commission has allocated ECU 1 026 535 under
budget heading B7-3014, Training, to a project entitled
' Training for trade union training officers '.

Can the Commission explain what this project consists of,
who is receiving the funds and who has the proper training
for training training officers ?

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 23

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3436 / 93

by Fernando Suárez González ( PPE )

to the Commission

(2 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 46 )

Subject : Cooperation with Central America

The Commission has allocated ECU 630 000 under budget
heading B7-3014, Training, to a project entitled
' Strengthening trade unions in Central America '.

Can the Commission explain who decides which trade
unions are to be strengthened, how this goal is achieved and
who is really the ultimate recipient of the contribution made
by the European taxpayer ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-3433 / 93 and E-3436 / 93

Community 's and the United Nations ' financial rules are
incompatible, the ILO was unable to sign up for the project,
the Commission has had to re-formulate it and

implementation has therefore not yet begun .

Here, the aim is to set up trade union advisory units in each
of Central America 's six capitals . The main duty of the units
will be to equip the trade unions with up-to-date systems for
obtaining macro-economic information to give the unions
the proper resources with which to carry out their own
analyses as a first step towards drawing up consistent
proposals for social policy .

The beneficiaries could be any trade union organization
without distinction that might be consulted whenever any
special regional or national plans relating to labour are
being drawn up . Clearly, priority will be given to the most
representative trade union associations or federations in
each country and, where there is a trade union coordinating
body, it will be called upon to take a lead in implementing
the project .

given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission WRITTEN QUESTION E-3478 / 93

(6 April 1994 ) by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 11 November 1993 )

As part of the Community 's cooperation with Central
Amercia, the Commission has financed two measures to
strengthen trade unions . It is to these that the Honourable
Member refers in his two questions .

The aim of the project entitled ' Training for trade union
training officers ' is to develop a training programme for
such officers covering various aspects ( e.g. teaching
methods, labour law, the contribution of trade unions to
regional economic policy ) and organize regional seminars
and conferences for national trade union leaders on the role

of unions in the process of intra-American integration . The
outcome of these activities has been very positive .

The bodies receiving funding and executing the project are
the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

( ICFTU ), established in Brussels, in cooperation with the
Inter-American Regional Organization of Workers of the
ICFTU ( ORIT ) of Mexico City and the Latin-American
Centre for Workers ( CLAT ), based in Caracas, which is
acting on behalf of the World Confederation of Labour

( WCL ).

The persons responsible for running this training
programme were instructors from affiliated trade unions
and outside experts or people with professional training
( e.g. economists, specialists in labour law ).

In addition to this project, the Commission approved one to
strengthen and modernize Central American trade unions
and here the International Labour Organization ( ILO ) was,
in principle, to be the implementing body . But, because the

( 94 / C 336 / 47 )

Subject : European patent

Is the Commission aware that despite the Convention on the
Grant of European Patents, once a European patent is
granted it is still subject to conditions governed by national
patents ( Article 2(2 ))?

Consequently patent holders can lose their patent rights for
failure to comply with a national condition .

What steps will the Commission take to block this anomaly
and to expedite the introduction of a European patent under
centralized administration ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 1993 )

Article 2(2 ) of the Munich Convention on the Grant of
European Patents ( the ' European Patent Convention ') does
indeed provide that a European patent is to have the same
effect and be subject to the same conditions as a national
patent in each of the contracting States for which it is
granted ; but it goes on to say that this is so ' unless otherwise
provided in this Convention '.

And in fact Article 138 of the Convention states that a

European patent may be revoked under the law of a

No C 336 / 24 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

contracting State, with effect for its territory, only on certain
specified grounds, for example because the subject-matter
of the patent is not patentable within the terms of the
Convention, or because the patent does not describe the
invention in a manner sufficiently clear and complete for it
to be reproduced by a person skilled in the art .

A national court which revokes a European patent is able to
do so because the European Patent Convention permits the
national legislation to provide for revocation in certain
specified cases, and not because some special feature of the
domestic legislation has been invoked .

It has to be recognized, though, that while the grounds on
which a European patent may be revoked by a national
court are the same in all the States party to the European
Patent Convention, this does not mean that the courts in
different contracting States will necessarily understand a
particular problem in the same way .

It is for this reason that in the very sensitive area of legal
protection for biotechnological inventions the Commission
has submitted a proposal for a Directive which seeks to
ensure that national legislatures and courts will take the
same approach to the problems which may arise ( 1 ).

The present situation will come to an end with the entry into
force of the Agreement relating to Community Patents . The
Community patent is to have a unitary character . It will have
equal effect throughout the territories to which the
Community Patent Convention applies, which is to say the
12 Member States, and may be revoked only in respect of the
whole of these territories . A Common Appeal Court is to be
set up in order to ensure consistency in the treatment of
Community patents by the lawcourts ( 2 ).

(!) OJ No C 44, 16 . 2 . 1993 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 401, 30 . 12 . 1989 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3535 / 93

by Alexandras Alavanos ( GUE )

to the Commission

( 13 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 48 )

Subject : Water pollution as a result of the uncontrolled

disposal of sewage

Many industries and residential dwellings in Athens have
illegally connected their sewage systems to rainwater
drainage systems or natural reservoirs such as Kifisos, as
well as rivers and other waterways in Attiki, with the result
that unknown quantities of urban and industrial effluent are
pouring into the sea, especially the Saronic Gulf .

This is a widespread public health hazard, causing serious
pollution in the Saronic Gulf and undermining the
effectiveness of major anti-pollution projects, such as the
Community-funded biological purification plant at
Psittalia .

Frequent projects have been made by the authorities in
riverside areas of Athens . In certain cases, they have gone so
far as to block the illegal conduits . However, they do not
have sufficient funds or powers to monitor the situation
constantly, while the central government authorities have
not been efficient enough to locate and block all the illegal
connections and prevent new ones, appearing .

1 . What steps will the Commission take to ensure that the

Psittalia biological purification plant operates
effectively by combating other sources of urban and
industrial pollution of the Saronic Gulf ?

2 . Will it provide funding for a comprehensive programme

to locate illegal conduits discharging into waterways in
Attiki ?

3 . What steps will it take to ensure that Greece effectively

implements Community policy concerning civil liability
for pollution, so as to prevent the practice of connecting
illegal outlets ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 April 1994 )

In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity referred to
in Article 3b of the EC Treaty and the ' polluter pays '
principle referred to in Article 13 Or, the Commission has no
power to act at municipal level to locate or dispose of the
urban or industrial waste polluting the Saronic Gulf .

The Commission monitors the application of Council
Directive 91 / 271 / EEC concerning urban waste water
treatment (*) which makes it compulsory to collect and treat
waste from agglomerations with a population equivalent or
more than 2 000, in accordance with a timetable spanning
the period 31 December 1998 to 31 December 2005,
depending on the size of the agglomeration and the
characteristics of the receiving waters .

The Member States and local authorities are therefore not
required to comply with the provisions relating to the
collection of urban waste water until 31 December 1998 at
the earliest for discharges from agglomerations of more than

10 000 p.e . into sensitive areas .

(!) OJ No L 135, 30 . 5 . 1991 .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 25

WRITTEN QUESTION E-35 85 / 93

by Hemmo Muntingh ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 14 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 49 )

Subject : Protection of birds of prey in the Dadia Forest,

Greece

The Dadia Forest is one of the last remaining areas in Europe
providing mature, original habitat for birds of prey and has
the highest diversity of species of amphibians and reptiles . A
reserve was founded here by ministerial decree in 1980 .
However, the whole area was declared a ' forest ' in 1978 and
thus came under the management of the Souflion Forestry
Service . The resulting forestry activities have proved
disastrous for wildlife and have increased considerably in
scale over the last two years . The interests of wildlife play a
very subordinate role to those of forestry . Despite the
worthwhile objectives of a project initiated in 1992 under
the auspices of WWF-Greece with EC funding, hardly
anything has been achieved in the way of practical measures
and agreements for the basic protection of the area .

1 . Is the Commission aware that the Dadia Forest Reserve

harbours one of the most intact and valuable

populations of birds of prey in Europe ( including
globally threatened species ) and that the area is
recognized as a Special Protection Area ( Community
bird directive ) and an Important Bird Area ( Corine
register ) and has been officially designated a national
park ?

2 . Does the Commission agree that an area accorded such
exceptional status under international ( Community )
and national legislation should have the highest possible
level of protection, that wildlife interests should take
precedence over all others and management should be
entrusted to a body that has only such objectives in
mind ? If not, why not ?

                    
3 . Is the Commission aware that the Forestry Service 's
management policy is at present heavily in conflict with
the interests of wildlife in the area ?

4 . Is the Commission aware that bulldozers are being used
to create an extensive network of paths and firebreaks
through highly sensitive breeding grounds and grazing
herds are being excluded from the area ? If so, can the
Commission say what measures will be taken to bring an
immediate halt to these activities ? Who is responsible
for ordering and financing them ?

5 . Is the Commission aware that all management and
practical measures have to be assessed and approved by

the Ministry for the Environment before they are
implemented by the Forestry Service but in fact this is
not done, with the result that the reserve is suffering
irreversible damage ? Does the Commission know the
reason for this ? How and by what means is it planning to
remedy the matter ?

6 . Does the Commission agree that management should
not be in the hands of local forestry officials but dealt
with by an independent management committee that
will ensure appropriate, environment-friendly
management ? Would it not be desirable for an
independent person or body to be able to carry out
regular checks into the environmental consequences of
policy implemented ?

7 . Is the Commission aware that, despite a project financed
by the WWF in 1 992, the trends described above have in
fact increased in only the last two years ? What is the
Commission planning to do to halt these disastrous
developments, when will it act and what financial means
will it use ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 1994 )

The Commission is fully aware of the importance of the
Dadia Souflion site and its bird population . It is for this
reason that Greece has classified the core area of the site as a

Special Protection Area under Council Directive
79 / 409 / EEC on the conservation of wild birds .

The Commission shares the opinion expressed by the
Honourable Member that nature conservation must be
given priority in this area . This definition and
implementation of mechanisms to guarantee this and the
management of the area in such a way that other land uses
are compatible, fall under the responsibility of the Greek
authorities .

However, in 1986 under the ACE Programme, the
Commission granted financial support for the protection
and management of the area in question, which proved to be
the first successfully implemented project under this
programme in Greece . In 1992, under the Acnat
Programme, a further significant amount was granted for
this purpose .

Last April the Commission official responsible for
monitoring these projects visited the area and held a joint
meeting with the NGO executing the project, the forestry
authority and the local authority . From this meeting, it
appeared that there was a good understanding and
collaboration amongst bodies, favouring the site 's
conservation .

No C 336 / 26 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

Neither on this occasion, nor at any stage since, has the
international NGO of high repute executing the project,
reported difficulties such as those indicated by the
Honourable Member . The Commission will use these

indications to request up-dated information and undertake,
as far as necessary, the measures available under its
competence to safeguard the conservation and appropriate
management of this Dadia Souflion forest area .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3590 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 14 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 50 )

Subject : Quality and quantity of drinking water

Given the serious water shortage in the Community,
Parliament has called for a common policy to safeguard the
quality and quantity of drinking water throughout Europe
for present and future use and has proposed a number of
Directives . Does the Commission share Parliament 's views

on this matter ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 March 1994 )

The Commission position is set out in the Fifth Action
Programme entitled ' Towards Sustainability — A European
Community Programme of Policy and Action in relation to
the Environment and Sustainable Development ' (*). This
states that Community policies must aim at ensuring that
water demand and water supply are brought into
equilibrium on the basis of more rational use and
management of water resources .

As requested by the Council resolution of 25 February 1992
on the future Community ground-water policy ( 2 ), the
Commission has started to elaborate an action programme
for ground-water which will also take into account
quantitative aspects of water management and a general
policy for managing fresh water resources .

0 ) COM(92 ) 23 final Vol . II .

( 2 ) OJ No C 59, 6 . 3 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3615 / 93

by Christopher Jackson ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 17 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 51

Subject : ' Simplified Procedures ' used by customs
authorities of Member States

A Commission communication (*) on the customs union in
the context of the Single Market recommended that the
efficient management of the customs union required a
revision of customs working methods . Specifically, ' efforts
should concentrate on increasing the use of simplified
procedures which allow for the targeting of resources to
higher risk areas '.

The Commission services have followed up the
communication with a study defining a strategy for
harmonizing the implementation of simplified procedures in
the completed Single Market .

This study, published in April 1993, highlighted market
differences in the implementation of simplified procedures
in the Member States . Clearly, complying with
interpretations of simplified procedures which differ from
Member State to Member State burdens pan-European
economic operators with costs that are unnecessary in a
single market . The study stressed the need for direct
participation of economic operators in discussions with the
customs administrations at Community level .

1 . Does the Commission agree there is an urgent need to

implement harmonized simplified customs procedures
in the Single Market ?

2 . Will the Commission involve economic operators in
procedural meetings of customs administrations at
Community level and in the associated working
groups ?

3 . Will the Commission initiate a cost - benefit study to
determine the most desirable way forward for
harmonization of simplified procedures ?

(M COM ( 90 ) 572 .

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 January 1994 )

1 . Yes .

2 . The Advisory Committee on Customs Matters and
Indirect Taxation ( Commission Decision 91 / 453 / EEC ) ( l ),
on which a variety of economic, trade and consumer sectors
are represented ( List of members 92 / C 80 / 03 ) ( 2 ), is the most
appropriate forum for consultation between economic
operators and the Commission on customs-related

matters .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 27

3 . The Commission already has a wide range of citizens from other Member States will be able to participate
information at its disposal on the use of customs simplified in the European elections held in June .
procedures . A broad Commission strategy on future
customs policy was recently endorsed by national customs (!) OJ No C 29, 6 . 12 . 1993 .
administrations at the highest level . This covers simplified ( 2 ) OJ No L 329, 30 . 12 . 1993 .
procedures, among other matters, and is aimed at ensuring
that economic operators benefit from similar levels of
facilitation wherever in the customs territory they carry out
activities involving the intervention of customs .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3679 / 93

(!) OJ No L 241, 30 . 8 . 1991 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 80, 31 . 3 . 1992 . by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

( 2 ) OJ No C 80, 31 . 3 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3632 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 17 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 52 )

Subject : Qualifications for voting in the European
elections

Have the Member States adopted the legislative measures
required to allow Europeans, within the spirit of European
citizenship, to vote in their country of residence ( and not
necessarily their country of origin ) in the European
elections ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 April 1994 )

After having consulted the Parliament (*), the Council
adopted on 6 December 1993 Directive 93 / 109 / EC ( 2 )
implementing article 8B, paragraph 2 of the Treaty on the
European Union and guaranteeing citizens of the Union
residing in another Member State the right to vote there in
European Parliament elections .

According to Article Jl 7 of the Directive, Member States had
to adopt the laws, regulations and administrative provisions
necessary to comply with this Directive no later than

1 February 1994 and therefore enable the citizens of the
Union to participate in the European elections held in June
this year in their Member State of residence .

To date all Member States apart from Belgium have

implemented the Directive . Belgium has, however, taken all
accompanying administrative measures to ensure that

to the Commission

(3 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 53

Subject : Areas of ecological importance

Does the Commission consider that it would be a good idea
to propose to the authorities of the Member States that they
impose a ban on building — i.e. homes, industrial plant and
tourist facilities — on public and private areas of ecological
importance ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 April 1994 )

Management of public and private areas is a matter for the
authorities of the Member States .

However, where sites are important in respect of a
Community legal act those authorities must comply with
that act and apply the appropriate measures .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3754 / 93

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI ) and Jas Gawronski ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 12 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 54 )

Subject : A Community observatory of industrial regions in

decline

The area between the regions of Piedmont and Liguria,
known as Valle Scrivia, which has a population of 850 000
and whose, industries are important for the livelihoods of
three million people, is undergoing a major industrial
crisis .

Will the Commission take the appropriate measures to set
up a Community Observatory for the area in order to

No C 336 / 28 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

update the general picture of the crisis, ascertain the region 's monitoring implementation of tourist development
needs and shortages, coordinate agriculture and industry, projects which have been approved ?
and permit private consortia to be established among the
various enterprises which are in crisis ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Millan (7 April 1994 )
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )
The Commission has not been officially informed of any
development projects planned in the Mount Olympus area .
If the Greek authorities were to make an application for

The Commission is aware of the industrial crisis affecting financing such development the Commission would take all
the Valle Scrivia basin . the measures necessary to enforce Community legislation on

the environment .

A report analysing the problems facing the different regions
of the Community is regularly published under the auspices
of the Commission . National, regional and local authorities
are responsible for analysing needs and imbalances and
defining measures - at the level of individual areas .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3833 / 93

by Raymond Chesa ( RDE )

to the Commission

( 17 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 56 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 832 / 93

by Jas Gawronski ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 17 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 55 )

Subject : Protecting the Olympus massif in Greece

In Article 130r of the Maastricht Treaty, the Community
undertakes to pay special attention to protection of the
natural and cultural heritage, basing its policy inter alia on
the precautionary principle and on the principles that
preventive action should be taken to prevent environmental
damage ( paragraph 2 ).

The Olympus massif in Greece undoubtedly represents a
comprehensive symbol of our cultural heritage and is one of
the rare natural areas still preserved in Europe 's mountains,
but it is also a magnet for investors in intensive tourism,
which could destroy it .

1 . What action has the Commission taken in response to

requests for finance for tourist development projects in
the Olympus massif ?

2 . To what extent are the Commission and the Greek

Government 's Environment Department coordinating
the work of carrying out the environmental impact
study in accordance with EEC Directives and

Subject : Moroccan tomato exports to the European
Community

Is the Commission aware that in spite of the agreements
concluded between the EEC and Morocco authorizing the
latter to export up to 88 000 tonnes of tomatoes to the
Community, during the 1991 / 92 marketing year Morocco
exported more than 150 000 tonnes to the Community ?

Moroccan tomatoes supply the European market mainly
from November to May and arrive in such quantities that
they are sold at prices which are often lower than our own
production costs . Late ( October to November ) and early

( from mid-February onwards ) European crops are
confronted de facto with very tough competition .

Does the Commission plan to take steps to halt Moroccan
tomato imports when the threshold of 100 000 tonnes is
crossed and to introduce an effective reference price system
for tomatoes during the autumn / winter period so as to avoid
future price disruption ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(S April 1994 )

Under the cooperation agreement of 1976 and the
supplementary protocol of 1988, between 15 November

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 29

and 30 April Morocco benefits from a zero tariff quota for
tomatoes . This quota was originally set at 86 000 tonnes,
including 15 000 for April, and under the ' new
Mediterranean policy ' the quota has been increased by 3 %

(2 580 tonnes ) a year over the period 1992 to 1995 . In 1993
it was 91 160 tonnes .

During the period in which the quota applies, imports in
excess of the quota are not prohibited, but are subject to a
customs duty of 4,4% . At other times of year the customs
duties are 11% or 18% .

In addition, Morocco has bilateral arrangement with
France, based on the Protocol annexed to the EC Treaty,
giving it a duty-free quota for imports to the French market
of 120 000 tonnes of tomatoes .

To what specifically does the Commission attribute the tiny
presence of Greek firms in Tacis contracts, and does it
foresee greater participation by them in 1994 ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 January 1994 )

In evaluating tenders for contracts in the Tacis Programme,
the criteria which are considered are objective criteria
relating to the technical merit of the bid, including the firm 's
capacity to fulfil the task, its past experience in similar work
and its experience in the country in which the project is to be
done . The nationality of the firm plays no part in the
decision . A relatively low volume of contracts won by the
firms of any particular Member State is therefore likely to
reflect only their difficulty in fulfilling these objective
criteria .

From 1996 relations between the Community and Morocco done . The nationality of the firm plays no part in the
will be governed by a new agreement, for which the decision . A relatively low volume of contracts won by the
Commission has just received a negotiating mandate . Under

firms of any particular Member State is therefore likely to

the terms of this mandate it is proposed that the French tariff reflect only their difficulty in fulfilling these objective
quota make up should an overall be integrated amount of into 134 the 604 Community tonnes . Based quota on the to criteria .
level of actual imports, the future quota should thus be
significantly lower than the total of the two present
quotas . In the particular case of Greece, it seems likely that the
predominance of small and medium-sized enterprises makes
it difficult for large numbers of Greek firms to accept the

Given the absence of reference prices between 20 December financial risk of participating in tenders when they are
and 1 April, the Commission has proposed, in the context of invited . In addition, it seems that Greek firms have relatively
the recent Uruguay Round Agreement, the tarification of the little experience of preparing tender documents for external
present system and the introduction of an ' entry price ' assistance programmes .

Given the absence of reference prices between 20 December
and 1 April, the Commission has proposed, in the context of
the recent Uruguay Round Agreement, the tarification of the
present system and the introduction of an ' entry price '
applicable throughout the year .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3835 / 93

by Filippos Pierros ( PPE )

to the Commission

(8 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 336 / 57 )

Subject : Role of Greek companies in Tacis contracts

Greek companies accounted for only 0,5 % of the number
and 0,2 % of the financial volume of Tacis contracts signed
until 15 September 1993 . These figures are significantly
lower than the corresponding ones for all other Member
States except Portugal, whose figures are lower even than
Greece 's .

Regarding services contracts, which are generally awarded
on the basis of a restricted tender from a shortlist compiled
by the Commission from a register of firms, Greek firms
were shortlisted 89 times, representing 25 % of all cases . In
27 of these cases, the Greek firms declined to submit an
offer . In 25 other cases, the evaluation of the tenders
submitted is not yet complete .

The Commission has already taken a number of steps to
assist Greek firms to participate more fully in the Tacis
Programme . It has organised a seminar in Greece to explain
how Tacis contracts are organized and how bids should be
submitted . The Commission has also decided to give
advance information about forthcoming projects to all
interested bodies, which will help firms to concentrate their
resources on those projects which are most relevant to their
expertise . It has also been the Commission 's experience that
small firms or those with limited experience of programmes
such as Tacis, can benefit from participating in Europe - wide
consortia in tendering for contracts .

No C 336 / 30 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

QUESTION E-3855 / 93 cinematographic heritage, can the Commission state what

McCubbin ( PSE ) steps the Community is taking and what resources it is

to the Commission employing in support of Europe 's cinematographic
heritage ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3855 / 93

by Henry McCubbin ( PSE )

( 17 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 58 )

Subject : Charges for access to ECHO and TED

Would the Commission please explain that, whilst its
policies proclaim to be to help SMUs, a decision has been
taken to charge European Information Centres for access to
the ECHO host database and, in particular, the TED
Database which is widely used by EICs to help SMUs ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 1994 )

It is Commission policy to facilitate consultation of ECHO
and TED by SMEs, in particular via the Euro Info
Centres .

Another concern, however, is to avoid distorting the
information market, where most of the players are SMEs,
and to enhance synergy between the public sector and the
private sector on this market .

These were the reasons why it was decided to introduce a
charge for the use of the data bases by EICs, but — at the
same time — the Commission is on the basis of a pilot action
looking into the possibility of giving financial support to the
EICs to encourage the use of this instrument, while
continuing its policy of non-discrimination on the
information market .

Further, so far as in particular TED is concerned, the
Commission has negotiated a group rate for the EICs as
frequent users of the system .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3904 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 March 1994 )

The Commission shares the sentiments expressed by the
Director-General of Unesco in his appeal to save the
international cinematographic heritage .

As regards the European cinematographic heritage in
particular, the Commission is involved primarily via the
Lumiere project, part of the Media Programme, in which the
majority of European film libraries participate .

The main aim of the project, whose funding has been
increased for 1994, is to preserve and restore old films .

Over 65 restoration projects have been undertaken by
various film libraries since 1991 with the support of
Lumiere .

Lumiere is also working on a project to recover and identify
lost films .

Looking ahead to the 1995 centenary of the cinema, there
are plans for a public awareness campaign on the theme of
preserving the cinematographic heritage, which would
include a short film to be screened before restored works at
the major European festivals .

Another Lumiere initiative for 1995 is the planned
production in electronic form of a European directory of the
cinema, which will bring together and harmonize the
various national filmographies .

This type of measure is included in the recommendation for
saving and preserving film adopted by Unesco and
reaffirmed by Federico Mayor in his appeal of 2 November

1993 .

( 24 January 1994 )

The Commission is also supporting film festivals and will
( 94 / C 336 / 59 ) give priority in 1994 and 1995 to events which celebrate the
European cinematographic heritage, such as the Pordenone
festival in Italy ( Giornate del cinema muto ) and
Subject : Support for Europe 's cinematographic heritage Cinememoire in Paris .

With reference to the recent appeal by the Director-General
of Unesco, Mr Federico Mayor, to save the international

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 31

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3982 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 60 )

Subject : Establishment of a computer network for
exchanges of personal data relating to insurance,

etc .

"
Will the Commission say whether — and if so when — it

intends to set up a computer network between the countries
of the European Union on exchanges of personal data
relating to insurance, the preconditions for insurance etc ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 April 1994 )

The Honourable Member asks whether the Commission

intends to set up a computer network for the exchange,
between the countries of the European Union, of data
relating to insurance . This answer will deal in turn with
three aspects of the matter raised by the question :

( a ) systems for the exchange of data on the supply of
services ;

( b ) systems for the exchange of data on the demand for

services ;

( c ) systems for the exchange of data between supervisory
authorities .

The question should also be seen in the light of the two
proposals for Council Directives currently under
discussion :

— with regard to the establishment of databases, the

proposal on the legal protection of databases (*);

— with regard to the computer processing of personalized

data, the proposal on the protection of individuals with
regard to the processing of personal data and on the free
movement of such data ( 2 ).

( a ) The Commission considers that databases giving

information on the supply of insurance services and
detailing, for each product and market, information
such as the     - cover proposed, terms, charges and
performances are best set up by the economic
operators concerned, rather than via a public
initiative .

The aim of the single market in insurance services
has indeed been to make the whole range of services
available in the different Member States accessible

to consumers, while achieving a minimum degree of
harmonization of prudential supervision of

insurance firms ( licensing and supervision solely in
the home Member State ) which enables them to
offer their full range of services throughout the
Community, provided that each of those services
complies with the public policy measures in force in
the host Member State .

This legislation is thus designed to provide a
framework within which the economic operators
concerned ( insurance firms and agents, companies
specializing in data systems, etc .) can set up and
operate such computer networks on a commercial
basis .

Since there would be no reason to promote one
sector of the economy more than another when
setting up a computerized catalogue of the range of
products and services available in the single market,
it is clear that, because of its scale, such a
development would be beyond the current
resources of the Commission .

By contrast, sectoral projects on the initiative
of economic operators could benefit from the
practical effects of Community measures to
promote the development of trans-European
telecommunications networks, for example as
regards the inter-operability of systems .

( b ) Demand for insurance services might also be

expressed in the form of a tender specification on
the basis of which an invitation to tender could be

published, but the above arguments would still
apply mutatis mutandis .

Nevertheless, the Commission would draw the
Honourable Member 's attention to the field of

public procurement . On the basis, in particular, of
Directive 92 / 50 / EEC relating to the coordination of
procedures for the award of public service
contracts, the Commission felt justified in
proposing to the Council that a data
communications network be set up for the
publication of invitations to tender for public
contracts, including invitations to tender in respect
of insurance services where these are covered by the
Directive ( i.e. the estimated amount involved is
more than ECU 200 000 .

( c ) The increased cooperation and greater exchange of
information between the insurance supervisory
authorities in the Member States following the
introduction of the single licensing and supervisory
arrangements could result in a specialized data
communications network being set up between
them . The purpose of such a network, access to
which would be strictly confined to the supervisory
authorities on account of the professional secrecy
requirements governing the data which they gather
on firms, would be to facilitate insurance
supervision in the single market . The feasibility of

No C 336 / 32 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11, 94

the project and the possible involvement of the How many schemes have been carried out at what total and
Commission, in the context of the measures to average cost and in which Member States ?
promote data communications networks between
administrations, are still under discussion with the
Member States . How many checks has the Commission carried out in
situ ?

(!) COM(93 ) 464 final — SYN 393, 4 . 10 . 1993 .
(?) COM(92 ) 422 final — SYN 287, 15 . 10 . 1992 .

(!) OJ No L 376, 31 . 12 . 1986, p . 7 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3996 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission ( 28 March 1994 )

( 26 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 61 )

Subject : Plight of crocus growers in Kozani

Crocus growers in the region of Kozani have recently
suffered enormous damage owing to snowfall in the region .
How does the Commission intend to express its interest in
this matter ?

The Commission has been financing the creation of artificial
reefs to help restock marine populations for ten years under
the fisheries structural Regulations, namely Regulation

( EEC ) No 2908 / 83 until 1986 and Regulation ( EEC ) No
4028 / 86 thereafter . Since 1 January 1994, Regulation ( EEC )
No 2080 / 93 ( l ) has replaced Regulation ( EEC ) No 4028 / 86,
and also includes in its objectives measures relating to
artifical reefs . Under this Regulation it is up to
Member States to decide what projects to finance .

Three Member States established artificial reefs

Answer on behalf given of the by Commission Mr Steichen part-financed by the Community in the period 1983 — 1993 .

The table below shows the breakdown of Community
(6 April 1994 ) financing of the reefs .

( ECU )
The Commission has received no information regarding the
damage Kozani Member . caused that However the to Community saffron, it would crocus does remind crops not by the have bad Honourable any weather legal or in Member State Num ber reefs of ­ Total cost cost Average per reef contribution Community Total Average munity contri Com ­ ­
financial instruments for compensating harvest losses bution
resulting from natural disasters . per reef

Average

Com ­

munity

contri ­

bution

per reef

Member

Num ­

ber of

reefs

Total cost Average
cost per reef

Total

Community
contribution

State

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4046 / 93

by José Vazquez Fouz ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 31 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 62 )

Subject : Artificial reefs

Regulation ( EEC ) No 4028 / 86 ( } ) made provision for
supporting structural action to build artificial reefs intended
to encourage the reproduction of marine species . Seven
years on, how does the Commission rate the introduction of
artificial reefs ? 1

Spain 28 9470 592 338 235 4 621 426 165 051

Italy 14 17 664 188 1 261 728 8 761 939 625 853

France 12 1 949 308 162 442 927 617 77 301

The scientific studies accompanying the establishment of
these structures are still under way, but they are extremely
long-term projects and this fact, combined with the fact that
many of the installations have been financed relatively
recently, means that the Commission has not yet been able
to draw definitive conclusions regarding an assessment of
artificial reefs for re-stocking purposes . On-the-spot checks
will be carried out as part of normal inspection missions .

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

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 33

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4070 / 93

by Sir James Scott-Hopkins ( PPE )

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-73 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos

to the Commission

(1 February 1994 ) ( 14 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 63 ) ( 94 / C 336 / 64

Subject : Blade-stopping time

Does the Commission agree that the requirements for
blade-stopping time contained in the current draft European
standards for many types of gardening tools are inadequate ?
What new proposals does it have in this field ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Disposal of the large quantities of tobacco from

Greece 's 1993 tobacco crop

In view of the large quantities of tobacco from the 1993
Greek tobacco crop which are still unsold, does the
Commission intend to take steps to ensure the full disposal
thereof ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 April 1994 )
( 11 March 1994 )

As indicated in the Commission 's answer to the Honourable
Member 's Written Question No 1415 / 90 (*), garden tools
straddle the fields of machinery safety and electrical safety .
They are accordingly covered by Council Directives
89 / 392 / EEC ( 2 ) and 73 / 23 / EEC ( 3 ).

In the context of Directive 89 / 392 / EEC, the Commission
has given the European standardization bodies CEN and
Cenelec a mandate to draw up harmonized standards for
various types of machinery, including garden tools . In 1993
these bodies received a second mandate to revise the existing
standards relating to Directive 73 / 23 / EEC on the basis of
Directive 89 / 392 / EEC . Such harmonized standards, drawn
up on the basis of consensus between all interested parties,
are intended to translate into technical terms the essential

health and safety requirements of the abovementioned
Directives .

In their first draft standards, CEN and Cenelec provide that
the blade-stopping time for garden tools is to be reduced
progressively .

In accordance with the principles of the new approach to
technical harmonization, defined in the Council resolution
of 7 May 1985 ( 4 ), it is entirely a matter for the European
standardization bodies to define the technical content of

harmonized standards in accordance with their own

procedures .

(M OJ No C 312, 12 . 12 . 1990 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 183, 29 . 6 . 1989 .
( 3 ) OJ No L 77, 26 . 3 . 1973 .

( 4 ) OJ No C 136, 4 . 6 . 1985 .

Community Regulations do not provide for intervention
purchases in the tobacco sector . Accordingly, Member
States may not intervene in the market through the financing
of intervention or purchases made by cooperatives .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 15 / 94
by Ria Oomen-Ruijten ( PPE ), Raphael Chanterie ( PPE ),

Doris Pack ( PPE ), Viviane Reding ( PPE ) and

Jan Sonneveld ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 17 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 65 )

Subject : European assistance to flood victims

1 . Can the Commission give any information on the
consequences of the serious flooding in France, Germany,
Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands ?

2 . Can it give an estimate of the damage in each Member
State or region ?

3 . What assistance will the Commission give to . the
affected regions and the victims ? Can the Commission give
details for each Member State or region ?

4 . What funds are available from the 1993 European
Disaster Fund ?

5 . Is it possible to use the European Disaster Fund for this
purpose in 1994 ?

No C 336 / 34 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

6 . What financial help do victims receive from the — Netherlands : the provinces of Limburg, North Brabant,
various Member States ? Gelderland and Overiissel .

7 . Can the Commission give details of all payments from 4 . There is no European Disaster Fund as such, but there
the European Disaster fund in 1992 and 1993 ? is a budget item for emergency aid to disaster victims in the
Community ( B4-3400 ) which is managed by the
Commission . Since the appropriation in this item for 1993
was used in full, there are no longer any funds available for
Answer given by Mr Delors this purpose .
on behalf of the Commission

( 25 April 1994 ) 5 . The 1994 appropriation of ECU 5 million was drawn
on the second tranche of ECU 300 000 distributed in

Germany, France and the Netherlands .

1, 2 and 6 . The Commission would suggest that the
Honourable Members would obtain more accurate

information by contacting the relevant authorities in the
Member States .

3 . On 24 December 1993 and 7 January 1994 the
Commission granted emergency aid amounting to ECU
500 000 and ECU 300 000 respectively to the victims of this
disaster . The breakdown by Member State was as
follows :

( ECU )

Belgium 200 000

Germany 195 000

France 195 000

7 . In 1992 eight tranches of emergency aid were
distributed, totalling ECU 3,45 million, and in 1993, 16
tranches totalling ECU 5,38 million .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-132 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

Luxembourg 15 000

Netherlands 195 000 ( 17 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 66 )

This humanitarian gesture is a real token of Community
solidarity with the victims of the floods .

The aid was distributed by the national Red Cross societies
in accordance with Community rules and procedures
governing emergency aid to disaster victims . It was intended
to help victims ' families, the injured and the most needy of
the homeless by providing money, first aid and essential
supplies .

The Commission is informed by the Red Cross that the aid
went to the following areas :

— Belgium : the provinces of Hainaut, Walloon Brabant,

Namur, Liege and Luxembourg

— Germany : the Lander of Rhineland-Palatinate, North

Rhine-Westphalia, Saarland and Bavaria

— France : the regions of Nord / Pas-de-Calais, Picardy,

Champagne-Ardenne, Ile-de-France, Lorraine,
Rhône-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur,
Midi-Pyrénées, Languedoc-Roussillon, Aquitaine,
Poitou-Charentes and Upper Normandy

Subject : Quantity of alcohol produced in the Community

used to produce fuel

How much alcohol produced in the Community will be used
to produce fuel ?

Answer given by Mr Christophersen

on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 1994 )

The Commission has no date on the production of ethanol
for fuel, which is in any event negligible compared with the
amounts of petrol produced in the Community ( 121,8
million tonnes in 1993 ). Nevertheless the following
information will help to clarify the situation :

— wine alcohol : the alcohol from wine used as fuel comes

from the distillation of vinification by-products and
— Luxemburg : the entire country over-production of wine . This use of such products is

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 35

not likely to disturb the traditional Community markets
in alcohol and spirits .

Some of this alcohol ( approximately 1 — 2 million hi per
year ) is exported to non-member countries, the rest ( 1,2
million hi ) being sold on the Community market .

This alcohol will be dehydrated and in most cases

directly mixed with petrol or transformed into ETBE
( ethyl-tertio-butyl-ether ), a petrol additive, in the
proportions permitted under Directive 85 / 536 / EEC .

— grain alcohol and in particular beet alcohol : there are a

number of pilot projects in France and Italy . The
quantities produced are negligible except in France,
where the following quantities of ETBE have been
marketed :

— in 1991 : 500 hi

— in 1992 : 42 692 hi

— in 1993 : 346 359 hi .

In spite of Community and national support measures, the
use of bio-alcohol is still limited .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-149 / 94

by Neil Blaney ( ARC )

to the Commission

( 17 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 67

Subject : Consolidated text of the Maastricht and Rome

Treaties

What is the situation concerning the availability of a
consolidated version of the Treaties of Rome and

Maastricht ?

Does not the Commission agree that the availability of such
a consolidated text would be an important contribution to
transparency as regards the activities of the Community ?

Does the Commission agree that an annotated text might be
required to make the consolidated text easily accessible to all
Community citizens ?

This publication takes the form of two books of two
volumes each . The first book, which deals with texts
currently in force, combines in consolidated form the Treaty
on European Union and the Treaties establishing the EEC,
the ECSC and the EAEC . The second book will contain the

full set of basic Treaties, amending Treaties and Acts of
Accession .

So far, only Volume 1 of book 1 has appeared . A provisional
version of this consolidated text was first published on
31 August 1992 ( 1 ).

This consolidated version is also to be found on the Celex

database .

The Commission feels that this work will make an effective

contribution to improving transparency .

The Commission has produced, on its own account and in
association with other bodies, a number of brochures
illustrating the principal innovations introduced by the
Treaty on European Union, and will continue this task of
bringing the text of the Treaty and details of its
implementation to a wider audience . However, it is for
universities to produce commentaries on the treaties,
although, of course, the task of interpretation will
ultimately lie with the Court of Justice .

(!) OJ No C 224, 31 . 8 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-200 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 68 )

Subject : Progress as regards compensation for Greece

owing to the continuing conflict in the former
Yugoslavia

Will the Commission say whether any progress is being
made as regards compensation for Greece owing to the
continuing conflict in the former Yugoslavia ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission
( 21 April 1994 )
( 17 March 1994 )

At the end of 1993, the Office for Official Publications of the
European Communities began publishing a new edition of
' Selected instruments taken from the Treaties ', which
incorporates the provisions of the Treaty on European
Union .

The Commission is aware of the problems that the crisis in
the former Yugoslavia is causing some Member States as
well as some other countries bordering on Serbia and
Montenegro .

No C 336 / 36 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

In the Community context, Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 525 / 92 introduced, for 1991, temporary financial
compensation for the transport from Greece of certain fresh
fruit and vegetables . Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3438 / 92
extended this aid to cover 1992 and 1993 . Commission
Regulation ( EEC ) No 936 / 93 subsequently set the level of
compensation under Regulations ( EEC ) No 525 / 92 and

( EEC ) No 3438 / 92 at ECU 2,3 per hundred kilogrammes of
net weight .

This sum was increased to ECU 4 per hundred kilogrammes
of net weight by Commission Regulation ( EEC ) No 2827 / 93
of 15 October 1993 .

The Commission estimates that, for 1991 and 1992, Greek
exporters of certain fruit and vegetables have received some
ECU 10 million under these special measures . All regions of
Greece are eligible, and this includes Crete .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-232 / 94

by Carmen Diez de Rivera Icaza ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 3-36 / 69 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-238 / 94

by Raymonde Dury ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 24 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 70 )

Subject : Human rights violations in Libya

Between January 1989 and April 1990 hundreds of people
were arrested in Libya during demonstrations against the
present regime . These persons are still detained without trial
and, seemingly, without any charges having been brought
against them . Many of them are students, teachers or
employees . Their families have no information about what
has happened to them . International organizations such as
Amnesty International are concerned at their detention and
are calling for them to be released if they are not accused of
violent action or incitement to violence . In any event, they
must be given a fair trial and be allowed to obtain the
assistance of lawyers and doctors .

Given the current plans to reintroduce penalties such as
torture — flogging, stoning, amputation, etc . — into the
Libyan penal code, what measures will the Commission take
to bring pressure to bear on the Libyan authorities so that
human rights are respected ?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Corine and the European Environment Agency ( 25 April 1994 )

With the entry into force of the European Environment
Agency, both the Corine Programme and its funding will
come under this Agency, as agreed .

European The Commission is informed of the continuing violation of
the Corine Programme and its funding will human rights in Libya and, more specifically, of the denial of
this Agency, as agreed . a fair trial to a large number of people held in detention for

several years without charge . The Government of Libya is

Commission confirm this fact and say how well aware of the great importance the European Union
incorporated in the agency ? pays to the respect of human rights in its external relations .

The Commission expects Libya to honour the commitments
it has undertaken when acceding to the International
Covenants on Civil and Political as well as on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights .
Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

Could the Commission confirm this fact and say how
Corine has been incorporated in the agency ?

on behalf of the Commission

(8 April 1994 )

The achievements of the Corine Programme will form an
essential basis for the activities of the European
Environment Agency . The Corine information system, the
common methods and nomenclatures and the networks of

experts are already being used to implement the
Community 's environment policy . Provision has therefore
been made under the 1994 budget to maintain, utilize and
develop these results within the framework of the Agency 's
tasks .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-282 / 94

by Sir James Scott-Hopkins ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 25 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 71

Subject : What is meant by ' the millenium '?

To what date is the Commission referring when it mentions
in official documents ' the millenium '? Is the Commission

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 37

aware that, whilst many of my constituents intend to
celebrate the millenium on 1 January 2000, the UK
Department of National Heritage apparently believes that
the appropriate date is 1 January 2001 ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 April 1994 )

The Commission does not have a special definition of a

' millenium '. It endeavours, as always, to be logical . A
millenium covers a period of ten centuries or 1 000 years .
Under these circumstances, the third millenium can only
commence once the first two thousand years of the Christian
era have ended, that is to say on 1 January 2001 . The
Commission would thus agree with the Department of
National Heritage .

of ECU 12,3 billion, to which ECU 0,7 billion could be
added in 1996 . This agreement between the Council and
Parliament is a compromise which will enable Community
RTD to be maintained at the same level .

Community research will thus continue to contribute to the
strengthening of social and economic cohesion, as studies
have shown . Less developed regions benefit from the
scientific and technical quality of Community activities

( Report EUR 13994 ). This objective is among the selection
criteria for Community activities listed in Annex II to the
Fourth Framework-Programme (*) and it is more
particularly emphasized in the description of activities three

( dissemination and optimization of results ) and four

( training and mobility of researchers ) in Annex III .

(M COM(93 ) 276 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-343 / 94

by Gerardo Fernandez-Albor ( PPE )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 12 / 94 to the Commission

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

(1 March 1994 )

to the Commission
( 94 / C 336 / 73 )

( 28 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 72 )

Subject : Further support for the research sector

The new research framework programme, which is
scheduled to start towards the end of 1994, is due to be
considered during the Greek presidency . In view of this, can
the Commission say whether it is in favour of increasing the
Community 's budget for research and of strengthening this
sector, particularly in the southern European countries, as a
means of promoting convergence ?

Subject : Possible Community action against the effects of

discharging toxic waste into the rias of Galicia

( Spain )

The toxic waste discharged into the rias of Galicia represents
a threat to public health and the abundance of seafood
found there .

in the southern European countries, as a In view of the fact that the situation remains a delicate one as
convergence ? regards both public health protection and industrial

production in the area, can the Commission say what
Community programme could help to solve the conflict of
interests in the area concerned so that, following
Answer given by Mr Ruberti appropriate action, both public health and the industrial
on behalf of the Commission production affected will be adequately protected ?

( 29 April 1994 )

v

In its proposal concerning the Fourth
Framework-Programme (*), the Commission estimated
overall financing for Community research and technological
development activities at ECU 13,1 billion . This represents a
slight increase compared with the figure for 1993 which,
extrapolated to cover the same period, is approximately
ECU 12,3 billion .

In view of the differences between the Council and

Parliament regarding the funding of the Fourth
Framework-Programme, the Conciliation Committee,
provided for in Article 189b ( 63 ) of the EC Treaty, met on 4
and 21 March 1994 and agreed on an overall appropriation

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(7 April 1994 )

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member

that it falls to the Member States to take the necessary
measures to dispose of toxic waste in accordance with the
Community 's environment policy and legislation .

The Commission is able to provide financial help if the
Member State so wishes . Discussions are currently under
way on Spain 's Objective No 1 regional development plan .

No C 336 / 38 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

If the Spanish authorities so propose, this plan could result obtain more detailed information on the type of data
in action along the lines expressed by the Honourable available in the Member States .
Member .

In addition, Spain also receives appropriations earmarked
under the Cohesion Fund for environmental and transport
projects during the period 1993— 1999 . This instrument
can also be used to fund projects of this type . WRITTEN QUESTION E-464 / 94
by Tullio Regge ( PSE ) and Rinaldo Bontempi ( PSE )

to the Commission

(7 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 75 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-349 / 94

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 74 )

Subject : Social needs of the elderly

Given the lack of comparable statistical data on social and
health services and pension and social security schemes in
the European Union, does the Commission plan to set up
databases in order to collect objective information on these
areas and on the economic and social needs of elderly
women in particular ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 1994 )

The Commission does not intend to set up new databases on
the issues of economic and social needs of elderly

women .

Nevertheless, in the context of the European year of older
people and solidarity between generations, the European
observatory on ageing and older people has collected and
published comparative information on the situation of older
people in Europe, including the particular situation of older
women . The Commission intends that this work should be

developed further in the future .

Further in 1992 Eurostat has published comparable
statistics on social protection for the function ' old age '
covering the period from 1980 to 1988 and showing
expenditure on benefits, including different types of benefit
( e.g. home help, accommodation ) as well as the
corresponding numbers of beneficiaries .

Also within the framework of the European year of older
people and solidarity between generations, the Commission
has funded an analysis of the mortality by main causes of
death of people over 55 years old and the results of this
analysis have been published . In addition an inventory for
data collection on morbidity, invalidity and handicaps of
people over 55 years old has been established and it is
envisaged that this inventory will be expanded in order to

Subject : Employment threats facing disabled citizens in

Italy

Mr Innocenzo Cipoletta, Director-General of Confindustria
( the Italian Manufacturers ' Association ), recently asked the
Italian Labour Minister to suspend the practice of
compulsory employment as a means of tackling the
production and employment crisis in Italy .

Furthermore, FIAT has announced that it is selling its UP As
in northern Italy ( the workshops in which most of its
disabled and incapacitated workers are employed ) to its
small suppliers, which may lead to ' surreptitious ' dismissals .
In its Melfi factory, FIAT has not taken on any disabled
workers among its 1 356 employees, 1 300 of whom are on
job-training schemes .

Does the Commission not agree that the conduct of
Confindustria and Italy 's largest car manufacturer is
contrary to the principles set out in the Community charter
of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers, especially
chapter 26 ? Does it not agree also that, in the light of the
White Paper on competitiveness, growth and employment,
efforts must be made to help integrate disabled people into
working life and enlist the aid of all the parties concerned

( economic, social and institutional ) to ensure that disabled
people are not made to feel marginalized and cut off from
society ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 1994 )

The Community charter on fundamental social rights of
workers states that all disabled people must be entitled to
additional concrete measures aimed at improving their
social and professional integration . The Council
recommendation of 24 July 1986 on the employment of
disabled people in the Community also referred to the use of
quotas to promote employment . However the Commission
has no enforcement powers in this area .

The Commission proposes to consider the specific position
of disabled people in relation to employment following both
the White Paper on ' Growth, competitiveness, employment
— the challenges and ways forward into the 21st century '

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 39

and the Green Paper on ' European Social Policy — Options
for the Union '. The social partners, NGOs and all other
interested parties are expected to be involved in the
development of any new initiatives in this area .

inconclusive, justifies the formulation of hypotheses for
testing by further investigation as a matter of priority . The
Commission is supporting such investigations, notably in
the context of Community programmes and actions in the
field of public health .

Finally, European standards pertaining to mobile
communications equipment are not yet available, but the
Commission has forwarded to the European Committee for
Standardization and to the European Committee for
WRITTEN QUESTION E-482 / 94 Electrotechnical " Standardization mandates for developing

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE ) relevant safety emission limits .

to the Commission

( 14 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 76 )

Subject : Portable telephones and health risks

Some scientists believe that portable telephones may present
health risks, or even cause brain tumours in users .

These telephones generate powerful electromagnetic fields
close to the head . Thus there is interaction among biological
structures very close to a radiation source .

According to medical experts, the safety threshold is 4 w / kg
or 4 mw / g, allowing a safety coefficient of 10 because not all
biological tissues absorb energy in the same way .

1 . What research has been carried out in Member States

concerning the risks attendant on portable
telephones ?

2 . What European provisions exist concerning the
exposure of people to this type of electromagnetic
radiation ?

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

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

WRITTEN QUESTION E-5 18 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 14 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 77 )

Subject : The creation of structures for upgrading the image

of itinerant traders

Can the Commission state whether it intends to create

structures for improving the image of itinerant trading,
markets and itinerant traders throughout the
Community ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1994 )

The Commission has no mandate to create structures for

improving the image of itinerant trading, markets and
Answer given by Mr Flynn itinerant traders .
on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 1994 )

The Honourable Member is referred to Written Questions
No 757 / 93 by Mr John Bird and No 554 / 93 by Mr
Llewellyn Smith ( l ) which listed previous answers provided
by the Commission .

The value of 0,4 W.Kg - -1 cited by the Honourable Member,
is indeed the ceiling level for the protection of workers
against the thermal effects of electromagnetic radiation in
the range of frequencies used by portable radiotelephone
equipment, put forward by the Commission in its proposal
for a Directive on physical agents ( 2 ).

As regards ' athermal ' effects, including carcinogenicity, the
available experimental and epidemiological evidence, whilst

WRITTEN QUESTION E-525 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 14 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 78 )

Subject : Drawing up a Directive for stamping out
poliomyelitis

Does the Commission intend to give consideration to the
need for a Directive on stamping out poliomyelitis, based on
a triple strategy : vaccination, epidemiological monitoring
and the development of research laboratories ?

No C 336 / 40 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

Answer given by Mr Flynn of the maintenance of rights which have already been
on behalf of the Commission acquired or which are in the process of being acquired, with

(3 May 1994 ) the aim of guaranteeing the free movement of workers .

The Commission has no plans to examine the need for such

a directive . However as announced in its communication (*)
the Commission intends to propose action aiming at
encouraging cooperation between Member States and
coordination of their policies and programmes in the field of
communicable diseases, which includes, of course,
poliomyelitis .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-595 / 94

by Bouke Beumer ( PPE )

to the Commission

(9 March 1994 )

f 1 ) COM(93 ) 559 final . ( 94 / C 336 / 80 )

Subject : Reliability of inflation figures

WRITTEN QUESTION E-568 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( IS March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 79 )

Subject : Rights of pensioners ' associations in Gibraltar

Given that the British Government has unilaterally decided
to abolish the pension rights acquired by some 15 000
workers in Gibraltar and, in particular, to abolish the
Gibraltar Social Insurance Fund, does the Commission
intend to take any measures to protect the social rights of
pensioners ' associations in Gibraltar ?

Inflation figures play an extremely important role in
socio-economic activities . There must be no doubt about the

reliability of current and expected inflation figures . Not only
must the premises on which inflation figures are based be
carefully chosen : they must also be constantly updated to
avoid the risk of published inflation figures differing from
actual figures by many tenths of a percentage point .

1 . Can the Commission indicate for each Member State in

which year the premises for the calculation of inflation
figures were adopted ?

2 . Are the inflation figures which the European Union uses
in its publications and communications derived from the
Member States ' national statistics, or does the European
Union have a different methodology of its own ?

3 . Does the Commission consider the present figures on
current and expected inflation sufficiently reliable ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission Answer given by Mr Christophersen

on behalf of the Commission
(6 May 1994 )
(4 May 1994 )

The matter of the abolition of the Gibraltar Social Insurance

Fund, which initially had been dealt with exclusively on a
bilateral basis, is currently being examined by the
Commission and the Administrative Commission on Social

Security for Migrant Workers .

The Commission has asked the UK authorities for further

information to clarify matters such as the reasons behind the
failure of the Funds, the nationalities and categories of
persons affected, the effects on other forms of benefit and
the method of calculating acquired rights .

The answer which has just been received is know being
examined in the light of the principles of Community law
regarding the coordination of national legislation on social
security . These include the principles of equal treatment and

1 . The base period for the weights used in the consumer
price indices of Member States are shown in the table
below :

Base period

Member State

( 12 months ending

on date shown )

Belgium May 1988

Denmark December 1987

Germany December 1985

Greece October 1988

Spain March 1 991

France December 1992

Ireland December 1987

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 41

problem in Western society after cardiovascular disease and
Member State 12 months Base period cancer .

Base period

( 12 months ending

on date shown )

Italy June 1990
Luxembourg August 1987 i 1 )

Netherlands December 1990

Portugal March 1990

United Kingdom June 1993

f 1 ) 15 months to August 1987 .

1 . The Statistical Office of the European Communities
publishes each month the consumer price indices as
published in Member States, without adjustment . It also
publishes a weighted average for the 12 Member States .

3 . As far as existing consumer price indices are
concerned, the Commission is aware that national indices
are compiled using different methodologies . Although
generally of good quality, the indices are not directly
comparable . The Protocol on convergence criteria referred
to in Article 109j EC Treaty requires that inflation be
measured on a comparable basis, taking into account
differences in national definitions . Progress is now being
made on a project to harmonize consumer price index
methodologies in Member States .

The Commission does not publish consumer price index
forecasts, but its annual forecasts of the price deflator of
private consumption have been quite accurate in recent

years .

Given these forecasts, and bearing in mind the Community
campaign against cancer, does the Commission think that
specific Community action should be taken to help prevent
the spread and reduce the effects of Alzheimer 's disease ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1994

The Commission is well aware of this probable increase in
the incidence of Alzheimer 's disease and is taking action to
counter it . The Honourable Member is asked to refer to

replies given by the Commission to the following previous
Questions on this subject : 1025 / 84 ( x ), 1093 / 86 ( 2 ),
504 / 87 ( 3 ), 2364 / 87 ( 4 ), 442 / 90 ( 5 ), 1340 / 92 ( 6 ), 2578 / 92 ( 7 )
and to Oral Questions H-981 / 88 ( 8 ) and H-978 / 91 ( 9 ).

Community action to counter the disease has been
concentrated on research to ascertain its causes, and within
the biomedical and health research programme, on-going
concerted action on ' Risk factors for dementing disease ',
involving 16 teams from 10 different countries, is aiming at
a better understanding of the aetiology and pathogenesis of
senile dementia of the Alzheimer type ( 10 ).

In addition, several initiatives included in the European Year
of the Older People and Solidarity between Generations

WRITTEN QUESTION E-655 / 94 1993 were concerned with senile dementia and Alzheimer 's
by Gerardo Fernandez-Albor ( PPE ) disease .

to the Commission

( 17 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 81 )

i 1 ) OJ No C 26, 28 . 1 . 1985 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 54, 2 . 3 . 1987 .
( 3 ) OJ No C 351, 29 . 12 . 1987 .

( 4 ) OJ No C 303, 28 . 11 . 1988 .

( 5 ) OJ No C 272, 29 . 10 . 1990 .
Subject : Community programme to reduce the effects of ( 6 ) OJ No C 195, 19 . 7 . 1993 .

( 6 ) OJ No C 195, 19 . 7 . 1993 .

Alzheimer 's disease

Medical specialists are claiming that the rise in the number
of Alzheimer sufferers as a result of the ageing of the
population will be such that this form of senile dementia will
constitute the major epidemic of the 21st century .

Forecasts indicate that by 2025, the number of sufferers will
have doubled, making the illness the third largest health

( 7 ) OJ No C 99, 4 . 7 . 1993 .

( 8 ) Annex OJ 2 / 378, 24 . 5 . 1989 .

( 9 ) Annex OJ 3 / 409, 9 . 10 . 1991 .

( 10 ) Council Decision of 9 September 1991 adopting a specific

research and technological programme in the field of
biomedicine and health ( 1990 — 1994 ) OJ No L 267, 24 . 9 .
1991 .

No C 336 / 42 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-672 / 94

by Sir James Scott-Hopkins ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 21 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 82 )

Subject : Women and economic and social policy

Following the publication of the Green Paper on Social
Policy, does the Commission support a policy of positive
discrimination in favour of women in economic and social

policy ?

in which they are under-represented . This question remains
to be explored in the coming months .

For its own part, the Commission has a positive action
policy to ensure a better representation of women in those
grades which have traditionally seen little female
presence ( 7 ).

The Honourable Member may also note that the question of
positive actions and discrimination will go before the Court
of Justice in Case C-450 / 93 Kalante . The decision of the
Court is awaited with much interest by the Commission .

(!) OJ No L 45, 19 . 2 . 1975 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 39, 14 . 2 . 1976 .
( 3 ) OJ No L 6, 10 - 1 . 1979 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 225, 12 . 8 . 1986 .
( s ) OJ No L 359, 19 . 12 . 1986 .
( 6 ) OJ No L 348, 28 . 12 . 1992 .
Answer given by Mr Flynn ( 7 ) cf . Equal opportunities :
on behalf of the Commission

( 7 ) cf . Equal opportunities : second positive action programme for

female staff of the Commission ( 1992 — 1996 ).
(4 May 1994 )

The Honourable Member asks if the Commission supports
a policy of positive discrimination in favour of women
following the publication of the Green Paper on social
policy ' options for the Union '.

The Commission is responsible for the elaboration of equal
opportunities policy at Community level . The fundamental
principle of equality between men and women operates in
the fields of pay ( Article 119 of the EC Treaty — Council
Directive 75 / 117 / EEC ( a )), working conditions and
vocational training ( Council Directive 76 / 207 / EEC ( 2 )),
social security ( Council Directive 79 / 7 / EEC ( 3 )) ( Council
Directive 86 / 378 / EEC ( 4 )), the self-employed ( Council
Directive 86 / 613 / EEC ( 5 )) and the protection of pregnant
workers ( Council Directive 92 / 85 / EEC ( 6 )). The legal basis
for this policy has been clarified by the Court of Justice on
many occasions .

The acquis communautaire allows for certain positive
actions in favour of women where the intention is to bring
women into a situation of real equality with men
( Article 2(4 ) of Directive 76 / 207 / EEC ). In this context, the
Commission and Council have created special programmes
such as NOW, IRIS and LEI aimed at women . These aim to
improve the level of participation of women in the economy
and to correct the negative effect of past discriminations
against women . In this context, it is true to say that the
Commission supports a policy of positive discrimination
within the limits laid down by Community law . Exceeding
those limits would be a breach of Community law .

In the Green Paper, the Commission emphasizes the urgency
of making better use of the often under-utilized talents of
women in the economy . In social terms, there is a great need
to address the particular problems facing women : poverty,
single parenthood, low-paid and insecure employment . The
Commission then asks whether special measures such as
quotas, targets or other forms of positive action should be
used to help ensure a fuller participation of women in areas

WRITTEN QUESTION E-703 / 94

by Marianne Thyssen ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 21 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 83 )

Subject : Non-use of Dutch in Eures course

1 . What reasons can the Commission give for organizing
a Eures course for Euro-advisers in languages other than
that of the majority of the participants in the course ?

2 . What policy will the Commission pursue on the use of
languages in future Eures courses and in the associated
documents ?

3 . Does the Commission intend to reduce other costs

( e.g. subsistence allowances ) in the interests of the
multilingual character — and hence the effectiveness — of
its programme ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 1994 )

The objectives, content and methods of training for
Euro-advisers have been drawn up and validated by the
Commission and public employment services in the Member
States .

The primary objective of the training is to enable
Euro-advisers to exchange information and to cooperate in
trans-national actions relating to employment and
training .

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 43

In order to achieve this objective, it was necessary, as far as
possible, to have direct communication ( without
interpretation ) between the stagiaires themselves and
between the stagiaires and the training officers .

Once the linguistic ability of the Euro-advisers had been
evaluated, it proved possible to adopt two working
languages per group by combining French, English and
German . The public employment services prefer two
working languages to be used for teaching purposes .

Furthermore, there is not a majority language in groups
where there are 5 to 10 different nationalities .

Considering the results which have been obtained ( cohesion
of the network ) and the evaluation of the stagiaires, this
training method has proved to be efficient and fulfils the
objectives . The documents given to the stagiaires are, as far
as possible, in their mother tongue when they constitute a
point of reference for the Euro-advisers ' work ( e.g.,
Regulations, outlines of Community programmes ).

As mentioned in the first paragraph, reducing the linguistic
handicaps and thereby reducing the communication
difficulties between Euro-advisers will guarantee the success
of the Eures network . Increasing the number of languages
which are interpreted may also reduce the efficiency of
training, since it does not stimulate communication between
stagiaires .

Finally, the Honourable Member will note that the general
information data base ( INFO 92 ) which acts as support to
Eures for Euro-advisers includes the nine Community
languages as does the corresponding teaching and
promotional material .

2 . How is it possible for a Member of the Commission to

criticise in public a proposal for a Directive which it has
itself submitted ?

3 . Does the Commission still stand by its original
proposals, or must Commissioner Matutes ' remarks be
construed as indicating that the Commission proposes
to water them down or withdaw them ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )

The proposal from the Commission for introducing a tax on
carbon dioxide emissions and on energy dates from May

1992 .

Since then the Council — in its various forms i.e. Ministers

of Economic Affairs and Finance, Environment Ministers
and Energy Ministers — has been actively at work on that
proposal, prompted by successive Council Presidencies and
the present one in particular .

The opinion of Parliament on the proposal is eagerly
awaited, for without it the Council is unable to reach a
decision .

There is, therefore, no question of dropping the proposed
C0 2 energy tax, indeed it was referred to in the White Paper
on growth, competitiveness and employment submitted to
the Brussels European Council in December last year . The
Commission can confirm that the existing proposal is
indeed the basis on which discussions continue .

The concern of Mr Matutes, which he has voiced on several
occasions, does not relate to the proposal itself, on which the
Commission has already reached a decision : he is worried
about the delay with the proposal, and in particular the fact
that difficulties with the discussions now in progress cannot
WRITTEN QUESTION E-740 / 94 possibly warrant failure to act on the other fronts of the

by Rolf Linkohr ( PSE ) Community 's strategy for reducing CO2 emissions .

to the Commission

( 25 February 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 84 )

Subject : Disapproving remarks by Commissioner Matutes

concerning the CO2 tax

' Transport Commissioner Abel Matutes, who is also
responsible for energy matters, has in Athens advocated
abandoning, in their present form, the plans now before the
Council of Ministers for the introduction of the high C0 2
tax in the European Union .' ( vwd-Europa, 9 February
1994 ).

1 . Can the Commission confirm this report ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-783 / 94

by Henry McCubbin ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 22 March 1994 )

94 / C 336 / 85

Subject : Occupational pension rights of migrant workers

In his answer to my Written Question No 3612 / 93 ( J ),
Commissioner Flynn replied that it should ' be kept in mind

No C 336 / 44 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

that the double taxation of occupational pension rights of
migrant workers which results from the withdrawal of tax
advantages at the moment of an international transfer of
pension assets can be avoided by leaving the pension rights
in the pension scheme in the country of origin, where they
should be adequately protected against inflation '.

What does the Commission believe to be adequate
protection against inflation for a pension ? Is it the same
protection as European civil service pensions receive for
instance ?

(!) OJ No C 251, 8 . 9 . 1994, p . 35 .

schemes is concerned, it should be kept in mind that transfer
amounts are calculated so as to reflect the actuarial value of

the deferred pension . If the deferred pension is not protected
against inflation the available transfer amount will be
correspondingly lower .

(!) SEC(91 ) 1332 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-815 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

Answer given by Mr Flynn ( 23 March 1994 )
on behalf of the Commission

( 94 / C 336 / 86 )
(4 May 1994 )

Subject : Setting up a Community mechanism for
Ideally, occupational pension rights should not be affected channelling funds to the unemployed as an act of
by job changes during a worker 's career . In practice, solidarity
however, a person who remains with the same employer
during his or her entire career will receive a higher
occupational pension than a person who has worked, with In view of the fact that recent Community research into
the same earnings, for several employers with similar unemployment ( conducted by Eurobarometer ) revealed
occupational pension arrangements . This short-fall of that workers support the idea of paying taxes to create jobs,
occupational pension rights can result from long waiting and that this would clearly make it easy to set up a
and vesting periods and from insufficient inflation Community solidarity fund for employment, can the
protection of deferred benefits, as the Commission has

Commission take steps to set up a Community mechanism

shown in its communication of 22 July 1991

( Supplementary social security schemes : the role of
occupational pension schemes in the social protection of
workers and their implications for freedom of
movement ) (*). The Commission intends to present a
proposal for framework legislation ensuring that migrant
workers do not suffer any undue loss of occupational
pension rights .

In view of the fact that recent Community research into
unemployment ( conducted by Eurobarometer ) revealed
that workers support the idea of paying taxes to create jobs,
and that this would clearly make it easy to set up a
Community solidarity fund for employment, can the
Commission take steps to set up a Community mechanism
to channel the funds paid by workers as an act of solidarity
towards the unemployed ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

In the absence of waiting and vesting periods, occupational (6 May 1994 )
pension rights would not be affected by mobility if they were
revalued in line with an individual 's earnings . It would,
however, not be reasonable to impose on the individual 's
previous employers an obligation to . increase pension rights One of the objectives of the Commission 's White Paper on
whenever a subsequent employer awards a pay increase . A ' Growth, competitiveness and Employment ' is to achieve a
more sensible approach would be to use average earnings or wider distribution of jobs and income . This requires a
consumer prices for indexing deferred pension rights . Even thorough-going reform of the labour market, and the effort
this limited protection of occupational pension rights is not to be made calls for adaptations and policies at all levels . The
very common in the Member States but improvements are Commission is not, however, currently proposing the
gradually being introduced in some of them . creation of a Community solidarity fund .

As far as the choice between a transfer and leaving pension
rights in the previous employer 's occupational pension

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 45

WRITTEN QUESTION E-842 / 94 3 . Does the EU plan to support the Ethiopian

by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark ( PPE ) Government 's plan for a food reserve in Ethiopia ?

to the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 87 )

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission
Subject : Future actions for older people — Second EU

programme for older people ( 25 April 1994 )

The Commission announced its intention to bring forward
proposals for a second EU programme on older people in
December 1993 . When will these proposals be tabled ? Will
they be presented in time for the current Parliament to give
its opinion before the June 1 994 elections ? If not, the start of
the next EU programme is likely to be delayed well into

1995, taking account of a Council Decision in December
1994 and the need for preparatory work .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 1994 )

As announced at the closing conference of the European
year of older people and solidarity between generations, the
Commission is currently preparing a new set of actions for
older people .

At this juncture it is clear that the new programme will not
be adopted by the Commission in time to enable Parliament
to give its opinion before the June elections . It is hoped that
Parliament 's opinion and the Council 's Decision can be
given early in the second half of this year .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-858 / 94

by Terence Wynn ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 88 )

Subject : Food shortages in Eritrea and Ethiopia

Given the increasing food shortages which are occurring in
Eritrea and Ethiopia, could the Commission please
indicate :

1 . How much food aid does the EU plan to send to Eritrea

and Ethiopia for this financial year 1993 / 94 ;

2 . What is the time scale for the food aid for this financial
year to be delivered to Eritrea and Ethiopia ;

The Commission, in its desire to support the new
governments in these countries has made it clear that it will
closely monitor the food security situation and consider
further allocations if necessary . In wishing to give further
support to Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Commission has put a
high priority on selecting rehabilitation and development
food-aid programmes through the NGOs .

The FAO / WFP crop assessment reports for Ethiopia and
Eritrea, which were published towards the end of 1993,
forecasted food-aid needs of 875 000 tonnes and

255 000 tonnes for Ethiopia and Eritrea, respectively .

The Commission, acting on information from its food
monitors, in Addis Abeba and Asmara, had already decided
at the end of November to make some advance allocations

to NGO partners of 36 540 tonnes and 29 898 tonnes
in favour of Ethiopia and Eritrea, respectively . This
decision was complemented by a Commission food-aid
programming mission undertaken to coincide with the
Appeal launched by The Relief and Rehabilitation
Committee in Addis Abeba on 13 December 1993 .

Food aid allocations in tonnes programmed to date are :

Channel Quantity Delivery schedule

1 . Ethiopia

Government

of Ethiopia 50 000 wheat May — July

NGOs 78 200 cereals

4 755 oil

5 298 pulses

WFP 20 000 wheat

1 500 oil

3 220 other

products

February onwards

not yet known

Red Cross 18 000 cereals not yet known

2 . Eritrea

Goverment

of Eritrea 20 000 wheat Under consideration

NGOs 45 000 cereals

3 000 oil

4 500 pulses

WFP 10 000 wheat

2 300 other

February onwards

not yet known

No C 336 / 46 Official Journal of the European Communities 30 . 11 . 94

Support for the Emergency Food Reserve in Ethiopia will be
given through the monetization of the 50 000 tonnes of
wheat through the Government . It is planned to utilize
counterpart funds to carry out local purchases from future
harvests .

If so, can the Commission state whether, apart from
membership, European status requires it to comply with any
Community rules and, if so, which rules apply ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(3 May 1994 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-893 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 89 )

Subject : Financial irregularities which have occurred in

vocational training seminars organized in Attica
for Greeks from Northern Epirus

Serious financial irregularities, involving several million
drachmes, occurred in vocational training seminars
organized in the prefecture of Attica in 1992 by the National
Institute for the Housing and Rehabilitation of Greek
Returnees . Does the Commission intend to take any action
to solve this matter and ascertain who was responsible ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 1994 )

The Commission was not aware of any financial
irregularities in vocational training seminars organized fn
Attica for Greeks from northern Epirus but will raise the
question at the next follow-up committee meeting .

The Honourable Member may, however, like to ask the
national authorities for information on the training
seminars in question . Their address is :

Ministry of Labour
ESF

Pireos 40

GR-10182 Athens .

The European Franchise Federation is a professional
organization that groups together numerous national
franchise organizations . It represents this form of commerce
at Community level, has a representative on the Committee
on Commerce and Distribution ( CCD ) established by the
Commission Decision of 20 May 1981 (*) and helped
prepare the European franchise code of practice adopted by
the CCD on 8 July 1992 .

In general terms European professional trade organizations
are not covered by specific Community legislation .
Franchise agreements, however, are governed by
Commission Regulation ( EEC ) No 2087 / 88 of
30 November 1988 on the application of Article 85(3 ) of the
EEC Treaty ( 2 ).

(!) OJ No L 165, 23 . 6 . 1981 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 359, 28 . 12 . 1988 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 174 / 94

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission

(5 April 1994 )

( 94 / C 336 / 91 )

Subject : Prisoners in the EU

What is the prison population per Member State of the
EU ?

What percentage of prisoners are receiving vocational
training or have acquired some form of skill ? Finally, have
any measures been taken to modernize and standardize the
rules under which the correctional system is run by public
and private bodies in the Member States of the EU ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-899 / 94

by Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V )

to the Commission

( 30 March 1994 )

Answer given by Mr Christophersen

on behalf of the Commission

( 94 / C 336 / 90 ) (4 May 1994 ) .

Subject : European Franchise Federation The Commission 's Statistical Office has not compiled any
statistics on the prison population . It intends, however, to
Is the Commission aware of the existence of a European include a chapter on the prison population in the
Franchise Federation ? forthcoming second edition of one of its publications, the

30 . 11 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 336 / 47

'Social Portrait of Europe '. This will contain figures on the
current situation and changes .

The Council of Europe, through the European Committee
on Crime Problems ( ECCP ), has regularly collected
statistical data on prison populations in the Member States
since 1983 .

The ECCP has not compiled data on numbers of prisoners
receiving vocational training .

The Council of Europe, guided by the ECCP, is taking
measures to standardize management of the correctional

system .