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/* /*#     - «g     - w     - <f ISSN 0378-6986
# Orncial J ournal c 95

# Volume 36
###### of the European Communities 5Apd »»

Information and Notices
English edition

Notice No Contents p age

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

93 / C 95 / 01 No 2583 / 91 by Mrs Hedwig Keppelhoff-Wiechert to the Commission
Subject : Tax discrimination against self-employed persons resident in the Netherlands and
working in Germany 1

93 / C 95 / 02 No 2658 / 91 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission
Subject : Proposed energy tax 1

93 / C 95 / 03 No 3089 / 91 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Harmonization of national law relating to insolvency of banks 2

93 / C 95 / 04 No 13 / 92 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Environmental problems on the islands of Kefallonia and Ithaca 3

93 / C 95 / 05 No 20 / 92 by Mr Alexander Langer, Mrs Brigitte Ernst de la Graete and Mrs
Eva-Maria Quistorp to the Commission
Subject : The development of a common foreign and security policy for the Community 3

93 / C 95 / 06 No 1 16 / 92 by Mrs Ursula Schleicher to the Commission
Subject : Notification procedures 4

93 / C 95 / 07 No 205 / 92 by Mr Gerardo Fernandez-Albor to the Commission
Subject : Community approval for consultants specializing in information regarding the
Community 's agricultural and fisheries policies 4

93 / C 95 / 08 No 227 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Community funds for the protection of the River Nestos 5

93 / C 95 / 09 No 263 / 92 by Mr Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Council Directive concerning the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer
( Supplementary answer ) 5

2 ( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 95 / 10 No 299 / 92 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission
Subject : Health and safety : information to the Luxembourg committee 6

93 / C 95 / 11 No 312 / 92 by Mrs Jessica Larive to the Commission
Subject : Native language to be excluded from labels ? 6

93 / C 95 / 12 No 545 / 92 by Mrs Maartje van Putten and Mr Alman Metten to the Commission
Subject : Labelling in foreign languages 7

93 / C 95 / 13 No 2589 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Use of languages in the labelling of products 7

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 312 / 92, 545 / 92 and 2589 / 92 7

93 / C 95 / 14 No 531 / 92 by Mr Arie Oostlander to the Commission
Subject : Book on European history 8

93 / C 95 / 15 No 618 / 92 by Mr Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Restriction of telecommunications monopolies in the Community 8

93 / C 95 / 16 No 661 / 92 by Mr Alexander Langer to the Commission
Subject : Regional and ethnic languages and cultures 9

93 / C 95 / 17 No 683 / 92 by Mr Jesus Cabezon Alonso to the Commission
Subject : Payment system under the Erasmus programme 9

93 / C 95 / 18 No 713 / 92 by Mr David Martin to the Commission
Subject : Underfunding of TIDE ( Technology for the Socio-Economic Integration of Disabled
and Elderly People ) 9

93 / C 95 / 19 No 728 / 92 by Mr Luigi Moretti to the Commission
Subject : Irregularities in the administration of agricultural funds 10

93 / C 95 / 20 No 748 / 92 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : EC-Vietnam relations 11

93 / C 95 / 21 No 950 / 92 by Mr Paul Lannoye to the Commission
Subject : Ammonia emissions 11

93 / C 95 / 22 No 983 / 92 by Mr Yves Verwaerde to the Commission
Subject : Mauritius — exemptions and fraud involving EUR 1 certificates 12

93 / C 95 / 23 No 1061 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Connection between the use of fuel oil and CO2 emissions in Spain 13

93 / C 95 / 24 No 1092 / 92 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : Renewed exports of arms to areas of conflict in the Third World 14

93 / C 95 / 25 No 1 1 1 1 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Letter to the President of the Hellenic Republic 14

93 / C 95 / 26 No 1204 / 92 by Mr Sérgio Ribeiro, Mr Joaquim Miranda Da Silva, Mrs Maria Belo,
Mrs Margarida Salema O. Martins, Mr Antonio Coimbra Martins, Mrs Marijke Van
Hemeldonck, Mrs Marie-Claude Vayssade, Mr Pedro Canavarro, Mrs Christine
Crawley, Mrs Maria Santos, Mrs Maartje van Putten, Mr Artur da Cunha Oliveira,
Mrs Mireille Elmalan, Mrs Theresa Domingo Segarra, Mr Kirsten Jensen, Mr Jose
Vazquez Fouz and Mrs Barbara Duhrkop Diihrkop to the Commission
Subject : Discrimination against women in recruitment in the Banco Comercial Portugues 14

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 95 / 27 . No 1263 / 92 by Mr Dieter Rogalla to the Commission
Subject : Timber and paper products — environmental acceptability 15

93 / C 95 / 28 No 1351 / 92 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission
Subject : The Commission stand at the Belgian ' Salon de l'6tudiant ' 16

93 / C 95 / 29 No 1370 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Need for stronger measures to encourage full participation by Spain in the EDF 16

93 / C 95 / 30 No 1550 / 92 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Interpretation of the implementation of the social protocol 17

93 / C 95 / 31 No 1707 / 92 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Fraud relating to vocational training courses financed by the Community in Italy 18

93 / C 95 / 32 No 1708 / 92 by Mr Giuseppe Mottola to the Commission
Subject : Crisis affecting the potato market in Campania — marketing support measures 18

93 / C 95 / 33 No 1722 / 92 by Mr Madron Seligman to the Commission
Subject : Educational grants for the unemployed 19

93 / C 95 / 34 No 1800 / 92 by Mr Jose Lafuente L6pez to the Commission
Subject : Community provisions on the production of a single European currency 19

93 / C 95 / 35 No 1817 / 92 by Mrs Ludivina Garcia Arias to the Commission
Subject : The security of energy supply 20

93 / C 95 / 36 No 1864 / 92 by Mr Virginio Bettini and Mrs Maria Cassanmagnago Cerretti to the
Commission

Subject : Industrial refuse tip in the environmentally sensitive ' Lambro-Seveso-Olona ' area .... 21

93 / C 95 / 37 No 1879 / 92 by Mr Christos Papoutsis to the Commission
Subject : Conditions for exercising the profession of chartered accountant ( auditor ) in Greece 21

93 / C 95 / 38 No 1928 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Establishment of a European coastguard service 22

93 / C 95 / 39 No 1947 / 92 by Mr Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Irrigation project in the commune of Nimfes ( Corfu ) 22

93 / C 95 / 40 No 2024 / 92 by Mr Eugenio Melandri to the Commission
Subject : The Lentini transfer 23

93 / C 95 / 41 No 2031 / 92 by Mr Christian de la Mal&ne to the Commission
Subject : Planned location of an automobile factory in Portugal in the form of a joint venture . . 23

93 / C 95 / 42 No 2032 / 92 by Mr Christian de la Mal&ne to the Commission
Subject : Planned location of an automobile factory in Portugal in the form of a joint venture . . 24

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2031 / 92 and 2032 / 92 24

93 / C 95 / 43 No 2035 / 92 by Mr Lode Van Outrive to the Commission
Subject : Application of the Commission 's social action programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights for workers 24

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 95 / 44 No 2039 / 92 by Mr Lode Van Outrive to the Commission
Subject : Application of the Commission 's social action programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights for Workers 25

93 / C 95 / 45 No 2041 / 92 by Mr Lode Van Outrive to the Commission
Subject : Application of the Commission 's social action programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights for Workers 25

93 / C 95 / 46 No 2042 / 92 by Mr Lode Van Outrive to the Commission
Subject : Application of the Commission 's social action programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights for Workers 26

93 / C 95 / 47 No 2046 / 92 by Mr Lode Van Outrive to the Commission '
Subject : Application of the Commission 's action programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights for Workers 26

93 / C 95 / 48 No 2063 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : New areas of international ' big science ' cooperation : the Superconducting Super
Collider ( SSC ) 27

93 / C 95 / 49 No 2077 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The Thriasian Plain 28

93 / C 95 / 50 No 2080 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Insecticides available in Greece 29

93 / C 95 / 51 No 2120 / 92 by Mr Gerardo Fernandez-Albor to the Commission
Subject : Community financial participation in the restructuring of the Spanish sugar industry 29

93 / C 95 / 52 No 2166 / 92 by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffin to the Commission
Subject : Compliance with environmental standards : Marseilles water purification plant 30

93 / C 95 / 53 No 2168 / 92 by Mr Jean-Louis Borloo to the Commission
Subject : Opportunities for European students to complete periods of study in other EEC
Member States 30

93 / C 95 / 54 No 2184 / 92 by Mr Bernard Antony to the Commission
Subject : The arms industry 31

93 / C 95 / 55 No 2188 / 92 by Mr Luigi Colajanni to the Commission
Subject : Swiss bank 's blocking of Judge Di Pietro 's investigation into bribery 31

93 / C 95 / 56 No 2221 / 92 by Mr Jean-Claude Pasty to the Commission
Subject : Greater freedom of movement for the blind and their guide dogs in the Community . . 32

93 / C 95 / 57 No 2352 / 92 by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission
Subject : Freedom of movement for blind people with guide dogs 32

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2221 / 92 and 2352 / 92 32

93 / C 95 / 58 No 2223 / 92 by Mr Detlev Samland to the Commission
Subject : Call for expressions of interest to compile a list of expert consultants in the field of
telecommunications and information industries 33

93 / C 95 / 59 No 2232 / 92 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Danger of cyanide pollution in the Aegean 33

( Continued on inside back cover )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 95 / 60 No 2272 / 92 by Mr Alexander Langer to the Commission
Subject : Refugees from former Yugoslavia 34

93 / C 95 / 61 No 2286 / 92 by Mrs Ursula Braun-Moser to the Commission
Subject : Destruction of the Nestos delta in Greece 34

93 / C 95 / 62 No 2328 / 92 by Mrs Brigitte Langenhagen to the Commission
Subject : Inclusion of Low German in the projected European Charter for regional and / or
lesser-used languages 35

93 / C 95 / 63 No 2331 / 92 by Mr James Ford to the Commission
Subject : Deaths on building sites 35

93 / C 95 / 64 No 2339 / 92 by Mr Anthony Simpson to the Commission
Subject : Over 60s ' travel card 36

93 / C 95 / 65 No 2340 / 92 by Mr Maxime Verhagen to the Commission
Subject : The Treaty of Basel 36

93 / C 95 / 66 No 2342 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Travellers and travellers ' sites 37

93 / C 95 / 67 No 2347 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Sanctions against firms which do not comply with disability quotas 37

93 / C 95 / 68 No 2358 / 92 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : European Charter of Local Self-Government 38

93 / C 95 / 69 No 2366 / 92 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Equal rights for widows / widowers ; . 38

93 / C 95 / 70 No 2386 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Undertakings of young people in the Community 38

93 / C 95 / 71 No 2390 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Infrastructures for the diagnosis of disabilities in children and corrective treatment ... 39

93 / C 95 / 72 No 2391 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Foundation of the Euro-Arab University in Crete 39

93 / C 95 / 73 No 2538 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde L6pez to the Commission
Subject : The projected Euro-Arab University in Granada 39

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2391 / 92 and 2538 / 92 39

93 / C 95 / 74 No 2396 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : EC co-financing of social welfare programmes in Spain 40

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2583 / 91
by Mrs Hedwig Keppelhoff-Wiechert ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 14 January 1991 )

( 93 / C 95 / 01 )

Subject : Tax discrimination against self-employed
persons resident in the Netherlands and working
in Germany

Self-employed persons resident in the Netherlands and
working in Germany are ' subject to limited taxation '.

1 . Is the Commission aware that self-employed persons
in Germany are always regarded as single and that no
account is taken of spouses and children ?

2 . What measures will the Commission take to end this
discrimination against self-employed persons, who, as
a result of the above situation, are classified in the
highest income-tax bracket ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 October 1992 )

The Commission is fully aware of the unsatisfactory tax

situation in which persons subject to income tax who
carry on a self-employed activity in Germany but are
resident in the Netherlands find themselves .

Under Article 9 of the Double Taxation Convention of 16
June 1959 concluded between Germany and the
Netherlands, the right to tax the income of such persons is
vested in the country in which the self-employed activity
is carried on, that is to say, Germany .

Under the limited tax liability arrangements applicable in
Germany (' beschrankte Steuerpflicht '), the persons in
question, as the Honourable points out, are not eligible
for most of the tax advantages and deductions for which
persons resident there qualify .

The Commission takes the view that the German tax

arrangements in question constitute an infringement of
the provisions of the EEC Treaty and, accordingly, has
instituted proceedings against Germany under
Article 169 . A further point to be noted is that the
application of this tax scheme to a Dutch resident carrying
on a self-employed activity in Germany is currently the
subject of a reference for a preliminary ruling by the
Court of Justice ( Case C - 1 12 / 9 1 Werner v Finanzamt
Aachen ).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2658 / 91

by Sir James Scott-Hopkins ( ED )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 19 November 1 991 )

( 93 / C 95 / 02 )

Subject : Proposed energy tax

What effect do the Commission 's researches indicate its
proposed energy tax to cut CO2 emissions would have on
industrial costs in the EC ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

1 . According to the studies carried out by a consultant
on behalf of the Commission ('), the COz / energy tax
provided for in the proposal for a Council Directive
introducing a tax on carbon dioxide emissions and energy
of 30 June 1992 ( 2 ) would entail only a slight increase in
industrial costs . This is because :

— total energy costs generally account for less than 5 %

of industrial operating costs ;

No C 95 / 2 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

— the proposed Directive provides for a reallocation of

tax revenue through reductions in other taxes
( Article 15 : tax neutrality ).

According to the estimates made, which take no account
of the various reductions / exemptions provided for in the
proposed Directive, industrial prices ( excluding energy )
would rise by 3,52% annually, instead of 3,28 %, between

1992 and 2005 .

2 . For a limited number of industrial ( sub)sectors,
however, energy costs account for a much higher
proportion of production costs . The Commission
communication of 14 October 1991 on a Community
strategy to limit carbon dioxide emissions and to improve
energy efficiency mentions the following as examples of
such sectors ; steel, chemicals, non-ferrous metals,
cement, glass and paper .

In order to safeguard these sectors against a loss of
competitiveness at international level, the proposed
Directive provides for the following measures :

— application of the tax to be conditional on the

introduction of measures having equivalent effect in
other OECD countries ( Article 1 ( 2 ));

— a graduated reduction in the tax payable for firms with

a high energy consumption that are faced with an
increase in imports from third countries which have
not applied measures having equivalent effect
( Article 10(l))O ;

— exemption from the tax payable for firms with a high

energy consumption that are faced with an increase in
imports from third countries which have not applied
measures having equivalent effect, provided that those
firms have made substantial efforts to reduce carbon

dioxide emissions and to improve their energy
efficiency ( Article 10 ( 2 )).

3 . In addition to the measures set out in Article 10
for safeguarding energy-intensive industries on
a case-by-case basis against possible losses of
competitiveness, the proposed Directive provides for a
general tax incentive in the form of a reduction ( or
equivalent refund ) of the tax to the extent of new
investment expenditure incurred by a firm in reducing
carbon dioxide emissions and improving energy efficiency
( Article 11 ). This measure should enhance the effect of
the tax in stimulating energy-efficient investment .

In the medium and long term, faster technical progress
and increased investment in the efficient use of energy
should enable Community industry to reduce its
production cost and to gain a competitive edge over its
principal trading partners .

(*) DRI, The Economic Impact of a Package of EC Measures to

Control CO2 Emissions, Final Report, November 1991 .
O COM(92 ) 226 final / 2 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3089 / 91

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

( 13 January 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 03 )

Subject : Harmonization of national law relating to
insolvency of banks

The list of incidents in the banking sector requiring
intervention by the national supervisory authorities in the
last 10 years alone is extremely long .

In addition to the current crisis facing the BCCI and the
wave of bankruptcies in American savings and loans

associations, other incidents have recently occurred,
affecting the Schroeder Bank in Germany, the Banco
Ambrosiano Holdings in Luxembourg, Johnson Matthey
bankers in the United Kingdom and the Central Bank
A.E. and the Bank of Crete A.E. in Greece .

Of all the measures which national governments have, on
occasion, been forced to take to rationalize their banking
system, the most effective is the compulsory increase of
the capital of an insolvent bank, with existing
shareholders being invited to exercise their pre-emption
rights .

What measures will the Commission take to fill the
current gap in Community legislation by harmonizing the
legislation of the Member States so that, in cases of
insolvency of banks, governments are able to intervene by
compulsorily raising the banks ' capital and inviting
existing shareholders to exercise their pre-emption rights,
since this is the only effective means of reorganizing the
banking institutions and undertakings and protecting
them as far as possible from liquidation and the extremely
unfortunate consequences of this for the public ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1992 )

The Commission is aware of the bank crises mentioned in
the Honourable Member 's question and of the measures
which various Member States have taken to deal with
these situations . As regards increasing the capital of banks
which operate like public limited companies and are in
financial difficulties, the Commission takes the view that
the banking authorities may make continued approval of
a bank conditional on such an increase . However, under
the second company law Directive ( 77 / 91 / EEC ) ('), an
increase can be decided upon only by the general meeting
of shareholders .

The Commission is also alive to the existence of a gap in

Community legislation as regards the reorganization of

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 3

banks . It would, however, draw the Honourable
Member 's attention to the fact that the problem has
already been the subject of an initiative by the
Commission, which back in December 1985 presented a
proposal for a Directive relating to the reorganization and
the winding-up of credit institutions ( 2 ). An amended
proposal ( 3 ) taking account of Parliament 's opinion ( 4 )
was presented on 1 1 January 1988 .

In accordance with the principles set out in the June 1985
White Paper on completing the internal market, these
proposals do not seek to harmonize Member States '
legislation, which varies considerably and contains
measures reflecting the legal environment in each
country, but to ensure mutual recognition .

The Council has so far not considered it expedient to give
priority to discussion of the Commission 's amended
proposal .

the bay, which is used by the Caretta caretta turtle as a v
mating ground . No environmental survey has been
carried out for the prefecture as a whole . There is no
systematic programme of public information or data
collection and monitoring in respect of endangered
species . Finally, a number of small local projects are
causing further damage to the habitats in the area .

1 . Will the Commission provide funding for a special

environmental survey for Kefallonia with a view to
recording rare species of animals, designating
protected areas and safeguarding the habitats in the
area ?

2 . Does it consider that it should take immediate action
to include biological depuration at Lixourion within a
funding programme so as to protect the natural
environment in the Gulf of Argostolion ?

priority to 3 . Will it provide funding for a programme of
proposal . information for the local inhabitants and visitors and

for scientific monitoring of and data collection on
o OJ No L 26, 30 . 1 . 1977 . endangered species in the area ?
O COM(85 ) 788 ; OJ No C 356, 31 . 12 . 1985 .
O COM(88 ) 4 final ; OJ No C 36, 8 . 2 . 1988 .
O OJ No C 99, 13.4 . 1987 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 13 / 92

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

(4 February 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 04 )

Subject : Environmental problems on the islands of
Kefallonia and Ithaca

The environmental problems facing Kefallonia are
beyond the capacity of the local authorities, raise issues
concerning the Community and call for a comprehensive
range of measures . One specific problem concerns the
lack of protection for the mating and breeding grounds of
the Caretta caretta turtle on many beaches . The same
applies to the Monachus monachus seal in this area
( which has been entered on the information system ). A
large number of other rare species can also be found in
this area and Mt . Enos has been designated a national
park . Volunteers are taking steps to convert a building
into a national history museum, to mark out and clear
beaches for protected - species, plant trees, provide
treatment and care for injured animals, provide
information for the public on environmental matters and
prevent fires . All these efforts require support . In
addition, as in the Adriatic large quantities of plankton
are appearing in the marine ecosystem, which is showing
signs of eutrophication . The Envireg programme includes
a biological depuration plant at Argostolion but not
Lixourion, despite the fact that effluent from both enters

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 December 1 992 )

1 . The Commission is aware of the environmental
problems in Cephalonia and is in favour of a global
approach for a comprehensive study on these problems,
which would identify not only the data on species in need
of protection, but also intervention to improve the
environmental situation of the region .

2 . Should the Greek authorities so request, the
Commission would be willing to examine the possibility
of supporting such an action in, the context of structural
fund programmes .

3 . No .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 20 / 92
by Mr Alexander Langer, Mrs Brigitte Ernst de la Graete

and Mrs Eva-Maria Quistorp ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 4 February 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 05 )

Subject : The development of a common foreign and

security policy for the Community

Events such as the Gulf war, the crisis in Yugoslavia and
the massive influx of refugees fleeing from poverty have
exposed the European Community 's woeful state of
unpreparedness as it struggles to formulate a common
independent foreign and security policy .

No C 95 / 4 Official Journal of the European Communities 5.4 . 93

With reference to the Intergovernmental Conferences in

progress :

1 . What conclusions will be drawn from the events

referred to above ?

2 . Are possible instruments being considered for
preventive and peacemaking action by the Community
in crisis areas by non-military means such as civilian
peace corps, observers, the mass media ( European
radio and television ) and cultural and educational
institutions, etc .?

3 . Are instruments being devised to coordinate
cooperation, including non-governmental
organizations, with the countries of Central and
Eastern Europe in order to contribute to sustainable
development in those countries and, through suitable
partnership arrangements, prevent the chaotic exodus
of masses of desperate people ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The Honourable Members are referred to the answer
given by Political Cooperation to their Question
No 21 / 92 0 .

O OJ No C 269, 19 . 1 . 1992, p. 29 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 116 / 92

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

(7 February 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 06 )

Subject : Notification procedures

The Member State governments are required to notify the
European Community of proposed national laws,
including those relating to the environment .

Has the Federal Republic of Germany notified the
Commission of its intention to adopt a ' regulation
promoting the use of reusable containers for beverages ',
and how does the Commission intend to react ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

The draft German regulation on promotion of the use of
reusable drinks containers to which the Honourable

Member refers has not yet been notified under either
Directive 85 / 339 / EEC (') or Directive 83 / 189 / EEC ( 2 ).

However, the industry concerned has drawn the
Commission 's attention to the regulation .

o OJ No L 176, 6 . 7 . 1985 .
O OJ No L 109, 24 . 4 . 1983 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 205 / 92
by Mr Gerardo Fernandez-Albor ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 13 February 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 07 )

Subject : Community approval - for consultants
specializing in information regarding the
Community 's agricultural and fisheries policies

A feature common to all rural areas in the EC Member

States is the frequent failure to ensure that information
regarding the range of opportunities available under the
common agricultural and fisheries policies reaches all
potential interested parties . The reason for this is that the
last link in the chain which could provide them with the
relevant information is missing .

It increasingly appears, therefore, that it would be of the
greatest value if, throughout the rural areas of the
Community, professional consultants on Community
agriculture could be available to provide farmers or
fishermen at any time with the most appropriate
information on the opportunities available under the
Community 's various agricultural and fisheries policies .

Does the Commission consider, therefore, that it should
promote some kind of approval scheme for consultants
specializing in the provision of information on the
Community 's agricultural and fisheries policies for the
benefit of those working in these sectors who would be
interested in receiving such information ? This would
ensure a greater awareness of the policies in question and
greater specialization on the part of consultants who have
received Community approval .

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1992 )

The Commission is aware of the need for information on

Community policy to reach those people most likely to
benefit from it . It has therefore set up several information
networks available to the citizen .

Two such systems were set up for agriculture and fisheries
in particular : the Information and Promotion Sessions for

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 5

Rural Areas, which advise farmers and other interested
parties, and the ' Green Team ' network, comprising
national speakers responsible for explaining the common
agricultural policy and its reform .

The Commission realizes that these networks or others

set up in Member States by the authorities and those
working in the relevant sectors do not serve all rural areas

and do not provide up-to-date information which takes
into account the legislation applied in each region .

It is therefore investigating the various ways of
channelling information that would be of greatest value to
the public . One of these ways would be to extend the
information network provided by a system like the
Information and Promotion Sessions for Rural Areas to
all regions and to provide computerized back-up for the
information required .

The Commission does not intend to harmonize Member

States ' laws and regulations on giving official recognition
to consultants specializing in the provision of information
on agricultural and fisheries policies .

It would, however, refer the Honourable Member to
Council Directive 89 / 48 / EEC (') on a general system for
the recognition of higher education diplomas awarded on
completion of professional education and training of at
least three years ' duration, and to the Proposal for a
Council Directive on the recognition of professional
education and training to cover diplomas acquired
through post-secondary vocational courses or secondary
education ( 2 ).

out in the area without environmental impact studies . Is
the Commission aware of what Community funding may
be involved and will it say under what conditions the EEC
could assist to protect this riverside ecosystem ?

Answer given by Mr Paloekrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 January 1 993 )

In view of the fact that, in accordance with Article 4 of
Directive 79 / 409 / EEC (*), it has classified 10 600 ha of
the Nestos delta area as a special protection area, Greece
is obliged to take appropriate steps to avoid pollution or
deterioration of habitats or any disturbances affecting the
birds in that area, in so far as these would have a
significant effect .

One means of carrying out this obligation is to subject all
projects liable to affect the area to environmental impact

assessment, with particular regard to the conservation of
wild birds, and to authorize only those projects found to
have no negative impact . This also applies to projects
upstream from the delta, in so far as they are liable to have
an impact on conservation in the special protection area .

Although there is scope for Community funding to help
protect the Nestos ecosystem, either through LIFE or
through the structural Funds, the Commission would
point out that Community cofinancing is not intended to
repair damage caused by failure to comply with
Community law .

O OJNoL19, 24 . 1 . 1989 . O OTNoL 103, 25 . 4 . 1979 .
( 2 ) OJ No C 263, 16 . 10 . 1989 as amended by OJ No C 217, 1 . 9 .

1990 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 263 / 92

by Mr Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 February 1992 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 227 / 92 ( 24 February

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( S ) ( 93 / C 95 / 09 )

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

( 13 February 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 08 )

Subject : Community funds for the protection of the River

Nestos

The beautiful and unique ecosystem surrounding the

River Nestos is severely threatened . Fifty years ago it
covered 14 000 hectares but today it has dwindled to a
mere 1 000 hectares . According to local organizations,
most damage is caused by the vast projects being carried

Subject : Council Directive concerning the approximation

of the laws of the Member States relating to
protection of employees in the event of the
insolvency of their employer

Paragraph 1 of Article 56 ( 1 ) of the recently published
Law 2000 ( Greek Government Official Journal No 206 of
24 . 12 . 1991 ) stipulates that employees of the Aegean
Textiles Company cannot exercise the rights conferred on
them under Article 16 of Law 1836 / 1988 which

introduces Directive 80 / 987 / EEC (') into Greece relating
to protecton of employees in the event of the insolvency
of their employer .

No C 95 / 6 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

1 . Is there any possible interpretation of Directive
80 / 987 / EEC which would allow it to be effectively
repealed by a subsequent law of a Member State ?

2 . If not, what view does the Commission take of the

abovementioned provision of Law 2000 and how will
it respond to ensure that Community law is complied
with and that workers ' fundamental rights are not

abused ?

O OJ No L 283, 20 . 10 . 1980, p. 23 .

Supplementary answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 17 December 1 992 )

The Commission is now able to provide the following
information to supplement the answer given on 22 April

1992 O.

Under Council Directive 80 / 987 / EEC Member States
may, by way of exception, exclude from its scope certain
categories of employee included on a restrictive list
annexed to the Directive . In all other cases, Member
States must implement all the measures necessary to
guarantee employees the protection afforded by the
Directive .

The Commission has asked the Greek authorities to
explain the significance of the last subparagraph of
Article 56 ( 1 ) of Law No 2000 so as to determine whether

it is compatible with Directive 80 / 987 / EEC .

O OJNoC 141,3 . 6 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 299 / 92

by Mrs Raymonde Dury ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 February 1992 )

Has this decision had any effect ? If so, what ? If not, why
not, and what measures have been taken to remedy this
failing ?

O OJ No L 183, 14 . 7 . 1988, p. 34 .

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

The Commission Decision of 24 February 1988 is based

on Article 1 18 of the Treaty, which gives the Commission
the task of promoting close cooperation between Member
States in the social field .

The Decision 's prime objective is to improve the system
used by Member States to notify the Commission and
each other about their existing and proposed laws,
regulations and administrative provisions on safety,
hygiene and health at work .

Among other things, Article 4 requires the Commission
periodically to inform the Advisory Committee on Safety,
Hygiene and Health Protection at Work of any activities
arising from the implementation of this Decision .

The group of experts to assist the Commission in

examining national provisions has not yet been appointed,
and the Commission has not carried out any activities in
the context of its decision of 24 February 1988, which
explains why there has been no need to inform the
Advisory Committee of Safety, Hygiene and Health

Protection under Article 4 .

The Commission would emphasize that it is currently
pursuing the principal objective of the Decision in
question by other means : the final provisions of
Community directives adopted on the basis of
Article 118a require the Member States to notify the

Commission of the provisions of national law which they
have already adopted or subsequently adopt in the field
governed by them .

( 93 / C 95 / 10 ) WRITTEN QUESTION No 312 / 92

Subject : Health and safety : information to the
Luxembourg committee

A Commission Decision of 24 February 1988
( 88 / 383 / EEC ) ( x ), requires the Advisory Committee on
Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work ( known
as the Luxembourg committee ) to be periodically
informed of any national provisions concerning health
and safety and any draft provisions proposed by the
Member States in this field .

by Mrs Jessica Larive ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 February 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 11 )

Subject : Native language to be excluded from labels ?

Is the Commission aware that the current wording of
Article 14 of Directive 79 / 112 / EEC (') is open to
interpretations that may restrict the use of native

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 7

languages on labels etc . ( an example being the recent draft
law in the Netherlands making the use of Dutch
non-compulsory ) ?

Does the Commission agree that this can lead, in smaller
language areas than the Netherlands, to the unacceptable
situation whereby large groups of the population who
only speak their mother tongue, no longer have access to
information about the content of the foodstuffs they
consume every day ?

Is the Commission willing to propose that in Article 14 of
Directive 79 / 1 12 / EEC the words £ a language easily
understood by the purchaser ' be amended to read ' at
least, the language of the country '?

O OJ No L 33, 8.2 . 1979, p. 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 545 / 92
by Mrs Maartje van Putten and Mr Alman Metten ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 12 )

Subject : Labelling in foreign languages

In view of the ruling by the European Court of Justice in
Luxembourg that it is not necessary under the terms of the
directive on labelling to supply product information in the
language of the country where a product is offered for
sale, how does the Commission intend to afford
consumers the best possible information and protection,
as promised in the Commission 's programme for 1989 ?

When can a proposal for an amendment be expected from
the Commission ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2589 / 92

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

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 13 )

Subject : Use of languages in the labelling of products

In view of the fact that the rules governing the labelling of
products are rightly considered particularly important for
consumer protection and also that the Council has
decided in favour of the mandatory use of the ' official '
language or languages of the Member State in which the

product is marketed ( 1 . 10 . 1991 ), when does the
Commission intend to submit a proposal to introduce this
measure throughout the Community and amend the
relevant wording of Directive 79 / 1 12 / EEC ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 312 / 92, 545 / 92 and 2589 / 92

given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

Article 14 of Council Directive 79 / 1 12 / EEC of 18
December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and
advertising of foodstuffs states that the particulars
provided for in Article 3 and Article 4 ( 2 ) must be
provided in a language easily understood by purchasers,
unless other measures have been taken to ensure that the
purchaser is informed .

The Article also states that this does not prevent

information from being given in various languages .

In its judgment of 18 June 1991 in Peeters, the Court of
Justice rules that Article 30 of the Treaty and Article 14 of

the Directive prevented a national regulation from
requiring the exclusive use of a given language .

The principle of proportionality, which underlies
Article 14 of the Treaty, means that the exclusive use of
one language cannot be required and that a balance has to
be struck between the need to combat disguised
restrictions on trade and the consumer 's right to be given
information which he can understand .

It should, however, be noted that several European
Directives in sectors other than that of foodstuffs lay
down requirements for the labelling of products which
state that the particulars must be given at least in the
national language(s ) of the country in which the products
are marketed . This is the case in particular with toys,
medicinal products and cosmetics . The national
language(s ) of the country where the product is marketed
may be regarded as the most objective common
denominator as regards the comprehension of the
information to be provided to the consumer . The
principle of the above ruling therefore cannot be extended
to sectors other than foodstuffs . Furthermore,
consideration should be given to whether the
requirements that the official language should be used not
only as regards foodstuffs but to all information which it
is in general interest to communicate to the consumer .
The choice of language for any other information which
manufacturers or distributors provide to consumers of
their own free will is of course entirely up to them . The
Commission is therefore currently considering the
conclusions to be drawn from the judgment in Peeters .

No C 95 / 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 531 / 92

by Mr Arie Oostlander ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 14 )

Subject : Book on European history

How much truth is there in the reports appearing in the

7im«and quoted in the Volkskrant ( 29 January 1992 ) that
the European Community has sponsored a new book on
European history to ' explain to schoolchildren what
Europe is and what it is becoming '?

If so, why is the Commission exercising such influence on
what is taught, particularly in such a sensitive area as
history ?

Why did the Commission fail to obtain information
concerning the disapproval of the relevant parliamentary
committee before taking any action ?

Can the Commission give its assurance that it will strictly
respect the principle of subsidiarity embodied in the
provisions on education and culture adopted in
Maastricht ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

The Commission did receive a request from the
promoters of the European history project for a financial
contribution to the cost of translating the book into all
Community languages .

But the request was turned down and the Commission is
not involved in any way in the project . The Honourable
Member 's fears are therefore unfounded .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 618 / 92

by Mr Filippos Pierros ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 15 )

would revise its telecommunications policy to challenge
the monopolies in the European Community .

At a conference organized by Spanish employers attended
by 3 000 company heads, the Commissioner observed that
the question of telephone monopolies within the
Community was a matter for serious consideration .
Referring to the forthcoming review of the Commission 's
telecommunications policy, he raised the question of the
differences in telephone charges between the Community
and the United States .

In view of this official statement, what specific measures
will the Commission take in the short and medium term ?
What will be their objectives, scope and legal basis ?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 December 1992 )

In connection with the implementation of the telecommu ­
nications policy set out in the 1987 Green Paper on the
development of the common market for telecommu ­
nications services and equipment (*), and on the basis of
existing Community provisions in this field, the
Commission has been reexamining :

1 . Directive 90 / 3 8 8 / EEC on competition in the markets

for telecommunications services ( 2 );

2 . Directive 90 / 387 / EEC on the implementation of open

network provision ( 2 ).

The Commission will focus in particular on the
development of the sector and the removal of unjustified
restrictions on the access to telecommunications networks
and services, taking into account both technological
development and the effect on trade within the
Community .

The Commission is now taking a close look at
the situation . On 21 October 1992 it adopted a
communication which has been sent to Parliament and the
Council ( 3 ) with a view to opening a wide-ranging debate
on the subject in which all possible options will be
discussed .

O COM(87 ) 290 .
Subject : Restriction of telecommunications monopolies o OJ No L 192,

in the Community

On 31 January 1992 Commissioner Vice-President Sir
Leon Brittan, announced in Madrid that the Commission

o OJ No L 192, 24 . 7 . 1990 .
O SEC(92 ) 1048 .

5.4.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 9

WRITTEN QUESTION No 661 / 92

by Mr Alexander Langer ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 26 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 16 )

Subject : Regional and ethnic languages and cultures

1 . What initiatives and projects has the Commission
launched under budget line B3 - 1 06 ' Community measures
to promote languages and cultures of regional and ethnic
minorities ' in 1989, 1990 and 1991 ? Would the
Commission provide a complete list of such measures and
of the sums allocated to each project ?

2 . Are there any official criteria for the allocation of
these funds ? Are details available on demand to interested

organizations and individuals ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The Commission manages budget line B 3-106 mainly on
the basis of recommendations contained in parliamentary
resolutions .

Allocation criteria are set out in a paper that is always

attached to the subsidy application form .

A list of the activities which qualified for subsidies in

1989, 1990 and 1991 and a specimen application form will
be sent to the Honourable Member and to Parliament 's

Secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 683 / 92

by Mr Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 26 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 17 )

Subject : Payment system under the Erasmus programme

Under the Erasmus programme, once the grant contracts
have been concluded between the universities

coordinating the inter-university cooperation
programmes ( ICP ) and the Commission, the cheques are
sent to the coordinator and not to the university which is a
party to the contract .

Does the Commission not consider that this method of
payment gives rise to unnecessary risks of the funds being
used other than for their intended purpose ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

Grants for inter-university cooperation programmes are
paid by cheque, which is always made payable to the
coordinating institution and never to the individual
coordinating the programme .

When the grant is intended to finance an individual study
visit, it is paid direct to the recipient by cheque .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 713 / 92

by Mr David Martin ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 18 )

Subject : Underfunding of TIDE ( Technology for the

Socio-Economic Integration of Disabled and
Elderly People )

The reduction in the funding of TIDE from ECU 8

million to ECU 2 million is undermining the excellent
potential of this project as it is sending out negative
signals to the many industrial and academic interests
stimulated by the successful launch of the pilot action .
This is particularly galling when the second phase
planning exercise has confirmed that the widely held view

— that TIDE is necessary and should be expanded — is
also the generally held view of rehabilitation technology
experts, a view fully supported by the TIDE Experts
Committee ( TEC ), the members of which are the national
representatives of the Member States .

In the light of these views can the Commission say :

1 . What plans it has for the introduction of a financial

' bridge ' programme ( second phase ) between now and
the Fourth Framework Programme ( of approximately
ECU 10 — 20 — 20 million, minimum for
' 93 — '94 — ' 95 ) followed by a true main phase

No C 95 / 10 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

programme within the Fourth Framework Programme WRITTEN QUESTION No 728 / 92
of ECU 200 million ?
by Mr Luigi Moretti ( ARC )

2 . How quickly they will create a legal basis for TIDE ? to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 19 )

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 December 1 992 )

1 . The Commission believes that a programme to
develop telematics applications for the benefit of disabled
and elderly people must have continuity . This is the spirit
in which it launched the TIDE programme in 1991 with a
budget of ECU 8 million on the basis of preparatory work
carried out in the framework of COST 219 . The objective
of this exploratory programme was to evaluate the
reaction of the Community market to the launch of
development activities in the area concerned . The
response was excellent since, following the call for
proposals in 1991, 70 tenders were received for a total of
ECU 70 million . Of these, 21 were selected and financed .

2 . For 1992, the Commission had planned to continue
the measure in pilot form and accordingly requested
appropriations of ECU 2 million . The European
Parliament topped this up by a further ECU 8 million .

3 . Of the ECU 10 million available, the Commission
plans to allocate about 3 million to finance supplements to
the contracts awarded in 1991 which had not been
possible to take fully into account in the budget for that
year . As regards the remaining ECU 7 million ( which

includes a contribution towards administrative and staff
costs ), the Commission is going to support the
continuation of some of the 21 projects from the first
phase of TIDE, the value of which was established
following the 1992 call for proposals, and additional
preparatory work .

4 . These contracts will enable TIDE activities in
industry to be maintained throughout 1992 — 1993 . The
Commission has not proposed maintaining the
corresponding budget heading in 1993 and 1994, as the
lack of a legal basis is creating difficulties for the
continuation of the programme . It intends from 1993
onwards to initiate measures for disabled and elderly
people under the third framework programme within the
specific programme ' Telematics systems of general
interest ', as provided for by the corresponding decision .
Active support from the European Parliament would

doubtless be useful in this respect . This would give TIDE
a legal basis and secure adequate funding .

5 . These measures will then find their natural
extension in the fourth framework programme
1994 — 1998 under the heading ' Science and technology
for the struggle against social exclusion '. This is
appropriate, as disability and age are two of the most
important reasons for social exclusion .

Subject : Irregularities in the administration of
agricultural funds

The prosecution department at the Italian Court of
Auditors has initiated legal proceedings against Mr
Filippo Maria Pandolfi, the former Italian Minister
for Agriculture and current Vice-President of the
Commission . The Commissioner will have to pay back to
the Italian Government a total of Lit 91 billion : 77,5
billion as a result of irregularities involving milk quotas
and 13,5 billion in connection with aid for the private
storage of beef and veal .

What steps has the Commission taken or does it intend to
take, as part of its campaign against agricultural fraud, to
recover the funds irregularly disbursed and to avoid a
repetition of these regrettable events and the enormous
waste of public money ?

What immediate action has the Commission taken or does
it intend to take vis-a-vis its Commissioner pending the
trial ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The sums to which the Honourable Member refers were
recovered from the Italian authorities in the procedure for
clearance of the EAGGF Guarantee Section 1988
accounts . The system of milk quotas was not properly
applied for the 1987 / 88 marketing year since, among
other things, the Italian authorities did not set individual
quotas for farms and, given the existence of excess
production in national terms, they should have charged
supplementary levies corresponding to the excess . They
were accordingly charged the equivalent amount,
estimated at LIT 77,5 billion .

The Commission also disallowed expenditure of LIT 13,5
billion on private storage of beef and veal charged by Italy
to EAGGF accounts, since the expenditure constituted
State aid contravening Article 93 of the EEC Treaty .

There is no call for further Commission action since the

Commission has made the requisite corrections to the
expenditure statements . The irregularities by no means

5.4.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 11

qualify as fraudulent, and were covered by the WRITTEN QUESTION No 950 / 92
Commission 's 30 November 1990 decision on the
clearance of Member States ' EAGGF Guarantee Section by Mr Paul Lannoye ( V )
accounts for 1988 ( 1 ). to the Commission of the European Communities

( 15 April 1992 )
o OJ No L 350, 14 . 12 . 1990 . ( 93 / C 95 / 21 )

Subject : Ammonia emissions

WRITTEN QUESTION No 748 / 92

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

(6 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 20 )

Subject : EC-Vietnam relations

Could the Commission indicate what contacts have been
made with Vietnam following the establishment of
diplomatic relations in November 1990 and what is the
present status of EC aid for the repatriation of the
Vietnamese boat people ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

Following the establishment of diplomatic relations in
November 1990, the Commission took the initiative to
engage ECU 12,5 million for a programme of repatriation
and reintegration of the Vietnamese refugees in the camps
of south-east Asia .

This pilot project, which started in April 1991, aims at

social and economic reintegration for asylum seekers in
south-east Asia who are not recognized as political
refugees to enable them to return to their country in
conditions of safety and dignity under the supervision of
UNHCR, by creating jobs to small and medium-sized
enterprises by offering credit facilities, improvement of
training facilities and improvement of rural infrastructure
through aided microprojects strengthening health
facilities at Community level and provisions of
information about the project services and their impact on
people in camps of first asylum .

In April 1992, the Commission decided to finance an
international programme of assistance to Vietnamese
returnees with a contribution of ECU 23,5 million, out of
a total sum of ECU 102 million for 30 months .

This international programme will have the same aim as
that of the previous EC project but will be extended to
cover 14 provinces in Vietnam .

1 . Given that ammonia emissions form a large part of
acid emissions, can the Commission provide the following
information :

( a ) How much ammonia is discharged annually in each

Member State ? How much ammonia is ' exported ' to
other countries and how much is produced through
stockbreeding ?

( b ) What rules exist in the individual Member States

concerning industrial and agricultural ammonia
emissions ?

2 . Given that ammonia emissions significantly increase
soil acidity :

( a ) What steps has the European Community taken to

limit or reduce these emissions ?

( b ) Will the Commission implement a Community action

programme to reduce these emissions ?

In addition to technical measures, will the
Commission propose measures to limit increases in
livestock herds or encourage their reduction ?

( c ) Is the Commission aware of action programmes in
the Member States to limit ammonia emissions ?

If so, can the Commission indicate the main points of
such programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

(4 December 1992 )

1 . ( a ) The Commission would ask the Honourable

Member to refer to the table drawn up by the
EEC-UN, which will be sent directly to him and
to the Secretariat of the European Parliament .
The table indicates, for those countries which

are party to the Convention on long-range
transboundary air pollution, how much ammonia
was discharged from 1980 to 1990 and the
emission levels to be expected by 2005 .

No C 95 / 12 Official Journal of the European Communities 5.4 . 93

( b ) The Commission is not aware of any air quality

standards or ammonia emission standards
applying in any individual Member State .

2 . ( a ) and ( b ) Community legislation on emissions
of nitrogen compounds includes Directives
76 / 464 / EEC, 80 / 68 / EEC, 91 / 271 / EEC and
91 / 676 / EEC for emissions into the aquatic
environment and 84 / 360 / EEC for air pollution .

— Directive 76 / 464 / EEC stipulates that it is the

responsibility of Member States to establish
programmes to reduce surface water pollution .
All discharges containing nitrogen compounds
require prior authorization . The authorization
shall lay down emission standards on the basis
of quality objectives for surface water .

— Directive 80 / 68 / EEC lays down similar
provisions for groundwater .

— Directive 91 / 271 / EEC concerns urban

waste-water .

— Directive 91 / 676 / EEC fixes limits for the

land-application of nitrogen compounds for
vulnerable zones ( where quality objectives for
nitrates are not met ).

— Annex I to Directive 84 / 360 / EEC does not

refer to stockfarming facilities, a primary
source of ammonia emissions . However,
Annex II includes nitrogen compounds in its
list of the most important polluting substances .

This Directive requires that Member States ensure
that the use of plant will not cause significant air
pollution, particularly from the emission of
substances referred to in Annex II .

Finally, Directive 75 / 440 / EEC lays down the
quality required of surface water intended for the
abstraction of drinking water . The requirements
to be met include the allowed ammonia content .

In 1985 the Commission conducted a study on the
detrimental effects on the environment of
ammonia from agricultural sources .

One of the conclusions drawn from the study was
that the problems caused by ammonia were
limited to certain countries in the centre of the
Community ( Benelux, Germany ) and that they
could arise from particularly critical situations in
certain regions of these countries where stock
farming was very concentrated, particularly as a
consequence of manure spreading on the fields or
open-air storage of ammonia products .

In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity,
measures taken at Community level to limit

ammonia emissions into the air did not appear to
be essential .

However, national or even regional measures
should allow the levels of ammonia emissions to

be reduced .

( c ) As part of its national programme to combat acid
pollution, the Netherlands is trying out a number
of measures designed to reduce ammonia
emissions from agricultural sources . These
measures include :

— the washing and / or treating of the slurry as

soon as it hits the slatted floors in the

cowsheds,

— closing off the storage tanks in order to reduce

the amount of ammonia discharged by stored
slurry,

— using manure-spreading techniques which
inject the slurry deeper under the ground,

— controlled storage of slurry kept in slurry

banks .

The results of these experiments are not yet
available and they have not yet been implemented
on a large scale .

Measures aimed at limiting agricultural ammonia
emissions have also been implemented or are
about to be implemented in other Member States,
for example in Germany or in France . These
measures include limiting the ground application
of nitrogen compounds .

However, measures to eliminate ammonia
emissions through stock farming, possibly by
reducing intensive farming, are not anticipated by
any Member State .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 983 / 92

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

( 15 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 22 )

Subject : Mauritius — exemptions and fraud involving

EUR 1 certificates

Is it true that Mauritius has requested a derogation
concerning EUR 1 certificates relating to 1 900 tonnes of
imported Asian textiles ?

Was the request withdrawn by the Government of

Mauritius after the derogation had been granted ?

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 13

Did the Government of Mauritius recently renew its
application ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

A request for a derogation was forwarded by the
Mauritian authorities to the Commission on 16 July 1991,
but that request was withdrawn on 1 5 January 1 992 before
an answer could be given by the Commission .

A new request has been introduced by the Mauritian

authorities on 18 June 1992 and is under examination .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1061 / 92

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

( 30 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 23 )

Subject : Connection between the use of fuel oil and CO2

emissions in Spain

According to a recent article ( in El Pais, Madrid,
17 March 1992 ) by the Chairman of the Club of Rome,
Mr Ricardo Diez Hochleiter, the most serious of all
known environmental phenomena ' is the accumulation of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, together with other
pollutant gases '.

If this is the case, does the Commission have information
on the increase of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere in
Spain for 1991 and does it consider that it could be in any
way linked with the consumption of fuel oil that year
which was apparently 27,2 % higher than in 1990 ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(4 December 1992 )

The composition of the Earth 's atmosphere is changing

and although accurate prediction of the rate and
magnitude of the change is a complex matter, it is clear
that unless appropriate steps are taken, increasing
concentrations of greenhouse gases will lead to
substantial changes in climatic variables over the next
century . This was the message of the 1990 and 1992
scientific reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change ( IPCC ), set up in 1988 under the auspices

of the World . Meteorological Organization and the
United Nations Environment Programme to analyse the
phenomenon .

The greenhouse gases considered by the IPCC are water
vapour, carbon dioxide ( CO2 ), methane ( CH-i ), nitrogen
oxide ( N2O ), ozone ( O J ) and CFCs .

Various human activities are adding these gases to the

atmosphere and at the same time man is destroying the
natural mechanisms which absorb large quantities of
greenhouse gases . These mechanisms are known as sinks,
of which the tropical forest and woodland are probably
the best examples .

Of the greenhouse gases produced by human activities,
carbon dioxide is the most serious, currently accounting
for some 50-55% of the greenhouse effect . The main
sources of CO2 are combustion of fossil fuels such as coal
and oil for energy production, and burning of wooded

areas .

Eurostat data on gross domestic consumption of energy
in 1990 and 1991 (') has been used to provide a rough
estimate of CO2 emissions ( based on average emission
factors ). For Spain, these are given in the table below .

This information shows that :

( a ) Oil consumption remained more or less stable during

1990-91 ;

( b ) There was no significant increase in CO2 emissions

during that period .

CO2 emissions m Spain in 1990-91

CO2 emissions

( MT CO *)

64,13
65,94

12,53
11,70

139,83
140,04

12,49
14,12

228,97
231,80

Emission

factors

[ tCOi / TJ ]
average (')

94

94

105

105

75

75

56

56

Fuel Year

1990
Coal
1991

Lignite

1990

1991

1990
Crude oil
1991

Gross domestic

consumption

(1 000 Tep )

16 297

16 758

2 851

2 661

44 539

44 608

5 327

6 025

69 014

70 052

Natural gas

Total fossil

fuels

1990

1991

1990

1991

(') Provided by Eurostat .

( l ) Eurostat — Energy statistics — May 1992 .

No C 95 / 14 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1092 / 92

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

( 30 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 24 )

Subject : Renewed exports of arms to areas of conflict in

the Third World

On 29 May 1991 President Bush announced an initiative
to control arms intended for the Middle East . Other
leaders at the highest levels declared their opposition to
the proliferation of exports of conventional and other
arms to areas of existing or potential conflict . The five
permanent members of the UN Security Council met in
Paris on 8 / 9 July 1991 and then in London on 17 / 18
October 1991 to draw up ' lines of conduct ' on the matter .
The London communique commits the five countries to

avoiding arms transfers which would be likely to :

— prolong or aggravate an existing armed conflict ;

— increase tension in a region or contribute to regional

instability ;

— introduce or maintain destabilizing military
capabilities in a region ;

— contravene embargoes to which they are parties ;

and to confine supplies of arms to the minimum legitimate
defence and security needs of the recipient state .

An annual register of arms transfers was also planned .

Unfortunately, the ' lines of conduct ' do not include any
clause or mechanism providing for enforcement or
verification . The massive sale of arms to countries which

are short of essential educational and medical facilities
has resumed according to the old priorities . . .

What does the Commission think of the hypocrisy which
the European members of the five and their less
prominent European associated are helping to perpetuate
in this sphere ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1992 )

The Honourable Member is referred to the answer to his
Written Question No 1093 / 92 (') to European Political
Cooperation .

The Commission has no powers with regard to arms
exports, outside its involvement in the work of the ad hoc
working party on export controls on conventional
weapons, an ECP body, set up to formulate a common

approach for the Community and its Member States, in

particular through ' harmonization ' along the lines of the
eight criteria identified at the Luxembourg and Lisbon
European Councils .

The Commission is not therefore informed of the
initiatives taken by the Member States and non-member
countries in other forums . Consequently, it is difficult for
the Commission to comply with the Honourable
Member 's request to comment on their conduct .

O OJ No C 202, 10 . 8 . 1992, p. 65 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1111 / 92

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

( 11 May 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 25 )

Subject : Letter to the President of the Hellenic Republic

Will the Commission say whether President Delors has
replied to the letter addressed to him by Mr Karamanlis,
the President of the Hellenic Republic, on the subject of
Skopje and, if so, when did he do so ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

Rather than reply to the Greek President in writing, the
President of the Commission took the opportunity of
discussing the question raised by the Honourable
Member at a personal meeting with Mr Karamanlis on 25
May, during his official visit to Greece .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1204 / 92
by Mr Sérgio Ribeiro ( CG ), Mr Joaquim Miranda Da Silva

( CG ), Mrs Maria Belo ( S ), Mrs Margarida Salema
O. Martins ( LDR ), Mr António Coimbra Martins ( S ),
Mrs Marijke Van Hemeldonck ( S ), Mrs Marie-Claude
Vayssade ( S ), Mr Pedro Canavarro ( ARC ), Mrs Christine
Crawley ( S ), Mrs Maria Santos ( S ), Mrs Maartje van
Putten ( S ), Mr Artur da Cunha Oliveira ( S ), Mrs Mireille
Elmalan ( CG ), Mrs Theresa Domingo Segarra ( GUE ),
Mr Kirsten Jensen ( S ), Mr José Vázquez Fouz ( S ) and

Mrs Barbara Diihrkop Duhrkop ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 21 May 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 26 )

Subject : Discrimination against women in recruitment in

the Banco Comercial Portugues

The recruitment policy of the Banco Comercial Portugues
Ltd, which deliberately and undeniably excludes women,

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 15

constitutes a flagrant case of discrimination . Only 23 of
the 3 152 staff — 0,74% of the total — are women,
compared with an average of 21,7% and 47,5% in the
other major banks in Portugal .

This discriminatory policy is in clear breach of the most
basic principles and provisions of national legislation, of
Community law and of the international conventions on
equal treatment between men and women, notably as
regards access to employment ( for instance Decree law
No 392 / 79 which guarantees the right to equal treatment
in work and employment in Portugal, Directive
76 / 207 / EEC (') and ILO Convention No 111 ).

Despite public denunciations of this policy from a number
of different quarters and in a whole range of different
forms, the management is continuing its discriminatory
recruitment policy which operates by invitation rather
than by competition .

Given the current situation in the Banco Commercial
Portugues, will the Commission say whether it agrees that
the Bank is violating all the provisions designed to prevent
direct or indirect discrimination in access to employment
on the grounds of sex and what measures it could — or
intends to — take to oblige the management of this bank
to put an end to practices of this kind ?

O OT No L 39, 14 . 2 . 1976, p. 40 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1263 / 92

by Mr Dieter Rogalla ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 27 )

Subject : Timber and paper products — environmental

acceptability

1 . Can the Commission say how large worldwide
stocks of wood pulp and timber and paper products
obtained using environmentally acceptable methods are
and what the import and export breakdown is in respect
of the Community and other main paper consuming
centres in the world ;

2 . To what extent is used paper used to obtain pulp ?
Have there been advances and developments in this
regard and, if so, what are they ?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1 992 )

1 . The Commission does not have information
available regarding stocks of wood pulp and timber and
paper products produced through environmentally
acceptable or unacceptable methods and is unaware of
any source of such data .

2 . The Commission can furnish the following statistics
Answer given by Mrs Papandreou for the world :

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

Paper and
paper board

production

Consumption .
of waste paper Usage

The Commission is aware of the facts raised by the
Honourable Members . It wrote to the Portuguese
authorities on 14 August 1991 requesting their reactions
to the affair in hand .

In their reply of 22 January 1992 the Portuguese
authorities stated that they could not intervene in this
matter since there was no proof of the discrimination in
question .

In view of the division of powers between the Community
and the Member State . concerned, analysis of the facts has
not revealed any legal basis for Commission action .

1978 161 46

1990 233 77 33%

1992 estimate 258 92 36%

2000 estimate 300

There is a tendency for the share of waste paper in the
consumption of total fibrous raw materials used for the
production of paper and paper board to increase, due to
both consumer pressure and measures taken by public
authorities . A numer of Member States have adopted or
are in the process of adopting legislation or less formal
measures ( targets ) which should have the effect of
increasing the use of waste paper in the production of
cellulose . In 1989, the EC adopted a Community strategy
for waste management and in 1991 adopted a revised
Waste Framework Directive ( 91 / 156 / EEC ) (*) with the

No C 95 / 16 Official Journal of the European Communities 5.4 . 93

aim of minimizing waste and increasing recycling . A WRITTEN QUESTION No 1370 /
Directive concerning waste and packaging waste ( all by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )
materials ) which will have the effect of further
encouraging the recycling of waste paper is currently in to the Commission of the European
preparation . It should be stressed that there are technical (5 June 1992 )
limits to recycling and that a significant amount of paper ( 93 / C 95 / 29 )
will continue to be produced from virgin fibre .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1370 / 92

to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 29 )

O OJ No L 78, 26 . 3 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1351 / 92

by Mrs Raymonde Dury ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 28 )

Subject : The Commission stand at the Belgian ' Salon de

l'etudiant '

I am informed that the Commission occupied a stand at
the Belgian ' Salon de l'etudiant ' in 1992, involving
expenditure of Bfrs 5 million . Is this information correct ?
If so, will it be possible to re-use the stand on future
occasions ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 December 1 992 )

The Commission did take part in the recent ' Salon de

l'etudiant ' held in Brussels . Eight Directorates-General
were represented on its 400 m 2 stand displaying a wide

range of Community activities and programmes directed
at young people .

Under its information programme, the Community gives
priority to information for young Europeans and student
fairs are specialized forums which can help give all young
people the widest possible access to information on
courses and training available under the European

programmes .

The expenditure for this fair, including the stand 's
building costs and the sizeable amount paid to the
organizers for renting the display area, totalled almost
ECU 122 000 ( Bfrs 5 million ). The stand can be used
again and has already been used on several occasions in
the meantime ( for example at the Barcelona students ' fair
in April 1992 ).

Subject : Need for stronger measures to encourage full

participation by Spain in the EDF

Irrespective of the effectiveness with which each Member
State is able to benefit from the opportunities offered by
the Structural Funds financed by the Community budget,
some of the newer Member States have been unable to
participate to a sufficient extent in the operations of the
European Development Fund ( EDF ), which is still being
financed by Member States ' contributions .

Spain, in particular, is faced with a paradoxical situation
characterized by possible lack of interest in government
circles and the inexperience of the large majority
of companies contrasted with the growing familiarity
of individual citizens with the problems of
underdevelopment, which is also reflected in the
considerable financial contribution by the local
authorities .

What trends have characterized Member States '

contributions under the Sixth EDF and what are the
reasons for the reduction in the contribution by Spain,
which nevertheless remains the fifth largest contributor,

and what are the reasons for the lack of response to
invitations to tender for technical assistance, works and
service contracts ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 23 December 1992 )

The Member States ' contributions to the European

Development Fund are as follows :

( in ECU million )

Sixth EDF Seventh EDF

Belgium 296,94 3,96% 433,234 3,96%

Denmark 155,82 2,08 % 227,032 2,08 %

Germany 1 954,40 26,06% 2 840,480 25,96%

Greece 93,03 1,24% 133,920 1,22%

Spain 4$9,80 6,66% 644,999 5,89%

France 1 768,20 23,58 % 2 665,892 24,37%

Ireland 41,30 0,55% 60,0325 0,55%

Italy 943,80 12,58% 1 417,772 12,96%
Luxembourg 14,00 0,19% 20,7385 0,Í9%

Netherlands 423,36 5,64% 609,120 5,57%

Portugal 66,15 0,88% 96,140 0,88%

United Kingdom 1 243,20 16,58% 1 790,640 16,37%

7 500,00 10 940,000

5.4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 17

As seen from these figures, the percentages contributions
by Spain and some other Member States to the seventh
EDF are slightly lower than these same Member States '
percentage contributions to the sixth EDF . The text of the
internal Agreement on the financing of the fourth Lome
Convention does not indicate the reasons for these
changes in relation to the third Convention . The
contributions are the result of a consensus between the

Member States .

The participation of Spanish firms in tendering
procedures financed by the EDF has increased over the
last few years . At 30 September 1992 the total number of
tenders submitted by Spanish firms under the sixth EDF
was as follows :

— 501 tenders for supplies ;

— 484 tenders for studies and technical assistance ;

— 4 tenders for works .

The factors which affect firms ' decision to participate in

tendering procedures are complex and difficult to
evaluate . The Commission is, however, endeavouring to
develop a policy of information for firms which should
facilitate and promote their participation in operations
financed by the EDF . There have been various
information seminars over the last few years arranged by
firms, business associations, chambers of commerce,
public-sector organizations and the Commission .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1550 / 92

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARC )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 30 )

Subject : Interpretation of the implementation of the

social protocol

The European summit of heads of state and government

in Maastricht adopted Protocol 14 on social policy . The

12 EC Member States authorized 11 of their number to
have recourse to the institutions, procedures and
mechanisms of the Treaty for the purposes of taking
among themselves and applying as far as they are
concerned the acts and decisions required for giving effect
to the agreement on social policy attached to the protocol .

1 . From a legal point of view, do the acts which follows

from the agreement concluded by 1 1 Member States
fall within Community law or not ?

2 . Should the agreement between the 1 1 not be regarded,

rather, as an inter-State agreement between 1 1 States,
like the Schengen Agreement ?

3 . Will the acts following from the agreement between

the 1 1 become legally valid in the different Member
States on the basis of Community rules, or will they
have to be submitted separately to each national
parliament for ratification before becoming law in the
Member State concerned ?

4 . What role will the Court of Justice play with regard to

the acts following from the agreement between the 1 1 ?
Does the Court have the power to verify the legality of
acts based on the agreement between the 1 1 ?

5 . Will the Court be able to pass judgment on such acts in

response to actions brought on grounds of lack of
competence, infringement of an essential procedural
requirement or misuse of powers ? Will natural or legal
persons be able to institute proceedings against
decisions based on the agreement between the eleven ?

6 . Will the Court be empowered to ascertain whether

acts taken on the basis of the agreement between the

11 have been correctly implemented in the various
Member States ?

7 . What criteria must the Commission use when
submitting proposals for acts in the field of social
policy on the basis of the Treaty or the agreement
attached to Protocol 14 to the Council and the

European Parliament ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

1 to 3 . The Commission would confirm what it said
in its answer to Written Questions Nos 594 / 92 by
Mr Vandemeulebroucke (') and 906 / 92 by Mr
Kostopoulos ( 2 ) and to Oral Questions Nos H - 196 / 92 by
Mr McMahon ( 3 ) and H-298 / 92 by Mr Hughes ( 4 ) to the
effect that measures adopted under Protocol No 14 to the
Treaty on European Union will be Community measures .
The reason is that the Protocol itself has Community
Treaty status .

By point 1 of the Protocol, the 1 1 Member States agree to
' have recourse to the institutions, procedures and
mechanisms of the Treaty for the purposes of taking . . .
and applying . . . the acts and decision required for giving
effect to the . . . Agreement '.

These instruments may take the form of directives,
regulations, decisions, recommendations, etc ., as
provided in Article 189 of the EC Treaty .

No C 95 / 18 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

Consequently, all such instruments will enter into force in
accordance with the usual Community procedures ; no
ratification by national Parliaments will be required .

4 to 6 . It follows from the foregoing that the Court of
Justice will have full jurisdiction to review these
instruments .

In particular, it will be able to review their implementation
by the procedures of Articles 169 to 177 of the EC Treaty .

7 . It will be for the Commission, exercising its right of
initiative wherever the Treaty provides for the adoption
of social policy instruments by 1 1 or 12 Member States, to
decide case by case whether it would be proper to propose
a Council instrument for adoption by the 1 1 or the 12 .

O OJ No C 289, 5 . 11 . 1992 .
O OJ No C 317, 3 . 12 . 1992 .
( J ) Debates of the European Parliament : OJ Annex No 3-417

( April 1992 ).
( 4 ) Debates of The European Parliament : OJ Annex No 3-416

( March 1992 ).

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The Commission cannot comment on the Honourable

Member 's allegations about the activities of certain
politicians in Italy . Judicial inquiries are underway in a
number of regions to establish whether there have in fact
been fraudulent dealings in the area of vocational training
to the detriment of public funds, whether these are of
regional, national or Community origin .

The purpose of assistance granted by the Commission
from the European Social Fund is to back training and
employment schemes in traditional sectors and in sectors
linked to the single market . Controls carried out by the
Commission to date have brought no irregularities to
light .

Nonetheless, the Commission will continue to keep a
watchful eye and as soon as the findings of the judicial
inquiries are available will take any steps that may prove
necessary to protect the Community 's financial interests .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1708 / 92

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1707 / 92
by Mr Giuseppe Mottola ( PPE )

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

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 July 1992 )

(1 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 32 )
( 93 / C 95 / 31 )

Subject : Fraud relating to vocational training courses

financed by the Community in Italy

The scandal of the money extorted by politicians from
businessman in Milan and the related corruption is
apparently also affecting the European Community, since
vocational training courses receiving Community funding
and intended for workers are instead being used to train
thieves, swindlers and tricksters operating under the PSI,
PDS or DC banners with all the brazen arrogance of
political parvenus . Since the Commission cannot approve
of its funds being used for this purpose, not least because
it undermines its own credibility, what is its response ?
How was it possible for the Commission to have been
deceived and for the controls which must have been
carried out to have been so inadequate ? What measures
will the Commission take to ensure that funds are no
longer made available for training miscreants and thieves
of every kind in Italy ?

Subject : Crisis affecting the potato market in Campania

— marketing support measures

10 000 holdings in Campania are engaged in potato
growing and 25 000 people are employed upstream and
downstream of this sector, whose production amounts to
approximately 4 million quintals . The sector is facing a
severe crisis because of lack of outlets on national and
Community markets .

1 . Can the Commission introduce income support
measures for producers ?

2 . Will the Commission call on the national bodies

concerned ( Ministries of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Trade, and the Region of Campania ) to
establish 'a specific intervention level ' compatible with
the common agricultural policy, since the potato
sector is outside all market intervention

arrangements ?

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 19

3 . Within the framework of food aid to Eastern Europe

can the Commission include at least 1,5 million
quintals of potatoes at a fair price for potato
producers in order to avoid any serious crisis
occurring ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

1 . Up until now there has been no common market
organization for potatoes . This means that, in principle,
the Community market is governed by supply and
demand . This may lead to a favourable level of producer
prices in years of a poor harvest, or to price falls due to
excessive supply .

The Commission does not intend to interfere with the

functioning of the market in potatoes .

2 . The Commission 's view is that it is not up to her to
tell Member States ' governments what to do in the event
of regional problems unless required by Community
legislation . It is the decision of the national bodies
whether or not they want to consider implementing an
intervention plan .

3 . One of the principles with respect to food aid is that
only those commodities are delivered where a request has
been made by the recepient . Since handling and transport
of potatoes is very costly preference is regularly given to
other food products, in particular to cereal and cereal
products as well as to milk products .

However, within the framework of the emergency aid
programme the Commission has quite recently decided to
deliver a large quantity of potato flakes to former
Yugoslavia . Within the next few weeks some 1 300 tonnes
will be shipped to several destinations in ex-Yugoslavia .
Whether or not more potato flakes will be delivered

depends on the utility of this kind of product for the
purpose of food aid .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1722 / 92

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

invidious choice : either she stays at home, abandoning her
studies, and is eligible for unemployment and related
benefits or she attempts to remain a student, forfeiting all
financial support from the state and becomes homeless .

I understand from the College authorities that the only
sources of funding are Employment Training ( where
places are extremely scarce ) or a loan ( where the amount
available and the cost of servicing it make it an unviable
option ). The College has several students in a similar
position .

Have other Member States found a solution to this sort of

problem ?

In an economic climate where redundancy is faced by
more and more people, the European Community needs
to pay more than lip service to the concept of training .
Can the Commission suggest a practical means of
enabling young unemployed men and women, who want
to improve their chance of regaining employment, to
resume full-time education with the objective of gaining a
recognized qualification ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member
that following the reform of the structural Funds, the ESF
was reorganized on the basis of an operational
programme rather than individual projects .

The Social Fund therefore no longer has any information
concerning the specific projects which the national
authorities include in their operational programmes .

The Commission would suggest that the person
concerned contact the appropriate Ministry in the United
Kingdom to find out whether or not the BTEC course on
information technology qualifies as a training priority and
could therefore be included in training projects within the
authorities ' operational programme jointly financed by
the Social Fund .

(1 July 1992 ) WRITTEN QUESTION No 1800 / 92

( 93 / C 95 / 33 ) by Mr José Lafuente Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 July 1992 )

Subject : Educational grants for the unemployed (6 July 1992 )
( 93 / C 95 / 34 )

On becoming redundant at the age of 3 1, a constituent of
mine enrolled on a full time BTEC course of several years '
duration on information technology in order to enhance
her opportunities of obtaining another job .

Unfortunately her redundancy compensation of some
£ 2 000 is now exhausted and she has to make an

Subject : Community provisions on the production of a

single European currency

One of the objectives of the Treaty on European Union
signed in Maastricht on 7 February 1992 is the

No C 95 / 20 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

establishment of an economic and monetary union
leading to the introduction of a single currency .

Community sectors specialized in the manufacture of
coins and paper currency are doubtless wondering what
criteria will be applied by the European Community in
deciding on the various denominations of coins and notes
for the single currency .

Will the Community therefore carry out consultations
with the various national bodies responsible for minting
currency to decide on the future manufacture of notes
and coins for the European currency, the allocation of
responsibilities and the circulation of the single currency
of the Union ?

Answer given by Mr Christophersen

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 November 1992 )

The responsibility and procedure for introducing the
single currency are spelt out in the Treaty on European
Union .

First, as regards the introduction of the single currency,
Article 1091(4 ) stipulates that, at the starting date of the
third stage, the Council, acting on a proposal from the
Commission and after consulting the European Central
Bank ( ECB ), will adopt the conversion rates at which
Member States ' currencies will be irrevocably fixed and at
which irrevocably fixed rate the ecu will be substituted for
those currencies . The Council will also adopt the
measures necessary for the introduction of the ecu as the
single currency .

Second, as regards responsibility, the ECB will have the
exclusive right to authorize the issue of banknotes and
coins as of the start of the third stage . The practicalities of
introducing banknotes and coins will be examined within
various groups .

Where currencies are concerned, the Mint Directors have
initiated an examination of the various technical aspects
associated with the issue of currencies . The examination
proper will be conducted by an independent European
group chaired by the Director of the Italian Mint .
Article 105a(2 ) of the Treaty on European Union
provides that ' the Council (. . .) may adopt measures to
harmonize the denominations and technical specifications
of all coins intended for circulation to the extent
necessary to permit their smooth circulation within the
Community .' These measures will be taken by the
Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission, in
cooperation with Parliament and after consulting the
ECB ( Article 189c ).

Where banknotes are concerned, the technical work will
be carried out by the Committee of Central Bank
Governors . According to Article 16 of the Statute of the
European System of Central Banks ( ESCB ), ' the ECB
shall respect as far as possible existing practices regarding
the issue and design of banknotes .' The European
Monetary Institute ( EMI ) will supervise the technical
preparation of ecu banknotes ( Article 109f(3 ) of the
Treaty on European Union ).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1817 / 92

by Mrs Ludivina Garcia Arias ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

. (6 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 35 )

Subject : The security of energy supply

In a press release ( IP ( 91 ) 1092 ) on the supply agreements
for German coal, the Commission announced that, in
order to ensure a certain level of security of energy
supplies, it had reached agreements with certain Member
States permitting a level of protection not exceeding 20 %
allowing subsidies and long term agreements .

Can the Commission say with which Member States it has
concluded such agreements ; which energy supply sectors
are affected ; what types of protective measures have been
authorized ; what percentages have been authorized ; up to
what date these aid schemes have been authorized ; what
Community legal basis was used in addition to the
working document on security of supply ( SEC ( 90 ) 1248 )?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

In working document COM(88 ) 238 the Commission
noted that a more integrated energy market would make a
significant extra contribution to security of supply for all
Member States .

The Commission also took the view that, in order to

ensure an acceptable level of security of supply for the
Community, public-sector intervention by Member
States, through measures such as production aid and
long-term supply agreements, would not necessarily be
incompatible with the Community 's liberalization
objectives in the energy sector . Nevertheless, national
measures intended to ensure security of supply must be
subject to rules at Community level, under conditions
which are acceptable from the competition point of view,
so as not to undermine the achievement of the internal

energy market .

In accordance with the general framework set out in its
working paper SEC(90 ) 1248, the Commission, on the

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 21

basis of an analysis of the situation in each Member State
regarding security of supply, applies certain operational
measures, taking account of the fact that :

— it is in the electricity industry that there are the

greatest number of restrictions in intra-Community
trade and competition, restrictions which are designed
to protect national energy sources in accordance with
the natural potential of each Member State ;

— it is not desirable, with the internal energy market

gradually being established in the period ending on 31
December 1992, for the reserved part of the national
electricity market, protected by special measures ( such
as long-term supply agreements or production aid ), to
exceed the levels already attained .

Accordingly, having regard to the structure of energy
consumption in each Member State, the Commission has
set itself the objective of bringing the maximum level of
national protection allowed in the sector throughout the
Community down to 20%, with a further gradual
reduction to 1 5 % by the year 2000 .

The Commission took these figures into account when it
had to decide whether certain national energy policy
measures taken with a view to securing supplies were
compatible with Community competition law .

The Commission applies this approach in implementing
the Treaty rules vis-a-vis Member States in which the level
of protection exceeds the abovementioned 20 % threshold .
This is so notably in the case of the United Kingdom,
Spain and Germany . This approach was described again
in the recent communication concerning the new
Community rules on state aid for the coal industry .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1864 / 92

by Mr Virginio Bettini ( V )
and Mrs Maria Cassanmagnago Cerretti ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 July 1992 )

given that, before granting authorization, the authorities
concerned did not carry out an environmental impact
assessment, as required by Directive 85 / 337 / EEC ( x ),
Annex II of which specifically refers to this type of refuse
tip,

given that the Commission has initiated infringement
proceedings against Italy for incomplete application of
Directive 85 / 337 / EEC because of its failure to transpose
Annex II into national law,

does the Commission intend to include this case in the
infringement proceedings, in addition to those already
reported ?

o OJ No L 175, 5 . 7 . 1985, p. 40 .

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

As the Honourable Members have rightly indicated, Italy

has not transposed Directive 85 / 337 / EEC correctly,
having failed to adopt the appropriate provisions in
respect of Annex II . The Commission has therefore
initiated infringement proceedings .

As regards the solid industrial waste tip at Asnago

( Carimate commune ), the Commission would point out
that such projects are listed in Annex II to Directive

85 / 337 / EEC and should thus undergo environmental
assessment if their effects on the environment are deemed
significant .

The Commission has therefore contacted the Italian

authorities to find out what measures they have taken or
intend to take regarding the tip .

( 93 / C 95 / 36 ) WRITTEN QUESTION No 1879 / 92

Subject : Industrial refuse tip in the environmentally

sensitive ' Lambro-Seveso-Olona ' area

Given that the Lombardy Region has located an industrial
refuse tip at Asnago ( Carimate commune ) in the
' Lambro-Seveso-Olona ' area, designated as an
environmentally sensitive area by Law No 349 of 8 July

1986,

given that this area faces a serious danger of surface water
and ground water pollution, especially in the River
Seveso, through leakage due to a highly permeable soil
( gravel and sand ) and the risk of flooding in the area,

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

( 23 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 37 )

Subject : Conditions for exercising the profession of

chartered accountant ( auditor ) in Greece

The new Presidential Decree on the right to exercise the
profession of chartered accountant and auditor in Greece
promulgated by the New Democracy Government is in
flagrant violation of the Eighth Community Directive on
Company Law . What preventive measures will the

No C 95 / 22 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

Commission therefore take to forestall this potential
infringement of Community law ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 2 December 1 992 )

A preliminary examination of the provisions on the
pursuit of the profession of statutory auditor in Greece
( Presidential Decree No 226 / 1992 ) ('), which have now
been adopted but not yet formally notified to the
Commission, gives rise to the following observations :

Article 11 ( lb ) and ( 3 ) of the Decree lays down that a
person wishing to take an aptitude test in Greece must
provide evidence of having completed at least five years '
practical training in auditing ; this meets the requirements
of Article 8 of the eighth company law Directive of 10
April 1984 ( 84 / 253 / EEC ), which stipulates a minimum
training period of three years . Under Article 1 1 ( 4 ) of the
Decree, however, auditors from other Member States
wishing to pursue their profession in Greece must, as a
rule, provide evidence of eight years of professional
experience in auditing ( i.e. three years more than
applicants undergoing their professional training in
Greece ). This constitutes indirect discrimination on
grounds of nationality, which is prohibited under
Articles 7 and 52 of the EEC Treaty . Under the Directive
of 21 December 1988 on higher education diplomas
( 89 / 48 / EEC ), Greece may require additional practical
experience of an applicant only if the period of training in
the country of origin is shorter than in Greece .

On the question of the transitional provisions laid down
in Article 25 of the Decree, the Commission has
reservations about whether the eighth Directive has been
complied with, particularly as regards the provisions on
easier authorization .

When it has completed its detailed examination, the

Commission will take the required measures, including if
necessary proceedings under Article 169 of the EEC
Treaty .

given the need for improved controls of fisheries,
maritime transport and smuggling, notably of drugs, does
the Commission intend to set up a European coastguard
service, and if so, when ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1 992 )

The Commission has no intention of laying a proposal
before the Council for the establishment of a European
Coastguard Service as the Honourable Member suggests .
But the Working Party on Immigration, which operates
on an intergovernmental basis, has looked at the specific
position of Member States with long external frontiers in
general and long coastlines in particular . A questionnaire
suggested by the Commission has been sent to the
Member States on effective checks on persons at the
Community 's external frontiers from 1993 . The replies
are now being analysed to ascertain whether there is scope
for financial solidarity in this area .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1947 / 92

by Mr Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 39 )

Subject : Irrigation project in the commune of Nimfes

( Corfu )

proceedings under Article 169 of the EEC Following complaints by the commune of Nimfes ( Corfu )

concerning the failure to complete the Nimfes irrigation
project and the ineffective work carried out hitherto

Official Journal No 120, A, 14 . 7 . 1992 . Greece ( work began and the in Peloponnese 1989, as part, and of is the still IMP in the for first Western phase

of implementation ), can the Commission state whether
it is aware of the complaints ( concerning shoddy
workmanship ) and whether it intends to take steps to
rectify the matter and complete this project which is so
necessary to the region ?
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1928 / 92

(') Greek Official Journal No 120, A, 14 . 7 . 1992 .

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

( 23 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 38 )

Subject : Establishment of a European coastguard service

In view of all the unresolved problems relating to the
protection of the marine environment and the coasts and

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1 992 )

The issue raised by the Honourable Member is for the
Member State to resolve .

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 23

The three phases of the project, which began in June 1991,

are presently being carried out . To date 66% of the total
budget has been spent .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2024 / 92

system currently operated by UEFA may bring
proceedings against the latter before the competent courts
in the Member States .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2031 / 92

by Mr Eugenio Melandri ( V ) by Mr Christian de la Malène ( RDE )

to the Commission of the European Communities to the Commission of the European

by Mr Eugenio Melandri ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 40 ) ( 93 / C 95 / 41 )

Subject : The Lentini transfer

In Italy, the footballer Gianluigi Lentini has been
transferred from Torino to Milan for the astronomical
amount of Lit 65 billion, thereby highlighting the
commercialization of this popular sport .

Does the Commission not consider that it should take
urgent legislative measures to regulate the transfer market
in order to :

1 . Prevent such incidents, which are an affront to the

dignity of ordinary workers, recurring or increasing in
frequency,

2 . Prevent any distortion of competition between
Member State clubs in the acquisition of players,

3 . Restore to football a ' human dimension ' which is not
tied to big business,

4 . Impose ceilings on transfer fees for professional

footballers, making it compulsory for clubs to
contribute a sliding-scale percentage of the transfer
fee, depending on the size of the contract, to the
promotion of popular, non-competitive sport .

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The Commission has no jurisdiction to pursue the aims

specified by the Honourable Member at points 1, 3 and 4
in his question .

It does not intend to bring forward any legislation to
regulate the transfer market, as advocated by the
Honourable Member .

It should be pointed out that a professional footballer
who felt that his rights had been infringed by the transfer

Subject : Planned location of an automobile factory in

Portugal in the form of a joint venture

In 1991 the Commission officially approved funding
for the location near Setubal, Portugal, of a
Ford-Volkswagen multi-purpose vehicle production line
expected to account for 50 % of European multi-purpose
vehicle production in the long term .

Given that :

— Volkswagen and Ford are respectively the first and

fourth largest automobile manufacturers in the
Community, holding 28% of the European
automobile market,

— the European market in multi-purpose vehicles has

been assessed at 94 500 units for 1991 and it is
estimated that 325 000 MPVs will be produced by

1995,

— the Setubal plant will provide production capacity of

190 000 MPVs in 1995 for export to Western Europe,

— since the first MPV, the Espace, was produced in 1986

ten other manufacturers have begun MPV production
and, in 1995, ten more will have entered the market in
this sector,

1 . Does the Commission not consider that there is a
danger of creating surplus MPV capacity in Europe ?

2 . Does the Commission consider that the investment in
Setubal is comparable with the envisaged for rival
companies ( Peugeot / Fiat, Chrysler / Puch ) for the
same type of production ?

3 . Can the Commission also justify the disproportionate

amount of aid granted for the Ford / Volkswagen
project, given that the subsidies alone amount to twice
the total investment earmarked for the production of a
new Espace vehicle, for example ? Can it also confirm
estimates that subsidies will give a direct advantage to
vehicles produced in Setubal and will cover five to ten
times the transport costs between that region and the
areas in Europe to be supplied ?

No C 95 / 24 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2032 / 92

by Mr Christian de la Malène ( RDE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 42 )

Subject : Planned location of an automobile factory in

Portugal in the form of a joint venture

In 1991 the Commission officially approved funding
for the location near Setubal, Portugal, of a
Ford-Volkswagen multi-purpose vehicle production line
expected to account for 50 % of European multi-purpose
vehicle production in the long term .

On what general and statistical basis did the Commission
consider that the repercussions of the Setubal project for
other factories would remain within acceptable limits ?

In addition, the aid granted for this venture, calculated on
the basis of the eligible amount, is 33% . However, in
order to be certain that the aid provided is not
considerably more than it appears, can the Commission
say what figures its services used to evaluate the Setubal
project ?

Does the Commission not consider that the Setubal
agreement between Ford and Volkswagen infringes the
provisions of Article 85 ( 1 ) of the Treaty, that they are not
covered by the exemptions set out in Article 85 ( 3 ) and
that they infringe Article 86 of the Treaty, since they
are restricting competition between both the two
undertakings involved in the Setubal project and other
undertakings ?

Court of Justice on the basis of Article 173 of the EEC
Treaty ( 2 ). The Commission has submitted written
observations to the Court in response to Matra 's
contentions and is currently awaiting notification from
the Court of the date for the hearing .

With regard to the applicability of Articles 85 and 86 of
the EEC Treaty to the project, the Commission has
already made known its intention to grant conditional
exemption for the project under Article 85 ( 3 ) of the
Treaty ( 3 ). It plans to adopt a final decision in the near
future .

o OJ No C 257, 3 . 10 . 1991 .
O OJ No C 282, 29 . 10 . 1991, Case C-225 / 91 .
O OJNoC 182, 13.7 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2035 / 92

by Mr Lode Van Outrive ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 43 )

Subject : Application of the Commission 's social action

programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social
Rights for workers

In its resolution ( A3-175 / 90 (*)) of 13 September 1990
on the Commission 's action programme relating to
the implementation of the Community Charter of
fundamental social rights, the European Parliament calls
for the strengthening of the Standing Committee on
Employment . What steps have been taken in response to
this ? What steps has the Standing Committee taken in
order to improve coordination between the individual
Member States in respect of employment policy ?

Joint answer to Written Questions o OJ No C 260, 15 . 10 . 1990, p . 167 .

Nos 2031 / 92 and 2032 / 92

given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

(3 November 1992 )

With regard to the state aid aspects of the Ford ­
Volkswagen project in the Setubal region, to which the

Honourable Member draws attention in his Written
Questions, the Commission would refer to the summary
of its decision of 3 July 1991 not to raise objections to the
aid granted by the Portuguese Government to the
investment project . This summary was published in

Official Journal of the European Communities ('). It gives
the reasons why the Commission took that decision and
thus provides a partial reply to the points raised by the
Honourable Member . For the rest, the points raised
reproduce the arguments set out by Matra SA in its action
against the Commission decision brought before the

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

In response to Parliament 's resolution of 13 September

1990 Miss Papandreou, at the following meeting of the
Standing Committee on Employment, made a number of
suggestions for ways of improving its operation and
enlivening its debates .

The social partners have undertaken in the social dialogue
to consider similar ideas . Depending on the outcome the
Commission may then make proposals .

5.4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 25

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2039 / 92

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2041 / 92

by Mr Lode Van Outrive ( S ) by Mr Lode Van Outrive ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities to the Commission of the European

by Mr Lode Van Outrive ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 44 ) ( 93 / C 95 / 45 )

Subject : Application of the Commission 's social action

programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social
Rights for Workers

The Commission has submitted three proposals for

directives concerned with atypical forms of employment .
Two of these directives have been blocked by the Council .

For each Member State raising such objections, what
objections have been raised other than in respect of the
legal basis, to these directives ? How does the Commission
intend to unblock discussion of the directives ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

On the subject of the Directives on certain employment
relationships with regard to working conditions and of
distortions of competition still pending before the
Council :

Apart from the legal basis most of the matters dealt with
in the proposals are contended by Member States .

Some of the objections are more fundamental, others
concern only the wording of draft articles .

One of the main fundamental problems for many
Member States is the inclusion of social protection under
statutory and occupational social security schemes . They
would not accept that beyond a threshold of eight hours
' atypical workers ' should be protected by social security .
These Member States mostly have higher or different
thresholds .

The Commission regrets that it cannot give the
information per Member State . The Commission has
obtained its information mainly during the sessions of the
competent working group of the Council, which are
deemed to be confidential .

The Commission emphasizes that the protection of

' atypical workers ' is of much importance for the
realization of the social dimension of the internal market .
The Commission would support all further developments

and considers that the additional possibilities the Treaty
of Maastricht has given to the social partners could be an
impetus for further progress in this matter .

Subject : Application of the Commission 's social action

programme on    - implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social
Rights for Workers

Which Member States will have to change their rules,
both statutory and conventional, on hours of work if the
Social Affairs Council adopts a decision on a maximum 48
hours of work per week, including overtime, over a
reference period of three months, with minimum daily
hours of rest of 11 successive hours and a minimum
weekly period of rest of 35 successive hours per period of

seven days ? What schemes are currently in force in these
Member States ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

When the Directive on certain aspects of the organization

of working time is adopted the Member States will be
required to inform the Commission of the measures taken
to implement the Directive . It is only then that the
Commission will be able to say with certainty whether the
legislation of each Member State complies with the
Directive . The information currently available to the
Commission is summarized in Table 3 of the
Commission 's proposal (') and in additional tables, which
are being sent to the Honourable Member and the
Secretariat General of the Parliament . From this it is clear
that the effect of a directive containing the provisions
described by the Honourable Member would be greatest
in the United Kingdom, where there is no current
legislation on working time . In all other Member States it
is likely that some modifications to existing legislation
would be necessary, for example to ensure that adequate

consecutive daily and weekly rest periods are provided and
that all workers have a maximum working week of 48
hours, including overtime, over a reference period of
three months . Increases in the statutory entitlement to
four weeks ' paid annual holiday entitlement would also
appear to be necessary in several Member States .

O OJ No C 254, 9 . 10 . 1990 .

No C 95 / 26 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2042 / 92

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

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 46 )

Subject : Application of the Commission 's social action

programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social
Rights for Workers

On the initiative of the Commission a number of Member
States have been obliged to amend their legislation on
night work and have had to revoke Convention 89 ( ILO ).
What were the principles ( in each of the Member States in

question ) underlying the regulations on night work ?
What is the underlying negotiating basis ( e.g. legislative
proposals or collective labour agreements ) for the new
legislation on night work in each of these Member States ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat General of Parliament a
table summarizing the statutory regulation of night work
in the Member States as at the end of 1990 . In February

1992, following a request from the Commission, six
Member States ( Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Italy and
Portugal ) denounced ILO Convention 89, which
prohibits night work for women in industry, with certain
exceptions . Since then the French and Belgian authorities
have notified the Commission of their intention to ratify
ILO Convention 171 and of the changes to be made to
their national legislation on night work in order to end
discrimination .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2046 / 92

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

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 47 )

Subject : Application of the Commission 's action
programme on implementation of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social
Rights for Workers

On 28,June 1991 the Commission submitted a proposal
for a directive on ' the posting of workers in the
framework of the provision of services ' ( COM(92 )
230 ) ('). This directive denies workers posted abroad for

less than three months the right to the rate of pay of the
country in which the work is carried out .

What percentage of posted workers are affected by this
provision ? In other words, what percentage of postings
abroad are for less than three months ? I should like this
information broken down by Member State and by sector .

What arguments does the Commission have for making
this restriction ?

Which Member States wish to delete this derogation ?
Which do not, and what are the arguments used on either

side ? I should like this information broken down by
Member State .

O OJ No C 225, 30 . 8 . 1991, p. 6 .

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The Commission has no quantitative information on
postings of workers lasting less than three months due to
the fact that there are no national statistics focusing on
the particular category of postings .

The main reasons justifying the three-month time limit

are as follows :

In most Member States the rules concerning wages and
annual holidays, particularly where they are set up by
collective agreement, are not considered to have a
mandatory nature and do not apply to posted workers .
There is, therefore, a difference between the said issues
and the remaining matters of Article 3 ( 1 ) ( b ) which are
mandatory rules .

A three month time-limit has also been laid down by

Council Directive 68 / 360 / EEC of 15 October 1968 on

the abolition of restrictions on movement and resistance
within the Community for workers of Member States and
their families ( x ). Article 8 allows a worker posted for less
than three months to enter and stay by simply producing
an identity card . A residence permit and a statement by
the employer are not required .

To impose national wages and holidays on workers
posted for short periods would place unnecessary burdens
and rigidities on foreign providers of services which
would be detrimental rather than beneficial to the free
provision of services . On the other hand, the eradication
of the three month time limit would have a very limited
effect upon the rights of workers posted for very short
periods .

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

5.4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 27

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2063 / 92

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

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 48 )

Subject : New areas of international ' big science '
cooperation : the Superconducting Super
Collider ( SSC )

The Washington House of Representatives has recently

decided to cancel the $ 8 billion budget earmarked for the
SSC, a powerful accelerator, in which groups of leading
physicists placed high hopes of substantial progress in the
unified field theory and elsewhere .

It appears that similar results could be achieved more
economically by means of new projects devised by CERN,
the European Centre for Nuclear Research near Geneva .
However, a number of physicists fear that abandonment
of the American SSC project may prompt European
governments to abandon their own projects, despite
recent European successes in this field and they propose
increased ' big science ' cooperation between the United
States, Japan and Europe in order to safeguard the
projects .

What information can the Commission give on the final

decision which it is hoped will be adopted in the United
States with regard to the SSC and on the prospects for
European accelerators and / or a more general project ?

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 1993 )

The Commission is not directly involved in the
discussions concerning possible US or European Collider
projects but follows closely these discussions . According
to available information, the US House of
Representatives, in its 23 June decision on its ' Energy and
Water Development Appropriation Bill ', allocated only
$ 33,7 million to the SSC for the Fiscal Year 1993, to stop
the project . The US Senate, in the Decision of 3 August
on its version of this bill, allocated $ 550 million, down
from the $ 650 million requested by the President
in January . The Conference Committee, mandated
by Congress to seek a compromise, agreed on a
recommendation of $ 517 million . This recommendation
was accepted by both House and Senate and is the figure
which appears in the ' Energy and Water Development

Appropriation Law ' ( 1993 ), signed into law by President
Bush on 2 October .

The following question to, and answer of, Governor Bill

Clinton ( now confirmed as the next President of the US )
is taken from the Dallas Morning News of 3 1 October :

' Question : Do you support federal funding for the
Superconducting Super Collider ?

Answer : Yes, I support the use of federal funds to
complete the SSC . By investing in it, we are investing in
research and development that will create new, critical
technologies with important commercial spinoffs and
improve the competitiveness of our industry .'

On the other hand, opponents of the project, whose total
costs are estimated at $ 8 500 million, argue that the
expected $1 800 million in foreign contribution are still
missing . Although a US-Japan Joint Working Group was
established in January 1992, it is for the time being unclear
whether Japan will contribute to the construction of the

SSC .

Meanwhile in Europe, CERN, the European Laboratory
for Particle Physics, strongly supported by ECFA, the
European Committee for Future Accelerators, is pursuing
its plans for the next big collider project, the Large
Hadron Collider ( LHC ). The LHC estimated costs are
only of the order of CHF 2 000 million, since it will use
the tunnel already built for the Large Electron-Positron
( LEP ) accelerator . Although a European organization,
CERN has become over the past decade a true global
laboratory, with its research facilities being used by an
increasing number of users from a wide range of
non-member countries, e.g. the US, Japan, Canada,
Russia, China, India, Israel . CERN considers, therefore,
that non-member nations that use CERN 's facilities
might contribute about 20 % of the cost of building the
LHC . Among the non-member countries, the Japanese
users have a strong presence, and in fact Japan was
recently visited by CERN officials .

High Energy Physics ( HEP ) in Europe is widely
internationalized . More than 80% of the community has
joined efforts and depends on CERN for their
programmes . Such internationalization has been found
attractive and acceptable to a large number of scientists,
including scientists from non-member states of the
Organization . They are today in number about one-third
of the users from European Member States . When all
users are added, they represent more than one half
of the world 's community in HEP . Internationalization
of HEP in Europe is not limited to CERN . DESY
( Hamburg ), formally a ' national ' laboratory, is widely
internationalized in its use and components of its newest
accelerator HERA have been provided by other countries .
Another leading example is the Gran Sasso Laboratory

( Italy ).

CERN provides a major focus for HEP world-wide with
more than half of the scientists in the field participating in
the rich combination of interlinked projects at CERN of
which a large majority have unique features world-wide .

No C 95 / 28 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

This is the result of a deliberate strategy which is also
reflected in the allocation of financial resources . For some
20 years, new projects have been provided for by a
roughly constant budget of the Organization which
reserves some 30% for new construction . New facilities
are introduced essentially closing down or modifying the
older ones . Since it is constant in terms of real money, the
overall CERN budget will fall from a maximum of
0,014% GNP ( 1975 ) to below 0,01 % of the GNP of the
Member States in the coming years .

This also applies to the LHC . Within this large spectrum
of activities, the LHC is a cost-effective next step which is
strongly interlinked with the existing CERN programmes
and facilities — in a sense it is not a ' mega-project '. It
merely requires a re-distribution of resources within the
present budget projections . The LHC addresses a number
of questions which are also a part of the SSC programme .
On these topics, SSC and LHC have comparable
discovery potentials . The advantage of the existing
laboratory environment providing both human resources
and interconnected facilities does permit significant
saving and many additional opportunities for a broader
range of science like for instance ion-ion collisions and
electron-proton collisions .

European ( financial ) strategy in HEP is based on an
essentially constant budget and it does not allow for
substantial support toward the implementation of the
SSC, although there appear to be scientific incentives
from the European community of users to participate in
the SSC experimental programmes as a part of mutually
beneficial global exchanges in which European and US
scientists open their respective facilities to each other .

The next step after the present generation of colliders, for
the moment largely undefined, is likely to require the
' mega-project ' approach . In contrast with the SSC
approach, such a project should however be
internationalized from its very initial conception . There is
notwithstanding some preoccupation in modifying the
present forms of cooperation . A single laboratory for the
whole world may strongly reduce competition amongst
scientific teams which has been a major driving force for
the recent successes in the field .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2077 / 92

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

(1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 49 )

Subject : The Thriasian Plain

Pollution on the Thriasian Plain due to the
transportation, processing and storing of vast quantities

of hydrocarbons ( petroleum products ) has reached
alarming levels and is partly responsible for the great
concentrations of ozone in Attica . Such is the conclusion
reached by a committee of scientists from the Municipal
Pollution Measuring Station at Elefsina who have closely
monitored fluctuations in pollution levels over the last
five years . According to the findings of this committee,
owing to the various activities taking place over the
hundred square kilometres of the Thriasian Plain
( Elefsina, Aspropyrgos, Maandra and Magoula ) some
35 million tonnes of hydrocarbons annually are
processed, stored and transported in the region, causing
discharges of some 20 000 tonnes of pollutants . Annual
pollution by hydrocarbons amounts to 5 000 tonnes in the
atmosphere, 4 000 tonnes in the sea and 1 1 000 tonnes in
the soil . The measurements gave the following specific
results :

1 . Pollution of the atmosphere : high average
concentrations of hydrocarbons of the order of 5 mg
per 1 000 cc of air were found in the eastern part of
the Thriasian Plain ( Aspropyrgos ). The highest hourly
values reached 25 mg per 1 000 cc .

2 . Soil pollution : the extent of soil and water table
pollution by residues is not known .

3 . Marine pollution : in the Bay of Elefsina
measurements have shown that the largest
concentrations of pollutants are found mainly in the
Salamina channel and in the vicinity of the two
refineries .

Does the Commission intend to act in this matter to
protect the environment of the Thriasian Plain and, if so,
how ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 December 1992 )

The Commission is currently investigating a complaint
that Greece is in breach of Council Directives

76 / 160 / EEC, 80 / 68 / EEC, 78 / 319 / EEC, 76 / 464 / EEC
and 76 / 403 / EEC in the region of Thriassion .

The Commission will inform the Honourable Member of
the outcome of its investigations in due course .

As regards air quality, at present there is no directive
laying down maximum admissible levels of concentrations
of hydrocarbons in the air . Therefore the Commission
does not have any basis for intervention in this field .

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 29

on the pollution of air by ozone ( 1 ), disinfectants and antifouling biocides, before they are
adopted by the Council, will not enter into force placed on the market in their territory . Products will have
1 8 months and cannot be invoked in this case . to undergo a hazard and risk assessment before

authorization can be issued . Member States will have to

297, 13 . 10 . 1992 . register all products within their territories and only

products containing active substances agreed and listed at
Community level will benefit from mutual recognition
between Member States . The proposal provides for a
review programme to be established for all existing active
substances used in biocidal products, including
WRITTEN QUESTION No 2080 / 92 organochlorine compounds .

The Directive on the pollution of air by ozone ( 1 ),
recently adopted by the Council, will not enter into force
for another 1 8 months and cannot be invoked in this case .

o OJ No L 297, 13 . 10 . 1992 .

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

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 50 )

Subject : Insecticides available in Greece

Highly toxic chlorine compounds which pose a very
serious threat both to the ozone layer and to human
health are very widely used in Greece in domestic aerosol
insecticides . Such is the allegation made by the
environmental organization Greenpeace which has
stressed the need for immediate banning of these
substances and the chlorine industry which produces and
markets them . Greenpeace has investigated the
composition of some of the more familiar insecticides and
cockroach killers available in aerosol form on the Greek

market . Almost all of these contain between 3 and 45%
or 6 to 90 grammes per bottle of the substance
dichloromethane ( or methylene chlorine or methylene
chloride ).

They also contain the chlorine insecticides Chlorprifos

and Dechloroos which are also classified as
organophosphorous insecticides . Does the Commission
intend to act to protect the environment and human
health from insecticides containing organic chlorine
compounds, and if so, how ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 December 1 992 )

Dichloromethane is one of a number of chlorine
compounds recently considered by the Commission for
possible restrictions on marketing and use under Directive
76 / 769 / EEC ('). While no general ban is proposed at
present, the Commission intends that dichloromethane,
together with parchlorethylene and trichlorethylene, will
be subject to review three years after the 13th amendment
to Directive 76 / 769 / EEC comes into effect .

With regard to the use of dichloromethane and the active
ingredients chlorpyriphos and dichlorvos in aerosol
insecticides, the position between the Member States is
not harmonized . However, the Commission is developing
a proposal based on Article 100a of the Treaty concerning
the placing on the market of biocidal products . Under the
proposal Member States would be required to authorize
biocidal products including insecticides and cockroach
killers in aerosol form, as well as other products such as

O OJ No L 262, 27 . 9 . 1976 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2120 / 92
by Mr Gerardo Fernandez     - Albor ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 51 )

Subject : Community financial participation in the
restructuring of the Spanish sugar industry

The Commission proposal to compensate Spain for the
full integration of its agriculture on 1 January 1993 to
coincide with the establishment of the Single Market, thus
shortening by three years the transitional period agreed in
the Treaty of Accession, provides for decreasing aid to
sugarbeet producers as the price of sugar in Spain is
higher than in the other countries of the European
Community .

Although progress towards harmonization in the sugar
sector has already been facilitated, to a large extent, in the
price package for the present marketing year, the Spanish
farmers affected want to know how the European
Community will participate financially in the programme
for restructuring the sugar industry .

Could the Commission say whether it has specific
information on the form which its financial participation
in restructuring the Spanish sugar industry will take and
how does it intend to take account of the proposal made
by representatives of the Spanish agricultural sector in
question ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

In order to complete the single market on 1 January 1993,
the Commission has submitted to the Council a proposal
to speed up the procedure for bringing Spanish prices into
line with Community prices in several sectors of
agriculture, including sugar, so as to coincide with the
establishment of the single market .

No C 95 / 30 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

The decision to bring the date forward would result in

lower prices for sugar, sugar beet and sugar cane in Spain,
compared to the price levels that would normally have
been expected and the Commission therefore proposed
granting compensatory aid to sugar beet and sugar cane
producers and the sugar industry for the relevant period .
Some of the aid measure depend on Spain presenting a
restructuring plan .

The Commission would nonetheless point out that the

final decision on the measures to be taken in the Spanish
sugar industry is made by the Council .

December 2000, the level of treatment required being, in
principle, secondary treatment as defined in Article 2 ( 8 )
of the Directive and Annex I thereto .

Since the Directive has not yet been transposed into
French law and its technical requirements are not yet
applicable, the Honourable Member will understand that
the Commission cannot answer his question as put .

Furthermore, under the Treaty and in accordance with
the principle of subsidiarity, it will be up to the French
government to see that the regional or local authorities
implement transposed Community law on urban waste

water .

This will apply to the City of Marseille as to any other

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2166 / 92

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2166 92 authority responsible for an urban waste water discharge

by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V ) of more than 2000 population equivalent .

to the Commission of the European Communities

by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V )

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 52 )

Subject : Compliance with environmental standards :
Marseilles water purification plant

Although the directive on urban waste water
(9 1 / 271 / EEC ) (') — which is considerably weaker than
the Commission 's initial proposal and Parliament 's wishes

— should enter into force by the year 2005 at the latest,
the city of Marseilles has announced, in the local press
and to the French ministry responsible, that it will be
unable to comply with the directive .

Can the Commission :

1 . say what it thinks of this sort of announcement,

2 . ask the French authorities for information on this

situation,

3 . and say what measures it will take to secure firm

undertakings from the city of Marseilles on
compliance with Community law ?

o OJ No L 135, 30 . 5 . 1991, p. 40 .

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 4 February 1 993 )

Directive 9 1 / 271 / EEC concerning urban waste-water
treatment is due to be transposed into national law by 30
June 1993 .

All agglomerations with a population equivalent of more
than 15 000 must treat their urban waste water by 31

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2168 / 92

by Mr Jean-Louis Borloo ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 53 )

Subject : Opportunities . for European students to
complete periods of study in other EEC Member
States

The Erasmus Programme was set up to facilitate
exchanges between the higher education systems of the
Member States, and applies both to teaching staff and
students, particularly students who have completed at
least two years of higher education . The main purpose of
the programme has been to set up ' horizontal exchanges ',
that is exchanges at the same academic level .

One of the purposes of the COMETT programme 's
exchanges section has been to facilitate placements for
students in other Community Member States .

At present, there is no European programme designed to
promote university - level courses to provide an interface
between consecutive stages of study so that, for example,
students who took their school-leaving examination in a
Community Member State can move unimpeded to the
first stage of university education in another Community

5.4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 31

country . This is a gap which must be filled as soon as
possible if we wish to step up exchanges of students
between the Member States .

For instance, the ISEN in Lille offers a five-year course in
engineering, composed of a first stage of two years,
known as the integrated preparatory stage, and a second
stage of three years, leading to qualification as an
engineer . The preparatory stage is open to French
nationals with a school-leaving certificate in science . The
institute would like to set up a preparatory stage which
could be opened up to other Community nationals with a
school-leaving certificate in science and a knowledge of
two languages ( including French ). The aim of the project
would be to adapt the content of the preparatory stage to
the needs of suitably qualified candidates from Belgium,
Luxembourg or Sarrebourg, thus enabling them to make a
smooth transition to the last three years of study at the
institution, leading to qualification as an engineer .

A private secondary school in the Lorraine region ( the St
Augustin secondary school in Bitche ) would be prepared

to cooperate on this experiment . Is there any possibility of
the EEC 's lending its support to initiatives of this kind ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1992 )

The Commission attaches great importance to
encouraging organized mobility for students within the
Community and promoting cooperation between systems
of higher education . It is currently looking at ways of
extending the results already achieved by Community
programmes such as Erasmus and Comett .

Against this background, the Commission will give
serious consideration to the Honourable Member 's
suggestion for encouraging this type of initiative at
Community level .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2184 / 92

by Mr Bernard Antony ( DR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

Moreover, the rich nations of Western Europe are
bordered to the south and to the east of the
Mediterranean by poor and overpopulated countries and
some of these, such as Syria and Algeria, are well-armed
military dictatorships with imperialist tendencies .

The Community Member States should therefore not
disarm, but ensure their security by maintaining an
efficient arms industry which would be capable of
supplying arms to credible national armies on a totally
independent basis .

With this in mind :

1 . Does the Commission not consider that the reductions
in military spending noted in many Member States,
particularly in France, are putting European security
at risk, apart from their harmful social consequences ?

2 . Does it not think that efficient European arms

industries have no need to export ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission .

( 25 November 1 992 )

The allocation of funds for the military spending deemed

necessary to ensure Member States ' security is the
exclusive responsibility of the national authorities . The
Commission therefore has no comment to make on the

matter .

Member States ' policies on arms exports are likewise
framed and implemented by the national authorities . The
Honourable Member 's attention is nevertheless drawn to
the efforts being made within the context of European
Political Cooperation to work out a common approach
towards harmonizing national policies on export controls .
The question of banning arms exports has nowhere been
raised .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2188 / 92

( 1 September 1 992 )

by Mr Luigi Colajanni ( GUE )
( 93 / C 95 / 54 )
to the Commission of the European Communities

Subject : The arms industry (1 September 1992 )
( 93 / C 95 / 55 )

The Soviet Bloc, which threatened the security of the
EEC Member States since 1945, has dissolved . The threat,
however, has not disappeared .

Tensions and disorder are being generated by the
disastrous state in which socialism has left the eastern
part of Europe . The bloody events in Croatia and
Bosnia-Herzegovina show that war on our continent is
still a possibility .

Subject : Swiss bank 's blocking of Judge Di Pietro 's

investigation into bribery

Given that the application by the Swiss Government for
accession to the EEC is a positive development that will
strengthen the European Union and presupposes full
cooperation between the EEC and the Swiss Government

No C 95 / 32 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

so that the major discrepancies in existing legislation may
be avoided or resolved, in particular those concerning
financial and banking operations, and in view of the fact
that the inquiries by the Italian Judge Di Pietro into the
bribery scandal, including the improper use for illegal
purposes of Community funds ( Lit 210 billion for
vocational training ), have revealed the existence in
various Swiss banks of secret accounts funded from such
illegal activities and that those banks have not allowed the
Milan judges to examine these accounts, thereby making
it impossible to establish the truth,

1 . Does not the Commission feel that it should approach

the Swiss Government to make known the interests of
Italy and the Community, which are both injured
parties, and to conclude with the Swiss authorities an
agreement which anticipates legislative harmonization
in the field following on from the various stages of
integration ?

2 . Does it not feel that, in this matter, the conditions
exist for the application of the international
cooperation agreement on the laundering of illegally
acquired money, to which Switzerland is also a
signatory ?

3 . Does it not feel it should indicate to the Swiss
Government the need for a positive and rapid
response to the requests of the Italian judges, partly so
as to dispel any doubts and concern as to the abnormal
operations that Swiss banks might undertake in the
Community ?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

Relations between Switzerland and the European
Community are currently governed by a series of bilateral
agreements, of which the most important is the
EEC / Switzerland Free Trade Agreement of 1972 . None
of these contains provisions relating to the problem raised
by the Honourable Member .

Switzerland is, however, a Member of the Financial
Action Task Force on Money Laundering ( FATF ), and
held its Presidency during 1991 — 1992 . Along with its
fellow-members, it has committed itself to the application
of the recommendations adopted by there FATF in 1990 .
The Commission understands that Switzerland has
introduced criminal legislation in this area, and that it
intends to introduce measures to combat the use of the
financial system for money-laundering .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2221 / 92

by Mr Jean-Claude Pasty ( RDE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 56 )

Subject : Greater freedom of movement for the blind and

their guide dogs in the Community

Against the background of the introduction of the free

movement of individuals as part of the internal market
scheduled for 1 January 1993, what measures does the
Commission propose to take to bring about the
harmonization of different national laws relating to the
situation of the blind ?

Will it be proposing any changes to the draft directive

CO ( 91 ) 539 on the transport of workers with reduced
mobility, so as to

— extend legislation to all persons with reduced
mobility ?

— ensure that guide dogs are granted better access to

public buildings or buildings open to the public,
including those in which dogs are normally prohibited
( as in many of the American states ) ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2352 / 92

by Mr jean-Pierre Raff arm ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 57 )

Subject : Freedom of movement for blind people with

guide dogs

The proposal for a directive on the transportation of
workers with reduced mobility applies only to workers

and not, therefore, to blind people accompanied by guide
dogs in general .

Such people also experience difficulties in gaining access
to places from which dogs are barred .

Would the Commission be willing to extend the scope of
the directive to all persons with reduced mobility and state
in it that blind people accompanied by guide dogs wearing
their harness must be admitted to public places and places
to which the public have access, including those which
dogs are not normally permitted to enter ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 2221 / 92 and 2352 / 92

given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

Article 5 of the proposal for a Directive on mobility and
the safe transport of workers with reduced mobility (*)

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 33

provides for measures covering accompanying persons or
other forms of assistance, including guide dogs .

Given the legal basis used ( Article 118a ), the Commission
has no plans to extend the scope of its proposal for a
Directive to cover all persons with reduced mobility .

For the same reason the Commission does not intend to
regulate access for guide dogs to all public places or places
accessible to the public in the draft Directive .

o COM(91 ) 539 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2223 / 92

by Mr Detlev Samland ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 58 )

The Commission accepts the concern expressed by the
Honourable Member .

As the Honourable Member is aware, the usual language

in this field, in which vocabulary is very technical, is
English . For that very pragmatic reason, the English
language was mentioned in the call for expression of
interest . However, this was in no way compulsory .
English was mentioned as ' to be used by preference ', this
not being in violation of the utilization of all the official
languages of the European Community . This did not
prevent any tenderer from replying in other languages .
Indeed, amongst the 298 eligible tenders, about 30 % were
written in a language other than English and almost all the
Community languages were used .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2232 / 92

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

(1 September 1992 )

Subject : Call for expressions of interest to compile a list

in ­ ( 93 / C 95 / 59 )

of expert consultants in the field of telecommu ­
nications and information industries

On 7 July 1992 the Commission published in Official
Journal of the European Communities (') a call for
expressions of interest to compile a list of expert
consultants in the field of telecommunications and

information industries . The call itself bears the number

92 / C 171 / 09 . In this announcement the Commission
refers specifically to one Community language, stating
that ' The submission should be in triplicate, preferably in
English . . .'

How does the Commission explain this breach of the right
to use all the official languages within the European
Community ?

Is the Commission prepared to note this breach and
ensure that all applicants are treated equally ?

I call on the Commission to issue the call once again .
Should the Commission not see the need to do so, 1 ask it
to disclose the expressions of interest received from the
various national states .

Subject : Danger of cyanide pollution in the Aegean

A number of gold refineries have been set up in the area of

Ovacic ( Pergamum ) and Havran ( Edremit Korfezi ) on
the shores of Asia Minor . The ore is treated with cyanide
solutions ( sodium and potassium cyanide ) which are
subsequently discharged into the sea between Asia Minor
and the eastern Aegean islands .

In eight years of operation, these refineries will have
discharged over 15 tonnes of effluent ( 100 mg of cyanide
effluent is enough to poison one tonne of water and
remains active for 40 to 50 years ).

The Mayor of Pergamum and a number of Turkish

environmental organizations have protested strongly
against these refineries, stressing the danger of
groundwater pollution in the area .

to disclose the expressions of interest received from the Can the Commission confirm the above, and if so what
various national states . steps will it take to prevent these projects being

implemented when they clearly infringe international
( l ) OJ No C 171, 7 . 7 . 1992, p. 37 . conventions on the protection of the Mediterranean and
may harm directly the environment of the Aegean islands ?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

The call for expression of interest mentioned by the
Honourable Member covered the field of information
technologies and communications ( TIC ) industries .

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The situation referred to by the Honourable Member

involves environmental problems originating outside the

No C 95 / 34 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

Community 's territory . Community directives do not,
therefore, apply . It is for the Greek authorities to assess
the impact on Greek territory and to decide on the
appropriate action and level of intervention to remedy the
situation .

Turkey is a Contracting Party to the Convention for the

Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution
( Barcelona Convention ), including the Protocol on
Pollution from Land - Based Sources .

Discharges of cyanide into the marine environment are,
pursuant to Article 6 ( 3 ) of the said Protocol, strictly
subject to the issue by the competent national authorities
of an authorization taking due account of certain criteria
such as the characteristics of the waste constituents with
respect to their harmfulness and the characteristics of the
discharge site and the receiving marine environment .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2272 / 92

by Mr Alexander Langer ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 60 )

Subject : Refugees from former Yugoslavia

The wave of refugees from the war areas of former
Yugoslavia is increasing every day . Ih Rijeka and the

surrounding area alone there are some 45 000 people
waiting in degrading conditions for the end of the war .
There is a lack of food and medical care, and living

conditions are very unhygienic . Added to this there is a
further worrying factor : young girls are continually being
abducted from the camps by the militia against their will
and without any explanation and many of them have
disappeared .

What resources is the Community at present making

available to Croatia for the reception of refugees ?

Is there any monitoring of the treatment of the refugees in
these camps ?

Will the Community simplify procedures for taking in
refugees in the Member States and increase the quotas in
order inter alia to relieve the pressure on those countries
that are no longer able or willing to take in refugees and
offer them decent living conditions ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

The Commission shares the Honourable Member 's
concern at the living conditions and treatment which
refugees and displaced persons in the former Yugoslavia
are having to endure .

Since the start of the crisis, the Commission has approved
emergency aid worth ECU 169 million for victims of the
fighting, ECU 83 million of which has been committed
since 2 September last year . Since 6 May, some
8 1 000 tonnes of relief supplies ( foodstuffs, medicines,
medical equipment, etc .) have been transported in by
around 4 000 lorries . A further 18 876 tonnes of
foodstuffs are being mobilized under the EAGGF .

As regards refugees and displaced persons, now
numbering over two million, 640 000 ( 372 000 refugees
and 262 000 displaced persons ) are in Croatia .

Overall, Croatia has received roughly a third of
Community aid since October 1991 .

Since the first two Commission decisions ( for ECU
30 million on 6 May and ECU 120 million on 2 July )
almost all action has been in response to needs identified
by the UNHCR and has centred on Croatia and
Bosnia-Herzegovina in equal measure .

The procedures for taking in displaced persons from the
former Yugoslavia ( not all of whom are recognized by the
Member States as asylum seekers looking for refugee
status ) are the sole responsibility of the Member States
and cannot therefore be simplified by the Commission .
Furthermore, there are as far as the Commission knows
no ' national quotas ' in Member States for people from the
region .

The effects of this flux of people from Bosnia ­
Herzegovina were examined at intergovernmental level
by the rapid consultation centre of the Group on
Immigration on 19 May and by the ministers responsible
for immigration on 12 June . On this occasion, some
Member States voiced their support for joint action to
take in refugees on humanitarian grounds . Ministers
agreed to keep up contact to this end .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2286 / 92

by Mrs Ursula Braun-Moser ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 8 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 61 )

Subject : Destruction of the Nestos delta in Greece

Plans are currently afoot to build a dam in the Nestos
delta in northern Greece, an area which the Community
has itself designated a nature reserve and bird sanctuary .

Is the Commission aware of this and what is it doing
about it ?

5.4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 35

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 6 November 1 992 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to

its answer to Written Question No 227 / 92 by Mr
Kostopoulos C ) and would inform her that it has in the
mean time asked the authorities for details of the matter

referred to .

(') See page 5 of this Official Journal .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2328 / 92

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

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 62 )

Subject : Inclusion of Low German in the projected

European Charter for regional and / or
lesser-used languages

1 . Is the Commission aware that Low German, the
dominant language of the first European economic
community, the Hanseatic League, today faces a graver
threat than ever before as far as the fund of its basic
vocabulary is concerned, since it survives only in the form
of different, distinctive regional variants and risks being
supplanted by the High German vernacular for want of
public recognition and support ?

2 . Some 12,3 million people still claim to be occasional
Low German-speakers . Geographically, Low German in
the broadest sense covers northern Germany ( between
Holland, Denmark, the Harz Mountains, and the Oder )
and is thus spread over an area the size of the Benelux
countries and Denmark put together . According to both
typological and socio-linguistic criteria, Low German is
plainly a regional language which its speakers wish and
believe to be a separate language in its own right ; it is the
only ethnically and culturally distinct regional language to
be found under the High German umbrella, but is not a
dialect of High German ! It constitutes a case to which the
comprehensive protective provisions laid down in the
charter can therefore be said to apply . Low German, then,
according to the letter and the spirit of the draft Charter,
should be one of the languages to be taken into
consideration . Does the Commission share that view ?

3 . Has the German Government to date put forward
proposals and / or ideas to tackle the neglect of Low
German ?

4 . Which lesser-used European languages and regional
languages have so far been marked out for inclusion
within the scope of the Charter ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1993 )

1 . The Commission is aware of the difficulties
encountered by certain minority languages, including low
German .

In order to alleviate these difficulties it encourages any
initiative which might help to protect and promote
minority languages . Projects are funded from budget
heading B3-1060 ' Promotion and safeguard of
less-widespread languages and cultures '.

2 . The European Charter to which the Honourable
Member refers is a document drafted by the Council of
Europe and adopted by its Committee of Ministers on 22
June 1992 . It is therefore for the Council of Europe to

reply to questions 3 and 4 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2331 / 92

by Mr James Ford ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 63 )

Subject : Deaths on building sites

Is the Commission aware that one of the most hazardous
working environments, and particularly in the UK, is on
building sites ? What proposals are in hand for legislation
to deal with this major health and safety issue ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1 992 )

The Commission is aware that building sites have a high
risk level .

The Commission proposed and the Council adopted on

12 June 1989 the so-called ' Framework Directive '
89 / 391 / EEC (') ' on the introduction of measures to
encourage improvements in the safety and health of
workers at work '. This Directive covers all sectors of
public and private activity and includes building sites
creating the framework for more detailed and specific
legislation .

A relevant Council Directive has been adopted on 24 June

1992 concerning the minimum requirements for safety

No C 95 / 36 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

and health on temporary or mobile work sites ( Directive
92 / 57 / EEC)0 ­

Several more general Directives concerning the safety and
health of workers are also applicable to building sites, in
particular :

— noise at work ( 86 / 188 / EEC ) ( 3 ),

— workplaces ( 89 / 654 / EEC ) ( 4 ),

— work equipment ( 89 / 655 / EEC ) ( 4 ),

— personal protective equipment ( 89 / 656 / EEC ) ( ),

— manual handling of loads ( 90 / 269 / EEC ) ( 5 ),

— safety signs ( 92 / 58 / EEC ) ( 6 ).

0 OJNoLl83, 29 . 6 . 1989 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992 .
O OTNoL 137, 24 . 5 . 1986 .

o OJN0L393, 30 . 12 . 1989 .
O OJ No L 156, 21.6 . 1990 .
(') OTNoL245, 26 . 8 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2339 / 92

by Mr Anthony Simpson ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 64 )

Subject : Over 60s ' travel card

Does the Commission have any plans to encourage
national railways to create, or create itself, a travel card
for retired people which would allow the elderly to travel
between Member States at reduced rates ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

In the context of the European Programme for Older
People, the European Commission will publish a travel
guide which will give information on the types of
concessions available for older people travelling in the
European Community . This is being prepared to
complement the Over 60s Travel Card proposed by the
European Commission . Reduction of travel fares for
older people in the Community is however outside the
European Commission 's field of competence .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2340 / 92

by Mr Maxime Verhagen ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 65 )

Subject : The Treaty of Basel

On 22 March 1992 the European Community signed the
Treaty of Basel, which regulates trade in hazardous waste .

1 . What EC measures are there to ensure that the
importing country gives its written consent to the
import of hazardous waste ? If no such measures exist,
how will the Commission introduce them ?

2 . What measures is the Commission taking to prevent

toxic substances exported from one OECp state to
others in accordance with the green list from ending
up in non-OECD member States ?

3 . What does the Commission understand by the

supposedly rather less hazardous substances on the
OECD 's green list ?

4 . How environmentally damaging are the substances on

the green list ? How environmentally damaging are the
substances on the green list if processed in an
environmentally sound way ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1 992 )

1 . The shipment of waste is regulated by Council
Directive 84 / 631 / EEC (') on the supervision and control
of the transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste .
According to Article 3 ( 4 ) the holder of waste who

envisages shipping waste from a Member State to a third
State is obliged to obtain the agreement of the third
country of destination before embarking upon the
notification procedure .

2 . The ' Green list of wastes ' which is part of the
OECD Council Decision C(92)39 / Final concerning the
control of transfrontier movements wastes destined for
recovery operations will apply when being implemented
by the draft EC Council Regulation on the supervision
and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of
the European Community .

The OECD Decision states that wastes may not be
included in the green list if they exhibit any of the
hazardous / toxic characteristics listed in OECD Council
Decision C(88)90 / Final . In case of contamination by
other materials justifying their control as hazardous waste

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 37

those wastes will not be treated as green listed waste . If in
addition a certain type of waste as such turns out to be
hazardous the OECD Decision C(92)39 / Final provides
for a review mechanism .

In addition to this the draft EC Regulation as agreed by
Council in its meeting of 20 October 1992 provides for the
possibility to take a decision on EC level in order to
control green listed waste as hazardous waste if this type
of waste exhibits any of the hazardous characteristics
listed in Annex III of Council Directive 91 / 689 / EEC ( 2 )
on hazardous waste . Moreover the Draft Regulation
provides for a notification procedure aiming at getting the
written confirmation of non-OECD countries that green
listed waste will be accepted to be shipped without
recourse to the control procedures provided for in this
Regulation . If the third country deems controls necessary,
the waste will only be shipped in accordance with all
relevant provisions of the Regulation .

3 . The OECD Decision C(92)39 / Final does not
mention any ' less-dangerous substances '.

4 . As stated in this reply section 2 waste which exhibits
any of the hazardous characteristics may not be included
in the green list . Therefore green listed waste is in
principle not supposed to be significantly environmentally
damaging . This is all the more true when this type of
waste is processed in an environmentally sound way .

o OJ No L 326, 13 . 12 . 1984 .
O OJ No L 377, 31 . 12 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2342 / 92

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

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 66 )

Subject : Travellers and travellers ' sites

What steps is the Commission taking to ensure that

adequate facilities are provided in Member States for
travellers ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou 1
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1992 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2347 / 92

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

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 67 )

Subject : Sanctions against firms which do not comply

with disability quotas

Will the Commission establish a system of ensuring that
firms, which receive European funding comply with
national legislation requiring disabled quotas ? Will the
Commission refuse such funding to firms which do not
comply with national requirements to employ a
percentage of disabled employees ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

There are significant differences between the quota

systems for employing people with disabilities in each of
the Member States . Some Member States have no such
system . In the circumstances, the Commission does not
consider it appropriate to restrict funding through any of
its programmes, or for services which it receives, to those
firms which comply with their national quota system .

The Commission does, however, recognize the need for

specific measures to be taken to promote the employment
of people with disabilities . In its Recommendation of 24
July 1986 on the employment of disabled people in the

Community, the Council recommended that Member
States should take positive action for people with
disabilities including :

— the setting of ' realistic percentage targets for the

employment of disabled people in public or private
enterprises having a minimum number of employees '
and

— making available 'a guide or code of good practice for

the employment of disabled people '.

The Commission 's current proposal for a Council
Decision establishing a third Community action
programme to assist disabled people ( HELIOS
11 / 1992—1996 ) O envisages that the Commission ' will
promote a " European code of good practice " on
integration into the labour market, drawn-up in
cooperation with the Member States '.

The question of sites for travellers and gypsies is
essentially one for national and local authorities . ^ COM(91 ) 350 .

No C 95 / 38 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2358 / 92

by Mr Ernest Glinne ( S )

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

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2366 / 92

to the Commission of the European Communities to the Commission of the European

( 23 September 1992 ) ( 23 September 1 992 )

( 23 September 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 68 ) ( 93 / C 95 / 69 )

Subject : European Charter of Local Self-Government

Which of the Twelve have ratified the Council of
Europe 's European Charter of Local Self-Government,
which contains provisions similar to those of the
Consultative Council of Local and Regional Authorities
set up by the Commission on 24 June 1988 ?

How frequently does the Council meet, what is its current
composition and what is its relationship with the various
' sister associations ', which seem to have proliferated .

What financial support has it received from the
Commission, year by year ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1992 )

Eight Member States of the Community have so
far ratified the Charter on Local Self-Government
( Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Portugal and Spain ).

The Consultative Council of Regional and Local
Authorities has met on average three times each year since
it was established by Commission Decision in 1988 .

The present membership of the Consultative Council is
being forwarded to the Honourable Member and to the

Secretariat General of the Parliament . Two organizations
representing regional and local authorities at Community
level — the Assembly of European Regions and the
Council of European Municipalities and Regions —
currently have the right to nominate members to the
Consultative Council in accordance with the Commission

Decision .

The main expenditure on the Consultative Council

involves the reimbursement of expenses of members
attending meetings in Brussels . In addition, a small
number of Commission staff provide a secretariat for the
Consultative Council on a part-time basis .

The functions of the Consultative Council will be taken

over by the Committee of the Regions which will be
established following the entry into force of the
Maastricht Treaty .

Subject : Equal rights for widows / widowers

What is the present status of Directive 79 / 7 / EEC (')
concerning equal pension rights for widows and
widowers ? Does the Commission propose to recommend
the payment of widowers ' pensions within this directive ?

O OJN0L6, 10 . 1 . 1979, p. 24 .

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 December 1 992 )

Articles 2 and 3 of Council Directive 79 / 7 / EEC on the
progressive implementation of the principle of equal
treatment for men and women in matters of social security
exclude from its scope benefits granted to widowers and
widows .

In a proposal for a Council Directive in October 1987 (')
to make good the comissions in Community legislation on
equal treatment for men and women in matters of social
security the Commission 's proposals for survivors '
benefits ( Article 4 ) include the following :

— the same entitlement for widows and widowers ;

— individual social security entitlement with specific

benefits for the widow or widower subject to the same
conditions .

This proposal is still pending before the Council despite
the favourable opinions given by both Parliament and the
Economic and Social Committee .

O COM(87 ) 494 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2386 / 92

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

(6 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 70 )

Subject : Undertakings of young people in the
Community

' Will the Commission say whether moves are afoot in the

immediate future to adopt special legislation to have .

5 . 4 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 95 / 39

undertakings of young people throughout Community
territory recognized as being in the public interest, with
all the advantages such a status will confer ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1 992 )

The Commission has no plans to propose specific
Community legislation aimed at creating ' undertakings of
young people '. Notwithstanding the substantial difficulty
in defining such undertakings, the Commission, out of
respect for the principles of non-discrimination and free
competition, has never considered making legislative
proposals aimed at a specific category of European
citizens .

The Honourable Member 's attention is also drawn to

the Commission 's policy of greater administrative
simplification for small and medium-sized businesses in
particular and to the provisions introduced at Community
level by the Twelfth Company Law Directive
89 / 667 / EEC on single-member private limited-liability
companies ( single-member companies ) (').

O OJ No L 395, 30 . 12 . 1989 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2390 / 92

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

Commission in its proposal for a third Community action
programme for disabled people — Helios II, 1992—96,
presented on 8 October 1991 ( 1 ).

O COM(91 ) 350 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2391 / 92

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

(6 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 72 )

Subject : Foundation of the Euro-Arab University in

Crete

At its conference in Dublin on 7 and 8 June 1990 the
General Commission of the Euro-Arab Dialogue drew up
a plan for the establishment by the European Community
of a Euro-Arab University in a large city in southern
Spain . However, for various reasons this plan seems
to the floundering . Does the Commission not consider,
therefore, that it should promote the idea of establishing a
Euro-Arab University in the most southerly region of the
Community nearest the Middle East, namely the Greek
island of Crete, an ideal choice given its proximity and
cultural and climatological similarity to the Eastern Arab
countries ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2538 / 92

by Mr José Valverde Lôpez ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 October 1992 ) ( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 71 ) ( 93 / C 95 / 73 )

Subject : Infrastructures for the diagnosis of disabilities in

children and corrective treatment

Having regard to the lack of suitable infrastructures for
the early diagnosis of disabilities in children and
corrective treatment, will the Commission say whether it
intends to promote Community legislation providing for
essential infrastructures in this area ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 January 1 993 )

The Commission is not empowered to take the action
suggested by the Honourable Member . However, the
early diagnosis of disabilities and the treatment and
rehabilitation of disabled children were raised by the

Subject : The projected Euro-Arab University in Granada

In view of the numerous statements being made by
national, regional and local political figures on the
Euro-Arab University in Granada, can the Commission
say what progress has been made by the EC to date and
what developments may be expected in the near future ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

Nos 2391 / 92 and 2538 / 92

given by Mr Matutes
on behalf of the Commission

(4 January 1993 )

The project for a Euro-Arab University in Granada is at
present an important project under study in the context of
the Euro-Arab Dialogue, as decided by the Dublin
meeting of the General Committee in June 1990 .

No C 95 / 40 Official Journal of the European Communities 5 . 4 . 93

Following recent technical difficulties in the context of
the Dialogue, the progress on the dossier has advanced
more slowly than desired . Nevertheless, it is the intention
of the Community ( as originally requested by the
European Parliament ) to site this project in southern
Spain . Work is, however, continuing on this project, and
alternative proposals are being reviewed by the
Commission .

Following the report of the persons assigned to study the
project, the definitive site for the Euro-Arab University
will be determined .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2396 / 92

by Mr José Valverde L6pez ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 95 / 74 )

Subject : EC co-financing of social welfare programmes in

Spain

It has been announced that the Ministry of Social Affairs
in Spain is to set up a programme to enable more than
85 000 people aged over 65 and 15 000 handicapped
people living in Andalusia to travel to Seville to see the
World Fair .

Can the Commission say whether these programmes are
being co-financed by the EC through the European Social
Fund ?

What steps does the Commission take to ascertain
whether sufficient information on projects and
programmes which are co-financed by the ESF is made
available to the public and the communications media ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1992 )

Since the role of the ESF is to co-finance vocational
training measures, aid for employment and the
establishment of self-employed activities for individuals
on the labour market, the programmes referred to by the
Honourable Member are not eligible for ESF assistance
and do not form part of any of the programmes approved
by the Commission .

Under the rules governing the functioning of the
structural Funds and the provisions on the
implementation of the Community Support Framework
and operational programmes, the bodies responsible for
implementing operations assisted by the Funds must
ensure that adequate publicity is given to the operation . In
particular they are required to :

— make potential beneficiaries and trade organizations

aware of the opportunities afforded by the operation ;

— make the general public aware of the role played by

the Community in the operation .

The Commission ensures that these rules are observed
through spot checks by the Monitoring Committees .