Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-6986

##### C 58
# Official Journal

Volume 36
### of the European Communities 1 March 1993

ISSN 0378-6986

Volume 36

1 March 1993

###### Information and Notices

English edition

Notice No Contents Page

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

93 / C 58 / 01 No 682 / 91 by Mrs Hiltrud Breyer to the Commission
Subject : Exports to Iraq by the Völklingen Saarstahl and the Düsseldorf Export-Union
undertakings 1

93 / C 58 / 02 No 2247 / 91 by Mr Vincenzo Mattina to the Commission
Subject : The Bridge over the Strait of Messina 1

93 / C 58 / 03 No 2442 / 91 by Mr Hemmo Muntingh to the Commission
Subject : Imports of tropical timber from Liberia 2

93 / C 58 / 04 No 2586 / 91 by Mr Virginio Bettini to the Commission
Subject : Safety of nuclear power stations in Europe 2

93 / C 58 / 05 No 2810 / 91 by Mr Christos Papoutsis to the Commission
Subject : Conferring direct responsibility on the Prefecture of Evros for projects which have been
included in the SPA programme 3

93 / C 58 / 06 No 2835 / 91 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Status of official complaints 4

93 / C 58 / 07 No 3017 / 91 by Mr Florus Wijsenbeek to the Commission
Subject : Ramsar Convention and EC development policy 4

93 / C 58 / 08 No 3043 / 91 by Mr Andre Sainjon to the Commission
Subject : Reduction in support for the Jessi project 5

93 / C 58 / 09 No 3073 / 91 by Mr Bouke Beumer to the Commission
Subject : Underground transport of goods by pipeline networks 6

93 / C 58 / 10 No 3163 / 91 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Funding and evaluation of cultural projects 7

2 ( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 58 / 11 No 3181 / 91 by Mr Mark Killilea to the Commission
Subject : Ora programme 7

93 / C 58 / 12 No 164 / 92 by Mr Diego de los Santos-L6pez to the Commission

V Subject : Subsidies for the Spanish high speed train 8

93 / C 58 / 13 No 298 / 92 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission
Subject : Sanctions against Yugoslavia and Belgian firms 8

93 / C 58 / 14 No 306 / 92 by Mr Louis Lauga to the Commission
Subject : Stepping up the R&D framework programme 8

93 / C58 / 15 No 397 / 92 by Mr Gianfranco Amendola to the Commission
Subject : Discrepancies in the application of the environmental impact assessment for the ' Vetto
dam ' project on the river Enza in Emilia-Romagna ( Italy ) 9

93 / C 58 / 16 No 500 / 92 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Commission
Subject : Anti-drug programme 10

93 / C 58 / 17 No 507 / 92 by Mrs Caroline Jackson to the Commission
Subject : AIDS / HIV and the proposed Third Life Assurance Directive 10

93 / C 58 / 18 No 508 / 92 by Mrs Caroline Jackson to the Commission
Subject : AIDS / HIV and insurance practices in Britain 10

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 507 / 92 and 508 / 92 11

93 / C 58 / 19 No 548 / 92 by Mr Hugh McMahon to the Commission
Subject : North Sea oil as a Community resource 11

93 / C 58 / 20 No 648 / 92 by Mr Marco Taradash to the Commission
Subject : Thefts of cocaine from inside the Courts of Justice in Rome 11

93 / C 58 / 21 No 705 / 92 by Mr Juan de la Cámara Martínez to the Commission
Subject : Reforestation 12

93 / C 58 / 22 No 910 / 92 by Mr Madron Seligman to the Commission
Subject : Spaniards exempt from property taxes 12

93 / C 58 / 23 No 936 / 92 by Mr Paul Staes to the Commission
Subject : EC asylum policy 13

93 / C 58 / 24 No 1088 / 92 by Mr Reimer Böge to the Commission
Subject : Use of animal carcases in the Community 14

93 / C 58 / 25 No 1 161 / 92 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : EC-funded aquaculture in the Gulf of Amvrakikos 14

93 / C 58 / 26 No 1182 / 92 by Lord O'Hagan to the Commission
Subject : European Commission manpower 15

93 / C 58 / 27 No 1269 / 92 by Mr Gijs de Vries to the Commission
Subject : WARC ' 92 15

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

93 / C 58 / 28 No 1344 / 92 by Mr Christopher Jackson to the Commission
Subject : Road haulage licence fees : 17

93 / C 58 / 29 No 1384 / 92 by Mr Fernando Suárez González to the Commission
Subject : Cooperation with Latin America 17

93 / C 58 / 30 No 1386 / 92 by Mr Fernando Suárez González to the Commission
Subject : Cooperation with Latin America 17

93 / C 58 / 31 No 1390 / 92 by Mr Fernando Suárez González to the Commission
Subject : Cooperation with Latin America 18

93 / C 58 / 32 No 1392 / 92 by Mr Bouke Beumer to the Commission
Subject : Concerted agreements by Netherlands insurance companies 18

93 / C 58 / 33 No 1394 / 92 by Mr Alman Metten to the Commission
Subject : Agreements not to insure against earthquakes 18

93 / C 58 / 34 No 1438 / 92 by Mrs Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Mr Maxime Verhagen, Mr Petrus
Cornelissen, Mr Arie Oostlander, Mr Bartho Pronk and Mr Jan Bertens to the
Commission

Subject : Insurance cartel in the Netherlands with regard to natural disasters 19

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1392 / 92, 1394 / 92 and 1438 / 92 19

93 / C 58 / 35 No 1412 / 92 by Mr Elmar Brok to the Commission
Subject : Animal breeding and artificial insemination technicians 19

93 / C 58 / 36 No 1440 / 92 by Mrs Annemarie Goedmakers to the Commission
Subject : Violation of human rights at the Tcholliré camp in Cameroon 20

93 / C 58 / 37 No 1481 / 92 by Mr Arthur Newens to European Political Cooperation
Subject : Aid to Somalia 20

93 / C 58 / 38 No 1484 / 92 by Mrs Nicole Fontaine to the Commission
Subject : Recognition at European level of names indicating products ' place of origin 21

93 / C 58 / 39 No 1488 / 92 by Mr Gerardo Fernandez - Albor to the Commission
Subject : Community aid to Croatian farmers 21

93 / C 58 / 40 No 1499 / 92 by Mr Henry McCubbin to the Commission
Subject : Humane leg trap research                  - 22

93 / C 58 / 41 No 1512 / 92 by Mr Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Pilot project as part of the IMPs in Prespa 22

93 / C 58 / 42 No 1514 / 92 by Mr Panayotis Roumeliotis to the Commission
Subject : Combating pollution in the Mediterranean 23

93 / C 58 / 43 No 1522 / 92 by Mr Ben Fayot to the Commission
Subject : Movement of stamp collections within the internal market 23

93 / C 58 / 44 No 1532 / 92 by Mr Dimitrios Dessylas to the Commission
Subject : The new international airport in Athens ( Spata ) and its disastrous impact on the
environment 24

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No

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Contents ( continued ) Page

No 1598 / 92 by Mr Herman Verbeek to the Commission
Subject : BST consignments to the CIS 24

No 1612 / 92 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : Radioactive discharges and Project Marina 25

No 1620 / 92 by Mr Pol Marck to the Commission
Subject : Import of Chilean sheepmeat into the EC 25

No 1623 / 92 by Mr Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Committee of the Regions 26

No 1673 / 92 by Mr Gerhard Schmid to the Commission
Subject : Cattle fences in Botswana financed by the European Community . 26

No 1694 / 92 by Mr Marco Taradash to the Commission
Subject : Situation in Romania 27

No 1737 / 92 by Mr Miguel Arias Cañete to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of the EEC — Morocco fisheries agreement 28

No 1744 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The development of Mount Olympos 28

No 1746 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Road linking Ambelona, Rhodia and Skamnia 29

93 / C 58 / 54 No 1770 / 92 by Mrs Maria Cassanmagnago Cerretti to European Political
Cooperation

Subject : Violence in Lebanon 29

93 / C 58 / 55

93 / C 58 / 56

93 / C 58 / 57

93 / C 58 / 58

93 / C 58 / 59

93 / C 58 / 60

93 / C 58 / 61

93 / C 58 / 62

No 1977 / 92 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to European Political Cooperation
Subject : Needs of hospitals in Albania 29

No 2170 / 92 by Mr Claude Cheysson to European Political Cooperation
Subject : Report to the Republican members of the US Congress House of Representatives
alleging that Iran has nuclear weapons 29

No 2185 / 92 by Mr Bernard Antony to European Political Cooperation
Subject : The arms industry . 30

No 2202 / 92 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Council
Subject : Protectionism in the USA to prevent mergers, acquisitions and take-overs by certain
European companies 30

No 2236 / 92 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to European ' Political Cooperation
Subject : Opening of a delegation in Vietnam . 31

No 2434 / 92 by Mr Ernest Glinne to the Council
Subject : Bulgarian ' placement bureaux ' which guarantee work in the Community 31

No 2445 / 92 by Mr Gianfranco Amendola to the Council
Subject : Precautionary measures by the Council when members of the Council are charged with
Mafia offences 31

No 2481 / 92 by Mr Filippos Pierros to European Political Cooperation
Subject : Human rights violations by the Turkish State against Kurds - 32

( Continued on page 42 )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

93 / C 58 / 63 No 2516 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to European Political Cooperation
Subject : Assassinations of journalists in Turkey by parastatal agents 32

93 / C 58 / 64 No 2517 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to European Political Cooperation
Subject : The tactics of Skopje 33

93 / C 58 / 65 No 2520 / 92 by Mr Alexander Langer, Mrs Claudia Roth and Mr Gerard Onesta to
European Political Cooperation
Subject : Human rights violations in Croatia 33

93 / C 58 / 66 No 2677 / 92 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Council
Subject : Aids for producers of durum wheat 34

93 / C 58 / 67 No 2687 / 92 by Mr Giulio Fantuzzi to the Council
Subject : Compensatory payments in traditional production zones for durum wheat in
Emilia-Romagna 34

93 / C 58 / 68 No 2688 / 92 by Mr Luigi Moretti to the Council
Subject : The danger of authoritarian tendencies in Italy and the common security policy 35

93 / C 58 / 69 No 2713 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer to the Council
Subject : Safety of nuclear power plants in the countries of Eastern Europe 35

93 / C 58 / 70 No 2739 / 92 by Mr Filippos Pierros to the Council
Subject : Massive western investment in East and Central Europe 36

93 / C 58 / 71 No 2787 / 92 by Mr Luigi Moretti and Mr Francesco Speroni to the Council
Subject : Serious blow to democracy in Italy 37

93 / C 58 / 72 No 2832 / 92 by Mr Claude Desama to the Council
Subject : Freedom of movement for workers — public service 37

93 / C 58 / 73 No 2834 / 92 by Lord O'Hagan to the Council
Subject : Moonies 38

93 / C 58 / 74 No 3007 / 92 by Mr Alex Smith to the Council
Subject : Social Affairs Council 38

93 / C 58 / 75 Written Questions to which no answer has been given 39

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION No 682 / 91

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

( 19 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 01 )

Subject : Exports to Iraq by the Volklingen Saarstahl and

the Diisseldorf Export-Union undertakings

In the summer of 1990 the Volklingen Saarstahl
undertaking supplied the Diisseldorf Export-Union
undertaking with alloy steel plates, steel rings and tubes .
It is reported that approximately 10% of the materials
ordered were exported to Iraq by Export-Union .

1 . In June 1990 three employees of the Iraqi Teco
undertaking observed the production of the final
batches of steel ordered through Export-Union and
received training from the Volklingen Saarstahl
undertaking in further processing techniques . Does
the Commission know what material was involved and

what training was given ?

2 . The steel was initially to be prepared for export under

blank authorization certificates issued by the Saarland
technical inspection authorities ( TUV ). However, on
examining the consignment, the TUV authorities
discovered that the samples submitted for inspection
did not correspond to the steel authorized for dxport
by the Federal Economics Office . Does the
Commission know what was the nature of the samples
inspected by the Saarland TUV ?

3 . Acting on an initial suspicion that the steel supplied by

Saarstahl was being produced for the manufacture of
a gas centrifuge plant for uranium enrichment, the
Diisseldorf customs inspection authorities now claim
to have proof that the steel and sheet steel was
manufactured to the precise specifications of Iraqi
Condor missiles . What information does the
Commission possess concerning the intended
utilization of the exported materials, in view of the
suspicions which were voiced more or less from the
outset by a Federal Economics Ministry spokesman to

the effect that the steel might be intended for the
manufacture of missiles ?

Does the Commission take the view that the Diisseldorf
Export-Union deliberately deceived the Federal
Economics Office ( obtaining clearance by giving false
information about the material intended for export ),
thereby infringing the German Foreign Trade Act ? Does
proof exist of unauthorized participation in a missile
project ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 December 1 992 )

The matter raised by the Honourable Member does not

currently fall within the jurisdiction of the Commission,
but that of the competent national authorities .

The Commission has no information on the specific
points raised by the Honourable Member .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2247 / 91

by Mr Vincenzo Mattina ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 4 October 1 991 )

( 93 / C 58 / 02 )

Subject : The bridge over the Strait of Messina

In the next few months, experts from the EEC are
expected to collaborate with the Italian Government in
devising a strategy to improve the situation with regard to
public spending . Does the Commission not intend to give
instructions that over-ambitious public works, which do
not constitute a priority, should be halted, including the
bridge over the Strait of Messina, a non-priority project

No C 58 / 2 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3.93

of limited effect whose estimated cost appears to total no
less than Lit 25 000 billion and on whose preliminary plan
some Lit 300 billion are already being spent ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 October 1992 )

The Commission has never had to express an opinion on
whether the project for a fixed link across the Strait of
Messina is sound, as the Italian government has not made
a request in this connection .

In any case, regardless of whether any such request is
made, it is not for the Commission to give ' instructions ' to
any Member State 's government to stop work on a
transport infrastructure project .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2442 / 91

by Mr Hemmo Muntingh ( S )
to the Commission of the European Co mm unities

( 30 October 1991 )

( 93 / C 58 / 03 )

Subject : Imports of tropical timber from Liberia

In June 1991 it was revealed that the Liberian rebel leader,
Charles Taylor, had been exporting tropical timber from
Liberia for the purchase of weapons . Three European
firms purchased timber to the value of almost F1
12 million from Taylor 's Patriotic Front, the NPLF . The
timber was exported from Liberia via the Ivory Coast to
Hull ( UK ) and Sete and La Pallice ( France ).

At the ITTO Conference in Quito ( 29 May — 6 June 1991 )
the Commission announced that the policy of the
Community and its Member States was based to a large
extent on the principle that timber should only be taken
from forests which are managed according to the
principle of sustainability .

1 . Which Community firms have imported tropical

timber from Liberia and the Ivory Coast ? Will the
Commission express its disapproval of this practice ?

2 . Does the Commission not consider such unrestricted
practices to be incompatible with its own avowed
principle that timber for marketing should only be
taken from forests which are sustainably managed ?
What measures will the Commission take to end these
unacceptable practices as rapidly as possible ?

3 . What rules will the Commission apply to imports of

tropical timber in order effectively to implement its
strategy ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 October 1992 )

The Commission has received confirmation that a traffic
in tropical timber is operating between Liberia and Cote
d'lvoire, with the timber bound for certain European

ports .

It naturally condemns such practices in that the proceeds
of trade in a resource as valuable as tropical timber are
being applied to ends other than the economic
development of the producer country in the genuine
interests of the people .

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member
that such unrestricted practices are incompatible with a
policy of sound, sustainable management of tropical
forests . The process of deforestation as a whole — which
is largely caused by factors having nothing to do with
forestry operations proper — is such a serious matter that
we must regard conservation and substainability of forests
as objectives to be attained without delay .

As the Commission has frequently had occasion to point

out, guidelines for worldwide action are under
consideration ; such measures will reflect the outcome of
the discussions in ITTO on the goal of sustainability by
the year 2000 .

However, the Commission acknowledges that a move to
sustainable management of tropical forests is bound up
with many factors other than the timber trade, and these

are a matter for the developing countries . It will therefore
welcome and support all initiatives at the national level .

It is encouraging to note that the last ITTO Council
session, which ended in December 1991, made progress
towards a universal definition of sustainability which
could provide a common denominator for the timber
trade and forestry management policies of countries party
to the International Tropical Timber Agreement .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2586 / 91

by Mr Virginio Bettini ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 14 November 1 991 )

( 93 / C 58 / 04 )

Subject : Safety of nuclear power stations in Europe

Following the fire which broke out in Reactor No 2 of the
Chernobyl nuclear power station on 12 October 1991, the

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 3

question arises of the safety of European nuclear power
stations .

1 . Is it true that in the European Community the
following nuclear power stations are considered to be
dangerous :

— United Kingdom : 22 power stations ( Bradwell 2,

Calder Hall 4, Chapelcross 4, Dungeness 2,
Hinkley 2, Oldbury 2, Sizewell 2, Trawysfynydd
2, Wylfa 2 )

— Germany : 1 ( Obrigheim )

— Netherlands : 1 ( Obrigheim )

— France : 2 ( Sana-Chooz, St  - Laurent )

— Spain : 1 ( Gerona )?

2 . What steps will the Commission take to guarantee the

safety of nuclear power stations ?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 November 1992 )

1 . The power stations mentioned in the Honourable
Member 's question are the oldest in the Community, but
that does not necessarily mean that they are unsafe ; they
are the subject of systematic safety reviews in the various
Community countries . On the basis of the findings, the
national safety authorities decide what improvements
need to be made to the installations in question to ensure
an acceptable level of safety under national legislation .
Following a cost-benefit study, the operators decide
either to make the necessary improvements or stop
operations . Some of the power stations mentioned are in
fact now out of service .

2 . The Commission 's efforts to ensure the radiological
protection of workers and the general public are based on
Chapter III ( Health and Safety ) of the Euratom Treaty .
Any activity involving a risk of ionizing radiation is

covered by the Directive laying down the basic standards
for the protection of the health of the general public and
workers against the dangers of ionizing radiation (').

On 24 January 1992 the Commission submitted to the
Council a report on the implementation of the resolution
of 22 July 1975 on the technological problems of nuclear
safety in the period 1987 — 91 ( 2 ).

In that report the Commission gives an account of the
progress made towards the harmonization of nuclear
safety requirements at Community level ; this progress has
been achieved in the context of a Community consultation
process involving safety authorities, operators and
nuclear electricity equipment manufacturers . As a result
of consolidating this consultation process, it should be
possible to extend it to include the countries of Central
and Eastern Europe, taking advantage of the new
opportunities for cooperation with those countries .

The Council encouraged this approach in its resolution of

18 June 1992 on the technological problems of nuclear
safety ( 3 ).

The European Parliament, for its part, has expressed its
views about the safety of nuclear installations in the
European Community Member States by adopting a
resolution on 27 September 1992 ( Adam report ) in which
it stresses the need for the greatest possible level of safety
for nuclear installations .

While the Community does not have explicit powers
under the Euratom Treaty concerning the licensing of the
construction and operation of nuclear power stations,
including safety aspects, the systematic reviews carried
out by the Member States ' authorities are also the subject
of exchanges of views and detailed discussions in the
standing working party of the Committee on the Safety of
Thermal Reactors .

The methodologies and results obtained are explained
and comparison of the different points of view makes it
possible to make progress towards the harmonization of
approaches in the Community .

o OJ No L 246, 17 . 9 . 1980 ; OJ No L 265, 5 . 10 . 1984 .
O SEC(92 ) 79 final .
O OJNoC 172,8.7 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2810 / 91

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

( 5 December 1 991 )

( 93 / C 58 / 05 )

Subject : Conferring direct responsibility on the
Prefecture of Evros for projects which have been
included in the SPA programme

Can the Commission confirm that responsibility for 11
flood control projects, with a budget totalling Drs

1,8 billion, has been conferred on the Prefecture of Evros
( Greece ) in accordance with all the lawful procedures
which guarantee the sound management of national and
Community funds, since these projects are included in the
Community SPA programme ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 October 1992 )

The Commission would like to inform the Honourable
Member that no complaints relating to the facts stated in
his question have come to its attention . It has nevertheless
asked the Greek authorities whether the 11 directly let
contracts covered 11 different flood control projects or

No C 58 / 4 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

whether some of them covered the same dam works . On in so far as it is still pursuing procedures, it considers that
the basis of this detailed information it should be possible the level or manner of site-conservation is unsatisfactory .
to verify whether the contracts have been split in a fashion
incompatible with Article 7 ( 2 ) of Directive 71 / 305 / EEC
concerning the coordination of procedures for the award
of public works contracts ( ® ). The Commission will be
informing the Honourable Member of the results of its
enquiries .

O OJNoL 185, 16 . 8 . 1971, p. 5 . WRITTEN QUESTION No 3017 / 91

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

( 13 January 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 07 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2835 / 91

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

( 5 December 1 991 )

( 93 / C 58 / 06 )

Subject : Status of official complaints

1 . What is the latest position, or the outcome, in
respect of the following complaints under Directive
79 / 409 / EEC (')?

355 / 85, 431 / 86, 601 / 86, 704 / 86, 715 / 86, 730 / 86,
731 / 86, 764 / 86, 766 / 86, 781 / 86, 37 / 87, 202 / 87, 219 / 87,
424 / 87, 504 / 87, 533 / 87, 584 / 87, 616 / 87, 646 / 87,
654 / 87, 658 / 87, 669 / 87 .

2 . In each case, what is the current state, in terms of
conservation value, of the sites concerned ?

O OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p. 1 .

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 7 December 1 992 )

1 . Subsequent to the examination of the cases, the
Commission decided not to pursue the following
complaint files :

431 / 86 ( Netherlands ), 601 / 86 ( France ), 715 / 86 ( Italy ),
730 / 86 ( Germany ), 731 / 86 ( Germany ), 766 / 86 ( France ),
424 / 87 ( Spain ), 504 / 87 ( Greece ) and 669 / 87 ( Denmark ).

There are procedures under Article 169 still open for the
following cases or for habitat matters related to them :

355 / 85 ( Netherlands ), 704 / 86 ( Greece ), 764 / 86 ( Greece ),
781 / 86 ( Greece ), 37 / 87 ( Greece ), 202 / 87 ( Spain ), 219 / 87
( Spain ), 533 / 87 ( Italy ), 584 / 87 ( Greece ), 616 / 87
( Greece ), 654 / 86 ( Greece ), 646 / 87 ( Spain ) and 658 / 87
( Italy ).

2 . The Commission does not have powers of
on-the-spot inspection in regard to these cases . However,

Subject : Ramsar Convention and EC development policy

The last conference of the parties of the Ramsar

Convention, which included delegations from Belgium,
Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom as
full members, as well as Luxembourg and the Community
as observers, recommended ( recommendation C.4.13 ):

that contracting parties urge multilateral development
banks and other development agencies to advance
conservation and wise use of wetlands ;

and that such banks and agencies promote the
formulation and adoption of national policies for wise use
and conservation of wetlands .

1 . Have the Commission departments responsible for
disbursing regional or third country development
funds received any such instruction ?

2 . Has the EIB been so urged ?

3 . What is the Commission 's view of the role of
development aid ( within the Community or outside it )
in promoting the wise use of wetlands ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 December 1 992 )

The Euro'pean Investment Bank is fully aware of the

importance of protecting and preserving wetlands . For all
projects the EIB considers financing it carries out a
comprehensive environmental impact appraisal which
covers inter alia possible consequences for the aquatic and
terrestrial ecosystem . The EIB also systematically checks
with the relevant services of the Commission, including

Corine .

The Commission has already provided financial support
for projects aimed at the wise use of wetlands under

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 5

Regulation ( EEC ) No 2247 / 87 on action by the
Community relating to the environment (').

In addition, cooperation between the Ramsar Convention
Secretariat and the Commission was stepped up in 1991 .

O OJ No L 207, 29 . 7 . 1987 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3043 / 91

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

( 13 January 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 08 )

Subject : Reduction in support for the Jessi project

The Community appears to be having second thoughts
about its support for Jessi ( Joint European Submicron
Silicon Project ), the major European programme for
development of chips for the future . The budget for this
project has been cut by 25% for 1992, with expenditure
thus reduced to ECU 300 million .

The Community is, together with the governments of the
countries concerned, one of the matn sources of financing
for Jessi .

It appears difficult to persuade the EC and countries such
as France to earmark adequate funding for this
programnme, which is intended to enable the European
electronics sector to compete with its Japanese rivals . In
fact, Jessi is playing a considerable role in the preparation
of major projects in such areas as mobile telephones,
ISDN networks, HDTV and component manfacture .

This budget reduction is likely to stand in the way of the
exceptional effort which Europe will have to make to
compete with the Japanese and US electronics industries .
Several thousand jobs may disappear in this sector, unless
we make an effort to anticipate developments .

Can the Commission state how it intends to defend the
European electronics sector following this budget
reduction ?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi

on behalf of the Commission

( 1 December 1 992 )

The Commission shares the view expressed by the

Honourable Member of the crucial importance of
micro-electronics . Micro-electronics provides the
technology foundation to information technology and
telecommunications, and consequently represents a key
element for the competitiveness of all sectors of the
European electronics industry .

The JESSI initiative is one of the decisive components
within the framework of R&D in micro-electronics and,

as such, has received and continues to receive substantial
Community support .

In the JESSI planning phase ( Eureka project EU127 ),
executed in 1988 by representatives from industry,
research centres and universities, the manpower resources
were estimated at 21 400 person-years at a total cost of
some ECU 3 800 million over the eight-year period
1989 — 1996 . JESSI looked for financial support to be
apportioned 50% to industry, 25% to national
governments ( Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, UK ),
and 25 % to the EC .

The JESSI start-up-phase began in May 1990 when the
Commission devoted 50 % of the then remaining funds of
ESPRIT micro-electronics to support the launching of the
very first collaborative JESSI projects . The total support
for JESSI and JESSI related projects during 1990 — 1991
amounted to ECU 102 million .

Support is continuing under the current specific
programme for IT adopted on 8 July 1991 . In particular,
and in line with the objectives and scientific and technical
content of the Council Decision, strategic work on
advanced sub-micron CMOS technologies proposed by
JESSI is absorbing a substantial 55% of the budgetary

resources of the micro-electronics subprogramme
( 1992—1994 ).

In the light of a restructured JESSI programme, in which
the concept of ' Flagship ' projects were introduced to
focus on the needs of specific user applications, the
industry ( JESSI Board ) and the public authorities ( JESSI
Committee ) agreed, in October 1991, a revised budgetary
envelope for the first three year period of main-phase of
JESSI which started in January 1992 . For this particular

period ( 1992 — 1994 ) this budgetary envelope is ECU

1 232 million broken down as follows :

— industry contribution : ECU 616 million

— national contribution : ECU 416 million

— Community contribution : ECU 200 million

In summary, therefore, the Commission has earmarked,
to date, some ECU 302 million support to JESSI for the
period 1990 — 1994 . If justified, this figure might be
uplifted subsequent to the pending decision on the
financial complement to the Third Framework
Programme .

The Commission is of the view that these facts bear
witness to the unquestionable commitments and support
that the Community has already provided to the
fulfilment of the objectives that JESSI has set itself .

As for the future, the Commission has confirmed the
priority it intends to give to micro-electronics . In the
working document of the Commission concerning the
Fourth Framework Programme (') the first thematic
nucleus of the 31 identified under ' First Activity ' indeed
reads :

Key elements for IT systems : The objective is to enable
the broad spectrum of European industry to produce and

No C 58 / 6 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3.93

use electronic systems competitively . The R&D effort will
comprise key component technologies ( CMOS ), system
elements ( microprocessors and microsystems ) and basic
IT research . Together these aim to ensure timely access to
the building blocks of complex systems for this and future
technology generations . The next generation of advanced
CMOS-based circuits of lower feature size, higher speed
and increased complexity will be developed under the
close guidance of industry and in conjunction with the
new phase of the Joint European Submicron Silicon
( JESSI ) project . Microprocessor systems based on RISC
architecture, along with supporting open systems
software will be developed aimed at European systems
integrators, while the development of microsystems
incorporating sensors, actuators and logic circuitry will
involve different disciplines, from semiconductor
processing technology, optics and other sensing
technologies to robots . The basic research effort in this,
as in other interdisciplinary areas will be complemented
by thematic networks of excellence .

The Commission intends to continue to interact with

industry and the other participating public authorities to
sharpen the focus of the JESSI programme in the current
as well as the new phase from 1994 onwards in order to
make best use of resources, notably public funds, to reach
those goals which are most crucial to secure the
competitiveness of the European electronics industries in
the light of global events .

The Commission is confident that if all parties concerned
continue to accord a high priority to micro-electronics
and to the JESSI initiative in particular, and that if this
priority is reflected in the financial volumes that industry
invests and in the support forthcoming notably from
Member States ' administrations, the Community will
stand a realistic chance of safeguarding its future in this
vital industry .

O COM(92 ) 406 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3073 / 91

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

( 13 January 1991 )

( 93 / C 58 / 09 )

Subject : Underground transport of goods by pipeline

networks

Alongside the carriage of goods by road, rail, air and
water, attention is being given, especially by the
construction industry, to the underground transport of
freight via pipeline networks . Such networks should link
the chief centres of distribution and population . Japan has

/

already had promising experience of this mode of

transport .

1 . To what extent does the Commission share the view
held by advocates of this mode of transport —
underground pipelines — that it is an ideal system :
being safe, environmentally friendly and continuously
available, having a large capacity and long life, taking
up little space, while capable of competing with other
modes of transport, since the costs of construction
( and development ) cannot be considered particularly
high ?

2 . Given that freight flows are expected to increase by
about 50% over the next 20 years, to what extent
could underground transport bypipeline constitute an
alternative ? In particular, what freight flows and what
forms of transport could it supplement, and between
which distribution and population centres could an
underground pipeline network be expected to be a
potentially important link ?

3 . Does the Commission consider that the construction
and development of a system of underground pipeline
networks falls chiefly within the ambit of the public
authorities or that it is a task for private enterprise, or
should such a system be constructed and developed
jointly by the authorities and private enterprise ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 1992 )

The Commission was most interested to receive the

Honourable Member 's query .

This is not in fact the first time the issue of goods
transport by underground pipeline has been raised . It was
the subject of a conference organized a few years ago by
the University of Delft, where the discussion focused on
pipelines operating under vacuum, to achieve greater
speeds .

No one would contest the undoubted environmental
advantages of such a system, but it is also true that the
costs of laying pipeline over long distances through open
country would be too great for such a project to be
profitable . This is borne out by the difficulties —
primarily financial — encountered in the construction of
Alpine tunnels, in spite of the additional advantages of
such a system in terms of energy efficiency and hence

greater returns .

The Commission unfortunately does not have access to

information concerning the Japanese project .

A table giving the statistics for goods transport by pipeline
has been sent direct to the Honourable Member and to

the Secretariat General of Parliament .

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 7

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3163 / 91

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

( 24 January 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 10 )

Subject : Funding and evaluation of cultural projects

Could the Commission provide me with figures for
spending in the years 1989 — 1991 on projects in the area
of theatre, opera and dance, both in relation to ' Platform
Europe ' and other initiatives ?

In providing EC funding to cultural events / projects, does
the Commission have any procedure whereby they
evaluate their spending in order to ensure it is well spent ?

Answer given by Mr Dondelinger

on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 1992 )

The Commission grants financial support to specific

events of a European dimension in a number of cultural
and artistic fields .

With effect from 1991 these subsidies came under the

' Platform Europe ' award scheme, first announced in the

Official Journal of the European Communities on 1 0 July
1990 . The programme now bears the name Kaleidoscope .

In the areas of theatre and dance, Commission support
amounted approximately to :

- ECU 474 000 in 1991

Theatre : ECU 384 000

Dance : ECU 90 000

- ECU 369 000 in 1990

Theatre : ECU 364 000

Dance : ECU 5 000

- ECU 287 000 in 1989

Theatre : ECU 272 000

Dance : ECU 15 000

When a financial contribution is made to a cultural
project, the Commission sends the organizers a form
which must be filled in and signed and which specifies that
the recipient :

1 . is prepared, in conformity with the Financial
Regulation of 21 December 1977, as amended on 13
March 1990, to allow the Commission and the Court
of Auditors to carry out checks on the use made of
Community monies ;

2 . undertakes to send to the Commission, within three
months of the termination of the project and in
duplicate ( according to budget rules the

appropriations committed for this operation have a
limited lifetime ):

— a report on the use made of the financial aid ;

— a statement of account certified as being correct by

the head of the organization receiving the aid or a
financial statement accompanied by certified true
supporting documents, indicating the amount and
the nature of the expenditure and the
corresponding receipts ( including the amount of
the Commission subsidy );

— where appropriate, the annual report of the audit

body .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3181 / 91

by Mr Mark Killilea ( RDE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 January 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 11 )

Subject : Ora programme

Submissions from Ireland under this programme have
been sent to the Commission since mid-September of this

year .

Could the Commission outline :

1 . how soon the final decisions shall be made on project

submissions from Ireland,

2 . a list of successful applications from Ireland, and the
criteria they reached to obtain success ?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 November 1992 )

Following the call for proposals for R&D on telematic
systems for rural areas, the Telematics Management
Committee has given a favourable opinion on the results
of the evaluation of proposals and all contract
negotiations have been successfully completed . Eleven
R&D projects started work in January 1992 and five
others will start in late 1992 .

Of the 98 proposals submitted, 46 involved Irish
organizations, and 22 Irish organizations are partners in

10 of the 16 research projects .

All these R&D projects form part of an integrated
research effort, coordinated by the Circa Group in
Ireland . The first results of the research were discussed in
a Workshop hosted by the Tipperary Rural and Business
Development Programme in Thurles, Ireland in early
October 1992 .

All proposals were evaluated against the criteria in
Annex III to the Council Decision on the third framework

No C 58 / 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

programme and those in the Decision on the Specific
Programme on Telematic Systems of General Interest .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 164 / 92
by Mr Diego de los Santos-López ( ARC )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 10 Februa ry 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 12 )

Subject : Subsidies for the Spanish high speed train

Can the Commission give details of all aids and subsidies
provided or envisaged under the Structural Funds
( ERDF ) or other structural instruments ( EIB ) for Spain 's
first high speed train ( AVE ), linking Seville and Madrid ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 December 1 992 )

The following Community aid was granted for the
construction of the high-speed Madrid-Seville line which
went into operation on April 1992 :

( ECU million )

Grants

ERDF 784

Budget item B2-700 ( Community
infrastructure ) 4

Total 788

Loans

ECSC 109

EIB 77

Total 186

Grand total 974

Firms which have goods processed in Yugoslavia for
subsequent reintroduction and marketing in the
Community have been hit particularly hard .

A preferential system allowed reimportation to take place
without payment of tax . This has been suspended as part
of the sanctions imposed on Yugoslavia, creating
problems for the Belgian firms which are now obliged to
pay a 9,5% tax on reimporting goods processed in
Yugoslavia .

This situation is causing difficulties for the firms involved .

How does the Commission intend to solve this problem ?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 November 1 992 )

The Council 's decision of 11 November 1991 to suspend
the trade concessions granted under the 1980 agreements
between the Community and Yugoslavia terminated the
preferential trade arrangements provided for in those
agreements . In giving its assent on 20 November to the
denunciation of the agreements Parliament endorsed the
grounds for that decision .

On 2 December, in order to remedy the adverse effects
which the measures were bound to have on those
republics cooperating in the peace process in Yugoslavia,
either on the ground or in the Conference on Yugoslavia
launched in The Hague, the Council adopted selective
positive measures to help Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Macedonia and Slovenia . Its decision of 3 February this
year complemented those measures and extended them to

Montenegro .

The measures restore the preferential arrangements
provided for in the 1980 agreements to those republics
and will eliminate the difficulties referred to by the
Honourable Member .

As regards trade with Serbia ., Community firms can apply
to use the outward processing arrangements .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 306 / 92

WRITTEN QUESTION No 298 / 92 by Mr Louis Lauga ( RDE )

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

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 February 1992 )

( 24 February 1992 ) ( 93 / C 58 / 14 )

( 93 / C 58 / 13 )

Subject : Stepping up the R&D framework programme

Subject : Sanctions against Yugoslavia and Belgian firms

Several Belgian firms have been adversely affected by the
sanctions imposed on Yugoslavia by the Community .

The European Parliament has called for the EEC 's R&D
framework programme on non-nuclear sources of energy
to be stepped up .

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 9

These energy sources account for one-fifth of the funding

allocated to all forms of energy under the R&D
programme, although they actually cover one-fifth of
requirements .

Does the Commission intend to reorganize the budgets
for the R&D programmes in the third framework
programme and subsequent programmes, as it promised
Parliament ?

What proportion of the budget would be reallocated and
for how long ?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 November 1 992 )

In line with the statements it made before the European
Parliament, the Commission put forward, on 15 July

1992 ^ its proposal for a financial supplement to be added
to tne third framework programme for Community
R&TD activities ('). The aim of the Commission 's
proposal was to increase the funds under the third
framework programme from ECU 5 700 million to ECU
7 300 million, with additional funding of ECU
1 600 million for 1993 and 1994 .

Within this additional funding, the Commission plans to
more than double the amount earmarked for the
subheading ' Non-nuclear energy sources ', which it is
proposed to increase from ECU 157 million to ECU
337 million .

The proposal, which at the moment is being discussed by
the European Parliament, the Economic and Social
Committee and the Council, should be adopted by the
end of the year to enable additional research projects to
be funded from 1993 .

O COM(92 ) 309 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 397 / 92

by Mr Gianfranco Amendola ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 February 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 15 )

Subject : Discrepancies in the application of the
environmental impact assessment for the ' Vetto
dam ' project on the river Enza in
Emilia-Romagna ( Italy )

Given that the project to construct the Vetto dam on the
river Enza in Emilia-Romagna ( Italy ) is on the list of
projects in Annex II to Directive 85 / 337 / EEC ('),

given that this project, after being subjected to an
environmental impact assessment, was approved by the
Italian authorities in a different form and with quite
different aims from those originally put forward and

permitted funding and recourse to loans from the
European Investment Bank,

given that the Region of Emilia-Romagna and the World
Wildlife ( WWF ) have given a negative assessment of this
project,

given that the Amici della Terra, the WWF, the LIPU, the
Lega Ecologica, the Ente Nazionale per la Protezione
degli Animali ( ENPA ), Italia Nostra and the Lega per
l'ambiente have submitted an appeal against the project to
the regional administrative court ( TAR ),

given that in this region there are species protected by the
Berne Convention and habitats which, according to the
Society for the Protection of Birds ( Lega Protezione
Uccelli — LIPU ) fall within the scope of the directive on
the protection of birds No 79 / 409 / EEC ( 2 ),

1 . Can the Commission say whether the environmental

impact assessment on the Vetto dam complies with the
requirements laid down in Directive 85 / 337 / EEC ?

2 . Does it consider that the decision of the ministerial
commission, which rejected the project for a dam and
gave permission for the construction of a dam not for
irrigation purposes but for creating drinking water
reservoirs, corresponds to the letter and the spirit of
Directive 85 / 337 / EEC ?

3 . What measures does the Commission intend to take

vis-a-vis the Italian authorities to ensure compliance
with the Berne Convention and the directive on the

conservation of birds ?

4 . Does the Commission not consider it necessary to
amend Directive 85 / 337 / EEC by adding a new annex
specifying the criteria to be followed by the Member
States when carrying out environmental impact
assessments, in order to avoid disparities in the
application of this directive ?

O OJ No L 175, 5 . 7 . 1985, p . 40 .
O OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1992 )

The Commission has registered as a complaint the points
raised by the Honourable Member about the Vetto dam
project on the river Enza .

Projects of this type are covered by Annex II to Directive
85 / 337 / EEC and must be made subject to an
environmental impact assessment if they are likely to have
significant effects on the environment and if their size or
location so dictate .

The Commission has therefore contacted the Italian

authorities to find out which measures they intend to take
to fulfil the obligations imposed on them by the
Community legislation .

No C 58 / 10 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3.93

At the moment the Commission is waiting for them to
reply .

The European Drugs Prevention Week is in line with the
request of the Health Council to promote exchanges of
information . This is mentioned particularly in the
Conclusions of Health Council of 13 November 1989 on
the implementation of coordinated measures for
preventing drug addiction and coping with drug
addicts (').

WRITTEN QUESTION No 500 / 92
by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru ( S ) O OJ No C 31, 9 . 2 . 1990 .
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 16 )

Subject : Anti-drug programme

What progress has been made in preparations for the

anti-drug programme adopted by the European Council
on 14 December 1990 in Rome ? What part will be played
by the recently established European Drugs Observatory
and the European Week scheduled for the second quarter
of this year ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 26 October 1992 )

The European Plan to Combat Drugs, adopted by the

European Council in Rome, 14 December 1990, listed five
main areas for action . These were

( a ) coordination among Member States ;

( b ) the establishment of a European Drugs Monitoring

Centre ;

( c ) demand reduction ;

( d ) suppression of illicit trade ;

( e ) international action .

CELAD, the European Committee to Combat Drugs, is
now in the process of reviewing the Plan after its first year
and in the light of the changes to be made in the field of
public health as a corisequence of the Maastricht Treaty .

The European Drugs Monitoring centre was specifically

addressed in the European Plan against drugs and,
although not yet established, the institutional discussions
for its creation are already well advanced . In accordance
with the conclusions of the Maastricht European Council,
the Commission submitted a draft regulation in
December 1991 . The institutions of the Community
should adopt this regulation by June 1992 .

The European Drugs Prevention Week, scheduled for

16 / 22 November 1992, although not mentioned
specifically in the European Plan, is entirely coherent with
it and is a joint initiative in the field of demand reduction
mentioned at ( c ) above . It is targeted at youth and its aim
is to increase public awareness of the consequences of
drugs .

, WRITTEN QUESTION No 507 / 92

by Mrs Caroline Jackson ( ED )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 17 )

Subject : AIDS / HIV and the proposed Third Life
Assurance Directive

Under the terms of the proposed Third Life Assurance
Directive ('), an insurance company authorized by the
state in which it has its head office ( the home state ) will be
able to sell life assurance directly in any other Member
State ( the host state ).

British insurance companies ask applicants for life
assurance in the United Kingdom whether they have had
a previous HIV test even if the result was negative and ask
many male applicants whether they are homosexual .

Under the terms of the proposed directive, can a host state
that objects to this practice on ground of public health
education about AIDS or the protection of rights of
privacy prevent British companies from introducing this
practice into that state, by appropriate national
legislation ?

O OJ No C 99, 16.4 . 1991, p. 2 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 508 / 92

by Mrs Caroline Jackson ( ED )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 18 )

Subject : AIDS / HIV and insurance practices in Britain

It is the general practice of insurance companies in the
United Kingdom :

( a ) to ask male applicants for life assurance whether they

are homosexual and

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 11

( b ) to ask all applicants for life assurance whether they

have had counselling about AIDS or a previous test
for HIV even if the result was negative .

This information may lead to the applicant being charged

an additional premium or even being declined insurance

cover .

This practice has attracted strong criticism within the
United Kingdom as discouraging individuals from
voluntarily seeking HIV tests and as perpetuating the
myth that AIDS is a ' homosexual disease '.

Is the Commission concerned about the implications for :

1 . individual rights to privacy, and

2 . public education about AIDS

if British companies will be able, under the proposed
Third Life Assurance Directive, to implement the same
practices in selling insurance in other Member States ?

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 507 / 92 and 508 / 92

given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

( 24 November 1 992 )

The Commission 's proposal for a Third Council Directive
on life assurance (') has no direct implications for
individual rights to privacy and public education about
AIDS .

In the absence of harmonized Community rules, national
legislation applies in these areas . This will remain the case
after the passage of the Third Life Assurance Directive .
Where, however, such legislation would restrict freedom
to provide services ( for example by limiting a company 's
ability to seek information which it regarded as necessary
in order to evaluate the risk relating to a particular
contract ) this would have to meet the criteria set down in
the case law of the European Court of Justice : that is, it
would need to be justified by considerations of the
general good, and it would need to pass the tests of
non-discrimination, objective necessity and
proportionality .

Concerning the protection of individuals in connection
with the processing of personal data, the Commission
would inform the Honourable Members that it has
submitted to the Council a proposal for a Directive ( 2 )
which has just been amended following Parliament 's
opinion ( 3 ). The object of the proposal is to guarantee a
high level of protection in the Community and
consequently to determine the rights of the persons
concerned and the obligations of those responsible for
processing personal data such as the processing carried
out by insurance companies .

o COM(91 ) 57 final .
( 2 ) OJ No C 277, 5 . 11 . 1990 .
O COM(92 ) 422 final, 15 . 10 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 548 / 92

by Mr Hugh McMahon ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 19 )

Subject : North Sea oil as a Community resource

Can the Commission explain the comments attributed to
Commissioner Cardosa that North Sea oil and gas are
Community resources ? Is this the considered collective
view of the Community ?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 December 1 992 )

Commissioner Cardoso e Cunha 's comments should be
placed in context : a significant proportion of North Sea
oil is produced within the exclusive economic zone ( law of
the sea ) of Member States of the Community and in this
sense constitutes Community production or may be
considered as a Community resource, even though
Member States retain sovereignty over these resources .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 648 / 92

by Mr Marco Taradash ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 23 March 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 20 )

Subject : Thefts of cocaine from inside the Courts of

Justice in Rome

An investigation currently being carried out by the Italian

examining magistrates has revealed the theft of a huge
quantity of cocaine, about 8 kg, which was being held in
the material evidence department of the Courts of Justice
in Rome . Cocaine earmarked for destruction was, instead,
returned to the black market with the presumable
complicity of the person in charge of the department and
some of his staff . Another sealed package containing 4 kg
of cocaine was found accidentally in a cupboard, despite
the fact that, according to the department 's records, it had
officially been destroyed . According to press reports,
huge quantities of heroin and cocaine have been removed
in this way, over the years, from the department, where
hundreds of kilograms of drugs are kept under guard .
The theft was carried out by the simplest of methods :

collusion by a few employees was all that was needed to
ensure impunity and the theft was discovered only as a
result of a quarrel within the gang .

No C 58 / 12 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3.93

Since this type of crime combines a high likelihood of
impunity with the certainty of very high profits on the
illegal drugs market, can the Commission say what
guarantees are provided in Member countries of the
Community to ensure that the process of confiscating,
guarding and destroying illegal drugs is carried out
legally ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 26 October 1992 )

The Commission is not in a position to say what
guarantees are provided in the member countries of the
Community to ensure that the process of confiscating,
guarding and destroying illegal drugs is carried out
correctly .

This i$ a matter for Member State competence, and
information on their procedures would have to be sought
from each State individually .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 705 / 92
by Mr Juan de la Cámara Martínez ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 26 March 1992 )

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

Measures million ECU

1 . Commitments to ' horizontal ' forestry

measures 1986—1991 (') 6,324

2 . Total commitments to forestry
measures for Spain under the regional
programme for agricultural
development ( 2 ) 1988 / 1992 97,0

3 . Total EC provisions for Spain under

operational Programme for Objective

1 and 5b regions ( 1989 — 1993 )
— All forestry measures

( Afforestation )
Objective 1 148,98 ( 39,26 )
Objective 5b 44,46 ( 12,97 )
— Environmental protection

Objective 1 22,78
Objective 5b 2,76

4 . EC contribution ( 1987—1991 )
towards 61 projects in Spain on forest
fire protection 13,7 ( 43,3 )

[ Regulation ( EEC ) No 3529 / 86 ] ( EC
total )

Total 336,004

(') Regulation ( EEC ) No 797 / 85, ÓJ No L 93, 30 . 3 . 1985 and Regulation

( EEC ) No 2325 / 91, OJ No L 218, 6 . 8 . 1991 .
O Regulation ( EEC ) No 11 18 / 88, OJ No L 107, 28 . 4 . 1988 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 910 / 92

( 93 / C 58 / 21 )
( 15 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 22 )
Subject : Reforestation

Does the Commission consider adequate the scant
support given by the Community to reforestation
programmes for unprotected and increasingly desertified
natural areas ? What budgetary funding is being made
available to support this kind of environmental and rural
development programme ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 8 October 1 992 )

The Commission would agree that both afforestation and

antidesertification programmes are of great importance,
and would point out that considerable efforts have been
made and the following figures demonstrate significant
Community involvement in addressing the issues of
afforstation and desertification in Spain, as an example of
EC cofinancing to the Member State the most badly
affected by desertification :

Subject : Spaniards exempt from property taxes

I am informed by a constituent that British and other
Community citizens are obliged to pay certain property
related taxes from which Spanish citizens are said to be

exempt .

The taxes concerned are related to a notional income tax

( even if the property is not in fact let to third parties ) and
wealth tax (' patrimonio '). Spaniards are exempt in respect
of properties valued at under Ptas 9 million .

Whilst taxation — other than VAT — is, of course, a
matter for individual Member States, discrimination
against citizens of other Member States runs counter to
the principles of the single market and Community law .

Is the Commission aware of this situation ? What action

does it propose to take ?

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 13

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 November 1 992 )

At the current stage of Community law, taxation of
individuals remains within the sole competence of
individual Member States, in the absence of any evidence
of infringement of the EEC Treaty .

The Spanish wealth tax ( impuesto extraordinario sobre el
patrimonio de las personas fisicas ), according to our
information, is applied at the same rate to the value of
property, be it owned by non-residents or by Spanish
residents . However, no personal deductible allowances
are granted to non-resident taxpayers .

The notional income tax levied on properties in Spain is

assessed in the same way for resident and non-resident
taxpayers . Indeed, a notional rental value is calculated for
any owner-occupied residences ( including the taxpayer 's
home and any other non-rented dwellings ) at 2 % of the
adjusted cadastral value of such residences . However, in
the case of residents, the rate of tax will depend on the
individual 's total income, whereas for non-residents, the
same income will be subject to a final income tax at the
rate of 25% .

The differential tax treatment for resident and
non-resident taxpayers derive from the general tax
concept applied by most Member States that resident
taxpayers are taxed on the basis of their worldwide
income and assets, while non-resident taxpayers are taxed
only on income which has its source in the country or on
assets situated in the country .

The differential tax treatment, especially in relation to
income and assets from immovable property, does not, in
the view of the Commission, constitute an infringement
of the provisions of the EEC Treaty .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 936 / 92

by Mr Paul Staes ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 15 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 23 )

Subject : EC asylum policy

Within the EC asylum policy and measures to prevent
illegal immigrants are the responsibility of three bodies,
the Ad Hoc Immigration Group, the Coordinators Group
and the Trevi Group .

1 . Who sits on these groups ?

2 ., What are the specific tasks, powers, operations,

projects, agreements, channels of contact and
differences characterizing these three bodies ? What
are the specific implications for asylum and

immigration policy ? Do they work in consultation
with the High Commissioner for Refugees ? If so,
how ? If not, why not ?

3 . What are the specific tasks, powers, operations and

projects of the Immigration Consultancy Centre being
set up by the Ad Hoc Group on Immigration ? How
long has it been in existence and where is it located ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 November 1 992 )

1 . The Coordinators ' Group on the free movement of
persons, set up by the European Council meeting in
Rhodes in December 1988, is made up of senior officials
representing Member State governments . The
Commission takes part and is represented by
Vice-President M. Bangemann .

The Ad hoc Working Group on immigration and the
Trevi Group operate within the framework of
intergovernmental cooperation and bring together senior
officials from Member State governments and the
Commission .

2 . The mandate given to the Coordinators ' Group by
the Rhodes meeting was to ensure the achievement of the
Community and intergovernmental objectives involved in
the creation of an area without internal frontiers . It meets
four to five times every six months . It drew up the Palma
document in June 1989, listing the measures which are
essential and desirable for the implementation of
Article 8a, the inventory on immigration requested at the

Strasbourg meeting of the European Council and the
contribution to the report on immigration and asylum
submitted at its Maastricht meeting .

The purpose of the Working Group, set up in October

1986, is to achieve free movement in the Community
without jeopardizing security . This remit embraces
controls at external frontiers, visa policy, exchanges of
information between immigration services and asylum . It
is a group of senior officials, assisted by five specialist
subgroups . The Group drew up the Dublin Convention of

15 June 1990 determining the Member State responsible
for examining applications for asylum and the draft
Convention on the crossing of the external borders of the
Community .

The Trevi Group was set up in 1975 and deals with
questions related to public order . It is assisted by five
specialist subgroups .

The Ad hoc Working Group has regular contacts with the
United Nations High Commission for Refugees, as also

No C 58 / 14 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

does the Commission, which always endeavours to take
the maximum account of its opinions .

3 . At an informal meeting of Trevi and immigration
ministers on 28 March 1991, it was decided to set up a
quick-reaction consultation centre to deal with large and
sudden migratory flows . At their meeting on 13 June

1991, the ministers responsible for immigration agreed on
how this should work in practice .

The task of this centre, which is serviced by the General
Secretariat of the Council and at whose meetings the
Commission is represented, is to investigate ways of
dealing with these problems, to draw up any proposals on
the attitude to be adopted by the Member States and, if
necessary, to call a meeting of the ministers responsible
for immigration to examine any proposal which the centre
considers necessary .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 088 / 92

by Mr Reimer Boge ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 30 April 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 24 )

Subject : Use of animal carcases in the Community

The disposal of animal carcases is dealt with in Council

Directive 90 / 667 / EEC (') laying down the veterinary
rules for the disposal and processing of animal waste, for
its placing on the market and for the prevention of
pathogens in feedstuffs of animal or fish origin and
amending Directive 90 / 425 / EEC ( 2 ). According to the
Directive the Member States must take appropriate
measures to ensure compliance with these rules by 31
December 1991 .

Can the Commission say in which Member States the
rules which are now in force on sterilization ( heating to a
core temperature of 133 °C for 20 minutes at a pressure of
3 bar, or other heat treatment systems offering equivalent
guarantees with regard to microbiological safety ) are
adhered to and in which they are not ?

O OJ No L 363, 27 . 12 . 1990, p . 51 .
O OJ No L 224, 18 . 8 . 1990, p . 29 .

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1992 )

Council Directive 90 / 667 / EEC of 27 November 1990
lays down the veterinary rules for the disposal and

processing of animal waste, for its placing on the market
and for the prevention of pathogens in feedstuffs of
animal or fish origin and amends Directive 90 / 425 / EEC .

In accordance with the provisions of the Directive high
risk raw material, including dead animals, must be
processed in a high risk processing plant approved by the
Member State or be disposed of by burning or burial .
High-risk material must be heat treated to a core
temperature of at least 133 °C for 20 minutes at a pressure
of 3 bar . Alternative systems of heat treatment may be
used provided that they are approved, through a
Community procedure, as offering equivalent guarantees
with regard to microbiological safety . The Commission
has asked for details of the different systems in use in the
Member States .

A number of systems will be studied as alternative systems
on the basis of flow charts and written descriptions of
each process . If they meet the operational and other
requirements of the Directive, including the
microbiological standards laid down, individual plants
would be approved by the competent authority in each
Member State . The Commission is currently working on
this matter so that the application of this aspect of the
directive by Member States can be completed as soon as
possible .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 161 / 92

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

( 15 May 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 25 )

Subject : EC-funded aquaculture in the Gulf of
Amvrakikos

In his answer to Written Question No 605 / 89 (*)
Commissioner Millan said that the intensive aquaculture
installations in the Gulf of Amvrakikos, Greece, an
internationally-important wetland, were not part of an
EC programme .

In his answer to Written Question No 1000 / 91 ( 2 ) Mr
Christophersen quotes aquaculture in Amvrakikos under
an IMP as an example of projects whose EC funding has
been suspended in the past on environmental grounds .

1 . Can the Commission explain the apparent
inconsistency between these two answers ?

2 . What were the dates on which

( a ) the projects were initially approved ; and

( b ) the suspension order was given ?

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 15

3 . Was the suspension ever lifted and if so, on what date

and subject to what safeguards, mitigating measures
or other conditions ?

O OJ No C 69, 19 . 3 . 1990, p . 25 .
O OJ No'C 66, 16 . 3 . 1992, p . 9 .

Answer given by Mr Mulan
on behalf of the Commission

( 1 October 1 992 )

1 . There is no inconsistency between the replies given
on behalf of the Commission to Written Question
No 605 / 89, which was answered by Mr Ripa di Meana
and not Mr Millan, and Written Question No 1000 / 91 .

2 . The Amvrakikos aquaculture measures were
included in the Integrated Mediterranean Programme for
Western Greece and the Peloponnese, approved by the
Commission on 20 October 1987 .

3 . In a letter dated 14 May 1990 the Commission
informed the Greek authorities that aid to a particular
aquaculture project in the Amvrakikos area was
suspended . This suspension has not been lifted .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1 1 82 / 92

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

( 15 May 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 26 )

Subject : European Commission manpower

It is generally thought that the number of officials in the
European Commission is excessive :

1 . What is the total number of officials in the

Commission ?

2 . According to the Community labour force survey,
there were 1 0 million civil servants in the Member States

in 1990 .

By way of comparison, the Commission employs roughly
the same number of staff as the municipal authorities of a
large European city .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1269 / 92

by Mr Gijs de Vries ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 27 )

Subject : WARC '92

1 . What specific initiatives did the Commission take to
ensure that EC Member States spoke with one voice at the
recent Torremolinos meeting of the World Administrative
Radio Conference ?

2 . Did the EC have a common position during the
preparatory work for WARC ' 92 carried out by CEPT ?

3 . Did the Commission inform Member States that any
decisions taken at WARC, insofar as they apply within the
EC, must be compatible with the Treaty of Rome ?

4 . Will the Commission propose recommendations,
regulations or directives to implement the frequency
allocations agreed by WARC ?

5 . How will WARC ' 92 affect the introduction of High
Definition Television and Digital Audio Broadcasting in
the EC ?

6 . What initiatives will the Commission take to
coordinate terrestrial frequencies for Digital Audio
Broadcasting among the Member States ?

2 . How does this figure compare to the total number of

national civil servants in each Member State ? Answer given by Mr Pandolfi

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 November 1992 )

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha

on behalf of the Commission

(6 November 1992 )

1 : Officials and temporary staff covered by the
Commission 's administrative budget ( posts occupied ) at
the beginning of 1992 totalled 14 251 .

1 . The Commission presented to Council a proposal
for a Decision regarding coordination of the
Community 's position at WARC . The Council took the
following decisions on the procedures to be followed at
WARC :

— for topics on the agenda which came within the sphere

of competence of the Community and for which

No C 58 / 16 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

Community legislation does exist ( AETR precedent ),
the Commission was authorized to negotiate to ensure
that the Conference conclusions would not call into
question the substance of the already existing
Community legislation ;

— in relation to topics of Community interest on the

agenda that had not yet been subject to Community
legislation, proper coordination should be worked out
at the Conference in the framework of the CEPT,
with the participation of the Commission .

The Commission has observer status in the ITU . As a

consequence all the proposed changes to the Frequency
Table have been presented to the Conference by the

Member States . However coordination meetings ( with
active participation of the Commission delegation to the
Conference ) took place on a regular basis thus allowing
the European delegations to present a homogeneous
position .

2 . The Community did not adopt a formal common
position in the context of the preparatory work for
WARC ' 92 carried out by CEPT .

European countries sometimes have different interests in
the field of radiocommunications . However the work in
the CEPT has allowed for a convergence of view points in
a number of areas, thus allowing the adoption, some
months prior to the Conference, of a certain number of
European Common Positions ( ECPs ) covering the major
topics of the Conference . These ECPs ( which number 14 )
have been signed by almost all Member States with the
exception of the one covering digital audio broadcasting
which has been signed by a majority only .

3 . When signing the Final Acts, Member States
accompanied their signature by the following declaration :
' The delegations of the Member States of the European
Community declare that the Member States of the
European Community will apply the partial revision of
the radio regulation adopted at this Conference in
accordance with their obligations under the Treaty
establishing the European Community .'

In consequence WARC decisions are only applicable
insofar as they are compatible with the EEC Treaty .

4 . In the short term the Commission intends to
propose to Council a Directive on the frequency bands to
be designated for the coordinated introduction of
Aeronautical Public Correspondance ( APC ). This service
was allocated the frequency bands 1670 — 1675 MHz

( ground to air ) and 1 800 — 1 805 MHz ( air to ground ) on a
worldwide basis at WARC ' 92 and another Directive on
the frequency bands to be allocated for the coordinated
introduction of Road Transport Telematic Systems
including Road Information and Route Guidance
Systems .

Further proposals will depend on the analysis of the
situation and its relevance in the context of the
establishment of pan-European networks .

5 . HDTV : In the short term, the decisions taken at
WARC ' 92 will have little, if any, effect on the
introduction of HDTV in the EC, because the frequency
bands required for the HD-MAC transmissions envisaged
in the Directive 92 / 38 / EEC on the adoption of standards
for satellite broadcasting of TV signals were allocated by
the WARC ' 87 . In the longer term, however, the decision
at WARC ' 92 to allocate 600 MHz in the range 21.4 — 22
GHz to the Broadcast Satellite Service ( BSS-TV )
throughout the Community and in much of the rest of the
world should provide the basis for subsequent expansion
of HDTV broadcasting, at least after this allocation
becomes generally available in the year 2007 .

In the Submissions to WARC ' 92 resulting in the
allocation of the 21.4 — 22 GHz band, it was envisaged
that frequencies in it would be used for wide-band digital
HDTV transmissions, but it is still too early to define the
characteristics of the system(s ) to be used for this
purpose . Before this band becomes generally available,
frequencies in it may be used for the transmissions of
experimental HDTV systems in accordance with the
provisions of WARC ' 92 Resolution COM5 / 5 . WARC
' 92 Resolution COM5 / 6 urges Administrations to study
the development of future regulatory provisions for the
BSS-TV in this band . So far as the 12 GHz BSS-TV band
( already in use for D2-MAC Direct - to-Home '
broadcasting ) is concerned, WARC ' 92 Resolution
COM5 / 3 provides the basis for studies with a view to the
future revision of the 1977 Geneva Plan that currently
specifies the frequency assignments in it, notably in order
to take advantage of technical developments occurring
since that Plan was prepared .

Digital Audio Broadcasting .- The decision at WARC ' 92 to
allocate the band 1452 — 1492 MHz to the Broadcasting
Satellite Service ( Sound ) within the EC and in much of the
rest of the world, with general availability from the year
2007, will undoubtedly stimulate the studies already being
undertaken with a view to the development and
introduction of digital audio broadcasting ( DAB ) by
satellite . However, what may well be more significant in
the near future is the WARC '92 Resolution COM5 / 10,
which notably urges the CCIR to undertake the relevant
studies associated with the introduction of terrestrial
DAB in the VHF bands . This is because there is good
reason to believe that — at least within the EC — the

successful introduction of terrestrial DAB is a

precondition for the introduction of satellite DAB .

6 . As is mentioned above, the Commission participated
actively in the coordination of the Member States '
requirements for frequency allocations at WARC ' 92 .
Although the question of frequency allocations for
terrestrial DAB was outside the scope of the Conference,
it adopted Resolution COM5 / 10 on Terrestrial VHF
Digital Sound Broadcasting, which instructs the ITU
Secretary-General to take the actions necessary to include
terrestrial DAB in Region 1 on the agenda of a competent
Administrative Radio Conference . The Commission
intends to take the initiative in co-ordinating the Member

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 17

States ' frequency requirements on that occasion, provided
that the Council grants it an appropriate mandate .

The Commission will examine to what extent an EC

Directive would be required for DAB on the basis of the
results of the ITU 's work .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1344 / 92

by Mr Christopher Jackson ( ED )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 28 )

Subject : Road haulage licence fees

Is the Commission aware of the disadvantage in terms of
fair trade to road hauliers in EC countries where heavy
goods vehicle licences cost up to ten times more than in
other Member States ( the UK and France, for example ),
and has the Commission any proposals to harmonize such
heavy vehicle licence charges, thus enabling hauliers to
compete in a fair market ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 26 November 1 992 )

Licence fees — in the Member States where they exist —
represent a negligible percentage of total carriers ' costs ;
they are not therefore considered as likely to result in any
sort of distortion of competition in the road transport
market .

In consequence, the Commission is of the opinion that
there is no need for harmonization in this area .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1384 / 92

by Mr Fernando Suarez González ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 5 June 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 29 )

Subject : Cooperation with Latin America

In the context of support for democratization ( budget
Item B7-5078 ) the Commission has allocated ECU 37 800
to carrying out a study on the lack of documentation on
refugees, displaced and repatriated people in Central
America . Could the Commission give details as to who is
to carry out this study, and when the results will be
available ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 November 1 992 )

The project referred to is a survey designed to assess the
circumstances of the many refugees, returnees and
displaced persons who are without official recognition
and who do not therefore receive protection or support
from either the international community or their country
of residence .

As the Honourable Member is doubtless aware, the lack
of any identity documents for individuals in these groups
is a problem which has often been taken up by the
International Conference for Central American Refugees .
The number of people in the region who have crossed
borders or been displaced and are without papers is high
enough to be of grave concern to the international
community .

The organization assigned to carry out the survey is the
Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, the
headquarters of which are in San Jose, Costa Rica . The
organization enjoys a deal of regional and international
prestige because of its efforts to foster peace, the spread
of democracy and respect for human rights in the area .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1386 / 92

by Mr Fernando Suárez González ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 30 )

Subject : Cooperation with Latin America

In the context of encouraging trade ( budget Item
B7-3011 ) the Commission plans to allocate ECU 600 000
to improving the organization, quality and design of
furniture production in Central America, in order to

- promote exports . Could the Commission say who is to

receive this money and by what means this objective is to
be achieved ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 October 1992 )

The project will be implemented by the Federacion de

Camaras y Asociaciones de Exportadores de
Centroamerica y el Caribe ( FECAEXCA ), a private sector
body which put forward an initial version of the scheme
through the EEC-Central America Joint Committee . The
Guatemalan member of FECAEXCA, the Gremial de
Exportadores de Productos no Tradicionales has been
appointed as the managing agency for the portion of the
budget earmarked for expenditure on regional
coordination ( ECU 210 000 ). The portion intended to

No C 58 / 18 Official Journal of the European Communities 1.3.93

cover the cost of European technical assistance ( ECU
390 000 ) will be paid direct by the Commission to the
consultancy firm selected following a restricted invitation
to tender .

The project comprises the following :

— provision of technical assistance to improve the design

and quality of products and bring them into line with
international standards ;

— technical support for rationalizing and reorganizing

export production ;

— training schemes to improve the technical and
personal skills of staff in selected firms ;

— identification of commercial openings on the main

external markets ( European Community and United
States ) through participation by Central American
countries in specialized fairs and other trade events .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1390 / 92

by Mr Fernando Suárez González ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

5 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 31 )

Subject : Cooperation with Latin America

In the context of aid to refugees ( budget Item B7-302 ) the
Commission has allocated ECU 454 000 to the
consultants responsible for monitoring the projects on
' refugees in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El
Salvador and Mexico '. Over what period of time is this
money to be paid, and how many people are involved in
monitoring these projects ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 November 1992 )

Last year the Commission hired two consultants for the
direct monitoring of projects financed under Article
B7-302 ' aid towards self-sufficiency for refugees,
displaced persons and returnees in Central America '.

One is based in Costa Rica and monitors projects
implemented by the UNHCR and European and local
NGOs in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador
and Honduras .

The other is based in Mexico and monitors aid projects
for refugees in that country, particularly in the Yucatan
and Chiapas .

The first contract covers a period of 12 months, the

second 18, giving a total commitment of 2,5 man-years .

The number and size of schemes monitored entails a
significant amount of travel for the consultants and the

need for an equipped office ( secretary, office furniture
and equipment, vehicles, etc .). The distribution and the
rates applied are those normally used by the Commission
for recruiting consultants .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1392 / 92

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

(5 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 32 )

Subject : Concerted agreements by Netherlands insurance

companies

The Netherlands insurance association has announced
that Netherlands insurers have jointly decided not to pay
out for any damage caused by the earthquake in Limburg
on 13 April 1992 . It seems that in 1963 the Netherlands
insurance companies reached a concerted agreement not
to pay compensation for damages caused by earthquakes
or volcanic eruptions . It had earlier been collectively
decided to exclude damages caused by flood or natural
disasters .

1 . Was the Commission aware of this concerted
agreement by the Netherlands insurers to exclude
certain risks ?

2 . Does the Commission permit this type of concerted
agreement, whereby insurers jointly exclude certain
risks, to persist in the long term and if so, on what
conditions ?

3 . Does the fact that the Netherlands insurance

association has announced in the name of all

Netherlands insurers that there will be no
compensation for any damages caused by the
earthquake of 1 3 April constitute ( further ) proof that
the insurers are guilty of making concerted
agreements ?

4 . If the Commission considers that this is a case of cartel
agreements, could there be grounds for insisting that
the Netherlands insurers are liable to pay out for ( part
of ) the earthquake damage ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1394 / 92

by Mr Alman Metten ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 5 June 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 33 )

Subject : Agreements not to insure against earthquakes

1 . Is the Commission aware that victims of the worst

earthquake ever registered in the Netherlands, which

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 19

occurred on 13 April this year, with its epicentre at
Roermond, were not insured against this risk because in

1963 the Netherlands insurance companies jointly agreed
to exclude it ?

2 . Does the Commission not consider that this

agreement between Netherlands insurance companies
restricts competition in the common market and therefore
conflicts with Article 85 ( 1 ) of the Treaty of Rome ?

3 . Is the Commission aware that, according to a
spokeswoman from the insurers ' association, a great
many of such competition-restricting agreements have
been concluded ( reported in the Volkskrant of 15 April

1992 )?

Is the Commission prepared to conduct a detailed study
of these agreements and their compatibility with the
Treaty and if necessary require their cancellation ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1438 / 92

by Mrs Ria Oomen-Ruijten, Mr Maxime Verhagen,
Mr Petrus Cornelissen, Mr Arie Oostlander, Mr Bartho

Pronk ( PPE ) and Mr Jin Bertens ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 34 )

Subject : Insurance cartel in the Netherlands with regard

to natural disasters

Is the Commission aware that Dutch insurers have
established a cartel which prohibits all insurers from
offering insurance against natural disasters, including
earthquakes and floods, so that those who suffered
serious losses in the earthquake that occurred on 1 3 April

1992 in Limburg have no insurance cover ?

Is it prepared to prohibit this cartel on the basis of the
principle of legal equality of European citizens and to
compel Dutch insurers to take steps to indemnify the
victims of the recent earthquake ?

between Member States . An exemption is possible only on
certain conditions, one of which in the Commission 's view
is that insurers must be free to depart from the standard
clauses if the client so wishes .

The Commission has already made it clear that this is the

approach it will be taking when it adopts a block
exemption regulation dealing with a number of specific
types of agreement in the insurance sector, including
recommended standard clauses, something the Council
empowered it to do in March 1991 .

Such recommended clauses, then, should serve only as
models ; where there is systematic exclusion of specific
types of cover, such as those to which the Honourable
Member refers in his question, the recommendation must
expressly draw attention to the possibility of more
extensive cover .

The Commission also envisages a provision in the
regulation to the effect that the benefit of the block
exemption would be lost if the participating insurers were
to concert their conduct or to enter into an obligation not
to apply any other terms .

It may be worth pointing out that the Member States ' own
authorities are also entitled to make a finding that an
agreement or decision infringes Article 85 ( 1 ); and under
Article 85 ( 2 ) such agreements or decisions are
automatically void, so that any court has jurisdiction to
rule that an agreement is invalid and to draw the
appropriate consequences in civil law . The civil-law aspect
is one where the Commission itself has no power to act .

(') Decision of 20 December 1989 Concordato Incendio : OJ No

L 15, 19 . 1 . 1990 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1412 / 92

by Mr Elmar Brok ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 35 )
Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1392 / 92, 1394 / 92

and 1438 / 92

given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

( 20 November 1992 )

The Commission is aware that the standard policies which

are used to insure property against fire and theft in the
Netherlands generally exclude damage caused by
earthquake . The Commission has not so far acted against
any of the decisions taken by the relevant associations of
Dutch insurers .

In a formal decision in another matter ('), however, the
Commission confirmed that standard clauses
recommended by associations of insurers could constitute
decisions of associations of undertakings which were
caught by Article 85 ( 1 ) if they were liable to effect trade

Subject : Animal breeding and artificial insemination
technicians

Does the Commission see any need to harmonize the
job descriptions of animal breeding and artificial
insemination technicians ?

If so, how is this job description to be established ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 October 1992 )

The Commission has adopted legislation in relation to

animal health issues in intra-Community trade and

No C 58 / 20 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

importation from third countries of semen, ova and
embryos ( Directives 88 / 407 / EEC, 89 / 556 / EEC and
92 / 65 / EEC ). Furthermore, zootechnical issues have also
been regulated at Community level ( Directives 77 /
504 / EEC O, 88 / 661 / EEC ( 2 ), 89 / 361 / EEC ( 3 ), 90 / 427 /
EEC ( 4 ) and 91 / 174 / EEC O ).

This legislation is aimed at the achievement of the

Internal Market in the veterinary and zootechnical fields .
In this respect, the Commission does not intend to
harmonize the qualifications and job descriptions of
technicians who carry out artificial insemination in the
different countries of the Community .

o OJ No L 206, 12 . 8 . 1977 .
O OJ No L 382, 31 . 12 . 1988 .
O OJNoLl53, 6 . 6 . 1989 .
O OJNoL224, 18 . 8 . 1990 .
( 5 ) OJN0L85, 5 . 4 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1440 / 92

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

( 16 June 1992 )

Answer.given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 25 November 1992 )

1 and 2 . The Commission is aware of the report
mentioned by the Honourable Member concerning the
situation of prisoners in Tchollire .

3 . It would appear that in this very isolated camp
( 150 km from the nearest town ) some prisoners have
indeed died as a result of poor detention conditions, a
lack of food and the absence of medical care and

sufficient drinking water .

4 . The Commission has asked the Delegation in
Yaounde to approach the Cameroon authorities with a
view to seeking better conditions at the camp .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1481 / 92

by Mr Arthur Newens ( S )

to European Political Cooperation

( 93 / C 58 / 36 ) ( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 37 )

Subject : Violation of human rights at the Tchollire camp

in Cameroon

Subject : Aid to Somalia

On 9 April 1992 Amnesty International reported that,
since December 1991, 70 prisoners at the Tchollire prison
camp had died of probably deliberate malnutrition and
medical neglect . Quote : ' Each cell ( with approximately 10
inmates ) is provided with totally inadequate quantities of
drinking water in a bucket which the occupants must also
use as a toilet '. Most of the victims had been condemned
to death ; some had appealed .

Under Cameroon legislation, an inquiry must be held if a
prisoner who is being held in solitary confinement dies ;
apparently, no such inquiry has so far been instituted .

Previously, too — in May 1989 and September 1991 —
Amnesty International had expressed its concern about
the poor treatment of prisoners in Cameroon and the
number of deaths in its prisons .

1 . Is the Commission aware of the above report by
Amnesty International ?

2 . Has it asked its representative in Cameroon to seek
information about the situation in the Tchollire prison
camp ?

3 . Has it been able to determine the reliability of the

report ?

4 . If the reports are true, what steps is it considering with

a view to helping to improve the situation of prisoners
in Cameroon ?

Could the EPC please make a statement on the
Community 's attitude to recent developments in Somalia
and say what development aid and emergency aid is being
supplied to deal with the appalling problems faced by
much of the population ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Community and its Member States are following the
present appalling situation in Somalia with deep concern .
A number of Community Ministers, including the Troika
of Foreign Ministers, recently visited Mogadishu to see
the situation for themselves . The Troika of Development
Ministers visited Somalia and Kenya from 12 — 13
September to assess at first hand how the Community and
its Member States can best respond to the crisis . The total
food allocation for Somalia this year is over
206 000 tonnes, of which two-thirds has been shipped and
nearly half has arrived . In addition, the Community has
committed additional funds to the protection of
humanitarian convoys, under UN auspices . All individual
Member States have also made substantial bilateral

donations, some of which have contained elements of
rehabilitation .

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 21

The Community and its Member States recently stressed
the need for a targeted international effort aimed at
relieving the starvation in the Horn of Africa, especially in
Somalia, and welcomed Ambassador Eliasson 's proposal
for a donor relief coordination conference .

The Community and its Member States also urged all
parties to comply with UNSCRS 733, 746, 751, 767 and
775 in the interests of humanitarian relief and national

reconciliation and to cooperate with UN armed security
personnel in the protection of emergency aid distribution .

The Community and its Member States affirm their full
support for role of the UN in Somalia and, in particular,
for the admirable work of Ambassador Sahnoun . They
have urged all parties in Somalia to cooperate with
Ambassador Sahnoun in his efforts to secure peace and
political reconciliation . This will involve the development
of medium and long-term strategies for the
re-establishment of law and order, disarmament of all
armed elements and the reconstruction of the country .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1484 / 92

by Mrs Nicole Fontaine ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 38 )

Subject : Recognition at European level of names
indicating products ' place of origin

The Commission has long recognized the European
principles on the development of rural life through the
development of products peculiar to particular regions,
which require protection in the form of geographical
names and which help to protect the fabric of rural life .
Parliament delivered an opinion on this issue at its sitting
of 19 November 1991 .

However, proposals for the creation of a Europe-wide
protective framework are not progressing fast enough for
there to be any hope of a solution in the form of a proper
legal and promotional framework by the time the borders
are opened up .

Professionals in this field are extremely concerned . What,
then, is the state of progress in this area, which should
ensure fair trade and preserve the identity of products
whose link with a particular geographical locality makes
them unique, all this in the interests of policies aimed at

maintaining viable economic activity in many regions of
the Community ?

When does the Commission envisage completing its work
in this field ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 October 1992 )

On 25 January 1991 the Commission sent the Council a
proposal for a Regulation on the protection of
geographical indications and designations of origin for
agricultural products and foodstuffs ( 1 ).

Parliament delivered an opinion on this proposal on 19
November 1991 .

On 28 February 1992 the Commission presented a
modified proposal under Article 149 ( 3 ) of the Treaty ( 2 ).

As part of the Community policy on product quality, on

14 July 1992 the Council adopted a Regulation on the
protection of geographical indications and designations
of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs and a
Regulation on certificates of specific character for
agricultural products and foodstuffs ( 3 ).

These two regulations fulfill the undertaking given by the

Commission in its communication on the future of rural

society in 1988, to introduce a coherent Community
policy on labelling and designations of origin .

O OJ No C 30, 6 . 2 . 1991 .
O OJ No C 69, 18 . 3 . 199 2 .
O OJN0L2O8, 14.7 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1488 / 92
by Mr Gerardo Fernandez     - Albor ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 39 )

Subject : Community aid to Croatian farmers

Like any war, the hostilities in Croatia have caused a great
deal of damage and losses of every kind, at the expense of
the civilian population — who, whichever way one looks
at it, are ultimately the victims of the war .

One of the main problems is the current shortage of
agricultural machinery, particularly tractors, which were
commandeered by the Croatian army for military
operations . Consequently, Croatian farmers face the
problem of gathering in the harvest without the
machinery which they formerly used for this purpose .

No C 58 / 22 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

For the sake of the solidarity which the Croatian people WRITTEN QUESTION
deserve, will the Commission consider providing by Mr Mihail Papayannakis
emergency aid for Croatian farmers, to enable them to

to the Commission of the

replace the tractors which were commandeered and
destroyed and to gather in the harvest in the traditional ( 16 June 1992 )
manner ? ( 93 / C 58 / 41 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1512 / 92

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

( 16 June 1992 )

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 October 1992 )

The Commission joins the Honourable Member in
deploring the impact of the war, one consequence of
which has been to deprive Croatian farmers of their farm

machinery .

The international community 's chief priority, however, is
to help the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the
fighting who are arriving in Croatia more or less destitute .

The Commission has done all it can to helpj having so far
provided ECU 169 million in emergency aid .

The other main priority is to stop the fighting so that
peace can be established, thus enabling economic activity

to resume .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1499 / 92

by Mr Henry McCubbin ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 40 )

Subject .• Pilot project as part of the IMPs in Prespa

As part of an IMP pilot project in the prefecture of Florini
the Community provided ECU 420 000 up to 1985 for the
construction of a fish farm at the lake of Mikri Prespa .
The construction of a fish farm at the heart of the

National Park of Prespa aroused considerable opposition
at the time, both because the project violated Directive
79 / 409 / EEC (') and because of the danger of
eutrophication due to effluent . These dangers have now
been banished because, although the fish farm was
constructed, it has never been operational .

1 . Will the Commission say whether the only purpose of

building the fish farm and financing it from
Community funds was to erect a ruin ( for this is what
it has become ) and to violate Greek and Community
legislation ?

2 . Does it know whether the Court of Auditors is aware

of this state of affairs ?

3 . If these charges turn out to be true does it intend to
ask the Greek Government to return the misspent
funds and, more importantly, return the site to its
original state ?

4 . What are the Commission 's conclusions on the results
of the IMP pilot project in Prespa ? Have these been
taken into account in allocating funds for future IMP
projects ?

(') OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p, 1 .
Subject : Humane leg trap research

/

Could the Commission please outline how the funds
voted for regarding the spending of £ 375 000 over five
years for humane trap research are being spent ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

(7 October 1992 ) .
Answer given py Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 October 1992 )

Humane trap research is currently being carried out by
Canadian institutions and so far the need for Community
( co)-funding of these or additional projects could not be
identified .

Consequently the funds concerned have not yet been

spent .

1 . A multipurpose fish farm at the small lake of Prespa
was created for scientific purposes . The lake had already
begun to suffer from the effects of pollution and
restocking was therefore a necessary measure . The farm
was also created to provide a scientific backup for Prespa
National Park and for the mbnitoring of other lakes and
neighbouring areas of environmental concern .

2 . The Commission does not know whether the Court
of Auditors is aware of the capital invested and the
current state of affairs .

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of th£ European Communities No C 58 / 23

3 . When all of the construction work provided for
under the decision to grant funds had been carried out,
the equipment purchased and the workers employed, the
Commission settled the payments . However, it regrets the
fact that although it has approached the Greek
government numerous times on the subject proper use has
not been made of the facilities in line with the original
plans .

As regards returning the site to its original state, the
Commission has contacted the relevant national

authorities with a view to outlining the necessary

measures .

4 . The lessons learned from the Prespa experiment
include the successful creation of administrative

structures serving small and medium-sized firms and local
family firms, and various development programmes of
national interest, in particular the setting up of a
cooperative of women to manage tourist accommodation .

Finally, on the basis of the experience acquired through
preliminary IMP projects, the Commission intends to
include specific and detailed provisions in future IMP
contracts concerning the monitoring and assessment of
programmes affecting the environment .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1514 / 92

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

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 42 )

Subject : Combating pollution in the Mediterranean

It has recently been announced that the ' closed ' form of
the Mediterranean together with the increase in maritime
traffic mean that it is much more likely to be irreversibly
polluted than other seas .

It is therefore imperative immediately to provide
substantive aid for the Mediterranean Member States to
provide them with the means and technology to combat
pollution .

Will the Commission say what steps it intends to take to
achieve this ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(7 December 1992 )

The regional convention for the ' Protection of the

Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution ' ( Barcelona
Convention ) includes a protocol concerning cooperation
in combating pollution by oil and other harmful

substances in cases of emergency . In the framework of
this convention, a regional marine pollution emergency
response centre for the Mediterranean Sea ( REMPEC )
was created . The Community, as a contracting party of
this Convention, supports REMPEC activities mainly
through training courses to improve the knowledge and
response capability of national authorities dealing with
marine pollution in the Mediterranean countries .

In addition, the Commission has given financial and
technical support to establish port reception facilities for
oil wastes generated by ships ( Tunisia, Yugoslavia and
Egypt ). Presently the Commission is giving financial
support to a Maltese project concerned with establishing a
stockpile of equipment in Malta and is contributing to the
development of mathematical models on the behaviour of
pollutants spilled at sea .

The reduction of pollution in coastal zones, particularly

in the Mediterranean, is one of the objectives of the
Envireg programme .'

ECU 500 million have been earmarked or this programme
for the period 1990 / 1993 . The Member States are
responsible for implementing the Envireg programmes
currently under way .

Finally, the Commission is examining the possibility of
supporting other initiatives concerned with the protection
of Mediterranean waters against pollution, in particular :

— development of sub-regional structures for dealing

with major accidental pollution at sea in the Eastern

and Western parts of the Mediterranean .

— REMPEC actions concerning the provision of
adequate reception facilities within the Mediterranean
region, proposed during the meeting held in Cairo,

16 — 19 December 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1522 / 92

by Mr Ben Fayot ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 43 )

Subject : Movement of stamp collections within the
internal market

The International Philatelic Federation ( FIP ) and
national stamp collecting associations stage many stamp
fairs throughout the European Community . Stamp
collectors have hitherto encountered numerous
difficulties in passing through customs with their
collections, owing to the different working practices of
individual national customs authorities .

Given that stamp fairs are cultural events, are the
difficulties likely to disappear when the internal market
enters into force on 1 January 1993 ? Will properly labelled
stamp collections be allowed to move, for non ­

No C 58 / 24 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3.93

profit-making purposes, without let or hindrance and in
accordance with a procedure clearly laid down in the
whole of the Community ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 November 1 992 )

At present, stamp collections temporarily imported into
one Member State coming from another in order to be
displayed at an exhibition, fair or similar event are not
subject to VAT ( Article 13 of the 17th VAT Directive ( 1 )).
Putting the goods under temporary importation
arrangements requires the use of customs procedures and
customs documents ( Community Carnet, Carnet ATA or
Single Administrative Document ) and it is obvious that,
even if rules are the same on a Community level, the way
in which the control itself is carried out by the Customs
Authorities may be slightly different in the various
Member States .

From 1 January 1993 however there will no longer be any
customs controls on the borders between the Member
States as the entry of goods into a Member State from
another Member State will no longer be a taxable event .
As a consequence stamp collectors will be allowed to

move their collections freely from one Member State to
another without being subject to any checks and without
having to use any document or procedure whatsoever .

O OJNoL 192, 24 . 7 . 1985 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1532 / 92

by Mr Dimitrios Dessylas ( CG )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 16 June 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 44 )

Subject : The new international airport in Athens ( Spata )

and its disastrous impact on the environment

The construction of the new international airport in
Athens in the region of Spata in Attika and its attendant
works and activities ( extended transport network,
demolition of housing and population concentration,
industrial, commercial and tourist construction etc .) will
have a disastrous effect on the physical, agricultural,
cultural and archaeological environment of Attika,
making the life of the 4 million inhabitants of Athens and
Attika, which is already unbearable, an absolute
nightmare .

Has the Commission considered this matter and what

measures does it propose to deal with this new
environmental disaster ? Has it requested the Greek
authorities to submit the relevant environmental impact
study ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 October 1992 )

The construction of a new airport falls within the scope of
Article 4 ( 1 ) and Annex 1 to Directive 85 / 337 / EEC of 27
June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain

public and private projects on the environment ( 1 ).

The Greek authorities must therefore subject the scheme
for a new Athens international airport at Spata to an
environmental impact assessment .

O OJ No L 175, 5 . 7 . 1985 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1598 / 92

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

( 24 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 45 )

Subject : BST consignments to the CIS

1 . Is the Commission aware that the American

chemical firm ' Monsanto ' has undertaken to forward

100 000 batches of BST to Russia and the Ukraine and

that the first batches of this consignment have already
been sent ?

2 . In answer to my Written Question No 2370 / 91 ('),
the Commission stated that there are no suitable methods
for monitoring imported products for the presence of
BST residues . Does this not mean that, in principle, the
import of livestock, meat and dairy products from
countries where BST may be used must still be prohibited
in the EC ?

3 . Will the Commission inform the CIS countries that
use of BST may cause problems for dairy holdings and
exporters of livestock and meat wishing to export their
products to the EC ?

O OJ No C 209, 15 . 8 . 1992, p. 12 .

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 9 November 1 992 )

1 . The Commission does not have information
concerning commercial transactions of the American
chemical firm ' Monsanto ' with Russia or the Ukraine .

2 and 3 . Council Decision 92 / 98 / EEC (') of 10
February 1992 amending Decision 90 / 218 / EEC

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 25

concerning the placing on the market and administration 3 . No follow-up is currently programmed for ' Project
of Bovine Somatotrophin ( BST ) is addressed to the Marina ' for northern European marine waters .
Member States of the European Community, and relates
only to the placing on the market of bovine
somatotrophin and its administration to dairy cows on the
territory of the Member States .

The Commission is due to present a report on the future

of the present arrangements ( which expire on 30 June

1993 ) to the Council and to the Parliament by the end of
1992 . This report will cover all relevant aspects . The
Commission does not intend to take an initiative of the
kind mentioned by the Honourable Member .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1620 / 92

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

( 24 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 47 )
o OJ No L 39, 15 . 2 . 1991 .

Subject : Import of Chilean sheepmeat into the EC

What are the arrangements governing the import of

Chilean sheepmeat into the EC ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1612 / 92

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

( 24 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 46 )

Subject : Radioactive discharges and Project Marina

Pursuant to the reply to Written Question 2096 / 90 (') by
the Commission on 7 December 1990, to the Honourable
Member for South-East Wales, on radioactive discharges
from Community nuclear installations .

1 . When did the Commission publish its report on

discharges for the period 1977 — 86 ?

2 . When will the Commission publish the subsequent

report of the period 1987 — 91 ?

3 . Will the Commission ensure that in the next report of

' Project Marina ' it includes data on radioactivity
measured from operational nuclear submarines and
sunken nuclear submarines, such as the Komsomolets
in the northern North Sea off Norway ?

O OJ No C 94, 11.4 . 1991, p. 31 .

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 9 December 1 992 )

1 . The report on discharges for the period 1977 — 1986
is currently being published .

2 . The report covering the years 1987 — 1991 is
currently under preparation and should be ready in 1993 .

Is it true that the Irish and French markets are closed to
imports of Chilean sheepmeat ?

Is it true that these arrangements differ from those
applying to other third countries of importation ?

Can the Commission consider applying the same
arrangements to Chile as to other third countries by
replacing the import licences with export certificates, as
part of agreements between the EC and Chile ?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 November 1 992 )

Imports of sheepmeat into the Community from Chile are
governed by Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3643 / 85 (*).
The quantity for Chile is 1 490 tonnes of frozen meat and
the import levy has been reduced from 10% to zero for
the period 1989 to 1992 .

Unlike most countries exporting sheepmeat to the
Community, Chile has not sought the conclusion of a
voluntary restraint agreement, preferring an import
regime managed by the Community . However, in
practice, the operation of this regime is broadly similar to
that of the voluntary restraint agreements . The sensitive
zones arrangement, which applies to several supplying
countries under the voluntary restraint agreements, also
applies to Chile in so far as exports to France and Ireland
are concerned . Quantities are limited to zero for both
Member States .

(') OJ No L 348, 24 . 12 . 1985 . Regulation ( EEC ) No 1568 / 92

( OJNoL 166,20.6 . 1992 ).

No C 58 / 26 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1623 / 92

by Mr Sérgio Ribeiro ( CG )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 24 June 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 48 )

Subject : Committee of the Regions

According to reports following the press conference at the
end of the informal meeting of Ministers for Regional
Policy held in May in Lisbon, attended by Commissioner
Bruce Millan, the ministers discussed Maastricht, the
Delors II Package and the Cohesion Fund and
recommendations were made concerning the creation of a
Council for Economic and Social Cohesion and Regional
Planning and the possible formal creation of a Regional
Development Committee or a committee similarly
designated . However,, nothing was apparently said about
the Committee of the Regions, despite the fact that it is
referred to in the new Treaty as adopted in Maastricht .

Does this mean that the Commission has lost interest in
the Committee of the Regions which, in addition to being
purely advisory, is to be made up of members who are not
elected, which is precisely what was proposed, and is
therefore in great danger of becoming an incoherent and
largely unrepresentative body ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 October 1 992 )

Contrary to what the Honourable Member appears to
suggest, the Commission continues to attach great
importance to the establishment of the Committee of the
Regions and has proposed that it should consist of elected
representatives .

The Commission considers the consultation of local and
regional authorities through the Committee a significant
achievement of the Treaty of Maastricht .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1673 / 92

by Mr Gerhard Schmid ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 49 )

Subject : Cattle fences in Botswana financed by the
European Community

The Okavango Delta in Botswana is one of Africa 's most

fertile wetlands and is essential for the survival of millions
of wild animals . Cattle breeders now want to put up cattle
fences across the delta with European Community aid .

These fences disrupt the migration of wild animals, cut
them off from watering places and thereby become death

traps .

1 . Is the Commission aware of this ?

2 . What is the Commission 's assessment of the

ecological impact of this measure ?

3 . Were the ecological implications of this project

examined by the Community before financing was
granted ?

4 . Is the Commission prepared to stop funding such
environmentally harmful projects ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 November 1 992 )

The fencing scheme on the northern approaches of the

Okavango Delta has been launched at the sole initiative of
the Government, has not been conceived directly or
indirectly in the framework of an EDF financed project
and has been undertaken with local and external funding
in which the Commission has taken no part .

Concerning the ecological repercussions, the Government
is satisfied that the impact of this fence will be broadly
similar to that of the southern fence which guards the
western and southern approaches of the Okavango Delta .

It may be recalled that the southern fence, built in 1982,
has had practically no detrimental effect on wildlife
movements, while simultaneously having the priceless
advantage of preserving the wildlife area from the
invasion of cattle coming from the residential and
pastoral lands to the west and south of the Okavango
Delta . It is expected that the northern fence will have
similar consequences . Its alignment does not cut any
known wildlife migratory route, as it is improbable that
wildlife would be attracted to roam into the residential

and pastoral lands to the North of the fence . This is
plainly evident from the reading of the National Landuse
map issued in December 1989 by the Botswana Ministry
of Local Government and Lands which charts the course

of both the southern and northern fences .

It should be noted that the Government, although
declining to envisage a pre-feasibility impact study as such
of the fence, has not been insensitive to the pressure of
outside opinion as witnessed by the invitation it addressed
to a team of American and European environment
specialists to visit Botswana in January 1992 to assess the
issues . This team, which included i . a . experts such as Prof.
Harris, University of Florida, Prof. Wrammer, University
of Goteborg, Prof. Tietema, Free University of
Amsterdam, Prof. Cooke, University of Botswana, Mr
Pfister, Conservation Foundation London, Mr Warren,
environment correspondent of the Guardian London, etc .,
had the opportunity to meet district officials, tribal
authorities, non-governmental organizations and other
bodies interested in environment issues . It has recently

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 27

published its findings and concluded that although it may
have preferred another fence alignment, it agreed that the
existing fence was preferable to no fence at all as it
provided an effective barrier to the far greater danger of
cattle invasion of the Okavango Delta .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1694 / 92

by Mr Marco Taradash ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 50 )

Subject : Situation in Romania

The extremely serious situation prevailing in Romania in
respect of healthcare and social services, involving general
shortages, in particular shortages of medicine, and the
run-down state of hospitals is having particularly serious
effects on public health in Romania, in particular among
children, some of whom, as a result of neglect and
undernourishment, are irreversibly retarded or deformed .

What steps are being and will be taken by the Commission
to provide emergency aid and integrated long-term
programmes to remedy this situation ?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 November 1992 )

The Commission is aware of the extremely serious
situation as regards healthcare and social services in
Romania, which is why the Community has contributed
ECU 75 million in health and humanitarian aid ( other
than food aid ) since the end of 1989 . A detailed
breakdown of Community aid to Romania in 1990 and

1991 is given in the Commission 's reply to Written
Question No 3000 / 91 by Patricia Rawlings (').

In response to the critical medical situation after the fall
of Ceaucescu, at the end of 1989 and at the beginning of

1990 the Community provided ECU 11,5 million in
emergency medical aid . The Commission has also
allocated ECU 22 million to supply much-needed
medicines : a first instalment, worth ECU 10 million, has
already been delivered, with the balance due to be
supplied at the end of this month . It has also initiated a
technical assistance programme to improve the
management skills of local administrative bodies .

As part of an ECU 28 million package to succour orphans

and other underprivileged children, a medical and

nutrition programme was organized to supply free of
charge 1 650 tonnes of baby milk and 120 tonnes of
enriched flour to some 350 000 infants under one year
old, plus basic foodstuffs and medicine to children in
institutions . A subsequent survey indicated that 98 % of
those targeted received the powdered milk intended for
them . The operation was supplemented by the delivery of
an additional 1 500 tonnes of baby milk as part of a
Community food aid package, and by a survey of local
baby milk production .

The second instalment of medicines, worth ECU
12 million, is part of ah ECU 25 million health
programme carried out under the auspices of the PHARE
programme . It is an integrated programme aimed at
overhauling the country 's entire healthcare system with a
view to improving access, quality and efficiency, making
better use of human resources and equipment and
improving the Romanian people 's standard of living .
More specifically, the programme is designed to :

— improve front-line healthcare facilities by financing

the equipment of 410 clinics jointly with the World
Bank ( ECU 2,2 million );

— provide technical assistance ( already operational ) with

a view to drawing up a regulatory framework and a
prices policy for medicines ;

— support the national blood transfusion programme,

the aim being to make Romania self-sufficient in
quality blood-derived products ( ECU 6,5 million );

— improve the skills of administrative and medical

personnel — both practising staff and students — by
helping to prepare a policy and training stategy for
medics and para-medics and by conducting the
necessary training programmes . Pilot projects are
planned for six hospitals, providing training in
hospital and nursing management and hospital
reform .

The 1992 programme also comprises projects to upgrade

the cold chain vaccine distribution system and to instal
systems for meeting the costs of providing healthcare to
underprivileged sections of the population .

As part of its medium-term programme to help orphans,
the Commission continues to support work on an overall
policy for the protection of all Romanian children ( see the
reply to oral question No H-697 / 92 by Mrs Martin ) ( 2 ).

(') OJ No C 79, 26 . 3 . 1991 .
( 2 ) Debates of the European Parliament, No 3-420 ( July 1992 ).

No C 58 / 28 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1737 / 92

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

(1 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 51 )

Subject : Implementation of the EEC Morocco
fisheries agreement

With regard to the above agreement would the
Commission state, for the year 1991 :

1 . What was the extent of take-up concerning the catch

opportunities laid down in Protocol No 2 to the
agreement ?

2 . Which Member States obtained licences, and how
many ?

3 . What results were, obtained from the scientific
programmes as part of fisheries research ?

4 . Was there any conflict in these waters involving the

mythological past of this majestic mountain has naturally
fired the imagination and aroused the interest of
Europeans as well as people from all over the world and a
large number of these wish to visit Greece, climb Mount
Olympos, seek out the palaces of the twelve gods of
antiquity and sit on the throne of Zeus . However, so far
nothing has been done to ensure that this mountain is
properly developed . On the contrary, in its present state
of neglect it is threatened from two sides : the picturesque
villages of Olympos may become deserted and
non-essential projects may be approved destroying the
historical setting of this unique region . " Will the
Commission say whether, and under which conditions,
the development of Mount Olympos could be included in
an EEC programme, such as LEADER, so that a proper
study is drawn up and essential projects are undertaken,
preceded by environment impact studies ^?

Community fleet, and if so, what was the outcome ?
Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry

on behalf of the Commission

( 5 November 1 992 )
Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 6 October 1 992 )

1 . Protocol No 2, to which the Honourable Member
refers, covered the period from 1 April 1991 to 29
February 1992 . The Protocol defined the catch
opportunities for crawfish and set a limit of five licences
( for an average total of no more than 600 GRT ).

2 . The Portuguese fleet, which is the only fleet
carrying out crawfish fishing in Moroccan waters, made
full use of the Protocol .

3 . The provisions laid down in the Protocol ( Article 2 )
did not include any scientific programmes .

The Commission is aware of the historic and ecological
importance of Mount Olympus and of its tourism
potential providing that development is low-key and
mindful of the history, cultural and environmental factors
particular to this area .

Within the framework of the LEADER programme, the
Elassona group is already active with schemes involving
low-key tourism development and agri-tourism, mainly
on the southern slopes of the mountain .

Another operational programme, in this case involving

4 . As far as the Commission is aware, there has never the group Pieriki Anaptyxiaki A.E., involves schemes to
been any conflict in these waters . develop the touristic, agricultural and promotional

resources of small businesses in the mountain region of
Pieria, including Mount Olympus . One such project is a
scheme to promote the physical features and attractions
of Mount Olympus ; another is a study on development of
the Olympus National Park .
WRITTEN QUESTION No 1744 / 92

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

of the European Communities These schemes, in themselves, represent a satisfactory

response to the needs and potential for development in

(1 July 1992 ) the Mount Olympus area . The Commission is also ready

( 93 / C 58 / 52 ) to examine any overall proposal for such development in
the context of structural aid beyond 1993 .

(1 July 1992 )

Subject : The development of Mount Olympos

Mount Olympos, the legendary seat of the gods in Greek
mythology is the most famous mountain in the world . The

1.3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 29

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1746 / 92

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

(2 July 1992 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1977 / 92
by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru ( S )

to European Political Cooperation

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 53 ) ( 93 / C 58 / 55 )

Subject : Road linking Ambelona, Rhodia and Skamnia

The technical services of the prefecture of Larisa have for

a number of years been engaged in the construction of a
road linking Ambelona, Rhodia and Skamnia . This
project is vital for this part of Thessola, since, when it is
finished, it will lead to a substantial improvement in the
movement of goods and the development of the legendary
Mount Olympus . Given the very slow rate of progress
owing to the small annual budget, will the Commission
say whether it will approve the inclusion of this project in
some Community-funded programme ?

Subject : Needs of hospitals in Albania

Has EPC considered the situation with regard to hospitals
in Albania as set out in Resolution No 1171 ( 1991 ) of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and
has it taken steps to meet some of their needs, within the
limits of what is possible ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The specific matter raised by the Honourable Member
does not fall within the competence of the European
on Answer behalf given of the by Commission Mr Millan Political Cooperation .

( 23 October 1992 )

Should the Greek authorities so request, the Commission
would be willing to examine a case for structural fund
assistance to the road in question . WRITTEN QUESTION No 2170 / 92

by Mr Claude Cheysson ( S )
to European Political Cooperation

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 56 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1770 / 92
by Mrs Maria Cassanmagnago Cerretti ( PPE ) Subject : Report to the Republican

Subject : Report to the Republican members of the US

to European Political Cooperation

(2 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 54 )

Subject : Violence in Lebanon

What does EPC think of the recent escalation of violence

between Israel and the Hezbollah fundamentalists in

southern Lebanon ?

What effect could this wave of violence have on the peace
talks initiated at the Madrid Conference ?

What does EPC intend to do ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

I would refer the Honourable Member to the reply given
to oral question No 629 / 92 on this same subject .

According to this report there is no doubt that Iran has
all, or virtually all, the components required to
manufacture two or three operational nuclear weapons
( bombs or missile heads ); the various components were
bought in the Moslem republics of the former Soviet
Union . These weapons were expected to become
operational between February and April 1992 .

The report also claims that in mid-October 1991 the
Iranians stepped up their work at the nuclear installations
at Ma'alem Kelayah, Qazvin ( where a Soviet-designed
nuclear reactor, a gift from India, is also to be installed ),
and that they recruited about 50 experts and 200
engineers from the Kazakh nuclear installation at
Kurchatov ( Semipalatinsk-21 ) to construct and assemble
nuclear weapons . In mid-November 1991, applying the
principle that deterrence is effective only if the potential
enemy is aware of the risks he runs, Vice-President
Mohajerani stated publicly that his country was
developing nuclear weapons .

Could the President of European Political Cooperation
comment on this report and inform Parliament whether
the Foreign Ministers have discussed this problem ?

Congress House of Representatives alleging that
Iran has nuclear weapons

No C 58 / 30 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3.93

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Community and its Member States attach the
greatest importance to the non-proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction and keep under constant review
developments in this field . The Community and its
Member States are aware of the claims made in the report
to which the Honourable Member refers, and of similar
allegations elsewhere, that Iran has acquired nuclear
weapons from the CIS, but they have no direct evidence to
support them . However, the Community and its Member
States always treat such allegations with great seriousness,
and Iran is aware of the significance which we attach to
Iran, and indeed all other states ' parties to the NPT,
abiding fully by all their obligations under the Treaty .

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Community and its Member States are determined to
maintain the technological and industrial conditions
necessary for their security . They work to that end both at
national level, and where appropriate, within the
framework of other competent institutions and bodies .

The question of national military spending is not dealt
with in the context of European Political Cooperation .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2202 / 92

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2185 / 92 by Mr Ernest Glinne ( S )

i by Mr Bernard Antony ( DR )
to European Political Cooperation

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 57 )

Subject : The arms industry

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 blody events in Croatia and
Bosnia-Herzegovina show that war on our continent is
still a possibility .

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 EPC not consider that the reductions in military
spending which have been noted in many Member
States present a danger to security in Europe and
jeopardize the socio-economic balance of many
European regions ?

2 . Does it not consider that these budgetary restrictions
are a threat to European nations ' ' self-sufficiency ' in   arms ?

to the Council of the European Communities

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 58 )

Subject : Protectionism in the USA to prevent mergers,

acquisitions and take-overs by certain European
companies

On 23 August 1988 a law was published and enacted in the
USA, which relates to the involvement of foreign
companies such as Thompson on the grounds that they
are nationalized or that most of their capital is in public
hands . The new law amends the 1950 Defense Production
Act and justification for it is expressed primarily in the
following terms :

'( e ) Factors to be considered : — For purposes of this
section, the President or the President 's designee may,
taking into account the requirements of national
security, consider among other factors :

1 . domestic production and capacity of domestic

industries to meet national defense requirements,

2 . the capability and capacity of domestic industries

to meet national defense requirements, including
the availability of human resources, products,
technology, materials, and other supplies and
services and

3 . the control of domestic industries and commercial
activity by foreign citizens as it affects the
capability and capacity of the United States to meet
the requirements of national security .

What is the attitude of the Community authorities,
particularly in view of the fact that the USA is involved to
a major extent in the supply of military equipment to
Europe ?

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 31

Answer ( )

( 25 January 1993 )

This matter has not been dealt with in the context of

European Political Cooperation .

(') This reply has been provided by the Foreign Ministers

meeting in Political Cooperation, within whose province the
questions came .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2236 / 92

by Mrs Raymonde Dury ( S )

to European Political Cooperation

( 1 September 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 59 )

Subject : Opening of a delegation in Vietnam

firms many of which are short-lived — there are about
fifteen at least in Sofia alone, and even more in Varna —
force their clients to pay a leaving charge on the spot in
Bulgaria and to accept contracts which extort at least one
quarter of the salary received abroad, and other swindles .

I have been assured that the same procedure is used in
connection with the labour market of the European
Community as a whole and of North America, for
instance .

What is the Community 's attitude towards this scandal,
which is not an isolated incident in Eastern Europe but
clearly has the distinction of being specifically supported
by the Bulgarian Government and authorities ?

Given these events, how is Community and national
legislation on labour trafficking being applied ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

In its resolution of 12 June 1992, the European Parliament
requested the Commission to take steps to open a
delegation in Hanoi following the conclusion of a
cooperation agreement . When and how will this be done ?

to take steps to open a It is for the Member States, through their national
the conclusion of a legislation or by agreements concluded with other States,
and how will this be done ? to take all steps to prevent unauthorized illegal labour

trafficking . It would be for the Commission to propose
that the Member States take joint initiatives in areas
where national measures alone are insufficient to rule out
Answer increasingly frequent abuses such as those outlined by the
Honourable Member .

( 25 January 1993 )

The question raised by the Honourable Member does not
fall within the competence of European Political
Cooperation .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2445 / 92

by Mr Gianfranco Amendola ( V )
to the Council of the European Communities

(8 October 1992 ) '
WRITTEN QUESTION No 2434 / 92

( 93 / C 58 / 61 )
by Mr Ernest Glinne ( S )

to the Council of the European Communities

(8 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 60 )

Subject : Bulgarian ' placement bureaux ' which guarantee

work in the Community

According to the 31 August 1992 edition of La Libre

Belgique, the Belgian authorities have submitted to the
Bulgarian Ministry for Employment over 20 requests for
firms attempting to place ' specialists ' and Bulgarian
workers on the Belgian labour market to be prosecuted .
The problem has been brought to public notice since July

1991 through classified advertisements in newspapers,
and a Bulgarian ministerial decree, discreetly adopted but
shrewdly designed to act as an all-purpose loophole, is
solving nothing . Quite the reverse is the case . Bulgarian

Subject : Precautionary measures by the Council when

members of the Council are charged with Mafia
offences

Having regard to the application made by the Public
Prosecutor 's Office in Palmi to the Italian Chamber of

Deputies for permission to prosecute Sandro Principe
MP, the current Deputy Minister of Labour in the Italian
Government ;

Whereas the application for permission to prosecute is
based inter alia on the following offences : ' association
with Mafia crimes ', ' abuse of official documents ' and
' aggravated and habitual fraud ';

Whereas Deputy Ministers may attend meetings of the

Council as substitutes for Ministers ;

No C 58 / 32 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3.93

Does the Council not believe that, while respecting the
principle that all suspects should be presumed innocent
until proved guilty, nonetheless where Ministers or
Deputy Ministers of Member States are charged with
Mafia offences, precautionary measures of a general
nature ought to be taken ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The first paragraph of Article 2 of the Treaty establishing
a single Council and a single Commission of the
European Communities states that :

' The Council shall consist of representatives of the
Member States . Each Government shall delegate to it
one of its members .'

It is therefore for the Government of each Member State
to designate which of its members shall represent it in the
Council .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2481 / 92

by Mr Filippos Pierros ( PPE )
to European Political Cooperation

( 12 October 1992 )

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to European Political Cooperation

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Turkish authorities are well aware of the importance
which the Community and its Member States attach to the
rule of law and the commitments to which Turkey has
subscribed in CSCE documents including the rights of
persons belonging to National Minorities, as set out in the
Charter of Paris, the Documents of the Moscow and
Copenhagen meetings of the Conference on the Human
Dimension of the CSCE, and the report of the Geneva
meeting of Experts .

The Declaration on Human Rights adopted by the

Luxembourg European Council stated categorically that
' respecting, promoting and safeguarding human rights is
an essential part of international relations as well as of
relations between the Community and its Member States
and other countries '.

The Community and its Member States will continue to
monitor the situation closely in the light of the Turkish
Government 's commitment to improve the human rights
situation in the country and express their hope that the
latter will take all necessary steps to this end .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2516 / 92

( 93 / C 58 / 62 ) to European
( 12 October 1 992 )

Subject : Human rights violations by the Turkish State

against Kurds

Turkish newspapers frequently carry reports revealing
unimaginable brutality with which the Turkish authorities
treat the Kurdish people . For instance it is reported that a
pupil has been barred from school for one year for
championing the rights of the Kurds ( CumhUrriet, 25 May

1992 ), a 15-year old was beaten up by the police for
stating that he was a Kurd ( Gundem, 15 June 1992 ),
farmers have been tortured and young girls raped by
militiamen in the village of Fistikli on the pretext that the
village was hiding Kurdish guerrillas ( Gundem, 17 June

1992 ), a Kurdish guerrilla was hung by his feet from a
low-flying helicopter and he is now paralysed as a result
of this experience ( Gundem, 5 July 1992 ), Kurdish
workers have been transferred en masse away from
Turkish cities to make them return to their villages

( Aktiiel magazine, 24 June 1992 ), Turkish refugees from
Georgia have been settled in the southern Anatolian cities
of Igdir and Ardahan, the majority of whose inhabitants
are Kurds ( Gundem, 18 July 1992 ).

What measures do the Foreign Ministers meeting in EPC

intend to take to put an end to this unconscionable and
systematic violation of the human rights of Kurds by the
Turkish State and acts of barbarity in a country which

enjoys privileged economic and political ties with the
European Community ?

( 93 / C 58 / 63 )

Subject : Assassinations of journalists in Turkey by
parastatal agents

Between 18 March and 9 August this year — i.e. over the
last six months — eight journalists from opposition
newspapers and periodicals have been murdered in
Turkish Kurdistan by unknown persons . During the same
period at least 50 more persons, mainly members of the
Human Rights Association and local leaders, were also
murdered . Given that the population of the region
concerned is convinced that the Hizboljah and Turkish
parastatal agents are responsible for these assassinations,
what measures do the Foreign Ministers meeting in EPC
intend to take to protect journalists and members of the
Human Rights Association working in south-east Turkey
from injury or even death ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Community and its Member States are concerned by
the recent killings of journalists, Human Rights
Association members and other people in south-east
Turkey which have been attributed to the Hizbollah .

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 33

There is no evidence to support allegations of links
between the Hizbollah and the Turkish security forces .

The Declaration on Human Rights adopted by the

Luxembourg European Council stated categorically that
' respecting, promoting and safeguarding human rights is
an essential part of international relations as well as of
relations between the Community and its Member States
and other countries '.

The Turkish authorities are well aware of the importance
which the Community and its Member States attach to the
rule of law and the commitments to which Turkey has
subscribed in CSCE documents including the rights of
persons belonging to National Minorities, as set out in the
Charter of Paris, the Documents of the Moscow and
Copenhagen meetings of the Conference on the Human
Dimension of the CSCE, and the report of the Geneva
meeting of Experts .

The Community and its Member States will continue to
monitor the situation closely in the light of the Turkish
Government 's commitment to improve the human rights
situation in the country and express their hope that the
latter will take all necessary steps to this end .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2517 / 92

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI )
to European Political Cooperation

( 12 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 64 )

Subject : The tactics of Skopje

The Skopje authorities have opted for a policy of
provocation in order to aggravate the situation, in clear
contempt of the decision taken at Lisbon . They are
persisting in using the illegal term of ' Macedonia ', are
seeking to usurp as their national emblem the sun of the
Macedonian Dynasty, with all the unmistakable historical
associations attached to it and have incorporated it into
their flag, thereby clearly spelling out their territorial
claims vis-a-vis a neighbouring Community country . Do
the Foreign Ministers meeting in EPC intend to warn the
Gligorov Government that these tactics will never bring
them international recognition ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Honourable Member is referred to the reply given at

Question Time in October in response to oral question
H-0970 / 92 by Mr Pierros and to the reply given to his
Written Question No 2392 / 92, both on the same subject .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2520 / 92
by Mr Alexander Langer, Mrs Claudia Roth

and Mr Gerard Onesta ( V )
to European Political Cooperation

( 12 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 65 )

Subject : Human rights violations in Croatia

Is EPC aware that — as a delegation of Greens including
Claudia Roth, MEP, discovered — there is a considerable
amount of intimidation and, to some extent, terrorism in
Croatia, for example in Split, Rijeka and Zagreb, chiefly
directed at the Serbian section of the population,
obviously tolerated if not actually supported or directly
conducted by the Croatian authorities ? What do the EC
observers have to report on this matter ?

What steps have been taken by EPC, or are planned, to
urge the Croatian authorities to show every respect for
human rights and the rights of minorities and, if
appropriate, to draw the necessary conclusion from their
disregard for these rights ?

What view does EPC take of the programme of ' national

homogenization ' being conducted by the Croatian
Government, which is apparently leading to
' non-homogeneous ' inhabitants losing their jobs and
homes ? Is the EPC aware that it is extremely difficult if
not impossible for ' awkward ' inhabitants in Croatia to
obtain Croatian nationality and that, as a result, they are
denied fundamental civil and social rights ? What does
EPC have to say about the state of press freedom and
freedom of opinion in Croatia, and how does it assess the
programme for ' Croatia 's demographic renewal '?

Does EPC not agree that no terrorism, whether by the
Serbs or any other side, can serve as an excuse or
justification for grave violations of human rights in

Croatia and that Croatia 's democratic credibility is
crucially dependent on the approach it takes to human
rights and the rights of minorities ? Does it not also agree
that only respect for human rights and the rights of
minorities in all the republics and territories of the former
Yugoslavia can pave the way for peace and that — as long
as these rights are disregarded by Serbia, above all, but
also by Croatia and others — the conflicts there can only
become worse ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

At Question Time in October the House was again
informed of the very clear, firm and unequivocal position
of the Community and its Member States with regard to
the rights and treatment of national and ethnic groups in
the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere . The ' Statement of '
Principles ' endorsed by all participants at the London

No C 58 / 34 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

Conference on Yugoslavia, in particular paragraphs IV, V
and VI, reaffirms the importance the Community and its
Member States attach to a universally supported
commitment to respect for individual rights and
fundamental freedoms and against practices such as
ethnic cleansing .

Croatia is also a member of the United Nations and has
ratified both UN human rights convenants . These, and
the UN Charter impose binding obligations . We expect
Croatia to respect them . The Badinter report initially
raised concerns about human rights in Croatia, and the
Croatian government made changes to its legislation to
address these concerns . However, visits such as that
mentioned in the question have continued to create doubt
about Croatia 's respect for such commitments, and we are
monitoring their implementation very carefully .

The EC monitors ( ECMM ) report daily on their findings

and experiences in their area of deployment . The
Humanitarian Office in ECMM HQ collates information
on humanitarian matters gathered by ECMM teams
during their normal monitoring duties ( from detention
camps and refugees to violations of human and minority
rights ) and disseminates it to ICRC, UNHCR, CSCE and
other organizations responsible for humanitarian issues .
The ECMM participates in the regular quadripartite

meetings of the Joint Commission, established under
UNSCR 762 to oversee the return of Croatian civil
authority to the ' Pink Zones ', where human rights and
minority rights violations are discussed . ECMM teams
have come across cases of harassment of members of

national minorities in the areas under the control of the
Croatian government . The ECMM has urged the
Croatian government to take the action necessary to
ensure that the human rights of minorities in Croatia are
fully protected .

were down to durum wheat and eligible for durum wheat

aid during 1988 / 89, 1989 / 90, 1990 / 91 or 1991 / 92 . The
producer chooses which marketing year shall be used '.

Do the above marketing years refer to sowing seasons
and, if so, are producers who were sowing durum wheat
for sale in the 1989 / 90, 1990 / 91, 1991 / 92 and 1992 / 93
marketing years — that is to say including land cultivated
for the current harvest of the summer of 1992 — applying
for aid ?

C ) OJ No L 181, 1.7 . 1992, p. 12 .

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

In view of Community durum wheat production trends
over several marketing years now, the Council and the
Commission are pursuing a cautious policy intended to
bring production under control, particularly in regions
which do not traditionally produce this cereal crop . That
position was confirmed by the Council and the
Commission in discussions on the reform of the common
agricultural policy . The provisions of Article 4 ( 3 ) of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1765 / 92 are in line with that
objective . It follows from those provisions that areas sown
in autumn 1991 for harvest in summer 1992, under the

1992 / 93 marketing year, cannot be taken into
consideration as a basis for calculating payment of the
supplement provided for in that Article . This
interpretation is reinforced by the provisions of
Commission Regulation ( EEC ) No 1738 / 89 laying down
detailed rules on production aid for durum wheat .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2687 / 92

by Mr Giulio Fantuzzi ( GUE )
to the Council of the European Communities

( 29 October 1992 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2677 / 92 ( 93 / C 58 / 67 )
by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru ( S )
to the Council of the European Communities Subject : Compensatory payments

( 27 October 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 66 )

Subject : Aids for producers of durum wheat

Article 4 ( 3 ) of Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 1765 / 92 (')
establishing a support system for producers of certain
arable crops states that 'a supplement to the compensatory
payment shall be granted for the area down to durum
wheat in the traditional production zones listed in
Annex II, within the limit of the number of hectares which

Subject : Compensatory payments in traditional
production zones for durum wheat in
Emilia-Romagna

Annex II to the recent Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 1765 / 92 (') lists the traditional production zones for
durum wheat entitled to the supplementary compensatory
payment introduced by the reform of the CAP .

In the proposed regulation, the Commission and the
Council did not accept an amendment by the European
Parliament and excluded producers of durum wheat in the
less-favoured areas of the Italian region of
Emilia-Romagna from entitlement to such premiums,
despite the fact that this crop has been grown for some

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 35

time in those areas, is of high quality and is closely
connected with the food industry in the region .

Given that their exclusion from such payments may have
serious consequences for producers in the less developed
areas, which are, incidentally included in the Integrated
Mediterranean Programmes, and that they are already
operating at a lower level of profitability, with no real
alternative, can the Council give its reasons for excluding
such producers and state whether such areas could be
included in the production zones referred to in Annex II
to the abovementioned regulation ?

former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, have recently drawn
attention in the media to the danger that the political,
economic, social and institutional crisis currently facing
Italy, and the inability of the current government to deal
with this crisis, may lead to authoritarian and
anti-democratic tendencies .

operating at a lower level of profitability, with no real What steps does the Council intend to take, in view of the
alternative, can the Council give its reasons for excluding forthcoming Union and the relevant provisions of the
such producers and state whether such areas could be Maastricht Treaty ( Articles A, B and F and Title V ), to
included in the production zones referred to in Annex II check on whether such danger exists and what
to the abovementioned regulation ? precautions does it intend to take to prevent such

occurrences which could scupper the process of European
(') OJ No L 181, 1.7 . 1992, p. 12 . Union once and for all ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

Growth in durum wheat production and markets has for
several marketing years been the subject of special
attention from the Council and the Commission, as
market-management instruments have not ensured the
desired control of production nor prevented increased
surpluses . That is why the Council has moved towards a
policy directed at limiting production to the traditional
production regions as defined in the Annex to Regulation
( EEC ) No 3103 / 76 and at discouraging it in other
production areas . That approach was confirmed in the
context of the reform of the common agricultural policy .

The Council nevertheless took the view that special
treatment was required for less-favoured areas producing
durum wheat owing to the handicaps which they have to
overcome, with the measures relating to them logically
coming within the framework of the agricultural
structures policy .

Consequently, Article 19 of Regulation ( EEC )
No 2328 / 91 ('), which replaced Regulation ( EEC )
No 1760 / 87, stipulates that the compensatory allowance
in less-favoured areas which produce durum wheat will be
granted without the deductions which are usually applied
to durum wheat production .

O OJ No L 218, 6 . 8 . 1991, p. 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2688 / 92

by Mr Luigi Moretti ( ARC )

to the Council of the European Communities

( 29 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 68 )

Subject : The danger of authoritarian tendencies in Italy

and the common security policy

Various political leaders and party chairmen from the
governing majority and opposition parties, including the

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Honourable Member will be aware that it is not

customary for the Council to take a position or comment
on statements made by political figures in the media .

The Community and its Member States have on many

occasions reaffirmed their commitment to democracy and
the rule of law, most recently in the context of the Treaty
on European Union to which the Honourable Member
refers .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2713 / 92

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

( 29 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 69 )

Subject : Safety of nuclear power plants in the countries of

Eastern Europe

The break-up of the former USSR and the waning of
Soviet influence in the countries of Eastern Europe have
led to changes in political and economic relations in that
part of the world, with the result that, in many cases,
policies of mutual assistance have been abandoned .

One example of this can be seen in the nuclear power
sector which, as well as suffering from ageing equipment
and low safety standards in those countries — with grave
risks for the whole area — is suddenly facing a shortage
of suitably qualified staff .

Does the Council not agree that the International Science
and Technology Centre to be set up in Moscow should
first of all work with experts who can tackle the
abovementioned problems and remove the risks
associated with nuclear power plants in the CIS and the
countries of Eastern Europe ?

No C 58 / 36 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3.93

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

1 . The Council has reiterated on several occasions how
important and urgent it is that the safety of nuclear power
plants in Central and Eastern Europe and in the Republics
of the former USSR be improved .

It has pointed out, in particular, that this problem is a
priority in the provision of technical assistance to those
countries .

2 . Thus, further to the conclusions of the Rome
European Council — ( 14 and 15 December 1990 ) and in
accordance with the guidelines worked out and the
decisions taken by the Council in this area following the
opinion of the European Parliament — and without
prejudice to any bilateral aid granted by the Member
States and long-term cooperation initiated or to be
initiated under the Cooperation Agreements with the
countries of Eastern and Central Europe and the
Republics of the former USSR — technical-assistance
programmes ( PHARE / TACIS ) also covering nuclear
safety have been established or are planned for those of
the countries mentioned that are concerned . The
Commission is responsible for managing these
programmes and also for co-ordinating technical ­
assistance programmes coming under the G 24 .

3 . The Presidency conclusions drawn up at the end of
the European Council in Lisbon ( 27 June 1992 ) show inter
alia that the European Council noted the considerable
effort undertaken in the framework of the
PHARE / TACIS programmes to improve the safety of
nuclear power plants of Soviet design . Given the urgency
of this problem it asked the Commission to increase
further the amounts earmarked for this purpose in both
programmes with a view to upgrading such plants . The
European Council also asked the Council to consider the
possibility of extending Euratom loans to investment for
this purpose . The Council understands that the
Commission is preparing a draft Council Decision along
these lines .

Furthermore, the European Council considered it
desirable to set up a multilateral mechanism to take
account of the technical-assistance aspects of nuclear
safety which are not covered by bilateral measures and
invited the other G 7 partners to respond positively to this
initiative . The Munich Summit consequently adopted a
programme of action in this connection .

4 . It should be stressed that the Community as such —
without prejudice to the substantial assistance furnished
by various Member States — is by far the prime supplier
of assistance in this area ( ECU 150 million
spent / committed until the end of 1992 ).

5 . An Agreement establishing the International Science
and Technology Centre ( ISTC ) was signed in Moscow on
27 November 1992 by the four Parties involved ( Russia,

the Community, USA and Japan ). The Centre will be able
to start its work in the newly-independent countries in the
very near future .

The objectives of the Centre are to give weapons scientists

and engineers, in the Russian Federation and the other
States of the former USSR, opportunities to redirect their
skills towards peaceful activities . In so doing it is planned
that the Centre will give priority to supporting basic and
applied research and technology development, inter alia
in the fields of nuclear safety, energy production and
environmental protection .

The ISTC 's projects in the field of nuclear safety will be

aimed at resolving the technical problems concerning the
construction and operation of nuclear power plants and
developing a legal framework for the establishment of
appropriate safety procedures . The objective is to reach
safety levels equivalent to those obtaining in the
Community .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2739 / 92

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

( 16 November 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 70 )

Subject : Massive western investment in East and Central

Europe

At the annual conference of the national coordinators of
the PHARE programme, held on 24 September 1992, the

10 beneficiary countries covered by the programme
stressed the need for greater western investment and less
technical, advice from visiting western experts .

A proposal was made by these countries for the setting up

of a global framework which could be appropriate for
massive western and domestic investment .

What is the position of the Council on this issue, and does

it plan to adopt a global framework to promote
investment in these countries ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The progressive establishment of a free-trade area —

accompanied by measures aimed at advancing also
towards the free movement of services, capital and
workers — as provided for by the Europe Association
Agreements between the Community and its Central and
Eastern European partners (*), constitutes an important
element in encouraging the flow of western private
investment to these countries .

This opening up of the markets is accompanied by
extensive cooperation action which the Community is

1 . 3.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 37

implementing, notably through its PHARE assistance
programme ( 2 ), designed to support the process of reform
and economic restructuring in the beneficiary countries
and to create the environment required for a market

economy .

In order to make this action more effective, on 16
November 1992 the Council adopted guidelines enabling
the PHARE programme to adapt its contributions better
to the evolving needs of partner-countries . While
continuing to be focused on technical cooperation and the
provision of related equipment, Community assistance
may increasingly cover other forms of support to
stimulate investment in key public sectors and to mobilize
productive investment, particularly for the development
of small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ), regional
reconversion and agricultural restructuring .

Mention should also be made of the action of the EIB,
which is already operating in these countries to promote
productive investment and SMEs in particular .

In addition, to ensure maximum efficiency in the use of
funds to support productive investment, the Council has
invited the Commission and the EIB to work out suitable
operational arrangements with regard to financial
mechanisms complementary to EIB loans and also
stressed the desirability of developing full cooperation
with the EBRD and, as appropriate, with other
multilateral institutions, such as the World Bank, to
ensure complementarity .

(') Europe Association Agreements have been signed with

Hungary, Poland and Czechoslovakia . Negotiations to this
end with Romania have been concluded and the Agreement
will be signed shortly . Negotiations are being conducted with
Bulgaria .
( 2 ) Created in 1989 for economic assistance to Hungary and

Poland, the PHARE programme also covers Czechoslovakia,
Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, the three Baltic States and
Slovenia .

A number of the above municipal councils had reached

the end of their term and, in a few days ' time, the electors
would have been called on to vote for new

administrations .

Such arbitrary decisions, which are of dubious
constitutionality, are typical expressions of a communist
and fascist dictatorship . The right to vote is sacrosanct for
all citizens in civilized and democratic countries on which

the Union is based .

Moreover, Article F ( 1 ) of the Treaty of Maastricht states
that : ' The Union shall respect the national identities of its
Member States whose systems of government are founded
on the principles of democracy '.

In view of this, is the Council aware of the measures
recently adopted by the Italian Government ?

What representations will it make to the Italian
Government to prevent these dictatorial decisions
seriously jeopardizing democracy in Italy and in the
Community itself ?

Does the Council consider that the Italian Government is
acting in accordance with the spirit of the Union ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

It is for the appropriate authorities of the Member States
to judge the material facts and constitutionality of
occurrences of the type referred to by the Honourable
Member .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2832 / 92

by Mr Claude Desama ( S )
to the Council of the European Communities

( 16 November 1 992 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2787 / 92
( 93 / C 58 / 72 ),
by Mr Luigi Moretti and Mr Francesco Speroni ( ARC )

to the Council of the European Communities

( 16 November 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 71 )

Subject : Serious blow to democracy in Italy

By Decree-Law No 380 of 18 September 1992, the Italian
Government prohibited elections in 42 municipalities,
including two towns with over 100 000 inhabitants, on
vague and arbitrary grounds .

Subject : Freedom of movement for workers — public

service

Article 4 ( 1 ) of the EEC Treaty states that freedom of

movement for workers shall be secured within the
Community . However, paragraph 4 of the same article
states that this shall not apply to employment in the public
service .

How does the Council interpret this article as things now
stand ?

No C 58 / 38 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

Does the restriction contained in Article 48 ( 4 ) apply
indiscriminately to all public service posts ? Are exceptions
provided for particularly with regard to teachers
employed in the public service in Member States ? If so,
what are these exceptions and what is their formal basis ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that
under Article 164 of the EEC Treaty only the Court of
Justice has jurisdiction . to interpret provisions of
Community law .

As the Court has consistently held, the expression
' employment in the public service ' within the meaning of
Article 48 ( 4 ), which is excluded from the ambit of
Article 48 ( 1 ), ( 2 ) and ( 3 ), must be understood as meaning
those posts which involve direct or indirect participation
in the exercise of powers conferred by public law and in
the discharge of functions whose purpose is to safeguard
the general interests of the State or of other public
authorities and which therefore require a special
relationship of allegiance to the State on the part of
persons occupying them and reciprocity of rights and
duties which form the foundation of the bond of
nationality . The posts excluded are confined to those
which, having regard to the tasks and responsibilities
involved, are apt to display the characteristics of the
specific activities of the public service in the spheres
described above O ­

The Court has already found that those very strict

conditions are not fulfilled in the case of trainee
teachers ( 2 ) and foreign language assistants ( 3 ); more
recently, it has ruled that the same applies to employment
as a secondary-school teacher ( 4 ).

(') See, among others, the judgments of 17 December 1980 in

Case 149 / 79, Commission v. Belgium, ECR 3881,
paragraph 1 0, of 26 May 1 982 in Case 149 / 79, Commission v.
Belgium, ECR 1845, paragraph 7, of 16 June 1987 in Case
225 / 85, Commission v. Italy, ECR 2625, paragraph 9, and of
27 November 1991 in case C-4 / 91, Bleis, ECR 1-5627,
paragraph 6 .
( 2 ) Judgment of 3 July 1986 in Case 66 / 85, Lawrie-Blum, ECR

2121, paragraph 28 .
( 3 ) Judgment of 30 May 1989 in Case 33 / 88, Allue and Coonan,

ECR 1591, paragraph 9 .
o Judgment of 27 November 1991 in Case C-4 / 91, Bleis, ECR

1-5627, paragraph 8 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2834 / 92

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

( 16 November 1 992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 73 )

Subject : Moonies

Can the Council say what steps they have taken to control
the cult called The Moonies ?

Answer

( 25 January 1993 )

The Council has taken no steps to control the cult called

' The Moonies ' as that does not fall within its field of

competence .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3007 / 92

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

( 30 November 1992 )

( 93 / C 58 / 74 )

Subject : Social Affairs Council

What criteria were used to decide that only one Social
Affairs Council was sufficient during the United
Kingdom Presidency ?

Answer

( 25 January 1 993 )

As explained by the President of the Council ( Labour and

Social Affairs ) before the European Parliament Social
Affairs Committee on 22 September 1992, the United
Kingdom Presidency has decided to devote its energy to
thorough preparation, in working groups and bilateral
discussion, with a view to holding one well prepared
Council at the end of the Presidency .

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 39

WRITTEN QUESTIONS TO WHICH NO ANSWER HAS BEEN GIVEN (*)

( 93 / C 58 / 75 )

This list is published pursuant to Rule 62 ( 3 ) of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament,
which states : ' Questions to which no answer has been given within one month by the Commission, or
within two months by the Council of the Foreign Ministers, shall be recorded, pending an answer, in

the Official Journal of the European Communities .'

No 3023 / 92 by Mrs Sylviane Ainardi ( CG ) to the Commission No 3037 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission
( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Community information and public relations campaign Subject : Implemention of the regulation on a Community

Eco-label award scheme

No 3024 / 92 by Mr Fernand Herman ( PPE ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3038 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

Subject : Technical standards notification procedure ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3025 / 92 by Mr Florus Wijsenbeek ( LDR ) to the Commission

Subject : Setting of upper limits for hydrocarbon residues

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3039 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

Subject : Cross-border passenger transport ( 14 . 12 . 1992

No 3026 / 92 by Mr Jan Sonneveld ( PPE ) to the Commission

Subject : Pilot projects in respect of families

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3040 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

Subject : Food aid in the form of tinned beef ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3027 / 92 by Mr Georgios Romeos ( S ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Contamination of fuels during transport to third

country ports

No 3028 / 92 by Virginio Bettini and Eugenio Melandri ( V ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Marketing rules for bananas and the situation in
Somalia

No 3030 / 92 by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( LDR ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Training and information in the rural sector

No 3031 / 92 by Mr Yves Verwaerde ( LDR ) to the Commission

Subject : The European Community, the lack of progress in
social policy and the conclusions of a discussion in the Greek
Centre of European Studies ( EKEM )

No 3041 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992
Subject : Aid for Mount Athos

No 3042 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Ecological scandal in Attica

No 3043 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Destruction of vines in the Prefecture of Grevena in
Greece

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Freedom of establishment for lawyers in the European No 3044 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission
Community ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3032 / 92 by Mr Yves Verwaerde ( LDR ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Fraud by bogus companies involving Community
subsidies for olive oil processing

Subject : General arrangements for the recognition of higher No 3045 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission
education qualifications — French Doctor of Laws ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3033 / 92 by Mr Yves Verwaerde ( LDR ) to the Commission

Subject : Marketing of Community meat and cereal stocks

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3046 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

Subject : Final-year student trainees ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3034 / 92 by Mrs Jessica Larive ( LDR ) to the Commission

Subject : Demands by tobacco producing associations

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3047 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission
Subject : European senior citizens ' rail pass ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Incomes of Greek farmers

No 3035 / 92 by Mr David Martin ( S ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3048 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

Subject : Use of the CE mark for fireworks

No 3036 / 92 by Mrs Teresa Domingo Segarra ( GUE ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Newly discovered occupational disease in the textile
printing sector in the district of Alcoy ( Spain )

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Exposure of seafarers to asbestos

No 3049 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Trade union rights of Greek policemen

(*) The answers will be published as soon as they are received from the institution concerned . The full text of these questions appeared in the Bulletin of the

European Parliament No 25 / C-92 to 30 / C-92 to No .

No C 58 / 40 Official Journal of the European Communities 1 . 3 . 93

No 3050 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( NI ) to the Commission No 3073 / 92 by Mr Pietro Mitolo ( NI ) to the Commission
( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Extermination of a prehistoric fish in Lamia Subject : Restrictions on the establishment of Community

No 3052 / 92 by Mr Herman Verbeek ( V ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : EC support for the granulation of meat surpluses

Subject : Restrictions on the establishment of Community
undertakings in Eastern Europe and on the resulting unfair
competition

No 3074 / 92 by Mr Luigi Moretti ( ARC ) to the Commission

No 3053 / 92 by Mrs Marijke Van Hemeldonck ( S ) to the 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) Subject :

Subject : Training in population awareness

No 3054 / 92 by Mr Yves Verwaerde ( LDR ) to the Commission

Subject : Suspension of funding for the International Centre for
European Community Studies and Documentation ( CISDCE )

No 3075 / 92 by Mr Luigi Moretti ( ARC ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : National financial aids in the fisheries and aquaculture Subject : Community standards for wine production

sector

No 3076 / 92 by Mr Gijs de Vries ( LDR ) to the Commission

No 3055 / 92 by Mr Louis Lauga ( RDE ) to the Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) Subject : Implementation of the toys directive in Germany

No 3055 / 92 by Mr Louis Lauga ( RDE ) to the Commission

Subject : Conservation of natural habitats
No 3077 / 92 by Mr Alexandras Alavanos ( CG ) to the Commission

No 3057 / 92 by Mrs Christine Oddy ( S ) to the Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject :

Subject : Baha'i community in Iran

Subject : Mobile telephones belonging to the Greek telephone

company

No 3059 / 92 by Mr David Morris ( S ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3078 / 92 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos ( CG ) to the Commission
( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Action further to Commission statement to the
ACP-EEC Joint Assembly in Amsterdam 1991, concerning illegal Subject : Progress under the Community Support Framework
fishing in ACP waters for Greece — Athens underground

No 3060 / 92 by Mr Juan Bandrés Molet ( V ) to the Commission No 3079 / 92 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos ( CG ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Authorization for the use of anti-HIV drugs Subject : Progress under the Community Support Framework

Subject : Progress under the Community Support Framework
for Greece — Athens underground

No 3060 / 92 by Mr Juan Bandrés Molet ( V ) to the Commission

No 3061 / 92 by Mr James Elles ( PPE ) to the Commission

Subject : Progress under the Community Support Framework
for Greece — major roads

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3080 / 92 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos ( CG ) to the Commission

Subject : Dietary supplements ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3063 / 92 by Mr Neil Blaney ( ARC ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Progress under the Community Support Framework
for Greece — natural gas

Subject : Fishery agreements No 3081 / 92 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos ( CG ) to the Commission

No 3064 / 92 by Mr Neil Blaney ( ARC ) to the Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Share-out of fishing rights

Subject : Progress under the Community Support Framework
for Greece — railways

No 3065 / 92 by Mr Neil Blaney ( ARC ) to the Commission

No 3065 / 92 by Mr Neil Blaney ( ARC ) to the Commission No 3082 / 92 by Mr Alexandros Alavanos ( CG ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Annual report on acquired fishing rights Subject : New accident at the Kozloduy nuclear power station

Subject : New accident at the Kozloduy nuclear power station

No 3066 / 92 by Mr Maxime Verhagen ( PPE ) to the Commission

No 3083 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Commission
( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Population policies in ACP countries Subject : Failure by Spain to comply with the directive on

consumer credit

Subject : Population policies in ACP countries

No 3067 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Reports on the Spanish iron and steel industry

No 3068 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1 992 )

Subject : Termites

No 3069 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Relations between Russian and European scientists

No 3070 / 92 by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : The European literary heritage

No 3071 / 92 by Mrs Raymonde Dury ( S ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3084 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Commission
( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Failure by the Spanish Government to comply with the
directive on the freedom to provide services in respect of
exploration for petroleum and natural gas

No 3085 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Failure by the Spanish Government to comply with Directives on the indication of prices

No 3086 / 92 by Mr lose Valverde L6pez ( PPE ) to the Commission

14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Infringements by Spain of the directives on public
works contracts and public supply contracts

Subject : Ratification of international labour conventions No 3087 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Commission

No 3072 / 92 by Mrs Raymonde Dury ( S ) to the Commission ( 14 . 12, 1992 )
( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) Subject : Irregularities in the application in Spain of the directive
Subject : Pluserix and pariorix vaccines on a common system of VAT

1 . 3 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 58 / 41

No 3088 / 92 by Mr lose Valverde L6pez ( PPE ) to the Commission No 3103 / 92 by Mr Gianfranco Amendola ( V ) to the Commission
( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : Harm suffered by consumers as a result of Spain 's Subject : Construction of the new port of Civitavecchia ( Rome )
failure to comply with the directive on plastics materials and No 3104 / 92 by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V ) to the Commission
articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3089 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Commission Subject : Waste tip at Rognes ( Bouches-du-Rhône, France )

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3105 / 92 by Virginio Bettini and Gianfranco Amendola ( V ) to
Subject : Forecasts for passenger and goods traffic by land from the Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1 992 )
Africa through the Iberian Peninsula Subject : Bird-catching at Pontida ( BG ) in Lombardy ( Italy )

No 3089 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Commission

No 3090 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde L6pez ( PPE ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

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

No 3106 / 92 by Gianfranco Amendola, Jean-Pierre Raffin and
Virginio Bettini ( V ) to the Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject :. Feasibility studies for a tunnel across the Strait of Subject : Community funding in Eastern European countries in
Gibraltar linking Morocco and Spain favour of nature conservation projects

No ( 14 3091 . 12 . 1992 / 92 by ) Mr Jose Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Commission No ( 14 3107 . 12 . 1992 / 92 by ) Mr François Guillaume ( RDE ) to the Commission

Subject : Vineyard register
Subject : Sectors worst affected by the failure by Spain to comply
with the directive on freedom of establishment No 3108 / 92 by Mr Francois Guillaume ( RDE ) to the Commission

No 3092 / 92 by Mr Jos6 Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Vineyard register
( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Commission Subject : Public information and publication deadlines in the No ( 14 3109 . 12 . 1992 / 92 by ) Mr Georgios Romeos ( S ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3093 / 92 by Mr Jose Valverde L6pez ( PPE ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )
Subject : The Commission 's administrative procedures

No 3094 / 92 by Mr Henry McCubbin ( S ) to the Commission
( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Non-border administrative checks beyond 1992

No 3095 / 92 by Mr Ian White ( S ) to the Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Environmental impact assessment and the granting of
permission for development

No 3096 / 92 by Mr Mauro Chiabrando ( PPE ) to the Commission

Subject : Adverse effects of illegal farm subsidies on producers

No 3110 / 92 by Mrs Marie-Anne Isler Beguin ( V ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Community funding of a project for a motor car circuit
at Morhange ( France )

No 3111 / 92 by Mrs Marie - Anne Isler Beguin ( V ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1 992 )

Subject : Conversion of former military bases

No 3112 / 92 by Mrs Marie - Anne Isler Beguin ( V ) to the
Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Aid to the project for a test track at Morhange ( France )

No 3113 / 92 by Mrs Maartje van Putten ( S ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Failure by Italy to transpose into national law the Subject : EC-project in Guatemala
directive on prevention of the use of the financial system for the

No 3114 / 92 by Mr Klaus Hansch ( S ) to the Commission

Subject : Failure by Italy to transpose into national law the
directive on prevention of the use of the financial system for the
purpose of money laundering

No 3097 / 92 by Mr Mauro Chiabrando ( PPE ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3097 / 92 by Mr Mauro Chiabrando ( PPE ) to the Commission Subject : Community programme of action on improving the

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) mobility of disabled people

Subject : Conditions for award of contracts to leading banks No 3115 / 92 by Mr Detlev Samland ( S ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

No 3098 / 92 by Mr Wilfried Telkamper ( V ) to the Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) Subject : Pension arrangements for migrant workers

Subject : Community Directive on environmental impact assess ­ No 3116 / 92 by Mr Max Simeoni ( ARC ) to the Commission

Subject : Community Directive on environmental impact assess ­ No 3116 / 92
ment — information to be provided by the developer ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

Subject : Ecological assessment of biological fuels
No 3099 / 92 by Mr Wilfried Telkamper ( V ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) No 3117 / 92 by Virginio Bettini and Gianfranco Amendola ( V ) to
ment Subject — : interpretation Community Directive of Article on 9 environmental impact assess ­ the Subject Commission : Adoption ( 14 of . J ' 2 . Agenda 1992 ) 21 ' at local level in the Commu ­

ment — interpretation of Article 9 Subject : Adoption of ' Agenda 21 ' at local level in the Commu ­

nity

No 3100 / 92 by Mr Wilfried Telkamper ( V ) to the Commission No 3118 / 92 by Mr Virginio Bettini ( V ) to the Commission

( 14 . 12 . 1992 14 . 12 . 1992
Subject : Compatibility of the German laws on major road Subject : Siting of a plant for the discharge of special toxic and
construction and environmental impact assessment with the dangerous waste in Montichiari ( Breschia, Italy )
Community Directive 85 / 337 / EEC

No 3100 / 92 by Mr Wilfried Telkamper ( V ) to the Commission

Subject : Siting of a plant for the discharge of special toxic and

construction and environmental impact assessment with the dangerous waste in Montichiari ( Breschia, Italy )
Community Directive 85 / 337 / EEC

No 3119 / 92 by Teresa Domingo Segarra and Alonso Puerta

No 3102 / 92 by Mr Ernest Glinne ( S ) to the Commission ( GUE ) to the Commission ( 14 . 12 . 1992 )

( 14 . 12 . 1992 ) Subject : Environmental protection and restoration of the Alb ­
Subject : Comparability of research data on infancy ufera de Valencia

No 3102 / 92 by Mr Ernest Glinne ( S ) to the Commission