Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-6986

##### C 240
# Official Journal

Volume 37

### of the European Communities

Information and Notices
English edition

29 August 1994

Notice No Contents Page

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

94 / C 240 / 01

E,- 133 / 93 by Gijs de Vries to the Commission
Subject : The legal basis of Commission proposals 1

94 / C 240 / 02 E-329 / 93 by Laura Gonzalez Alvarez to the Commission
Subject : Implementation in Spain of the Directive on the conservation of wild birds 1

94 / C 240 / 03 E-2259 / 92 by Anita Pollack to the Commission

Subject : Freedom of movement 2

94 / C 240 / 04

94 / C 240 / 05

94 / C 240 / 06

94 / C 240 / 07

94 / C 240 / 08

94 /C 240 / 09

E-664 / 93 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Third-country nationals and freedom of movement 2

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2259 / 92 and E-664 / 93 2

E - 11 00 / 93 by Maxime Verhagen to the Commission
Subject : Policy document on the violation of human rights 3

E - 1155 / 93 by Paul Staes to the Commission
Subject : Hydrométal and pollution of the Geul ( Belgium ) 4

E-1217 / 93 by Leen van der Waal to the Commission
Subject : Consistency between EC funds which finance infrastructure projects 4

E-l 278 / 93 by Klaus Hansch to the Commission
Subject : Information on the amount of EC assistance given to North-Rhine / Westphalia from the
beginning of 1989 to the end of 1992 6

E-1279 / 93 by Klaus Hansch to the Commission
Subject : Information on the amount of EC assistance given to the Oberhausen and Duisburg
employment area from the beginning of 1989 to the end of 1992 6

Price : ECU 18 ( Continued overleaf )

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E-1430 / 93 by Roger Barton, Jean-Paul Benoit, Jan Bertens, Rosaria Bindi, Franco Borgo,
Pedro Canavarro, Pierre Camiti, Maria Cassanmagnago Cerretti, Peter Crampton,
Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza, Antonio Fantini, Gerardo Gaibisso, Lissy Gròner, Renzo
Imbeni, Maria Izquierdo Rojo, Alexander Langer, Nereo Laroni, Giuseppe Mottola,
Edward Newman, Dimitrios Nianias, Tove Nielsen, Gérard Onesta, Derek Prag, Tullio
Regge, Claudia Roth, Maartje van Putten and Ian White to the Commission
Subject : The EC's role in the Middle-East peace process

E-1460 / 93 by Henry Chabert to the Commission
Subject : The Rhone-Alpes region in the European Community

E - 1500 / 93 by Maxime Verhagen to the Commission
Subject : Noise pollution from aerodromes

E-1526 / 93 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Products used in ice-cream

E - 1534 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Failure by Spain to implement Directives on dentistry

E-1723 / 93 by Honor Funk to the Commission
Subject : EC aid for Baden-Württemberg

E-1762 / 93 by Ernest Glinne and Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Precautions in respect of the hormone ' sometribove '

E-1781 / 93 by Jose Lafuente Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Continuation of the loan arrangements provided for in Article 54, second paragraph, of
the ECSC Treaty

E-l 807 / 93 by Annemarie Goedmakers and Rolf Linkohr to the Commission
Subject : Practices of the London Gender Clinic

E-l 875 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Re-opening of the Merchant Seamen 's Hospital in Athens

E-1981 / 93 by Florus Wijsenbeek to the Commission
Subject : Plans by the Netherlands Minister of Transport and Public Works to introduce a regional
Euro-toll system for road haulage firms

E-l 986 / 93 by James Ford, Johannes Peters, Luigi Colajanni, John Tomlinson, Imelda
Read, Christos Papoutsis, Marijke Van Hemeldonck, Georgios Romeos, Willem van
Velzen, Joan Colom i Naval, Michael Elliott, Christine Crawley, Raymonde Dury,
Terence Wynn, Juan Ramirez Heredia, Lissy Gröner, Detlev Samland and Antonio La
Pergola to the Commission
Subject : Commission follow-up to EP resolution on education of migrant children

E-2121 / 93 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Drinking water

E-2144 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Marketing of currants

E-2154 / 93 by Robert Delorozoy to the Commission
Subject : Operation of the Phare and Tacis Programmes

E-2224 / 93 by Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : Use by Greece of Community funds

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94 / C 240 / 26 E-2230 / 93 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Establishment of ' infrastructure project development companies ' in Greece 15

94 / C 240 / 27 E-2255 / 93 by Giuseppe Mottola, Mauro Chiabrando, Franco Borgo and Ferruccio
Pisoni to the Commission

Subject : Problems affecting hazel-nut growing in Europe, in particular in Italy 15

94 / C 240 / 28 E-2263 / 93 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Limited participation of Greek undertakings in the Phare and Tacis Programmes .... 16

94 / C 240 / 29 E-2283 / 93 by Annemarie Goedmakers to the Commission
Subject : Lease of premises at 57-59 rue Froissart by the Commission 17

94 / C 240 / 30 E-2286 / 93 by Ana Miranda de Lage and Jesus Cabezón Alonso to the Commission
Subject : Unfair competition from non-Community producers of soda ash 17

94 / C 240 / 31 E-2291 / 93 by Catherine Trautmann to the Commission
Subject : Obstacle to the free movement of persons 18

94 / C 240 / 32 E-2301 / 93 by Gianfranco Amendola to the Commission
Subject : Projected opening of a quarry in Cavaglia — Piedmont 18

94 / C 240 / 33 E-2304 / 93 by Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza to the Commission
Subject : Infringement by Greece of the Directive on the conservation of wild birds 19

94 / C 240 / 34 E-2309 / 93 by Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Transnational dismissal strategy 19

94 / C 240 / 35 E-23 55 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Use of liquid gas to power motor vehicles in Greece 20

94 / C 240 / 36 E-2358 / 93 by David Bowe to the Commission
Subject : Dumping of subsidized beef in west-African States 20

94 / C 240 / 37 E-2360 / 93 by Mark Killilea to the Commission
Subject : The European Social Fund and the disabled 20

94 / C 240 / 38 E-23 85 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Unemployment among men 21

94 / C 240 / 39 E-2402 / 93 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Planning and management of the Eapta ( Greek Special Local Government Development
Programme ) 21

94 / C 240 / 40 E-2403 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Development of the Fluropean Mediterranean coast 22

94 / C 240 / 41 E-2450 / 93 by Barbara Duhrkop Dührkop to the Commission
Subject : Alcohol monopoly in the Nordic countries 22

94 / C 240 / 42 E-2455 / 93 by Claude Desama to the Commission
Subject : Continuing obstructions at the Community 's internal land frontiers 22

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

94 / C 240 / 43 E-2459 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Harmonization with the 1968 Brussels Convention of legislation on family law
matters 23

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E-2469 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Designation of Kalymnos as European centre for sponge fishing and trading 23

E-2489 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Civil liability of operators of nuclear installations 23

E-2508 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Transfer of refugee children in the EC 24

E-2545 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Protection of the Gulf of Yera, Lesbos 25

E-2553 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Treatment of goatmeat and sheepmeat 25

E-2559 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Dialogue between the Mediterranean regions and the Commission on the management of
Mediterranean fishery resources 25

E-2600 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Effective coordination of measures for the promotion of economic and social
cohesion 26

E-2610 / 93 by Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Participation of employees'organizations in the banking sector in the implementation of a
Directive which concerns them 26

E-2633 / 93 by Ben Fayot to the Commission
Subject : Discrimination against Luxembourgish frontier workers 27

E-2657 / 93 by Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : ' Relocation ' of public contractors and trade to the detriment of the Community and the
Member States 27

E-2533 / 93 by Jean-Pierre Raffin to the Commission
Subject : Application of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC to the Loire Estuary ( France ) 28

E-2714 / 93 by Bruno Boissiere to the Commission
Subject : Destruction of an area of biological interest 29

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2533 / 93 and E-2714 / 93 29

E-2764 / 93 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission
Subject : Re-cycling domestic water 29

E-2781 / 93 by Vassilis Ephremidis to the Commission
Subject : The Commission 's objections concerning employers ' contributions to the Lawyers ' ( social
security ) Fund 30

E-2793 / 93 by Winifred Ewing to the Commission

Subject : EC assistance to Angola 30

E-2808 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : European participation in the AIES 31

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E-280 9 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : MINT and its possible contractors in Spain 31

E-28 12 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : ' The breach of the port of Rotterdam ' 32

E-28 16 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Telephone rates charged by many hotels 33

E-2823 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : The spread of, and possible inocculation against, malaria 33

E-28 39 / 93 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Group of Experts meeting of 3 to 5 February 1992 in Cumbria 34

E-2842 / 93 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Environmental sustainability and industrial development in Europe 34

E-2848 / 93 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Lascar report on nuclear safeguards 35

E-2854 / 93 by Henry McCubbin to the Commission
Subject : Goat farmers in the UK 35

E-2875 / 93 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Reasons given by Spain for non-compliance with Council Directive 85 / 397 / EEC
concerning agriculture 35

E-2888 / 93 by Enrico Falqui to the Commission
Subject : Excessive length of bureaucratic procedures relating to financial contributions to
European youth organizations 36

E-2895 / 93 by John McCartin to the Commission
Subject : Cohesion Fund allocations in Ireland 36

E-2903 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Human rights in Chad 37

E-2905 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission

Subject : Hunting in Greece 37

E-29 12 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Dadia forest biotope ( Evros ) 37

E-29 18 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Funding of the Thessaloniki Centre for Children with Special Needs 38

E-2920 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Funding of the Moschato Graphic Arts Centre 38

E-2924 / 93 by Francois Guillaume to the Commission
Subject : Aluminium imports from the CIS 39

E-2945 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Ecosystem of the River Nestos 39

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

94 / C 240 / 78 E-2946 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Greek wetland areas of international significance 39

94 / C 240 / 79 E-2950 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Demarcation of Greek wetlands 40

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2945, E-2946 / 93 and E-2950 / 93 40

94 / C 240 / 80 E-2963 / 93 by Richard Simmonds to the Commission
Subject : Cooperation between the European Communities and the Council of Europe 40

94 / C 240 / 81 E-2968 / 93 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Transport of live animals to third countries 41

94 / C 240 / 82 E-2973 / 93 by Florus Wijsenbeek to the Commission
Subject : Free movement of services in the transport sector 41

94 / C 240 / 83 E-2983 / 93 by James Ford to the Commission
Subject : EC redundancy practice guidelines 42

94 / C 240 / 84 E-29 84 / 93 by Hiltrud Breyer to the Commission
Subject : Phebus 42

94 / C 240 / 85 E-2998 / 93 by Maartje van Putten and Henri Saby to the Commission
Subject : Africa                   - 42

94 / C 240 / 86 E-3018 / 93 by Winifred Ewing to the Commission
Subject : Milk fraud repayments by Italy 43

94 / C 240 / 87 E-3029 / 93 by Jean-Pierre Raffin to the Commission
Subject : The threat to the Great Bustard posed by the authorization of a private airfield in the
nature reserve of Hoher Flaming / Belziger Landschaftswiesen 44

94 / C 240 / 88 E-3031 / 93 by Nora Mebrak-Zaïdi to the Commission
Subject : The Commission 's opinion on the request for allocation of a Regional Development Grant
to the urban area of Montbéliard — Belfort — Héricourt 45

94 / C 240 / 89 E-3033 / 93 by Willi Rothley to the Commission
Subject : Information on the level of EC assistance received by Rhineland Palatinate between 1985
and 1992 45

94 / C 240 / 90 E-3051 / 93 by Pietro Mitolo to the Commission
Subject : Infringement of the Schengen Agreement by the Autonomous Province of Alto Adige 46

94 / C 240 / 91 E-3053 / 93 by Gerard Deprez to the Commission
Subject : Cross border payments : results of the consultations with PSTDG and PSULG 46

94 / C 240 / 92 E-3067 / 93 by David Morris to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of EC public procurement Directive 47

94 / C 240 / 93 E-3070 / 93 by Ernest Glinne to the Commission
Subject : Real or potential danger to human beings from exposure to electro-magnetic fields . . 47

94 / C 240 / 94 E-3073 / 93 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Renewal of the Euret Programme 48

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

94 / C 240 / 95 E-3074 / 93 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Setting up of a task force on the textile industry 48

94 / C 240 / 96 E-3080 / 93 by Kenneth Stewart to the Commission
Subject : Closure of Broadgreen Hospital Emergency and Casualty Unit 49

94 / C 240 / 97 E-3083 / 93 by Maria Izquierdo Rojo to the Commission
Subject : Cooperation with the Maghreb countries 49

94 / C 240 / 98 E-3108 / 93 by Bartho Pronk to the Commission
Subject : Opinions of the Economic and Social Committee 50

94 / C 240 / 99 E-3 134 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Absence of a common organization of the market for pharmaceutical and aromatic
plants 50

94 / C 240 / 100 E-3143 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Cholera epidemic in Vietnam 51

94 / C 240 / 101 E-3144 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Cholera epidemic in Kazakhstan 51

94 / C 240 / 102 E-3 145 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Failure by Greece to implement Directive 89 / 48 / EEC 51

94 / C 240 / 103 E-3153 / 93 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission
Subject : Operations of the Euro-Arab University 52

94 / C 240 / 104 E-31 59 / 93 by Joaquim Miranda da Silva, René-Emile Piquet and Vassilis Ephremidis to
the Commission

Subject : Discrimination in Hungary against democratic political and social organizations .... 52

94 / C 240 / 105 E-3 15 8 / 93 by James Ford to the Commission
Subject : Racism and xenophobia in the Community 53

94 / C 240 / 106 E-3 161 / 93 by Claudia Roth to the Commission
Subject : Racist attack in Solingen and the resurgence of racism and xenophobia in Europe ... 53

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3158 / 93 and E-3161 / 93 53

94 / C 240 / 107 E-3171 / 93 by Alan Donnelly, Elmar Brok, Luis Planas Puchades, Lyndon Harrison,
Ernest Glinne, Christos Papoutsis, Jean Penders, Barry Desmond, Terence Wynn, Hugh
McMahon, Peter Price, Dieter Rogalla, Pedro Bofill Abeilhe, Ioannis Pesmazoglou,
Arthur Newens, Gary Titley, Enrique Baron Crespo, David Martin, Brian Simpson,
David Bowe, Pauline Green, Josep Pons Grau and Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Bilateral Treaty between the US and the EC 54

94 / C 240 / 108 E-3 175 / 93 by David Bowe to the Commission
Subject : German packaging industry 54

94 / C 240 / 109 E-31 80 / 93 by Jessica Larive to the Commission
Subject : Nuclear safety hazards in the CIS 55

94 / C 240 / 110 E-3203 / 93 by Winifred Ewing to the Commission
Subject : Conference on drinking water 56

( Continued overleaf )

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94 / C 240 / 111 E-3205 / 93 by Winifred Ewing to the Commission
Subject : Overspending by the EBRD 56

94 / C 240 / 112 E-3211 / 93 by Madron Seligman to the Commission
Subject : EC package travel Directive 56

94 / C 240 / 113 E-3220 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Human rights teaching in schools 57

94 / C 240 / 114 E-3221 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : More effective measures to protect human rights in Europe 57

94 / C 240 / 115 E-3222 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Human rights in third countries 58

94 / C 240 / 116 E-3225 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Use of combined heat and electricity production systems to reduce consumption .... 58

94 / C 240 / 1 17 E-3228 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Demarcation of the biotope on the island of Tinos 58

94 / C 240 / 118 E-3229 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Construction of a private airport on Crete 59

94 / C 240 / 1 19 E-3272 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Community funding allocated to the prefecture of Evvia 59

94 / C 240 / 120 E-3281 / 93 by Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The Lake Mustos wetland in Arkadia 59

94 / C 240 / 121 E-3284 / 93 by Ingo Friedrich to the Commission
Subject : Spending by EC aid programmes in Bavaria in 1990, 1991 and 1992 60

94 / C 240 / 122 E-3288 / 93 by Gerard Deprez to the Commission
Subject : Document COM(93 ) 378 final on the second Commission three-year action plan on
consumer policy 60

94 / C 240 / 123 E-32 93 / 93 by Robert Delorozoy to the Commission
Subject : Community trade policy 61

94 / C 240 / 124 E-3295 / 93 by Luigi Vertemati to the Commission
Subject : Consumer protection services in the telecommunications sector 62

94 / C 240 / 125 E-3303 / 93 by Filippos Pierros to the Commission
Subject : Use of LIFE funds 62

94 / C 240 / 126 E-3322 / 93 by Enrique Baron Crespo to the Commission
Subject : Discrimination with regard to employment in the public sector — Article 48(4 ) of the EEC
Treaty 63

94 / C 240 / 127 E-3253 / 93 by Anthony Wilson to the Commission
Subject : Kibale forest 63

( Continued on inside back cover )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) p age

94 / C 240 / 128 E-3419 / 93 by Henry McCubbin to the Commission
Subject : Eviction of Bakiga people from Kimbale Forest, Uganda 64

Joint answer to Written Questions E-3253 / 93 and E-3419 / 93 64

94 / C 240 / 129 E-34 69 / 93 by Christine Crawley to the Commission
Subject : Cosmetic tests on animals : 65

94 / C 240 / 130 E-3588 / 93 by Christopher Jackson to the Commission
Subject : Recreational craft — Accidents due to construction 65

94 / C 240 / 131 E-3682 / 93 by Lord Plumb to the Commission
Subject : Italian milk quota 65

94 / C 240 / 132 E-3869 / 93 by Christa Randzio-Plath to the Commission
Subject : EC money paid to Hamburg since 1988 66

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of rhc European Communities No C 240 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION E - 1 33 / 93

WRITTEN QUEST ION E-329 / 93

by Gijs de Vrics ( LDR ) by Laura Gonzalez Alvarez ( NI )

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

( 15 February 1 993 ) (2 March 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 01 ) ( 94 / C 240 / 02 )

Subject : Implementation in Spain of the Directive on the

conservation of wild birds

Subject : The legal basis of Commission proposals

In what cases did the council amend the legal basis of a
Commission proposal in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ? Which
Articles of the Treaty did the Commission propose, and
what amendments did the Council introduce ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 January 1994 )

How many complaints have been received by the
Commission concerning designated special bird protection
areas ( under the Directive on the conservation of wild birds )
in Spain ?

What is the nature of the complaints, who has tabled them
and what stage has been reached by the proceedings ?

What view does the Commission take on the degree of
compliance with the Directive on the conservation of wild
birds, in particular by Spain ?

With regard to its protection policy, docs the Commission
not consider that Council Directive 92 / 43 / EEC (') on the
conservation of natural habitats strengthens the need to
protect areas of ecological value, including the special bird
protection zones, even during this period preceding its entry
into force in May 1994 ?

(') OJ No 1 . 206, 22 . 7 . 1992, p . 7 .
In 1990, 1991 and 1 992, the Council formally amended the
legal basis for a Commission proposal for legislation on 104
occasions, 16 of them under the cooperation procedure . Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 January 1994 )
A computer print-out containing the details requested is
being sent direct to the Honourable Member and to The Commission would ask the Honourable Member to
Parliament 's Secretariat . refer to the Tenth Report on the Monitoring of the

Application of Community Eaw ('), in particular the
passages relating to the application of environment law by
Spain and the application of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC of
2 April 1979 ( 2 ) on the preservation of wild birds .

No C 240 / 2 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

As can be gathered from the Report, the Commission does
not make the complaints it receives public in order to
guarantee the confidentiality of the identity of the authors .
However, it can be said that the majority of the complaints
come either from individuals or non-governmental
organizations .

A large proportion of the complaints basically relate to the
special protection zones designated under Article 4 of the
Directive . The content of the complaints varies greatly,
reflecting the variety of problems likely to affect the special
protection zones . The points made concern the
deterioration of habitats and the problems raised by their
management and to the disturbances and dangers affecting
protected species of birds .

In conclusion, with respect to the impact of
Directive 92 / 43 / EEC on the preservation of natural habitats
and wild flora and fauna on the special protection zones for
birds designated under Article 4 of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC,
these zones will automatically become part of the
Natura 2000 network . Thus, it is clear that any
strengthening of the measures to protect the zones in
question would always be desirable, irrespective of the entry
into force of Directive 92 / 43 / EEC, which does not provide
for additional measures to protect special protection zones
but instead details those defined under Article 4 of

Directive 79 / 409 / EEC .

(!) COM(93 ) 320 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979 .

knows '. ( Mr Langdon, evidence to Home Affairs
t, Committee, 5 February 1 992, paragraph 101 ). On the same

occasion the official stated that, from signing to bringing
into force, . . the best guess I could ( give is ) of a year or
two '.

In the light of the above, is the Commission preparing
alternative proposals regarding free movement rights for all
third-country nationals legitimately registered in the EC and
if so, what are the contents of such proposals ( if any )?

(!) OJ No C 55, 2 . 3 . 1992, p . 5 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-664 / 93

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 April 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 04 )

Subject : Third-country nationals and freedom of

movement

Does the Commission agree that the requirement to obtain a
visa for third-country nationals in the EC, even for a short
stay in another Community country, is an intolerable
situation by comparison with the right to free movement,
and what is going to be done about it ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E                             - 225 9 / 92 and E-664 / 93

given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2259 / 92 on behalf of the Commission

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1992 )

( 94 / C 240 / 03 )

Subject : Freedom of movement

In answer to Written Question No 782 / 91 ( ), Mr
Bangemann on behalf of the Commission stated, regarding
the draft convention of the Member States of the European
Communities on the crossing of external frontiers, ' Should
this convention fail to be adopted, the Commission would
come up with its own proposal on the matter '. The matter in
question was initiatives to grant non-Community nationals
residing lawfully in a Member State the right of permanent
residence and access to employment and self-employed
activities throughout the Community .

Officials acting on behalf of the Government of the current
presidency of the Community recently advised a
parliamentary committee, when asked when that
convention is likely to be signed, ' The answer is that nobody

( 24 November 1993 )

The Commission would first make the point that all the
Member States subscribe to the aim of abolishing the visa
requirement for third-country nationals legally resident in a
Member State when they travel within the Community . The
draft convention of the Member States of the

European Communities on the crossing of external frontiers
is a binding text embodying this agreement . Unfortunately,
however, its signing and ratification are still being held up by
a dispute as to its territorial scope .

The Commission greatly regrets that this convention has not

been signed and ratified, as all the Member States recognize
that it is of crucial importance in creating a frontier-free

area .

Since the beginning of 1993 the Commission has stepped up
its efforts as regards free movement of persons . To begin
with it is adopting a political and pragmatic approach, using
political initiatives to exert constant pressure for the steps
forward promised by the Member States for 1993 to be
actually taken .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 3

However, should progress prove insufficient to convince the
Commission that a positive dynamic has been set in train, we
will then be obliged, in a second phase, to look at what has
been done and, without letting up on the political pressure,
decide on a course of action, either new legislation or
recourse to existing law . Clearly, any legislative initiative
will not be able to overstep the bounds of Community

competence .

The Commission would point out that the convention
implementing the Schengen Agreement, due to come into
force on 1 February 1994, will include the ' right of free
movement '.

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1100 / 93

by Maxime Vcrhagen ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 10 Mav 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 05 )

Subject : Policy document on the violation of human

rights

The Community is increasingly taking punitive action
against countries which violate human rights, although
there is no policy document on this . For example, the
Commission has suspended development aid to Togo
without first seeking Parliament 's opinion . Is the
Commission prepared to draw up a policy document on the
attitude to be adopted by the EC towards the violation of
human rights ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )

The resolution of the Council and the Member States

meeting within the Council of 28 November 1991
established a common approach and appropriate guidelines
for promoting the values of democracy and human rights as
part of the cooperation policy of the Community and its
Member States .

As a general rule, priority is given to a positive approach
which encourages human rights and promotes democracy,
and it is only in the case of blatant, persistent violations of
human rights or a serious breakdown in the democratic
process that the Community and its Member States look
into measures suited to the circumstances .

The steps taken are commensurate with the gravity of the
violation and may involve taking up the matter publicly or

privately, changing cooperation programmes or the
channels used for the latter, with-holding signatures or
postponing Decisions required for implementing
programmes, or, if need he, suspending aid to the countries
in question .

The measures adopted by the Community and its Member
States are guided by objective, fair criteria based on
compliance with the international agreements in force and
any human rights commitments which may have been made
at regional level . In order to provide a sound footing for
specific action in this area, the Member States and the
Commission cooperate closely on the ground, exchanging
views on the human rights situation and democratic
progress in the countries concerned .

With respect to the suspension of aid to Togo, in December

1 991 the Community and its Member States publicly voiced
their concern at the situation following violent clashes the
month before, and deplored the loss of human life the
fighting had caused . In view of the worsening situation in
Togo, the Commission decided to put off further financing
Decisions, except in the case of emergency humanitarian
aid . Continuing violence and the postponement of free and
fair elections led the Community and its Member States to
conclude, in their statement of 16 February 1993, that both
bilateral and Community development cooperation had
become increasingly difficult . The democratic process in
Togo was still blocked, the situation had not improved and
they would continue to respond accordingly .

Following the presidential elections of 25 August 1993 and
the legitimate protests to which they gave rise, the
Commission considered that since the democratic process
had not resumed it had no other option but to continue
with-holding aid, except, of course, that intended for
humanitarian purposes .

Parliament too plays an active role in the adoption of
negative measures, in particular by refusing to give assent to
the conclusion of an agreement or financial protocol, by
adopting resolutions on the human rights situation in
non-Community countries, by organizing public hearings or
by sending a delegation to the country concerned . As regards
Togo, in its resolution of 1 1 February 1993, Parliament
called on ' the Council, the Member States and the
Commission to isolate President Eyadema 's regime
politically, financially and diplomatically and on the
international community to exert maximum pressure on
him to speed up the democratic process and to ensure that
fair elections take place in Togo '.

No C 240 / 4 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

More recently, Parliament adopted a new resolution WRITTEN QUESTION E-1217 / 93
concerning the political situation in Togo . It is clear from the by Leen van der Waal ( NI )
latter that the conclusions drawn by the Commission and
Parliament are identical . to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 May 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 07 )

Subject : Consistency between EC funds which finance

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1155 / 93

by Paul Staes ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 12 May 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 06 )

Subject : Hydrometal and pollution of the Geul ( Belgium )

In its answer to my Written Question No 386 / 91 C ) the
Commission says it has asked the Belgian authorities to
inform it of the results of a Belgian investigation into the
discharge permit of Hydrométal .

1 . What information has the Commission obtained since

then ?

2 . What conclusions does the Commission draw from the

information ?

3 . What action, if any, has the Commission taken ?

4 . Can the Commission provide me with the results of the
investigation ?

f 1 ) OJ No C 242, 21 . 9 . 1992, p . 2 .

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 January 1994 )

1 . The Belgian authorities have sent the Commission the
draft Hydrometal authorization .

The latter turned to the Belgian authorities in order to ask
them whether the authorization had already been granted
and what inspection action had been taken by the Belgian
authorities .

2 . and 3 . The Commission is awaiting information from
the Belgian authorities .

4 . The Honourable Member will be brought up to date as
soon as the Commission has received the information

referred to above .

infrastructure projects

According to Special Report No 1 / 93 by the Court of
Auditors on the financing of transport infrastructure ( J ),
coordination between the departments of the Commission
responsible for implementing the ERDF and infrastructure
fund is inadequate . It also states that the Commission has
largely disregarded the relationships between modes of
transport . Conditions for financing, selection criteria and
the percentages of assistance provided were also found to be
inconsistent between the two funds .

Two additional funds have now been set up from which
infrastructure projects can be financed : the Cohesion
financial instrument / Cohesion Fund and the Investment

Fund .

1 . What measures will the Commission be adopting to

improve coordination among the various Commission
departments, especially with regard to the new
funds ?

2 . How does the Commission intend to guarantee a
balance among the modes of transport ?

3 . What exactly are the selection criteria for projects

submitted for financing from the Cohesion financial
instrument / Cohesion Fund and the Investment Fund ?

4 . To what extent does the Commission ensure that

projects supported by the four funds ( infrastructure
fund, ERDF, Investment Fund and Cohesion financial
instrument / Cohesion Fund ) constitute a consistent
whole with the proposals for trans-European
networks ?

(*) OJ No C 69, 11 . 3 . 1993, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 March 1994 )

1 . In its reply to the report of the Court of Auditors, the
Commission recognised the need for tighter coordination
between the various Community instruments used in the
financing of transport infrastructure . Also in its
communication ' Transport Infrastructure ' ( J ) it is stated
that coordination between these instruments must be

improved . The following actions are under way or under
examination :

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 5

( a ) The new Treaty on European Union provides in Title
XII that trans-European networks in the area of
transport infrastructure should contribute to the
establishment of the internal market and the promotion
of economic and social cohesion . In order to achieve

this dual objective, the Commission is establishing a
series of guidelines covering the objectives and broad
outlines of measures envisaged in the sphere of
trans-European networks .

The trans-European transport network ( TEN )
guidelines will define priorities in the framework of the
TEN and other Community policies and will be used to
provide an overview of all planned projects . The
network guidelines for the individual transport modes
or sectors and an intermodal approach will form the
basis for an improved coordination between the
existing financial instruments .

In the White Paper on the Future Development of the
Common Transport ( 2 ) it is also stated that the network
guidelines will provide a flexible tool for ensuring that
Community investment in transport infrastructure
forms part of an overall transport strategy .

( b ) The Commission and the EIB are currently
investigating the possibilities of improving the Article
21 consultation procedures established by the protocol
on the statute of the EIB by introducing upstream
information exchanges in addition to the current
consultation procedures, i.e. to have different services
involved at the early stages of project identification and
evaluation as regards financing by various instruments

( or combination of instruments ).

( c ) The Commission is currently examining the possible
establishment of a central data bank on TEN projects
receiving Community financial support from all

sources .

( d ) As for the Cohesion Fund, Article 6(2 ) of Council
Regulation ( EEC ) No 792 / 93 of 30 March 1993 ( 3 )
establishing a cohesion financial instrument, states that
the Commission shall ensure the coordination and

coherence between projects undertaken in pursuance of
this Regulation and measures undertaken with
contributions from other financial instruments of the

Community . Appropriate consultation procedures in
the matter have been established by the
Commission .

Preparations for drafting these networks are already under
way . Finally, guidelines will be prepared for the
Community 's intermodal system taken as a whole,
integrating the different networks . The objective will be to
optimize the contribution that each can make, in
combination with the others, to an efficient and safe
transport system which meets at the same time the
Community 's environmental objectives .

3 . The criteria for the approval of projects under the
Cohesion Fund are clearly stated in Article 8 of Council
Regulation ( EEC ) No 792 / 93 and they are applied by the
Commission in project evaluation and selection .

The European Investment Fund ( EIF ) will not provide grant
aid to projects but guarantees on loans . At a later stage,
it will also be able to take shares in companies etablished
at the start-up of large infrastructure projects . The draft
statute for the Fund states that its task is to help
finance trans-European network projects in transport,
telecommunications and energy infrastructures, as well as
the development of SMEs, on the basis of sound banking
principles . More detailed eligibility guidelines may be drawn
up at a later stage by the organs of the EIF, in which each
group of EIF shareholders ( Community, EIB and other
financial institutions ) will be represented .

4 . Trans-European networks in the area of transport
infrastructure should contribute to the establishment of the

internal market and the promotion of economic and social
cohesion . In order to achieve this dual objective, the
Commission is establishing a series of guidelines covering
the objectives, priorities and broad outlines of measures
envisaged in the sphere of trans-European networks . It is
intended that transport infrastructure projects submitted to
the Commission for funding under the financial instruments
directly or in reference to TEN ( Budget Line TEN, Cohesion
Financial Instrument, Edinburgh Facility and EIF ) will be
eligible if they comply with these guidelines . Projects to be
co-financed by ERDF or other financial resources will be
considered under the capillary transport systems that
complement the TEN for transport infrastructures .

The new ERDF Regulation ( EEC ) No 2083 / 93 ( 6 ) foresees
that investment co-financed by ERDF will contribute to the
establishment and development of trans-European
networks in the area of transport taking into account the
need to link peripheral regions with the central regions of
the Community .

(') COM(92 ) 231 final .

( 2 ) COM(92 ) 494 final .

( 3 ) OJ No L 79, 1 . 4 . 1993 .

( 4 ) Council resolution of 17 . 12 . 1990 .
2 . Trans-European network guidelines have been ( 5 ) COM(92 ) 230 final .

prepared for high speed trains ( ), combined transport ( ), ( 6 ) OJ No L 193, 31 . 7 . 1993 .
road and inland waterways . The system will be
completed with the development of network guidelines for
the other modes : conventional railways, maritime and
coastal shipping, ports, airports and air traffic control .

No C 240 / 6 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 278 / 93

by Klaus Hänsch ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 19 May 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 08 )

Subject : Information on the amount of EC assistance given

to North-Rhine / Westphalia from the beginning of

1989 to the end of 1992

During the period from the beginning of 1 989 to the end of

1992, how much Community assistance, and for what
purposes, was given to North-Rhine / Westphalia from the
following sources :

1 . the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF );

2 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee

Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guidance section ;

3 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee

Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guarantee section ;

1 . The European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF );

2 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guidance section ;

3 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guarantee section ;

4 . the European Social Fund ( ESF );

5 . the Community research programmes ;

6 . the Community programmes in the energy sector ;

7 . the Community programmes in the environment

sector ;

8 . other Community programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
4 . the European Social Fund ( ESF ); on behalf of the Commission

5 . the Community research programmes ; ( 12 January 1994 )

6 . the Community programmes in the energy sector ;

7 . the Community programmes in the environment

sector ;

8 . other Community programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 12 January 1994 )

In view of the length of its answer, which includes a number
of tables, the Commission is sending it direct to the
Honourable Member and Parliament 's Secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1279 / 93

by Klaus Hänsch ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

In view of the length of its answer, which includes a number
of tables, the Commission is sending it direct to the
Honourable Member and Parliament 's Secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1430 / 93

by Roger Barton ( PSE ), Jean-Paul Benoit ( PSE ), Jan Bertens

( LDR ), Rosaria Bindi ( PPE ), Franco Borgo ( PPE ), Pedro
Canavarro ( ARC ), Pierre Camiti ( PSE ), Maria
Cassanmagnago Cerretti ( PPE ), Peter Crampton ( PSE ),
Carmen Díez de Rivera Icaza ( PSE ), Antonio Fantini ( PPE ),
Gerardo Gaibisso ( PPE ), Lissy Gròner ( PSE ), Renzo Imbeni

( PSE ), Maria Izquierdo Rojo ( PSE ), Alexander Langer ( V ),
Nereo Laroni ( PSE ), Giuseppe Mottola ( PPE ), Edward
Newman ( PSE ), Dimitrios Nianias ( RDE ), Tove Nielsen

( LDR ), Gérard Onesta ( V ), Derek Prag ( PPE ), Tullio Regge

( PSE ), Claudia Roth ( V ), Maartje van Putten ( PSE ) and Ian

White ( PSE )

( 19 May 1993 ) to the Commission of the European Communities

( 94 / C 240 / 09 ) (9 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 10 )
Subject : Information on the amount of EC assistance given

to the Oberhausen and Duisburg employment area
from the beginning of 1989 to the end of 1992

During the period from the beginning of 1989 to the end of

1992, how much Community assistance, and for what
purposes, was given to the Oberhausen and Duisburg
employment area from the following sources :

Subject : The EC 's role in the Middle-East peace process

In view of the desire expressed by both the Israeli
Government and the representatives of the Palestinian
people for the European Community to become more

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 7

actively involved in supporting the Middle-East peace
process, what steps has the Commission taken or does it
intend to take at a moment of such historical

importance ?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )

The Commission is very much aware of the historic
opportunity offered to the Middle-East by the peace process
initiated in Madrid and has welcomed the breakthrough
represented by the Israeli / Palestinian agreement . It hopes
that the momentum created by this agreement and that
reached between Israel and Jordan on an agenda for
negotiations will be maintained and that further progress
will be made towards a comprehensive peace .

The Commission has proposed a substantial package of
assistance for Palestinian autonomy and has presented to
the Council draft negotiating Directives for a new agreement
with Israel .

The Commission contributes to the active, constructive and
balanced role which the Community and its Member States
play in both the bilateral and multilateral parts of the peace

process .

The Commission will continue to participate in missions to
Washington and to the region to maintain contact with the
co-sponsors and the regional parties with a view to
promoting progress in the bilateral negotiations where ever
possible .

In the multilateral, the Commission is active in promoting
regional solutions to the common problems of the parties . It
is undertaking work in fields covered by Community
initiatives . These include agriculture, electricity
inter-connection, roads and cooperative networks in the
Regional Economic Development Working Group of which
the Commission is co-chairman, with the Presidencey . The
Commission will draw on the 5 MECU for the Middle-East

Peace process which the Parliament included in the 1993
budget to advance work on Community initiatives taken in
all five multilateral working groups .

The Commission takes every opportunity arising in its
contacts with the parties of the region to advocate the
comprehensive peace agreement which is essential for their
security and economic development .

The Commission is examining the role the Community
could play in the international arrangements in support of a
peace settlement in accordance with the conclusions of the
Copenhagen European Council .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1460 / 93

by Henry Chabcrt ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(9 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 11

Subject : The Rhone-Alpes region in the European
Community

Can the Commission say what are the percentages of aid,
grants, support and subsidies of any kind given to the
Rhone-Alpes region ( particularly, but not exclusively, from
the various Community funds ) each year since 1986 ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 31 January 1994 )

In view of the length of the answer, which includes a large
number of tables, the Commission will send it direct to the
Honourable Member and to Parliament 's Secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 500 / 93

by Maxime Verhagen ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 14 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 12 )

Subject : Noise pollution from aerodromes

When will the Commission take steps to harmonize
environmental standards concerning noise pollution ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 January 1994 )

As indicated in the Commission White Paper on the future
development of the common transport policy C ), the
Commission is aware of the need to ensure that areas

surrounding airports are adequately protected against an
increase in noise volume caused by a growth in air

transport .

In this context, the introduction of a standard method of
calculation of noise exposure levels and standard noise
exposure indices is considered a priority for the common
transport policy . Such action will need to take account of the

No C 240 / 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

characteristics of individual airports as well as of the work
of the relevant international organizations .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1534 / 93

. by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities
( ! ) A global approach to the construction of a Community

framework for sustainable mobility ( COM(92 ) 494 final of 2
December 1992 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 526 / 93

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 14 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 13 )

Subject : Products used in ice-cream

The Federal Republic of Germany bans the sale on its
territory of semi-manufactured products for use in
ice-cream, though harmless to health, because they are
prepared using vegetable fats .

Community rules allow the trade in products which are
harmless to health .

What does the Commission intend to do to enable Italian

producers of semi-manufactured products for makers of
ice-cream prepared using vegetable fats to gain access to the
German market ?

Given that there are over 5 000 Italian small ice-cream

businesses in Germany, what measures does the
Commission intend to take to ensure that the above

products can be freely exported to Germany ?

Answer by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 14 )

Subject : Failure by Spain to implement Directives on

dentistry

On 6 August 1992 the Commission delivered a reasoned
opinion to the Spanish Government on non-compliance
with Article 5 of the EEC Treaty and Directives
78 / 686 / EEC ( ] ) and 78 / 687 / EEC ( 2 ) on dental
practitioners .

In this opinion the Commission called on Spain to adopt the
necessary measures within two months, a deadline which
elapsed a long time ago .

In the meantime the Committee on Petitions of the

European Parliament requested information from the
Commission with regard to No 719 / 92 of the General
Register of Petitions .

Can the Commission give as many details as possible
concerning the attitude adopted by the Spanish Government
and, in particular, say whether it is continuing to accept
professional qualifications whose holders have not carried
out the training required by Community law for qualified
dental surgeons, in accordance with the Spanish law of

1986 ?

(>) OJ No L 233, 24 . 8 . 1978, p . 1 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 233, 24 . 8 . 1978, p . 10 .

(5 January 1994 ) Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission is not aware of any ban in Germany on the (9 November 1993 )
sale of semi-manufactured products containing vegetable
fats for use in ice cream . It would draw the Honourable

Member 's attention to the amendments to food legislation
brought in by Germany on 1 January 1993 ( at the initiative Recognition by the Spanish authorities of third-country —
of the Commission ); they include a provision in Article 47a in meet particular the Latin-American minimum criteria — diplomas laid which down do not in
LBMG expressly authorizing the importation and sale of
food products lawfully produced and / or marketed in Directive 78 / 687 / EEC (' coordination of training of dental
another Member State, even in cases where such products practitioners ') is the subject of infringement proceedings
do not comply with German provisions . pursuant to Article 169 of the EC Treaty .

The Honourable Member 's question does not provide
sufficient information on the nature of the product, the
origin of the alleged obstacle or the identity of the
authorities concerned for the Commission to be able to take

effective action .

Those proceedings are continuing . The Commission is
currently awaiting the Spanish authorities ' reply to its
reasoned opinion and will take suitable action in the light of
that reply .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 9

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 723 / 93

by Honor Funk ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 June 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 15 )

Subject : EC aid for Baden-Wiirttemberg

Between 1985 and 1992, how much was received by
Baden-Wiirttemberg from the following European
Community funds :

1 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee

Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guidance Section,

2 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guarantee Section,

3 . Community research programmes,

spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE ), would appear to
increase the risk of cattle developing this disease, whose
transmissibility to human beings has yet to be ruled out . The
disease 's transmissibility to different animal species was
dealt with, in particular, in a paper given by Mr Richard
Marsh, a veterinary science researcher at the University of
Wisconsin, Mg, during the third international conference on
BSE held at Bethesda in December 1992, on the
transmissibility of the disease which, among other things, is
considered to have a long incubation period and to be

difficult to detect .

Is the Commission concerned about this problem ( and, if so,
has it achieved any results ?) and has the matter yet been
considered by the Community and its Member States ?

In what manner, and what conclusions have been
reached ?

4 . the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ), Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

5 . the European Social Fund,
(9 December 1993 )

6 . Community energy programmes,

7 . Community environment programmes,

8 . other Community programmes ?

For what measures were these appropriations
earmarked ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 13 January 1994 )

In view of the length of its answer, the Commission is
sending it direct to the Honourable Member and
Parliament 's Secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1762 / 93

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE )
and Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(2 July 1993 )

There is at present little data on the effect of products such as
bovine somatotrophin ( BST ). The problem is unlikely
therefore to arise in the Community . The Commission has
noted developments in the USA, in which the feeding of
meat from so-called ' downer cows ' has been associated with

the development of encephalopathy in ranched mink

( TME ). The evidence is anecdotal, but contacts have been
established with researchers in the USA, and the situation is
being closely watched . There is, however, at present no
confirmation of the existence of BSE in the USA .

The evidence from the UK suggests that the only significant
route of transmission to cattle is via infected,
inadequately-processed meat and bone meal . While
transmission from cow to calf and from cattle to cattle

cannot be ruled out, the incidence must be so low as to have
no effect on the progress of the epizootic . Similarly, it is not
possible to rule out a remote risk that BSE is transmissible to
humans . For that reason, the Commission, in 1990, adopted
rules to exclude the tissues likely to carry infectivity from the
food chain .

( 94 / C 240 / 16 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1781 / 93

Subject : Precautions in respect of the hormone
' sometribove '

The North American company Monsanto would like to
place on the market a hormone currently known as
' sometribove ', said to considerably increase milk
production in cows and increase the weight of beef
cattle .

A serious controversy has arisen between Mr Michael
Hansen, a biologist working for the Consumers ' Union and
a majority of the members of the consultative committee of
the Food and Drug Administration 's veterinary medicine
department . The use of this hormone in conjunction with
fodder supplements derived from carcasses and the remains
of diseased animals, which are a known source of bovine

by José Lafuente Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 12 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 17 )

Subject : Continuation of the loan arrangements provided

for in Article 54, second paragraph, of the ECSC
Treaty

Article 54, second paragraph, of the ECSC Treaty has
always allowed the Commission, subject to the assent of the
Council, to grant loans to finance works and installations
which contribute to increasing the production and
consumption of steel . This has been a way of boosting
production and consumption in themselves as well as

No C 240 / 10 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

carrying out industrial projects and major infrastructure
projects of Community interest .

Surprisingly, in recent months, and despite the grave crisis in
the Community steel sector, the machinery for providing
loans under this provision has ground to a halt and there has
been a clear lack of activity in this area . Behind these
developments lies a conspiracy of silence involving both the
Council and the Commission .

What are the reasons for the unexpected standstill which has
occurred in this area ? Has the Commission forced the

Council to abandon its inactive approach — which is
keeping the entire steel sector in a state of expectancy and
perplexity ? Should the Commission not state, clearly and
frankly, whether the facilities previously provided under
Article 54, second paragraph, of the ECSC Treaty are no
longer available and, if they are not, give the reasons ?

Answer given by Mr Christophersen

on behalf of the Commission

(5 January 1994 )

The question of ECSC financing under the second
paragraph of Article 54 of the ECSC Treaty is now part of a
larger question concerning the future of the Treaty . On 15
March 1991 the Commission submitted to the Council and

to Parliament its first reflections on this matter .

In its conclusions of 24 November 1 992 and 4 May 1 993 the
Council indicated a number of general principles . Copies of
the press releases on this matter have been sent directly to
the Honourable Member and to Parliament 's General

Secretariat .

Since the end of 1992 the Council, awaiting the outcome of
this debate, has not given its assent on any matter under the
second paragraph of Article 54 or under Article 56(2)(a ) of
the ECSC Treaty, despite Commission requests that it
should do so . The Commission is pressing the Council for its

assent .

having regard to Parliament 's resolution on artificial
insemination in vivo and in vitro ( 16 March 1989 ) ( 2 ),

having regard to Recommendation R(90 ) 13 of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to
Member States on pre-natal genetic screening, pre-natal
genetic diagnosis and associated genetic counselling,

having regard to Recommendation R 1046 ( 1986 ) adopted
by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on
embryos and foetuses for diagnostic, therapeutic, scientific,
industrial and commercial purposes,

having regard to the reports of the Working Group on
Human Embryos and Research ( HER ) ( March 1992 ) and
the Working Group on the Ethical, Social and Legal Aspects
of Humane Genome Analysis ( WG-ESLA ) ( December
1991 ),

1 . Is the Commission aware of the existence of a ' Gender
choice clinic ', enabling parents to choose the gender of
their baby ?

2 . Does it consider the choice of sex by human genetic
manipulation ethical ?

3 . Would it agree that a broad public debate on this issue

should be held in every Member State of the EC ?

4 . Has the Commission investigated the existence, the
procedures and the reliability of the methods used by the
London Gender Clinic ?

5 . Does it know whether other clinics exist in the EC that

offer gender choice ?

(») OJ No C 96, 17 . 4 . 1986, p . 165 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 96, 17 . 4 . 1986, p . 171 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 807 / 93 ( 11 February 1994 )

by Annemarie Goedmakers ( PSE )

and Rolf Linkohr ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 20 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 18 )

Subject : Practices of the London Gender Clinic

Having regard to newspaper reports about the London
Gender Clinic in the United Kingdom,

having regard to Parliament 's resolution on the ethical and
legal problems of genetic engineering ( 16 March
1989)0,

The Commission would refer to its reply of 10 March 1993
to Question No 88 by Mr Pompidou ( H-0143 / 93 ) on this
subject .

It is for the Member State concerned to determine what

investigation should be undertaken with regard to the
methods used at the Clinic mentioned by the Honourable
Members . The Commission is not aware of any other clinic
in the Community which offers a gender choice service to
the general public for non-medical reasons .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 11

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 875 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 15 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 19 )

Subject : Re-opening of the Merchant Seamen 's Hospital in

Athens

A 300-bed hospital in Greece has been closed for 16 years .
The hospital in question is the Merchant Seamen 's Hospital
in Melissia, Attica . The appointed management of the
' Seafarers ' Home ', which is also responsible for the hospital,
cites lack of money as the reason for its failure to reopen
either as a hospital for seamen or as a health centre for the
inhabitants of the area .

Is there any possibility of the Community helping, in
conjunction with the Greek authorities, to re-open this
hospital ?

temporary basis ( for five years ), and pending the
introduction of an electronic road pricing system valid
throughout the Community, a regional Euro-toll system for
the Benelux countries, Germany and Denmark based on the

( transit ) mileage driven by road hauliers in each of the
Member States ?

Is it true that reimbursements to the Member States will be

in proportion to the transit traffic over their territory ? Does
this not involve a charging system as originally proposed by
the Commission ?

Does the Commission agree that this measure runs counter
to the Court of Justice 's ruling in case 13 / 83 since

1 . it is unilateral, not based on equal conditions and
therefore discriminatory and it would impose a greater
burden on some Member States than on others ( Article
75(1 ), EEC Treaty ),

2 . the Court is of the opinion that plans applicable only to
part of the EC should not be adopted since the ultimate
aim is full liberalization, together with any
Answer given by Mr Millan accompanying measures that may be necessary ?
on behalf of the Commission

( 25 January 1994 )

The Commission is aware that the Merchant Navy Hospital
at Melissia-Attica has not operated during the last 16 years
due to lack of funds and, should the competent Greek
authorities so request, would be willing to examine the
possibility of supporting the recommissioning of these
facilities either as a seaman 's hospital or a local health

centre .

Such a project would of course have to conform to the
requirements of the Community regulations governing the
Structural Funds . In this regard, it should be noted that
assistance to investments in health-care facilities is aimed as

a priority at basic health equipment in under-equipped areas
in Objective 1 regions .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 198 1 / 93

by Florus Wijsenbeek ( LDR )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 19 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 20 )

Subject : Plans by the Netherlands Minister of Transport

and Public Works to introduce a regional Euro-toll
system for road haulage firms

Is the Commission aware that the Netherlands Minister of

Transport and Public Works wants to introduce on a

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )

Directive 93 / 89 / EEC of 25 October 1993 on the application
by Member States of taxes on certain vehicles used for the
carriage of goods by road and tolls and charges for the use of
certain infrastructures C 1 ) allows two or more
Member States to introduce a common system of user
charges ( regional disc scheme ) for use of their main road
network by heavy goods vehicles . Five Member States

( Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg and the
Netherlands ) have expressed their joint intention to
implement such a system .

The distribution among the Member States of the revenue
from these user charges will be calculated on the basis of the
vehicle kilometres driven by non-resident hauliers in the
Member States concerned . The Commission 's proposal ( 2 )
made no reference to such a system of distribution, as there
were no plans at the time to introduce regional discs .

In the Commission 's view, the introduction of this scheme is
compatible with the common rules on transport and with
the case-law of the Court of Justice, for the following

reasons :

— this is a genuinely common system, as provided for by

the Council Directive ;

No C 240 / 12 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

— the measure constitutes ' provisions referred to in
Article 75(1 )' within the meaning of Article 76 of the
EEC Treaty ;

— it does not entail any internal border controls ;

— it does not discriminate on the basis of the nationality of

the haulier or his place of establishment ;

— it imposes charges which correspond to the actual use of

the infrastructures pro rata temporis ( proportionality );
daily, weekly, monthly and annual rates will be
applied .

O OJ No L 279, 12 . 11 . 1993 .

What action does the Commission intend to take on these

requests from Parliament ?

f 1 ) OJ No C 42, 15 . 2 . 1993, p . 187 .

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 February 1994 )

( 2 ) OJ No C 311, 27 . 11 . 1992 . In a working paper on guidelines for Community action in
the field of education and training ( ! ), the Commission
proposes the rationalization of the various action
programmes so as to have two proposals for two
programmes, one on higher education and schools, the
other on vocational training and qualifications .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1986 / 93

by James Ford ( PSE ), Johannes Peters ( PSE ), Luigi Colajanni

( PSE ), John Tomlinson ( PSE ), Imelda Read ( PSE ), Christos
Papoutsis ( PSE ), Marijke Van Hemeldonck ( PSE ), Georgios
Romeos ( PSE ), Willem van Velzen ( PSE ), Joan Colom i
Naval ( PSE ), Michael Elliott ( PSE ), Christine Crawley

( PSE ), Raymonde Dury ( PSE ), Terence Wynn ( PSE ), Juan
Ramirez Heredia ( PSE ), Lissy Gröner ( PSE ), Detlev Samland

( PSE ) and Antonio La Pergola ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 19 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 21 )

Subject : Commission follow-up to EP resolution on
education of migrant children

Parliament 's resolution A3-0399 / 92 ( J ) of 21 January 1993
' On cultural plurality and the problem of school education
for children of immigrants in the European Community '
calls on the Commission to act on a number of issues, in
particular

— to make it easier for the EC Member States to assume

responsibility for the teaching of immigrant children 's
mother tongues, through appropriate reform of the
Structural Funds ( point 17 of the resolution );

— to make support for such teaching and for appropriate

teacher training available in the next phase of the Lingua
programme ( point 18 );

The Commission feels that it would be desirable for

measures under the present Lingua programme relating to
schools and teacher training to be linked with other
measures, the aim being to promote a European dimension
in the education provided by the school systems .

The Commission also believes that Community measures to
promote the learning of the languages of the Member States
should cover the teaching of the mother tongues of
Community migrants ' children, as well as training for
teachers responsible for such teaching . Similar
arrangements could also be implemented to ensure that the
children of workers who have returned to their country of
origin maintain the language knowledge they have acquired
while abroad .

In agreement with the Member States, the Commission has
established a plan of action setting out the priorities and
criteria for its measures in this field . This plan will serve as a
basis for proposals on the fostering of intercultural
education which the Commission will produce in the near
future as part of the new programme on education .

Lastly, the Commission is preparing a Green Paper on the
cultural diversity and education of the children of migrants
in the Community, which is intended to serve as a basis for
widespread consultation of the interested parties . Such
consultation will make it possible to spread the word about

Community action in the field of intercultural education
and to establish more precise guidelines for such action .

— to propose an action programme on intercultural (!) COM(93 ) 183 final .

education to the Council with a view to promoting the
integration of immigrant children and to broadening the
learning experience of all children in the Member States '
schools ( point 19 ).

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 13

Answer given by Mr Steichen

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2121 / 93 Answer given by Mr Steichen
on behalf of the Commission

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities ( 14 January 1994 )

( 26 July 1993 )

94 / C 240 / 22

According to the information at the Commission 's disposal,
there is no carry-over stock of currants in Greece or in any
Subject : Drinking water other Member State, nor has there been for many years .

Can the Commission say in which Member States drinking
water is privatized and does it have any figures for the
number of households whose water supplies are cut off each
year for non-payment of water bills ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2154 / 93

on behalf of the Commission by Robert Delorozoy ( LDR )

( 20 January 1994 ) to the Commission of the European Communities

( 26 July 1993 )

In Member States other than the United Kingdom the ( 94 / C 240 / 24 )
principal responsibility for providing a water supply lies
with either central or local government . In the United
Kingdom, responsibility for providing a water supply in
England and Wales lies with the private sector, whereas in Subject : Operation of the Phare and
Northern Ireland and Scotland responsibility lies with the
central and municipal authorities respectively . Nevertheless, A large number of technical assistance
in all Member States there is a varying degree of private

concluded with European Community

sector involvement in the provision of water, ranging from the Phare and Tacis Programmes
small-scale contracting out to wholesale franchising .

Subject : Operation of the Phare and Tacis Programmes

It should be noted that under Article 222 EC Treaty, the
Community is neutral as to the choice a Member State
makes between public and private ownership .

There is no requirement under Community legislation for
Member States to provide the Commission with
information about the number of households whose water
supplies are cut off each year for the non-payment of bills .
Consequently, the Commission does not have this
information .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 144 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 26 July 1993 )

94 / C 240 / 23

Subject : Marketing of currants

According to official data published by the Greek
Autonomous Currant Organization ( ASO ) stocks of
currants are still very large . Given that they are being
displaced on the European market by substitute products,
does the Commission intend to take the necessary measures
forthwith to ensure that they fetch satisfactory prices ?

A large number of technical assistance contracts have been
concluded with European Community companies as part of
the Phare and Tacis Programmes to assist eastern and
central Europe and countries formerly part of the USSR .
Certain ( short-term consultancy ) contracts are concluded
directly by the Commission . The role of the Commission in
the selection of consultants is frequently a determining
factor in the setting up of management units in these
countries . The Commission also recommends contractors

for projects directly administered by the authorities of the
recipient countries .

Many complaints have been made regarding the lack of
transparency of these procedures . In particular, it is alleged
that, in short-listing experts, greater attention is given to fair
distribution between the Member States than to efficiency .
A number of examples have been quoted, in particular,
where the Commission has recommended collaboration

between short-listed companies, thereby distorting free
competition .

1 . Can the Commission given specific details concerning
the way in which technical assistance contracts are
concluded within the framework of Phare and Tacis in

which it is directly or indirectly involved ?

2 . Can the Commission say what criteria are used in
short-listing consultants ? What redress is available for
companies unfairly excluded ?

3 . What steps will the Commission take to ensure

transparency of its own tendering procedures (a
requirement which it imposes on public contracting
authorities in the Community )?

No C 240 / 14 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 January 1994 )

procedures . It also replies to individual requests for
information on a daily basis .

The Commission therefore feels that the procedures
governing Phare and Tacis contracts are sufficiently
transparent : the success or failure of a given firm now
depends less on a lack of transparency or information than
1 . Technical assistance contracts for the Phare and Tacis
on its own ability to compete .
programmes are awarded in accordance with the
Communities ' Financial Regulation, Title IX ( External aid ),
Articles 105 et seq . and 112 et seq . These are public works
contracts for the beneficiary countries, and are generally
awarded on the basis of restricted invitations to tender

( Article 118 ), in which a limited number ( short list ) of
suitable firms is invited to bid .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2224 / 93

2 . The main criterion in the selection of the firms invited

to tender is their ability to carry out the tasks involved, on
the basis of objective criteria such as technical
qualifications, experience and availability . The Commission
is careful to invite as many firms as appears necessary to
obtain an adequate range of proposals and to achieve a
reasonable geographical balance . The purpose of Phare and
Tacis is not to procure contracts for Community firms, but
to provide the beneficiary countries with the technical
assistance they require to carry out their reforms
successfully . The Commission is therefore under no
obligation to deal with any particular consultancies, with
the result that no firm can be said to have been ' unfairly
excluded ' if it is not considered for a given invitation to
tender, or if a given list is closed when there are enough
qualified tenderers .

Interested parties are entitled to form consortia with other
firms or to participate as subcontractors in Phare and Tacis
tenders or contracts .

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 30 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 25 )

Subject : Use by Greece of Community funds

It is reliably reported that funds earmarked for Greece from
the ' Delors II package ' are not being used productively or in
accordance with the spirit, if not the letter, of the package
(' From the Single Act to Maastricht and Beyond ', (*). It
appears that the funds are being used for large-scale civil
service recruitment in order to win support for the present
government with a view to the next elections .

Can the Commission carry out a close investigation into the
use of Community resources ?

If ' anomalies ' are revealed, what specific steps will the
Commission take with regard to Greece ?

In these matters the Commission is governed by the general
judicial control procedures laid down by the EC Treaty . (M COM(92 ) 2000 .
There is no specific form of redress available to individual
companies seeking assured access to a given invitation to
tender .

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

3 . The Commission has a track record of working to
make these procedures as transparent as possible, and to
that end has set up a special information service to meet
companies ' needs . Indicative and sectoral programmes are
published as soon as they are adopted, detailing the projects,
the beneficiary countries and the amounts involved, and
giving specific information about the contractual
possibilities offered by the programme concerned . A list of
the national authorities responsible for implementation and
awarding contracts is also published . The Commission has a
register of firms interested in taking part in Phare and Tacis
projects, broken down by specialization, and participates in
numerous seminars and conferences throughout the
Community to familiarize local firms with Phare and Tacis

( 22 December 1993 )

No decision has yet been made regarding the allocation of
the resources made available to Greece in the programming
period 1994 — 1999 to specific programmes and
projects ( 1 ).

(!) OJ No L 79, 1 . 4 . 1993 .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 1 5

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2230 / 93

by Alexandros Alavanos ( CG )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 30 July 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 26 )

Subject : Establishment of ' infrastructure project
development companies ' in Greece

In the bill on arrangements in respect of tourism and other
provisions, the Greek Government is seeking to set up
' infrastructure project development companies '.

According to the Technical Chamber of Greece which is the
technical adviser to the Greek Government the

establishment of these companies will mean that executive
power will become autonomous and be exempt from social
or even legal control, public administration will be
marginalized instead of upgraded and the principle of
transparency and fair competition will be called into
question .

Since the activities of these companies will be funded under
the Delors II Package, this is a matter of Community
interest .

Is the Commission aware of this government bill and the
reactions of the Technical Chamber of Greece and, if so,
what are its views on this matter and what proposals does it
intend to make ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 21 December 1993 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to

the reply to the oral question H-755 / 93 by Mr Augerinos,
which it gave during question time at Parliament 's October

1993 part-session (*).

( x ) Debates of the European Parliament No 3-437 ( October
1993 ).

accounts for 60 % of the Italian crop and hence for 39 % of
the total European crop, has had to contend for many years
with a range of difficulties stemming first and foremost from
the distorted trading and cooperation relationship with
Turkey, whose total crop this year is expected to be
approximately 400 000 tonnes, 60 % of world
production .

1 . Will the Commission consider the option of drawing up

a detailed programme to redress the balance in favour of
Community producers and make good the discrepancy
between the production, health care, and social security
costs borne by European growers and their principal
competitors ? Expressed in figures, the discrepancy
amounts to ECU 1 000 per hectare, this being the
difference between costs in Europe ( ECU 1 250 ) and
costs in Turkey ( ECU 250 ).

2 . Will the Commission direct aid towards improving
quality — as is essential in order to meet the challenge of
the world market — and hence give preference to the
highest-grade class I and ' extra ' class products ?

3 . Beginning on 1 January 1994, will the Commission
abolish the 25 000 tonne duty-free quota, granted to
Turkey as a privilege, and use the resulting revenue to
promote research and development and launch a
genuine marketing policy aimed at protecting and
enhancing the reputation of the product ?

4 . Will it call on the T urkish Government to implement the
association and economic cooperation agreements by
making a financial contribution to the measures referred
to in point 3 and imposing an immediate freeze on the
unsold stocks it holds — currently estimated to stand at
120 000 tonnes — which must be earmarked solely for
alternative uses and not marketed in Turkey so as to
ensure that they do not find their way illegally on to the
Community market as a result of speculation ?

5 . In the light of the proposals put forward above, will the
Commission review current Community rules, which to
date have failed either to yield sound benefits or to draw
to the full on the financial resources available ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2255 / 93 Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission
by Giuseppe Mottola ( PPE ), Mauro Chiabrando ( PPE ),
Franco Borgo ( PPE ) and Ferruccio Pisoni ( PPE ) (6 December 1993 )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 27 ) 1,2 and 5 . In 1989 the Council, aware of the problems in the
nut and carob sector, which were caused in particular by the
failure of European production to adapt to demand,

hazel-nut growing in Europe, in adopted a series of measures to improve the technical

Italy conditions of production and to rationalize marketing .

Subject : Problems affecting hazel-nut growing in Europe, in

particular in Italy

It is a well-known fact that hazel-nut growing in Europe and
in particular in Italy, whose crop accounts for 65 % of the
total European crop, and Campania region, whose crop

The Commission considers that in the long term these
measures, whose objective is to adapt European production

No C 240 / 16 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

to market conditions, will have a greater impact on producer
incomes than any direct assistance .

3 . and 4 . The difficulties experienced by European
hazelnut producers are caused by a number of factors and
not exclusively by the provisions of the cooperation
agreement between the Community and Turkey . In fact, the
only respect in which this agreement diverges from general
arrangements is that it establishes a duty-free tariff quota of
25 000 tonnes, whereas in general customs duties are
consolidated under the GATT at 4 % for hazelnuts with or

without their shells and 0 % for hazelnut preparations .

The Commission does not consider that the difficulties in

the Community hazelnut sector are due to the exemption of
25 000 tonnes of hazelnuts from customs duties of 4% .

Over the last few years the Commission has been in touch
with the Turkish authorities to examine the market

situation . In particular, in response to the problems created
by the exceptional harvest of 1992, a Community
delegation went to Turkey in September 1993 to learn about
the market situation, 1993 production forecasts, any plans
by the Turkish authorities to market stocks from previous
years, and Turkey 's long-term policy regarding
production .

It learnt that the 1993 harvest will very probably be the
lowest on record, i.e. not exceeding 290 000 tonnes . Prices
paid to producers are already twice those of the previous
year, and export prices at the beginning of October had also
reached double the previous year 's level . The export of
stocks held by the Turkish authorities has been forbidden by
ministerial decree . These stocks will not be sold on the

internal market either . They will be distributed to
institutions of a social nature ( the army, schools, hospitals
etc .) or processed for oil . The situation will therefore
stabilize this year .

Moreover, the Turkish authorities have already started on a
policy reform designed to revive the sector by restricting
production and, in the long term, taking certain plantations
out of production in order to adapt supply to demand on the
world market .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2263 / 93

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

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 28 )

Subject : Limited participation of Greek undertakings in the

Phare and Tacis Programmes

According to Commission data, during the first three years
of the Phare Programme ( 1990 / 92 ) contracts worth a total
of ECU 218 million were concluded ; however, Greek

undertakings managed only to secure ECU 710 000 worth
of contracts, i.e. 0,32 % of the total . Furthermore, no Greek
firms whatsoever have taken part in the Tacis
Programme .

Will the Commission say what methods it intends to employ
to ensure that contracts are distributed among Member
States on an equitable basis and what specific measures it
intends to take in an effort to offset existing inequalities ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 17 January 1994 )

According to latest statistics, the total value of contracts
concluded with Greek firms is ECU 4,535 million for the
Phare Programme ( out of a total of ECU 793,512 million )
and ECU 2,857 million for the Tacis Programme ( out of a
total of ECU 497,037 million ). The number of Greek
companies involved in Phare and Tacis has therefore been
relatively small, as is also the case for some other Member
States .

Having said this, the purpose of the programmes is not to
procure contracts for Community firms, but to provide the
recipient countries with the assistance they require to carry
out their reforms successfully . In order to guarantee the
quality of this assistance, and in accordance with the
principles governing the management of Community funds,
most Phare and Tacis contracts are awarded on the basis of

invitations to tender .

Supplies contracts are almost always awarded following
international invitations to tender published in the Official
Journal of the European Communities .

Services contracts are generally awarded following
restricted invitations to tender, in which a limited number of
suitable firms is invited to bid . The main criterion in the

selection of firms invited to tender is their ability to carry out
the tasks involved, assessed on the basis of objective
yardsticks such as technical qualifications, experience and
availability . The Commission is careful to invite as many
firms as appears necessary to obtain an adequate range of
proposals and to achieve a reasonable geographical
balance .

Systematic inclusion of companies from a particular
Member State in restricted invitations does not, however,
guarantee these firms contracts . Tenders for both Phare and
Tacis projects are evaluated primarily on the basis of
qualitative factors .

With respect to Greek firms, the Commission would also
point out to the Honourable Member that it showed it was
aware of the need for more information by taking part in a

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 17

seminar organized in Athens on 5 April 1993 on the
initiative of the Greek Government . The seminar was

intended to provide these firms with all necessary
information regarding the conditions and procedures for
inclusion in an invitation to tender .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2283 / 93

by Annemarie Goedmakers ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 29 )

Subject : Lease of premises at 57-59 rue Froissart by the

Commission

1 . Is it true that the Commission has leased premises at
57-59 rue Froissart to be used as a training centre for the
Joint Interpreting and Conference Service ?

2 . Is it true that the monthly rental is Bfrs 450 000 ? If
not, what is the true figure ?

3 . Why did the Commission decide on a training centre
outside the Albert Borschette Conference Centre ( CAB )
which has all the necessary facilities ?

4 . Does the Commission think the facilities offered by the
CAB are inadequate ? Why ?

5 . How can the decision to lease premises for a training
centre for interpreters be reconciled with the blocking of
posts whereby no trainees can be taken on for the next 20
months ?

6 . Can the Commission confirm that the consultative

committee rejected the new building on rue Froissart for the
Committee on Health and Safety at Work ? What are the
implications of this decision ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 January 1994 )

The Joint Interpreting and Conference Service had had to
contend with cramped working conditions at the Borschette
Centre for over three years . It is for this reason that, as the
Honourable Member states, the Commission leased the
premises located near to the Borschette Centre . The monthly
rent for those premises is Bfrs 420 000, which, per m 2, is less
than half that of the Borschette Centre .

The building meets the requirements of the Conference
Interpreting Training Unit, which also continues to use the

facilities of the Borschette Centre, more particularly for
simultaneous interpreting exercises . Furthermore, under the
association or cooperation agreements between the
Community and third countries ( China, Turkey,
ex-Yugoslavia ) and under the aegis of the Tempus
programme ( Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Albania,
Baltic States ), it acts, as part of the ' Instructor Training '
programme, as host to lecturers from universities in those
countries .

As an advisory committee, the Committee on Health and
Safety at Work has to deliver opinions on the main
guidelines concerning premises to be used as workplaces

( even if it does not have to be consulted before a building is
actually occupied .

Serious consideration is always given to the observations
made by the said committee with respect to all buildings,
including the one referred to by the Honourable
Member .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2286 / 93

by Ana Miranda de Lage ( PSE )
and Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 30 )

Subject : Unfair competition from non-Community
producers of soda ash

Soda ash is a material of strategic importance to European
industry .

The European soda market, like the market in steel and

other products, is suffering from strains caused by imports
from outside the Community .

What measures does the Commission plan to take to prevent

unfair competition from non-Community producers so as to
protect this sector, which provides jobs for several thousand
Community citizens ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 1993 )

In June the Commission received a complaint from the
European Chemical Industry Council ( Cefic ) to the effect
that imports of soda ash originating in the United States
were being dumped and were causing material injury to the
Community industry .

The Commission gave notice on 6 August that it was
initiating an anti-dumping proceeding ( 1 ). Immediately
upon publication of the notice, the Commission began an

No C 240 / 1 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

investigation in accordance with Article 7 of Council
Regulation ( EEC ) No 2423 / 88 .

f 1 ) OI No C 213, 6 . 8 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2291 / 93

by Catherine Trautmann ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 31 )

Subject : Obstacle to the free movement of persons

In December 1992, the BASF company informed 21
employees of its La Wantzenau Technical Centre ( France )
and 30 employees of its Arnhem Technical Centre

( Netherlands ) that these bodies would cease operations in
July 1993 for financial reasons .

The 51 employees were transferred to the BASF European
Centre in Ludwigshafen ( Germany ).

For family reasons ( spouse 's place of work and children 's
schools ), the majority chose to go to Ludwigshafen alone,
leaving their families in France and the Netherlands
respectively .

These employees, who do not have ' border worker ' status,
are taxed in Germany as single people ( Category 1 ), since the
German tax authorities do not take account of their

dependants in calculating their income tax .

1 . What redress is available under Community law against

this obstacle to the free movement of persons ?

2 . What steps are being envisaged by the Commission to

eliminate distortion of this kind ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 December 1993 )

German legislation on wages tax ( Lohnsteuer ) lays down
that tax bracket III ( married couples ) applies only if both
spouses are subject to unlimited tax liability, i.e. they are
resident for tax purposes in Germany . Since, in the cases
referred to by the Honourable Member, both spouses are
not resident in Germany for tax purposes, tax bracket I

( single persons ) applies .

Reference has been made to the Court of Justice of the
European Communities for a preliminary ruling in a very
similar case ( Case C-279 / 93 Koln-Altstadt v Roland
Schumackers ) (').

In this case the Commission has taken the view that it is

contrary to Article 48 of the EC Treaty and Article 7(2 ) of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1612 / 68 to impose a higher level of
tax on a worker who carries on an activity in a Member State
without transferring his residence and has the nationality of
another Member State than on residents of that Member

State if he derives the main part of his income there .
Advantages linked to the family situation cannot be refused
on the ground that the members of the family are resident in
another Member State .

However, it should be pointed out that, if Germany were
obliged under Community law to apply tax bracket III to the
taxpayers in question, it would be possible in the
Commission 's view for the taxpayer 's other income and the
spouse 's income to be taken into account in determining the
rate of taxation .

The Commission would also point out that, quite apart
from the preliminary ruling mentioned above, it has
initiated infringement proceedings against Germany in this
connection under Article 169 of the EC Treaty .

As regards the Honourable Member 's question on redress,
the persons concerned may, by reliance on Community,
introduce individual actions under the relevant procedures
provided by German law in order to preserve any of their
rights .

(') OJ No C 177, 29 . 6 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2301 / 93

by Gianfranco Amendola ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 32 )

Subject : Projected opening of a quarry in Cavaglia —

Piedmont

Italy has not yet properly transposed into national law the
obligation to carry out an environmental impact assessment
with regard to projects listed in Annex II of Directive

85 / 337 / EEC (*), prompting the Commission to initiate
infringement proceedings under Article 169 of the
Treaty .

Paragraph 2(c ) of Annex II refers to the extraction of sand
and gravel .

An operation of this type, involving the extraction of
approximately 8 million cubic metres, is planned in
Cavaglia, situated in the Piedmont region ( Province of
Vercelli ), a sensitive area where other quarries and waste
incineration plants are already situated .

This project was approved by the Piedmont regional
authorities without an environmental impact assessment

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 19

having been carried out but is opposed by the municipal
authorities and environmental associations such as the

' Legambiente '.

1 . Does the Commission consider that this constitutes a

further violation by Italy of its obligations under
Council Directive 85 / 337 / EEC ?

2 . Will the Commission consider this case together with
others which have already been drawn to its attention
and bring pressure to bear on the Italian Government
with a view to halting the project until an environmental
impact assessment has been carried out ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(7 December 1993 )

The Commission has initiated the procedure provided for in
Article 169 of the EEC Treaty against Greece for failure to
meet the requirements concerning hunting which derive
from Directive 79 / 409 / EEC on the conservation of wild

birds .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2309 / 93

(•) OJ No L 175, 5 . 7 . 1985, p . 40 . by Sérgio Ribeiro ( CG )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 34 )
Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 1993 )

The Commission will be contacting the Italian authorities to
ask for their comments .

However, it would be useful to know why the associations
to which the Honourable Member refers are opposed to the
project in order to get a clearer picture of the project 's
environmental impact .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2304 / 93

by Carmen Diez de Rivera Icaza ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 33 )

Subject : Infringement by Greece of the Directive on the

conservation of wild birds

The Greek ornithological society has pointed out that Greek
regulations on hunting permit the hunting of various species
covered by Directive 79 / 409 / EEC ( 1 ).

Subject : Transnational dismissal strategy

Very recently Parliament discussed — and was quite right to
do so — the transfer of a Hoover plant from one Member
State, France, to another Member State, the United
Kingdom, as part of a transnational entrepreneurial strategy
reflecting — and aggravating — the subordinate role of the
social dimension in the construction of Europe .

Now Renault is sacking 323 employees from its factory in
the Setubal district in another Member State, Portugal, as a
result of its transnational strategy, and is transferring its
activities to another Member State, France, despite the
positive results achieved by this plant in Portugal and
without previously informing the Portuguese Government
which contributed some of the capital .

It would be easy to find other examples of this phenomenon
and it is to be feared that there will be many more cases —
with very serious social consequences — if nothing is done
to prevent the relocation process and to change policies and
strategies .

Will the Commission say what it intends to do to prevent the
spread of this phenomenon which is seriously aggravating a
social situation which is already very tense and does nothing
to overcome the economic crisis ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 December 1993 )

What urgent measures will the Commission take in response The Commission considers that the right to freedom of
to this serious breach of the Directive on the conservation of establishment, free movement of capital and goods, and
wild birds ? freedom to provide services within the territory of the

Community, constituting a central objective of the EC
Treaty, entitles companies to locate their business where
0 ) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979, p . 1 . they choose .

No C 240 / 20 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

The Commission is nevertheless aware of the potential disruption of the local markets in beef to the detriment of
social problems in the event of companies relocating from producers in these States ?
one Member State to another or to a non-member

country .

A number of proposals arising from the Commission 's
action programme for implementing the Community
Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers
address this issue ; the main aim in this context is to establish,
within Community-scale companies and groups of
companies, an information and consultation system
designed to ensure that employees are more fully informed
of decisions of this nature .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2355 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 35 )

Subject : Use of liquid gas to power motor vehicles in

Greece

In Greece only taxis may be run on liquid gas . Given that an
increasing number of motor vehicles are run on liquid gas in
Europe and that any vehicle, whether private or public,
passenger or goods, may be powered in this way, can the
Commission say why this distinction exists in Greece and
whether the Greek authorities intend to allow all categories
of vehicles to use liquid gas ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 February 1994 )

The use of fuels in Greece is governed by internal
regulations . The Commission suggests that the Honourable
Member contact the competent authorities .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 December 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the impact that increasing beef
exports to west Africa may have on local production and
trade in the region . On this basis, the Commission decided
to reduce by 15 % from 12 June 1993 the export refund for
certain beef exports to west Africa . Furthermore, the general
level of the export refunds for beef was reduced by 5 % from
31 July 1993 and again by 5% from 27 November 1993 .
The Commission is currently studying the evolution of
Community exports and of the market situation in West
Africa, and will come up with new proposals, where
appropriate, at a later stage .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2360 / 93

by Mark Killilea ( RDE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 37 )

Subject : The European Social Fund and the disabled

Can the Commission inform me, for the year 1992, in
relation to Ireland,

( a ) how many disabled people were assisted through the
European Social Fund, as part of specifically designed
programmes, and as part of general vocational training
projects,

( b ) what was the total amount of ESF funding spent on

training and other projects specifically for the disabled
in Ireland, and those of a general vocational training
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2358 / 93 nature of which disabled persons availed themselves ?

by David Bowe ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Flynn
( 94 / C 240 / 36 ) on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 1993 )
Subject : Dumping of subsidized beef in west-African
States

What action is the Commission taking to stop the dumping
of subsidized beef in west-African States which results in

With regard to ESF funding for the year 1992 allocated to
the general vocational training programme for handicapped
people in Ireland the position is as follows :

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 21

( a ) There is a specifically designed operational programme
in Ireland, co-financed under the Community Support
Framework to train disabled persons . The total number
trained in this Social Fund programme in 1992 was
6 290 people, of whom 3 870 were under 25 and 2 420
were over 25 .

( b ) The total ESF funding allocated in 1992 to the

Operational Programme for the Disabled amounted to
Ecu 34 million (£ Irl . 26,6 millions ).

In addition to the Social Fund programme, there are also a
number of small projects which were allocated financial
support from the Commission under the Horizon
Community Initiative Programme .

Under this initiative the total amount paid in 1992 to
various promoters amounted to £ Irl . 2,5 millions . The
number of beneficiaries in 1993 is 887 .

of 0,5% . This divergence can be partly explained by the
concentration of job losses in industry and construction,
where many more men than women work, and the
deepening recession across the Community .

Last May, the Commission adopted a communication on a
' Community-wide Framework for Employment ' ( 1 ). This
framework aims to put in place a strategic process for
concerted and collective action towards more

employment-intensive growth . The analyses and proposals
which will be prepared are designed to point out the main
ways in which the fundamental changes required to achieve
this can be effectively pursued across the Community .

Following the mandate given by the European Council
meeting in Copenhagen last June, the Commission prepared
a White Paper on employment, competitiveness and growth
for deliberation by the European Council at its meeting in
Brussels ( 2 ). The White Paper aims to draw as much
employment as possible from whatever level of economic
growth the Community can achieve .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-23 85 / 93 (') COM(93 ) 238 final .
( 2 ) COMÍ93 ) 700 final .

(') COM(93 ) 238 final .

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 38 )

Subject : Unemployment among men

Figures published by the EC Statistical Office ( Eurostat ) on
7 June 1993 show that unemployment among men has risen
faster than it has among women in recent months . This is
already being interpreted in some quarters as the result of
structural problems in the Community economy . Hitherto
during ' seasonal crises ', it was normally women who lost
their jobs . Since April last year, however, there has been a
greater rise in unemployment among men, particularly the
under-25s . How does the Commission explain this trend
and how will it respond ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 December 1993 )

Most of the additional jobs created in the Community in the

1980s were taken by women . While the number of men in
work in 1990 was only around 1 % higher than in 1980, the
number of women in work increased by almost 16 % over
the decade . In no other developed part of the world was the
divergence in rates of employment growth of men and
wonien so great .

This divergence was particularly pronounced in the
Community in the two periods of slow growth — in the
early part of the 1980s and after 1990 when total
employment either fell or failed to increased . Between 1980
and 1985 the number of men in work declined by an average

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2402 / 93

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

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 39

Subject : Planning and management of the Eapta ( Greek

Special Local Government Development
Programme )

The Greek Ministry for Economic Affairs is planning to
make resources amounting to 10 per cent of the regional
section of the 1994-1999 CSF available for financing the
Eapta ( Special Local Government Development
Programme ). This substantial amount of Community funds
is expected to give a great boost to local government
development programmes in Greece . Because of the
importance of the Eapta to local government, it is essential
that planning is carried out in a coordinated manner, with
specified areas of intervention, strict evaluation criteria and
a uniform drafting procedure . At the same time, the Eapta
— which is designed to restructure local government and
assist viable local government bodies — must be
incorporated into the Regional Operational Programmes

( ROP ) as a sub-programme measure .

However, some regions have ignored formal procedures and
started planning the Eapta on a piecemeal basis which has

No C 240 / 22 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

largely taken the form of allocating resources to the
prefectures . The result of this will be to fragment the
programme into a large number of small projects and
squander Eapta resources .

What are the Commission 's views on the planning and
management of the Eapta and does it intend to carry out the
necessary checks to ensure that Community resources
earmarked for the Eapta are not wasted on projects of lesser
importance ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 1993 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2450 / 93

by Barbara Diihrkop Diihrkop ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 41 )

Subject : Alcohol monopoly in the Nordic countries

Can the Commission confirm that it is able to accept the
proposed ASGM as an appropriate compromise in the
accession negotiations for Norway, Sweden and Finland
regarding the issue of the alcohol monopoly in the Nordic
countries ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

Although the exact arrangements are a matter for the Greek on behalf of the
authorities, the Commission shares the Honourable ( 14 December 1993 )
Member 's view that local development programmes in
Greece should be well planned, managed and coordinated .
With this in mind it will pursue its contacts with the Greek The Commission understands that
authorities on the most appropriate arrangements for the ' Alcohol Supply Guarantee
financing of these activities in the next round of Structural information which it believes is relevant
Fund assistance to Greece . to The Honourable Member

The Commission understands that ASGM stands for

' Alcohol Supply Guarantee Mechanism ' but has no
information which it believes is relevant to the issue referred

to by The Honourable Member .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2455 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2403 / 93
by Claude Desama ( PSE )

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )
(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 42 )
( 94 / C 240 / 40 )

Subject : Development of the European Mediterranean

coast

With regard to the new Community interventions in coastal
tourist areas of the Mediterranean, does the Commission
intend to use the resources of the Structural Funds

specifically to finance the integrated development of the
European Mediterranean coast ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 20 December 1993 )

Where the coastal tourist areas of the Mediterranean form

part of Objective 1, 2 or 5b areas they may benefit from
operations or measures to encourage socio-economic
development provided that they come under the joint
priorities defined in the Community support frameworks
drawn up in partnership by the Commission and the
Member States concerned .

Subject : Continuing obstructions at the Community 's
internal land frontiers

Since 1 January 1993, when the single market came into
being, checks have no longer been carried out on persons
and goods at the Community 's internal land frontiers .
However, numerous obstructions, for example series of
bends, bottlenecks, very low speed limits, diversions for
heavy goods vehicles, and so forth, which constitute real
dangers to road traffic, remain in place at the points where
customs inspections used to be carried out .

Do these obstructions not interfere with free movement of

persons and goods within the Community ?

If so, what steps will the Commission take to remove
them ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 December 1993 )

The removal of physical barriers to the free movement of
persons and goods is the cornerstone of the internal market .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 23

It demonstrates that the Member States have actually taken
the measures needed to create a single market . For the
majority of people and firms, it also represents the most
visible result of the internal market programme .

In this respect, although all the basic measures to remove
physical controls on goods have actually been taken, it is
clear on the other hand that the current situation concerning
the free movement of persons does not fulfil the objective of
Article 8a of the Treaty . This is primarily due to delays in
introducing accompanying measures which the Member
States consider to be an essential political prerequisite to the
opening-up of internal frontiers in the field of free
movement of persons . Though the continued existence of
old infrastructures may appear anachronistic, it arises from
the continuance of identity checks alone .

It is very clear that once this last obstacle to free movement is
removed, any inclination to retain control infrastructures
will lose its justification .

None the less, in order to gain as accurate a picture as
possible of the situation at the frontiers, independently of
problems relating to the free movement of persons, the
Commission has just launched a study on checks at internal
frontiers . This study will not only examine physical
controls, but also assess the efforts made by the Member
States to change the existing infrastructure and by national
administrations to change their ' traditional ' behaviour .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2459 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 43 )

However, the possibility of extending the Brussels
Convention to include family law matters has recently been
raised in the European Political Cooperation Group on civil
matters, and is the subject of a questionnaire to Member
States . It will be some time before an extension to the

Convention, if considered appropriate, would be effective in
this field .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2469 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 44

Subject : Designation of Kalymnos as European centre for

sponge fishing and trading

In view of the importance of the island of Kalymnos in the
organization of the trading and processing of sponges, will
the Commission assist to have Kalymnos designated
' European centre for sponge fishing and trading ?'

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 1993 )

Under Regulation ( EEC ) No 3499 / 91 (') the Community
has made financial contributions to measures to strengthen
the position of Kalymnos as a sponge-fishing centre and to
diversify the activities on the island .

The Commission is open to other initiatives for this
region .

Subject : Harmonization with the 1968 Brussels (!) OJ No L 331, 3 . 12 . 1991 .
Convention of legislation on family law matters

Which Member States have not yet harmonized their
legislation on family law matters with the Brussels
Convention of 1968 ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2489 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi (1 September 1993 )

on behalf of the Commission
( 94 / C 240 / 45 )
( 13 December 1993 )

The Brussels Convention of 1968 on the recognition and
enforcement of judgements in civil and commercial matters
excludes ( in Article 1 ) actions of status . These include
marriage, divorce and adoption .

Subject : Civil liability of operators of nuclear
installations

Article 130r of the EEC Treaty establishes the ' polluter pays '
principle . On the basis of this principle, when will the

No C 240 / 24 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

Commission lay down provisions in insurance law relating
to the civil liability of operators of nuclear installations for
any damage to persons, property and the environment ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

differentiate between the source of the damage, whether
nuclear-related or not, and which considers the problems of
insurability in relation to systems of civil liability for
environmental damage .

(') Two recommendations in 1965 and 1966 were made by the

Commission with regard to the harmonization of legislation in
the Member States concerning the application of the 1 960 Paris
Convention and its 1968 Brussels Supplementary Convention

(8 December 1993 ) ( 65 / 42 Euratom, OJ No 196, 18 . 11 . 1965, and Euratom, OJ No
136, 25 . 7 . 1966 ).

I 2 ) COM(93 ) 47 final .

Coverage of nuclear risks is dealt with in Article 98 of the
Euratom Treaty which provides that Member States shall
take all measures necessary to facilitate the conclusion of
insurance contracts covering nuclear risks . According to this
provision, measures implementing this principle should be
adopted through Council directives on proposal from the
Commission .

The objective of this Article is the elimination of restrictions
in the field of insurance services to cover nuclear risks within

the Community . It does not provide the Community with a
general competence in the field of nuclear liability .

Because of the adoption of the Paris Convention on Third
Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy in 1960 and
the response of the insurance industries to cover the nuclear
risk through the formation of market-wide pools, the
Community initiatives foreseen in Article 98 were not
considered necessary in the early days of the nuclear
industry ( l ).

It would not seem that this situation has changed markedly
today because of the increased consciousness of
responsibility for the environment . The provisions of Article

130 R of the EEC Treaty, as amended by the Treaty on
European Union, should be borne in mind . But the
appropriateness of the existing special nuclear liability
regime has specifically been recognized in recent
conventions dealing with liability for damage to the
environment .

In the 1989 UN Convention on Civil Liability for Damage
Caused during Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, Rail
and inland Navigation Vessels as well as in the 1993 Council
of Europe Convention on Civil Liability for Damage
Resulting from Activities Dangerous to the Environment it
is stipulated that the Conventions shall not apply to damage
caused by a nuclear substance if liability for such damage is
regulated by the Paris Convention .

All the Member States are parties to the 1960 Paris
Convention save Luxembourg and Ireland, which have no
nuclear installations on their territory . There is thus no need
for the Commission to take the initiative suggested by the
Honourable Member .

The Commission has published a Green Paper on remedying
environmental damage ( 2 ) which does not seek to

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2508 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 46 )

Subject : Transfer of refugee children in the EC

Throughout the world, an increasing number of children
have become fugitives as a result of wars, expulsions and
violations of human rights . In certain cases they are not
accompanied by persons responsible for their care . Since
some of these children have been transferred to Member

States of the Community and are in danger of expulsion, can
the Commission say whether measures have been taken to
solve this extremely serious problem by granting these
children the right of residence and taking steps to provide
them with an education and ensure their social and

psychological wellbeing ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 1993 )

The Commission agrees that unaccompanied minors
arriving in the Community as asylum-seekers deserve special
attention from the authorities concerned . As part of the
active interest it takes in this question, the Commission
participated in a seminar organized under the auspices of the
European Forum for Child Welfare on this subject on 22
and 23 September 1993 in Brussels .

Until the entry into force of the Treaty on F^uropean Union,
however, the subject fell within the scope of the
intergovernmental cooperation by Immigration Ministers .
The work programme adopted by the European Council in
December 1991 included the objective of introducing
approximation in Member States ' reception policies, of
which reception policies for minors can be considered a

part .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 25

Answer given by Mr Steichen

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2545 / 93 Answer given by Mr Steichen
on behalf of the Commission

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities (6 December 1993 )

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 47 )

Subject : Protection of the Gulf of Yera, Lesbos

The Mamidakis Company has erected fuel tanks in the area
of Skala Loutron at the east side of the entrance to the Gulf

of Yera on the island of Lesbos in contravention of

Community law . The village council chairman, Mr P.
Samartzis, points out that the Gulf of Yera has been
classified as an area of ' European interest ' and listed as a
corine biotope because of its great ecological value and the
number of endangered species living there which are
protected by Directive 79 / 409 / EEC (') and 92 / 43 / EEC ( 2 )
and the Berne Convention . In view of this, will the
Commission take steps to enforce Community legislation to
protect the Gulf of Yera on the island of Lesbos ?

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

( 2 ) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992, p . 7 .

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 December 1993 )

The Gulf of Yera on Lesbos is not included in the list of areas

of Community interest for the conservation of wild birds
under Directive 79 / 409 / EEC .

Directive 92 / 43 / EEC on the conservation of natural habitats

and of wild fauna and flora has not yet entered into force
and cannot therefore be invoked .

The situation described by the Honourable Member would
not therefore appear to constitute an infringement of
Community law .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2553 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

The Commission firmly rejects any suggestion that the
sheepmeat and goatmeat sectors are unfairly treated within
the Community .

Since the introduction of the sheep regime in 1980 both
Community production and consumption have risen
steadily . At the same time, imports, governed by a series of
voluntary restraint agreements between the Community
and the major supplying countries, have remained stable .
The Community 's obligations in respect of imports and the
very considerable difference between Community and
world prices for sheepmeat and goatmeat have ensured that
it is not in the Community 's interest to seek self sufficiency
within the sector .

The introduction of the premium quota regime within the
sheep sector was motivated by two important factors .
Firstly, the ever increasing expenditure on the sector in the
form of premia payments to producers was contributing
significantly to the Community 's budgetary problems .
Indeed, in recent years Community expenditure on the
sector annually has amounted to more than 5 % of total
funds devoted to agriculture while the sector itself accounts
for less than 2 % of total agricultural output . Secondly, as
quota regimes were being introduced in other major
agricultural sectors, to have left sheep and goat producers
unprotected by quota would have risked a sharp increase in
output, with knock on effects on prices, as producers in
those other sectors looked to sheep and goats as a means of
increasing income .

The developments and decisions outlined above confirm the
Community 's commitment to the sheep and goat sectors
and reinforce the Commission 's view that they are in no way
subject to unfair treatment .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2559 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE ) to the Commission of the European
to the Commission of the European Communities (1 September 1993 )
(1 September 1993 ) ( 94 / C 240 / 49 )

( 94 / C 240 / 48 )

Subject : Treatment of goatmeat and sheepmeat

Goatmeat and sheepmeat are treated in a discriminatory
manner despite the fact that there is a particular shortage of
these products in the Community . Does the Commission
intend to alter this situation ?

Subject : Dialogue between the Mediterranean regions and

the Commission on the management of
Mediterranean fishery resources

The region of Crete, responding to the request from the
Inter-Mediterranean Committee of the Conference of

No C 240 / 26 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

Coastal Peripheral Regions of the EEC which is
coordinating the opinions of the Greek regions on the
proposal for a Regulation on the management of fishery
resources in the Mediterranean, has proposed that the
Mediterranean regions and the Commission should
continue their dialogue so that the Regulation adopted is the
result of a proper partnership and respect for the
subsidiarity principle .

What is the Commission 's position on this proposal by the
Crete region ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 1993 )

The Commission is particularly anxious to receive feedback
from the various Community authorities and other bodies
concerned on the common fisheries policy and its
application .

When the Commission presented the policy for the
management of fishery resources in the Mediterranean, and
particularly its proposal for a Council Regulation
harmonizing certain technical measures in force in the
Mediterranean, it sought the opinion not only of
Parliament, but also of the Economic and Social Committee,
the Advisory Committee on Fisheries, etc .

Similarly, the Commission took an active part in the
meetings of the Inter-Mediterranean Committee of the
Conference of Coastal Peripheral Regions ( CRPM ) in
Montpellier, Seville and Rhodes where the management of
fishery resources in the Mediterranean was discussed .

The Commission will maintain its contacts with the CRPM

so that the profitable dialogue on the common fisheries
policy which has been established between the two bodies
can continue .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2600 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 50 )

Subject : Effective coordination of measures for the
promotion of economic and social cohesion

Does the Commission consider that action taken to

coordinate measures for the promotion of economic and
social cohesion are satisfactory, both within the
Commission 's area of political responsibility and with
regard to the authorities of the administrative services ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )

The Commission considers that the measures taken to

coordinate the promotion of economic and social cohesion
are satisfactory . The conditions in which recent work
preparing and negotiating the revision of the Structural
Funds took place, as well as the results of this work, have
shown the pertinence of these measures .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2610 / 93

by Sérgio Ribeiro ( CG )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 51

Subject : Participation of employees'organizations in the

banking sector in the implementation of a
Directive which concerns them

In view of the exclusive role accorded to bank employees in
the control of money laundering activities involving the
proceeds of illegal activities, i.e. drug trafficking, does the
Commission not consider that, when the Directive on
money laundering is transposed into national legislations
and regulations, there should at least be a principle or
recommendation that these employees and their
organizations should be consulted ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 28 January 1994 )

As indicated by the Honourable Member, bank employees

( as well as employees from other financial institutions )
indeed play a very important role in the effectiveness of the
measures adopted by the Member States in respect of
Directive 91 / 308 / EEC on money laundering ( ! ).

In order to enable these employees to play this role properly,
Article 11, paragraph 2 of the Directive imposes on credit
and financial institutions the obligation to take appropriate
measures ( for instance through training programmes ) so
that employees are aware of the anti-money laundering
provisions and are in position to know how to proceed in the
case of operations related to laundering of criminal
proceeds .

The views of the various sectors involved in the application
of the Directive, including financial institutions / employees,

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 27

were of course taken into consideration during the
discussion of this Community text . The procedure for the
implementation of Community Directives into national
legislation and the extent to which the different sectors
involved must be consulted in this process, falls within the
competence of each Member State .

0 ) OJ No L 166, 28 . 6 . 1991 .

The Commission therefore considers there to be no

discrimination between Belgian residents and non-residents
in the application of the tax .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2657 / 93

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2633 / 93 (1 September 1993 )

by Ben Fayot ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 52 )

Subject : Discrimination against Luxembourgish frontier

workers

Luxembourgish frontier workers employed in Belgium are
obliged to pay Belgian communes a 6 % State tax, called
' centimes additionnels ', on income tax .

However, these frontier workers live in Luxembourg, and
not in Belgium, and already pay national and local taxes
there .

Does the Commission not consider this to be a form of

discrimination against Luxembourgish frontier workers
employed in Belgium ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 January 1994 )

According to the information available to the Commission,
Belgian tax legislation makes provision for a municipal tax
of between 0 % and 10 % that is levied on the assessed level

of income tax (' centimes additionnels '). In the case of
persons deemed non-resident for tax purposes, this charge is
fixed at 6 % and is paid to the Belgian State ( Article 245 of
the Income Tax Code ).

The Commission regards these supplements as part of
income tax . This view is borne out by Article 2 of the
Belgo-Luxembourg Tax Agreement, which defines the
relevant taxes ( Article 2(3)(l)(d ) refers to " the taxation of
non-residents, including the ' centimes additionnels ' levied
on the said taxes and charges, and the municipal tax levied in
addition to personal income tax "). In the Commission 's
opinion, the fact that the ' centimes additionnels ' are shown
separately simply provides an indication of how income-tax
receipts are apportioned between the different political
subdivisions within a particular country .

( 94 / C 240 / 53 )

Subject : ' Relocation ' of public contractors and trade to the

detriment of the Community and the Member
States

It is becoming increasingly clear that companies and, what is
worse, public contractors are being relocated to third
countries . A French satirical weekly recently stated, without
identifying the person quoted, that ' Europe is like a sieve .
There are 57 ways of introducing relocated products on the
quiet '.

This trend, which is destroying present and future efforts in
the Community to promote employment is difficult to hold
back : national laws no longer require producers to state the
country of manufacture of a product to which, e.g. in the
textile sector, the finishing touches ( buttons, accessories )
may be added to make it a ' Community ' product, which is
then transferable throughout the Community .

Industrialists importing ' relocated ' products hypocritically
pretend to be opposed to the practice in order to avoid
competition in this respect . Consumers are taken in by the
prices which are significantly cheaper than those of products
actually manufactured in Europe . Those involved in these
relocation operations are obviously banking on the low
wages and absence of social charges in the countries where
they produce .

In view of this,

1 . How is it that the French State receives products ( e.g.

military uniforms ) under public procurement contracts
from Mauritius and Tunisia ( Mauritius itself is involved
in relocation operations in Madagascar )?

2 . What action has been taken on the findings of the recent

French Senate Committee of Inquiry at European
level ?

3 . What are the 57 ' holes ' in the European sieve ?

4 . What of the crisis among French ( and other ) fertilizer

No C 240 / 28 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

producers who cannot compete with the dumping
measures by eastern European countries ?

5 . Are operations such as the ' World Relocation
Exhibition ', held in Paris in November 1 991, acceptable
in the light of the statements made by the Community
authorities and the governments of the Member States,
according to which this will add a further five million
redundancies to the present gloomy forecast ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 1994 )

The relocation of industrial activities to countries with

lower production costs must be seen in the context of the
globalization of the world economy that took place in the

1980s and the interdependence that has subsequently been
created between the countries concerned . The negative
repercussions for employment are indeed worrying, but it is
important to identify the real, long-term causes of the
phenomenon, which the Commission did with its White
Paper on employment, which was presented to the Brussels
European Council of December 1993 . It is also worth
highlighting the fact that as much as 81 % of the world 's
foreign investment goes to the developed countries .

The link between relocation and unemployment has not
been proven, and any assessment of the external factors
influencing employment must also allow for the jobs created
by third country investment in Europe . Job losses in Europe,
whether they are linked to relocation or not, generally reflect
a lack of competitiveness on the part of the European
manufacturing sector . Competitiveness must be evaluated in
terms of a number of factors . These include : employment
costs — these are significantly higher in Europe, but their
impact on total production costs ( 20-25 % on average,
according to the OECD ) must be seen in perspective ; and
macroeconomic indicators particularly the substantial
impact of exchange rates, the cost of capital, the quality of
training and the workforce and the economy 's physical and
technical infrastructure . The largely structural nature of
Europe 's current unemployment problems calls for proper
analysis followed by pro-active policies to implement the
structural measures required in all the areas concerned . The
purpose of such policies would be to enable Europe 's
economies to benefit from the world 's free trade

arrangements, while ensuring that the human costs of any
restructuring remain bearable .

The replies to the Honourable Member 's specific questions
are as follows :

1 . Public procurement contracts are the responsibility of
the Member States .

2 . and 5 . The French Senate report on relocation has
been closely examined by the Commission, particularly

with regard to the concern it expresses for the
employment situation in Europe .

3 . The Commission has a number of options for the
prevention of import fraud at its disposal, which it can
bring to bear in response to detailed information . It
intends to submit a proposal to the Council in the near
future with a view to improving the efficiency of
anti-dumping measures .

4 . The Commission is aware of the problem of dumped
fertilizer imports that cause injury to the Community
industry .

The Commission and the Council have for several years
applied Community anti-dumping measures to imports of
certain fertilizers originating in eastern European countries .
A good example is provided by imports of urea from the
USSR, which have been subject to a quantity undertaking
since November 1987 . The Commission was recently
notified of two procedural initiatives on the part of the
Community fertilizer industry :

— requests for a review of measures taken in the past when

the countries concerned were exporting under the aegis
of a centralized system, these measures having ceased to
be appropriate with the liberalization of exports of urea
from the CIS, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and
potassium from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine ;

— fresh anti-dumping complaints with regard to imports of

new fertilizer products from eastern Europe, namely
ammonium nitrate from Russia and other CIS countries,
and urea and ammonium nitrate mixtures from Poland

and Bulgaria .

The Commission immediately opened investigations which
are either at an advanced stage or have already been partly
completed with the imposition of specific measures .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2533 / 93

by Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 54 )

Subject : Application of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC to the Loire

Estuary ( France )

Since 1 980 the Loire estuary has been designated by France
as an important site in need of protection under the terms of

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 29

Council Directive 79 / 409 / EEC ( ); its ornithological value
fulfils all the Community criteria for it to be included in the
network of sites of Community importance ( Special
Protection Areas ).

However, 13 years later this area does still not have
protected status, and the management of the autonomous
port of Nantes / St Nazaire is asking the Pays de Loire region
to include one of the estuary 's last extensive reed-beds

( Donges Est area ) in the next state — region planning
contract, so that the port 's facilities can be extended into this

area .

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2533 / 93 and E-2714 / 93

given by Mr Paleokrassas
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 February 1994 )

The Commission had laid before it a complaint made inter
alia by Mr Raffin concerning the facts mentioned by the
Honourable Members .

area . It has contacted the French authorities in order to obtain

information concerning the possible classification of the
Loire Estuary as a special protection area . In accordance
Directive 79 / 409 / EEC clearly states that Member States with the procedure applying to complaints the Commission
have an obligation to preserve habitats considered essential has informed the plaintiffs of the action it has taken .
for the survival of bird species .

What action does the Commission intend to take to ensure

that France fulfils its obligations to the Community in this
area ?

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

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2714 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2764 / 93

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

( 28 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 56 )

Subject : Re-cycling domestic water

Boissière ( V ) What proposals does the Commission have to encourage

domestic users of water to re-cycle it ? Does it agree that

of the European Communities substantial savings could be made in the cost of water

September 1993 ) treatment and in reducing the wastage of water by this

94 / C 240 / 55 means ? What financial resources will it commit to such a
programme ?

by Bruno Boissière ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(8 September 1993 )

Subject : Destruction of an area of biological interest

The district of Donges ( Basse-Loire, France ) possesses an
area of exceptional biological interest which appears in the
list of natural areas with flora and fauna of special interest .
Because of its wealth of plant and animal species, this site is
covered by the Directive on the protection of natural and
semi-natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora .

Despite its outstanding quality, the area is seriously
threatened by a project to develop the estuary . The
autonomous port of Nantes / Saint-Nazaire proposes to
create a new industrial zone at Donges Est, which will
involve extending the quayside the length of the estuary
banks .

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 December 1993 )

Council Directive 91 / 271 / EEC concerning urban waste
water treatment obliges Member States to reuse, while
minimizing the adverse effects on the environment :

— treated waste water, whenever appropriate ( Article
12 );

— sludge arising from waste water treatment, whenever

appropriate ( Article 14 ).

The Commission is fully aware that substantial savings can
What action does the Commission plan to take to prevent be made in the cost of water treatment through appropriate
the destruction of this important natural area ? re-use, notably in the industrial sector .

No C 240 / 30 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

It has already supported some specific pilot projects in this
field, notably through the Medspa programme .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2781 / 93

by Vassilis Ephremidis ( CG )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 28 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 57

Subject : The Commission 's objections concerning
employers ' contributions to the Lawyers ' ( social
security ) Fund

Under Greek legislation, the income of the Lawyers ' Fund
includes employers ' contributions, which correspond to

1,3 % of the value of the object of every contract concluded
by means of a document authenticated by a notary and
0,5 % of the funds of every commercial company formed
used for the publication of its articles of association .

In a letter from Mrs C. Scrivener, the Commission of the
European Community claims that those sources of income
are incompatible with Directive 69 / 335 / EEC O, as
amended by Directive 85 / 303 / EEC ( 2 ), on the ground that
they are taxes which are levied at a rate which exceeds that
permitted by those Directives .

On what legal basis does the Commission describe as ' taxes '
the income of social security funds from ' companies and
associations of persons and / or legal persons ', thus altering
their nature as employers ' contributions, as defined by
Greek law and the relevant ministerial declarations made

during the adoption of the relevant laws ?

At what stage is the entire procedure ?

(!) OJ No L 249, 3 . 10 . 1969, p . 25 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 156, 15 . 6 . 1985, p . 23 .

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1993 )

The Commission takes the view that Greece is not

complying with its obligation under Directive 69 / 335 / EEC
of 17 July 1969 concerning indirect taxes of the raising of
capital . Article 10 of that Directive stipulates that, apart
from capital duty ( the maximum rate of which is 1% ),
Member States are not to charge, with regard to companies,
firms, associations or legal persons operating for profit, any
taxes whatsoever in respect of registration or any other

formality required before the commencement of business to
which a company, firm, association or legal person
operating for profit may be subject by reason of its legal
form . This definition includes any contribution, regardless
of its purposes, that is calculated on the tax base for capital
duty .

The Commission does not make public details of
infringement proceedings ( Article 169 of the EC Treaty )
until the reasoned opinion has been delivered . It considers
that the exchange of views with the Member State
concerned will, in this way, more easily result in an

agreement .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2793 / 93

by Winifred Ewing ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 28 September 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 58 )

Subject : EC assistance to Angola

Can the Commission state what assistance it is currently
giving to Angola which is experiencing severe difficulties
since the collapse of the peace process ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 December 1993 )

The Honourable Member will certainly recall that the
Development Council of 28 November 1991 decided that
the Commission and Member States would participate
together in Angola 's social and economic reconstruction, in
the framework of a Community platform .

Besides a programme supporting the electoral process of

1992, the platform includes a Social Stabilization
Programme ( SSP ) designed to bridge the gap between past
emergency and food-aid operations and future long-term
development projects . Using substantial Lome IV 's
non-programmable resources and Commission 's budgetary
funds, the SSP scales up the National Indicative Programme

( NIP ) resources available for social projects . It should be
recalled that the Seventh EDF 's NIP, agreed in 1992,
stressed the importance of the social and economic
re-integration of more than one million displaced people .

After the 1992 elections and following the renewed
outbreak of civil war, the Community again took up large
scale emergency and food-aid operations . Last May, after

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 31

assessing the situation on a regional basis, the Community
re-launched the SSP in Luanda and in south-western

provinces, where the security conditions allow for the
continuation of previous Community efforts .

This SSP 's new phase is to be funded not only by further
Lome IV non-programmable resources and Commission 's
budgetary funds, but also by re-allocated NIP funds . In fact
the accrued need for social rehabilitation projects, combined
with the reduced opportunities for other development with
projects foreseen by the NIP, fully justifies the re-allocation
of the NIP resources agreed with the Government of
Angola .

In this context Community efforts have been focused on the
alleviation of the Angolan people 's suffering . Aid provided
to this end in the last 12 months may be summarized as
follows :

( MECU )

( a ) Emergency aid
— in 1992 — last quarter 2,0

— in 1993 . . . 6,0

( b ) Direct food aid :

— decided in 1993 ( distribution in 1993-94 ) 15,0

( c ) Post emergency ' rehabilitation ' projects ( λ )
— in 1992 — last quarter ( PSS, First phase ) 5,7
— in 1993 — after 25 May 1993 ( PSS, Second 21,0
phase )

49,7

f 1 ) Figures adjusted to avoid double counting of operations financed by

special use of emergency and food-aid specific funds .   

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2808 / 93

by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 59 )

Subject : European participation in the AIES

The seminar on the AIES ( Adaptive Intelligence Energy
System ) held in Brussels in February 1993 was organized by
the Commission ( DG XIII ) and two Japanese research
institutes according to information published by DG
XIII .

Why were no European research institutes involved in the
organization of the seminar ? What stage of development has
been reached in the JRC 's admirable research as regards the
Beames prototype ? When is it envisaged that trials of this
prototype might take place, perhaps even in the European
Parliament 's own buildings ?

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 1993 )

The AIES ( Adaptive Intelligent Energy Systems ) was held in
Brussels in February 1993 by Professor Hutchinson

( Cranfield Institute of Technology — United Kingdom ) and
Aida ( International Foundation for Artificial Intelligence —
Japan ). The Commission helped to fund this symposium

( roughly 10 % of the overall budget ) and helped in drawing
up the programme for this . The JRC 's activities ( Beames
projects ), and also the European Combine initiative were
described at the symposium .

The JRC has received around 20 requests for information on
the Beames prototype including expressions of interest from
research organizations with whom the system could be
further developed in a network .

Demonstrations of the prototype may be made upon request
to Community institutions, including Parliament .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2809 / 93

by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 60 )

Subject : MINT and its possible contractors in Spain

A new project called MINT ( Managing the Integration of
New Technologies ) has been initiated under the Sprint

programme .

According to information published by DG XIII, this
initiative will be managed through a decentralized system . It
appears that sixteen contractors or subcontractors have
already been chosen specifically to help SMEs in the use of
new technologies . The names of French, German, Italian
and British companies are mentioned in this connection .

Can the Commission indicate what Spanish companies have
been included in this initial selection ? If none, can the
Commission explain their absence ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 1993 )

The MINT initiative ( Managing the Integration of New
Technologies ) is part of the Sprint programme ( Strategic

No C 240 / 32 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

Programme for Innovation and Technology Transfer )
designed to promote the take-up of new technologies by
SMEs . SMEs will be provided with Community financial
assistance to encourage them to carry out audits to assess
their potential for using new technologies and innovation
management techniques .

MINT is being implemented on a decentralized basis via
national and regional bodies proposed or designated by each
Member State in consultation with the Commission . In

Spain, the national body responsible for implementing
MINT is the Institute dc la Pequena y Mediana Empresa
Industrial — Madrid . It will be assisted at regional level by
the following organizations :

Mr Gascon sums up the situation when he speaks of

'
The lack of control over imports from third countries —
the breach represented by the port of Rotterdam . .

Can the Commission comment on these authoritative

opinions and say whether the figurative, or real, breach of
the port of Rotterdam will sink the economy of the
European Community ?

— Instituto de Fomento Andaluz — Sevilla Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

— Instituto de Fomento Regional de Asturias — Llanera ( 13 December 1993 )

— Consejería de Industria y Turismo — Dirección General

de Industria Toledo

— Cidem — Barcelona

— Instituto Catalan de Tecnologia — Barcelona

— Instituo Madrileño de Desarrollo — Madrid

— Instituto de la Pequeña y Mediana Industria de la

Generalidad Valenciana — Valencia .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-28 12 / 93

by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 61 )

Subject : ' The breach of the port of Rotterdam '

One of the leading lights of Spanish economic life who for
many years has worked hardest to strengthen European
feelings and the European spirit in Spain recently issued a
warning against the social dumping from which the
Community is suffering as a result of the wage differences
between the Twelve and certain countries which could

destroy our industrial and agricultural fabric with their
exports . Mr Lorenzo Gascon said (' La Vanguardia ',
Barcelona, 5 August 1993 ):

' One cannot aim to compete on an equal footing with
goods produced by workers whose average monthly pay
ranges from 100 to 200 dollars, who have no social
security, work 2 500 hours per year ( as compared to our

1 700 ) and are subject to an iron labour discipline . In
other words, goods produced in democratic States with a
free people cannot compete with countries whose social
and pay structure is close to slavery '.

The shift in manufacturing to countries with lower
production costs must be seen in the light of the
Community 's direct investment flows as a whole, the
increasing globalization of the economy in the 1980s, and
the resulting ties of interdependence . It is important to
distinguish the real, long-term causes of the phenomenon ;
that is what the Commission set out to do in drafting the
White Paper on employment .

Companies shift production overseas for two reasons : direct
investment abroad may give them a foothold in new
markets, or, in countries which have a comparative cost
advantage, it may allow them to sub-contract production
more cheaply .

In fact, less than 10 % of direct Community investment goes
to countries with lower production costs ; the rest is aimed at
industrialized countries, where the key objective is to
maintain or develop a Community presence in export
markets .

Even where investment does go to developing countries, one
has to bear in mind that these countries are markets as well

as competitors . To be able to buy European exports,
developing countries need growth and they need to export a
proportion of their output to Europe . The Community has a
trade surplus with developing countries : against every 10
jobs that they gain, in theory, from having lower production
costs, one has to balance the 15 jobs the Community could
possibly lose if they stopped buying from us .

In fact, Europe 's job losses more often reflect a fall in the
competitiveness of Europe 's production process .
Competitiveness is a function of a number of factors : labour
costs, which are markedly higher in Europe, although their
impact must be put into perspective ( they account for 20 to
25 % of production costs on average, according to the
OECD ); macroeconomic balances, strongly influenced by
exchange rates ; the cost of capital ; the standard of training
of the work force, and the economy 's physical and technical

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 33

infrastructure . Europe 's current unemployment is largely
structural . This calls for a review of the problem as a whole
and a proactive policy to introduce structural measures in all
these areas . The goal should be to enable Europe to take
advantage of global free trade while ensuring that the
human cost of the restructuring involved remains
bearable .

Trade protection measures beyond those we already have
would not provide a long-term solution to the phenomenon
of job losses, and they are liable to cause a chain reaction
which would jeopardize international free trade . One must
remember that Europe has benefited from the opening up of
world markets under the GATT, and that exports are a
major source of employment to the Community . It is
precisely in the newly industrializing countries, and in
eastern Europe, that demand for Community products is
rising fastest .

The Commission and the Member States have sufficient

means at their disposal to counter any illicit imports, and
they use them systematically, acting on specific information .
However, exporters in the Member States need port
services, and transport services in general : these activities
also generate employment, in the ports and in European
factories producing for non-Community markets . In
conclusion, then, we have to maintain and improve the
Community 's defence against unfair foreign competition,
but the open trading system remains a keystone of Europe 's

economy .

abovementioned cases are true, then they certainly represent
abusive practices . Is the Commission aware of these or of
similar cases ? Does the Commission feel that it would be

possible to harmonize this commercial practice or, at least,
to recommend certain criteria which could be implemented
by the competent authorities of the Member States ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 November 1993 )

The Commission is aware of these practices and shares the
concern of the Honourable Member .

The Commission can only hope that the most blatant abuses
will disappear as a result of competition between hotels and
through people making more use of public call boxes, which
can be found increasingly frequently in hotel lobbies
nowadays, and of phone cards . These give the caller access
to any national or international correspondent and also to a
wider range of services . Calls are billed direct to the caller 's
home, thus by-passing the hotel completely .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2823 / 93

by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-28 16 / 93 ( 94 / C 240 / 63 )

by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 62

Subject : Telephone rates charged by many hotels

A recent press report ( Philip Crawford, International
Herald Tribune, Paris, 30 July 1993 ) confirmed what a lot
of travellers, and we ourselves, already know : the excessive
surcharges on international, and sometimes also national,
telephone rates for calls made from hotels .

Some of the examples quoted are quite remarkable : a call
from Vienna to Germany can cost 380 Austrian Shillings, of
which 293 end up in the Austrian hotel 's coffers ; 75 % of the
cost of a call from Amsterdam to Frankfurt or Madrid serves

to increase the hotel 's profits ; and in the United Kingdom
the charge is over twice the official rate .

It is perfectly legitimate for hotels to impose a surcharge for
the use of their telephone systems ; however, if the

Subject : The spread of, and possible inocculation against,

malaria

Recent reports by the World Health Organization quoted in
several newspapers ( e.g. The Times, London, 23 August
1993 ) concur in noting that malaria, in a strain which is
resistent to traditional medication, is once again a pandemic
affecting sub-saharan Africa and large parts of Central and
South America in particular .

At the same time, the Colombian Government is backing
research by Dr Manuel Elkin Patarroyo who believes that he
has found a vaccine, called ' P. Falciparum ', said to be
effective in 70 % of cases for some age groups and in 40 % of
all cases . A WHO spokesperson is quoted as saying that it
represented 'a very important step forward ' ( Foreign
Report, 2259, 17 June 1993 ).

Does the Commission have any new information on this
matter, which is of great importance to health in general
and, in particular, to peoples with strong links to the
Community ?

No C 240 / 34 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 December 1993 )

Malaria is still one of the most widespread and serious
diseases in developing countries . Records show that the
incidence is more than 100 million cases a year and that it
causes over 1 million deaths a year, mostly among children
in countries south of the Sahara .

The Commission is aware of the research on the vaccine
against Plasmodium falciparum ( codenamed Spf66 )
synthesized by Dr Patarroyo and is monitoring
developments with interest . Human field trials are currently
being conducted, particularly in Tanzania and with the help
of the WHO and several teams, including that of
Dr P. Alonso of the Barcelona Hospital Clinic, and the
support of the Spanish Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Cientificas .

The Commission is also financing several research projects
on malaria vaccines under a programme with the title ' Life
Sciences and Technologies for Developing Countries '.

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2839 / 93

by Alex Smith ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 64 )

Subject : Group of Experts meeting of 3 to 5 February 1992

in Cumbria

Will the Commission publish the names of the experts in
attendance at the Group of Experts meeting held in Cumbria
on 3-5 February 1992 pursuant to the information provided
by the United Kingdom Government and British Nuclear
Fuels under the provisions of Article 37 of the Euratom
Treaty, on the Thorp nuclear facility at Sellafield,
and will the Commission list all the documents by title
included in the submission to which general reference
is made in the Commission opinion of 30 April 1992

( 92 / 269 / Euratom O )?

(!) OJ No L 138, 21 . 5 . 1992, p . 36 .

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 1993 )

The documentation received from the United Kingdom

Government and examined at the above meeting consisted

of a single report entitled, ' General Data relating to the
arrangements for disposal of radioactive wastes as called for
under Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty '. As is normal
practice, this was a report prepared and submitted by the
Member State to the Commission, specifically for the
purposes of Article 37 . The report was considered by the
Commission and the experts in advance of the above
meeting which allowed additional information and
clarifications to be obtained at that time . The list of experts
participating in the meeting is being forwarded direct to the
Honourable Member and the Secretariat-General of the

Parliament .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2842 / 93

by Alex Smith ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 65

Subject : Environmental sustainability and industrial
development in Europe

What information has the Commission received on the

work and publications of the European Foundation for the
Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, and what
steps has it taken to overlap the proposals prepared by the
foundation on environmental sustainability and industrial
development in Europe ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 1993 )

The Commission is regularly informed about the work and
publications of the European Foundation for the
Improvement of Living and Working conditions inter alia
through its two representatives on the Board of the
Foundation . The Commission has noted with interest the

publications ' Industrial relations and the Environment in
the EC ' ( October 1991 ) and ' Structures et tendances d'une
Environmentalisation des relations industrielles dans les

pays de la CEE ' ( July 1992 ), which are based on national
reports and on case studies and give a clear indication of
how the social partners can contribute to better industrial
relations and to the reduction and prevention of serious
environmental problems .

The results of the work and publications of the European
Foundation are taken into account in the implementation of
the Fifth Environment Action Programme, ' Towards
Sustainability '.

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 35

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2848 / 93

by Alex Smith ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2854 / 93

by Henry McCubbin ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 ) (4 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 66 ) ( 94 / C 240 / 67 )

Subject : Lascar report on nuclear safeguards

What contribution in terms of resource investment and

person time was made by the Commission and Euratom into
the preparation of the Lascar report on the application of
nuclear safeguards to large-scale reprocessing plants ? How
many meetings of the Lascar group were attended by
Commission officials ? What were the direct or indirect

implications of Lascar 's conclusions for the amendment
proposed by the Commission to Euratom Regulation
3227 / 76 ( l ) under COM(93 ) 294 final ? What information
has been provided pursuant to Regulation 3227 / 76, as
amended, on the thermal oxide reprocessing plant ( Thorp )
at Sellafield ?

Subject : Goat farmers in the UK

The Commission might be aware of the problems facing
goat farmers within the UK . As with sheep farmers, the
farmer 's income is based on selling both meat and wool .
Unlike sheep farmers, however, goat farmers seem to receive
no support and face increased hardship .

Does the Commission place a value on the work of these
farmers and their produce ? What support can Scottish goat
farmers expect from the Community ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission
0 ) OJ No L 363, 31 . 12 . 1976, p . 1 .

( 24 January 1994 )

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission is aware that there is very limited
production of goats in the United Kingdom .

(8 December 1993 ) Goat producers there derive their incomes principally from

milk and milk products rather than from meat and wool .
The Commission does not intend to propose the extension
of ewe premium type payments to them .

The Commission 's contribution to preparation of the
Lascar discussions on the application of nuclear safeguards
to large scale reprocessing plants is estimated to be of the
order of 100 man-days .

Commission representatives were present at 12 of the 13
plenary and working group meetings .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2875 / 93

by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

The Lascar conclusions had no influence on the amendment (4 October 1993 )
of Commission Regulation 3227 / 76 . It may be noted that ( 94 / C 240 / 68 )
the amendment was made in order to strengthen safeguards
pursuant to document INFCIRC / 415 .

Subject : Reasons given by Spain for non-compliance with

The operator of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant

( Thorp ) in Sellafield provided the Commission with the
necessary Basic Technical Characteristics long before the
most recent amendment of Regulation 3227 / 76 so as to
enable it to comply with the provisions of Article 78, second
paragraph of the Euratom Treaty .

Council Directive 85 / 397 / EEC concerning
agriculture

What is the current situation with regard to the reasoned
opinion sent to Spain on the subject of its non-compliance
with Council Directive 85 / 397 / EEC ( j ) in the agriculture
sector ?

( l ) OJ No L 226, 24 . 8 . 1985, p . 13 .

No C 240 / 36 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 17 December 1993 )

In response to the reasoned opinion issued by the
Commission, the Spanish authorities have announced
national measures to implement Directive 85 / 397 / EEC . The
Commission has therefore closed the infringement
procedure .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2888 / 93

by Enrico Falqui ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 11 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 69

Subject : Excessive length of bureaucratic procedures
relating to financial contributions to European
youth organizations

Up to 1992 the control bureau, which is responsible for
approving financial contributions to youth organizations
which work with the Commission in the implementation of
Community youth policies, took two months on average to
process each application .

Since the establishment of the new Commission the

procedure takes on average four times as long, which
seriously affects the organizations in question since they are
unable to pay sums of money ( in certain cases, substantial
ones ) in advance .

The accumulation of delay has brought about paradoxical
situations in which contracts for cooperation between the
Commission and youth organizations are received by the
latter in respect of projects which are already close to
completion .

The situation is particularly serious in the case of the ' Youth
for Europe ' programme .

In view of the above, what action does the Commission
intend to take to reduce the average length of time taken by
the control bureau to process each application to the levels
achieved in previous years ?

although the Commission tries to ensure that this process is
kept within a reasonable time-scale, it nevertheless has to
make the checks which are deemed necessary . Three
selection procedures are carried out each year, on 1
February, 1 May and 1 October respectively .

While the Commission recognizes that the first selection
procedure in 1993 took longer than in 1992, it did not take
four times as long . The extra time taken to process
applications was due, in part, to a tightening up of the
selection procedure . However, this unusually long
time-scale was not repeated in the second selection phase of

1 993, which took no longer than the corresponding phase in
1992 . The Commission expects that the third selection
procedure for 1993 will be completed a month earlier than
in 1992 .

Generally speaking, the Commission is keen to speed up the
allocation of funds to the ' Youth for Europe ' programme .
Consequently, the rate of utilization of funds at 31 October

1993 was higher than that recorded for the same period in
1992, corresponding, in terms of both commitments and
payments, to 94,4% . This means that funds are actually
reaching the beneficiaries appreciably sooner .

The same applies to the budget heading ' Priority measures in
the youth field ', in respect of which, at 31 October 1993,
95 % of the funds had been committed and 74 % paid .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2895 / 93

by John McCartin ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 11 October 1 993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 70 )

Subject : Cohesion Fund allocations in Ireland

Is the Commission aware that, under the first tranche of
Cohesion Fund spending in Ireland, no funding has been
allocated to the disadvantaged areas of the country ? Will the
Commission request the Irish Government to explain why
this serious neglect of the disadvantaged areas in Ireland has
taken place ?

Answer given by Mr Ruberti Answer given by Mr Schmidhuber
on behalf of the Commission

on behalf of the Commission
( 21 December 1993 ) ( 10 December 1993 )

Among other things, the ' Youth for Europe ' programme
involves joint financing of projects directly submitted by
youth organizations ( around 10 % of the programme 's total
budget ). Funds for these projects are paid at the end of a
complex procedure ( appraisal of the projects, consultation
with the national agencies set up in connection with the
programme, final selection, financial procedure per se );

The Commission does not intend to take the action

requested by the Honourable Member .

With regard to expenditure considered eligible for assistance
from the cohesion financial instrument (- 1 ), Ireland
presented projects in line with

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 37

the specific requirements which this instrument must satisfy
in the field of transport and the environment . These projects
generally relate to the whole country .

the specific requirements which this instrument must satisfy The Commission, through its Delegate in N'Djamena,
in the field of transport and the environment . These projects informed the Prime Minister that courses on human rights
generally relate to the whole country . could be organized for civil servants and members of the

security forces in the context of technical and financial
cooperation under Lome IV, or could be considered for

This first list of projects which was adopted by the funding under budget heading B7-5053, which is intended
Commission does not use up all the possibilities for Ireland specifically for action in support of human rights and
and the Commission will be taking many other decisions . democracy in the developing countries . Thus, the

Commission is prepared to give a favourable response to any
(>) OJ No L 79, 1 . 3 . 1993 . request from the Chadian authorities for support in this

area .

This first list of projects which was adopted by the
Commission does not use up all the possibilities for Ireland
and the Commission will be taking many other decisions .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2905 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2903 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE ) to the Commission of the European
to the Commission of the European Communities ( 11 October 1993 )
( 11 October 1993 ) ( 94 / C 240 / 72 )

( 94 / C 240 / 71 )

Subject : Human rights in Chad

Human rights violations are continuing in Chad . Despite the
pledges made by President Deby, the security forces are
continuing practices such as arbitrary arrest, kidnapping,
torture and assassination . In view of the above will the

Commission :

1 . Express its interest in provision of technical and
economic assistance aimed at including instruction in
human rights in the basic training of the security forces
and officials ?

2 . Exert pressure on the Chadian authorities to ensure that
the security forces can no longer commit human rights
violations with impunity ?

Subject : Hunting in Greece

Has the Commission held consultations on the need to ban,
or possibly, merely to restrict hunting in certain regions in
Greece, following the large fires which swept the country
recently, adversely effecting wildlife ; if so, which bodies did
it consult ?

Can the Commission state its position on this matter and
that of the Greek Ministry of Agriculture ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 January 1994 )

The Greek Agriculture Ministry has supplied information to
the effect that it has, on its own initiative, taken measures to
ban hunting in areas hit by large forest fires, closing a total
area of 110 000 hectares of woodlands to hunting for a
three                             - to five-year period .
Answer given by Mr van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 December 1993 )

The Commission is deeply concerned by the continuation of
serious human rights violations in Chad, a signatory to the
Lome Convention, Articlc 5 of which underlines the
contracting parties ' deep attachment to human dignity and
human rights . The Community and the Member States have
strongly petitioned the Chadian authorities to take all
necessary steps to restore order and security to the country
and to implement supplementary measures to put a stop to
human rights violations . They also welcomed the holding of
the national conference in Chad as an opportunity to take
the country towards democracy in a climate of peace and
security .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2912 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 11 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 73

Subject : Dadia forest biotope ( Evros )

One of the richest forests in the whole of Europe from the
point of view of fauna is the forest of Dadia in the Prefecture

No C 240 / 38 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

of Evros . In particular, there are more species of bird of prey
to be found there than anywhere else in Europe . Scientists
point out that of the 39 species of bird of prey to be found in
Europe, 36 can be found in Greece and 21 of these breed in
Evros and, in particular, in Dadia forest .

The following rare species of bird of prey inter alia are to be

found in this forest : the Sea Eagle ( there are five pairs
remaining ), the Imperial Eagle ( between three and four
pairs ), the Black Vulture ( ten to twelve pairs ), the Vulture

( ten pairs ), the Golden Eagle, the Rough-Footed Spotted
Eagle, another rare species of eagle and a rare species of
falcon .

In view of the above, does the Commission intend to help the
Greek authorities further to increase and improve measures
to protect this vital biotope ?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 1994 )

The forest of Dadia is classified as a special protection
area under Council Directive 79 / 409 / EEC (') on the
conservation of wild birds .

The Greek authorities are therefore responsible for taking
the measures required to ensure that it is properly managed .

t 1 ) OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2918 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 74

Subject : Funding of the Thessaloniki Centre for Children

with Special Needs

The Thessaloniki Centre for Children with Special Needs, a
non-profit making association in the region of Kalamaria
which caters for 75 children, has been achieving excellent
results . The wide range of activities carried out here and the
positive results achieved have induced other European
centres of this kind to emulate its example and they have
been jointly entered in to the Community 's Horizon
programme from which funds have been set aside to finance
operations of these centres . However, the authorities have
suspended funding under this programme and now
everything that has been undertaken for children with
special needs is at risk .

Will the Commission say whether it agrees that it is essential
that this Centre be protected and that funding should

continue for the care and education of these children under

the Horizon Community programme ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(4 March 1994 )

Funding of the special education centre in Thessaloniki was
suspended for the purpose of inspection by the national
authorities .

As the inspection committee gave a favourable report, the
funding procedure was renewed and the authorities now
consider the matter closed .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2920 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 75 )

Subject : Funding of the Moschato Graphic Arts Centre

For the last year 170 students have been unable to complete
their studies at the Moschato Graphic Arts Centre . This is
because the Prefecture of Piraeus and the Ministry of
Interior have repeatedly delayed the funding of this
professional training centre which is the only one of its type
in Greece .

Will the Commission explain the reasons for this and
indicate what measures, if any, it has recommended to
ensure that students enrolled at the Moschato Graphic Arts
Centre are able to complete their studies ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 February 1994 )

The Commission is aware of the suspension of activities at
the Moschato Graphic Arts Centre .

At the beginning of this year the Commission intervened to
ensure that the measure in question could be financed in

1993 under the regional operational programme for Attica .
The Attican regional authorities took all the steps necessary
to provide adequate financing .

Unfortunately, the time taken up by the approval procedure
for new measures meant that the second year of the basic

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 39

training course could not start on time . However, intensive
continuing training courses will be organised up to the end
of 1993 .

The Commission is taking steps to ensure the normal
operation of the Moschato Graphic Arts Centre under the
next CSF for 1994 — 1999 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2924 / 93

by François Guillaume ( RDE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 76 )

Subject : Aluminium imports from the CIS

On 7 August 1993 the Commission decided to ban
aluminium imports from the CIS in excess of 60 000 tonnes
for a four-month period .

1 . Has the Commission taken the necessary measures to
ensure that CIS aluminium cannot enter Europe via the
Rotterdam free zone, where it is difficult to establish the
metal 's place of origin ?

2 . What are the Commission 's views on the threats made

by certain groups of Russian producers to stop
purchasing food and industrial products in the
European Community ? What will it do to remedy the
situation ?

3 . Will the Commission accept the compromise proposed

by Russia — an import quota of 300 000 tonnes of
aluminium, which, although lower than the 582 000
tonnes originally proposed, represents a far larger
quantity than the European producers had hoped for
( 80 000 tonnes, corresponding to the normal level of
exports from the former Soviet Union before its
disintegration in 1990 )?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 17 December 1993 )

1 . Yes . The safeguard measures concern goods imported
into the Community for free circulation . Goods situated in
free zone in Rotterdam, or elsewhere, not being in free
circulation, are subject to the requirements of the regulation
if they are to be imported into free circulation and the
Commission has taken appropriate steps to clarify the
situation with the Member States .

2 . The Commission intends to make every effort to
ensure that the safeguard measures in question are replaced
by appropriate and mutually satisfactory bilateral

arrangements with the producer countries of the former
USSR ( Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Tadjikistan ). The
trade aspects should be complemented by programmes of
industrial cooperation to assist industry in the countries
concerned in their transition to a market economy and to
promote internal consumption . The Commission hopes that
these measures will form part of the more general efforts to
maintain a positive relationship between the Community
and the States in question, including Russia ( as outlined in
the conclusions of the Presidency following the European
Council meeting in Copenhagen on 21 / 22 June 1993 ) and
thus to avoid the type of problem cited by the Honourable
Member .

3 . The Honourable Member will understand that the

Commission is not at this stage in a position to comment on
specific amounts . However, given that there is, to date, no
agreement, the Commission has decided to continue the
safeguard measures introduced in August this year for a
further three months, pending a satisfactory outcome to the
negotiations .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2945 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 20 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 77 )

Subject : Ecosystem of the River Nestos

Owing to an irrational decision to construct infrastructure
projects along its main bed, the entire ecosystem of the River
Nestos — one of the most important wetland areas in the
world — is under very serious threat . For example, three
barrages are being constructed ( at Thisavros, Platanovris
and Temenos ) and irrigation projects are being constructed
in the plains of Drama and Chrysoupolis and Xanthi and
Komotini . Can the Commission say whether the Greek
authorities have taken any measures to protect the
ecosystem of the River Nestos, and, if so, what are these
measures ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2946 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 20 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 78 )

Subject : Greek wetland areas of international
significance

The convention on wetlands of international significance,
known as the Ramsar Convention, plays a particularly

No C 240 / 40 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

important role in the preservation and sound management
of the fertile ecosystems of wetlands and attaches special
importance to their role as a habitat of aquatic birds . The
Ramsar Convention has been in force in Greece since 1974 .

However, the eleven Greek wetland sites protected under
the Ramsar Convention are facing a host of problems owing
to the absence of an integrated and permanent management
structure and the failure adequately to implement existing
legislation . According to information supplied by the World
Wildlife Fund, the most important of these problems are
draining to prepare the land for agricultural use, the illegal
construction of holiday homes, over-grazing, hunting and
the construction of barrages .

Will the Commission call on the Greek authorities strictly to
adhere to the provisions of the Ramsar Convention and
existing legislation on the protection of Greek wetlands of
international significance ?

Directive 79 / 409 / EEC on the conservation of wild birds ( ).
This involves also the conservation of wetlands of

international importance located in Greece, all of which
have been classified as special protection areas in
accordance with the Directive .

Furthermore, the Commission would inform the
Honourable Member that the Community has provided
financial assistance since 1991 for the creation and initial
operating phase of the Greek centre for wetland biotopes,
whose task is to supply the competent authorities with
scientific and technical information concerning wetland
biotopes, and to promote the conservation and sustainable
management of these areas .

With more particular reference to the special protection area
of the Nestos delta, Greece is obliged to take appropriate
steps to avoid pollution or deterioration of habitats or any
disturbances affecting the birds, in so far as these have a
significant effect .

One means of meeting this obligation is to submit all
projects liable to have an effect on the area to an
environmental impact assessment focusing on the
conservation of wild birds, and to authorize only projects
which do not have a negative impact . The Commission will
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2950 / 93 be taking appropriate measures on this basis to ensure the

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE ) protection of the area in question .

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 20 October 1993 ) H OJ No L 103, 25 . 4 . 1979 .

( 94 / C 240 / 79 )

Subject : Demarcation of Greek wetlands

The demarcation of Greek wetlands is purely theoretical,
given that the boundaries take no account of actual
developments in and around these wetlands . A
characteristic example is the administrative study drawn up
on the Missolonghi wetlands which ignores plans to divert
the rivers Acheloos and Evinos .

In view of the above, does the Commission intend to ask the
Greek authorities to take into account developments taking
place in wetlands when fixing their boundaries ?

Joint answer to Written Questions
E-2945, E-2946 / 93 and E-2950 / 93

given by Mr Paleokrassas
on behalf of the Commission

( 10 December 1993 )

The Commission is engaged in discussions with the Greek
authorities to ensure that Greece meets its obligations under

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2963 / 93

by Richard Simmonds ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 20 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 80 )

Subject : Cooperation between the European Communities

and the Council of Europe

In communication ( ] ) from the Commission to the Council,
it is proposed that the Council of Europe 's Convention on
the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes, to
which the Community has been a party since 1988, should
provide the basis for further legislation laying down
minimum conditions for the keeping of farm animals not
already covered by existing Directives . To this end,
measures would be taken to transpose both existing and
future recommendations of the Standing Committee
established under the Convention .

Would the Commission agree that the Council of Europe
should be given maximum encouragement in its efforts
properly to implement the Convention on the Protection of
Animals kept for Farming Purposes and this encouragement
be communicated to the Secretary-General ?

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 41

Furthermore, would the Commission be prepared to give
financial support for a limited period, if necessary, to ensure
that the Standing Committee is able to complete this
essential work ?

(M COM(93 ) 384 .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 1993 )

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that
the recommendations of the Standing Committee of the
European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for
Farming Purposes should form the basis for future
Community action in this field . It is important that the
valuable work done by the Committee to implement the
Convention should continue .

In view of the close Community involvement in this work
the Commission will investigate the possibility of financial
support in this area by paying, if budgetary resources
permit, for one of the meetings of the Committee to be held
each year .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2968 / 93

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 20 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 81 )

Subject : Transport of live animals to third countries

In 1992, Compassion in World Farming produced a video
' This Road to Misery ' highlighting the suffering of animals
transported a long distance .

Will the Commission guarantee that no EC subsidies will be
available in future in respect of live exports to third
countries ?

Will the Commission ban live export from the EC to third
countries except to those which have standards of welfare
during transport and slaughter as high as those prescribed in
Community legislation ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 1993 )

small compared with the total quantity of beef exported
from the Community ( 4,8 % in 1992 ) or compared with the
total slaughterings in the Community ( 0,7 % in 1992 ). Most
of the animals exported under these export arrangements go
to countries where the local preference is for live animals
which are then ritually slaughtered in accordance with
religious customs . These countries would not accept meat as
a substitute, so the Commission sees no alternative to the
present arrangements for the time being .

In third countries, the responsibility for the protection of
animals during transport falls upon the local authorities of
the territory where the animals are being transported, in
application of their domestic legislation . Clearly this is not a
matter in which the Commission can intervene .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2973 / 93

by Florus Wijsenbeek ( LDR )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 82 )

Subject : Free movement of services in the transport

sector

Is the Commission aware that the Greek aviation authorities

are refusing to allow non-Greek air carriers to carry out
scheduled cargo flights between the Greek islands, thereby
infringing Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2408 / 92 (').

Can the Commission confirm that, with regard to cargo
transport, there are no restrictions on Community carriers
with regard to flights between the Greek islands ?

What steps will the Commission take to put an end to this
and other repeated and persistent moves by the Greek
authorities to obstruct the implementation of Community
legislation ?

(') OJ No L 240, 24 . 8 . 1992, p . 8 .

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 1994 )

The freedom to provide air services, including the carriage of
cargo, has been established by virtue of Council Regulation

( EEC ) No 2408 / 92 on access for Community air carriers to
intra-Community air routes . For the time being, airports in
For many years, the Community has exported beef and live the Greek islands are, however, exempted from the scope of
bovine animals . The share of the live animal export is very that Regulation . Community law does therefore not oblige

No C 240 / 42 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

the Greek civil aviation authorities to grant Community air
carriers access to those airports for any type of service .

The Commission is presently examining whether the
exemption granted to the Greek and Azores islands
pursuant to Article 1 ( 4 ) of the Regulation is still justified .
On the basis of the results of this examination the

Commission will decide whether a proposal for terminating
the exemption before its expiry in 1998 should be submitted
to the Council .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2983 / 93

by James Ford ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 83 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2984 / 93

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

( 25 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 84 )

Subject : Phebus

The European Community is contributing ECU 40,5 million
to the simulation trials in the French research reactor

Phebus, which are scheduled to run until 1998 .

1 . How does the European contribution to the reactor 's
funding break down ? What is the share provided by
each individual Community country ? How much is
Germany contributing in ECU ?

2 . From what budget heading is the Community
contribution to the Phebus programme taken ?

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

Subject : EC redundancy practice guidelines ( 18 January 1994 )

What if any guidelines does the Commission recommend to
large employers who are contemplating making part of its
workforce redundant ? Are there any agreed criteria of work
record by which workers ' contribution to the company can
be recognized ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(7 December 1993 )

Collective redundancies are dealt with in Directive
75 / 129 / EEC (*), revised by Directive 92 / 56 / EEC ( 2 ).

Article 2 ( 3 ) ( G ) ( V ) of the revised text obliges employers
who are contemplating collective redundancies to inform
and consult beforehand workers ' representatives with a
view to reaching an agreement . One of the issues which must
be subject to negotiation is precisely ' the criteria proposed
for the selection of the workers to be made redundant '.

The total Community contribution to the Phebus
programme running until 1998 will depend on decisions still
to be taken on the Fourth Framework Programme of
Community research, the corresponding specific
programmes and the Community 's annual budgets .

1 . The Community 's contribution comes out of its general

budget, which is funded from own resources . The sums
are earmarked for general expenditure without any
detailed breakdown . There is no specific German
contribution .

2 . The appropriations are entered under heading B6-3232

of the general budget .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2998 / 93

by Maartje van Putten ( PSE ) and Henri Saby ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 25 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 85 )

The Directive does not establish such criteria, and national Subject : Africa
systems and practices in this field vary . In a number of cases
national laws leave the choice of the criteria to be applied in In an increasing number of African countries, political
each particular situation to the social partners . The tension has resulted in abuses of civil, political, social and
Commission considers that it would not be appropriate to economic rights .
try to harmonize these criteria at Community level .

t 1 ) OJ No L 48, 22 . 2 . 1975 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992 .

The international response is mostly insufficient or too
late .

What effort does the Commission ' envisage ' with a view to
giving more efficient support to the democratization
processes and the suffering people of Africa ?

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 43

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 1993 )

The Commission is aware of and deeply regrets the political
tensions existing in some countries in Africa .

The Commission considers of utmost importance the
promotion of human rights, democracy, the rule of law and
good governance in developing countries in general, and in
Africa in particular . In its view these concepts are linked to
the achievement of a sustainable and equitable
development . The importance of this link has been
recognized by the major resolution adopted by the Council
and the Member States in November 1991 on human rights,
democracy and development, by a number of resolutions
adopted by the Parliament and more recently by the
resolution adopted by the ACP-EC Joint Assembly in
Gaborone on democracy, human rights and development in
the ACP countries .

Following these guidelines the Commission has made every
effort to support democratic processes with very
encouraging results in several countries in Africa .

Contributions were decided to support 21 consultation
processes ( referenda and elections ) in Africa . The financial
support of the Commission covered basic items such as
voting slips, election forms and elector awareness
campaigns, but also :

— actions of civic and political education of the
populations ;

— measures to create and strengthen a free and
independent press ;

— actions in favour of victims of violations of human rights

( judiciary, medical and material support, public
campaigns to raise awareness about those violations,
etc .).

In spite of the positive results obtained, the Commission is
aware that increased attention should be given to other
acions to reduce political tensions . The Commission intends
to increase its support to :

— local and regional associations promoting the respect

and the awareness in human rights ;

— new elected parliaments ;

— strengthen the independence of judiciary power and of

democratic institutions in general ;

— actions leading to a more transparent administration

( good governance ).

Moreover, the Commission has proposed, in its draft
mandate for the Lome IV mid-term review, to strengthen the
objectives and principles governing EC-ACP cooperation by
inserting among them the respect of democratic principles,

the consolidation of the state of law and the principle of
good governance . Furthermore, a political dialogue is to be
conducted with the ACP States to foster these principles .

Furthermore, since the entry into force of the Treaty on
European Union on 1 November, the adoption of joint
actions within the framework of the Common Foreign and
Security Policy with the Commission fully associated, has
become a reality . South Africa 's political process will be one
of the first examples where Member States will undertake a
joint action . The European Council has asked the Council,
as a matter of priority, to define the conditions and
procedures for a joint action concerning ' support for the
transition towards multi-racial democracy in South Africa
through a coordinated programme of assistance in
preparing for the elections and monitoring them, and
through the creation of an appropriate cooperation
framework to consolidate the economic and social

foundations of this transition '.

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3018 / 93

by Winifred Ewing ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 86 )

Subject : Milk fraud repayments by Italy

Will the Commission comment on the recent agreements
reached within the Commission regarding the reduction in
the fine payable by Italy for over-production of milk from
£2 billion to £1,3 billion ? When will these funds be repaid to
the EC, why were £0,7 billion written off and how often
does the Commission show such leniency to those countries
which infringe the quota system ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 December 1993 )

Italy failed to apply the milk quota scheme before the

1993 / 94 marketing year, and in particular failed to allocate
quotas to individual producers . Consequently milk
production increased unchecked, and a statistical evaluation
in 1992 revealed a substantial excess of milk production
over the national quota during the five marketing years from

1988 / 89 to 1992 / 93 . In order to help Italy eliminate this
excess, the Council agreed in December 1992 to envisage an

No C 240 / 44 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

increase in Italy 's national quota and a contribution
towards the cost of a buy-up programme . The quota
increase was provisionally granted for the 1993 / 94 year .
The Commission is verifying that the quota system is being
applied in practice, a condition of the increase being
confirmed for subsequent years .

When considering the consequences of Italy 's failure to
apply the milk quota system which are to be drawn in the
clearance of accounts of the years still remaining open, from

1989 onwards, alternative methods of evaluation were
examined, and the financial impact of each method over the
five years was assessed, which ranged from 2,7 billion ECU
to 1,3 billion ECU in total .

On 28 July 1993 the Commission decided that, when
proposing the financial consequences in each clearance
decision, it would calculate the amount by reference to the
supplementary levies payable on the excess production, as
reduced by the additional quota granted by the Council .
This decision of principle took account of the fact that the
same objective circumstances existed prior to the 1993 / 94
year, for which the Council agreed to the increase .

If it should prove that Italy continues in its failure to apply
the quota system effectively, and the Council consequently
does not confirm the quota increase, then the Commission
will revise the financial consequences accordingly .

Italy will be required to pay the sum relating to each of the
five years concerned when the clearance decision for that
year is decided .

The clearance of accounts is not an instrument for imposing
penalties, but a means of recovering undue charges to the
guarantee fund . The proposal to recover 1,3 billion ECU
from Italy cannot be viewed as leniency, as this amount
exceeds by far any previously charged to any Member State
under the clearance procedure .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3029 / 93

by Jean-Pierre Raffin ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 87 )

Subject : The threat to the Great Bustard posed by the

authorization of a private airfield in the nature
reserve of Hoher Flaming / Belziger
Landschaftswiesen

Is the Commission aware

— that the Ministry of Transport of the Land Brandenburg

has authorized a private aviation centre in Liisse near

Belzig, which poses an acute threat to the survival of the
Great Bustard, the biggest bird in Europe and the world
which is able to fly ? This is because the resident colony of
thirty birds, which is listed in the Washington
Convention on the Protection of Species, is highly
sensitive to external influences during the breeding
season . The planned air traffic would lead to high
breeding losses, since any disruption would lead to the
adult birds abandoning their nests and young ?

— that this colony of birds which can weigh up to 16 kg has

been saved from extinction since 1979 as a result of a

scientific project by the Buckow bustard conservation
station ?

— that this is now the only colony in the European

Community which hatches and raises its chicks without
human assistance ?

What measures does the Commission intend to adopt to
protect this bird colony, which is unique in Europe ?

What steps does it intend to take with regard to this
apparent infringement of Directive 79 / 409 / EEC on the
conservation of wild birds, which lists the Great Bustard in
Annex I and which expressly mentions the preservation of
its habitat ( Article 4 )?

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(8 February 1994 )

The Commission has been informed of the plan to reopen
the private airfield at Liisse . According to the information
available to the Commission, the airfield ( 130 ha ) is situated
4 km to the south of a special protection area (5 000 ha ) and
is in a non-designated area (3 000 ha ) in which about 25 %
of the Great Bustard ( otis tarda ) population nests .

As stated by the Honourable Member, the Great Bustard
( otis tarda ) is listed in Annex I to Directive 79 / 409 / EEC

( wild birds ). The special protection area must therefore be a
territory of a suitable size to ensure their survival and
reproduction . Outside the area, Germany must strive to
avoid pollution and deterioration of the habitats . The
Commission has therefore contacted Germany to ask for
information on compliance with these requirements .

The Commission welcomes the scientific project of the
Buckow Bustard conservation station and the success it has

had . The project receives Community funding of ECU 1,2
million under the ACNAT ( Action by the Community
relating to Nature Conservation ) programme .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 45

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3031 / 93

by Nora Mebrak-Zaidi ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 88 )

Subject : The Commission 's opinion on the request for

allocation of a Regional Development Grant to the
urban area of Montbeliard — Belfort —

Hericourt

Since 1991, at the request of the French Prime Minister, the
Commission has been considering the question of the
allocation of a regional development grant to the urban area
of Montbeliard — Belfort — Hericourt .

For several years, this centre of employment has been one of
those most affected by the economic crisis and
unemployment .

Over a 1 0-year period, the Peugeot — Sochaux site alone has
gone from 43 000 jobs to about 20 000 .

A redundancy programme in 1993 brought the loss of over

1600 jobs at PSA — Sochaux . On 14 September, the new
draft redundancy programme for 1994 forecast another

1 400 redundancies for the same site .

In addition, the disastrous consequences for PSA
subcontractors must be taken into account in a region which
is highly dependant on the car industry .

In view of the concern of both citizens and their elected

representatives and the urgent need to provide the urban
area of Montbeliard — Belfort — Hericourt with alternative

means of employment, what action does the Commission
intend to take on the request made by this region for a
regional development grant ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 December 1993 )

The French authorities have indeed submitted an

application to the Commission concerning the classification
of the urban area of Montbeliard-Belfort-Hericourt for the

purposes of the award of a regional development grant .

In order to determine whether the area in question qualified
for the derogation from Article 92(3)(c ) of the EC Treaty
that applies in the case of such grants, the Commission
examined the economic situation of the area in accordance
with the method ( 1 ).

It found that neither of the two criteria, per capita GDP and
level of structural unemployment, laid down for the first
stage of analysis was fulfilled .

Nevertheless, taking account of the area 's difficulties caused
inter alia by significant job losses in the car industry, the
Commission does not rule out the possibility that the area
may be deemed eligible in the second stage of analysis in the
light of the priorities which France intends to establish
within a reasonable percentage of the population covered by
the grant scheme and given the Commission 's approach
towards achieving greater consistency between structural
policies and competition policy .

(') OJ No C 212, 12 . 8 . 1988 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3033 / 93

by Willi Rothley ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 89 )

Subject : Information on the level of EC assistance received

by Rhineland Palatinate between 1985 and
1992

Can the Commission indicate what level of EC financial

assistance was given to Land Rhineland Palatinate in 1992,
and for what measures, through

1 . the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ),

2 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guidance Section,

3 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund ( EAGGF ) — Guarantee Section,

4 . the European Social Fund ( ESF ),

5 . European Community research programmes,

6 . European Community programmes in the energy

sector,

7 . European Community programmes in the environment

sector,

8 . other European Community programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 13 January 1994 )

In view of the length of its answer, which includes a number
of tables, the Commission is sending it direct to the
Honourable Member and Parliament 's Secretariat .

No C 240 / 46 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3051 / 93

by Pietro Mitolo ( NI )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 90 )

Subject : Infringement of the Schengen Agreement by the

Autonomous Province of Alto Adige

The Statute of the Autonomous Province of Alto Adige
imposes compulsory application of ethnic proportional
representation and knowledge of German — recognized on
a par with Italian, the official language of the State — for
employment, including via competition, in all public bodies

( state, regional or municipal ).

Does the Commission not consider these rules to be at odds
with the principles of equality and equal opportunities laid
down in the Schengen Agreement, and therefore obstacles to
freedom of movement and establishment for Community
citizens and Italian citizens in particular ?

begun a process of consultation with banking organizations
and the users of payments systems .

What is the composition of the Payments Systems Technical
Development Group ( PSTDG ) and the Payments Systems
User Liaison Group ( PSULG )?

When will the Commission submit initial proposals for
binding measures in respect of cross-border payments ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 16 December 1993 )

The composition of the two advisory groups on payments
systems is as follows :

1 . The Payments Systems Technical Development Group

( PSTDG )
Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

— six representatives of central banks
(9 March 1994 )

The Commission would like first of all to stress that the

Schengen Agreements were concluded in the context of
intergovernmental cooperation between the signatory
Member States .

These Agreements have nothing to do with right of abode or
access to employment and it is thus wrong to quote them in
the context of the problem to which the written question
refers .

Furthermore, the Commission does not consider the
linguistic statute applicable in the Autonomous Province of
Alto-Adige as described by the Honourable Member to be
an obstacle to the free movement of workers within the

Community .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3053 / 93

by Gérard Deprez ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 October 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 91 )

Subject : Cross-border payments : results of the
consultations with PSTDG and PSULG

It is reported that, in order to improve transparency and
effectiveness of cross-border payments, the Commission has

— 10 representatives of banks ( commercial banks,
savings banks, people 's banks, post office banks );

2 . The Payments Systems User Liaison Group ( PSULG )

— representatives of three European associations in the

credit sector

— two representatives of commercial banks

— four representatives of consumer associations

— two representatives of business interests

— two representatives of small businesses .

In the first six months of 1993 the Commission carried out a

study of the transparency and efficiency of cross-border
payments . The purpose of the study was to verify
compliance with the guidelines drawn up by banks on the
transparency of the terms applied in cross-border payment
transactions . It was found that there had been some

improvement but many unsatisfactory aspects remained . In
view of the study 's findings, the Commission intends to put
forward as soon as possible proposals for the measures
necessary to remedy the situation . It has accordingly begun
consultations with the two groups referred to by the
Honourable Member .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 47

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3067 / 93

by David Morris ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 92 )

Subject : Implementation of EC public procurement
Directive

The EC public procurement Directive ( 90 / 531 / EEC ) (*)
permits utilities to establish systems of qualification of
suppliers and contractors based on objective rules and
criteria . Does the Commission think that the practice of
charging suppliers application fees to be qualified is in
accordance with the Directive ?

As part of the procedures related to the creation of schedules
of qualified suppliers, utilities are asking suppliers to
indemnify them against the assessment costs incurred .

Does the Commission agree that such arrangements
undermine the concept of the single market and infringe EC
laws concerning the free movement of goods ?

(M OJ No L 297, 29 . 10 . 1990, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

1960 and 1985 . The updated findings of their analyses have
established a correlation between exposure to certain levels
of electro-magnetic radiation, most frequently as a result of
proximity to high-voltage electricity generating and
ancillary plant and an abnormally high incidence of bone
cancer, leukaemia and other forms of cancer, tumours,
leukopenia, miscarriages, etc . affecting human beings .

Although, as was the case for lung cancer in smokers and the
effects of asbestos, which were for a long time contraversial
issues, these results do not clearly establish a direct cause
and effect relationship, they have prompted Nutek, the
administrative authority, and the Vattenfall electricity
distribution company to implement or recommend the
implementation in Sweden of new safety standards setting
' ceilings ' of 2 to 3 milligauss and, in any case, to take
measures to remedy the current situation .

In the United States, Mr Paul Brodeur, who for a long time
tried vainly to draw attention to the dangers of asbestos, has
recently had an impressive article published in The New
Yorker . The Environmental Protection Agency, which was
regarded as too passive has recently received stricter
instructions despite the influence of electricity pressure
groups which are strongly in favour of maintaining the
status quo and are apprehensive about the legal proceedings
initiated or announced and the enormous costs ( to whom ?)
of restructuring networks, particularly in the proximity of
schools and other collective establishments in order to make

them safe .

( 22 December 1993 )
The University of Boston has recently carried out a study
confirming the warnings published over a long period by the
Microwave News periodical .
The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to

the reply to the oral question H-0713 / 93 by Mr Cassidy,
which it gave during question time at Parliament 's
September 1993 part-session ('). Despite the fact that the International Conference held in

(') Debates of the European Parliament No 3-434 ( September
1993 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3070 / 93

by Ernest Glinne ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

Despite the fact that the International Conference held in
San Diego in November 1992 deliberately refused ( why ?) to
consider the arguments of research teams in Sweden and
elsewhere, is the Commission concerned with or will it
concern itself with the biological, neurological and cell
research which has been carried out or is in progress and will
it table a proper set of Community rules to protect the public
from this undeniable danger, taking account of the research
findings from Sweden ?

(5 November 1993 ) Answer given by Mr Flynn
( 94 / C 240 / 93 ) on behalf of the Commission

( 13 December 1993 )

Subject : Real or potential danger to human beings from

exposure to electro-magnetic fields

Two Swedish research teams working with sophisticated
equipment investigated a sample of 500 000 people between

The Commission has on several occasions in the past
demonstrated its interest in advances in knowledge of risks
to health from electromagnetic fields generated by power

No C 240 / 48 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

transmission lines and expressed its views on the concerns
by Members of the Parliament .

The answer to Written Question No 554 / 93 lists previous
questions tabled on this issue as well as the answers
provided by the Commission .

The Commission subscribes to the view of the scientific

community that the risks due to electromagnetic fields must
be controlled by limiting the associated exposure and
effects . As regards the exposure of workers, the Commission
has transmitted to the Council, the Parliament and the
Economic and Social Committee, a proposal for a Directive
on the minimum health and safety requirements concerning
the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical
agents ( J ) which foresees specific measures concerning
electric or magnetic fields or combinations thereof with a
frequency equal to, or less than, 300 GHz .

The Commission is aware that since 1979 five

epidemiological studies have reported a slightly increased
risk of cancer for children exposed to relatively high levels of
electro-magnetic radiation . The latest is the Swedish study
to which the Honourable Member refers . There is however

no consensus in the scientific community concerning the
soundness of the methodologies used and the conclusiveness
of these reports .

The Commission endeavours to keep abreast of the progress
in this field and to follow the research going on and try
particularly to keep informed about the evaluation of
scientific data . In this context, the Commission relies on the
expertise existing within the International Non-Ionising
Radiation Committee, which involves members from
several Member States, and from which it periodically
receives critical analyses performed by the Committee of the
scientific work in this field .

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

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3073 / 93

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 1994 )

In its proposal concerning the Fourth Framework for
Community Research and Technological Development

( 1994 — 1998 ), the Commission has included a specific
theme ' research for a European transport policy ' ( 1 ). This
theme can be considered as a follow-up of the Euret
Programme although its scope has been enlarged .

In a working document ( 2 ) the Commission has given a more
precise description of the proposed contents of this specific
transport theme .

(') COM(93 ) 276 .

( 2 ) COM(93 ) 459 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3074 / 93

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

(5 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 95 )

Subject : Setting up of a task force on the textile industry

The crisis in the Community 's textile industry is becoming
increasingly serious owing to unfair competition from the
countries of south-east Asia and central and eastern Europe .
According to information published by Comitextil, 433 000
jobs were lost in this sector between 1988 and 1992 and a
further 5 million jobs are at risk . In view of this very serious
state of affairs, a task force should be set up for the textile
industry to tackle the problems facing this sector, notably
relating to unfair competition from non-Community
countries . What is the Commission 's position on this
matter ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

by Filippos Pierros ( PPE )

on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission of the European Communities ( 14 January 1994 )
(5 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 94
The Commission is aware of the very difficult situation
currently facing the Community textile and clothing
industry, which is mainly the result of a fall in demand and

Euret Programme loss of international competitiveness . It would point out

that, in accordance with guidelines set out by the Council, it

— concerning research in the has implemented a series of measures designed to strengthen
to expire at the end of 1 993 . Given the competitiveness of the Community textile industry and

seek a level playing field for international competition .

Subject : Renewal of the Euret Programme

The Euret Programme — concerning research in the
transport sector — is due to expire at the end of 1 993 . Given
the important contribution it has made towards improving
the use of transport networks and the overall success of the
programme, will the Commission say whether it intends to
renew it ?

In the Uruguay Round the Community has therefore been
pursuing its aims of improving access to the markets of third

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 49

countries, and stepping up controls and penalties on unfair
competitive practices, in particular in the field of intellectual
property . In addition, the Commission has already set up a
task force — TAFI — with the specific aim of dealing with
the failure to observe quotas by fraudulent importations .

Measures to defend trade have recently been announced in
the Council in order to make anti-dumping and anti-subsidy
procedures more effective over a shorter period .

The Commission would point out that an interdepartmental
group meets regularly to examine topics of trading policy
and there are regular meetings between the Commission,
unions and professional organizations .

In a recent report on the competitiveness of the European
textile and clothing industry, the Commission proposed
boosting cooperation with the industry in order to keep
closer tabs on developments in the sector and seek solutions
for strengthening the industry 's competitiveness . The
initiatives include :

— organization of round tables with the participation of

economic and social partners ;

— promotion of exports to third countries and in particular

new markets which are expected to open up in the wake
of the Uruguay Round ;

— under the TAFI programme, stepping up the
constructive dialogue already entered into with the
industry by setting up an ad hoc unit ;

— providing full and regularly updated information in

order to combat non-tariff barriers more effectively ;

— analysis of the industry 's current situation to enable the

Commission to ensure effective application of bilateral

agreements .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3080 / 93

by Kenneth Stewart ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 96 )

Subject : Closure of Broadgreen Hospital Emergency and

Casualty Unit

The Commission must be aware of the intended closure of

the above Casualty Unit by the Area Health Authority at a
period when patients in the area are waiting anything up to
two years for a hospital bed, and even longer for operations,
while people can jump the queue for a price .

Does the Commission consider these actions to be a breach

of human rights, and if so will it investigate the case and
draw it to the attention of the caring UK Government ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(9 December 1993 )

Decisions concerning the management of health care
systems in the Community are the responsibility of the
Member States concerned . The proposed closure quoted by
the Honourable Member would not appear to involve a
breach of human rights .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3083 / 93

by María Izquierdo Rojo ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 97 )

Subject : Cooperation with the Maghreb countries

In the Commission 's view is there any evidence of the
priority treatment to be given to cooperation with the
Maghreb countries from a political, economic and financial
point of view ? What data and activities are there to
demonstrate this priority ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 1993 )

Compared to its previous comprehensive policy, the
Community 's new Mediterranean policy, adopted by the
Council at the end of December 1990, represents a distinct
improvement in cooperation with Mediterranean countries,
including the Maghreb, in terms of both quality and
quantity . In addition to further trade concessions for certain
agricultural products and the renewal of the financial
protocols for the period 1992 — 1996, the main innovations
are cooperation covering all Mediterranean non-member
countries and a special allocation of funds for structural
adjustment support .

The three countries of the central Maghreb were the first to
receive Community support from the structural adjustment
facility starting in 1992 .

Following the communication from the Commission on the
future of relations between the Community and the

No C 240 / 50 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

Maghreb, exploratory talks were held with Morocco and
Tunisia in 1992 and 1993 with a view to finalizing new
agreements establishing a closer partnership between the
Community and the Maghreb .

The new agreements will contain four main components :
policy dialogue, the progressive establishment of a free trade
area in industrial products, increased economic cooperation
and appropriate financial cooperation .

After a series of exploratory talks, the draft negotiating
Directives for a Euro-Maghreb association agreement with
Morocco were adopted by the Commission on 9 December

1992 and the additional draft Directives for the agricultural
chapter on 16 June 1993 . The package is now being
discussed at Council level .

The draft negotiating Directives for Tunisia were adopted
by the Commission on 24 November 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 108 / 93

( a ) proposals for which the Commission did not follow the
opinion of the Economic and Social Committee ( ESC )

( 18 );

( b ) proposals amended following the opinion of the ESC

( 17 );

( c ) proposals on which the ESC issued a favourable
opinion without suggesting any amendments ( 10 ).

For the other proposed Directives referred to in the reply to
the Honourable Member 's Written Question No 3472 / 92
the Commission incorporated the ESC 's suggestions in its
amended proposal .

2 . It is up to the Council to indicate whether or not it
intends to follow the opinions of the ESC . The extent to
which the Council has actually incorporated the ESC 's
suggestions is indicated in the text of the common positions
and the instruments adopted .

by Bartho Pronk ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 134 / 93

( 10 November 1993 ) by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

( 94 / C 240 / 98 ) to the Commission of the European Union

( 19 November 1993 )

Subject : Opinions of the Economic and Social
Committee

1 . In answer to my Written Question No 3472 / 92 (^ Mr
Flynn referred to three different categories . Which of the
Directives belong to which category ?

2 . The final decision on a proposal for a Directive rests
with the Council .

Can and will the Commission ensure that information is

published indicating which of the Economic and Social
Committee 's opinions have been adopted by the Council
and which have not, as is already done in connection with
adoption of these opinions by the Commission itself ?

(!) OJ No C 293, 28 . 10 . 1993, p . 23 .

( 94 / C 240 / 99 )

Subject : Absence of a common organization of the market

for pharmaceutical and aromatic plants

Will the Commission say why a common organization of the
market has not yet been established for pharmaceutical and
aromatic plants as part of the CAP ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

( IS December 1993 )

Medicinal plants falling within code 1211 of the combined
nomenclature ( CN ), as well as most aromatic plants in
Chapter 9 of the CN, are covered by Council Regulation

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

the Commission ( EEC ) No 827 / 68 on the common organization of the

( 15 February 1994 ) market in certain products listed in Annex II to the EC
Treaty (').

1 . The Commission is forwarding directly to the 0 ) OJ No L 151, 30 . 6 . 1968 .
Honourable Member and the Secretariat-General of the

Parliament the following lists of proposals for Directives
amended in 1991 and 1992 :

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 51

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 143 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission of the European Union (4 February 1994 )

( 19 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 100 ) The Commission would point out that of the ECU 1,25
billion earmarked for the new independent States, the
Community has already granted Kazakhstan the sum of

Subject : Cholera epidemic in Vietnam ECU 25 million for medical supplies which are currently

being delivered . /

Given that a cholera epidemic has broken out in the
province of Thua Thien Hue in central Vietnam and that a
number of deaths have been recorded there over the last few

weeks, does the Commission intend to help the Vietnamese
authorities combat this epidemic ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 February 1994 )

The cholera situation in Vietnam has been fairly stable
recently . 4 157 cases were reported in 1992 and 3 160 cases
were reported from January to October 1993 . There is no
indication of a dramatic deterioration of the overall

situation, but it has to be noted that Thua Thien Hue
province has indeed been more affected lately than other
parts of Vietnam . In September, 1 826 cases were reported
in the area, but the epidemic did not last and the number of
cases returned to the previous average in October .

The origin of the epidemic is unknown, as is the serotype
involved . Two WHO experts are in Vietnam to assess the
situation and further risks of epidemic . The Commission is
liaising with WHO to coordinate the action, should the
situation evolve and specific help be required .

The Commission has received no requests from the
Kazakhstan authorities specifically concerning the
epidemics the Honourable Member refers to, but it has none
the less agreed to look into the possibility of granting
Kazakhstan additional funds from the overall allocation

referred to above .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 145 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Union

( 19 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 102

Subject : Failure by Greece to implement Directive
89 / 48 / EEC

Given Greece 's systematic and indiscriminate refusal to
allow nationals of other Member States to work in Greece

and to recognize their professional qualifications in
accordance with provisions of Directive 89 / 48 / EEC (*)
which establishes a general system for the recognition of
higher education diplomas of a minimum duration of three
years, what further action does the Commission intend to
take to force the Greek authorities to implement the relevant
Community legislation ?

H OJ No L 19, 24 . 1 . 1989, p . 16 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 144 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Union

( 19 November 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 94 / C 240 / 101 ) ( 13 December 1993 )

Subject : Cholera epidemic in Kazakhstan

Given that a state of emergency has been declared in
Alma-Ata, the capital of Khazakstan, because a cholera
epidemic has broken out with over 200 recorded cases so far
and given also that two cases of the plague have also been
reported, what immediate aid — in terms of financial
contributions and health care equipment — does the
Commission intend to give the authorities in Kazakhstan to
enable them to combat this outbreak of cholera and the

plague ?

Greece has only partly transposed Directive 89 / 48 / EEC on a
general system for the recognition of higher-education
diplomas awarded on the completion of professional
education and training of at least three years ' duration . The
transposition process has been made more difficult by the
fact that the Greek authorities have chosen to proceed
profession by profession . For example, the Commission has
so far received notification of measures transposing the
Directive on health and welfare professions ( Ministerial
Decision Y.A. A4 / 4112 — F.E.K. No 502 of 5 August 1992 )
and the Directive on lawyers ( Ministerial Decree P.D. 52 / 93
— F.E.K. 20A of 18 February 1993 ).

No C 240 / 52 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

As regards other professions, the Commission has
repeatedly told the Greek authorities that Member States
may not quote their own failings as grounds for shirking
their obligations under Community law . In this context, the
Commission would point out that following the Court 's
ruling ( judgment of 9 November 1991 in Joined Cases
C-6 / 90 and C-9 / 90 Andrea Francovich Daniela Bonifaci et

al . v Italy ) individuals have the right under Community law
to seek compensation from the Member State for damage
they have suffered as a result of a Directive not having been
transposed .

question, as well as others . Under these circumstances, the
project must await further developments in the Dialogue,
which are presently under discussion with the Arab League .
Meanwhile, the Commission has contributed to the
financing of Euro-Arab training actions at the Seminario
Permanente and Euro-Arab Documentation Centre in

Granada in the year 1993 which should contribute to the
momentum towards the establishment of the University .

The Commission has already initiated the procedure
provided for in Article 169 of the EEC Treaty . To be more
precise, the matter was brought before the Court on
27 August 1993 and the Case number is C - 93 / 365 . WRITTEN QUESTION E-3159 / 93
by Joaquim Miranda da Silva ( CG ), René-Emile Piquet ( CG )

and Vassilis Ephremidis ( CG )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 19 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 104 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3153 / 93

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

( 19 November 1993 )

94 / C 240 / 103

Subject : Operations of the Euro-Arab University

Fragmentary press reports have contained snippets of
information concerning the forthcoming operations, with
effect from 1994, of the Euro-Arab University .

Can the Commission provide comprehensive information
concerning the plans for this institution as regards the
number and the location of the sites it will occupy, the
subjects to be taught, the languages to be used for teaching
purposes, the financing arrangements, matriculation
requirements, the validity of the qualifications on offer and
other features of the new university ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 25 February 1994 )

The development of the Euro-Arab University arises from a
resolution of the Parliament of 1984 . In an agreement in the
General Committee of the Euro-Arab Dialogue in Dublin in
June 1990, it was decided to study the role and field of

activities appropriate to a Euro-Arab University and
whether it would be viable, taking account of the finance
available .

As the Honourable Member will be aware, some difficulties
in the Euro-Arab Dialogue have blocked any advance on this

Subject : Discrimination in Hungary against democratic

political and social organizations

On 14 April 1993, the National Assembly of Hungary
adopted Law No XLV / 1993, amending Law No IV / 1978

( the Criminal Code ) with respect to ' twentieth-century
extremist political ideas '. This law was published on 19 May

1993 and came into force on 4 June 1993 .

This law establishes an equivalence between the swastika,
the fasces and the initials ' SS ' ( emblems of fascism and
Nazism ) and the hammer and sickle and the five-pointed red
star ( symbols of the workers ' movement and of the world 's
Communist parties, as well as of many other democratic,
progressive and left-wing political movements and social
organizations ), and makes it an offence for anyone to
promote, employ or display them in public . However,
numerous political organizations with parliamentary
representation in the twelve EC Member States use the
hammer and sickle and the five-pointed star ; these are,
moreover, parties represented in the European Parliament
and the Council of Europe, as well as in other political,
economic and social bodies linked to the Community
institutions . In addition, an association agreement between
the Community and Hungary is currently in process of
ratification .

In view of all the above, what action does the Commission
intend to take in response to this act of discrimination and
falsification of history, which will have the effect of
preventing the representatives of democratic political
organizations which have been legitimated by millions of
voters in the Community and whose past and present
contribution has been and is quite unquestionably to defend
liberty, democracy and peace, from using their own names
and symbols when visiting a country with which the
Community is now finalizing an association agreement

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 53

which will open up the possibility of future accession to the 1 . recent violent incidents in Germany and elsewhere ;
European Union ?

2 . the decision of EC interior ministers, meeting in
Copenhagen, to investigate the spate of racist attacks on
foreigners across Europe ?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 161 / 93
(7 February 1994 )

by Claudia Roth ( V )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 19 November 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the Hungarian Parliament 's ( 94 / C 240 / 106 )
recent adoption of an act prohibiting the use or public
display of certain political symbols, including the
five-pointed red star and the hammer and sickle, but feels
that this action must be judged in the light of the country 's Subject : Racist attack in Solingen
own historical circumstances . Forty years of Communist racism and xenophobia in
rule have given those symbols unpleasant connotations for
the people of Hungary ; indeed, the new law was backed even In view of the resurgence of racist
by members of the Hungarian socialist party . Europe and in particular the events

Subject : Racist attack in Solingen and the resurgence of

racism and xenophobia in Europe

In view of the resurgence of racist and xenophobic acts in
Europe and in particular the events in Solingen which
culminated in the burning of a house inhabited by Turkish
nationals, resulting in five deaths :

The law does not apply to the official symbols of other States
and contains no reference to symbols used by foreign parties
or organizations ; it is in no way intended as a bar to visits by
democratic political organizations . The law referred to by
the Honourable Members therefore relates to domestic

matters ; it was adopted by the sovereign authority of the
freely and democratically elected Hungarian Parliament and
no action on the Community 's part is called for .

2 . Can the Commission give precise and detailed
information on what measures have been taken at

Community level to implement the recommendations of
the European Parliament 's Committee of Inquiry into
Racism and Xenophobia ?

1 . What measures does the Commission intend to take to

implement a genuinely European policy to combat
racism and xenophobia commensurate with the
problem ?

Hungary is a member of the Council of Europe and has Racism and Xenophobia ?
ratified the European Convention for the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms . Its citizens can,
after exhausting domestic remedies, take any complaints
about breaches of the Convention to the European Joint answer to Written Questions
Commission of Human Rights in Strasbourg . E-3 15 8 / 93 and E-3 16 1 / 93

E-3 15 8 / 93 and E-3 16 1 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 15 8 / 93

by James Ford ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 19 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 105 )

Subject : Racism and xenophobia in the Community

given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 1993 )

The Commission would draw the attention of the

Honourable Members to the replies to Written Questions
Nos 2166 / 93, 2536 / 93, 2099 / 93, 1829 / 93, 1633 / 93,
1582 / 93, 806 / 93, 578 and 1111 / 93, 535 / 93 (*) and
415 / 93 ( 2 ).

With regard to the May 1993 decision of the Ministers for
Justice and the Interior in Kolding to carry out a survey of

national governments within the Community on racist or
xenophobic activities, the Belgian Presidency is currently
examining the replies to a questionnaire with a view to
increasing cooperation between Member States .

(M OJ No C 207, 30 . 7 . 1993 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 127, 7 . 5 . 1993 .
What action does the Commission propose to take
regarding the problem of racism and xenophobia in the
Community in the light of :

No C 240 / 54 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 171 / 93

by Alan Donnelly ( PSE ), Elmar Brok ( PPE ), Luis Planas
Puchades ( PSE ), Lyndon Harrison ( PSE ), Ernest Glinne
( PSE ), Christos Papoutsis ( PSE ), Jean Penders ( PPE ), Barry
Desmond ( PSE ), Terence Wynn ( PSE ), Hugh McMahon
( PSE ), Peter Price ( PPE ), Dieter Rogalla ( PSE ), Pedro Bofill
Abeilhe ( PSE ), Ioannis Pesmazoglou ( PPE ), Arthur Newens

( PSE ), Gary Titley ( PSE ), Enrique Baron Crespo ( PSE ),
David Martin ( PSE ), Brian Simpson ( PSE ), David Bowe
( PSE ), Pauline Green ( PSE ), Josep Pons Grau ( PSE ) and

Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 19 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 107

Subject : Bilateral Treaty between the US and the EC

Does the Commission consider that new and intensified
forms of cooperation between the United States and the
European Community should be developed in the light of
the important ongoing changes in the European and
international environment ( including changes in central and
eastern Europe and increased powers for the Community as
a result of the Maastricht Treaty )?

Does the Commission believe that the 1990 Transatlantic

Declaration has worked satisfactorily in this context ?

among the issues identified . In trade relations, the
Community and US have an interest in early cooperation on
the new trade issues ( e.g. environment, competition,
conditional reciprocity, regulatory convergence ) as well as
working to create mechanisms to defuse trade tension, such
as an early warning system . Furthermore, the common
objectives of stimulating the economy and reducing the
budget deficit require better efforts for the coordination of
macroeconomic and monetary policies .

The Transatlantic Declaration has proved an adequate
framework for the establishment of regular EC / US contacts
at all levels and has provided a solid basis for the
development of an intensive dialogue on a variety of issues .
The political dialogue across the Atlantic has led to the
adoption of similar and often identical positions on many
major international policy issues . The Commission,
however, is of the opinion that given the range and
magnitude of geopolitical issues, the dialogue needs to be
further intensified, consultation improved in priority areas
and declarations on topics of common interest should be
issued whenever possible .

The opportunities for broadening and intensifying the
transatlantic dialogue provided by the Transatlantic
Declaration have not been fully exhausted . The US has
repeatedly stated it wants Europe to be a real partner . It is,
first of all, for the Community to live up to this challenge
and to develop its capacity to speak with one voice and act
with authority . So far, the Transatlantic Declaration has
provided and adequate basis for dialogue . Following the
ratification of the Treaty on European Union the possibility
of further cooperation could be considered .

Does the Commission feel that it would be useful to follow cooperation .
up this Declaration by negotiating a more formal Treaty of
Cooperation between the US and the EC that would better
reflect the importance of their relationship, and provide a
stronger institutional framework for joint problem solving
by the European Community institutions and US authorities
including the European Parliament and the US Congress,
without prejudicing NATO and other existing bilateral and
multilateral agreements ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3 175 / 93

by David Bowe ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Union

( 19 November 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek ( 94 / C 240 / 108 )

on behalf of the Commission

( 19 January 1994 )

Subject : German packaging industry

From the Community 's point of view three key factors
contribute to the emergence of a number of areas requiring
closer EC / US cooperation : the disappearance of the bipolar
world, the Community 's significantly bigger role on the
international stage as occasioned by the creation of a
common foreign and security policy, and the need for the
Community and US to continue to work towards improving
their trade relations . Joint regional crisis management,
common action towards promoting stability and
constructive change in eastern Europe, and more intensive
collaboration on the allocation of development aid are

During the last two years more than 20 complaints have
been submitted to the European Commission objecting to
the German packaging ordinance Verpak V, which has
created large surpluses of plastic, paper and glass which
German companies cannot recycle, which is threatening
collection and recycling structures across Europe .

Why has the Commission hesitated so long to use its power
as ' Guardian of the Treaties ' to call upon the European

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 55

Court of Justice to declare Verpak V an illegal trade
barrier ?

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 January 1994 )

It is correct that the Commission has received a large
number of complaints regarding the German Packaging
Decree . A number of these complaints have come not only
from economic operators within the Community, but from
the Member States themselves . Initial contacts with the

German authorities revealed that whilst the measures

adopted might be capable of having an effect equivalent to
quantitative restrictions on imports, it was nevertheless
maintained that they could be justified under the mandatory
requirement of the protection of the environment as
established by the European Court of Justice in Case
C-302 / 8 6 Commission v Denmark ('). In these
circumstances, it fell to the Commission to examine the
proportionality of the precise measures adopted by
Germany .

Therefore, following the complaints and in order to
facilitate the examination of the problems arising from the
entry into force of parts of the German Decree this year, the
Commission, pursuant to its duty under Article 155 EC
Treaty, has held a number of meetings both with the
German authorities and multilaterally with the German
authorities and those of the other Member States . The most

recent of these meetings took place on 3 November
1993 .

As a result of these meetings, the German authorities have
shown a willingness to modify the 1991 Decree in order to
ensure that the quantities of waste materials collected ( and
in particular paper and plastic, although also glass ) is not
out of proportion to the domestic capacity to deal with such
waste within the scope permitted by the said Decree . It is
hoped that this will remove the need to export such waste in
such quantities as might hinder recycling structures in other
Member States .

Whilst awaiting details of the amendments proposed by the
German authorities, the Commission is not in a position to
judge the German Decree as infringing the provisions of the
EC Treaty .

(M 1988 ECR 4067 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3180 / 93

by Jessica Larive ( LDR )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 109 )

Subject : Nuclear safety hazards in the CIS

1 . Is the Commission aware that on 21 September 1993
the Russian Minister of Atomic Energy, Mr Mikhailov, told

the European Parliament 's Committee on Energy, Research
and Technology that as far as he was concerned there could
be no question of shutting down the oldest and most
hazardous nuclear reactors of the Chernobyl type and that
these power stations would remain in commission until at
least 2003 ?

2 . Does this mean that at least part of the large sums of
money which the EC is making available in order to improve
safety at nuclear power stations in the CIS is being misspent ?
What is the Commission doing to prevent this abuse ?

3 . Can the Commission guarantee that if Euratom loans
are provided in the near future to improve safety at Russian
nuclear power stations, these will not be misused in order to
extend the life of power stations which will never be able to
comply with Western safety standards ?

4 . Does the Commission agree that the fact that the
Russian Parliament still has not ratified the agreement on
the setting-up of the International Centre for Science and
Technology in Moscow is indicative of an unwillingness to
employ nuclear researchers to improve nuclear safety in the
interests of East and West ?

5 . What view does the Commission take of progress in
military and nuclear research in the secret cities in the
Russian Federation which were once again declared secret
last year ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 1994 )

1 . The Commission has taken note of the declaration of

Minister Mikailov before the Energy Commission of the
Parliament on 21 September concerning the future
operation of older Russian nuclear reactors .

2 . It is the Commission 's view that the projects financed
under the Tacis programme and dealing with these older
reactors remain valid . This is in particular the case of the
projects aiming at an adequate assessment of the safety of
these older design reactors, such as the RBMK safety
assessment undertaken by a consortium of Western safety
organizations and the evaluation of VVER 230 reactors .

3 . The proposal submitted by the Commission to the
Council and to the Parliament on the use of Euratom loans

for countries in central and eastern Europe and in the CIS
contains the provision that these loans are used in priority
for safer reactors ( VVER 213 and WER 100 ) that can be
operated in longer term .

No C 240 / 56 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

4 . The delays that have occurred, on the part of the
Russian Federation, in the ratification process of the ISTC
Agreement were not for the reasons suggested by the
Honourable Member . In fact, the former Russian
Parliament had almost completed the ratification process
before its dissolution . It will now be for the newly elected
Parliament to accomplish the ratification process . In the
meantime, the parties to the ISTC Agreement envisage a
special protocol which would permit the provisional
application of the Agreement and a start to the operations of
the ISTC .

5 . The Community 's assistance programmes are limited
exclusively to civil nuclear installations .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3205 / 93

by Winifred Ewing ( ARC )
to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 111

Subject : Overspending by the EBRD

Will the Commission provide an explanatory note on the
£55 million spent fitting out the London offices of the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ? Will
it also please provide details of the expenditure ?

Answer given by Mr Christophersen

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3203 / 93 ( 20 December 1993 )

by Winifred Ewing ( ARC )
to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 110 )

Subject : Conference on drinking water

Following the Conference on Drinking Water ( Brussels
23 / 24 September 1993 ) what changes to Directive
80 / 778 / EEC ( 1 ) does the Commission now intend making
and will it favour stricter controls on water quality
standards ?

At the Commisison 's request, the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development sent a copy of the report
of its Audit Committee to the President of Parliament in July

1993 . The Commission now transmits directly a copy to the
Honourable Member and to the Secretariat-General of the

Parliament .

This contains full details of the information requested by the
Honourable Member .

(!) OJ No L 229, 30 . 8 . 1980, p . 11 .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3211 / 93

by Madron Seligman ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Union

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas ( 23 November 1993 )

on behalf of the Commission

( 94 / C 240 / 112
(7 December 1993 )

Subject : EC package travel Directive
The Conference on Drinking Water on 23 and 24 September

1993 in Brussels was held to enable all interested parties to
present their opinions regarding the review of Directive

80 / 778 / EEC .

The Commission is in the process of examining the
information presented at the Conference, as well as written
submissions received after the Conference .

Therefore the Commission will not be making any decisions
regarding possible modifications to Directive 80 / 778 / EEC
until all the relevant information provided has been
thoroughly examined and assessed, and subsequent further
investigations completed .

In March 1992 I was informed by Mr Heinrich von Moltke
on behalf of the Commissioner then responsible that no
Member State had at that time introduced domestic

legislation to implement the EC package travel Directive
90 / 314 / EEC ( 1 ).

Which countries have communicated their national texts for

transposition ? I would be grateful to receive copies if these
are available .

What procedures have been initiated to ensure that all
Member States implement the Directive when it comes into
force at 31 December 1993 ?

( ] ) OJ No L 158, 23 . 6 . 1990, p . 59 .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 57

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 December 1993 )

Council Directive 90 / 314 / EEC on package travel, package
holidays and package tours came into force on 31 December

1992 .

The Commission has received national implementing
measures from five Member States :

1 . Denmark : Lov nr . 472, 30 juni 1993 ( LT 30 juni
1993 )

Lov nr . 454, 30 juni 1993 ( LT 30 juni 1993 )

2 . France : Loi n° 92-645 du 13 juillet 1992 ( JO du 14 juillet
1992 )

3 . Netherlands : 43 Besluit van 1 5 j anuari 1 993 ( Staatsblad

1993 / 43 )

689 Wet van 24 december 1992 ( Staatsblad
1992 / 689 )

4 . Portugal : Decreto-Lei N° 198 / 93 de 27 de Maio

( DIARIO DA REPUBLICA-I SERIE-A, N°
123-27 / 5 / 1993 )

Decreto-Regulamentar n° 24 / 93 de 19 de Julho

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 December 1993 )

The Commission would like to point out that, in accordance
with Article 126 of the Treaty on European Union, the
content of teaching and the organization of education
systems are the responsibility of the Member States .
However, the Community contributes to the development
of quality education by encouraging cooperation between
Member States and, if necessary, by supporting and
supplementing their action by initiatives aimed above all at
developing the European dimension of education, which
encompasses the safeguarding of the principles of
democracy, social justice and respect for human rights .

For several years, particularly within the framework of the
resolution of 24 May 1988 on the European dimension of
education, the Commission has encouraged all initiatives in
this field .

Furthermore, paragraph 13 of the Green Paper on the
European Dimension of Education, adopted by the
Commission ( a ) on 29 September 1993, states that
' European citizenship ( should be ) based on the shared
values of interdependence, democracy, equality of
opportunity and mutual respect '.

( DIARIO DA REPUBLICA-I SERIE-B, N°
16719 / 7 / 1993 ) (M COM(93 ) 457 final .

5 . United Kingdom : Statutory Instrument 1992 . No
3288

The Commission will transmit directly to the Honourable
Member and the Secretariat-General of the Parliament

copies of the abovementioned texts .

For the rest of the Member States who have not yet
communicated their national implementing measures, the
Commission, taking into account Article 169 of the EC
Treaty and the Second Commission three-year Action Plan

1993-1995 on Consumer Policy (*), which asks for a close
surveillance of Community law as a means of providing
consumers with effective protection, has initiated the
infringement procedure resulting from the abovementioned
Article of the EC Treaty .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3221 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

94 / C 240 / 114 )

Subject : More effective measures to protect human rights in

Europe

In order to ensure that human rights are protected even

(M COM ( 93 ) 378 final . more effectively in Europe, Amnesty International has

proposed that the code of conduct for law enforcement
officials and the declaration on a code of ethics for the police
should be implemented forthwith in all the Member States .
Does the Commission agree with this proposal ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3220 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Union

Answer given by Mr Delors
( 23 November 1993 ) on behalf of the Commission

( 94 / C 240 / 113 ) (1 February 1993 )

Subject : Human rights teaching in schools

Does the Commission intend to ensure that the subject of
human rights is taught at every level in schools in the
Community ?

The proposal from Amnesty International is outside the
scope of the Community 's powers .

No C 240 / 58 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3222 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3225 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE ) by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union to the Commission of the

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 115 ) ( 94 / C 240 / 116 )

Subject : Use of combined heat and electricity production

Subject : Human rights in third countries

systems to reduce consumption

Combined heat and electricity production systems make it

Given that in certain countries human rights are possible to cut consumption considerably and to reduce
systematically violated, will the Commission seek to dependence on raw materials . Experts maintain that these
introduce legislation to reinforce the ban on economic, systems should be backed by the authorities, and in
military and police assistance to such countries ? particular should operate in hotels, hospitals and other large

centres supplying services . Does the Commission intend to
consider the possibility of financial support for the
installation of combined heat and electricity production
systems ?
Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 February 1994 )

The Commission is of the opinion that the Community 's
capacity to react to violations of human rights and
democratic principles is adequate as it stands .

In line with the guidelines set out in the resolution adopted
by the Council and the Member States meeting within the
Council on 28 November 1991, a clause stipulating that
respect for human rights and democratic principles
constitutes an essential element thereof is included in

association and economic cooperation agreements
concluded with third countries ; in each case, this reflects the
parties ' shared commitment to due respect for these rights
and principles .

In accordance with the principles of international
customary law, this clause also constitutes a legal basis for
retaliatory measures in response to serious and repeated
violations of human rights or long-term suspension of the
democratic process .

Such measures are taken on the basis of objective and fair
criteria, and are proportionate to the gravity of the case ; care
is taken to avoid penalizing the people of the country
concerned, particularly the poorest sections of society .

The measures may comprise the making of confidential or
public representations, amendments to the contents of
cooperation programmes or the channels used for their
implementation, deferment of signings or decisions that are
essential to implementing cooperation, or, if need be,
suspension of cooperation with the countries concerned .

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 1994 )

The Commission attaches great importance to the
development of combined heat and electricity production .
The technique has considerable economic and
environmental advantages, provided that there is a market
for both products .

The Commission has consistently promoted this technology
through various programmes, such as Thermie and SAVE,
and its proposals concerning the internal energy market .
The Commission is also willing to consider specific
measures to encourage the installation of combined heat
and electricity production in the types of building
mentioned by the Honourable Member, but it would not be
able to contribute to the investment costs .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3228 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 117 )

Subject : Demarcation of the biotope on the island of

Tinos

Given that the decision by the Greek authorities to
demarcate the biotope on the island of Tinos ( Porto region )
has not yet been implemented and the biotope is being
destroyed by private individuals, will the Commission
consider how it can be preserved ?

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 59

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3272 / 93

on behalf of the Commission

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
( 27 January 1994 ) to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

Greece has not classified the zone under consideration as a ( 94 / C 240 / 119

Special Protection Area, according to Article 4 of Directive
79 / 409 / EEC concerning the conservation of wild birds, Subject : Community funding
which is the only legal basis for Community intervention for Evvia
nature conservation applicable at present .

Subject : Community funding allocated to the prefecture of

Evvia

In addition, the biotope of Porto of the island of Tinos is not
included in the inventory of important bird areas established
with scientific criteria by the Community since 1989 .

Consequently, it is the responsibility of the Greek
authorities to take the necessary measures for the protection
of the biotope in question .

What is the total Community funding — and in respect of
which measures — allocated to the prefecture of Evvia
between the beginning of 1990 and 31 June 1993 from :

1 . the European Regional Development Fund,

2 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund — Guidance Section,

3 . the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund — Guarantee Section,

4 . the European Social Fund,

5 . the Community's research programmes,
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3229 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE ) 6 . Community programmes in the energy sector,

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 118 )

Subject : Construction of a private airport on Crete

It is reported that a company called the ' Eastern Crete

'
Airport Ltd — Xenios Zeus intends to construct a private
airport on Crete with EC aid . The plan is to build the airport
in the centre of the Prefecture of Lassithi on the Isthmus of

Ierapetra in Kato Khovio . The land chosen is an
archaeological site . Does the Community intend to subsidize
this project ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

7 . Community programmes in the sector of the
environment,

8 . other Community programmes ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

( 29 March 1994 )

In view of the length of its answer, the Commission is
sending it direct to the Honourable Member and
Parliament 's Secretariat .

( 27 January 1994 ) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3281 / 93

by Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Union

The Commission has not been informed of the project
referred to by the Honourable Member, for which no
application for Community financing has been submitted
under any current programme . However, if such an
application were submitted by the Greek authorities in the
context of the preparation of the next Community support
framework, the Commission would examine its conformity
with the objectives and requirements of applicable
Community law, in particular with regard to the project 's
environmental impact .

( 23 November 1993 )

94 / C 240 / 120

Subject : The Lake Mustos wetland in Arkadia

Lake Mustos is being turned into a fish farm following a
decision of the prefecture of Arkadia which shows that it is
' unaware ' that this Lake is an extremely important wetland
for migratory birds . In view of the above, how does the
Commission intend to protect this wetland area in the
region of Astros Kynouria ?

No C 240 / 60 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3288 / 93

on behalf of the Commission

by Gérard Deprez ( PPE )
(1 February 1994 ) to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

Greece has not classified the zone under consideration as a ( 94 / C 240 / 122 )

Special Protection Area, according to Article 4 of Directive
79 / 409 / EEC concerning the conservation of wild birds, nor
has bird it area been . identified by the Commission as an important Subject : Document COM(93 ) 378

Subject : Document COM(93 ) 378 final on the second

Commission three-year action plan on consumer
policy

For the time being, this Directive is the only basis for a legal
intervention by the Commission .

Consequently, it is the responsibility of the Greek
authorities to take the necessary measures for the protection
of the biotope in question .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3284 / 93

by Ingo Friedrich ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 121 )

Subject : Spending 1990, 199l by " and EC 1992 aid programmes in Bavaria in

1 . What are the main EC aid programmes for research,
technology and development and what funding did they
receive in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ?

2 . How much funding under these programmes was
spent in the Federal Republic of Germany ( old Lander ) and
in the Free State of Bavaria in 1990, 1991 and 1992 ?

3 . What percentage of EC funds spent in the Federal
Republic of Germany ( old Lander ) was accounted for by
each of these EC aid programmes in Bavaria in 1990, 1991
and 1992 ?

Answer given by Mr Ruberti
on behalf of the Commission

( 24 March 1994 )

In view of the length of its answer, the Commission is
sending it direct to the Honourable Member and
Parliament 's Secretariat .

Document COM(93 ) 378 final stipulates that ' Commission
support for consumer organizations as regards their training
programmes for adults and for young consumers and
schoolchildren, notably by furnishing teaching aids, should
also be enhanced '.

Can the Commission state whether the form of such support
is mainly financial or technical ?

Similarly, can it state whether the way in which such support
will be enhanced should be understood in financial terms or

in terms of an internal reorganization of its services ?

Lastly, can the Commission give details of the types of
teaching aids in question and the specific channels through
which they have been disseminated hitherto ( campaigns
directed at the general public or specific local projects )? Is
the Commission ensuring that these teaching aids can be
made available as a matter of priority to the poorest
consumers and those who are the least well-informed as to

the advantages they may gain and the dangers to which they
may be exposed ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 December 1993 )

Commission support for consumer organizations in
connection with the training of adults and young consumers
generally takes the form of joint financing of pilot
projects .

These pilot projects are, for the most part, carried out in
collaboration and / or in consultation with the Member

States, in particular with the national and regional bodies
responsible for consumer education .

The ' Consumer information and training ' unit within the
Consumer Policy Service is responsible for implementing
this support policy, which does not require any internal
reorganization of the service .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 61

Teaching aids take various forms, such as games for children
or video films . They are generally disseminated as an integral
part of the jointly financed projects, or as part of the project
follow-up at national and regional level ; experience has
shown that the usefulness of such aids is dependent on the
national and / or cultural context .

A conference and pilot project have addressed the question
of educating disadvantaged consumers . Here also,
experience has shown that teaching aids need to be tailored
to specific groups .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3293 / 93

by Robert Delorozoy ( LDR )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 123 )

Subject : Community trade policy

A number of Member States have made repeated calls for the
European Community to step up its commercial presence in
third countries .

A number of specific suggestions have been made with a
view to

— opening up markets still subject to restrictions and

removing obstacles to trade freedom,

— improving the effectiveness of anti-dumping and
anti-subsidy procedures .

There are also proposals for the creation of a world trade
organization to replace the provisional GATT

arrangement .

Is the Commission in a position at present to define a
programme of specific measures to be taken in the coming
months in order to achieve these objectives ?

ensure that the Community takes a firm and active stand
in international fora, as it did in the recent multilateral
negotiations on international trade rules and, in
particular, market access, which in the event have
produced results which may be considered satisfactory
in terms of the Community 's interests .

It is now necessary to take a determined stand in
asserting the Community 's rights under these rules
whenever the Community 's interests require it . The
Commission has been prompt to react within GATT to
the imposition by the United States of anti-dumping and
countervailing duties against Community steel exports
in breach of international rules . Such action, however,
also calls for the initiative and active backing of Member
States and Community businesses, otherwise the
Commission 's own initiatives will often prove
fruitless .

— The Commission presented the Council some time ago

with proposals aimed at tightening up the instruments
available to the Community in defence of trade, as part
of the moves to complete the common import
arrangements for the single market . These included a
proposal to improve Community decision-making
processes in this area and one designed to make
anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard proceedings
more effective by setting firm time-limits for
investigations, improving procedural transparency and
generally deploying resources more efficiently .

The Council has now reached agreement on a package of
reforms to the Community 's common rules for imports
and defensive instruments . This does not incorporate all
the improvements advocated by the Commission, but it
is nevertheless an important step in the right
direction .

— One result of the Uruguay Round was the agreement to

set up a World Trade Organization ( WTO ). Again, it
will be important for the Community to take a firm

given by Sir Leon Brittan stand within the WTO, with the active and constructive

the Commission backing of the Member States and industry .

(9 February 1994 )

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

The Commission shares the Member States ' desire for a

more active common commercial policy to protect the
interests of Community businesses not only within the single
market but on export markets as well .

With regard to the suggestions advanced by the Honourable
Member and to possible measures to be taken by the
Commission :

— The best way to gain access to non-Community markets

and secure the elimination of barriers to trade is to

As the Uruguay Round results are implemented in the
coming months, one important aspect will be the
adoption of Community machinery for participation in
the new body .

No C 240 / 62 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3295 / 93

by Luigi Vertemati ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

( 94 1 C 240 / 124 )

Subject : Consumer protection services in the
telecommunications sector

Under the Act of 21 May 1991, Belgium introduced a
consumer protection system for users of
telecommunications services .

As part of this system, an independent mediation service has
been set up to find out-of-court settlements to disputes
between the telephone operating company ( Belgacom ) and
users and to monitor Belgacom 's rules of conduct in respect
of users .

On 30 June 1993 the Council adopted a common position
on this proposal for a Directive .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3303 / 93

by Filippos Pierros ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 24 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 125

Subject : Use of LIFE funds

aware of the existence of similar In May 1992 a Regulation was adopted setting up the
other Member States ? financial instrument LIFE . The main objective was to

promote integrated environment management and new
technologies and methods for the rational use of natural

Commission agree that it should submit a resources . As the regulation was adopted belatedly, the
a Directive obliging Member States to programme was hastily launched in the summer of 1992 and
to protect the interests of the users of measures were initially proposed for adoption which had
services, such as that set up in not been included in the Medspa programme . Eight Greek

programmes were selected with a total of budget of
approximately ECU 5 million . What progress has been
made in implementing the Greek programmes and what is
the budget take-up rate ?
Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

Is the Commission aware of the existence of similar

initiatives in other Member States ?

Would the Commission agree that it should submit a
proposal for a Directive obliging Member States to
introduce systems to protect the interests of the users of
telecommunications services, such as that set up in
Belgium ?

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 March 1994 )

1 . The Commission has little information on this subject .
However, it would like to inform the Honourable Member
that — for example in Italy — there exists an arbitration
procedure for disputes relating to telecommmunication
services . This procedure is the outcome of a 1989 agreement
between the SIP ( Italian Telecommunications Company )
and 12 consumer organizations .

2 . Article 25 of the proposal for a Council Directive on
the application of open network provision ( ONP ) to voice
telephony provides that, in the event of an unresolved
dispute with a telecommunications organization, users shall
have a right of appeal to the national regulatory authority or
another independent body concerning presumed
infringements of the provisions of the Directive, including
those relating to telephone bills .

In other words, the Directive obliges the Member States to
provide consumers with easily accessible and in principle
inexpensive procedures to settle disputes in a fair, timely and
transparent manner . A conciliation procedure, involving the
Commisson, is also foreseen in the event of disputes with
telecommunications organizations in several Member
States .

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 1994 )

In the summer of 1992, six projects for Greece not
concerning nature were approved by the LIFE Management
Committee, of a total value of ECU 4 132 939 and ECU
2 138 250 of Community participation ( 51 % of the total ).
44% of Community participation has been absorbed to
date . Only one project of a total value of ECU 144 200 has
been concluded, the others are expected to be concluded by
mid 1995 .

For the two projects relating to nature conservation, a
financial support of ECU 2,7 million representing 75 % of
their estimated total cost, was committed in November

1992 . 41,6 % of this amount has been paid so far . A better
idea of the projects ' implementation will be gained as soon
as the Commission receives the 1993 progress reports .

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 63

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3322 / 93

by Enrique Baron Crespo ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 24 November 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 126

Subject : Discrimination with regard to employment in the

public sector — Article 48(4 ) of the EEC Treaty

In 1980 the Court of Justice ( judgment of 17 December

1980 in Case 149 / 79 Commission v. Kingdom of Belgium
ECR 1980, p. 3881 ) gave a ruling on the ( limited ) scope of
the exception made in Article 48(4 ).

In its communication on access to employment in the public
service of the Member States ( 1 ) the Commission announced
that it was initiating a strategy for the elimination of
restrictions on grounds of nationality in four main

sectors .

1 . Can the Commission provide information, for each
Member State and each sector, on the infringement
procedures it has initiated for infringements of Article
48 of the Treaty and the state of progress of these
procedures ?

2 . Can it give precise indication, or an estimate, of how
many jobs are thus improperly reserved for nationals of
the country in question, for each Member State and each
sector ?

Changes to the laws and regulations in the various Member
States have already led to the discontinuance of a number of
the above infringement proceedings .

The remainder (a total of 40 ) are still pending and have
progressed beyond the reasoned opinion stage . It should be
noted, however, that in all the other Member States still
affected by these proceedings, with the exception of
Luxembourg ( Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France,
Italy ), several draft laws or regulations are being prepared,
but that the legislative process, which is sometimes long and
complicated, is not yet complete .

The Commission has no statistics relating to the number of
public sector jobs in the main sectors which are improperly
reserved for nationals by the Member States in question .

( ! ) Excluding Ireland and the Netherlands, where the situation in

the four main sectors is normal and in compliance with the EC
Treaty .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3253 / 93

by Anthony Wilson ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 23 November 1993 )

H OJ No C 72, 18 . 3 . 1988 p . 2 . ( 94 / C 240 / 127 )

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1993 )

Following on from its communication of 18 March 1988,
the Commission has been working systematically to ensure
that Article 48(4 ) of the EC Treaty is correctly applied, in
keeping with consistent case law of the Court of Justice, in
four main sectors of national public administration,
namely :

— bodies responsible for managing a commercial
service ;

— public health care services ;

— state education :

— research for non-military purposes in public
establishments .

This work has involved the initiation of several infringement
proceedings under Article 169 of the EC Treaty against all
the Member States concerned 0 ( Belgium : 7, Denmark : 5,
Germany : 6, Greece : 7, Spain : 7, France : 9, Italy : 8,
Luxembourg : 6, Portugal : 7, United Kingdom : 1 ).

Subject : Kibale forest

1 . Were EC funds used, via the Natural Forest
Management and Conservation Project, to pay the
allowances of police officers and other government officials,
and to purchase other supplies and equipment used in
evicting people from the Kibale Forest Reserve and / or the
Kibale Corridor Game Reserve ?

2 . What steps are being taken to provide long-term
infrastructural, social and economic development support
for the resettlement of the 5 000 people evicted from the
Kibale Forest Reserve, as would be required under the
OECD and World Bank guidelines ?

3 . Can the Commission give details of the procedure for
the registration of the landless and the reallocation of land in
other areas that the EC 's East Africa Dept claims to have
been followed by the Uganda Government, and examples of
ways in which the EC has supported this policy ?

4 . Can it provide a copy of the EC Uganda Delegation 's
tour report to the Kibale or Bugangaizi area during April
and May 1992 when it was established that the situation did

No C 240 / 64 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

not merit consideration as an emergency under Article
254 ?

5 . Will it recommend that the EC call a meeting of donor
agencies to assess what went wrong with the Uganda
Forestry Programme, and to decide what action might be
jointly taken to resolve the situation ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-34 19 / 93

by Henry McCubbin ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

(2 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 128 )

Subject : Eviction of Bakiga people from Kimbale Forest,

Uganda

Is the Commission aware of an article in Oxfam News

October 1993 which discusses the European Community 's
involvement in a conservation project in the Kimbale Forest,
Uganda ? The report talks of the forceful eviction of the
Bakiga people after forty years of settlement in the area, in
order to implement a joint conservation project involving
the European Community . These people were left with
nothing after their property was destroyed and they were
forced to settle in Bugangaizi, 150 km north .

Does the Commission feel any responsibility for the loss of
the Bakiga people and the erosion of their basic human
rights ?

The article mentions that EC officials said they were willing
to examine ways in which they could help the evicted . What
progress has been made in this instance ? Does the
Commission believe lessons can be learnt from this case ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-3253 / 93 and E-34 19 / 93

given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 16 December 1993 )

The Community 's Natural Forest Management and
Conservation Project forms part of a Forest Rehabilitation
Programme initiated by the World Bank in 1 987 . The object
of the programme is to improve environmental management
and to stop uncontrolled destruction of natural forest . The
Community component of the Programme covers 714
gazetted forest reserves, including the Kibale Forest
Reserve .

Eviction where necessary of settlers or encroachers from
gazetted reserves is part of Ugandan environment and
conservation policy . Since the beginning of the project, the

Ugandan Government has undertaken evictions of more
than 100 000 people from a number of forest reserves with
no reported cases of human rights violations .

Unfortunately, this good record was broken by evictions of
settlers and encroachers from the Kibale Forest Reserve .

Due to poor preparation and planning of the operations on
the part of the local authorities, excessive use of force,
criminal acts and violations of human rights took place
during the evictions in contravention of Ugandan law and
practice . This aroused strong and justified indignation and
protest from several quarters .

It should be recalled that the criticism concerned the manner

in which evictions from the Kibale Forest Reserve were

carried out, and not the Project as such, though it appears
now that funds of the project were used, to a limited extent,
to support the eviction operations through defraying
transport and other administrative costs .

When the malpractices were acknowledged by the
Government, the Commission reacted by suspending
financing of the Forestry Project . The Government was
informed that continued support would depend on :

— all future evictions being handled in strict conformity

with the OECD guidelines and Ugandan law ;

— fundamental human rights being respected in
connection with any future evictions, irrespective of the
legal status of those evicted in accordance with Ugandan
laws ;

— the Community financed Forestry Rehabilitation
Programmes not being involved financially or otherwise
with any future eviction operations not conducted in
accordance with OECD guidelines .

The Ugandan Government has now given its commitment to
ensure that these conditions are fully respected in
connection with future evictions . Consequently,
Community support for the project is about to be
resumed .

The Community Delegation did not organize or participate
in a tour of the kind referred to by the Honourable Member .
A team of consultants was in the Kibale area in April 1992
on a project evaluation mission, but did not visit the areas
where the evictions took place .

Establishment and application of registration and land
allocation procedures are the entire responsibility of the
Ugandan Government and have not been subject to
Community involvement or support . However, following
the Kibale evictions — which were, to the Commission 's
knowledge, the first incidents of this kind where uncertainty
has arisen regarding the proper application of these

29 . 8 . 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 240 / 65

procedures — the Commission has indicated its readiness to
support people who may have been wronged in connection
with the eviction operations and want their case tried before

court .

Steps have also been taken by the Commission to examine
— in close consultation with other donors — the

infrastructure, social and economic requirements of the
resettled populations with a view to ensuring that those
evicted are provided with acceptable living conditions and
adequate opportunities to resume normal economic and
social life in their new surroundings .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3469 / 93

by Christine Crawley ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Union

(7 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 129 )

Subject : Cosmetic tests on animals

Even, if ' some EC States have operated entirely without
formal controls, entirely satisfactorily, for many centuries ',
their authorities have unanimously welcomed the draft
Directive and actively participated in the preparation of the
text to be submitted to the Council and to the

Parliament .

significant number of accidents ', I re-table the question . I am
also aware that the Marine Industry Associations wish to
have a Directive to eliminate trade barriers . However, some
EC states have operated entirely without formal controls,
entirely satisfactorily, for many centuries .

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 13 December 1993 )

The Commission confirms that, in presenting the draft
Directive on recreational craft ' it is not acting on evidence of
a significant number of accidents '. The elimination of
existing barriers to trade and the application of Article 100A
EC Treaty especially its Section 3 are the basis of its
action .

At its meeting on 14 June 1993 to discuss the sixth .
amendment to Directive 76 / 768 / EEC ( [ ) concerning
cosmetic products, the Council of Ministers rejected two
amendments from Parliament which would have banned

cosmetic tests on animals . Which members of the Council

supported these amendments and which members opposed
them ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3682 / 93

0 ) OJ No L 262, 27 . 9 . 1976, p . 169 . by Lord Plumb ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Union

( 25 November 1993 )
Answer given by Mr Delors ( 94 / C 240 / 131 )
on behalf of the Commission

( 22 December 1993 )

Subject : Italian milk quota

The Commission believes that the matter raised by the
Honourable Member does not fall within its competence
and would suggest that the question be put to the
Council .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-35 88 / 93

Will the Commission clarify the position regarding the
implementation of the milk quota regime in Italy ; if it is
found that the scheme is not being properly implemented
will the provisionally allocated extra quota, and the credit
awarded to Italy on the strength of this award for the 1989
and 1990 clearance of EAGGF accounts be withdrawn ?

by Christopher Jackson ( PPE ) Answer given by Mr Steichen

to the Commission of the European Union on behalf of the Commission

( 23 November 1993 ) ( 20 December 1993 )

( 94 / C 240 / 130 )

Subject : Recreational craft — Accidents due to
construction

As the Commission has failed to answer my question

( H-1047 / 93 ) to my satisfaction, in particular the request
that it should confirm that it is not acting on ' evidence of a

The steps taken by the Italian authorities to implement the
milk quota system cover the allocation of reference
quantities to individual producers, measures for the transfer
of quotas — for example, selling or leasing quotas — and
voluntary cessation of production . Moreover, a central
body has been appointed to to ensure compliance at regional
level with the principal requirements of the quota system,

No C 240 / 66 Official Journal of the European Communities 29 . 8 . 94

including the allocation of quotas to producers, voluntary
cessation of production, monitoring total milk deliveries
and determining what levies must be paid .

Under the decision granting an increase in the reference
quantity for the 1993 / 94 milk marketing year in Italy, Spain
and Greece, the Commission will submit to the Council in
March 1994 a report on the situation in these Member
States and a proposal for their 1994 / 95 national quotas . In
its clearance of accounts decisions for the 1989 and 1990

financial years, the Commission reserved the right, in a
subsequent clearance of accounts decision, to apply a
financial correction corresponding to the total of excess
deliveries if it finds that the milk quota scheme has not been
properly implemented in these Member States within the
periods set by the Council .

2 . to promote long-term unemployment,

3 . to encourage research and development by

( a ) the University of Hamburg,

( b ) the Harburg University of Technology,

( c ) businesses and others,

4 . to encourage relations and trade with the countries of
central and eastern Europe,

5 . from programmes in the energy and environment

sectors,

6 . from programmes in the youth sector : Petra, Youth for
Europe, Force and other programmes,

7 . from programmes in the education sector : Erasmus,
Lingua, Comett and other programmes,

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3869 / 93

by Christa Randzio-Plath ( PSE )

8 . for women's projects,

to the Commission of the European Union 9 . for cultural projects :

( 24 January 1994 )

( 94 / C 240 / 132 )

Subject : EC money paid to Hamburg since 1988

How much Community money has been paid to Hamburg,
under what projects and from what funds,

1 . to promote employment

( a ) from the European Fund for Regional
Development,

( b ) from the European Social Fund ( ESF ),

( c ) from the European Guidance Fund for Fisheries,

( d ) from the European Agricultural Guidance and

Guarantee Fund ( EAGGF ) and other EC funds,

( a ) from the Media and Kaleidoscope programmes,

( b ) from other programmes and for specific
purposes ?

In the Community 's opinion, how successful have these
measures been ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

(7 April 1994 )

In view of the length of its answer, the Commission is
sending it direct to the Honourable Member and
Parliament 's Secretariat .