Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-6986
# Official Journal C 333

Volume 36
### of the European Communities 8 December 1993

###### Information and Notices

English edition

Notice No Contents
Page

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

93 / C 333 / 01 No 1649 / 90 by Mr Rene-Emile Piquet to the Commission
Subject : Relations between the Community and the United States 1

93 / C 333 / 02 No 1845 / 91 by Mr Gianfranco Amendola to the Commission
Subject : The EC, the international institutions, tropical rain forests and indigenous peoples . . 2

93 / C 333 / 03 No 1644 / 92 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : Codex / GATT : Multilateral trading organization ( MTO ) 2

93 / C 333 / 04 No 1645 / 92 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : Codex / GATT : Unilateral trade enforcement actions 2

93 / C 333 / 05 No 1646 / 92 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : Codex / GATT : Harmonizing standards downwards 3

93 / C 333 / 06 No 1647 / 92 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : Codex / GATT : Statement — 20 December 1991 Uruguay Round Final Text 3

93 / C 333 / 07 No 1649 / 92 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : GATT dispute resolution 3

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1644 / 92 to 1647 / 92 and 1649 / 92 3

93 / C 333 / 08 No 1650 / 92 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission
Subject : Proposed hygiene directive ( COM(91 ) final SYN 376 ) GATT / Codex standards 5

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No 2640 / 92 by Mr Gianfranco Amendola to the Commission
Subject : Ban on the passage of tankers through the Strait of Bonifacio

No 633 / 93 by Mr Gianfranco Amendola to the Commission

Subject : Ban on shipments of oil through sensitive areas such as the Bocche di Bonifacio

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2640 / 92 and 633 / 93

No 2822 / 92 by Mr Gary Titley to the Commission
Subject : Support for the victims of crime

No 3219 / 92 by Mr Jose Lafuente Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Motorway user charge, or sticker, for heavy goods vehicles

No 3416 / 92 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Informing the European public

No 105 / 93 by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission
Subject : Planned siting of a solid urban waste dump in Alcaraz ( Albacete, Spain )

No 390 / 93 by Mr Herman Verbeek to the Commission
Subject : Implementation of agricultural reform / set-aside

No 468 / 93 by Mr Henry Chabert to the Commission
Subject : Assistance from various Community funds for the Rhone-Alpes area

No 504 / 93 by Mr Ben Visser to the Commission
Subject : Noise levels near airports

No 643 / 93 by Mr Jose Vazquez Fouz to the Commission
Subject : An official responsible for fisheries at the EC delegation in Rabat

No 649 / 93 by Mr Jose Vazquez Fouz to the Commission
Subject : Documents used in breaches of rules on fisheries

No 665 / 93 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Cycling

No 1653 / 93 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Environmental friendly modes of transport

No 1772 / 93 by Mr Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Rights of cyclists in the European Community

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 665193, 1 653 / 93 and 1722 / 93

No 678 / 93 by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Languages used by the Commission in advertisements

No 760 / 93 by Mrs Maartje van Putten to the Commission
Subject : Women refugees

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93 / C 333 / 25 No 827 / 93 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission
Subject : Single market in energy 14

93 / C 333 / 26 No 923 / 93 by Mr Bruno Gollnisch to the Commission
Subject : Transport of ' accompanied luggage ' by the SNCF 15

93 / C 333 / 27 No 933 / 93 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Multifibre Arrangement 15

93 / C 333 / 28 No 1014 / 93 by Mr Giuseppe Mottola to the Commission
Subject : Directive on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of
organisms harmful to plants — strawberry plants intended for planting 16

93 / C 333 / 29 No 1022 / 93 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : European food and drug administration 16

93 / C 333 / 30 No 1 143 / 93 by Mr Eugenio Melandri to the Commission
Subject : The association NEA 17

93 / C 333 / 31 No 1282 / 93 by Mr Honor Funk and Mr Diemut Theato to the Commission
Subject : Importing beef and veal from Great Britain 17

93 / C 333 / 32 No 1283 / 93 by Mr Willem van Velzen to the Commission
Subject : Situation of staff at the European Patent Office . 18

93 / C 333 / 33 No 1291 / 93 by Mrs Astrid Lulling to the Commission
Subject : Bank charges for cross-border payments 18

93 / C 333 / 34 No 1315 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : European Policy in respect of native peoples 19

93 / C 333 / 35 No 1350 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : Aid to the developing countries 19

93 / C 333 / 36 No 1414 / 93 by Mr Jean-Thomas Nordmann to the Commission
Subject : The United Nations International Conference on Population and Development 20

93 / C 333 / 37 No 1475 / 93 by Mr Paul Staes to the Commission
Subject : Introduction of a label for tropical wood . . . 20

93 / C 333 / 38 No 1485 / 93 by Mr Christos Papoutsis to the Commission
Subject : Impact of the embargo on rump Yugoslavia on the Greek economy 21

93 / C 333 / 39 No 1502 / 93 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Breastmilk substitutes 22

93 / C 333 / 40 No 1515 / 93 by Mrs Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Support for rural areas 22

93 / C 333 / 41 No 1528 / 93 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Amateur aircraft 22

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Contents ( continued ) p age

No 1590 / 93 by Mr Ian White to the Commission
Subject : CAP reform 23

No 1599 / 93 by Mrs Dorothee Piermont to the Commission
Subject : Subsidies for NGOs in the development field — budget Item B7-5010 23

No 1617 / 93 by Mr Yves Verwaerde to the Commission
Subject : Mutual recognition of diplomas 24

No 1702 / 93 by Mr Rüdiger von Wechmar to the Council

Subject : European flag 24

No 1717 / 93 by Mr Iñigo Mendez de Vigo to the Commission
Subject : Obstacles to the free movement of fruit and vegetables 24

E-l 802 / 93 by Mr Claude Cheysson to the Commission
Subject : Relations between the Republic of Yemen and the Community 25

E-l 8 13 / 93 by Mr Jose Apolinário to the Commission
Subject : Guarantees for timeshare customers . . 25

E-l 843 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : NOW programme in Greece and day nurseries 26

E-1985 / 93 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission
Subject : Telecommunications services directive ( 90 / 388 / EEC ) 26

E-2101 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Commission
Subject : The Greek minority in the Skopje Republic 27

E-21 53 / 93 by Mr Louis Lauga to the Council
Subject : Situation in the clothing and footwear sectors 27

E-2202 / 93 by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini to the Council
Subject : Turin as seat of the European Foundation for Vocational Training in Central and Eastern
Europe 28

E-2345 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Council
Subject : Settlement with US representative on imports of cereal substitutes 28

E-2371 / 93 by Mr Jose Alvarez de Paz and Mr Pedro Bofill Abeilhe to the Council
Subject : Complementary measures to deal with common problems in the field of employment 29

93 / C 333 / 56 E-2372 / 93 by Mr Jose Alvarez de Paz and Mr Pedro Bofill Abeilhe to the Council
Subject : Support for national job-creation measures 29

93 / C 333 / 57 E-2373 / 93 by Mr José Alvarez de Paz to the Council

Subject : Convergence of Community policies on job creation and environmental protection . . 29

93 / C 333 / 58

E-2375 / 93 by Mr Jose Alvarez de Paz and Mr Pedro Bofill Abeilhe to the Council
Subject : The need for a thorough overhaul of training, the economy and employment in order to
create jobs 29

( Continued on inside back cover )

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93 / C 333 / 59 E-2376 / 93 by Mr José Alvarez de Paz to the Council
Subject : Employment and environmental protection 30

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2371 / 93 to E-23 73 / 93, E-2375 / 93 and
E-2376 / 93 30

93 / C 333 / 60 E-2406 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Council
Subject : Human rights in the Member States 30

93 / C 333 / 61 E-2482 / 93 by Mr Luigi Vertemati to the Council
Subject : Electoral system for European elections 31

93 / C 333 / 62 E-2584 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Council
Subject : Community policy and programmes relating to cohesion 31

93 / C 333 / 63 E-2588 / 93 by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos to the Council
Subject : Economic and social cohesion following the European Council meeting in June 32

93 / C 333 / 64 E-2611 / 93 by Mr Sergio Ribeiro to the Council
Subject : Participation of employees ' organizations in the banking sector in the implementation of a
directive which concerns them 32

93 / C 333 / 65 E-2852 / 93 by Mr Alex Smith to the Council
Subject : Transport of plutonium by air from Belgium 32

93 / C 333 / 66 E-2864 / 93 by Mr Alex Smith to the Council
Subject : Environment Council — THORP 33

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1649 / 90

OOby Mr René-Émile Piquet ( CG )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 July 1990 )

( 93 / C 333 / 01

Subject : Relations between the Community and the United

balanced agreement covering all aspects of the agenda set in

1986, including agriculture .

In the field of agriculture, the EC objective is to ensure that
the process of agriculture reform undertaken autonomously
by the EC is reciprocated by corresponding concessions
from major trading partners, in particular the USA .

States In December 1991, a Draft Final Act embodying the results
of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations

multilateral trade negotiations have entered was submitted to the Trade Negotiations Committee, which
phase . The United States are putting forward oversees the conduct of the Uruguay Round . One of the
which many observers consider ' excessive ' and purposes of this draft was, in respect of the agricultural
to respect the ministerial declaration of Punta del negotiations, to establish binding guidelines for all parties in
mid-term agreement concluded on 8 April 1989 order to ensure that new commitments would be established

in a uniform manner .

The GATT multilateral trade negotiations have entered was submitted to the Trade Negotiations Committee, which
their final phase . The United States are putting forward oversees the conduct of the Uruguay Round . One of the
proposals which many observers consider ' excessive ' and purposes of this draft was, in respect of the agricultural
which fail to respect the ministerial declaration of Punta del negotiations, to establish binding guidelines for all parties in
Este and the mid-term agreement concluded on 8 April 1989 order to ensure that new commitments would be established
in Geneva . At the same time, the United States has launched in a uniform manner .
ain aggressive cereal export drive towards third countries
and is preparing to implement a farm bill which is The draft was not acceptable for the Community and certain
particularly unfavourable for its partners . amendments were subsequently proposed based on the Blair
House Agreement reached in November 1992 between the
The Community, by contrast, appears to be making an USA and the Commission .
increasing number of unreciprocated concessions,
particularly in the farming sector, involving price freezes,
the reduction of external protective barriers and the phased It is, therefore, the Draft Final Act as adjusted in accordance
reduction of farm support . with the Blair House Agreement which is the basis for

Is the Commission aware of the dangers inherent in the
attitude being adopted by the United States in these
negotiations and on the international market ? Will it firmly
defend the Community 's agricultural, economic and trading
interests, especially in response to the increased pressure
being brought to bear by the United States ?

It is, therefore, the Draft Final Act as adjusted in accordance
with the Blair House Agreement which is the basis for
further negotiations for both the EC and the USA . It means
that the guidelines for establishment of commitments are the
same for the two parties and that further discussions in the
Uruguay Round should be based on these guidelines . In
addition, the Commission has to negotiate within the
directives issued by the Council and in consultation with the
Article 113 Committee .

The Community has submitted its offer in Geneva but of
course for the moment that offer has not resulted in any
Answer given by Mr Steichen ( ) legally binding commitments .

on behalf of the Commission

( 17 August 1993 ) ( ! ) The Commission regrets the delay in supplying the answer to

this question .

The Community is making no unreciprocated concessions
in the Uruguay Round . The EC objective is a global and

No C 333 / 2 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1845 / 91

by Mr Gianfranco Amendola ( V )

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

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1644 / 92

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

( 1 September 1991 ) ( 24 June 1992 )

( 1 September 1991 )

( 93 / C 333 / 02 ( 93 / C 333 / 03 )

Subject : Codex / GATT : Multilateral trading organization

Subject : The EC, the international institutions, tropical rain Subject :

forests and ( MTO )

forests and indigenous peoples

What measures has the Commission taken to alter the

structures and policies of international organizations like
GATT, the ITTO and the FAO to take into consideration
the interests of the forest dwellers who depend on the rescue
of the tropical rain forest, as well as the protection of the
remaining rain forests ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(2 September 1993 )

1 . In the GATT, the Commission participates actively in
the discussions regarding the interface between trade and
environment both in the Committee on Trade and

Development and in the Working Group on Environmental
Measures and International Trade . The Commission has

taken the position that, subject to certain conditions, GATT
should be supportive of international environmental
agreements including those which would safeguard the
interests referred to in the question .

2 . As regards the ITTO, the Commission is taking an
active part in renegotiating the International Tropical
Timber Agreement . One of the key issues is the inclusion in
the operative part of the Agreement of Objective 2000,
which concerns sustainable trade in timber products .
Achieving this objective would go a long way to improving
the lot of those living in tropical rain forests .

1 . To what extent does the Commission consider that the
20 December 1991 Uruguay Round ' Final Act ' Text is
worse than expected on environmental, health and
consumer issues ?

2 . Does the Commission agree that the Final Act Sanitary
and Phytosanitary Standards ( SPS ) and the Technical
Barriers to Trade ( TBT ) provisions are more undermining of
environmental and consumer standards that the 1990 draft

TBT and SPS texts ?

3 . How will the MTO provisions establish a new global
agency which, unlike the GATT, has a ' legal
personality '?

4 . Does the Commission agree that the MTO proposal
requires ' nations to cede substantial sovereignty for
instance : requiring MTO member nations to take all
necessary steps, where changes to domestic law will be
required to implement the provisions ... to ensure
conformity of their law with these agreements '?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1645 / 92

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

(1 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 333 / 04 )

3 . Community membership of the FAO since the autumn Subject : Codex / GATT : Unilateral trade enforcement
of 1991 has facilitated the development of collective efforts, actions
particularly in light of the experience gained by the FAO
through the Tropical Forestry Action Plan ( TFAP ).
Following the revision of the TFAP in 1990, new Under a section entitled ' Strengthening of Multilateral
operational principles which focused on the participation of System ' nations are restricted from taking unilateral trade
local communities were adopted in November 1991 . enforcement actions . Does the Commission agree that this

section would create an independent ground, forbidding
unilateral action, for example, Member States ' use . of trade
sanctions to enforce environmental, human rights and
employment rights law ?

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 3

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1646 / 92 propose for the procedure in the 20 December 1991
' Final Act ' Text ?

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

(1 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 333 / 05 )

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 1644 / 92
Subject : Codex / GATT : Harmonizing standards to 1647 / 92 and 1649 / 92

downwards given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

Does the Commission agree that the Final Act Text on ( 29 July 1993 )
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards promotes
harmonization downward of national standards that are

higher than international standards ? ( In answering this
question would the Commission note that the conclusion is

The Commission does not share the view that the Uruguay

supported not only by the actual GATT SPS provisions

Round Final Act Text is worse than expected on

contained the Final Act in the ( see Final 1990 Act Text, but )). by what is not contained in environmental Member is invited, health to refer or consumer to the answers issues . The to Honourable his Written

Questions 1637—1639 / 92 (*) and 1640—1643 / 92 ( 2 ), for
the main features of the draft Technical Barriers to Trade

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1647 / 92

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

(1 July 1992 )

( TBT ) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures ( SPS ) texts,
which specifically address measures taken for the protection
of health, the environment or the consumer . The
Commission would wish in this respect to emphasize two
points :

( 93 / C 333 / 06 ) a Even in the presence of international standards,
countries have the right to apply national measures
based on higher level of health or environmental
Subject : Codex / GATT : Statement — 20 December 1991 protection .

Uruguay Round Final Text

1 . Could the Commission please make a statement on the
Final Act and the extent to which the text is worse than

expected on environmental, health and consumer issues ? In
particular the Commission is asked to direct its comments to
the two sections :

( a ) Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards ( SPS )

( b ) Technical Barriers to Trade ( TBT )

2 . What representations has the Commission received
from consumer and trade unions interests and what action

will it take in respect of these representations ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1649 / 92

by Mr Llewellyn Smith ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 July 1992 )

( 93 / C 333 / 07

Subject : GATT dispute resolution

Does the Commission agree that secrecy pervades the
GATT dispute resolution ? What alternative does it

( b ) The tests introduced in the draft GATT agreements on

non-discrimination, ' necessity ' and the role of scientific
evidence do not require a country to lower its level of
health or environmental protection .

Their essential purpose is to ensure that domestic standards
do not have as their aim or effect the creation of obstacles to
trade which go beyond what is necessary to fulfil legitimate
public policy goals .

On the more specific questions relating to the SPS draft text,
the Commission does not agree — for the reason outlined
above — that the text would promote the harmonization
downwards of phytosanitary standards . This conclusion is
confirmed, rather than rejected, by a comparison of the

1990 and 1991 draft text . In the . first instance it should be
noted that the 1990 text was far from being an agreed text,
as is shown by the fact that most of the points raised by the
Honourable Member were bracketed . While there are still
certain divergences relating to the 1991 draft text, these do
not concern the question of harmonization of standards . It is
important to underline that Article 1 1 of the 1991 draft text,
which recognizes the right to apply higher standards on the
basis of scientific justification or the level of protection, is
now generally accepted . In the 1990 draft, this fundamental
provision was bracketed and the alternative was still
proposed that such higher standards could only be seen as
an exception to be based on ' reasonable scientific

No C 333 / 4 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

justification '. ( See alternative 1 and 2 to the 1990 draft text,
page 166 .)

The Commission would also wish to note that the Uruguay
Round Final Act should not be seen as having provided a
response to all the issues raised by the interface of trade and
environmental policies . In view both of the complex and
comprehensive nature of this interface, there is now general
agreement that the issue deserves an examination on its own
right . For this reason, the GATT has already decided to
activate a Group on Environmental Measures and
International Trade . The Community has been a prime
mover behind the decision to activate this group and is
playing a leading role in steering discussions in a direction
which results in a full recognition in the GATT of the
importance of the global environmental dimension . The
Group is currently considering the question of transparency,
the trade impact of packaging and labelling requirements
and the relationship between the GATT and the trade
provisions of Multilateral Environment Conventions .

The Final Act text of the Uruguay Round includes a draft to
establish a Multilateral Trade Organization ( MTO ). The
basic function of the MTO is to provide a more permanent,
efficient and coherent structure to the multilateral trading
system . This would be achieved through three main features
of the MTO :

( a ) The MTO would give a permanent institutional
structure to the GATT system, thereby ending the
current unsatisfactory legal status of the GATT, which
is applied as a provisional agreement .

( b ) The MTO would implement the concept of a ' single

package ' by which all participants in the Uruguay
Round should accept all the different agreements
thereby negotiated, including those on intellectual
property and services . The MTO would provide a
common organizational structure for these agreements,
thereby resulting in greater coherence and efficiency, as
well as an improved balance of rights and
obligations .

( c ) The MTO would administer an integrated
dispute-settlement system, which would apply in
principle to all the agreements covered by the MTO .

The MTO is an organizational agreement which is not
intended to create any additional substantive obligations .
The basic inter-governmental nature of the GATT system is
in no way affected . Governments retain the autonomy to
conduct their own trade policies within a framework of
international obligations, which have been freely negotiated
and contracted . Article XVI / 4 of the MTO draft refers to the

procedural steps which should be undertaken by MTO
members to ensure the conformity of their laws with
international agreements . This provision affirms the basic
international law principle according to which countries

should perform in good faith their international obligations .
The GATT has always been based on the need for countries
to bring their laws into conformity with international
obligations .

Section 21 of the Final Act text on ' Dispute settlement '
includes a number of provisions relating to the
strengthening of the multilateral system . These provisions
specifically aim at ensuring that disputes concerning the
implementation of GATT obligations are governed
exclusively by multilateral rules and procedures, thereby
excluding unilateral determinations that a third country has
failed to live up to GATT obligations or the unilateral
application of trade sanctions where a third country has
been found not to be in compliance with GATT obligations .
The fundamental aim of these provisions is to ensure that
Section 301 of US trade law be brought into conformity with
GATT obligations, which has always been a paramount
objective of the Community in the Uruguay Round
negotiations . These provisions have therefore no relevance
to the question of whether unilateral trade measures may be
applied for environmental, political or social reasons . The
GATT legality of such trade measures would depend on
whether such action is contemplated under other GATT
provisions .

The GATT dispute settlement system provides considerable
benefits to all trading nations by establishing a generally
accepted mechanism to conciliate disputes or, if this is
necessary, to rule objectively through impartial adjudication
on whether GATT obligations have been fulfilled . The Draft
Final Act would considerably improve the objectivity and
efficiency of the system . The Commission does not agree
that the GATT dispute-settlement system is characterized by
its secrecy . An alternative system under which private
parties had direct access to GATT dispute settlement would
be administratively unworkable and, more importantly,
fundamentally change the inter-governmental nature of the
GATT . It is also worth noting that, when dealing with
technical issues, a GATT Panel established to adjudicate in a
particular dispute has the right to seek information and
technical advice from any individual or body it deems
appropriate . Moreover, and in view of the more technical
nature of the issues to be considered, both the TBT and the
SPS texts envisage the establishment of technical experts
groups at the request of any party or at the initiative of the
Panel . This provision should ensure that a Panel has
adequate technical information on issues relating to the
protection of health or the environment . Another important
feature of both the TBT and the SPS texts is that detailed

provisions have been established for early notification and
consultations among the parties . It is to be hoped that such
provisions would help to address third country concerns
and limit the risk that technical regulations or phytosanitary
measures are subject to unnecessary challenges under GATT
dispute settlement .

(!) OJ No C 297, 3 . 11 . 1993, p . 7 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 327, 3 . 12 . 1993, p . 7 .

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 5

QUESTION No 1650 / 92 3 . Article 5 of the proposed food hygiene directive

Llewellyn Smith ( S ) requires Member States to recommend entrepreneurs from

the various food business sectors to develop and implement

of the European Communities documents of good hygiene practice which supplement the

(1 July 1992 ) provisions of the Annex and are based on the Recommended

93 / C 333 / 08 International Code of Practice, General Principles of Food
Hygiene of the Code Alimentarius .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1650 / 92

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

(1 July 1992 )

Subject : Proposed hygiene directive ( COM(91 ) final SYN

376 ) GATT / Codex standards These documents need to be sufficiently specific to ensure
that any entrepreneur who complies both with the

that : regulations from the Annex and the documents of good

hygiene practice, applicable in his branch, works in a

and Phytosanitary Standards ( SPS ) will be an hygienic way within the meaning of Article 3 ( 1 ).

1 . Given that :

( a ) Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards ( SPS ) will be an
international lowest common denominator standard ;

( b ) GATT will contain a somewhat startling provision

creating a global trade agency called the Multilateral
Trading Organization ( MTO );

( c ) the MTO proposal requires nations to cede national
sovereignty, for instance requiring MTO member
nations to ' take all necessary steps, where changes to
domestic laws will be required to implement the
provisions ... to ensure conformity of their law with
these agreements ';

2 . Will the Commission make a statement on the direct

impact that the proposed 20 December 1991 Uruguay
Round ' Final Act ' Text will have upon intra-Community
trading and consumer standards, if adopted in this current
form ?

3 . Will the Commission clarify what impact such
standards will have upon the proposed Food Hygiene
Directive given the reference to Codex standards at
Article 5 ?

4 . What definition has the Commission proposed for
SPS ?

5 . Does the Commission accept that SPS rules promote
harmonization downward of national standards that are

higher than international standards, ( for example refer to
the 1990 draft text, page 165, paragraph 4 )?

4 . In its present form, the draft entails an exhaustive
definition which the Commission may be able to strengthen
and clarify still further . At present, the draft is as
follows ( 2 ):

' 1 . Sanitary or phytosanitary measure Any measure
applied :

to protect animal or plant life or health within
the territory of the contracting party from risks
arising from the entry, establishment or spread
of pests, diseases, disease-carrying organisms or
disease-causing organisms ;

to protect human or animal life or health within
the territory of the contracting party from risks
arising from additives, contaminants, toxins or
disease-causing organisms, in foods, beverages
or feedstuffs ;

to protect human life or health within the
territory of the contracting party from risks
arising from diseases carried by animals, plants
or products thereof or form the entry,
establishment or spread of pests ; or

higher, ( example to to prevent or limit other damage within the
the 1990 draft text, page 165, paragraph 4 )? territory of the contracting party from the entry,

establishing or spread of pests .
6 . Which existing and proposed Food Control and
Foodstuff Directives will refer to

Sanitary or phytosanitary measures include all relevant

/ EN 29000 standards laws, decrees, regulations, requirements and procedures

including, inter-alia, end product criteria : processing and
production methods ; testing, inspection, certification
and approval procedures ; quarantine treatments

? including relevant requirements associated with the

transport of animals or plants, or with the materials
necessary for their survival during transport ; provisions
on relevant statistical methods, sampling procedures and
Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan methods of risk assessment, and packaging and labelling

on behalf of the Commission requirements directly related to food safety .'

( a ) ISO 9000 / EN 29000 standards

( b ) HACCP

( c ) Codex SPS ?

on behalf of the Commission

( 29 July 1993 )

6 . The proposed Food Hygiene Directive refers to :
1, 2 and 5 . The Honourable Member is referred to the
joint answer to his Written Questions Nos 1644 to 1647 / 92
and 1649 / 92 I 1 ). ( a ) ISO 9000 / EN 29000 Standards ;

No C 333 / 6 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

( b ) BACCP ;

( c ) Codex General, Principles ( of Food Hygiene ).

(*) See page 3 of this Official Journal .

( 2 ) Annex A of the draft decision on SPS measures .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2640 / 92

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

( 27 October 1992 )

( 93 / C 333 / 09

Subject : Ban on the passage of tankers through the Strait of

Bonifacio

through sensitive and dangerous areas such as the Bocche di
Bonifacio and that this request was reiterated in the
resolution on the ' Aegean Sea ' and ' Braer ' tanker disasters
adopted in December 1992 ( 2 ) and January 1993 ( 3 ); in view
of the Fifth Programme of action in favour of the
environment and sustainable development and the measures
taken by the Community and international bodies to protect
the Mediterranean against pollution ; given that the
Community has adopted Directive 92 / 43 / EEC ( 4 ) on the
conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora,
which states that the adoption of measures intended to
promote the conservation of natural habitats ... of
Community interest is a common responsibility of all
Member States ; and in view of the recent agreement between
Italy and France, ignored by the Italian government, to ban
oil shipments through the Bocche di Bonifacio, an area of
considerable environmental value,

1 .

Does the Commission intend to call on the Italian
government to comply with the agreement with France
in order to protect an ecological area of Community
interest ?

Does the Commission not consider that Bocche di

Bonifacio should be included among the special areas of
conservation referred to in the directive on natural

habitats ?

A petition signed by 50 000 Corsican and Sardinian citizens
has been submitted to the President of the European 2 .
Parliament calling for a ban on the passage of oil tankers
through the Strait of Bonifacio between Corsica and
Sardinia .

During the debate on the Bertens report at the plenary sitting
of 14 September 1992 in Strasbourg, Commissioner Millan
confirmed that the International Maritime Organization has
adopted a resolution on the matter .

3 . Does the Commission not intend to put forward a

proposal to ban shipments of oil through sensitive areas
in Community waters and make representations to this
effect to the appropriate international bodies ?

During the September 1992 part-session, the European
Parliament unanimously adopted the Bertens report

(!) Resolution A3-0144 / 92 — OJ No C 284, 2 . 11 . 1992,

a ( A3-0144 ban . / 92 ), paragraph 4 of which explicitly calls for such ( 2 ) Resolution p. 80 . B3-1681 / 92 .

( 3 ) Resolution B3-0047 / 93 .
During the debate, Commissioner Millan stated that he had ( 4 ) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992, p. 7 .
given more detailed consideration to this request, which had
been endorsed by a number of Members .

( A3-0144 / 92 ), paragraph 4 of which explicitly calls for such
a ban .

In view of this, what representations will the Commission
make to the governments involved with a view to enforcing
the ban ?

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 2640 / 92

and 633 / 93

given by Mr Matutes
on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION No 633 / 93
(6 September 1993 )

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

(5 April 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 10 )

Subject : Ban on shipments of oil through sensitive areas

such as the Bocche di Bonifacio

Given that at its part-session in September 1992 the
European Parliament adopted the Bertens report (*) which,
among other things, called for a ban on shipments of oil

At its extraordinary meeting on 25 January 1993, the
Council issued an urgent appeal to the Community and
Member States to support and promote better coordination
and a more resolute stance within the International

Maritime Organization ( IMO ), particularly with a view to
possible submission to the IMO of proposals for additional
mandatory measures to protect vulnerable zones through
appropriate routeing of vessels carrying hazardous

cargos .

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 7

The Council resolution of 8 June 1993 also emphasized that
in future a particular objective of Community action on this
matter should be to identify ecologically sensitive zones in
the Community on the basis of existing legislation and
international guidelines, and to propose specific measures to
the IMO .

Does the Commission have any plans to re-examine its
earlier decision on Community jurisdiction in this field with
a view to initiating legislation, should Greece continue to
refuse to adopt the compensation arrangements existing
elsewhere in the Community .

(!) OJ No C 309, 26 . 11 . 1992, p. 20 .
As to the particular case of maritime traffic in the Strait of
Bonifacio, at the beginning of 1993 France and Italy took
measures to ban the passage of French and Italian vessels
transporting hazardous materials, and these measures have
now been transposed into the national law of these two Answer given by
countries . Monitoring and information rules had already on behalf of the
been adopted by the IMO in its resolution 670 ( 16 ) of (2 September
19 October 1989 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(2 September 1993 )

Further, France and Italy submitted to the IMO a proposal
for a resolution to replace the existing resolution 670 ( lb ),
calling for a recommendation to Member States that they
should ban, or at least strongly discourage passage through
the Strait of Bonifacio by ships flying their flag and carrying
hazardous or polluting materials .

The Commission also undertook to take rapid action on the

basis of the Council conclusions and on 21 April 1993
organized a meeting with government experts from the
Member States to consider what measures should be taken
to identify and protect maritime zones of special ecological
interest . During this meeting the Member State experts
welcomed in principle the measures on maritime traffic in
the Strait of Bonifacio taken by France and Italy and
proposed by them to the IMO with a view to their formal
acceptance at international level at the next IMO Assembly
in November 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 2822 / 92

by Mr Gary Titley ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

As stated in its answer to Oral Question No H-798 / 92 by
Mr Simpson (*), in principle, the Commission agrees with
Parliament that it would be desirable for each Member State
to have a system which provides appropriate compensation
for victims of violence .

However, the Commission takes the view, for the reasons
given in its answer to Oral Question No H-578 / 90 by Mr
Stewart ( 2 ), that it has no powers in this area and cannot
therefore initiate legislation . Under the subsidiarity
principle it is more a matter for the Member States .

It is quite true that Greece is now the only Member State
which does not yet have legislation to compensate the
victims of violent crime . The Commission can only hope
that Greece will enact appropriate provisions as soon as
possible .

(*) Debates of the European Parliament, OJ Annex 3-421

( September 1992 ).
( 2 ) Debates of the European Parliament, OJ Annex 3-394 ( October

1990 ).

( 16 November 1992 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3219 / 92
( 93 / C 333 / 11 )

by Mr Jose Lafuente Lopez ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

Subject : Support for the victims of crime (6 January 1993 )
( 93 / C 333 / 12 )

In response to earlier questions on support for the victims of
crime ( Written Questions Nos 646 / 92, 708 / 92, 745 / 92 and

828 / 92 ( a )), the Commission stated ' Greece is now the only
Member State not to have such a system '.

Does the Commission now intend to take any action to press
Greece to fall in line with the rest of the Community and
introduce compensation machinery, in order that EC
nationals can enjoy the same kind of protection in Greece as
Greek nationals now enjoy elsewhere in the EC ?

Subject : Motorway user charge, or sticker, for heavy goods

vehicles

The Commission proposal to impose an obligatory
motorway user charge for heavy goods vehicles for those
countries which do not have a general system of motorway
tolls is a source of concern for Community transport
companies operating throughout the Community .

No C 333 / 8 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

If, in accordance with the abovementioned proposal, each
country will have the right to introduce its own sticker, a
carrier operating in all 12 Member States will have to
acquire 12 stickers, which will mean varying costs and
different assessment parameters, depending on whether a
toll is payable or whether transit is free, when overall
transport costs are calculated .

Can the Commission therefore say whether is considers it
preferable for a single European sticker to be introduced for
lorries using the Member States ' motorways so that a lorry is
not forced to acquire a new one each time it crosses an
internal frontier, whilst at the same time ensuring uniform
Community-wide arrangements for the distribution of the
sums received ?

Denmark, has been the great lack of information on the
Community for European citizens, and in particular, of
publicity for EC directives, especially those concerning
social affairs . Will the Commission ensure that European
citizens are kept properly informed ( in cooperation with all
the Member States ) through the press and other mass media
and journalists ' associations ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

(2 August 1993 )

The Commission fully shares the Honourable Member 's
Answer given by Mr Matutes concern .

on behalf of the Commission

(2 September 1993 )

The Commission proposal to which the Honourable
Member refers (*) does not impose an obligation requiring
the Member States to introduce a sticker but merely affords
them the option of so doing . The comments regarding the
varying costs of the stickers and how these are calculated is
indeed accurate but is not conclusive since the same is also

true for tolls, which operate without any problem, despite
their differing rates .

Nevertheless, a single sticker ( at a flat rate und with the
apportionment of receipts decided jointly ) for those
Member States or a group of Member States without toll
roads would offer haulage firms substantial benefits . This is
why the Commission gave the Council all the technical help
it could to enable it to agree on 19 June on the introduction
of a single ( regional ) sticker valid in Belgium, Denmark,
Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands .

As stated by the European Council in its Birmingham
Declaration, the Community must move closer to its
citizens . The Institutions and the Member States must join
forces to bring this about . As part of the process of
modernizing and stepping up its information policy, the
Commission is planning to have more contact with the
media and is counting on the support of Parliament for the
necessary budgetary decisions .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 105 / 93

by Mr José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities
(M OJ No C 311, 27 . 11 . 1992 .

( 10 February 1993 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 3416 / 92

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

( 25 January 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 13 )

Subject : Informing the European public

Perhaps one of the main points emerging from the European
referendums on Maastricht, for example, the referendum in

( 93 / C 333 / 14 )

Subject : Planned siting of a solid urban waste dump in

Alcaraz ( Albacete, Spain )

The Provincial Government of Albacete ( Spain ) plans to site
a solid waste dump at ' La Rambla ' in the small town of
Alcaraz . According to complaints submitted to the Spanish
administration, the chosen site is a mere 1 200 m from the
town centre, with its drinking water wells, while the River
Jardin is only about a kilometre away . There is a serious risk

of contamination of both underground arid surface water .
The project apparently meets neither national nor
Community standards . Since the planned dump is to be
subsidized by the ERDF, has the appropriate environmental
impact assessment been carried out ?

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 9

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

(9 September 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the construction of the solid

urban waste dump referred to in the question . However the
ERDF is not involved .

The Spanish authorities have indicated that the project is
regarded as an Annex II project as classified by Directive

85 / 337 / EEC . Member States ' competent authorities must
examine whether an environmental impact assessment is
required in such cases . In this case an assessment was not
carried out because the Spanish legislation that implements
the Directive does not require an assessment for most
Annex II projects listed in the Directive . The Commission is
currently pursuing proceedings under Article 169 of the
EEC Treaty against Spain for the incorrect implementation
of the Directive .

prepared to permit these green crops, on which no
chemicals are used, to be harvested, used and marketed
as animal feed ?

4 . Is the Commission prepared to grant a hectare premium
for an environmental measure of this kind ?

5 . Is the Commission aware that, if this is done, farmers are
much more likely to be encouraged to cease
over-production, all the more so as non-food industries
would not be able to fall back on agricultural crops on
fallow land, and would thus have to buy crops from
other areas ?

6 . According to the GATT agricultural deal with the US,
from 1994 the EC must export 10 million tonnes less
grain than it does at present . How will the EC achieve
this objective if the set-aside scheme does not deliver an
adequate reduction in production ?

7 . Will the Commission provide Parliament as soon as
possible with a breakdown of the areas in the various
Member States — and thus the Community as a whole
— that are due to be taken out of production in

Concerning Directive 91 / 156 / EEC and 80 / 68 / EEC on waste — that are due to be taken out of
disposal and groundwater pollution respectively, the 1993 ?
Commission has been informed by the Spanish authorities
that technical measures taken on the construction of the

dump will prevent leaching from the site and subsequent
ground water pollution . Answer given by Mr Steichen

WRITTEN QUESTION No 390 / 93

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

(5 March 1993 )

93 / C 333 / 15

Subject : Implementation of agricultural reform / set-aside

Iff the Netherlands the interest shown by producers of
cereals, oilseeds and protein crops in taking land out of
production under the set-aside scheme appears to be
minimal ( only 6 500 hectares have been reported for
compensation ). The lack of interest is largely due to the low
compensation .

1 . Does the Commission agree that the set-aside premium
is too low to make it attractive to producers to take land
out of production ; if so, is the Commission considering
increasing the level of compensation ?

2 . Is the Commission considering additional or different
measures for reducing agricultural production ?

on behalf of the Commission

(6 September 1993 )

1 and 2 . The Dutch authorities have informed the

Commission that producers intend to set aside
approximately 1 000 ha of arable land for the 1993 / 94
marketing year . The Commission wishes to specify that the
compensatory payments for set-aside land will increase
gradually between 1993 / 94 and 1995 / 96, and that in
addition the Council has asked the Commission to propose
an increase of ECU 12 / t in the reference rates for set-aside

payments from 1994 / 95 .

3, 4 and 5 . The Member States may permit plant cover to
be sown on fallow land for the purpose of environmental
protection . However, such crops cannot give rise to
agricultural production . It should also be pointed out that
aid can be claimed for clover as dehydrated fodder, which
makes it incompatible with the set-aside scheme .

6 . The Commission considers that the reform of the

common agricultural policy in the arable crops sector will
make it possible to control cereals production and bring
about a sufficient upturn in domestic consumption in the
feedingstuffs sector to satisfy the Community 's obligations
with regard to cereals exports taking account of the
constraints arising from a possible GATT agreement based
on the preliminary agreement with the United States .

7 . The Commission will transmit the data on set-aside
3 . Is the Commission prepared to give fresh consideration for the 1993 / 94 marketing year to Parliament as soon as
to permitting the sowing of green crops, particularly they are available .
clover, on fallow land, as one of a number of
environment-friendly measures, and is the Commission

No C 333 / 10 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 468 / 93

by Mr Henry Chabert ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 11 March 1993 )

1 . When will the Commission submit proposals for

calculating exposure to noise, particularly from
aircraft ?

2 . When will the Commission fulfil its repeated promise to

( 93 / C 333 / 16 ) submit proposals concerning noise limits near
airports ?

Subject : Assistance from various Community funds for the

Rhone-Alpes area

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

In view of the assistance granted by various Community
funds ( ESF, ERDF, EAGGF, etc .) the EIB and the ECSC, can
the Commission give a detailed list of direct or indirect
measures carried out in 1991 and 1992 to assist the

Rhone-Alpes region ?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

( 28 October 1993 )

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 .

( 30 September 1993 )

At the moment the Commission is looking into possible
measures to ensure that the areas surrounding airports are
adequately protected against noise from aircraft, which
adversely affects the quality of life and the health of people
living in these areas .

In addition, proposals are being prepared dealing with an
increase in the stringency of standards for ' Chapter 3 '
aircraft and NO x emissions .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 643 / 93

by Mr José Vazquez Fouz ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 April 1993 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 504 / 93 ( 93 / C 333 / 18 )

by Mr Ben Visser ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 12 March 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 17 )

Subject : Noise levels near airports

During European Parliament deliberations on the second
package of EC air transport liberalization measures, the
European Parliament, in the Visser report, called for a
package of accompanying measures, one of which related to
permissible noise levels near airports . The Commission
agreed to submit relevant proposals .

The same thing happened during deliberations on the third
package and the Commission once more promised to make
proposals, which it has failed to produce . In the recent
White Paper on transport, the Commission states that
efforts to achieve a standard method of calculating exposure
to noise are a priority and goes on to assert that it wishes to
introduce rules to ban the aircraft with the loudest noise

levels listed in Section III and introduce rules for NO x

emissions .

Subject : An official responsible for fisheries at the EC

delegation in Rabat

The fisheries agreement with the Kingdom of Morocco is,
without doubt, the most important signed by the
Community . The management and application of the
agreement clearly involve problems and work on a major
scale .

However, in Rabat the Community has a permanent
delegation which has no officials specifically responsible for
fisheries .

Should not the Commission therefore increase its staff and

boost its activity in this area by having an official working
exclusively on fishery-related matters ?

Would this not make it easier to deal with problems arising

from the interpretation, management and implementation
of the agreement ?

Lastly, what validity do decisions have which are reached in
the Joint Committee provided for in the agreement ?

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 11

Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

Will the documents be produced in bilingual form, e.g.
Arabic-Spanish ?

(2 September 1993 )

Does the Community do enough to look after the interests
of Community fishermen who have been arrested, by
The fisheries agreement, as the Honourable Member points assisting them in the most effective and appropriate way
out, is indeed one of the major elements in relations between possible ?
the Community and the Kingdom of Morocco and,
consequently, the Commission devotes its full attention to
management of the agreement .
Answer given by Mr Paleokrassas

on behalf of the Commission

For delegation this reason, since, June it has 1990 had, who an official is assigned within exclusively its Rabat to (6 July 1993 )
the administration of the fisheries agreement, dealing with
all aspects of the implementation of the agreement and The Commission is fully aware of the difficulties faced by
monitoring Morocco . the development of the fisheries sector in fishermen language is whose unknown vessels or are little boarded known by to inspectors the crews whose of

Community fishing vessels,

The decisions taken by the Joint Committee are binding and
form integral parts of the agreement .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 649 / 93

by Mr Jose Vazquez Fouz ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(5 April 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 19 )

Subject : Documents used in breaches of rules on
fisheries

One of the most common difficulties faced by fishermen
arrested during their fishing trips is the lack of a common
language . This occurs in Community waters and, to an even
greater extent, outside them . It is a problem which clearly
weakens the position of the fishermen and at all events
results in a degree of legal uncertainty, particularly if in the
course of the arrest the fishermen are required to sign
documents which may list charges that subsequently restrict
their right of defence — a clear infringement of the rights to
which they are entitled . This happens, for example, to
vessels arrested under the fisheries agreement between the
EC and Morocco . It appears that, at a meeting of the
EC-Morocco Joint Committee, an agreement was reached
to the effect that these documents would be published in
bilingual form, i.e. in Arabic and the Community language
of the arrested captain . It was even stated that Community
funds had been provided for the publication of these
documents . Unfortunately, it appears that all has not gone
as it should and that the documents to be signed are still in a
language which is not the mother tongue of the persons
concerned, with the serious consequences indicated
above .

The Commission has expressed concern on a number of
occasions, in particular to the Moroccan authorities under
the fisheries agreement with Morocco, regarding the
operation of boarding procedures .

The Moroccan authorities have since drawn up a document
in bilingual form, i.e. in French and Arabic, to facilitate the
control procedures .

The Commission has sent the authorities responsible in each
Member State a copy of this document so that they may
inform the shipowners concerned . It will not fail to make
contact with the authorities of the non-member countries
concerned whenever necessary .

As the extraordinary meeting of the Joint Committee held in
Rabat on 3, 4 and 5 May 1993, improvements were made to
the procedures applicable in the event of boarding . Morocco
gave an undertaking to provide the captain of a boarded
Community ship with a copy of the document once it has
been drawn up .

At the same time, Morocco will send the Commission
Delegation in Rabat an information sheet setting out the
circumstances of boarding based on the model which has
been proposed by Morocco .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 665 / 93

by Mrs Anita Pollack ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 April 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 20 )

Subject : Cycling

Is the Commission aware of this situation ? Is the Commission actively ensuring that provisions for

cycling and walking are fully integrated into its transparent
Does it plan to take steps to rectify it ? policies ?

No C 333 / 12 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1653 / 93

by Mrs Anita Pollack ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 28 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 21 )

Subject : Environmental friendly modes of transport

Velo-City Conference, and will be represented at the
forthcoming event in Nottingham, UK this year . The
Commission maintains close contact with the European
Cycling Federation .

On the question of safety, the recently published
Communication on an action programme on road safety
contains many measures which will be of benefit to
cyclists .

What steps is the Commission taking in conjunction with The financial and administrative provisions for cycling and
Member States to ensure that financial and administrative walking in each Member State are the responsibility of the

Member State in question and are areas outside the

provisions exist in each Member State to reflect the
importance of cycling and walking as modes of competence of the Commission .
transport ?
0 ) COM(92 ) 494 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1772 / 93

by Mr Alex Smith ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 22 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 678 / 93

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARC )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(6 April 1993 )

Subject : Rights of cyclists in the European Community ( 93 / C 333 / 23 )

Given the benefits of cycling to the health of the individual
and to the environment, what policies does the Commission
have to encourage cycling and to protect the road rights of
cyclists in the European Community ?

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 665 / 93,

1653 / 93 and 1722 / 93

given by Mr Matutes
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 September 1993 )

The White Paper, ' The future development of the common
transport policy — a global approach to the construction of

a Community framework for sustainable mobility ' (*) sets
out the Commission 's policies and priorities on transport
into the next century .

In this paper, the Commission fully accepts the positive role
that can be played by both cycling and walking .
Encouragement and promotion of safe public transport and
support for local initiatives in favour of cyclists and
pedestrians to make a contribution to the quality of the
urban environment is therefore one of its priorities for the
common transport policy in the years to come .

Furthermore, in recent years the Commission has funded
studies into bicycle safety, the carriage of bicycles on trains
and a manual of good practice for bicycles in the city . It has
contributed to the administrative costs of the biannual

Subject : Languages used by the Commission in
advertisements

In late January and early February, the Commission placed
an advertisement through a consultancy in a Flemish
newspaper headed ' It pays to export to Japan '. The
advertisement was only in English .

1 . Can the Commission give its reasons for choosing an
official language which is not one of the three national
languages ( all of which are official languages ) of the
Member State in which many European institutions are
accommodated ?

2 . Does the Commission consider that such a policy is

likely to promote communications with European
citizens, which already leave a great deal to be
desired ?

3 . Will the Commission continue to use English for public

notices to Dutch speakers in Flemish newspaper or does
the Commission consider that Flemish citizens can
understand the Commission 's message better if it is in
English ?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

(2 September 1993 )

Knowledge of English is an essential qualification for
participation in the Executive Training Programme, to

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 13

which the Honourable Member is referring . The which people are forced to flee their countries or their
programme is designed first and foremost for men and homes .
women who are at home in an international business
environment . Applicants who cannot work in English are to
all intents and purposes ineligible . The agency
commissioned to advertise for this operation consequently The fourth Lome Convention provides for assistance to
felt it would be best to place advertisements in English . refugees, returnees or displaced persons in ACP States .

to advertise for this operation . consequently The fourth Lome Convention provides for assistance to
be best to place advertisements in English . refugees, returnees or displaced persons in ACP States .

Article 255 of the Convention specifies that the aid is
available both for acute needs and for the integration,

for the Executive Training Programme in reintegration or self-sufficiency of such people . Under the
press, both French and Flemish, were in English . first Financial Protocol ( 1990 — 95 ) ECU 100 million is
also used in other Member States, notably the available for these purposes . To date some forty
and Denmark . programmes have been approved, totalling ECU 42 million .

Operations have been undertaken in 15 ACP countries ; the
main programmes are in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique,
Liberia and neighbouring countries . Around 75 % of the
money is channelled through various European or other
non-governmental organizations or the UNHCR, and
priority is given to primary health care and agricultural
rehabilitation . Aid to refugees, returnees and displaced
persons under Article 255 complements other types of
Community relief — food aid and emergency aid — which
WRITTEN QUESTION No 760 / 93 they also receive .

All advertisements for the Executive Training Programme in
the Belgian press, both French and Flemish, were in English .
English was also used in other Member States, notably the
Netherlands and Denmark .

by Mrs Maartie van Putten ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

/ ( 15 April 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 24 )

Subject ; Women refugees

1 . Is the Commission aware that about 80 % of the 17 to

20 million refugees in the world and about 75 % of
individuals displaced in their own country (*) are
women ?

2 . Can the Commission say what refugee aid
programmes the Community is involved in ?

3 . Can the Commission say how these programmes take
account of the specific needs of women and address the
specific risks to which they are exposed ? ( For example, is
adequate help given to victims of sexual torture, how are
women refugees involved in the planning of return-home
programmes, and are leading roles encouraged for women
in food distributions in refugee camps ?)

i 1 ) Source : Congressional Human Rights Foundation,
Washington .

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1993 )

1 . The Commission is fully aware that women ( and
children ) are frequently the main victims of situations in

In line with the joint declaration on Article 255, particular
attention is given, in providing aid to refugees, returnees and
displaced persons, to the needs of the most vulnerable,
including women . At the broader level, the emphasis on
basic medical care, including nutrition, mainly benefits
women and children and gives priority to their special needs .
In addition, the fact that most Article 255 aid is
implemented by NGOs, who are well aware of the issue
raised by the Honourable Member, or by the UNHCR,
means it is possible to take account of the situation of
vulnerable groups, including women . Measures specifically
targeting women have also been implemented, either as part
of larger programmes or separately, to addressing their
special needs and promote their integration and
self-sufficiency .

2 and 3 . In the same spirit the Community has been
contributing since 1970 to the work of the United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East ( UNRWA ) — its contributions, together with those of
the Member States, account for 43 % of UNRWA 's budget .
It will shortly be concluding a new convention with the
agency for the period 1993 — 95 .

The Commission also has its own aid programme for the
Palestinian population of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,
with specific projects for Palestinian refugees in those areas

( budget heading B7-4060 ).

A number of these projects are directly concerned with
women 's needs, and many others involve participation by
the refugees themselves, including women . Projects
undertaken as part of this programme are geared to the
requirements of the target population, which are identified
in the course of close cooperation with the potential

No C 333 / 14 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

beneficiaries of the programme . In this way women are able
to see that their needs are catered for and express their own

concerns .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 827 / 93

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

( 21 April 1993 )

The Community contributes to health and education ( 93 / C 333 / 25 )
programmes and makes a contribution in kind to food aid
programmes . UNRWA 's food distribution arrangements
allow special treatment for hardship cases, including women
suffering from particular deprivation . Its health programme Subject : Single market in energy
gives priority to mother and child care, and a recent study
highlighted the value of its work in education .

Subject : Single market in energy

Now that 1 January 1993 has come and gone without a
single market in energy, what immediate steps is the
Commission taking to bring this about as quickly as
Emergency relief has been provided for displaced women in possible ?
Bosnia, including ECU 500 000 recently allocated for
medical and psychological support for Muslim women in
Bosnia-Herzegovina .

This is in addition to three earlier allocations totalling ECU

1,5 million to help displaced rape victims in Bosnia .

Other organizations and Member States are also
contributing to this project, which is to be carried out by the
British NGO Marie Stopes International, in response to a
recommendation of the Warburton Report on Bosnia which
called for the establishment of medical, psychological and
social support teams for women refugees .

In Asia and Latin America the Commission spent ECU 50
million in 1992 ( under Article B7-302 ) on aid for refugees,
displaced persons and returnees .

These programmes focus to a large extent on women not
only as recipients of the work but as participants,
particularly in the health and education sectors .

In these sectors, and in the productive sector as well, training
for women is strongly encouraged, even where it goes
against ingrained cultural habits, as a way of giving them
more of a say in society .

The Commission invites the Honourable Member to refer to

SEC(91 ) 399 and SEC(92 ) 2426 on aid to refugees,
displaced persons and returnees in the developing countries
of Asia and Latin America, which has been sent to
Parliament 's General Secretariat, and would be pleased to
supply any further information or documentation he might
require . Most of these programmes are implemented by UN
specialized agencies, particularly the UNHCR, or NGOs,
and the Commission ensures that special consideration is
given to the needs of women .

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

(2 September 1993 )

The proposals for Council Directives laying down common
rules for the electricity and gas markets were adopted by the
Commission in January 1992 . The rules concerned should
have entered into force on 1 January 1993 .

The legal basis for the draft directives is Articles 57 ( 2 ), 66
and 100a of the EEC Treaty . The Council and the European
Parliament has been examining the texts, in accordance with
Article 100a, for more than a year . The Energy Councils in
November 1992 and June 1993 asked the Commission to
consider amendments to its proposals, taking account of the
work carried out by the Council and the opinion of
Parliament . However, the Committee on Energy, Research
and Technology of the European Parliament, chaired by Mr
Desama, who is also the rapporteur for this dossier, has not
been able to deliver an opinion within the time allowed .

The Commission will be able to propose amendments to its
texts in the light of the discussions with the Council and the
opinion of Parliament, which is now expected to be given at
the end of October .

The Commission, which is involved in the consultations
required under the legal basis adopted and in view of the
complexity of the dossiers concerned, is also very keen to lay
down harmonized rules for the single market in energy as
soon as possible .

The Commission has also been concerning itself with the
existence in some Member States of exclusive import and
export rights for gas and electricity . The procedures
concerned for failure to fulfil obligations, pursuant to
Article 169 of the EEC Treaty, are at the reasoned opinion

stage .

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 15

Furthermore, the applicability of Community competition that such transport is still possible, though at higher
law in the energy sector must also not be called into prices .
question . On its own initiative or following complaints, the
Commission is looking into several cases to determine the

Furthermore, it seems that this is a general measure applied

extent to which the practices of certain undertakings in a in all Member States of the CIV ( Convention International
dominant position in the gas and electricity sectors in their

Voyageurs ) which includes all Member States of the

respective countries are compatible with the EEC Treaty .

Community .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 933 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 923 / 93

by Mr Bruno Gollnisch ( DR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 27 April 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 26 )

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

( 29 April 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 27 )

Subject : Multifibre Arrangement

Subject : Transport of ' accompanied luggage ' by the
SNCF

The Multifibre Arrangement was introduced as a
' temporary measure ' in 1974, nearly 20 years ago . Would
the Commission advise whether the EC will commit itself to
The SNCF has decided to stop transporting mopeds and ending MFA quotas within the next 10 years ?

bicycles as ' accompanied luggage ', although it is supposed
to be providing a public service . As a result, the transport of
such vehicles will no longer be possible for French people .
This is a clear infringement of freedom of movement within
the Community .

Does the Commission consider this compatible with the
principles of the internal transport market ? If not, how will
it respond ?

Answer given by Mr Matutes

on behalf of the Commission

( 23 September 1993 )

According to the Community 's railway legislation, Member
States must guarantee that railway undertakings are offered
a status of independent operators behaving in a commercial
manner and adapting to market needs . This independence
includes the freedom to control the supply and marketing of
services and fix the pricing thereof . However, having due
regard to Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 1893 / 91 on public
services contracts and obligations, Member States can
ensure the desired level of services in the interest of the
public which are not, or not sufficiently, supplied under
market conditions .

The transport of motorbikes and mopeds as registered
baggage has been replaced in France by a more
market-oriented transport service offered by SERNAM, so

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 1993 )

In the context of the GATT Uruguay Round negotiations
the Secretariat of the GATT has drafted a textiles agreement
to replace the Multi-Fibre Arrangement . This draft
agreement, if adopted, would provide for textiles and
clothing products to be integrated progressively into the
normal GATT framework and disciplines, in stages, over a
period of 10 years . It would also provide for a detailed
safeguard mechanism to deal with any difficulties which
may arise in importing countries ' markets .

The Community 's position on this issue was set out in the
Council 's statement at its meeting of 6 October 1992 in
which the Council ' reiterated the Community 's objective of
concluding the Uruguay Round negotiations as soon as
possible, especially in order to open third markets and to
establish a reliable long-term framework for world trade in
textiles and for the future structural adjustment of the
Community 's textile industry . In this context the Council
reaffirmed the importance, for the final assessment of the
Uruguay Round results, of achieving satisfactory progress in
other areas relevant for trade in textiles, notably market
access, anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, safeguard action and
protection of intellectual property '.

No C 333 / 16 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1014 / 93

by Mr Giuseppe Mottola ( PPE )

safeguards, which are subject to a prior Community
approval, are available in such country .

to the Commission of the European Communities

(3 May 1993 ) H ( 2 ) OJ OJ No No L L 26 96,, 31 22 .. 1 4 .. 1977 1993 ..
( 93 / C 333 / 28 )

Subject : Directive on protective measures against the

introduction into the Community of organisms
harmful to plants — strawberry plants intended
for planting

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1022 / 93

Directive 92 / 103 / EEC (*) in effect proposes that the
Member States prevent the free supply of strawberry plants
from outside the Community except from certain privileged
countries such as those in the Mediterranean, Australia,
New Zealand, and the American continent .

1 . Does the Commission not agree that this decision is a
blatantly unfair manoeuvre for commercial reasons on
behalf of a few countries and groups of operators in the
sector concerned ?

2 . Assuming than plant health standards continue to
apply, does the Commission not consider that it should
allow the free supply of plants of any variety and price
from any country in the world capable of guaranteeing
that the product will be marketed properly and in a
healthy condition ?

(!) OJ No L 363, 11 . 12 . 1992, p. 1 .

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1993 )

The provisions of Council Directive 77 / 93 / EEC (*) on
protective measures against the introduction into the
Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant
products and against their spread within the Community, as
last amended by Council Directive 93 / 19 / EEC ( 2 ) indeed
stipulate that plants of Fragaria ( strawberry ) intended for
planting, other than seeds, may not be imported into the
Community when they originate in non-European
countries, other than Mediterranean countries, Australia,
New Zealand, Canada and the continental states of the
USA .

The above measure was prepared by the Commission in
close collaboration with the Member States, based on a pest
risk analysis for the pests and diseases relevant for the
plants .

It should be noted that this Directive includes a provision
relating to derogations from the general rules, granting the
Member States, on request, the possibility to import the
material from any country provided that appropriate

by Mrs Anita Pollack ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(4 May 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 29 )

Subject : European food and drug administration

Why was there no mention in the Commission 's work
programme of any plans to set up a European food and drug
administration ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1993 )

It is neither possible nor necessary to establish a large
European Food and Drug Adminstration on the model of
the United States FDA . The Commission is following a
different approach to ensure the appropriate scientific
regulation of food and pharmaceuticals within the
Community .

So far as the pharmaceutical sector is concerned, in
November 1990 the Commission presented proposals for
new centralized and decentralized authorization procedures
for medicinal products for human and veterinary use
together with proposals for the establishment of a European
Medicines Evaluation Agency ( 1 ). In December 1992 the
Council of Ministers reached a unanimous decision of

principle in favour of the establishment of the Agency, and
decided to re-consult the Parliament in respect of the legal
basis of the text .

The Agency will have a full time administrative and
technical secretariat of about 150 people in 1995, rising to
about 250 by 1999 . The main role of the Agency will be to
coordinate the activities of the 2 000 — 3 000 national

officials who are involved in the regulation of medicinal
products within the Member States . The Agency will be
responsible for the evaluation of applications for
biotechnology and other innovatory products submitted
through the centralized Community authorization
procedures and for resolving scientific disagreements

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 17

between Member States in respect of applications submitted and the Commission on where the project will go from here
through the decentralized procedure . The Agency will also is continuing satisfactorily and there is currently no freeze
be responsible for the coordination of national activities in on it .
respect of post-marketing surveillance ( pharmacovigilance ),
inspection and laboratory controls, to ensure the safety of
medicinal products circulating within the Community .

So far as the food law sector is concerned, Council Directive
93 / 5 / EEC of 25 February 1993 on assistance to cooperation
by the Member States in the scientific examination of
questions relating to food ( 2 ) is intended to provide a basis
for scientific cooperation between the Member States and
the Commission . The objectives of this Directive, which
entered into force on 1 June 1993, are to improve the
coordination of the scientific activities of the Member States

on matters relating to public health in this sector, to ensure
that the Commission is given access to the information and
assistance available in the Member States on such matters
and to strengthen the powers and expertise of the Scientific
Committee for Food, particularly with the aim of increasing
the effectiveness of the Community in food issues .

(!) CC>M(90 ) 283 final and COM(91 ) 382 final .

( 2 ) OJ No L 52, 4 . 3 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1143 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1282 / 93

by Mr Honor Funk and Mr Diemut Theato ( PPE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 19 May 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 31 )

Subject : Importing beef and veal from Great Britain

Press reports that veal from England could find its way into
other EC countries via slaughterhouses in the Netherlands
have caused considerable public anxiety . The situation is
exacerbated by the well-known drastic increase in the
disease BSE in Great Britain . Although the practice of
feeding animal-based feeds to cattle has been completely
discontinued, after five years the incidence of disease does
not seem to be decreasing . Clearly the measures taken so far
are insufficient, and not enough is known about the causes
of the disease and how infection is passed on .

Eugenio Melandri ( V ) Can the Commission ascertain to what extent it is possible

to tighten up Regulations ( EEC ) No 469 / 89 ( a ), ( EEC )

of the European Communities No 59 / 90 ( 2 ), ( EEC ) No 200 / 90 ( 3 ) and ( EEC ) No 261 / 90 ( 4 )

( 12 May 1993 ) on importing cattle, beef and beef products from Great

( 93 / C 333 / 30 ) Britain into other EC countries, in order to protect human
health in accordance with Article 13 Or ?

by Mr Eugenio Melandri ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 12 May 1993 )

Subject : The association NEA ( x )
( 2 )

Subject : The association NEA ( x ) OJ No L 225, 3 . 8 . 1989, p . 51 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 41, 15 . 2 . 1990, p . 23 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 105, 25 . 4 . 1990, p . 24 .

Why has the project entitled ' North-South : a possible ( 4 ) OJ No L 146, 9 . 6 . 1990, p . 29 .
dialogue ', which is being cofinanced by DG VIII and the
region of Campania, implemented by the GRES
Development Education group and supported by the
association NEA ( Naples-Europea-Africa ), been blocked ?

( 3 )

( 4 )

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(2 September 1993 )

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

The monthly rolling average number of suspected cases in
(3 September 1993 ) the United Kingdom has now shown a demonstrable
reduction in the incidence of this disease . The figure for
April 1993 is 5 % less than that for April 1992 . There is,
A financing contract was drawn up with the NGO NEA on therefore, evidence that the incidence is decreasing, as
20 September 1991 for the project, now into its second predicted .

year .

A number of methodological changes were discussed with
the NGO at the end of the first year and were deemed by the
Commission to be acceptable . Dialogue between the NGO

The number of cases in animals born after the introduction
of the ban on the use of ruminant protein in ruminant feed in
July 1988 has risen to over t 000 ( 31 May 1993 ). However,

careful investigation of these cases has revealed a probable

No C 333 / 18 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

food source in almost all of them . There is evidence that the Can the Commission see any way of improving the situation
feed ban did not become fully effective until existing stocks of workers at the European Patent Office ?
were exhausted . Furthermore, there may have been some
infection transmitted to cattle by the use of pig and poultry
rations, in which it was still possible to use material derived
from the specified bovine offal until 1990 .

Exhaustive studies of the epidemiology have also revealed
that the incidence of BSE in offspring of confirmed cases is
the same as would be expected if food were the only source
of infection . This suggests that, if maternal transmission ( i.e.
transmission from cow to calf ) occurs at all, it is at a very low, undetectable level and is unlikely to affect significantly
the expected course of the epidemic . Similarly, there is at
present no evidence to suggest that transmission directly
from cattle to cattle is occurring .

Furthermore, the results of transmission experiments
indicate that detectable infectivity is restricted to the brain
and cervical spinal cord, compared with scrapie where
infectivity has been found in lymphoreticular tissues . This
means that the ban on use of the specified bovine offal from
the UK for human and animal food should be more than
adequate to protect human and animal health .

The Commission believes, therefore, that the measures
applied are working and that policy towards this disease is
correct and does not need any alteration at present .
However, the Commission is also aware of the responsibility
it takes for the health of the consumers and livestock in the

Community, and will continue to review the situation in the
light of all new evidence, with proposals for new legislation
where necessary .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 October 1993 )

The Commission is not aware of the situation referred to by
the Honourable Member .

Freedom of association is covered by Article 11 of the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights for
Workers . The implementation of the Charter, as set out in
the Commission 's communication on the programme of
action, must remain the responsibility of the Member States
in accordance with their traditions and national policies .

Furthermore, the protection of the right to belong or not to
belong to a trade union and of the right of association are
guranteed at international level by Convention No 87 of the
International Labour Organization ( ILO ), which has been
ratified by all the Member States of the Community .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1291 / 93

by Mrs Astrid Lulling ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(1 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 33 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1283 / 93

by Mr Willem van Velzen ( S )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 19 May 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 32 )

Subject : Situation of staff at the European Patent Office

Is the Commission aware that the president of the European
Patent Office has forbidden the central staff committee of
the Patent Office to contact Members of the European
Parliament ?

Is the Commission aware that the staff committee of the
Patent Office does not enjoy the staff representation rights
which are usual in other international organizations ?

Subject : Bank charges for cross-border payments

Community citizens moving from one Member State to
another have the strangest experiences when cashing
cheques or changing money .

For example, a Luxembourg citizen on holiday in the
Canary Islands cashed a cheque for Ptas 5 000 at a bank in
Lanzarote for which no commission was charged .

When he cashed a cheque for Ptas 10 000 at the same bank,
he was issued with Ptas 9 040 net .

Another bank gave Ptas 4 740 in return for a cheque of Ptas
5 000 ( commission of Ptas 250 and taxes of Ptas 10 ).

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 19

A commission of Ptas 100 was charged on changing Bfrs

1 000 into Pesetas, although the exchange rate was
advertised as 3,3 = Pesetas 3 350 .

Can the Commission state whether these are rates which are

freely fixed by the banks or does the Spanish state play any
part, for example by levying taxes ( impuesto )?

The Commission is of the opinion that, in principle, there
must be true competition between establishments as far as
the charges made for their services are concerned . However,
more transparency is required — especially as the bureaux
de change are used mainly by tourists who are away from
home and should, as consumers, be better informed and
better protected .

r ) Document SE C(92 ) 621 final of 27 March 1992
Does the Commission consider that, for the purposes of
competition, it should be up to each bank to fix the rates or
does it believe that harmonization is required in order to
protect travellers / consumers ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1315 / 93

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 1993 )

The Honourable Member 's question covers two separate
issues :

—
cashing cheques

— bureaux de change .

Cashing cheques across borders is expensive for a number of
both technical and legal reasons . Banks therefore tend to
prefer the electronic transfer of funds to the use of cheques .
Only one type of cheque is really designed for cross-border
payments and this is the Eurocheque . Nevertheless, the
Commission has been informed of abuse here too . The

matter has been discussed with Europay, the company
which now manages this method of payment . The
conditions for accepting and processing Eurocheques are at
the moment being investigated to find out whether they are
compatible with Community rules on competition .

The problem of the bureaux de change is different . In its
working document of March 1992 i 1 ) entitled ' Easier
cross-border payments : breaking down the barriers ', the
Commission undertook to study the problems of
transparency associated with changing money ( sections 29,
30 and 68 ). Meetings of government experts were
organized . It transpired that :

— establishments are free to set rates of exchange and

charges made on transactions,

— most Member States have rules on the displaying of rates

but these vary according to whether the establishment is
a credit institution ( bank ) or a bureau de change,

— the rules may also vary from one Member State to

another . In Germany and France the rate of exchange
must be displayed as an inclusive amount, i.e. including
commission . In the United Kingdom the commission
charged for changing money must be displayed
separately .

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

(1 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 34 )

Subject : European policy in respect of native peoples

In view of the UN decision to designate 1993 the
International Year of Native Peoples, does the Commission
intend to draw up an integrated European policy in respect
of these peoples ?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 September 1993 )

There have been a number of Commission schemes to help
improve the lot of indigenous people . The most recent have
covered training for representatives of native people,
operations to promote their rights and support for forms of
self-organizations . The activities of the various Commission
departments involved are closely coordinated by the unit
responsible for human rights and democratization in the
new Directorate-General for external political relations .
This ensures that specific operations keep in step with each
other .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1350 / 93

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

(4 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 35 )

Subject : Aid to the developing countries

In view of the fact that emergency aid to the developing
countries does not contribute to the development of the

No C 333 / 20 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

recipient countries, will the Commission exhaust all the
channels for granting aid, ensuring as a matter of priority
that structural aid to these countries is increased ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 30 September 1993 )

The Commission believes that only aid of a structural nature
can facilitate long-term development in developing
countries . This is why quick-disbursing aid such as the
Adjustment Facility, Stabex and Sysmin is released swiftly

( using procedures agreed with the Commission ) to
strengthen economic and social structures weakened by the
stabilization measures required to some degree or other in a
number of ACP countries since the early eighties .

Is the Commission able to say whether its representatives
will take part in the regional meetings and meetings of
experts in the lead-up to the Conference ?

If so, will both DG I and DG VIII be represented ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1993 )

Population and family planning policies are among the new
areas in which the Commission and the Member States are

cooperating and coordinating their activities . A resolution
on the topic was adopted at the Council meeting

( development ) of 18 November last year . This cooperation
and coordination also extend to the position taken by the
Community at international meetings and conferences . This
is the backdrop against which the Commission, along with
the Member States, thus intends to play an active role in
preparing for the UN International Conference on
Population and Development to be held in Cairo next
September, and to take a full part in it . This will require its
delegation to be sufficiently large and to include participants
from all the departments concerned ( DGs I, V and VIII ) with
appropriate levels of representation .

When the necessary financial sacrifice goes hand in hand
with vital state reforms including a more equitable spread of Population and Development to be held in Cairo next
resources and greater democracy, specific support is given to September, and to take a full part in it . This will require its
the developing countries committing themselves to the delegation to be sufficiently large and to include participants
reform process . It is in this context that emergency aid ( in from all the departments concerned ( DGs I, V and VIII ) with
the form of electoral assistance etc . and not just food ) should appropriate levels of representation .
be given and efforts made to ensure that it complements
structural aid . The Commission sent representatives to the preparatory
expert-level meeting on population growth and structure
held in Paris on 16 —20 November last year and has also

The Community 's goal of structural, economic and social attended this year 's European and Arab conferences on
support for developing countries will be placed on an even population Geneva, 22 — 27 March and Amman, 4 — 8 April
firmer footing if it can offer targeted, provisional and respectively .

The Community 's goal of structural, economic and social attended this year 's European and Arab conferences on
support for developing countries will be placed on an even population Geneva, 22 — 27 March and Amman, 4 — 8 April
firmer footing if it can offer targeted, provisional and respectively .
unplanned forms of support to a country in temporary
difficulty . As a result, structural and emergency aid have to
To avoid pointless and costly duplication, DGs I and VIII
be seen as complementary to each other . did not participate in these meetings together : in Paris, DGs I
and V attended ; in Geneva, DGs V and VIII, and in Amman
only DG I represented the Commission .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1414 / 93

by Mr Jean-Thomas Nordmann ( LDR )
to the Commission of the European Communities

(9 June 1993 )

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1475 / 93

by Mr Paul Staes ( V )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 14 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 36 ) ( 93 / C 333 / 37 )

Subject : Introduction of a label for tropical wood
Subject : The United Nations International Conference on

Population and Development

Is the Commission able to say what role it intends to play at
the United Nations International Conference on Population
and Development due to be held in Cairo in September
1994 ?

Austria is the first country to have introduced a compulsory
labelling scheme for tropical wood . This label indicates
whether a product contains tropical wood . In this way
Austria intends to curb the use of forests which are not
cultivated on a sustainable basis . The regulation takes effect
in September 1993 .

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 21

The issue of introducing compulsory labelling and a quality
label was discussed in the GATT General Council on 4 and

5 November 1992 . At that time the European Commission
stated that the Austrian measures did not run counter to the

GATT agreements . The Commission also took the view that
a more detailed investigation was required .

1 . What are the results of this detailed investigation ?

2 . What conclusion has the Commission drawn from the

investigation ?

3 . Will the Commission support Austrias position in the

GATT discussion ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(4 October 1993 )

As the Honourable Member correctly observes in the
introduction to his question, the Austrian mandatory
labelling programme for tropical wood was discussed at the
4 November 1992 GATT Council Meeting . At that meeting,
Austria defended its measure as being neither a restriction
on trade nor discriminatory . On behalf of the ASEAN
countries, Malaysia stated that the Austrian measure was
discriminatory in character and formed a disguised
restriction on trade .

The Community underlined that the fundamental question
raised by the ASEAN countries was of great importance,
which however did not mean that the Community shared
the ASEAN conclusions . It did not take a definitive position
on the GATT-compatibility of the Austrian measures, but
suggested that the issue should be studied in-depth in the
appropriate GATT bodies, being ( for general aspects ) the
Working Group on Environmental Measures and
International Trade and ( for certain specific aspects ) the
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade .

In view of the fact that the Austrian Parliament passed a
resolution on 12 March 1993, abolishing the mandatory
labelling to tropical timber and specifying that the proposed
quality mark should cover timber from all sources, the issue
has not been taken up by the abovementioned GATT
bodies .

Therefore, no study has taken place because of the Austrian
revocation, no definite conclusions have been drawn by the
Commission nor has it taken a definitive stance on the

issue .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1485 / 93

by Mr Chris tos Papoutsis ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 14 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 38

Subject : Impact of the embargo on rump Yugoslavia on the

Greek economy

It is well established that the bulk of Greek trade with the
rest of the Community passes through rump Yugoslavia .
The transport costs through other states ( Bulgaria,
Romania, Italy ) are double or three times as high . The
imposition of the embargo and the ban on transit through
rump Yugoslavia mean that Greek products will find it
harder to compete internationally, will take longer to reach
Community markets and will frequently have deteriorated

en route .

In view of :

— the fact that Greece is geographically isolated from the

other Member States,

— the complex situation obtaining in the countries of the

former Yugoslavia,

— the volatile situation throughout the Balkans,

how does the Commission intend to intervene and display
Community solidarity by taking measures under
Community legislation to bolster the Greek economy and to
neutralize the consequences of the complete embargo on
rump Yugoslavia ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

(4 October 1993 )

The Commission is aware of the problems encountered by
certain Member States and other countries bordering
Serbia-Montenegro as a result of the crisis in former
Yugoslavia and the embargo imposed on Serbia and
Montenegro . The Commission would point out that these
measures were implemented by the Council pursuant to
United Nations Security Council resolutions 757 and 820 .
No provision was made at the time to compensate losses
incurred by other countries as a result of the application of
the United Nations decisions .

In the Community context, Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 525 / 92 of 25 February 1992 i 1 ) provided ECU 4 million
of temporary financial compensation for 1991 for
consignments of certain fresh fruit and vegetables from
Greece . Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3438 / 92 of
23 November 1992 ( 2 ) extended this financial
compensation to the years 1992 and 1993 . Commission
Regulation ( EEC ) No 936 / 93 of 21 April 1993 fixed the
amount of compensation payable under Regulations ( EEC )
No 525 / 92 and ( EEC ) No 3438 / 92 at ECU 2,3 per hundred
kilogrammes net weight .

The Commission has just received some initial data from the
Greek authorities on the effects of the sanctions against

No C 333 / 22 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

Serbia and Montenegro on various sectors of the Greek

economy .

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 27 September 1993 )
H OJ No L 58, 3 . 3 . 1992 .
( 2 ) OJ No L 350, 1 . 12 . 1992 .

The Commission 's proposal for the fourth Framework
Programme (*) addresses the telematic needs of rural areas
in conjunction with those of urban areas .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1502 / 93

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

The proposed financing for these actions will be included in
the forthcoming Commission proposals on specific RDT

programmes .

( 14 June 1993 ) (!) COM(93 ) 276, 16 . 6 . 1993 .

( 93 / C 333 / 39 )

Subject : Breastmilk substitutes

Council resolution 92 / C 172 / 01 ( a ), which was adopted in
June 1992, offered support to competent authorities in third
countries to apply the International Code of Marketing of
breastmilk substitutes in their territory . Would the
Commissioner advise what steps have been taken to
implement this resolution ?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1528 / 93

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission of the European Communities

(!) OJ No C 172, 8 . 7 . 1992, p. 1 . ( 15 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 41 )

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 September 1993 )

In accordance with point 2 of the abovementioned Council
resolution the Commission has instructed its delegations in
third countries to assume their role as contact points for the
competent authorities of these countries for the purpose of
implementing this resolution .

In accordance with point 4 these delegations are
communicating the resolution to the countries concerned .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1515 / 93

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

                               - ( 14 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 40 )

Subject : Support for rural areas

Does the Commission intend to strengthen financial support
for telematics research and development for rural areas in
the Fourth Framework programme ?

Subject : Amateur aircraft

Manufacturers of amateur aircraft constitute a small
minority and their activity is regulated not only by strict
technical standards but also by a code based on individual
responsibility which, if it is to be regulated and taxed by the
Member States, should also be recognized .

What does the Commission intend to do to safeguard the
legitimate right of amateur aircraft manufacturers and to
protect their activity and passion ?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

( 24 September 1993 )

The Commission wishes, to ensure that the regulatory
environment for all forms of business is reasonable, and that
individual pursuits such as the construction of amateur
aircraft are not jeopardized by any unnecessary
administrative burdens, having due regard for the safety
considerations which are intrinsic to such activities .

Nevertheless, the Commission is not in a position to
comment on the appropriateness of any further regulation

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 23

of amateur aircraft construction activity by the Member legislation, examples added ). Furthermore, account should
States without full details of any specific proposals to be be taken of the fact that in some Member States other
made in this regard . methods of informing the producers were also used .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1599 / 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1590 / 93

by Mr Ian White ( S )

to the Commission of the European Communities

by Mrs Dorothee Piermont ( ARC )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 18 June 1993 )

Subject : CAP reform

( 18 June 1993 ) ( 93 / C 333 / 43 )

( 93 / C 333 / 42 )

Subject : Subsidies for NGOs in the development field —

budget Item B7-5010

How many pages are there in the advisory booklet issued by
each Member State on the Integrated Administration and
Control System of the reformed CAP ?

Answer given by Mr Steichen

on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1993 )

Member States issue leaflets, advisory booklets, ' terms and
conditions ' or examples in order to inform producers on the
' surface ' aid applications under the integrated
Administration and Control System of the reformed
CAP .

The numbers of the pages are as follows :

Belgium 8 p.

Denmark 8 p.

Germany different in the 16 Länder

Greece 22 p.

France 6 p. ( and 7 p. examples )

Ireland 12 p.

Italy 8 p.

Luxembourg 7 p.

Netherlands 19 p. ( in three separate
leaflets )

Portugal 2 p.

1 . What measures and projects did the Commission
support in 1990, 1991, and 1992 under budget Item
B7-5010, ' Community contribution towards schemes
concerning developing countries carried out by
non-governmental organizations '? Could it provide a
complete list, specifying the amounts granted for each
project ?

2 . Are the appropriations allocated in accordance with
official criteria ? What specific information is requested on
the application forms and provided in the explanatory
notes ? What persons and organizations are entitled to
obtain forms ?

3 . In addition, could the Commission supply copies of its
annual reports to the Council on cooperation with NGOs

( as referred to in the Council resolution of 27 May 1991 )
covering the years 1990, 1991, and 1992 ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(2 September 1993 )

1 and 3 . The list of cofinanced projects appears in full in
the Commission 's annual reports on cooperation with
NGOs, which are sent to Parliament . The 1990 and 1991
reports are being sent directly to the Honourable Member
and Parliament 's Secretariat . Last year 's report is not yet
available .

Portugal 2 p. 2 . The eligibility criteria for NGOs and projects can be

Spain 4 p. found in the general cofinancing conditions for schemes in
United Kingdom 79 p. the developing countries and for campaigns to raise

development awareness in the Community . Likewise, both
documents are being sent directly to the Honourable
Member and Parliament 's Secretariat .
It should be taken into account that the presentation can be
quite different ( e.g. size of paper, layout, etc .) as can be the
way of presentation ( e.g. repetition of Community

Spain 4 p.

United Kingdom 79 p.

No C 333 / 24 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1617 / 93 on a People 's Europe ( ), adopted the flag of the Council of

Mr LDR Europe as the emblem of the Community .

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

( 22 June 1993 ) This flag features 12 stars on a blue background,

corresponding in fact, but purely by chance, to the present

( 93 / C 333 / 44 ) number of Member States . The question of increasing this

number as the number of Member States increases in the
Subject : Mutual recognition of diplomas context of future enlargement of the Community has not
arisen within the Council .

( 22 June 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 44 )

What progress has been made in implementing the
provisions of Council Directive 92 / 51 / EEC (*) of 18 June

1992 on a second general system for the recognition of
professional education and training which relates to higher
education courses of less than three years ' duration or other
courses ?

(!) OJ No L 209, 24 . 7 . 1992, p. 25 .

Answer given by Mr Vanni d'Archirafi

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 September 1993 )

( ! ) See EC Bulletin supplement 7 / 85 .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1717 / 93

by Mr Inigo Mendez de Vigo ( PPE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 29 June 1993 )

Under Article 1 7 of Directive 92 / 5 1 / EEC, Member States are ( 93 / C 333 / 46 )
to adopt before 18 June 1994 the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary for them to comply with
the Directive . Since the transposition period has not yet

Subject : Obstacles to the free

expired, it is too soon to review the progress made in

vegetables

implementing the Directive in Member States .

Subject : Obstacles to the free movement of fruit and

vegetables

Informal contacts with Member States indicate that they are
already actively engaged in transposing the Directive .

The French authorities are imposing customs controls on
exports of certain Spanish products including strawberries,
tomatoes, artichokes, peaches and apricots, requiring the
production of the T2 document for transit through French
territory .

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1702 / 93

von Wechmar ( LDR ) Since such a measure effectively restricts the freedom of

movement of goods laid down in the Single Act, what steps

the European Communities will the Commission take to guarantee freedom of

( 28 June 1993 ) movement of Spanish fruit and vegetables within the

( 93 / C 333 / 45 ) Community ?

by Mr Riidiger von Wechmar ( LDR )
to the Council of the European Communities

( 28 June 1993 )

Subject : European flag

The European flag ( 12 gold stars on a blue background ) has
been the emblem of the Community since 1986, in
accordance with the decision of the Community
institutions . The 12 stars might be taken to represent the
present number of EC Member States . Alternatively, they
could represent the 12 months of the year or the 12
apostles .

1 . What will happen if the Community is enlarged to

include new Member States ?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

( 30 September 1993 )

In the single market, goods can move freely without checks
or customs formalities .

Nevertheless, pursuant to Article 3 ( 3 ) ( b ) of Council

2 . Will the number of stars be correspondingly Regulation ( EEC ) No 2726 / 90 of 17 September 1990 on
increased ? Community transit, a number of agricultural products still

covered by measures taken under the Spanish Act of
Accession need to be accompanied by a transit document
Answer ( T2 or T2ES ).

( 11 November 1993 )

This is so for the products referred to by the Honourable
In 1986 the Community institutions, acting on a Member, which are still subject to trade surveillance
recommendation in the final report of the ad hoc Committee measures ( supplementary trade mechanism ).

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 25

Any requirement for this document does not contravene Answer given by Mr Marin
Community rules provided it is not accompanied by on behalf of the Commission
administrative checks at internal frontiers . (4 October 1993 )

However, the Commission is continually looking for a way
of removing such a requirement in the right circumstances .
It is in permanent contact with the Member States on the
issue although no agreement has so far been reached .

The Commission 's aim is to replace internal Community
transit by specific measures which could be taken as part of
the common organization of the market in question .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 802 / 93

by Mr Claude Cheysson ( PSE )

to the Commission of the European Communities

( 12 July 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 47 )

The cooperation agreement between the Community and
the Yemen Arab Republic has been in force since 31 January

1985 ( M.

The Yemen Arab Republic and the People 's Democratic
Republic of Yemen united on 22 May 1990 to form the
Republic of Yemen .

As a result of unification, the existing agreement is now
being amended to provide for the new Republic .

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member on
the importance for the country of unification and
democratization and would point out that it has provided
financial backing for the first free elections there . It is also
determined that the cooperation agreement should extend
the scope of development aid, food aid and technical
assistance as far as possible .

(!) OJ No L 26, 31 . 1 . 1985 .
Subject : Relations between the Republic of Yemen and the

Community

Several MEPs have been to Yemen in the last few months .

They were impressed by recent development in the country,
which is one of the oldest States in the Arab world, and in
particular that :

— the unification of the two republics of North and South

Yemen was accomplished in a remarkable atmosphere
of mutual respect,

— Yemeni national culture has always been profoundly

democratic, with power deriving from the people
themselves, which promises well for a genuine
democratization of the country 's institutions, ( in
contrast to the situation prevailing in most other Arab
Gulf States ),

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1813 / 93

by Mr José Apolinârio ( PSE )
to the Commission of the European Communities

( 13 July 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 48 )

Subject : Guarantees for timeshare customers

— Yemen has voluntarily granted asylum to a considerable

number of refugees from the Horn of Africa, thereby The proposal for a directive concerning the protection of
aggravating its own already difficult economic situation purchasers in contracts relating to the utilization of
in a seriously underdeveloped desert or semi-desert immovable property on a timeshare basis (*) does not adopt
region . a position on guarantees for such purchasers but leaves it up

to the Member States to introduce legislation in this
And yet Yemen is the only Arab country not covered by one area .
of our interparliamentary delegations . It is also the only
poor Arab country not linked to the Community by a We feel the question of compulsory guarantees or deposits
cooperation agreement . to be an important one . Can the Commission therefore say

number of refugees from the Horn of Africa, thereby
aggravating its own already difficult economic situation
in a seriously underdeveloped desert or semi-desert
region .

poor Arab country not linked to the Community by a We feel the question of compulsory guarantees or deposits
cooperation agreement . to be an important one . Can the Commission therefore say

on what political or technical / legal grounds it has not
included this point in the directive and the annex thereto ?
While welcoming the emergency aid which the Commission What is the Commission 's position on guarantees for
has granted to help refugees, Parliament wishes to know timeshare customers ?
whether the Commission intends to conclude a cooperation
agreement similar to that between the Community and the
Mashreq countries . (!) COM(92 ) 0220

No C 333 / 26 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener

on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 1993 )

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that
it is important to provide guarantees for people entering into
property time-share contracts and it is precisely because of
the importance of such guarantees that the proposal for a
directive makes specific reference to them . Article 3.3 lists
the cases in which the purchaser must be provided with a

guarantee .

The way in which the question of guarantees is treated under
national legislation does, however, vary considerably and
the standardization of legislation on guarantees could
certainly not be justified on the basis of the consumer
protection policy . The strict application of the principle of
subsidiarity is essential in such a specific case because it is
more effective for the conditions for guarantees in force in
each Member State to be applied under national
legislation .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 1993 )

Childcare forms an important part of the NOW initiative to
make it easier for women with children to reconcile family
and professional responsibilities .

The Commission is therefore cofinancing the setting up of
creches in Objective 1 regions only — which include Greece .
The cost of running the creches and training childcare
workers is also being cofinanced by the Commission
throughout the Community .

10 of the 53 projects approved in Greece cover the setting up
of creches and eight are concerned with the vocational
training of childcare workers .

more guarantees As a result of the improved budgetary provision for NOW
each Member State to be applied under national there are some 60 additional projects which have not yet
legislation . been finally approved by the national authorities . For this

reason the Commission cannot at the moment given the
Honourable Member information on the number of
From the Commission 's point of view what is important is
for the Community document to make the provision of projects on childcare .
proper guarantees compulsory ; the extremely basic nature
of the wording enables the Member States to introduce the
most appropriate legislation .

The original version of the proposal for a directive included
a provision governing guarantees for purchasers which did
not leave the Member States free to introduce the legislation
they considered appropriate in this area . It was only as a
result of criticism, particularly from the Council, that this
provision was replaced by the one to be found in the present
document .

Nevertheless, given that the procedure has not yet been
completed, it is still possible for the Council and Parliament
to amend the document in the way suggested by the
Honourable Member .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 985 / 93

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

( 19 July 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 50 )

Subject : Telecommunications services directive ( 90 / 388 /
EEC )

The telecommunications services directive ( 90 / 388 / EEC ) ()
permits companies to purchase capacity from the national
telecommunications monopolies and resell it, so long as the
service being provided is not voice telephone service . Voice
telephone service still remains an exclusive privilege but is
narrowly and specifically defined in the directive .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 843 / 93

I have received a complaint from an Irish company that the

Kostopoulos ( NI ) Irish Department of Communications has defined voice
of the European Communities telephone service far more broadly, effectively preventing

( 15 July 1993 ) companies operating under the directive from providing any

voice services including private voice services for defined
( 93 / C 333 / 49 user groups .

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

( 15 July 1993 )

Is the Irish Government in compliance with the services

Subject : NOW programme in Greece and day nurseries directive as regards voice telephone services ? If not, in what

ways is it violating the directive and what will be the
How many projects for funding under the NOW consequences of such non-compliance ?
programme in Greece were concerned with increasing the
number of day nurseries ? How many are pending ? (!) OJ No L 192, 24 . 7 . 1990, p. 10 .

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 27

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 September 1993 )

Article 2 of Directive 90 / 388 / EEC requires Member States
to withdraw all exclusive rights for the supply of
telecommunications services other than voice telephony and
to take the measures necessary to ensure that any operator is
entitled to supply such telecommunications services .

Article 1 of the Directive states :

The Greeks cannot be employed in the public services unless
they renounce their nationality and declare themselves
' Macedonians '. In that case they are forced to change their
names from Greek to Slav forms, usually ending in
' evski '.

As in a few months time ( October — November 1993 ) there
is to be a census of minorities living in the Skopje Republic,
monitored by the EEC, CSCE and other international
organizations it is essential to ensure that there is no more
intimidation .

1 . Will the Commission give details of the census ?

2 . Will it intervene over the human rights of the Greek

'" voice telephony " means the commercial provision for .
the public of the direct transport arjd switching of speech minority living in the Skopje Republic ?
in real-time between public switched network
termination points, enabling any user to use equipment
connected to such a network termination point in order
to communicate with another termination point, . . .' Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

minority living in the Skopje Republic ?

on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 1993 )
Consequently, all telecommunications services which do not
fall exactly within this restrictive definition are no longer the
subject of exclusive provision . Such liberalized services can 1 . The Commission would
include voice services if, for example, they are not supplied Honourable Member that the
in real-time, or not for the public . Equally, voice services decided to conduct a population
which are not between public switched network termination

year . At the request of the two

points are liberalized .

The information available to the Commission would suggest
that the Irish authorities may have applied the remaining
exclusive rights in a manner that narrows excessively the
area of liberalized services . The Commission is discussing
the proper application of the Directive with the Irish
authorities . Should there appear to be an infringement of the
directive, the appropriate procedures may be initiated .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2101 / 93

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

1 . The Commission would like to inform the
Honourable Member that the Skopjan authorities have
decided to conduct a population census at the end of the
year . At the request of the two co-chairmen of the peace
conference on former Yugoslavia, the Commission has
agreed in principle to help finance the operation .
Negotiations to determine the modus operandi of the census
and the level of Community financing have not yet
begun .

2 . In the context of the peace conference on former
Yugoslavia and through the chairman of the working group
on ethnic communities and minorities, the Community and
the Member States seek to ensure that the legitimate rights

of minorities are respected .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2153 / 93

by Mr Louis Lauga ( RDE )

to the Council of the European Communities

( 23 July 1993 )

( 26 July 1993 )
( 93 / C 333 / 51
( 93 / C 333 / 52 )

Subject : The Greek minority in the Skopje Republic Subject : Situation in the clothing and footwear sectors

The large Greek minority living in the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia is being oppressed by the Skopjans .
The Greek minority, comprising native Greeks, Vlachs,
Sarakatsans, Greeks from Asia Minor, Greek political
refugees etc ., is now forbidden to use the Greek language or
Greek dialects ( in the case of the Vlachs ), are not allowed to
set up their own schools or to hold services in Greek
Orthodox churches .

In several regions of France many labour-intensive clothing
and footwear undertakings are being hard hit by unfair
competition from third countries .

Large quantities of cheap products are being imported, in
many cases without payment of customs duties, from
countries where the labour force is underpaid and which pay
no social security contributions .

No C 333 / 28 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

Such unfair competition is leading to the closure of textile Europe, the EEC Council approved the setting up of a
and footwear undertakings, many of which are situated in European Foundation for Vocational Training .
medium-sized towns or the countryside, thereby
aggravating unemployment and migration from rural Can the Council say whether it has not taken the view that

areas .

What steps will the EC take to alleviate the serious impact
on the economy and employment of this failure to respect
the Community preference ?

Answer

( 12 November 1993 )

In general, employment and industrial competitiveness will
be the subject of a major discussion within the Community
on the basis of the White Paper announced by the
Commission .

For its part, the Council is aware, as demonstrated by its
resolution of 17 June 1992 ( 1 ), of the particular problems
which the textile and clothing industries have to face in
adapting to increased competition resulting partly from the
extension of the Community 's preferential relations with
third countries . In this respect it should be pointed out that
the bilateral textiles agreements negotiated at the end of

1992 for a three-year period under the Multifibre
Arrangement afford some protection against market
imbalances by limiting the volume of imports . It should also
be noted that one of the Community objectives in the
Uruguay Round negotiations is to establish a reliable
long-term framework for world trade in textiles and for the
future structural adjustment on the Community textile
industry .

With regard to the footwear sector, the Council 's
subordinate bodies are currently examining a proposal for a

Regulation, inter alia, enabling quantitative restrictions to
be imposed on certain items of footwear from China,
Vietnam and North Korea .

Finally, the Community 's generalized system of preferences
provides for other restrictions regarding footwear from a
number of major supplier countries .

(M OJ No C 178, 15 . 7 . 1992 .

Can the Council say whether it has not taken the view that
the City of Turin is the ideal location for this foundation in
view of the long-established traditions of cooperation
between companies in the Piedmont region and the
countries of Eastern Europe, the structural features of the
Turin industrial zone and the widespread employment of
workers from East European countries in Piedmont
industry ?

Answer

( 11 November 1993 )

Article 19 of Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 1360 / 90 of
7 May 1990 establishing a European Training
Foundation ( x ) states that the Regulation ' shall enter into
force on the day following that on which the competent
authorities have decided on the seat of the Foundation '.

The Italian Government has proposed the City of Turin as
the seat for the Foundation . The decision on the seat will be

taken at a forthcoming European Council meeting in
accordance with the Decision taken by common agreement
in Edinburgh on 12 December 1992 between the
Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
on the location of the seats of the institutions and of certain

bodies and departments of the European Communities .

(!) OJ No L 131, 23 . 5 . 1990, p. 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2345 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Council of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 54 )

Subject : Settlement with US representative on imports of

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2202 / 93 cereal substitutes

by Mrs Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Council of the European Communities

( 29 July 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 53 )

The Commission representative in the negotiations aimed at
securing an agreement on trade in agriucultural products
between the European Community and the United States
has reached a settlement with his American counterpart on
the controversial issue of imports of cereal substitutes .

European Foundation for

Subject : Turin as seat of the European Foundation for

Vocational in Central and Eastern

Vocational Training in Central and Eastern Can the Council set out its position on the contents of this
Europe settlement and, in particular, say whether it calls into

question the principle on which the reform of the CAP is
Back in May 1990, to encourage the development of based, i.e. the recapture of parts of the animal feedingstuffs
modern technical and managerial training in Eastern market, owing to a reduction in cereal prices ?

Vocational Training
Europe

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 29

Answer

( 11 November 1993 )

The Council has noted the contents of the Blair House

agreement and has begun to examine its compatibility with
the principles of the reformed CAP . The principle of the
recapture of parts of the market through a policy of price
reductions was enshrined in the reform and has undergone
no subsequent alteration, which means that it is applicable
to the feedingstuffs sector .

economically and politically — to support national
measures . However, essential measures such as a reform of
the SEDOC to ensure effective exchanges of experience and
opportunities have yet to be implemented .

Does the Council accept its share of the responsibility for
these delays and this lack of cooperation ?

When does it expect to introduce effective institutional and

, financial arrangements to help the Member States create
to the feedingstuffs sector . jobs and how does it plan to ensure that these arrangements

are compatible with the expectations of the social
The Council 's position on the need for a global approach to partners ?
the Uruguay Round negotiations means that a definitive
conclusion on any one isolated aspect of these negotiations 0 ) COM(93 ) 0238 .
would be premature .

0 ) COM(93 ) 0238 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-23 73 / 93

by Mr José Alvarez de Paz ( PSE )

to the Council of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2371 / 92 (1 September 1993 )
by Mr José Alvarez de Paz ( PSE ) and 93 / C 333 / 57

Mr Pedro Bofill Abeilhe ( PSE )

to the Council of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 55 )

Subject : Complementary measures to deal with common

problems in the field of employment

At the informal meeting of Ministers of Labour of 3 and
4 May 1993, the ministers stressed the need to coordinate
their action on complementary measures to deal with
common problems of employment and unemployment .

( 93 / C 333 / 57 )

Subject : Convergence of Community policies on job
creation and environmental protection

Unemployment in the Community is expected to affect 12 %
of the working population in 1993, i.e. 20 million
people .

Does the Council agree that the main priorities of all
Community policies, and not only social policy, should be
employment and environmentally sustainable growth ?

Could the Council give details of the general shape which
these measures will take ? WRITTEN QUESTION E-2375 / 93

by Mr José Alvarez de Paz ( PSE ) and

Mr Pedro Bofill Abeilhe ( PSE )

to the Council of the European Communities

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2372 / 93

(1 September 1993 )
by Mr José Alvarez de Paz ( PSE ) and

Mr Pedro Bofill Abeilhe ( PSE )

to the Council of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 56 )

Subject : Support for national job-creation measures

The communication from Mr Flynn, Commissioner,
entitled ' Community - wide framework for employment ' (*),
states that one of the four key observations underlying the
decision to submit the communication, at the request of the
Council, was the belief that primary responsibility for action
on employment lies with the Member States but that closer
cooperation at the level of the Community is necessary —

( 93 / C 333 / 58 )

Subject : The need for a thorough overhaul of training, the

economy and employment in order to create
jobs

If the growing working population cannot be absorbed into
the labour market purely through economic growth of
3,5 % and a rise in productivity of 2% ( figures which, in
themselves, are overoptimistic ),

what other strategies does the Council envisage to make use
of these members of the working population, ensure that
unemployment does not increase and, what is more difficult,
reduce it to the desired Community average of 5 % ?

No C 333 / 30 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

Is there not a need to devise radically innovative structural
measures, rather than mere flanking measures, to ensure
that competitiveness, progress, prosperity and social
protection become compatible objectives ?

Can the Council at least say what ' flanking measures ' are
envisaged ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-23 76 / 93

by Mr José Alvarez de Paz ( PSE )

to the Council of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 59 )

Subject : Employment and environmental protection

The decisions adopted as part of the Community initiative
for growth, based on the Edinburgh summit, seek to create
450 000 jobs .

What importance does the Council attribute in this matter
to investment for a cleaner environment ?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2371 / 93

to E-2373 / 93, E-2375 / 93 and E-2376 / 93

by Mr Alvarez de Paz
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 November 1993 )

The Council is aware of the difficulties to which the

Honourable Members refer and it too sees the need for

innovative structural measures in order to achieve a marked

reduction in the intolerable level of unemployment . To that
end, the Copenhagen European Council invited the
Commission to present a white paper on a medium-term
strategy for growth, competitiveness and employment .

The Ecofin Council has expressed the hope that the
Commission will present this paper at the beginning of
November so that it can take it into account when preparing
the broad guidelines for the economic policies of the
Member States and the Community which it will present to
the Brussels European Council .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2406 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Council of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 60 )

Subject : Human rights in the Member States

Following the debate in Parliament 's plenary session of the
report by Mr De Gucht ( a ) on respect for human rights in the

European Community, which covered the following
points :

1 . racist and fascist violence,

2 . trade union discrimination,

3 . the spread of poverty in Europe adding to
unemployment, inequality and insecurity,

4 . illiteracy and the lack of vocational training,

5 . the position of the 12 Member States ' police forces
who often have insufficient regard for the principles of
democracy and the rule of law,

6 . special anti-terrorist laws containing measures
restricting the rights of defence,

7 . the use of torture by certain police forces to extract
confessions from people held in custody,

8 . humiliating treatment during arrest and
interrogation,

9 . unacceptable living conditions of prisoners in some
correctional institutions,

10 . political discrimination in countries such as Germany
whose government has taken measures against citizens
of the former East Germany,

will the Council say what initiatives it intends to take to
improve the human rights situation in Europe ?

(M A 3-0025 / 93 .

Answer

( 11 November 1993 )

The Council, which has taken careful note of the report by
Mr De Gucht and the resolution relating to it, confirms, as it
has done many times to plenary sittings of the European
Parliament, its deep-rooted attachment to respect for
human rights and fundamental freedoms, both in the
Community and in the world at large .

In this regard, the Council would recall the Joint
Declaration of the three institutions, adopted on 5 April

1977 by the Council, the Commission and the European
Parliament, and the Declaration on Democracy made by the
European Council on 7 and 8 April 1978 . This constant
concern with fundamental rights was also reflected in the
third recital of the Single European Act, and, more recently,
in Article F(2 ) of the Treaty on European Union .

Respect for human rights and the general principles of law
are thus embodied in the basic texts of the Community . The
Court of Justice has also asserted the principle of
fundamental rights in various decisions .

The Council would however point out to the Honourable
Member that respect for human rights is mainly the

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 31

responsibility of individual Member States, and is a
responsibility which must be exercised in accordance with
the international obligations they have entered into, having
regard in particular to the European Convention on Human
Rights .

Lastly, the Council would inform the Honourable Member
that a high-level Working Party of Experts is at present
examining the terms for possible accession by the
Community to the European Convention on Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2584 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Council of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 62 )

Subject : Community policy and programmes relating to

cohesion

To what extent does the Council believe that the decisions
taken in . relation to the following have been effective :

1 . The cohesion of Member States ' policies and their

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2482 / 93 1 . The cohesion of Member States ' policies and their

Mr Vertemati PSE coordination with Community policies and measures ?

by Mr Luigi Vertemati ( PSE )
to the Council of the European Communities

2 . The contribution of Community policies and
programmes to achieving the goal of cohesion between
the northern and southern countries ?

(1 September 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 61 )

Subject : Electoral system for European elections

The next European election is due to take place shortly .
Answer

The Treaty expressly stipulates that a standard electoral law ( 12 November 1993 )
should be laid down in all the Member States .

In the opinion delivered in 1993 the European Parliament
came out in favour of proportional representation .

Will the Council therefore say whether steps are being taken
with a view to establishing a common electoral system
bevore the next European election so as to ensure that the
form of parliamentary representation is made as similar as
possible in all the Member States ?

Answer

( 11 November 1993 )

The European Parliament Resolution of 10 March 1993 on
a uniform electoral procedure will be examined by the
Council . Until that examination has taken place, it is not
possible to give the Honourable Member any details on the
completion of the discussions or their outcome .

In accordance with Article 138 ( 3 ) of the EEC Treaty, the
Council, acting unanimously, will lay down appropriate
provisions which it will recommend to Member States for
adoption in accordance with their respective constitutional
requirements .

Taking account of the fact that the draft submitted by the
Parliament contains only general principles, the Council will
need to draw up much more specific provisions on the basis
of that draft . Bearing in mind procedural constraints and the
date of the forthcoming elections to the European
Parliament, it is difficult at this stage to see how a uniform
electoral system, adopted on the basis of that draft, could be
applied at the next election .

1 . Community action does not imply either making
Member States ' policies uniform or adjusting them to
European Community policies and actions . The
Community acts within the limits of the powers conferred
on it and the objectives assigned to it by the Treaty . In areas
which are not within its exclusive competence, the
Community, in accordance with the principle of
subsidiarity, only intervenes if and to the extent that the
objectives of the action envisaged cannot be adequately
achieved by the Member States and can, in view of the
dimensions or effects of the action envisaged, be more
effectively achieved at Community level .

2 . The convergence of Member States ' economic and
monetary policies agreed on in Maastricht is a prior
condition for achieving economic and monetary union in
the Community . It nevertheless does not imply that national
policies need to be made uniform but only that they should
be consistent, and it is being implemented in parallel with
effective strengthening of economic and social cohesion in
the Community .

It should be remembered that, in order to strengthen such
cohesion, the Structural Funds will have resources of ECU

161 billion ( at 1992 constant prices ) for the period
1993 — 1999, i.e. three times the amount of the Marshall
Plan, and that the Cohesion Fund for the benefit of the four
least - favoured Member States will also have ECU 15 billion

for the same period ( at 1992 constant prices ). Commitments
in favour of those States from those two sources will double
during that period, amounting to ECU 85 billion .

No C 333 / 32 Official Journal of the European Communities 8 . 12 . 93

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2588 / 93

by Mr Sotiris Kostopoulos ( PSE )
to the Council of the European Communities

(1 September 1993 )

regulations, there should at least be a principle or
recommendation that these employees and their
organizations should be consulted ?

( 93 / C 333 / 63 ) Answer

( 11 November 1993 )
Subject : Economic and social cohesion following the

European Council meeting in June

Article 130b of the Treaty on European Union states that
strengthening economic and social cohesion is a common
goal of the policy of the Member States and the Community
institutions . Following the European Council in June and
the decisions taken there, can the Council say whether
economic and social cohesion are in fact threatened by the
possibility that the Community labour market will
deteriorate to resemble those in South-East Asia and does

the Council believe that the decisions taken in June are
consistent with Article 130b of the Treaty ?

Answer

( 11 November 1993 )

The measure taken by the Council on 10 June 1991 to
prevent the use of the financial system for the purpose of
money laundering ( Directive 91 / 308 / EEC ) (*) takes the
form of a directive . Under Article 189 of the EEC Treaty,
while a Directive is binding on the Member States regarding
the result to be achieved, it leaves the choice of form and
methods to the national authorities . It is not therefore for
the Council to intervene in the process of implementation by
the national authorities, or in their decision on how best to
attain the desired result .

Articles 6, 8 and 9 of the Directive give employees of credit
institutions a role to play in preventing money laundering .
However, it is for the national authorities and the
institutions concerned to ensure ( see Article 1 1 in particular )
that the professionals involved in the process of uncovering
dubious practices are made aware of the problem .

The Copenhagen European Council clearly expressed its (!) OJ No L 166, 28 . 6 . 1991, p. ' 77 .
determination to improve the current socio-economic
climate and in particular to strengthen economic and social
cohesion .

The Council will therefore do its utmost to prevent the
labour market from deteriorating into a situation such as
that mentioned by the Honourable Member .

The Council would remind the Honourable Member in this
connection of the replies which it gave on 23 June 1993 in
plenary session to the Oral Questions, with debate, on
economic cohesion ( 0-87, 0-104, 0-106, 0-113, 0-116 and
0-136 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2852 / 93

by Mr Alex Smith ( PSE )

to the Council of the European Communities

(4 October 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 65 )

Subject : Transport of plutonium by air from Belgium

What concerns have been notified to the President-in-Office
over the plans by Belgium to permit the transport of
plutonium fuel by air from facilities in Belgium to Dounreay
in Scotland involving the overflight of the territories of other
Member States ?
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2611 / 93

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

(1 September 1993 )

( 93 / C 333 / 64 )

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

Answer

( 12 November 1993 )

1 . The Council has not been informed of any concerns
over the plans referred to by the Honourable Member .

2 . The transport by air of radioactive material, including
plutonium, is governed by regulations laid down and
regularly updated by the International Atomic Energy
Agency . These provisions are contained in regulations
issued by the international transport organizations, in
international conventions and agreements and in national
legislation .

8 . 12 . 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 333 / 33

3 . Furthermore, on 27 November 1989 the Council
adopted conclusions on the transport of radioactive
materials, stressing the importance attached to this field of
activity and asking the Commission to pursue its efforts, in
consultation with the competent authorities and national
experts, to continue to ensure that the transport of
radioactive materials within the Community is conducted in
complete safety .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2864 / 93

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

(4 October 1993 )

accident at the new Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
( THORP ) at Sellafield is on the agenda for the Environment
Council on 5 October 1993 in Luxembourg ?

Answer

( 12 November 1993 )

1 . The Council has not received any request to place the
matter to which the Honourable Member refers on the

agenda for the Environment Council on 5 October 1993 .

2 . The Council would draw the Honourable Member 's
( 93 / C 333 / 66 )
attention to the fact that Community legislation based both
on the health-protection provisions of the Euratom Treaty,

Council — THORP and on international regulations on nuclear safety drawn up

in the International Atomic Energy Agency, are designed to

ensure that the subject of prevent the risk of any occurrence of the situation to which

he refers .

Subject : Environment Council — THORP

Will the President-in-Office ensure that the subject of
potentially disastrous environmental consequences of an