Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

# Official Journal

## of the European Communities

### English edition Information and Notices

ISSN 0378-6986

## C97

Volume 33

17 April 1990

Notice N o

90/C97/01

90/C97/02

90/C97/03

90/C97/04

90/C97/05

90/C 97/06

90/C97/07

90/C97/08

90/C97/09

Contents Page

I _Information_

European Parliament

_Written Questions with_ _answer_

N o 377/89 by M r Carlos Carvalhas and M r Joaquim Miranda da Silva to the

Commission

Subject: The role of SMUs in achieving economic and social cohesion 1

N o 438/89 by M r Eisso Woltjer to the Commission

Subject: Dioxin contamination of milk and other foodstuffs 1

N o 447/89 by M r Francesco Corleone to the Commission

Subject: EIB financing for the completion of the Autostrada dei Trafori motorway in Italy I . . . 3

N o 466/89 by M r Joaquin Siso Cruellas to the Commission

Subject: Regional and Community aid for sales promotion purposes 3

N o 486/89 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission

Subject: Illegal hormones 4

N o 489/89 by Mrs Mary Banotti to the Commission

Subject: Smog 4

N o 498/89 by M r Vincenzo Mattina to the Commission

Subject: National legislation on banking secrecy 4

N o 499/89 by M r Ferruccio Pisoni and M r Joachim Dalsass to the Commission

Subject: Difficulties caused by Austria for heavy goods traffic at the Brenner Pass 5

N o 559/89 by M r Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission

Subject: ERDF: ENSMA application (Poitou-Charentes) 6

2 (Continued overleaf)

Notice N o Contents (continued)

9 0 / C 97/10 N o 568/89 by M r Rudiger von Wechmar to the Commission

Subject: EP debate on Poland during the part-session from 11 to 15 September 1989 6

9 0 / C 97/11 N o 580/89 by M r Francois de Donnea to the Commission

Subject: Exemptions to Community rules on competition 6

9 0 / C 97/12 N o 586/89 by M r j a a k Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission

Subject: Prevention of accidents to children 7

9 0 / C 97/13 N o 589/89 by M r Jose Barros M o u r a and M r Carlos Carvalhas to the Commission

Subject: Situation of the footwear industry in the EEC in the face of competition from Asian
countries 8

9 0 / C 97/14 N o 612/89 by M r Francois de Donnea to the Commission

Subject: Laundering of drug money 9

9 0 / C 97/15 N o 613/89 by M r Francois de Donnea to the Commission

Subject: Discriminatory use in Belgium of the receipts from certain taxes in the animal sector . . 9

9 0 / C 97/16 N o 618/89 by M r John Iversen to the Commission

Subject: Biodynamic farming 10

9 0 / C 97/17 N o 639/89 by M r Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission

Subject: Possibly excessive Community control in the field of biotechnology 10

9 0 / C 97/18 N o 648/89 by M r Llewellyn Smith to the Commission

Subject: Mentally handicapped and mentally ill people on Leros, Greece 11

9 0 / C 97/19 N o 649/89 by M r Llewellyn Smith to the Commission

Subject: EEC visit to the island of Leros, Greece 11

9 0 / C 97/20 N o 676/89 by Mrs Winifred Ewing to the Commission

Subject: Conditions in a mental asylum on a Greek Island 11

9 0 / C 97/21 N o 693/89 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission

Subject: Patients in Greek mental hospitals 11

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 649/89, 676/89 and 693/89 12

9 0 / C 97/22 N o 673/89 by Mrs Winifred Ewing to the Commission

Subject: Ethnic minority immigration and travel within the EC 12

9 0 / C 97/23 N o 732/89 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Commission

Subject: Citizens' rights after 1992 12

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 673/89 and 732/89 12

9 0 / C 97/24 N o 678/89 by Mrs Carmen Llorca Vilaplana to the Commission

Subject: Environmental impact and the structural funds 13

9 0 / C 97/25 N o 700/89 by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark to the Commission

Subject: Environmental impact analysis in relation to structural funds 13

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 678/89 and 700/89 13

Notice N o Contents (continued)

90/C97/26

90/C 97/27

90/C97/28

90/C97/29

90/C97/30

90/C97/31

90/C97/32

90/C 97/33

90/C 97/34

90/C97/35

90/C 97/36

90/C 97/37

90/C97/38

90/C97/39

90/C 97/40

90/C97/41

90/C97/42

90/C 97/43

N o 679/89 by Mrs Carmen Llorca Vilaplana to the Commission

Subject: Environmentally sensitive areas 13

N o 694/89 by M r Giuseppe Mottola to the Commission

Subject: Alarm regarding air transport safety throughout the world 14

N o 698/89 by M r Jose Valverde Lopez to the Commission

Subject: Sugar cane production in the Granada and Malaga provinces of Spain 14

N o 707/89 by M r Ernest Glinne to the Commission

Subject: Condition of mentally ill patients kept on the Greek island of Leros 15

N o 711/89 by M r Ernest Glinne to the Commission

Subject: Contra-indications and harmful effects of benzodiazepine-based hypnotics and tranquilizers 16

N o 719/89 by M r Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission

Subject: Atlantic regions 17

N o 722/89 by M r Christopher Jackson to the Commission

Subject: The dangers of jet skis 17

N o 726/89 by M r James Ford to the Commission

Subject: Tinted glass in car windows 18

N o 730/89 by M r Richard Balfe to the Commission

Subject: Sickle cell anaemia 18

N o 734/89 by M r Guiseppe Mottola, M r Gerardo Gaibisso and M r Franco Borgo to

the Commission

Subject: Check on radioactive residues in tobacco from countries outside the Community . . . . 19

N o 737/89 by Mrs Johanna Maij-Weggen to the Commission

Subject: Environmental pollution and noise caused by military aircraft 19

N o 740/89 by M r Joaquin Siso Cruellas to the Commission

Subject: Private saving trends in the Member States 19

N o 748/89 by M r James Ford to the Commission

Subject: Research and training programme in the field of controlled thermonuclear fusion . . . . 21

N o 758/89 by M r Kenneth Collins to the Commission

Subject: Broadcasting Directive 21

N o 759/89 by M r Francesco Speroni to the Commission

Subject: European Community office in Milan 22

N o 763/89 by M r Kenneth Collins to the Commission

Subject: Implementing provisions, environment sector 23

N o 769/89 by M r Kenneth Coates to the Commission

Subject: European Community involvement with the hospital on the Greek island of Leros . . . 23

N o 776/89 by M r Enrico Falqui to the Commission

Subject: The role of associations of agricultural producers 24

(Continued overleaf)

Notice No Contents (continued)

90/C97/44

90/C97/45

90/C97/46

90/C97/47

90/C97/48

90/C 97/49

90/C97/50

90/C97/51

90/C97/52

90/C97/53

90/C97/54

90/C97/55

90/C97/56

90/C97/57

90/C97/58

90/C97/59

90/C97/60

No 779/89 by Mr Bryan Cassidy to the Commission

Subject: ESPRIT — call for proposals 1989 25

No 782/89 by Mr Herman Verbeek to the Commission

Subject: Less-favoured areas in the European Community's total agricultural area 25

No 784/89 by Mr Carlos Carvalhas to the Commission

Subject: Scientific programme of research and development in the field of biotechnology,
1990—1994, BRIDGE programme 26

No 785/89 by Mr Carlos Carvalhas to the Council

Subject: Teaching, selectivity and academic failure 27

No 788/89 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission

Subject: Directive 80/68/EEC 27

No 789/89 by Mr Llewellyn Smith to the Commission

Subject: Directive 80/68/EEC 27

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 788/89 and 789/89 28

No 795/89 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Council

Subject: Law against sexual harassment at work 28

No 796/89 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Commission

Subject: Trade union rights in Turkey 28

No 798/89 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Commission

Subject: Plight of mentally handicapped people on the island of Leros 29

No 801 /89 by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru to the Council

Subject: Financial and technical assistance to Polish undertakings 29

No 803/89 by Mr Ben Fayot to the Commission

Subject: Commission documents 29

No 816/89 by Mr Carlos Carvalhas to the Commission

Subject: The Portuguese budget deficit 30

No 824/89 by Mr Max Simeoni to the Council

Subject: Liberalization of capital movements and economic and social cohesion 30

No 826/89 by Mr Francois de Donnea to the Commission

Subject: State aids 31

No 828/89 by Mr Francois de Donnea to the Commission

Subject: Infringement proceedings for failure to inform the Commission of national implementing measures 31

No 829/89 by Mr Francois de Donnea to the Commission

Subject: Infringement proceedings for failure to inform the Commission of national implementing measures 31

No 848/89 by Mr Juan Garaikoetxea Urriza to the Commission

Subject: The RENAVAL programme 32

Notice N o Contents (continued)

9 0 / C 97/61 N o 851/89 by M r Juan Garaikoetxea Urriza to the Commission

Subject: The RESIDER programme 32

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 848/89 and 851/89 32

9 0 / C 97/62 N o 850/89 by M r Juan Garaikoetxea Urriza to the Commission

Subject: Objective 2 of the reform of the structural funds 32

9 0 / C 97/63 N o 863/89 by M r Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission

Subject: Biological studies in the fisheries sector 33

9 0 / C 97/64 N o 877/89 by M r Francois de Donnea to the Commission

Subject: Number of Community firms affected by Article 223 (2) of the EEC Treaty 33

9 0 / C 97/65 N o 880/89 by M r Klaus Hansen to the Commission

Subject: Appointment of national experts instead of European officials 34

9 0 / C 97/66 N o 898/89 by M r Jose Barros Moura to the Commission

Subject: Publication of parliamentary questions and answers in Portuguese 34

9 0 / C 97/67 N o 914/89 by M r Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission

Subject: Production quotas for milk and milk products 35

9 0 / C 97/68 N o 917/89 by M r Jose Happart to the Commission

Subject: Review of the dairy quota reserves 35

9 0 / C 97/69 N o 931/89 by Sir James Scott-Hopkins to the Commission

Subject: Nutrition labels on foods 36

9 0 / C 97/70 N o 953/89 by M r Eisso Woltjer to the Commission

Subject: Bonus-for-quantity arrangement in the dairy sector 36

9 0 / C 97/71 N o 956/89 by M r Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission

Subject: Status of regions in the Community 37

9 0 / C 97/72 N o 957/89 by M r Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Commission

Subject: Role of leisure parks in regional development 37

9 0 / C 97/73 N o 964/89 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission

Subject: Cost of advertising medicinal products 37

9 0 / C 97/74 N o 965/89 by Mrs Raymonde Dury to the Commission

Subject: Registration of generic medicinal products 38

9 0 / C 97/75 N o 975/89 by Mrs Winifred Ewing to the Commission

Subject: Fraud in the EC agriculture sector 38

9 0 / C 97/76 N o 980/89 by Mrs Winifred Ewing to the Commission

Subject: Haddock quotas in the North Sea 38

9 0 / C 97/77 N o 1015/89 by M r Carlos Robles Piquer to the Commission

Subject: The payment of Chile's debt and the elimination of poverty in the country 39

(Continued overleaf)

Notice N o Contents (continued)

90/C97/78

90/C97/79

90/C97/80

90/C97/81

90/C97/82

90/C97/83

90/C97/84

90/C97/85

90/C97/86

90/C97/87

90/C97/88

90/C97/89

N o 1049/89 by M r Thomas Megahy to the Commission

Subject: Confinement of veal calves in crates 39

N o 1073/89 by M r Jose Alvarez de Paz to the Council

Subject: The risk that the Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights will remain
inoperative 40

N o 1117/89 by Mrs Jessica Larive to the Council

Subject: Extension of the ERASMUS programme 40

N o 1170/89 by M r Ernest Glinne to the Commission

Subject: French customs and the importation of liquid and mineral fuels 41

N o 1199/89 by Mr Jose Alvarez de Paz to the Council

Subject: European company and worker participation 41

N o 1208/89 by M r H u g h M c M a h o n to the Commission

Subject: Predatory pricing of domestic water taps 42

N o 1242/89 by M r Gary Titley to the Commission

Subject: The future role of national central banks 42

N o 1251/89 by M r Juan Bandres Molet to the Commission

Subject: Overfishing in the Mediterranean 42

N o 1279/89 by M r Gerardo Gaibisso, Giuseppe Mottola and Franco Borgo to the

Council

Subject: Directive on tobacco advertising (COM(89) 163 final) 43

N o 15/90 by M r Klaus Hansch to the Council

Subject: British immigration requirements for Turkish citizens travelling in groups 43

N o 30/90 by M r Ernest Glinne to the Council

Subject: Ratification of the New York Convention of 7 March 1966 43

N o 69/90 by Mrs Anita Pollack to the Council

Subject: Dumping chemical waste in the North Sea 44

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/1

##### I

_(Information)_

#### EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION No 377/89

by Mr Carlos Carvalhas and Mr Joaquim Miranda da Silva
(CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 September 1989)_

(90/C 97/01)

_Subject:_ The role of SMUs in achieving economic and
social cohesion

The Community's policy in favour of small and
medium-sized undertakings has a significant role to play
in bringing about the economic and social cohesion of the
Community with a view to the completion of the internal
market, especially in countries such as Portugal where
these undertakings are particularly important.

The principal instruments of such a policy should be as
follows: measures to improve information and strengthen
actions to this end directed at entrepreneurs and workers;
a simplification of bureaucratic procedures; the provision
of adequate, properly managed financial aid; and the
implementation of a competition policy favourable
towards SMU's.

In view of the above, will the Commission say whether it
intends to step up measures in favour of SMUs - and, if
so, whether it intends to follow the suggestions made
above - and also to step up Community research and
development programmes directed as SMUs in order to
attain the desired objectives?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha
on behalf of the Commission

_(13 December 1989)_

The Commission shares the opinion of the Honourable
Members and it is in this context that such

Commission initiatives as Euro-Info-Centres, BC-Net,
Europartenariat, the Brite/Euram programme, the

Council resolution on administrative simplification and
the training programmes to assist entrepreneurs are all
trying to meet the needs of SMEs with regard to the
completion of the internal market. SMEs are also eligible
for substantial financial assistance from Community
financial instruments such as the Structural Funds and

ECSC and EIB loans, and the NCI V if the Council
adopts the Commission's proposal (').

The Commission intends to actively pursue and develop
its policy to assist SMEs under the Council Decision of
28 July 1989 concerning the improvement of the business
environment and the promotion of the development of
enterprises, and in particular small and medium-sized
enterprises, in the Community ( [2] ), which has given fresh
impetus to the process of bringing in a genuine
Community policy to assist SMEs.

O COM(89) 440 final.
O OJ No L 239, 16. 8. 1989, p. 33 _et_ _seq._

WRITTEN QUESTION No 438/89

by Mr Eisso Woltjer (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(3 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/02)

_Subject:_ Dioxin contamination of milk and other
foodstuffs

During the last few weeks it has emerged that milk
contaminated with dioxin has been found in a number of

places in the Netherlands, particularly in the immediate
vicinity of refuse incineration plants. The Netherlands
authorities have taken measures to withdraw the

contaminated milk from the market and consideration is

being given to further measures to prevent the emission of
dioxin from incineration plants. Can the Commission say:

No C 97/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

1. Whether it is aware of these cases of dioxin

contamination in the Netherlands and whether similar

cases have been recorded in other Community
countries?

2. Whether such cases have been found only in the
vicinity of refuse incineration plants or whether they
have also occurred in the vicinity of other industries,
such as cable disposal plants?

3. Whether regular public health inspections are carried
out in all Community countries to ascertain the
presence of dioxin in milk and other foodstuffs?

4. Whether there are uniform standards within the

European Community concerning the maximum
permissible level of dioxin in foodstuffs and, if not,
whether it is prepared to submit proposals for the
establishment of such European standards in this field
in the near future?

5. Whether it is also prepared to draw up proposals for
measures to tackle these problems at their source and
substantially reduce the emission of dioxin by the
industries concerned?

6. Whether, in this connection, it is also willing to lay
down guidelines for the establishment of a standard
method to test for the presence of dioxin in foodstuffs
for all the Member States of the European
Community?

7. Whether, finally, it is willing to do its utmost in close
collaboration with the Member States to ensure that

every effort is made to investigate this form of
environmental pollution, which presents such a grave
threat to public health?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

1. The Commission was informed by the Dutch
Government under Directive 83/189/EEC (') of the
dioxin contamination of milk, and subsequent ban on
dairy product sales for contaminated areas. These
measures were announced on 14 July 1989 and all the
Member States of the European Community were
informed on 17 July 1989. In the past the Commission has
received information on contamination in Italy (Seveso)
and the Federal Republic of Germany.

2. The group of polychlorinated dibenzodioxines and
dibenzofurances includes up to 210 different compounds
which all together are called dioxins even if TCDD
(2,3,7,8 — Tetrachlorodibenzo (b, e) (1,4) dioxin)
probably has the greatest toxicological importance. Over
the last years it has become evident that they are found as
a general contaminant in our environment as a result of
the activities of modern industrialized societies. Dioxins

are formed especially in incineration plants, destroying

plastics, among other things. They may also arise from
various industrial processes such as paper production.
The Commission is also aware that exhaust gases of cars
running on leaded petrol, containing chlorinated
additives, may contain dioxins.

3. The Member States of the European Community
are obliged under Community legislation to include in
their national monitoring and surveillance procedures,
checks for environmental contaminants in farm
animals and fresh meat (Directive 86/469/EEC) ( [2] ), milk
(Directive 85/397/EEC) ( [3] ) and eggs (Directive
89/437/EEC) ( [4] ).

4 and 6. At present there are no specific Community
standards for the levels of dioxin in food. The fixation

of maximally permitted levels for environmental
contaminants on the basis of strict scientific evidence

requires the establishment of dose-effect correlation.
Such correlations are very difficult to establish for
potentially carcinogenic or cancer-promoting substances.
In practice, amounts of dioxin (TCDD) at the lower limits
of analytical detectability have generally been accepted.
Community methods of analysis are necessary but have
not yet been established. The Commission is giving urgent
consideration to the establishment of Community
provisions in this respect. It intends studying this question
in the particular context of contaminants in foodstuffs.

5. The Commission wishes to stress that the recently
adopted regulations on exhaust in new and existing
municipal waste incineration plants restrict the emission
of pollutants into the atmosphere (Directives
89/369/EEC ( [5] ) and 89/429/EEC ( [6] )). Very strict rules
have been adopted concerning the conditions of
incineration (temperature, duration, concentration of
CO) to ensure a dioxin emission level which is as low as
possible. Recent developments in research in this area
were taken into account.

The Commission is undertaking, as a priority, studies
with a view to identifying the possibilities of fixing the
limit values for emissions of dioxins. Afterwards the

emission itself should be fixed, and, lastly, it has be
judged which are the methods available for determination
from a practical and economic standpoint.

7. The Commission will do everything possible to
support the Member States in their attempts to tackle this
serious question and to ensure coordinated action
throughout the Community.

O OJ No L 108, 28. 3. 1983.
O OJNoL275, 16.9. 1986, p. 36.
O OJNoL226, 5. 8. 1985, p. 13.
O OJNoL212, 20.6. 1989, p. 87.
O OJNoL163, 14. 6. 1989.
(') OJNoL203, 15.7. 1989.

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/3

WRITTEN QUESTION No 447/89 WRITTEN QUESTION No 466/89

by Mr Francesco Corleone (V) by Mr Joaquin Siso Cruellas (PPE)

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

_(12 October 1989)_ _(12 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/03) (90/C 97/04)

_Subject:_ EIB financing for the completion of the
Autostrada dei Trafori motorway in Italy I

The EIB has financed the completion of the Autostrada
dei Trafori motorway (Genoa-Voltri-Gravellona).
During work carried out in the commune of Baveno (NO)
the Italstrade company polluted two springs which supply
drinking water and covered the beds of streams with

concrete.

Can the Commission say:

1. whether it will take steps to ensure that the commune
of Baveno and its inhabitants receive compensation
for the damage caused by Italstrada?

2. whether it will prevail upon the EIB to withdraw the
financing if the environmental damage is not rectified?

3. whether it will prevail upon the EIB to ensure that the
financing granted is used with due regard for the
natural environment and public amenities in the areas
through which the motorway passes?

Answer given by Mr Christophersen
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

To finance the construction of the 'Tunnels motorway',
the EIB has concluded a number of loan contracts, from
July 1973 to January 1989, amounting to 448,18 million
ecus (634,8 milliard LIT).

The works on the section Carpugnino-Feriolo (10,7 km)
started in November 1986 and, to the Commission's and
EIB's best knowledge, have been executed as planned.
The choice of route was made in agreement with the
municipalities and authorities concerned. Thus the events
should probably be imputed to force of circumstances.

An environmental impact study, as defined in the Council
Directive (') of _27_ June 1985 (which came into force in
July 1988), was not done for the tunnels motorway since
work on this project began before the directive became
applicable. The Commission, of course, pays close
attention to environmental matters and has given precise
guidelines to the EIB that these should be applied when
granting loans to similar projects.

( [!] ) OJ No L 575, 5. 7. 1985.

_Subject:_ Regional and Community aid for sales
promotion purposes

The Autonomous Government of Aragon (Spain) is
putting into effect plans to grant subsidies to
undertakings and institutions to promote the marketing
of Aragonese products and their inclusion in national and
international trade fairs. This will enable many
undertakings from this region to promote the marketing
of their products throughout the Community.

Since combined efforts to promote regional products
more successfully are in the general interest, what
Community aid could be provided in addition to regional
aid, such as that granted by the Autonomous Government
of Aragon, to make such promotion campaigns more
effective?

What are the Commission's views on this?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(10 January 1990)_

Following the reform of the structural Funds (*), most of
the Autonomous Community of Aragon is eligible under
Objective 2 (converting the regions seriously affected by
industrial decline) and Objective 5b (promoting the
development of rural areas).

As regards Objective 2, the conversion strategy of the
regional government of Aragon, given in an Annex to the
Spanish plan for regional and social conversion, as sent to
the Commission, shows that regional aid for the
promotion and launching of new industrial products is a
priority of the regional programme (Chapter III.2 of the
Annex). No reference is made to a contribution from
regional bodies to national and international fairs. The
ERDF can generally assist with the costs of promoting the
industry of a region as a contribution to endogenous
development.

Where such a contribution would fall within one of the

priority areas of the relevant Community support
framework, it should be determined on the basis of the
application from the Member State.

As regards Objective 5b, priority may be given in rural
development plans to assist small and medium-sized
businesses with market studies and surveys or services
used jointly by several undertakings (such measures can

No C 97/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

also be financed in the regions covered by Objective 2),
and to assisting with conversion, diversification or
reorientation of production (Article 5 of Regulation

(EEC) No 4256/88)( [2] ).

In the latter case promotional campaigns for new
products could receive Community financial support
under an operational programme financed by the
EAGGF.

In cases where schemes overlap the Commission will
ensure that Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 is complied
with.

O Council Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 - OJ No L 185,

15.7. 1988, p. 9.
O OJNoL374, 31.12. 1988, p. 25.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 486/89

by Mrs Mary Banotti (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(12 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/05)

_Subject:_ Illegal hormones

Has the Commission received any recent information
concerning the illegal use of growth hormones in the
Community?

Has the Commission any information about the extent of
production of these substances within the Community?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

In accordance with Community rules the Member States
are obliged every year to inform the Commission and the
other Member States of the implementation of their
approved national plans and measures concerning the
examination of animals and fresh meat for the presence of
residues. The results of their findings during the first year
of application in respect of hormonal substances are now
being submitted. Some of the information so far received
has not always been presented in a way to enable a clear
picture to be obtained or for meaningful comparisons to
be made.

The information received so far does indicate that these

surveillance methods are detecting illegal use in different
parts of the Community, and that follow up measures are
being implemented to trace illegal sources and to apply
penal sanctions where applicable. The Commission is
considering measures to improve enforcement of the
rules. Having regards to the illegal nature of the products

concerned, the Commission is not in a position to provide
statistics of production in the Community for the
products concerned.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 489/89

by Mrs Mary Banotti (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(12 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/06)

_Subject:_ Smog

Would the Commission please inform me of the response
of the Irish Government to the formal letter sent in March

1989 by the Commission pursuant to Article 169 of
the Treaty which related to the air quality Directive
80/779/EEC 0).

Is the Commission satisfied that the Irish Government is

currently taking adequate steps to implement the air
quality Directive?

(') OJNoL229, 30. 8. 1980, p. 30.

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(5 December 1989)_

The Commission has received a response from the Irish
Government to its formal letter pursuant to Article 169
of the EEC Treaty concerning air pollution in Dublin.
Both the formal letter and the response relate to
the implementation by Ireland of Article 3 of Directive
80/779/EEC on air quality limit values and guide values
for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates. In
particular, the adequacy of the progressive improvement
plans required under this article are addressed.
Essentially, it is argued by Ireland in its response that the
plans made for Dublin are adequate.

The matter is at present under examination by the
Commission.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 498/89

by Mr Vincenzo Mattina (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(12 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/07)

_Subject:_ National legislation on banking secrecy

Banking secrecy is probably the single factor offering the
greatest protection for money gained through criminal
activities.

1. In which Member States of the Community is banking
secrecy observed?

^ ^ 0 Official journal of the European communities ^ o C ^ B ^

2. Which ofthese Member States rejectthe proposal that
banking secrecy be abolished^

Answer ^iven by ^ir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the C^ormrnssion

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

In most Member States of the Community banking
secrecy is an aspect of professional secrecy, being
designedtosafeguardthe confidential relationshipthat
has to e^ist between banker and client, fhe banker
manages funds belonging to his client and acts as a
business iutermediary,so it is only natural that he should
not divulge to third parties information likely to harm his
clienCsinterests.

C^n the other hand, in no Community country can
banking secrecy be invoked in criminal proceedings.

Abolishing banking secrecy, as defined above, at
Community level therefore has no relevance to the
campaign topreventthelaunderingof money resulting
from unlawful activities, l^hat objective can more readily
be attained by making the practice an offence directly
punishable under criminal law winsome Member States it
is at present classifiedonlyas an activity facilitating the
commission of an offence^and by taking steps to secure at
the same time the active collaboration of banks in tracing
unlawfully acquired funds and closer cooperation
between the authorities responsible for prosecuting
offenders.

The Commission is applying itself to the problem by
playing an active part in the activities of the working party
s e t u p b y the summitof seven major industrial nations
held in Versailles last ]uly and by drawing up a
recommendation addressed to the Member States.

W K l ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ S ^ l C ^ ^ ^ o ^ ^ B ^

byMrEer^uccioPisomandMr]oach^mfOaisass^PPE^

to the commission ofthe European C^ommuniues

^ ^ ^ . Mifficulties causedbyAustriaforheavy goods
traffic at the Brenner Rass

In view of our concern at events occurring at the Brenner
Rass as a result of the difficulties caused by Austrian
attitude to the transitof heavy goods vehicles, can the
commission say^

t. whether it is aware of the Austrian authorities^

decision to limit the number of crossings at the
Brenner Rass and transit journeys through Austrian
territory in connection with a ban on the transit

of heavy goods vehicles at night, due to begin on
tL^ecembert^^ and designed to reduce air and noise
pollutions

2. whether itwill view the transit of goods at the Brenner
RassnotasabilateralltalianAustrianoratrilateral

ltalian^Austrian(German problem but asaEuropean
problem, given that this route forms one of the main
junctions for intra and e^tra^ommunity trade and it
is difficult to find alternatives^

^. whether it agrees that there is scope for direct
intervention in support ofafair agreement in view of
Austria^smembershipofEFPA^

^. finally,whether it agrees that, in the case ofaroute of
such importance for all the countries of Central
Europe and given that rail offers an alternative to road
transport, financial assistance is also necessary to
speed up the construction of the tunnel between Italy
and Austrian

Answer^ivenbyMrVanM^ert
onbehaifoftheC^omm^on

t. The commission is perfectly aware of all the
problemsmetby traffic intransit across Austria andin
particular the specific problems arising from the
nighttime ban on heavy goods vehicles whose sound
emissions exceed ^Odecibels,which came into force o n t
Mecembert^^.As to the quotas for road haulage across
Austria, the Commission would emphasize that these are
currentlynegotiatedbilaterally between Austria andthe
Member State concerned. The number of transport
operations crossing the Austrian frontier, including the
Brenner Rass, therefore depends upon the bilateral
agreements on road haulage quotas.

2. The transit of goods through Austria is without
doubtaEuropean problem and it is in this spirit that the
Commission is conducting the transport negotiations with
this country.The aim of these negotiations is to work out
an overall agreement fo^ the Community^ transit
problem.

^. L^he Commission believes that the adoption of
combined transport techniques and the modernization of
conventional rail transport are the key to solving the
problem of transit across the Alps forthe future.With this
in mind, investments must be made in transport
infrastructures,as much in nonCommunity countries as
in the Community.

^t. The Community has provided a financial
contribution

— forafeasibility study on the Brenner railway line and
the construction ofabasic tunnel in particulars

^ and for major improvements ontheBrennerlinein
Italian territory.

No C 97/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

This line is also included in the priority projects listed in
the Commission's amended proposal for an infrastructure
programme (').

(') COM(89)238.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 559/89

by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(24 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/09)

_Subject:_ ERDF: ENSMA application (Poitou-Charentes)

In June 1988, the French Government submitted to the
ERDF planning authorities in Brussels an application for
financial assistance to construct research laboratories for

the National College of Mechanical and Aeronautical
Engineering (ENSMA) when the establishment moves
from Poitiers to the Futurescope site.

This application has not yet been answered.

This state of affairs is jeopardizing investment —
investment the importance of which for the development
of the University of Poitiers, as well as for research in the
broader context, has been acknowledged in the planning
agreement drawn up by the French Government and the
Poitou-Charentes Region.

The fact is that the financing arrangements for this
undertaking, and hence the implementation thereof, are
dependent upon Community involvement in what is a
project in keeping with Community policy objectives.

Can the Commission say what action will be taken on this
application for financial assistance submitted by the
French Government?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 December 1989)_

The French authorities submitted an application to the
Commission departments on 22 December 1988 for
ERDF assistance for a project to construct research
laboratories at the National College of Mechanical and
Aeronautical Engineering (ENSMA) in Poitiers when the
establishment moves to the Futuroscope site.

The reform of the structural Funds, which entered into
force on 1 January 1989, calls for geographical
concentration of assistance operations in pursuit of the
objectives established by Council Regulation (EEC)

No 2053/88 of 24 June 1988 ( [l] ). In Poitou-Charentes, the
effect of this concentration has been to exclude the

Poitiers employment area from future assistance since it
does not fall within the eligible areas under Objectives 2
(regional conversion) or 5b (rural development).

In its current form, the application — which has not been
submitted for an opinion to the ERDF Committee —
cannot be approved. The project could be considered only
if it came under Objective 2 and was included in the
corresponding regional and social conversion plan.

(') OJNoLl85, 15.7. 1988.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 568/89

by Mr Rudiger von Wechmar (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(24 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/10)

_Subject:_ EP debate on Poland during the part-session
from 11 to 15 September 1989

In order to alleviate the foreign-exchange difficulties
facing Poland, is the Commission prepared to raise that
country's quota, either temporarily or permanently, from
the current level of 6 000 tonnes to 10 000 tonnes?

Answer given by Mr Andriessen
on behalf of the Commission

_(21 December 1989)_

Under the sheepmeat agreement with Poland the
Commission increased the quantities laid down for 1989
by 500 tonnes. This additional quantity is to be deducted,
however, from the overall amount available for 1990.

In order to improve access to its market, the Community
has drawn up a list of products in respect of which Poland
can obtain duty or levy reductions under the generalized
preferences system.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 580/89

by Mr Francois de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(24 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/11)

_Subject:_ Exemptions to Community rules on competition

In July 1988, the Belgian airline Sabena requested the
Commission to grant derogations in respect of the

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/7

Community rules on competition for its operating
agreements with other companies (Air France, Aer Lingus
and London City Airways).

What stage have the Commission's inquiries reached and
what decision does it plan to take?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 January 1990)_

Twelve joint operating agreements were notified to the
Commission by European airlines between May and
September 1988. The agreements provided for the joint
operation of certain intra-Community routes, with the
flights being the responsibility of one of the two
companies involved, schedules and timetables determined
jointly, commercial cooperation implemented and costs
and revenue shared. Following talks with the
Commission, three of the agreements were terminated ( [1] ).

The Commission published summaries of the remaining
nine agreements in the Official Journal on 9 August 1989,
inviting all interested parties to submit their comments
within 30 days.

Counting from the date of publication of those
summaries, the Commission had, according to the
procedural Regulation applicable, 90 days in which to
decide:

— either that the agreements were compatible with the
Community rules on competition; it then had only to
allow 90 days to elapse for exemptions to be granted
automatically for a maximum period of six years;

— or to notify the airlines concerned of its doubts.

The Commission has accepted that the reorganization of
a route, and a fortiori the opening up of a new route, may,
under certain circumstances, be possible only through the
conclusion of joint operating agreements.

On the basis of that principle, it has dealt differently with
two categories of joint operating agreement between
airlines:

— it has allowed the 90 days to elapse, and has hence
granted individual six-year exemptions, in the case of
three agreements concluded between a national
carrier and a smaller airline in respect of the
introduction of new services ( [2] ), while reserving the
right to reassess the economic and legal situation in
two years' time;

— it has expressed doubts about six other agreements
concluded between national carriers and involving
routes already operated for some time ( [3] ), pointing

out, firstly, that the airlines had not demonstrated
that the joint operating agreements were essential for
maintaining the routes in question, and secondly, that
the joint operation was likely to eliminate or affect
appreciably all current or potential competition on
the market for transport between the cities
concerned.

It is now for the airlines parties to those six agreements to
inform the Commission how they intend to find a
satisfactory solution in the light of the competition rules
set out in the Treaty.

(') British Airways — Air France (Paris—Manchester); British
Airways — Air France (Nice—Manchester); British Airways

— Alitalia (London—Genoa).
( [2] ) Air France — NFD Luftverkehrs AG (Paris—Nuremberg);
Air France — Brymon (Paris—London City Airport); Sabena

— London City Airways (Brussels—London City Airport).
( [3] ) Air France — Iberia (Paris—Bilbao—Santiago de
Compostela); Air France — Alitalia (Paris—Milan—
Turin) (this agreement was terminated with effect
from 31 October 1989); Air France — Sabena
(these agreements: Paris—Brussels; Bordeaux—Toulouse—
Brussels; Brussels—Lyons—Marseilles); Aer Lingus —
Sabena (Dublin—Brussels).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 586/89

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(24 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/12)

_Subject:_ Prevention of accidents to children

Budget item 6673 finances, from 1987 to 1992, an
information campaign on the safety of children.

Can the Commission:

1. Confirm that this item finances only one child-centre ?

2. Provide a concise statement of how finances used

hitherto have been spent?

3. State what demands this project makes on
Commission staff?

4. Provide an assessment of current projects under this
budget item?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

The concept of an EC-wide information campaign on the
issue of child safety was developed in 1987. During the
preparatory stage in 1988, however, the difficulties
surrounding the management and coordination of a

^ o C 9 7 B 8 Official Journal of the European communities 1 7 4 9 0

centrallyhased campaign hecame increasingly evident
and necessitated a reappraisal of the strategy to he
adopted.Asaresult, the hulk of the hudgetary resources
allocatedtothis campaignin 1988 wereredeployedto
otheruses.

The C^ommission'spresentstrategyfortheC^hild safety
Champaign is to provide financial support to those
organisations, atnationalorLuropeanle^el, whichare
currently undertaking information campaigns on this
sulnect. These organisations include the national
campaign committees estahlished in certain ^viemher
states andconsumer organisations. Thepro^ects which
the commission will help to finance included

^ testing of equipment and furniture destined for
children and the puhlication of results^

— puhlication of a teacher's manual to accompany a
^ideogram on child safety foruse in primary schools^

^ printing of a poster providing advice in cases of
poisoning hy products found in the home.

This hudgetary line is not used to finance any children's
homes.

As the projects heing financed from the!989hudget are
still in their early stages,it is notyetpossihle to provide an
evaluation of their results.

Responsihility for contacting the organisations
concerned, discussing potential projects, and the general
administration of the hudgetary amounts, is attrihuted to
L^nit4, ^Consumer Information and Education', of the
C^onsumerPolicy^er^ice.Plowe^er,the amount of time
spent, interms of personhours, on individual areasof
work is not recorded.

hy^r]o^eBarrosl^ouraa^d^rC^^osC^ar^alhas^^

totheC^om^ss^onoftheEurope^^C^or^n^u^Ues

^90BC97B1^

^ ^ c ^ . situation of the footwear industry in the EEC in
the face ofcompetitionfromAsian countries

C^an the commission state what measures it intends to

propose in the light of the positions of the European
confederation of the Eootwear Industry and the
EuropeanTradePinion Committee forle^tiles, Clothing
and Leather concerning competition from imports of
footwear from Asian countries^ In fact, the market sha^e
of footwear imports from third countries rose from ^7%
in!98D to 35%inl987and41,7%in 1988,in which year
180,7 million pairs were imported fromT^i^^n and ^outh
l^oreaandafurtherl83,4millionfromChina,Thailand,
Indonesiaand Malaysia,wheretheaho^e two countries

ha^e transferred production units. In particular, does the
commission intend to propose protection measures
whose scope would not he limited toTaiwan and ^outh
^orea^ Is it in agreement with the overall perspective
defined hy the EEC and the principle of guaranteed free
access for EEC footwear products to the markets of
Taiwan,^outh^orea,China, India and Brazil,withthe
removal of the ohstacles currently imposed hy those
countries^Ptow does it intend to guarantee employment
in an industry which, in the first se^en months of 1989,
lost ^39production units and 13^00 ^ohs^^hat is its ^iew
on the proposal of t h e l r a d e Pinion Committee for a
social clause in international trade agreements, which
would guarantee trade union rights, outlaw child lahour,
limitthe working week to 48 hours and ensure decent
working conditions in the nonmemher exporter
countries^^hatspecificmeasures does itpropose to help
countries like Portugal where the footwear industry is of
maiorimportanceforemploymentande^ports^

Answer ^enhyl^PAndriessen
onhehalfoftheC^omrrnssion

Following the measures taken in ^ a y 1988 in Italy and in
July 1988 inPrancetoprotect those countries'markets
from imports of footwear originating in ^outhl^orea and
Taiwan, certain other ^iemher states ^(Greece, united
kingdom and Belgium^ requested protective measures for
thei^ markets.In the face of opposition f^omanumher of
other ^iemher states ^Germany, POenmark and the
Netherlands^ to further regional measures, the
Commission decided, with the support of all the ^iemher
states,to openaCommunity^wide inquiry in Augustl988
into imports of footwear originating in the countries
referred to aho^e.

The C^ommission'sinquirywas^ery complex owing to the
considerahlenumherofproducerst^o^er 15000, split up
into ^^viEpthelarge range of products inquestionand
the diversity of the ^iemher states' markets. This was
compounded hy the prohlems of applying the information
provided hy the industry to the various categories of
footwear under consideration d ^ ^ n synthetics,
textiles,slippers,^uhher and otherpThe inquiry has heen
completed and the conclusions will he sent shortly to the
Aiemher states for consultation, in accordance with
Article5of Regulation ^ E E C ^ o ^ 8 8 B 8 ^ p P Following
this consultation,the Commission will he inaposition to
decide on which measures to take.

The Commission is planning to step up its efforts to
secure the openingup of nonmemher countries'markets
still protected in the footwear sector.As for social rights,
an initiative, supported hy the community, to setup a
working party tolookintothisissueisheinge^amined
within(GATT

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/9

The Community is involved in technological work in the
sector, lending its support through several programmes,
including Sprint, Brite, Eureka, Comett and BCR. It also
supports joint operations to promote trade in
non-member countries. There have been a number of

operations in Portugal through the Regional and Social
Funds; the entire country is covered by Objective No 1 of
the structural Funds currently in force and operations
compatible with the Community support frameworks are
possible in this sector through this channel.

(') OJNoL35,9. 2. 1982, p. 1.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 612/89

by Mr Francois de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(27 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/14)

_Subject:_ Laundering of drug money

Government experts from 15 industrialized countries met
in Paris on 18 September 1989 to discuss how to combat
the practice of laundering drug money.

1. What role does the Commission propose to play in
this regard?

2. To which of its departments did the Commission
delegate responsibility for carrying out the
groundwork and research for, and following up, the
conference proceedings?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

1. At the Summit of the Seven Most Industrialised

Countries held last July in Paris as one of the initiatives
taken against drug trafficking, a Financial Action Task
Force was set up to study the financial aspects of
laundering of proceeds from drug trafficking and to
propose possible means of combating this phenomenon.
This task force was to consist of experts from the _G-7_
countries plus the _E.C_ Commission, and experts from
other countries could be invited.

At the first task force meeting, which took place on 18
September last, 15 countries (eight Community countries
and seven non-Community countries) besides the
Commission were represented. The purpose of the task
force is to prepare a report containing a set of initiatives in
this area to be submitted to the G-7 governments by next
April.

The Commission, which is actively working on the
preparation of a Community instrument to prevent the
use of the financial system for purposes of money
laundering, has heartily welcomed the setting-up of this
task force, since it is aware that this phenomenon, which
usually implies financial networks extended over an
international scope, depasses the limits of the European
Community and demands international cooperation. The
possible measures adopted by the Community in this field
should be consistent with other initiatives at an

international level. The Commission's role in the task

force is therefore to follow the developments of the work
carried out thereby and, at the same time,, to propose
initiatives to the group in this area.

2. Consequently, the Commission participated actively
in the plenary group and subgroups meetings of this task
force, which took place on 18 September and 9—11
October in Paris, and will take part in further meetings
scheduled until the _end_ of the year. The Directorate
General for Financial Institutions and Company Law is
closely following this question, in association with
other services of the Commission, amongst them
'External Relations', 'Economic and Financial Affairs',

'Customs Union and Indirect Taxation' and the

Secretariat-General, which is responsible for the
coordination of the drug dossier.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 613/89

by Mr Francois de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(27 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/15)

_Subject:_ Discriminatory use in Belgium of the receipts
from certain taxes in the animal sector

On 20 September 1989, the Commission launched an
investigation into the discriminatory use in Belgium of the
receipts from certain taxes in the animal sector.

Could the Commission indicate its grounds for launching
this investigation?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(25 January 1990)_

The Commission decided on _20_ September 1989 to
initiate the procedure provided for in Article 93 (2) of the
EEC Treaty in regard to aid granted in Belgium for the
promotion (advertising, fairs, exhibitions, etc.) of beef,
pork, sheepmeat, goatmeat and horsemeat products.
Although these aids are legitimate as to purpose they
cannot be considered compatible with Article 92 of the

No C 97/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

Treaty since they are financed by charges levied at the
slaughter stage on animals imported from other Member
States.

The Commission considered that the financing of the aid
by such charges had a protective effect supplementing that
of the aid. Further, the promotion activities financed are
geared primarily to the requirements and characteristics
of Belgian products and not necessarily to those of
products from the other Member States.

The Commission also initiated the procedure in regard to
the arrangements for refund of these charges in the case
of pigmeat exports. This must be considered an
operational aid that can have no lasting impact on
development of the sector. Moreover it infringes the rules
on the common organization of the market in pigmeat.
None of the derogations provided for in Article 92 of the
Treaty can therefore be invoked.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 618/89

by Mr John Iversen (GUE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(27 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/16)

_Subject:_ Biodynamic farming

Danish law places a number of constraints on biodynamic
farming, including quantitative restrictions on the sale of
untreated milk, or of products made from such milk,
direct from farms. There are no such quantitative
restrictions under West German or French law.

Does the Commission believe that it is in keeping with the
Community's rules on freedom of competition for
biodynamic producers in Denmark to be in a worse
position than their West German or French counterparts,
among others, and does the Commission propose to act to
put an end to this discriminatory practice?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(19 January 1990)_

In the absence of Community rules concerning organic or
biodynamic production methods, Member States may
themselves take measures to regulate this type of
production in their territory. Admittedly, such measures
may place the producers concerned in a different situation
to that of other producers carrying on the same method of
production in other Member States.

In order to ensure fair competition between all producers
using organic methods of production in the Community,
the Commission has recently adopted a proposal for a
Council Regulation ( [x] ) which would lay down, at
Community level, certain rules of production as well as
the necessary inspection measures to ensure compliance
therewith.

O COM(89) 552.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 639/89

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(27 October 1989)_

(90/C 97/17)

_Subject:_ Possibly excessive Community control in the
field of biotechnology

Recently the international press has reported complaints
made by a sector of the industry active in the field of
biotechnology about excessive Community control
('Biotechnology group set up to fight EC proposals', The
Independent, 5 September 1989). Ironic comments are
even being made about the proliferation of bureaucracy
which is in danger of growing in Western Europe at the
very time when it is being dismantled in Eastern Europe.

Can the Commission say, in particular, what are the
reasons for its proposal for a fourth test based on market
requirements?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

The Commission presumes that the press reports
mentioned by the Honourable Member refer to the
requests made in a report drawn up on behalf of the
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and
Consumer Protection of the European Parliament, on the
USA's refusal to comply with Community legislation on
slaughterhouses and hormones, and on the consequences
of this refusal (').

In this report the Parliament calls on the Commission, in
its review of veterinary medicine licensing, to distinguish
clearly between therapeutic products and products which
might be used to increase production and to take into
account, especially for the latter, not only safety, efficacy
and quality, but also the socio-economic and ecological
consequences of their use, together with an examination

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/11

of the impact on agricultural structures and compatibility
with the aims of reducing surpluses and promoting
extensive farming.

The Commission is currently looking into this matter.

O Doc. A2 — 16/89/Part A.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 648/89

by Mr Llewellyn Smith (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/18)

_Subject:_ Mentally handicapped and mentally ill people on
Leros, Greece

Will the Commissioner report on what financial aid the
EEC has offered from the Social Fund to alleviate

conditions on Leros and what response you received from
the Greek Government?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 (') provided for aid of up
to 60 million Ecus for the period 1 January 1984 to
31 December 1991 for a programme for the creation of
centres for the rehabilitation of the mentally ill and
mentally handicapped in Greece.

The response of the Greek authorities was to submit, in
the context of this Regulation, a programme for
psychiatric reform throughout Greece, including a special
section for Leros, envisaging a global solution with
concrete measures aiming at the rapid upgrading of the
living conditions and treatment within the hospital and a
radical reform of the institution.

In the latter context, five projects costing a total of
3,8 million Ecus (of which 2,1 million Ecus Community
contribution) were submitted and subsequently approved
by the Commission in 1984 and 1986 for the island of
Leros. A new project involving intervention teams from
several Member States to work with their Greek

colleagues in Leros has recently been submitted to the
Commission by the Greek authorities and is at present
under examination.

(') OJ No L 88, 31. 3. 1984.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 649/89

by Mr Llewellyn Smith (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/19)

_Subject:_ EEC visit to the island of Leros, Greece

Could the Commission report on the results of the visit by
EEC officials to the island of Leros, Greece, where
hundreds of mentally ill and handicapped people are
living?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 676/89

by Mrs Winifred Ewing (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/20)

_Subject:_ Conditions in a mental asylum on a Greek Island

In 1984 European Community experts visited the mental
asylum on the Greek island of Leros, and, as a result of
what they saw, allocated almost £2 million from the
European Social Fund for the purposes of training,
building and rehabilitation. Less than £300 000 of that
sum was spent by the expiry date last December. Recent
press reports have now highlighted the horrific and
inhuman conditions which still exist.

Will the Commission give a full statement of the visit
to the island by European medical experts, EC
representatives and Greek officials on 19 September this
year, and on the action that will now be taken as a result
of this visit?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 693/89

by Sir James Scott-Hopkins (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/21)

_Subject:_ Patients in Greek mental hospitals

What steps does the Commission intend to take to enquire
into the conditions in which patients in mental hospitals in
Greece are kept, following recent disquieting reports?

No C 97/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

Joint answer to Written Questions 649/89,

676/89 and 693/89

given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

The mission referred to by the Honourable Member
confirmed the serious delays in the implementation of
projects financed by the Community under Regulation
(EEC) No 815/84 ( [1] ). The Commission has recently
repeated its offer to the Greek authorities of technical
assistance involving the participation of teams of experts
and volunteers from several other Member States. In that

context the Commission has requested the Greek
authorities to take urgent steps to remedy the situation.

Moreover, the Commission would refer the Honourable
Member to its answer to Written Question No 707/89 by
MrGlinne( [2] ).

O OJ No L 88, 31. 3. 1984.
( [2] ) See page 15 of this Official Journal.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 673/89

by Mrs Winifred Ewing (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/22)

_Subject:_ Ethnic minority immigration and travel within
the EC

Is the Commission aware that people from ethnic
minority communities, such as those from the Indian
subcontinent and those of Chinese origin, who have
settlement rights in the UK must apply for visas to visit
each of the other EC Member States? This poses
particular problems for ethnic minority persons who need
to travel in Europe for business purposes.

Will the Commission study the situation of people
from ethnic minorities with settlement rights in the
Community, and will it prepare legislation to ensure that
they are free from immigration control and allowed to
travel freely within Europe?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 732/89

by Mrs Anita Pollack (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/23)

_Subject:_ Citizens' rights after 1992

What steps are being taken by the Commission to ensure
that the thousands of people who are legally resident in

Member States but are not citizens of the EC will be

entitled to freedom of movement without the restriction

of having to apply for a visa to move around?

Joint answer to Written Questions 673/89 and 732/89

given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(21 December 1989)_

The Commission is aware that, at present, third country
nationals with settlement rights in a Member State, such
as those mentioned by the Honourable Member, need to
apply for visas before they may visit another Member
State, and that this poses problems for the free movement
within the Community of such persons. It is of the view
that this problem will need to be solved in the context of
the creation of a Europe without internal frontiers and
that measures should be taken.

However, this question raises issues of the respective
competences between the Community and the Member
States. The Commission recognises the delicate nature of
any attempt, in this context, to particularise the steps
which need to be taken at the Community level and what
should be left to intergovernmental cooperation.
Therefore, in its Communication to the Council of
December 1988 (') on the abolition of controls on
persons, it expressed the view that, in this area, attention
should be focussed on making practical progress towards
the abolition of internal frontiers for persons, rather than
on issues of legal doctrine. It consequently concluded
that, at this stage, a wide area of action should be left to
cooperation between Member States, but without
prejudice to the proper interpretation of the Treaty, as
amended by the Single European Act.

On the other hand, in that same Communication, the
Commission emphasized that it would not want to
exclude the possibility of bringing forward proposals for
Community legislation in this area, especially if it became
clear that intergovernmental cooperation was not the
most efficient and effective means of making progress, or
if a consensus among the Member States emerged to press
for harmonisation or closer coordination.

Consistently with this pragmatic approach, discussion on
these matters is currently taking place in the Ad Hoc
Immigration Group. This Group was set up by the
Immigration Ministers in October 1986. The Commission
participates in this Group's work on the coordination of
the Member States' visa policies.

These discussions are centred on those measures

identified as essential for the abolition of controls at the

internal frontiers of the Community.

So far, the Group has taken no concrete decisions
concerning the removal of the requirement for third
country nationals, even if established in one Member
State, to have a visa to travel to another Member State.

The Commission, consistent with the pragmatic approach
described above, does not consider that the time has yet

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/13

come to take an initiative in this field. It is, however,
following closely the progress of the work being done in
the Ad Hoc Group with a view to ensuring that the date of
31 December 1992 for completion of the internal market
is adhered to. "

(') COM(88) 640 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 678/89

by Mrs Carmen Llorca Vilaplana (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/24)

_Subject:_ Environmental impact and the structural funds

How does the Commission ensure that places which are
of importance for wildlife have not been damaged by the
implementation of projects financed from the structural
funds, where such places have not been classified as
special conservation areas?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 700/89

by Sir Jack Stewart-Clark (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/25)

_Subject:_ Environmental impact analysis in relation to
structural funds

How does the Commission ensure that sites of

importance to wildlife are not damaged by projects
funded by the structural funds if the sites have not been
notified as Special Protection Areas or otherwise
designated?

Joint answer to Written Questions 678/89 and 700/89
given by Mr Christophersen
on behalf of the Commission

_(12 December 1989)_

Article 7 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 of 24
June 1988, adopted as part of the reform of the structural
Funds ( [l] ), stipulates that measures financed by the
Community's financial instruments must be in keeping
with _inter alia_ Community policy on environmental
protection.

In practice, this general principle has been spelt out
in detail in the Community support frameworks for
Objective 1 adopted by the Commission:

'a) The measures taken in the course of implementing
the Community support framework must satisfy
the conditions laid down by European
Community legislation on the environment.
Where gaps are found to exist in its
implementation, priority must be given to the
attainment of the objectives of the legislation in
question during the period covered by the
Community support framework in so far as it is
connected with the regional development
envisaged.

Where measures are likely to have a significant
impact on the environment, Member States must
provide the Commission, in accordance with
Article 14 of Regulation (EEC) No 4253/88 ( [2] ),
with appropriate information to enable it to _assess_
the effect of those measures on the environment.

b) The Community support framework provides for
assistance directly linked to the protection and
development of the environmental resources of
the regions concerned and therefore contributes
to the implementation of Community policy in
this field.'

Similar provisions are to be incorporated into the
Community support frameworks for the regions covered
by the other objectives of the reform (No 2 and No 5(b)).

The Commission will ensure, when granting the various
forms of assistance, that these provisions are correctly
applied.

(') OJNoL185, 15.7. 1988,p. 9.
( [2] ) OJNoL374,31.12. 1988, p. 2.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 679/89

by Mrs Carmen Llorca Vilaplana (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(6 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/26)

_Subject:_ Environmentally sensitive areas

Can the Commission provide a list of areas designated as
environmentally sensitive in each of the Member States?
Can it also say when the list was last revised and how
often this is done?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(19 December 1989)_

The Commission is sending directly to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat of Parliament the revised

list, as at 1 September 1989, of the special protection areas
designated by the Member States, pursuant to Article 4 of

No C 97/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

Directive 79/409/EEC on the protection of birds. These
areas (more than 450) cover over 36 000 km [2] of land and
water throughout the 12 Member States.

Besides this, the Member States have pointed out the
existence of 65 areas enjoying national protection.

The list is kept up to date by DG XI/B/3 and it is
republished in full as and when necessary.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 694/89

by Mr Giuseppe Mottola (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/27)

_Subject:_ Alarm regarding air transport safety throughout
the world

The air disasters which have occurred during the last few
months (in the Azores, Cuba, Niger, etc.) causing
hundreds of deaths and substantial economic damage,
although caused by different factors, are making the
general public in Europe extremely anxious about air
transport, since they show that the standards of safety in
the Member States' are still far from adequate. Ample
proof of this is the fact that more than 900 people have
been killed during the first 10 months of this year.

In addition, there are also the risks connected with the
constant increase in air traffic resulting from the
liberalization of air space and experts expect the situation
to become even more dangerous following the completion
of the internal market.

There are also a large number of technical hitches which,
although they fortunately are not bad enough to cause
disasters, increase the risks considerably and arouse grave
concern among air travellers.

Faced with this far from rosy picture, can the Commission
say what immediate steps it intends to take and what kind
of strict policies it intends to apply in the Member States
to prevent such accidents, caused either by human error
or technical problems, and whether it is considering
introducing coordination at Community level?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

To appraise the level of air transport safety it is necessary
to examine the number of aircraft accidents, and incidents
which fortunately do not cause accidents, in relation to

the growing activity in this sector. The figures currently
available suggest that, this year again, safety standards
will continue to improve.

Furthermore, the extremely diverse causes of these
accidents seem to indicate that there has been no

particular deterioration in safety in any given sector.

However, the Commission does intend to participate in
the efforts made by all parties in the air transport market,
among other things by means of coordination or
harmonization on the most advanced regulations in safety

matters.

For this, a series of supporting measures will be a useful
supplement to the second phase of air transport
liberalization.

In the near future, Commission proposals will be
published in the following areas: civil aviation personnel
licences, air crew duty hours, harmonization of aircraft
technical standards and revision of the 1980 Directive on

enquiries into aircraft accidents.

The Commission also intends to participate more actively
in research efforts aimed at promoting air safety.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 698/89

by Mr Jose Valverde Lopez (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/28)

_Subject:_ Sugar cane production in the Granada and
Malaga provinces of Spain

Sugar cane is grown in Spain, mainly in the provinces of
Granada and Malaga, over an area of some 3 500 hectares
producing an average annual crop of 250 000 tonnes.
Spain's treaty of accession to the European Community
did not take this crop into account and it has subsequently
been totally ignored by the common agricultural policy.

This crop should be protected because of its importance in
terms of the soil and climate and for social reasons and it

should not be overlooked in the context of the

negotiations for the fourth ACP-EEC Lome Convention.
What measures does the Commission intend to take to

prevent this crop, which is so typical of the region, from
disappearing in Spain?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(13 December 1989)_

Sugar cane grown in Spain is covered by the common
organization of the market in sugar, which guarantees

n ^ 9 0 COfficial]oumal of the European Communities ^ o C 9 B B l ^

prices and disposal whether the basic agricultural product
is cane or beet and thus provides an indirect safeguard for

sugarcane.

The ioint trade agreements concluded in ^pain in
accordance with the relevant Community provisions
provide for a minimum sugar cane price fully
corresponding,givenitssugarcontent,tothepricefor
sugar beet set by the Community.^or^pain this latter is,
duringthetransitionalperiodlaiddownby the Actof
Accession forthesector,i,e,up to Decemberl992,at least
1B^ higher than the minimum beet price applied in
nonshortfall parts of the Community,

The link that theldonourable member appears to make
between sugarcane production in ^pain and theLome
Convention is not apparent to the Commission, since
Spanish production, which is covered by a common
organisation of the market, cannot be treated as
production originating inanon^member country which is
aparty to that Convention, moreover, the refining in the
Community into white sugar of raw cane sugar produced
in the ACR countries, as aresultof the applicationof
RrotocolBonACR sugar annexed to the Convention,is
not comparable with the direct processing of Spanish
sugar cane into white sugar without the intermediate raw
sugar stage and hence without the need for defining, this
being theform in whichitfindsitsnormaloutlet.The
Commission would also point out that, like the minimum
beet price, the intervention price for white sugar applied
in ^pain during the transitional period laid down by the
Act of Accession for the sector,i,e, up to December 1992,
is higher than the intervention price applied in
non^shortfall parts of the Community,The difference is
a t l e a s t l ^ ^ .

The Commission accordingly considers that the
safeguards affordedto sugar cane cultivationunder the
common organization of the market in the sector are
adequate to ensure its continuation.

^ ^ T T E c ^ ^ E ^ T t C O ^ ^ o ^ O ^ ^

bylvu^mestCdinne^

to the Commission of the European Communities

^90BC9^B29^

^ ^ c ^ . Condition of mentally illpatients kepton the
Creek island of Leros

^ C ^ r ^ r for 10 September 19^9 describes the
concentrationcamp conditions in which 1^00 men,
women and children sufferingfrom varyingdegrees of
mental illness r^^ have been herded together^more like
cattle awaiting slaughter than humanbeings ^ on the
island of Leros, L^he European Community cannot claim
to have been unaware of the seriousness of the problem,
siuce in 1 9 ^, t 9 ^ and again more recently, the

Commission had sent out teams of experts to investigate
on the spot and knew that they had drawnDe^tremely
harshconclusions,and since theEuropean social Eund
had set aside a considerable amount, though without
substantially releasing it, forthe purpose of reforming the
camp, in particular its children^ssection,

1 should like to obtain, in addition to a personal
communication of the reports of the experts retained by
the Commission,asummary report of their conclusions
through the channel of parliamentary questions and
answers, together with an explanation of the generosity
and discretion repeatedlydisplayed by the social fund,
and of the present attitude of the Executive Institutions of
theCommunityatatime when Athenshasiust played
host totheEighth^orldRsychiatry Congress, inthe
course of which — and in the presence of representatives
of the Commission — arecommendationwas included on

the agenda for the organization of a symposium on
diuman rights in psychiatric hospitalse fiow do the
Executive Institutions of the Community view the
prospects of genuine refotrn of this prison hospital, the
treatment and relocation of its curable inmates, and

monitored and verified conversion of facilities on the

island, which must be essential conditions for any
material assistance from the Community^

r^5 l^d^o^er^of ^o^s^i^^cew^^al^od^t^^dm^^e^^d^th^

military ^e^i^e of th^L^olo^^.

Answer ^iven by ^vlrsPapandreou
onbehaifoftheCommission

r^22^c^^r^^^

The Commission has repeatedly expressed its concern
about the situation of persons kept in the psychiatric
institutions on the island of Leros.Eor this reason it has

always t r i e d ^ and will continue to do s o i n t h e future
within the limits of its competence^to help the Creek
authorities to remedy the situtation existing on Leros
through financial assistance provided on the basis of
Regulation t^EEC^ ^ o ^ B ^ t t ^ but also through
technical assistance operations and initiatives on the part
of professionals and volunteers ft^om other member
states. This position, which has not wavered since the
beginning of Community aid, is in conformity with both
thespiritandletterofRegulation^EEC^o^l^B^,

Creece has put before the Commission, within the
framework of the aforementioned Regulation, a
programme of psychiatric reform for the country as a
whole, including a specific section for Leros providing
a comprehensive approach for an effective solution of
the problem by means of concrete measures. This

programme,presented inarevised version in 19^B5,is,in
the Commission^sview and also in the view of numerous
experts,aresponse which would make possibleagenuine
reform of the institutions on Leros,provided,ofcourse,
that it is implemented.

TheCommission is sending directly totheHonourable
member and to the secretariat of the European
Rarliamentthe 1 9 ^ reportconcerning c e n t a l Health

^oCM9BBlD Official Journal of the European communities PB ^ 9 0

Reform in (Greece^ by a group of independent experts
chaired by Professor Browne and a report to the
commission by Professor Browne following his
participation inameeting on Lerosonl^^eptembert9^9,

C ^ J ^ o L ^ t ^ m ^ n m

^ ^ r ^ E ^ ^ E ^ T l ^ ^ ^ o ^ t t B ^ 9

hy^lr^rnestCGlinne^

to the commission of the European C^ommumties

^90BC^9^ea

^ ^ c r, Contradndications and harmful effects of
ben^odia^epinebased hypnotics and tran
quili^ers

Restoril,producedandmarketedby ^ando^, Malmane,
produced by PfoffmannLaroche, and fdalcion,the pride
of L^piohnCompany,have been and still are suspected of
contraindications and harmful effects associated with

extensive and continued consumption and absorption of
alcohol. ^Phe^tate of ^ e w ^ o r k consequently imposed,
in late 1 9 ^, a legal limit of ^0 days for prescriptions
of benzodiazepine, a common constituent of the
above medicines, while a consultative committee of
the Pood and Mrug Administration studying
psycho^pharmaceuticals has iust issued, soberly and
withoutsensationalism,asetofmore detailed warnings to
the medical profession and patients about the use of
benzodiazepine ^tria^olam and alprazolams r^not only
fdalcion,butalso^ana^andAtivanpTheeffectshave
been objectively described for the ^orth American
general public in,inter alia, the A ^ ^ P ^ r ^ ^ ^ ^ A ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
for ^ Pebruary t9^9 and the A^^ P ^ ^ ^ ^ for
^^eptemberl9^9

Ishould like to have answers to the following questions^

t. Plow is the Community market for hypnotics broken
down, inparticular as among the abovethreegiant
companies^

^. Is pricingpolicy for these hypnoticmedicines on a
uniform footing for consumers throughout the
community ^sub^ect to any deductions relating to
social security reimbursements and are there
continuing differences by comparison with third
countriesr^e.g.^wit^erland^

^. Hie Plalcion marketed in Belgium is nowdown ^
having been as high as Dmg per capsule ^ to a
standard si^e of l, ^ m g . Is this as a result of a
community stipulations

^. ^ h a t is the policy of the commission andBor the
member states in this matter, having^egard to the
precautionsrecommended by the expert consultative
committee of the united states Pood and POrug
Administrations

^. Are contacts maintained by the commission with the
European producers and distributors, the ministers
responsible in the member states, and associations
campaigning to protect both the health and the bank
balance of the consumers

D. M ^ o f the united states population are consumers of
these products, ^ h a t is the proportion of regular
users in the C^ommunityB

B5 Upiohn company is said to en^oy an annual turnover
of ^00 million dollars in the L^nited states on sales of

^ana^^alpra^olam^alone^ what are the turnovers on
sales of hypnotics and tranquilizers by all or each of
the suppliers to the Community markets

^. Are measures being taken to reduce or prohibit
exports to thefhird^orldofthe products mentioned
when these have passed their expiry date or are
substandard, and atwhatpricesB

Answer^venhy^rB^n^emann
on behalf of the commission

1. rlow a market is broken down among different
firms comes under the category of private information
resulting from market research to which the Commission
is not privy.

^. The pricing of medicinal products comes under the
e^clusiveiurisdiction of the Aiember states. Plowever,
Poirective^9B105BEE(G^, due to enter into force o n l
January t990, will provide an overview of the various
national pricing schemes formedicinal products.

^, ^ and^. All member states have apolicy on the
prescription, supply and use of benzodiazepines. A
numberof medicinalproductshavebeendiscussedand
reassessed within the Committee on Proprietary
Aiedicinal Products set up under Poi^ective^B^19BEEC
t^amended^^, and this has prompted the ^viembe^ states
to coordinate national measures to reduce the Plalcion

dosage,in particular.Responsibility for issuing marketing
authorisations for medicinal products currently rests with
the Aiember states.

DandB5 The market research findings have not been
placed at the Commission^sdisposal.

^. Poirective^9B^tBEEC^^, due to enter intoforce
onljanuary 199^,stipulates that, for medicinal products
intended for export which are already authorised on their
territory, member states shall supply the summary
of the product characteristics ^amended directive
D^BD^BEEC^^.Aiember states shall also ensure that any
information about action taken to change the status ofa
medicinal product ^suspension, withdrawal from the

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/17

market, etc.) which may affect the protection of public
health in third countries is forthwith brought to the
attention of the World Health Organization.

(') OJNoL40, 11.2. 1989.
( [2] ) OJNoL 147,9.6. 1975.
O OJNoL142,25.5. 1989.
( [4] ) OJ No 22, 9. 2. 1965.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 719/89

by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/31)

_Subject:_ Atlantic regions

A number of recent studies have demonstrated the

economic weakness of all the Atlantic regions of Europe.

Does the Commission intend launching a regional
development programme designed to ensure that the
Atlantic regions are not isolated from the heart of Europe
and European development? Does it intend introducing
procedures like the 'IMP's for the Atlantic?

Answer given by Mr Christophersen
on behalf of the Commission

_(8 January 1990)_

The statistical data available to the Commission have

confirmed the weakness of a large part of the
Community's Atlantic seaboard. The following areas
have, therefore, been included among those eligible for
assistance from the structural Funds:

— the regions whose development is lagging behind
(Ireland, Portugal, north-west Spain, three French
overseas departments in the Caribbean) are eligible
under Objective 1;

— a second group of areas suffering from industrial
decline has been declared eligible under Objective 2
(north-west England, Scotland, the Basque Country,
the region of Cantabria in Spain and 10 employment
areas in the five regions of France bordering the
Atlantic, including two in the Poitou-Charentes
region);

— areas in Scotland, Wales and Cornwall are eligible,
and 16 French departments partially eligible, under
Objective 5 (b) (rural conversion).

As part of a broader approach, the Commission is
preparing under Article 10 of the new Regional Fund
Regulation (') a programme of long-term studies on the

prospective elements for the utilization of Community
territory. This will enable it to assess the prospects for the
whole of the Community's Atlantic seaboard.

The Community has also given consideration to the
specific problems facing the fisheries sector in these areas,
which are eligible for Community measures to improve
and adapt structures in the fisheries and aquaculture
sector (Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86 of 18 December
1986 ( [2] )) and common measures to improve the
conditions under which agricultural products (including
fishery products) are processed and marketed (Regulation
(EEC) No 355/77 of 15 February 1977 ( [3] )).

Given the existence of these measures and initiatives, the
Commission does not propose to draw up rules for these
areas along the lines of those contained in the IMPs.

O OJNoL374,31. 12. 1988,p. 15.
O OJ No L 376, 31.12. 1986, p. 7.
O OJNoL51,23.2. 1977, p. 2.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 722/89

by Mr Christopher Jackson (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/32)

_Subject:_ The dangers of jet skis

There has been a great deal of public debate about the use
and abuse of 'jet skis', particularly in the countries on
the Mediterranean. Is the Commission considering any
measures to ensure the safe operation of jet skis and the
protection of other beach and water users?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

Whilst the protection of beach and water users from the
operation of jet-skis is primarily the responsibility of
the competent authorities in the Member States, the
Commission is considering this matter with a view to
taking appropriate measures as part of the more general
problem of safety of the public against the risks arising
from the pursuit of leisure activities and use of
recreational equipment.

In this context, the proposal for a Council Directive (OJ
No C 193/89, p. 1) concerning general product safety (')
ought in principle to apply in particular as regards the
provisions concerning labelling, instructions for use and

No C 97/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

warnings as to care and correct utilisation, which should
accompany these sport and leisure articles destined
essentially for consumer use. This proposal, in fact,
concerns risks related to the safety properties of products
which are not otherwise regulated and to their use, being
risks ruled by users and by third parties.

Moreover, specific initiatives for sport and leisure
products involving risks are being examined in the
framework of the 'Consumers' priority programme
provided for in Council resolution of 4 November
1988 ( [2] ), now being prepared, which seeks to identify the
areas in which Community action appears to be necessary
and therefore to be given priority from the point of view
of the importance of the underlying problems for

consumers.

(') OJNoC 193, 31.7. 1989, p. 1
O OJNoL23,28. 1.1988, p. 26.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 726/89

by Mr James Ford (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/33)

_Subject:_ Tinted glass in car windows

In view of the rumoured production only of cars with
tinted windows in future, can the Commission state if it
has information on this development, and if so what are
its views on this obvious restriction of consumer choice?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

The trend away from clear glass and towards tinted glass
is confirmed by sales (as percentages), which break down
approximately as follows:

Tinted glass

50

55

1987

1988

Clear glass

50

45

Sales during the first half of 1989 confirm that there has
been a reduction in the percentage of clear glass and an
increase in the percentage of tinted glass.

However, the car industry is still far from extending the
use of tinted glass to all of its production. Despite the fact
that this type of glass is fitted to most luxury models, it is

not yet fitted in the series production of standard models
unless the customer so requests and pays a price
supplement.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 730/89

by Mr Richard Balfe (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/34)

_Subject:_ Sickle cell anaemia

Is the Commission aware that one in 10 black

Afro-Caribbean people carry the traits of sickle cell
disease and that in London 50 babies are born with the

disease each year?

Has the Commission made any investigations into this
disease and if so, is it prepared to give suitable publicity to
the results?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 January 1990)_

The Commission is aware of the importance of the
haemoglobinopathies, a group of diseases which includes
sickle cell disease, and two specific R & D programmes
are involved.

Within its medical and Health Research Programme
(MHR4) the Commission awarded a three-year contract
from July 1989 for coordinated research on 'Early
prenatal diagnosis of thalassaemia and sickle cell disease,
using recent developments in DNA technology'. The
Project Leader is Professor A. Cao of the Universita Studi
Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, and 15 teams from nine countries
are taking part.

The Commission also awarded a two-and-a-half year
contract from September 1989 for coordinated research
on 'Development of methods of evaluating and improving
services for the haemoglobinopathies'. The Project
Leader is Dr Bernadette Modell of University College and
Middlesex School of Medicine, London, and 16 teams
from nine countries are taking part.

As is customary with such actions, the results from these
two will in due course be publicized by publication in
appropriate international journals selected by the Project
Leader and his/her co-workers.

In addition, within its first Science and Technology for
Development programme (STD), Medicine, Health and
Nutrition in the Tropics subprogramme (1983—1986),
the Commission funded five research contracts in the

field of haemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/19

anaemia. All involved collaborative research between one

or more Member State institutions and one or more

institutions in developing countries. As a result of these
research projects, 44 papers have been published in
international journals, and a meeting on Tropical
Haematology was held by the Commission on 25 May
1984. Within the second STD programme, the
Commission has awarded, up to November 1989, three
contracts for the study of haemoglobinopathies — two of
them concern sickle cell anaemia.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 734/89

by Mr Guiseppe Mottola, Mr Gerardo Gaibisso and Mr
Franco Borgo (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/35)

_Subject:_ Check on radioactive residues in tobacco from
countries outside the Community

Can the Commission say whether it is true that, following
the Chernobyl disaster, tobacco from countries outside
the Community has not been tested for caesium 134 and
137, whilst checks of this kind are strictly applied in
respect of Community tobacco exported to third
countries?

If it is true, can the Commission explain the reasons for
this and say what it will do to avoid discrimination
detrimental to Community tobacco growers?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 January 1990)_

Tobacco entering the Community must comply with the
maximum levels of radioactivity laid down in Regulation
(EEC) No 3955/87 (')• Member States are responsible for
checking compliance, taking into account contamination
levels in the country of origin following the Chernobyl
accident, and the arrangements for applying this
Regulation were established by Regulation (EEC)
No 1983/88 O

The Commission has no evidence that these measures are

not being correctly applied by Member States.

O OJNoL371,30. 12. 1987, p. 14.
O OJ No LI 74, 6. 7. 1988, p. 32.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 737/89

by Mrs Johanna Maij-Weggen (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/36)

_Subject:_ Environmental pollution and noise caused by
military aircraft

In the province of Limburg (NL) (situated between
Belgium and the Federal Republic of Germany) a great
deal of nuisance (environmental pollution and noise) is
caused by low-flying military aircraft.

According to detailed information, the permitted flying
altitude for military aircraft in the Federal Republic of
Germany and Belgium is 150 metres, whilst the minimum
altitude in the Netherlands is 300 metres.

Can the Commission say what is the most suitable altitude
to ensure an acceptably low level of environmental
pollution and noise and an adequate level of safety?

Does the Commission not consider it would be better, for
environmental and safety reasons, for all the Community
countries to apply the same permitted altitude for military
aircraft, perferably 300 metres?

Is the Commission willing, after consulting with NATO,
to submit a proposal to this effect and, if so, when can
Parliament look forward to seeing such a proposal ?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 December 1989)_

As the Commission has stated on numerous occasions, it
does not believe that Community competence exists to
regulate low-flying _military_ aeroplanes.

NATO military flying stems from Treaty obligations of
the Member States of the Alliance. Operational decisions
concerning the routes, height, speed etc. are properly the
responsibility of the competent national authorities.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 740/89

by Mr Joaquin Siso Cruellas (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/37)

_Subject:_ Private saving trends in the Member States

The annual meeting of the governors of the International
Monetary Fund referred to the possible serious
consequences of an excessive reduction in the rate of

No C 97/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

private saving in various countries, in view of the fact that
the immediate future will see a progressive ageing of the
population, combined with a decrease in private saving
and a sharp increase in demand for medical care and
pensions, and this at a time when substantial resources
will have to be devoted to the environment.

For this reason it would be useful to know whether the

Commission is in a position to assess the trend in private
saving in all the Member States and whether it considers
that practical measures should be taken to draw up and
promote a Community policy to increase the rate of
private saving.

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 January 1990)_

The Commission attaches great importance to the
existence of a satisfactory level of savings in the
Community. It shares the view that an excessive fall in
private saving rates could have serious consequences for
the national economies. However, the analysis of recent
trends in saving rates reveals that in no Member State,
with the possible exception of the United Kingdom, has
there been such an excessive fall in private saving rates in
the past few years.

In order to structure the analysis of saving patterns, it is
useful to distinguish the domestic point of view from the
external point of view ( [1] ).

From the _external_ point of view it is the balance between
gross national saving and gross domestic investment (the
current account balance) that matters. Here the evolution
of external indebtedness is the decisive criterion for the

sustainability of a current account position. Looking at
the present situation, it can be seen that for the
Community as a whole, national saving approximately
equals domestic investment, which implies that the
current account is close to balance. There are, however,
major imbalances on the level of several individual
Member States.

Seen _domestically,_ it is crucial whether the level and
composition of national saving is appropriate for the
desired level and composition of investment. In the
present context, there is little doubt that fixed capital
formation has to rise significantly in the Community in
order to create the additional employment opportunities
that are necessary to solve the unemployment problem
and to allow the less prosperous countries to catch up.

The question then arises whether national saving can
grow in line with these requirements. Four points deserve
a particular attention:

— Although _household saving_ ratios fell considerably in
many Community countries, there are indications
that the problem could be less serious than appears at
first sight. In particular, a number of those factors
that are considered to explain the fall in household
saving ratios (e.g. disinflation, financial innovation
etc.) are likely to have only a temporary effect. As far
as demographic developments are concerned, no
negative impact on private or household saving is
foreseen for the immediate future as implied by the
question. On the contrary, the rising share of those in
the main saving age (45—64) in the total population
would rather lead to the expectation of rising
household saving rates in the coming years. The
Commission therefore does not forecast a further

reduction in household saving ratios in 1990 on
average in the Community. Only in a medium- and
long-term perspective could the ageing of the
population lead to a reduction of household saving

rates.

— Household saving is the result of a tradeoff between
higher levels of consumption in the future and higher
current consumption. Household saving rates should,
therefore, in principle reflect the preferences of
individual economic agents with regard to the rate
of time discount. From the economic point of view,
it is debatable whether governments should aim
at influencing these preferences. However, the
authorities should see to it that interest rates are not

kept artificially low. Another case where one could
argue for government action is the existence of a bias
of government regulations or tax structures against
household saving. Under such circumstances it might
be advisable to take action to remove these

distortions. Concerted efforts to stimulate household

saving (e.g. through explicit saving incentives) bear
the risk of introducing new distortions instead of
removing old ones. In addition, previous experience
with direct saving incentives suggests that the main
effect of these measures often lies more in a change in
the composition or use of saving than in an increase in
its overall volume.

— As far as national saving and its relation with
productive investment is concerned, it is rather
_business_ saving that is of strategic importance from a
behavioral point of view than household saving.
Business saving rates have, however, increased
markedly in most Member States in the past few
years. As in the Commission's view, company
profitability should continue to improve in order to
guarantee more investment and lasting economic
growth, this would at the same time improve business
saving and thereby foster private saving in the
Community.

In this context, it is interesting to note that the
experience of the late fifties and the sixties in several
countries, for which long data series exist, shows that

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/21

this strong growth period went together with
relatively low household saving and relatively high
saving by companies.

— An inspection of the saving trends since the 1960s
reveals that the sharp fall in national saving rates
between 1970 and 1983 is almost exclusively due to a
fall of _public_ saving rates and not due to a fall in
private or household saving rates. Although in recent
years this trend has been reversed, current public
expenditure is still partly being credit-financed in
several Member States.

In view of the above comments, it is an open question
whether the Community should attempt at generally
stimulating household saving via specific measures.
However, the Commission has been asked by the Council
to prepare a communication concerning household saving
in the Community. In this communication the question of
household saving will be analyzed in more detail.

As far as national governments are concerned, the priority
in most Community countries should undoubtedly be to
increase public saving (especially to eliminate government
dissaving where this still exists) and to remove tax
distortions. This is rendered even more important when
future demographic developments are taken into
consideration.

The Commission is sending directly to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat-General of the European
Parliament a table containing savings/investments
equilibrium in the Member States.

O _European_ _Economy_ No 42, November 1989, Study No 4.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 748/89

by Mr James Ford (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(14 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/38)

_Subject:_ Research and training programme in the field of
controlled thermonuclear fusion

The Council, in its Decision of 25 July 1988 (') adopting a
multiannual research and training programme in the field
of controlled thermonuclear fusion, specified in Article 3
that:

'During the course of its third year, the Commission
shall arrange for an independent evaluation of the
programme (. . .) and for an appraisal to be conducted
of the environmental, safety related and economic
potential of fusion' . . .

Can the Commission confirm that this evaluation and

appraisal will be organized and funded by the
independent evaluation unit which has been set up in
DG XII, and which now has considerable experience of
such evaluations, and not by the Fusion Directorate in
DG XII, which would not be seen as independent in this

matter.

O Decision 88/448/Euratom — OJ No L 222, 12. 8. 1988, p. 5.

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

According to Article 3 of the Council Decision adopting
a multiannual Research and Training Programme in
the Field of Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion, the
Commission has to arrange for an independent evaluation
of the programme. In the execution of this task, the
Commission will call both upon its own competent
services and upon appropriate independent advice.

The Commission would like to reassure the Honourable

Member that, as in all previous evaluations of Community
R&D programmes including the 'Fusion Review Panels',
the independence of the evaluation will be ensured by
entrusting the evaluation to external experts. Both the
selection criteria for the panel members and the choice of
the appropriate methodology will follow the guidelines
established by the plan of action on evaluation (') and
constantly improved by the Monitor Programme ( [2] ).

O OJNoC 14,20.1.1987.
O OJNoL200, 13.7. 1989, p. 38.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 758/89

by Mr Kenneth Collins (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

' (90/C 97/39)

_Subject:_ Broadcasting Directive

On 3 October 1989 the Council adopted the Broadcasting
Directive. Press reports have referred to the fact that
statements in the Council Minutes interpret the Directive.

1. Is the Commission prepared to publish this 'secret
legislation' contained in the Council Minutes?

2. Is it true that the Commission has undertaken, by
means of statements in the Council Minutes, not to

No C 97/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

use its powers, granted under Article 169 of the EEC
Treaty, in connection with Articles 4 and 5 of the
Broadcasting Directive?

3. How does the Commission justify the notion that
Articles 4 and 5 of the Broadcasting Directive entail
'political' but not legal obligations (Agence Europe
4/10/89, page 7)?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(4 January 1990)_

The text of Directive 89/552/EEC (') is, in its entirety,
legally binding on the Member States. The latter's
fulfilment of their obligations will consequently be
monitored by the Commission; such monitoring can in
principle always result in an action being brought before
the Court of Justice.

As far as Articles 4 and 5 are concerned, however, the
wording adopted, which is the result of a difficult
compromise and departs from the Commission's initial
proposal and Parliament's wishes, allows Member States a
great deal of discretion in choosing the means of attaining
the desired result ('by appropriate means'); furthermore,
and above all, it introduces an element of flexibility
('where practicable'), indicating that attainment of the
objectives can be overridden by technical constraints or
economic imperatives.

While the flexibility incorporated into the provisions
renders assessment more difficult, it in no way detracts
from the legal nature of what amounts to an obligation to
behave in a certain manner. Admittedly, however, it is
difficult to imagine specific cases of application of those
Articles that could be the subject of a clear ruling by the
Court of Justice.

Being unable to agree on a more binding text, the Council
nevertheless wished the weakness of the legal instrument
to be counterbalanced by the political force of the
supervisory role explicitly assigned by Article 4 (3) to the
Commission, thus ensuring that the undertaking entered
into will be effectively fulfilled.

Such considerations are reflected in two statements,
underscoring the political nature of the undertaking and
the context in which it is to be fulfilled, which are entered
in the Council minutes. The Commission suggests that the
Honourable Member approach the Council — the sole
depositary of its minutes — with a view to obtaining their
publication.

(') OJ No L 298, 17. 10. 1989, p. 23.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 759/89

by Mr Francesco Speroni (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/40)

_Subject:_ European Community office in Milan

Do any plans exist to adapt the staffing level of the
European Community office in Milan in accordance with
the requirements of its users and the importance of the
city in which it is situated?

Answer given by Mr Dondelinger
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

The Commission's Milan Office was set up in 1981 as part
of the policy of decentralizing Community information.

The Office's prime role is that of an active information
centre: it organizes meetings and press conferences and
produces and distributes publications on Community
policies. It also has a documentation function, providing
the public with all the official publications of the
European Communities and all the documents produced
by the EEC institutions, such as decisions, regulations,
directives, studies, statistics, proposals, calls for tender
and notices of competition. It is linked to a number of
Community data banks.

The Milan Office, like the head office in Rome, provides
the Commission with representation, support and contact
in relations with the national, regional and local
authorities, the media, economic circles and the general
public, as public opinion takes an increasing interest in the
state of Europe and becomes increasingly concerned by
the Community's legislative and economic activities.

As regards the organization of its work, the Office is
flexible in structure with a small staff complement, like all
the other sub-offices.

In line with the Commission's information policy
guidelines, and subject to its limited staff resources, the
Milan Office is now sponsoring and promoting a number
of relay organizations which will be able to play a role in
spreading Community information, in particular the
Euro-Info Centres for small businesses and the European
documentation centres for university research. There are
already two Euro-Info Centres in Milan and four

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/23

European documentation centres at universities in Milan.
Further information and documentation centres are also

to be found in other provinces of Lombardy.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 763/89

by Mr Kenneth Collins (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/41)

_Subject:_ Implementing provisions, environment sector

How many draft implementing provisions has the
Commission submitted to advisory, management or
regulatory committees since 1 January 1989 in the field of
environment and consumer protection policies?

Answer given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(17 January 1990)_

In the environment sector, the Commission did not
formally propose any draft implementing provisions to
advisory or regulatory committees in 1989. However, the
committees operating under Community legislative acts
regularly discuss the questions for which they were
constituted. Throughout 1989 the Committee established
by Article 20 of Directive 67/548/EEC (') discussed
the classification, labelling and packaging of certain
dangerous substances, particularly carcinogenic
substances. The Committee established by Article 19 of
Regulation (EEC) No 3626/82 ( [2] ) dealt with questions
concerning the implementation of this Regulation, and so

on.

O OJNo 196, 16. 8. 1967, p. 1.
O OJ No L 384, 31. 12.1982, p. 1.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 769/89

by Mr Kenneth Coates (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/42)

_Subject:_ European Community involvement with the
hospital on the Greek island of Leros

In recent weeks there has been a large number of alarming
newspaper reports concerning conditions in a mental

hospital on the Aegean island of Leros, which had
apparently received a grant from the European Social
Fund, though it appears that only a small amount of this
funding was allocated.

1. Would the Commission divulge the findings of the
subsequent mission of inquiry to the island led by
Professor Ivor Browne of Dublin?

2. How was Community funding allocated to deal with
the situation at Leros, in the first place?

3. To what extent were Commission officials made

familiar with the conditions on the island?

4. Was Parliament ever informed about the application
for funding, and the reasons governing it?

5. Once the agreement had been reached to supply help
what arrangements were made to monitor it?

6. Why did it not become apparent that the funds were
not being spent?

7. What on-site inspections were made and to whom
were they reported ?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

1. The Commission is sending directly to the
Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat the

1984 report concerning 'Mental health reform in Greece'
by a group of independent experts chaired by Professor
Browne and a report to the Commission by Professor
Browne following his participation in a meeting in Leros
on 18 September 1989.

2. Five projects were submitted by the Greek
authorities for Leros in accordance with Regulation
(EEC) No 815/84 ('). One of these was approved in
December 1984 and the remainder in December 1986.

The projects were examined by the Commission who
consulted with a group of independent experts. They were
considered to conform to the rules of eligibility of
Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 and to the programme
presented by Greece in 1984. They were agreed by the
Commission following the approval of the Management
Committee representatives of the Member States
provided for in the Regulation.

3. The Commission officials were fully familiar with
conditions on the island through numerous visits and
expert reports.

4. Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 contains no
provisions for consultation of Parliament on individual
applications. Parliament was however consulted on the
draft proposal for Regulation (EEC) No 815/84 before

No C 97/24 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

its adoption by the Council and on amending Regulation
(EEC) No 4130/88 ( [2] ). In both cases, participants
unanimously approved the Commission's proposal.

5. The Greek authorities are obliged to report annually
on the implementation of the programme. The
Commission makes periodic on-the-spot checks.
Moreover Regulation (EEC) No 4130/88 provides the
setting up by the Greek authorities of a monitoring and
evaluation system.

6. The Commission is fully aware of the
under-utilisation of appropriations.

7. A total of 10 on-the-spot visits have been made by
the Commission to Leros since 1984. The information

obtained is for the Commission's use in the management
of the Regulation and is also available to the Court of
Auditors. The results were also communicated to the

Greek authorities.

(') OJNoL88,31.3. 1984,p. 1.
( [2] ) OJNoL362, 30. 12. 1988, p. 1.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 776/89

by Mr Enrico Falqui (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/43)

_Subject:_ The role of associations of agricultural
producers

In reply to questions asked by an Italian newspaper, the
Italian Agriculture Minister said (on 20 August 1989), 'the
present situation marks the failure of producers'
associations. These associations were created specifically
to draw up the strategy for selling individual Italian
agricultural products, whereas they actually confine
themselves to monitoring policy for the stockpiling of
products. It is certainly easier to take products from
farmers, withdraw them from the market and apply to the
Community for subsidies, not to mention the cases in
which they declare two kilos instead of one. At that point
there is nothing more to be done. It is much harder to try
to find markets. We have discovered cases where

producers' associations only put 1 % of the product onto
the market whilst the rest went into storage.'

1. Does the Commission agree with the Italian
Agriculture Minister's analysis of the situation?

2. If not, can it say why?

3. If it agrees, what will the Commission do over the next
four years to make the producers' associations resume

their original function, particularly in the fruit and
vegetable and olive-producing sectors?

4. What steps will the Commission take to use the
producers' associations as a means of encouraging the
development of organic farming and every other form
of farming which does not cause pollution and
respects the environment?

5. How does it intend to do this?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(5_ _January 1990)_

1 and 2. The Commission is aware that in certain

regions of the Community producers' organizations in
the fruit and vegetables sector are not functioning
correctly and that as a result, in some marketing years, a
large percentage of products are withdrawn from the
market and that these withdrawals are disproportionate to
the members' production.

This situation was criticized in a 1989 Court of Auditors

report on the citrus fruit sector and in the conclusions sent
to the Italian Government by the Commission's
departments following inquiries carried out in Italy
during 1989.

The Commission takes the view, however, that most
producers' organizations for the products covered by the
common organization of the fruit and vegetable market
function satisfactorily overall. These organizations fulfil
the role assigned to them to the extent that they regulate
the market, both for the products covered by the price and
intervention system and for the products not so covered.

3. The Commission takes the view that a balanced

market requires that the producers' organizations
function correctly and takes the measures necessary to
improve their efficiency. It has recently introduced
stricter operating rules for these organizations in the nut
sector and does not rule out the introduction of stricter

operating rules for other products if this should become

necessary.

As regards the olive oil sector, the Commission is
presently studying measures aimed at producers'
organizations to encourage the marketing of this product,
particularly through the concentration of supply.

4. The Commission intends to adopt measures to
promote the organic production of agricultural products,
to encourage a better balance between supply and demand
for agricultural products and to contribute to
environmental protection and to the preservation of the
countryside.

Furthermore, the scheme for the extensification of
production (Regulations (EEC) No 1094/88 and (EEC)
No 4115/88 (')) may be implemented on the basis of

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/25

sectoral production techniques which may include
organic production methods.

The creation of producers' associations will help this type
of agriculture through the setting of common production
and marketing standards. Regulations (EEC)
No 1035/72 ( [2] ) and (EEC) No 1360/78 ( [3] ) provide for aid
to encourage the formation of producer groups and
organizations.

Regulation (EEC) No 797/85 ( [4] ) enables the granting of
aid to farmers in sensitive areas who observe production
practices laid down in specific programmes with the aim
of protecting the environment and natural resources and
maintaining the countryside and landscape. Producers'
associations can play a positive role in the drafting of
conditions and in their enforcement.

5. The Commission will follow closely the
development of the fruit and vegetables sector in Italy and
the measures taken by the Italian authorities to eradicate
the irregularities discovered in the functioning of
producers' organizations.

When the accounts for the 1987 financial year were
cleared the Commission reduced the aid granted to
producers' organizations in the fruit and vegetables sector
in Italy due to insufficient controls.

O OJ No L 106, 27. 4. 1988 and OJ No L 361, 29. 12. 1988.
O OJ No LI 18, 20. 5. 1972.
O OJNoLl66,23.6. 1978.
( [4] ) OJNoL93,30. 3. 1985.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 779/89

by Mr Bryan Cassidy (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/44)

_Subject:_ ESPRIT — call for proposals 1989

It appears that the above has been advertised at very short
notice.

The ESPRIT programme was advertised on 20 September
1989 in the C series of the Official Journal (C 240/89,
p. 2) and the applications for reimbursement of travel
costs have to be sent to the nearest EEC Information

Centre by 9 October 1989. This does not give applicants
much time to reply to the advertisement or for members to
notify their constituents.

Why is it that such programmes are advertised so late in
the day, and due to the above circumstances can these
proposals be advertised much more in advance?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

The 1989 call for proposals for ESPRIT projects in
the technological sectors Computer Integrated
Manufacturing (CIM), Information Processing Systems
(IPS) and Office Systems (OS) was published on 20
September 1989 in _Official Journal of the European_
_Communities_ No C 240 with a deadline for submitting
proposals on 10 January 1990.

In this call for proposals, the Proposers' Days (23 and 31
October 1989) were mentioned. These Proposers Days
were so scheduled to enable potential proposers to be
fully informed on how to submit proposals well before the
submission deadline. Almost 1 100 people attended these
events. The text of the Call for Proposals foresaw the
possibility for small companies to receive reimbursement
of their travel expenses. Since the Commission is bound to
use its appropriations as efficiently as possible, we
envisaged prepaid PEX tickets. Because of the PEX rules
and allowing some days for administration the deadline
for applications had to be fixed for the early part of
October.

In fact, applications were accepted beyond the deadline
and travel costs for a total of 91 SMEs were reimbursed.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 782/89

by Mr Herman Verbeek (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/45)

_Subject:_ Less-favoured areas in the European
Community's total agricultural area

1. Is the Commission aware that, from Doc. COM(89)
434 final, in which it announces the designation of new
less-favoured areas in the Federal Republic of Germany,
France and Greece, raising the percentage of agricultural
land situated in less-favoured areas to 53,5%, it follows
that, for the purposes of the current common agricultural
policy, the larger part of agricultural land in the European
Community now appears to have been turned into a
less-favoured area?

2. Does the Commission agree that, if current policy is
continued, we must expect a continously diminishing
area, on which increasingly intensive production will take

No C 97/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

place, to be classified as 'normal agricultural land', which
is bound to be increasingly detrimental to both the
environment and farmers' incomes?

3. Given the figures quoted in this document, does the
Commission not consider that the EC should modify its
common agricultural policy so that the larger area, the
'less-favoured area', must be considered as normal
agricultural land?

4. Does the Commission consider that a differentiated

price policy is the best means of achieving a healthy
structural policy?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 January 1990)_

1. The Council Directives supplementing the
Community list of less-favoured areas for the purposes of
Directive 75/268/EEC (') extend these areas in France,
Germany and Greece by a total of 1 905 295 hectares of
utilized agricultural area (UAA) ( [2] ). This represents for
the Community as a whole a 2,8 % increase in the*
less-favoured areas, which now account for a slightly
greater percentage of total UAA (53,4 % instead of 52 %).

2. The Commission considers that it is in the mountain

and less-favoured areas that cohesive Community action,
the importance of which was stressed in the Single Act,
has especially significant impact. Likewise the current
deliberations on the future of rural society ( [3] ) are chiefly
concerned with these areas, which are above all 'rural'.

The Honourable Member will find information on the

production capacity of farms in the less-favoured and
mountain areas in a Commission study published in 1989
by the Office for Official Publications of the European
Communities (ISBN 92-826-0084X). Such farms account
for more than 40% of the 6,3 million farms in the
Community (1985 figures) but for only a quarter of
production capacity. Their average area is considerable,
their gross production per hectare or per person low and
their use of inputs economical. Their role in preserving
the landscape and protecting the environment is primary
and of great importance to the whole of society.

3. The applications for enlargement of the lessfavoured areas in Germany, France and Greece meet the
requirements laid down in Council Directive
75/268/EEC on mountain and hill farming and farming
in certain less-favoured areas. The purpose of the aid
scheme for less-favoured areas is to offset the effect of

permanent natural handicaps on farmers' incomes. Both

the Member States in their entirety and the farmers
themselves consider that this scheme is very important. Its
main component, the compensatory allowance, was
granted to more than 1 million farms (approximately 20 %
of those located in the less-favoured areas) in 1987.

4. The Commission does not see any need for a policy
of price differentiation. It would be extremely awkward to
administer and would be contrary to the price policy of
the last few years, which has been aimed at stabilizing the
market, eliminating structural surpluses and observing
strict budgetary discipline.

O OJNoL128, 19.5.1975,p. 1.
( [2] ) OJNoL330, 15. 11.1989.
O COM(88) 501 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 784/89

by Mr Carlos Carvalhas (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/46)

_Subject:_ Scientific programme of research and
development in the field of biotechnology,
1990—1994, BRIDGE programme

What selection criteria will the Commission use to

reconcile the objectives of economic and social cohesion
with those of scientific quality, a matter of major
importance for the countries with weaker economies, as in
the case of Portugal, and how will the participation of
third countries — EFTA, Socialist countries etc. — in the
BRIDGE programme be organized?

Answer given by Mr Pandolfi
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 January 1990)_

The Community's research project on biotechnology,
which will be conducted via the BRIDGE programme is
justified _inter_ _alia_ by the criterion whereby the
harmonious overall development of the Community is
promoted while the aim of scientific and technical quality
is kept fully in view. As part of this the Commission
intends to deal with 'research' and 'training via research'
at one and the same time, while adding a transnational
dimension to those activities as a matter of course.

Contracts will be negotiated on the same basis as that for
the current biotechnology programme (BAP) thus
instituting cooperation between the North and South of

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/27

the Community on quality research and research worker
training. The Commission will also hold training courses
and symposia in Greece, Spain and Portugal on the basic
disciplines constituting modern biotechnology. In fact 13
training courses have already taken place in those three
countries — in 1988 and 1989. They provided theoretical
and practical courses on molecular biology, basic
biotechnology, genetic engineering of micro-organisms,
biomedical applications of genetic engineering, enzyme
technology and bioreactors.

Involvement by non-member countries in the BRIDGE
programme is governed by Article 8 of the Council
Decision of 27 November 1989 ( [1] ). It provides, in
particular, that the Commission is authorized under
Article 130 N of the Treaty, to negotiate agreements with
international organizations, with countries taking part in
European cooperation on scientific research (COST) and
with non-member European countries which have
concluded outline agreements on scientific and technical
cooperation with the Community.

(') OJ No L 360, 9. 12. 1989, p. 32.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 785/89

by Mr Carlos Carvalhas (CG)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/47)

_Subject:_ Teaching, selectivity and academic failure

The last Council of Education of Ministers considered

the question of academic failure and technical vocational
training, without deciding on any specific measures.

Does the Council intend, at its meeting of 14 December,
to propose specific common measures with appropriate
funding to counter social status and elitist values as
criteria for access to higher education, in order to combat
the serious problem of academic failure — in Portugal the
university will not be opening until January — taking
account of the social, psychological and economic aspects
involved?

Answer

_(16 March 1990)_

At their meeting on 14 December 1989, the Council and
the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council
approved a resolution on failure at school and
conclusions on technical and vocational education and

initial training.

The resolution on failure at school states that the Council

and the Ministers will examine proposals to be submitted
by the Commission to enable it to give all the necessary
assistance to Member States in the intensive efforts which

they have undertaken to make in the area referred to by
the Honourable Member and play its full part as a catalyst
in the area of cooperation.

Concerning technical and vocational education and initial
training, the Commission was asked to prepare proposals
for measures to adapt and reinforce existing programmes
and to implement a package of specific measures
concerning exchanges of young people to enable them to
complete their training abroad and to include in such
training industrial and commercial courses in foreign
firms; there should also be measures for collaboration
between teachers and instructors in different countries,
between educational administrators, and between training
establishments.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 788/89

by Mr Llewellyn Smith (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/48)

_Subject:_ Directive 80/68/EEC

In accordance with Article 15 of Directive 80/68/EEC (')
has the Commission inspected the Register in the UK
authorizing a Consent to Discharge and, if so, why is
there a substantial difference between this Register and
the Register of Local Authority Building Work, showing
that there are installations of sewage treatment plants but
not demonstrating their consent?

O OJ No L 20, 26. 1.1980, p. 43.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 789/89

by Mr Llewellyn Smith (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(23 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/49)

_Subject:_ Directive 80/68/EEC

What procedures are the UK Government required to
adopt to comply with Directive 80/68/EEC (') and what
action is being taken against non-compliance by the UK's
statutory agencies and local authorities?

O OJNoL20,26. 1.1980, p. 43.

No C 97/28 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

Joint answer to Written Questions Nos 788/89 and 789/89
given by Mr Ripa di Meana
on behalf of the Commission

_(12 December 1990)_

According to Article 21 of Directive 80/68/EEC on
ground water Member States were obliged to bring into
force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions
necessary to comply with the Directive within two years
of its notification, which was by January 1981.

The United Kingdom forwarded in 1981 various legal
instruments transposing the Directive into United
Kingdom law.

Articles 15 and 16 of the said Directive request the
competent authorities designated by the Member States to
keep an inventory of the authorizations to discharge List I
and List II substances into areas where the ground water
may be affected. On the Commission's request the
Member States must supply the Commission with all the
necessary information relating to these authorities.

The Directive does not give the Commission any legal
basis to inspect the registers themselves in the Member
States.

In relation to a general inquiry to all the Member States,
the Commission asked the United Kingdom authorities in
June 1985 to provide the Commission with the results of
the inventories provided for in Article 15. In their reply,
the United Kingdom authorities told the Commission that
there were no direct discharges of List I and List II
substances into ground water and that eight
authorizations had been given in accordance with
Article 15 of the Directive.

On the basis of the two questions raised by the
Honourable Member, the Commission will request the
United Kingdom authorities for updated information on
the authorization given in accordance with Articles 15
and 16 of Directive 80/68/EEC.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 795/89

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/50)

_Subject:_ Law against sexual harassment at work

How does the Council view the proposal made at the
recent international conference of the European
Association against the Harassment of Women at Work
to call on the European Community to adopt a law against
sexual harassment at the workplace?

Answer

_(14 March 1990)_

The Council attaches great importance to the question of
the dignity of women at the workplace.

Indeed, in a recommendation adopted on 13 December
1984 on the promotion of positive action for women, the
Council recommended that Member States take steps to
ensure that positive action included actions having a
bearing on the respect and dignity of women at the
workplace.

This question is also currently the subject of special
attention, particularly by the Irish Presidency.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 796/89

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/51)

_Subject:_ Trade union rights in Turkey

Has the Council taken note of the observations by Mr
Breit, President of the European Trade Union
Confederation (ETUC), to the Council of Europe
Secretariat (3 October 1989), condemning the Turkish
Government's failure to respect human rights and the
rights of trade unions in Turkey?

Answer given by Mr Matutes
on behalf of the Commission

_(20 December 1989)_

The Commission thanks the Honourable Member for

drawing its attention to the speech by Mr Breit, President
of the European Trade Union Confederation, but has
been unable to obtain the exact details of what Mr Breit

said since according to its enquiries, no written record of
the speech was retained.

However, on the general issue of human and trade union
rights in Turkey, it can only reiterate that, as in the past,
the Commission will continue to follow closely the human
rights situation in Turkey and has expressed its concern to
the Turkish authorities about a number of individual

cases. It expects that Turkey will scrupulously respect the
various conventions in this field which Turkey has already
signed and is aware that trade union rights and activities
are more restricted than in any Member State.

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/29

WRITTEN QUESTION No 798/89

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/52)

_Subject:_ Plight of mentally handicapped people on the
island of Leros

Is the Commission aware of the plight of many mentally
handicapped people, who are confined in an institution on
the island of Leros? Does it consider that this situation

can and must be remedied?

Answer given by Mrs Papandreou
on behalf of the Commission

_(22 December 1989)_

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member

to its answer to Written Question No 707/89 by Mr
Glinne (').

(') Seepage 15 of this Official Journal.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 801/89

by Mr Victor Manuel Arbeloa Muru (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/53)

_Subject:_ Financial and technical assistance to Polish
undertakings

What view does the Council take of the proposal by
certain Members of Parliament to set up an institution
providing financial and technical assistance to Polish
undertakings to help them adapt to a market economy?

Answer

_(14 March 1990)_

One of the main aims of the assistance the 24 Western

industrialized countries are giving to Poland and
Hungary is to help Polish undertakings to adapt to the
market economy system.

In order to give tangible form to this objective, the
Community will undertake the following measures:

— the provision of economic aid to Poland and
Hungary amounting to ECU 300 million for 1990,

for the financing of economic restructuring projects.
Whatever area is affected, a large part of the aid will
have to be concentrated on the private sector;

— the possibility both for Poland and Hungary to have
access to EIB loans of a maximum amount of ECU

1 000 million for these two countries; priority will
have to be given to investment projects submitted by
private undertakings;

— the Strasbourg European Council approved the
creation of a European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, one of whose main aims will be to base
the transition towards a more market-orientated

economy and to speed up the necessary structural
adjustments. The Bank should be set up as soon as
possible, with negotiations opening in January 1990;

— the setting up of a European Vocational Training
Foundation to help with the training of senior
technical and managerial staff, particularly in
banking.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 803/89

by Mr Ben Fayot (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/54)

_Subject:_ Commission documents

The Commission has reportedly forwarded to the
European Parliament's Committee on Economic and
Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy a document which
specifically accuses Luxembourg of 'going it alone' in
respect of indirect taxation.

Can the Commission explain the reasons for this unusual
and singular course of action?

Does this mean that, in future, the Commission proposes
to use technical memorandums as the means of exposing
the countries it considers to be 'at fault' to public
condemnation?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener
on behalf of the Commission

_(11 January 1990)_

The document in question was a working paper prepared
by a Commission department. It had not been approved
by the Commission, and was not intended for the kind of
distribution it was given.

No C 97/30 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

WRITTEN QUESTION No 816/89

by Mr Carlos Carvalhas (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/55)

_Subject:_ The Portuguese budget deficit

The Portuguese national debt currently stands at an
extremely high level, almost equivalent to the country's
GDP.

The budget deficit has been further increased as a result
of Portugal's contribution to the Community's funds.

According to forecasts, Portugal's national budget deficit
will be increased in 1990 by Esc 43 300 million due to its
contribution to EEC funds.

Since Portugal requires a substantial reinforcement of the
Community's structural funds, especially with a view to
realizing the principle of economic and social cohesion,
and given the size of the Portuguese national debt, can the
Commission state whether it intends to increase the level

of contribution to the funds, as regards both the
theoretical maximum and the actual average?

Answer given by Mr Christophersen
on behalf of the Commission

_(18 January 1990)_

In Chapter V of the Community support framework for
Portugal it is made clear that the success of the proposed
programmes will depend to a large extent on
implementation of the medium-term programme for
restructuring public finances contained in the PCEDED
(Programme for correcting the structure of the external
deficit and unemployment).

While the Commission, in its annual economic report
1989/90, notes that Portugal's deficit is clearly a result of
the current catching-up process, it also stresses that it is
up to every Member State, and notably Portugal, to seek
to improve control over budgetary policy and the level of
public expenditure so as to maximize the effects of
Community assistance.

Between 1989 and 1993 Portugal will receive almost ECU
7 billion (at 1989 prices) from the structural Funds, a sum
which represents ah increase of 22%, in annual average
terms, over commitments for 1986—88. According to the
March 1989 Regional Development Plan, Portugal too
will increase its structural spending, although to a smaller
extent (11 %).

As regards the rates of contribution from the various
structural Funds, it should be noted that the Commission

is required to differentiate the rates of Community
assistance in the light of the financial capacity of the
Member State concerned and subject to the ceilings laid
down by Article 13 of Council Regulation (EEC)
No 2052/88 of 24 June 1988 C). The Commission
determined the rates of assistance following discussions
with the Member State in accordance with the principle of
partnership which governs implementation of the reform
of the structural Funds.

O OJNoLl85, 15.7. 1988, p. 9.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 824/89

by Mr Max Simeoni (ARC)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/56)

_Subject:_ Liberalization of capital movements and
economic and social cohesion

The process already under way of unifying financial
markets in the Community has led to the concentration of
such activities, with the result that the peripheral regions
of the Community are fated to fall into decline or,
depending on their geographical situation and
configuration, to be subordinated to the interests of
external financial groups, attracted by the idea of turning
them into purely tourist areas, thereby engendering land
and property speculation which is particularly damaging
to the local production sector.

At the same time, the Soviet authorities are adopting
measures designed to give greater autonomy in the
economic sector to the Soviet republics.

With a view to the completion of the single European
market:

1. Has the Council attempted to assess the repercussions
which the liberalization of capital movements will
inevitably entail for the peripheral regions of the
Community?

2. Does it recognize the vital and urgent need to restore
the geographical and sectoral balance of productive
investment in the Community, failing which the
objective of social and economic cohesion cannot be
achieved?

3. What steps will it take to ensure that the single market
does not deflect economic initiatives in the field of

production and job creation away from the peripheral
regions of the Community?

Answer

_(16 March 1990)_

The liberalization of capital movements is an essential
condition for the completion of the internal market and

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/31

should make it possible for Community savings to be
allocated more efficiently and consequently for more
favourable conditions for investors, irrespective of their
location, to be created.

The specific problems of the peripheral regions must
primarily be solved through national policies.

It is, of course, for the Community to promote the
harmonious development of the Community as a whole.
Its aim in particular is to reduce the gap between the
various regions and the lag of the least-favoured regions.
This the Community does _inter alia_ by its role in the
coordination of the economic policies of Member States.
It also makes an individual contribution by means of its
Structural Funds to growth and adjustment policies in
regions which are lagging behind. These Funds have
recently been restructured to make them more effective
and the amounts allocated to them have been

considerably increased.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 826/89

by Mr Francois de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/57)

_Subject:_ State aids

In December 1988, the Commission referred to the Court
of Justice, pursuant to Article 93 (2) of the EEC Treaty,
the matter of Belgium's failure to implement the
Commission decision of November 1983 concerning aid
granted by the Belgian Government to Fabelta-Beaulieu.

1. Could the Commission state what argument the
Belgian Government put forward during this
procedure?

2. What stage has been reached in this procedure ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

1. In the Commission's view, considerations of
confidentiality prevent it from stating what arguments the
Belgian Government put forward during the procedure.

2. On 9 March 1989 the Commission brought before
the Court of Justice a case under Article 93 (2) of the EEC
Treaty against the Belgian Government for failure to
implement the Commission Decision of 30 November
1983 concerning the Belgian firm Fabelta-Beaulieu.

The written procedure has now been completed and the
Court of Justice has scheduled the public hearing for 25
January 1990.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 828/89

by Mr Francois de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/58)

_Subject:_ Infringement proceedings for failure to inform
the Commission of national implementing

measures

In May 1989, the Commission sent the Belgian
Government a letter of formal notice for failure to inform

it of the national measures implementing Directive
85/536/EEC of 5 December 1985 ( [x] ) on crude-oil savings
through the use of substitute fuel components in petrol.

1. Could the Commission state what argument the
Belgian Government has put forward to justify its
failure to inform the Commission?

2. What further action does it intend to take in this

matter?

O OJNoL334,12. 12.1985, p. 20.

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha
on behalf of the Commission

_(31 January 1990)_

To date, the Commission has not noted any development
in the case to enable it to abandon the infringement
procedure which is in progress.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 829/89

by Mr Francois de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(28 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/59)

_Subject:_ Infringement proceedings for failure to inform
the Commission of national implementing

measures

In May 1989, the Commission sent the Belgian
Government a letter of formal notice for failure to inform

it of the national measures implementing Directive
87/54/EEC of 16 December 1986 (') on the legal
protection of topographies of semi-conductor products.

1. Could the Commission state what argument the
Belgian Government has put forward to justify its
failure to inform the Commission?

No C 97/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

2. What further action does it intend to take in this

matter?

O OJ No L 24, 27. 1.1987, p. 36.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(16 January 1990)_

In reply to the Commission's letter of formal notice to the
Belgian Government for failure to inform it of the
national measures implementing Directive 87/54/EEC on
the legal protection of topographies of semi-conductor
products, the Belgian Government informed it that a draft
law of the transposition of the above Directive had been
put before the Belgian Parliament. Its further progress
would depend on the latter.

In accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 169
of the EEC Treaty, the Commission will follow the
progress made and reserves the right to take whatever
action may be necessary.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 848/89

by Mr Juan Garaikoetxea Urriza (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/60)

_Subject:_ The RENAVAL programme

Can the Commission provide a breakdown by region of
the final distribution of the total funding allocated to the
RENAVAL programme?

WRITTEN QUESTION No 851/89

by Mr Juan Garaikoetxea Urriza (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/61)

_Subject:_ The RESIDER programme

Can the Commission provide a breakdown by region of
the final distribution of the total funds allocated to the

RESIDER programme?

Joint answer to Written Question

Nos 848/89 and 851/89

given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

_(31 January 1990)_

The deadline for applications in respect of the assisted
areas under the Council Regulations for RESIDER and
RENAVAL is 30 April 1990, and the process of selecting

the assisted areas and determining the Community
assistance for operational programmes is not therefore
completed.

At the end of November 1989, five RESIDER
programmes involving a Community contribution of 109
million ecus had been approved within the following
regions:

Federal Republic
of Germany

Spain

United Kingdom

Saarland

Ruhrgebiet

Asturias

Pais Vasco

Yorkshire

13,7 million ecus
64,7 million ecus

13,0 million ecus
12,0 million ecus

5,4 million ecus

Moreover, Commission decisions have been taken
approving the eligibility of the following areas under the
RESIDER regulation, but no programmes have yet been
decided.

Belgium

Federal Republic of Germany

France

Luxembourg

Wallonie

Mittlere Oberpfalz
Braunschweig-Salzgitter

Nord Pas de Calais

Lorraine

Luxembourg

Within the RENAVAL programme one regional
programme has been approved to date:

Portugal Setubal 9,0 million ecus

Decisions have also been taken on the eligibility of the
following areas:

Denmark

Federal Republic of Germany

Netherland

United Kingdom

North Jutland

West Lolland

Bremen

Emden/Leer

Liibeck

Hamburg

Rijndelta

Plymouth

WRITTEN QUESTION No 850/89

by Mr Juan Garaikoetxea Urriza (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/62)

_Subject:_ Objective 2 of the reform of the structural funds

What will be the overall total of the funds allocated to the

Basque Country as an Objective 2 region over the next
three years?

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/33

Can the Commission supply a list of the funds allocated to
the other Community regions included under Objective 2
at NUTS II level?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

_(31 January 1990)_

On 25 October 1989 the Commission decided to allocate

a total of ECU 735 million to the Objective 2 areas of
Spain for the three years 1989, 1990 and 1991. The
breakdown among the regions will be decided in the near
future and the Commission will then send the relevant

information direct to the Honourable Member and to the

Secretariat of Parliament.

The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat of Parliament the list

asked for; this shows the allocation of appropriations to
the Objective 2 areas for which the Commission adopted
Community support frameworks on 20 December 1989.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 863/89

by Mr Jaak Vandemeulebroucke (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/63)

_Subject:_ Biological studies in the fisheries sector

For a number of years the European Community has
helped finance biological studies in the fisheries sector.

These funds are used to enable the Commission to

compile the scientific data required to carry out its policy
on the conservation and management of fish stocks by
having specialist research carried out under contract by
outside bodies or experts.

For each year in which these funds have been made
available, can the Commission provide a list of the
research bodies and experts involved and the amounts
granted to each of them in the relevant years in
connection with this research?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(24 January 1990)_

Biological research in the fisheries sector is supported
through:

— a programme of biological studies (1989
onwards) ( [J] );

— the coordination and promotion of research in the
sector (1988 onwards) ().

The Commission will send direct to the Honourable

Member and to Parliament's Secretariat the information

requested on its support for research in the fisheries

sector.

O Budget heading 478.
O OJ No L 314, 4. 11.1987.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 877/89

by Mr Francois de Donnea (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/64)

_Subject:_ Number of Community firms affected by
Article 223 (2) of the EEC Treaty

Could the Commission state, with regard to the products
covered by Article 223 (2) of the EEC Treaty:

1. The number of firms producing these products in the
Community?

2. The number of persons employed by these firms in the
manufacture of the products in question?

3. The total annual turnover generated by these products
for the firms concerned?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(17 January 1990)_

The Commission is not in a position to inform the
Honourable Member on these questions.

The items on the list of Article 223 (2) of the EEC Treaty
are normally the products of industries that do not work
exclusively on military equipment. In practice the same
firms produce goods for both military and civilian
applications. Because of the dual use nature of the
production facilities in these industries, it is extremely
difficult to identify the number of people employed in one
particular activity such as the production of military
equipment. Similar difficulties arise for counting the exact
number and turnover of companies in such activities.

The Commission is nevertheless currently carrying out
studies in this field to improve the information at its
disposal on such dual use industries.

No C 97/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

WRITTEN QUESTION No 880/89

by Mr Klaus Hansen (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(29 November 1989)_

(90/C 97/65)

_Subject:_ Appointment of national experts instead of
European officials

1. Can the Commission give information on the
number of national experts currently employed:

— in all Commission posts;

— in areas with official monitoring functions, such as
anti-dumping measures

and how this compares with the number of EC officials
employed?

2. In particular, what are the figures for the
coordination unit for combating fraud in the allocation of
EC subsidies?

3. What guarantees are there that national officials,
whose work for the Commission often lasts only a few
months, really do act exclusively in the interests of the
Community and neither seek nor take instructions from
any Government, authority, organization or persons
outside the Commission?

4. What is the Commission's view on the dangers of a
renationalization of the Community's executive body and
the risk to the Commission's public standing as the
independent guardian of the Treaties ?

Answer given by Mr Cardoso e Cunha
on behalf of the Commission

_(31 January 1990)_

1. At 5 December 1989 a total of 285 A and B grade
national experts were seconded to the Commission.

Eighteen A grade experts and 23 B grade experts worked
alongside the 69 Commission officials responsible for
anti-dumping measures.

On the same date 6 594 A and B grade officials and
temporary staff paid from the administrative and research
appropriations were employed by the Commission. A
further 1 239 officials and temporary staff worked at the
Joint Research Centre.

The proportion of seconded national officials in relation
to Commission staff of the same category is thus less than
4%.

The Commission is sending a table containing further
information on the breakdown of experts in its

departments direct to the Honourable Member and to
Parliament's Secretariat.

2. The unit responsible for the coordination of fraud
prevention has one national expert in a staff of 27.

3. The rules applicable to seconded national experts
state that they must carry out their duties and act
exclusively in the interests of the Commission. They are
subject to the same obligations of discretion and
independence towards outside persons and bodies as
Community officials.

The experts remain with the Commission for an average
of two to three years.

The Commission has no reason to believe that the

seconded national experts do not observe these
requirements. If this were the case, it would be able to end
their secondment at any time.

4. The Commission attaches a great deal of importance
to its independence and has always borne this in mind
when developing the system of national experts.
Furthermore, this system allows national official to
further their training with practical experience of the
workings of the Commission.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 898/89

by Mr Jose Barros Moura (CG)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(1 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/66)

_Subject:_ Publication of parliamentary questions and
answers in Portuguese

Rule 62 (2) of the Rules of Procedure states that
parliamentary questions to which a written answer has
been given shall be published, together with the answer, in
the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Paragraph 3 of the same rule further stipulates that
questions to which no answer has been given within
certain specified periods shall be recorded, pending an
answer, in the Official Journal with details of the number,
author, date and subject, and of the document in which
they were published in full.

However, the Portuguese version of the Official Journal
(series C), unlike other language versions, while
complying with Article 62 (3) in recording the questions
awaiting an answer, publishes neither the texts of the

P B . ^ O official journal of the European Communities ^ o C ^ B ^

questions to which an answer has been ^iven nor the
answers ^iven by the Commissions the Council or the
Porei^n Ministers meeting in political Cooperation.

Can the Commission explain the reasons for this
anomaly^ which constitutes a breach of the rules and
reduced access to information for l^ortu^uesespeakin^
citi^ensB When does it expect respect for the
abovementioned rules to be finally enforced^

Answer ^iven by Mr Ban^emann
on behaifofthe Commission

In accordance with Parliament^sRules of Procedures the

answers to written questions^ and the questions
themselves^ are published under Parliaments
responsibility.

Publication depends in particular on the availability of the
differentlan^ua^e versions of the answers.

The Commission can assure the Honourable Member

that it is currently making everyeffort permitted by the
various constraints and priorities to ensure that with
effect from Parliaments ne^t session its answers are

translated into all the official lan^ua^es.

W ^ l T T E ^ ^ L ^ T ^ ^ ^ o ^ t ^ B ^

byMr]eanDPierre^affa^LfO^

to the Commission of the European CommumUes

^ O B C ^ B D ^

^ ^ c ^ . Production quotas for milk and milk products

What steps does the Commission intend to take to deal
with the general problem faced by milk producers on the
ver^e of retirements

^uch producers are now in financial difficulties since they
have been penalised by the gradual reduction imposed on
their milk output.

Answer ^iven by Mr Mac gharry
on behaif of the Commission

In its report on the operation of the milk quota system g^
the Commission highlighted a number of problems
affectiu^ various categories ofproducers.

(On the basis of its analysis it put forward several
proposals — nowadoptedby the Council — foryoun^

dairy farmers^ new entrants to dairy farming small
scale farmers with nonviable quotas^ dairy farmers
implementing development plans and those farming in
mountain and hill areas. These were regarded as the
cate^oriesliable to be the most severely affected by the
new rules. The Commission takes the view that the

national and Community aid schemes for farmers who
withdraw from dairy farming altogether still representa
generous solution to the problems facing farmers
approaching the end of theirworkin^ life.

^ C O ^ ^ ^ f i m d

W ^ l T T ^ ^ ^ U ^ T t ^ ^ ^ o ^ ^ B ^

byMr]oser^appart^

to the Commission of the European Communities

^ O B C ^ B D ^

^ ^ c e R e v i e w of the dairy quota reserves

When farmers are penalised for e^ceedin^ their quotas^
it would appear that cases of discrimination arisen
particularly concerning the reference year selected.

Moes the Commission a^ree that^ in certain cases^

penalties have been wrongly imposed and that certain
problems facing different categories of producers have
notbeen^ivenproperconsideration inalltheMember
^tatesB

Whatviewdoes the Commission take of the factthat

certain re^ions^ such as the south-east of Bel^ium^which

cannot be converted to other forms of agriculture are
ineligible for Community reserves^ while Lu^embour^
which is ^eo^raphicallyvery similar is eli^ible^

Answer ^iven by Mr Mac gharry
on behalf of the Commission

g ^ ^ ^ r v ^ ^

It isforthe Court of]ustice to state the le^al position as to
whether additional levies have been charged in error, in
the Commission^sview they have not. But^ as it pointed
out in its report to the Council on the milk quota
system rg^ there are a number of problems affecting
various categories of producers which have not been dealt
with appropriately in all the Member states.

The purpose of the Community reserve is to offset
difficulties arising in the implementation of the additional
levy scheme in certain countries^ it is shared out on a
nationalbasis^ not are^ional one. The question of the
access of individual regions to the Community reserve

No C 97/36 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

therefore does not arise. However, Community law
allows regional differentiation and preferential treatment
of certain regions in the distribution of national reserves.

(') COM(89) 352 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 931/89

by Sir James Scott-Hopkins (ED)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(1 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/69)

_Subject:_ Nutrition labels on foods

Would the Commission state whether it will consider

revising its proposals for legislation concerning nutrition
labels on foods? Would not the simplest solution, and that
most helpful to the prospective purchaser, be to go for
one label, compulsory for all foods?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(17 January 1990)_

The Commission proposal (') aims at harmonizing
nutrition labelling Community wide by establishing a
standardized format of information which will be

compulsory when nutrition labelling is given. Following
the opinion expressed by the European Parliament in May
1989 ( [2] ) the Commission transmitted to the Council on
5 September 1989 ( [3] ) a modified proposal which included
important amendments proposed in that opinion.

O COM(88) 489 final.
( [2] ) Debates of the European Parliament No 2-378 (May 1989).
( [3] ) COM(89) 420 final.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 953/89

by Mr Eisso Woltjer (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/70)

_Subject:_ Bonus-for-quantity arrangement in the dairy

sector

In the Netherlands the largest dairy cooperative has
announced its intention of introducing a bonus

for-quantity arrangement. Under this system, farmers
who produce larger quantities of milk will receive a higher
price than members of the cooperative who produce
smaller quantities. Producers who supply less than
50 000 kg will not receive the bonus, which is as much as
2 % for those who supply 600 000 kg.

1. What view does the Commission take of the allocation

of this bonus in general and in cooperatives in
particular?

2. Does the Commission consider that such a bonus,
which merely serves to discriminate between large and
small suppliers and therefore has nothing in common
with price differentiation based on objective criteria
such as the quality of the milk or the cost of collection,
is undesirable, given that the objective of the common
agricultural policy is to achieve uniform prices?

3. Does the Commission not consider that the

introduction of this bonus arrangement by
cooperatives penalizes smaller producers, who are
unable to afford the high withdrawal fee, which would
enable them to transfer to an undertaking where this
bonus system is not used?

4. Does the Commission not consider that as milk

becomes scarcer, there is a danger of dairy
undertakings competing more fiercely with each
other, for example by means of differentiated prices,
which will ultimately be harmful to all dairy farmers?

5. Does the Commission not consider that general rules
must be drawn up within the framework of the quota
system to prevent unequal treatment of producers
through such, and other, arrangements?

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(25 January 1990)_

1. This question cannot be answered without a
knowledge of _all_ the possible grounds for a bonus.

2. Yes, if it does not meet objective criteria.

3. As far as the Commission is aware, producers are in
all cases able to switch to the purchaser of their choice,
provided that due notice is given.

4. No.

5. Since the quota system is designed to curb
production and does not regulate the prices paid to

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/37

producers, it would be difficult to find a solution within
its framework to the general problem of unequal

treatment.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 956/89

by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/71)

_Subject:_ Status of regions in the Communky

What steps has the Commission taken or does it wish to
take to reduce the marked differences in the status of the

regions of the Community?

Is not harmonization of the powers vested in the regions
one of the prerequisites for the cohesion of the
Community?

Does the Commission wish to enhance the status of the

regions of Member States in which there is little
decentralization?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

_(9 January 1990)_

With regard to the status of Community regions and
harmonization of the powers vested in them, the
Commission would remind the Honourable Member that

each Member State retains sovereignty over its
administrative and political set-up. However, the
Commission encourages each Member State to use the
most appropriate means of involving regional and local
bodies and both sides of industry in the regional planning

process.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 957/89

by Mr Jean-Pierre Raffarin (LDR)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/72)

_Subject:_ Role of leisure parks in regional development

Has the Commission carried out a study of the role of
leisure parks in the regional development of the European
Community?

What conclusions has it reached on this matter?

Answer given by Mr Millan
on behalf of the Commission

_(12 January 1990)_

The Commission has not undertaken a study of leisure
parks in the context of Community regional development
and has not prepared any analyses of the subject.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 964/89

by Mrs Raymonde Dury (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/73)

_Subject:_ Cost of advertising medicinal products

In reply to a previous question (Written Question
No 2383/88 (')), the Commission observed that the cost
of advertising generic products was comparable to the
cost of advertising new medicinal products.

1. Can the Commission say for each Member State
what percentage of turnover is devoted by the
pharmaceutical industry to innovative research and
what percentage to the actual production process?

3. Can it say whether the advertising costs for promoting
medicinal products in fact lead to an increase in prices
which is not justified by factors linked to the
invention, development or manufacture of these
medicinal products?

O OJ No C 255, 9. 10. 1989, p. 34.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann
on behalf of the Commission

_(17 January 1990)_

1. The Commission does not have the detailed

information requested by the Honourable Member.

2. The Commission is sending directly to the
Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of

the European Parliament the information available about
the cost structures of the European pharmaceutical
industry and the proportion of turnover devoted to
research and development which is taken from the study
of 'The cost of non-Europe in the pharmaceutical
industry' (*).

3. All Member States have specific rules in respect of
pharmaceutical advertising, and in certain Member States

No C 97/38 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

there are limits to the amount of expenditure allowed on
pharmaceutical products which are covered by the
national health insurance systems. The Commission is
currently considering the possibility of presenting a
proposal for a Directive to lay down certain requirements
at Community level in this respect.

O EC Catalogue No CB-PP-88-P14-EN-C.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 965/89

by Mrs Raymonde Dury (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/74)

_Subject:_ Registration of generic medicinal products

In reply to a previous question (Written Question
No 2383/88 (')) the Commission observed that generic
medicinal products were gaining importance on all
Member States' markets.

1. If an existing generic medicinal product is duly
registered and authorized for the market in one
Member State will it automatically be registered and
authorized for the market in the other Member

States?

2. Has a specific procedure been provided to ensure the
free movement of generic medicinal products in the
Community?

O OJNoC255,9. 10. 1989, p. 34.

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

_(17 January 1990)_

1. No. In accordance with Article 3 of Directive

65/65/EEC _C),_ no medicinal product may be placed on
the market in a Member State unless an authorization has

been granted by the competent authority of that Member
State.

2. The Commission does not envisage establishing
specific Community procedures for the authorization of
generic medicines. However, in the general proposals on
future authorization procedures which are currently in
preparation, the Commission is considering the possibility
of simplifying the decentralized 'multi-State' procedure
established by Directive 83/570/EEC ( [2] ) in order to make
it more accessible to small and medium-sized companies,
including the manufacturers of generic medicines.

O OJ No 22, 9. 2. 1965, p. 369.
( [2] ) OJ No L 332, _28._ 11. 1983, p. 1.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 975/89

by Mrs Winifred Ewing (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/75)

_Subject:_ Fraud in the EC agriculture sector

It is estimated that 10 % of the annual Community budget
disappears into the pockets of swindlers. Agricultural
subsidies and export refunds are the main areas which are
at present open to fraud.

As a means of curbing this fraudulent behaviour will the
Commission publish the names and adresses of those
offenders who jjave already been apprehended?

Answer given by Mr Delors
on behalf of the Commission

_(17 January 1990)_

As regards the estimate that fraud accounts for 10 % of the
Community budget and the claim that agricultural
expenditure is particularly susceptible to fraud, the
Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its

answers to Written Question No 1528/87 by Mr
Vandemeulebroucke _(_ _[l]_ _)_ and No 2116/87 by Sir James
Scott-Hopkins ( [2] ).

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member

that it is the Member States which prosecute offenders
and that publicity concerning criminal proceedings is
governed by national legislation.

O OJNoC 195,25.7. 1988, p. 6.
O OJNoC244, 19.9. 1988, p. 27.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 980/89

by Mrs Winifred Ewing (ARC)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(7 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/76)

_Subject:_ Haddock quotas in the North Sea

Does the Commission think it logical to cut haddock
quotas in the North Sea by 60 _%_ while at the same time
allowing, as in 1988, the industrial fishing, mostly by
Denmark, of sand eels which are the basic food of

haddock to the extent of 900 000 tonnes?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(18 January 1990)_

Haddock feeds mainly near or at the sea bed. The most
important constituents of its diet are recorded as being

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/39

worms, molluscs and echinoderms, although it has also
been recorded on occasion as feeding very heavily on
sand-eels.

However, there is no evidence that catches of sand-eel
have had adverse effects on the development of the stock
of haddock in the North Sea.

The number of young fish entering the stocks of sand-eel
in the North Sea, with the exception of the Shetland area,
was very high in the period 1983 —1986. In consequence,
in the northern North Sea, where haddock are most
abundant, the total biomass of sand-eel in 1988 was at the
second highest level recorded in the period 1976—1988,
which was reflected in the catches.

In contrast, the reduction in the total allowable catch
(TAC) for haddock in the North Sea in 1989 was a direct
consequence of the very small number of young fish
entering the stock in 1987 and 1988. Because the stock is
very heavily fished, 65% of the stock being removed
annually by fishing, the size of the TAC is almost totally
dependent upon the size of the incoming year-class. In
these circumstances, a marked fall in catch possibilities in
1989 was inevitable.

The Commission, therefore, concludes that there is no
scientific basis for placing restrictions on the fishery for
sand-eel. In fact, to do so would have possible adverse
consequences because the fleets concerned would seek
alternative fishing possibilities, such as in the fishery for
Norway pout in which, unlike the fishery for sand-eel,
there are by-catches of human consumption species.

The Commission considers that the most significant step
which could be taken to better manage the stock of North
Sea haddock would be for the fishermen concerned to

modify their fishing gear in order to reduce the very high
catches of small haddock for which there is no market and

which are discarded at sea.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1015/89

by Mr Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(18 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/77)

_Subject:_ The payment of Chile's debt and the elimination
of poverty in the country

The normally responsible sections of the press (e.g. _The_
_Economist,_ 28 October — 3 November 1989) have
acknowledged the enormous efforts made by the present
Chilean Government to resolve the problem of the burden
of external debt weighing down this and other countries.
As a result of the determined pursuit of a dual policy of
buying back the debt and debt-equity swaps, Chile's

external debt now occupies the leading position in the
secondary debt market.

At the same time, a large part of the population of Chile is
unable to share in the benefits of economic growth.
Between a half and a third of the population, according to
different sources, have insufficient income to meet their

basic needs.

Does the Commission share Parliament's clearly
expressed hope that a future democratic government will
use the benefits accruing from the improvement in the
debt situation to give decisive help to the most vulnerable
sections of the population and has it considered drawing
up a special cooperation plan in conjunction with such a
government to secure this end?

Answer given by Mr Matutes
on behalf of the Commission

_(2 February 1990)_

The Commission is aware that a large part of Chile's
population has gained little from the country's economic
growth in recent years and that the amount of extreme
poverty in Chile is very worrying. The Commission
welcomed, however, the importance given to promoting
social justice and eliminating unemployment and poverty
under the programme of the future democratic
government to be led by the recently elected President of
Chile, Mr Patricio Aylwin. The Commission will provide
as much backing as it can for the future government in
this task and will make a special effort to speed up the
development of cooperation with Chile, in coordination
with bilateral cooperation activities undertaken by the
Member States in Chile. To achieve this the Commission

is ready to negotiate as soon as possible an agreement on
intensive cooperation between the Community and Chile.
At the same time the Commission will continue, as in the
past, to give financial support to the operations of
non-governmental organizations in Chile, particularly
where they are aimed at improving the lot of the most
vulnerable sections of the population.

It is apparent, however, that the Commission's action will
continue to be constrained by the relatively slender
financial resources and limited staff available to it for

cooperation with the countries of Latin America.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1049/89

by Mr Thomas Megahy (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(18 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/78)

_Subject:_ Confinement of veal calves in crates

In view of the fact that the EEC has formally approved
(78/923/EEC (*)) the European Convention on the

No C 97/40 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes, which
states that animals should be allowed 'freedom of

movement appropriate to an animal, having regard to its
species and in accordance with experience and scientific
knowledge', why has the Commission proposed to the
Council a regulation concerning minimum standards for
the protection of calves kept in intensive farming systems
which allows calves to be kept in individual crates for the
first eight weeks of their lives?

(') OJNoL323, 17. 11. 1978, p. 12.

Answer given by Mr Mac Sharry
on behalf of the Commission

_(25_ _January 1990)_

Having consulted scientific and agricultural experts from
the Member States, the Commission made its proposal for
a Council Regulation concerning minimum standards for
the protection of calves kept on intensive farming
systems (') in line with 'established experience and
scientific knowledge', as laid down in the European
Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for
Farming Puiposes.

The reason for allowing calves to be kept in individual
crates until they are eight weeks old is that, in certain
cases, this may be necessary for their welfare. Calves
which are removed from their dams at a very early age,
and then bucket-fed, retain for several weeks a strong
sucking instinct which, if they are group-housed, is
redirected towards their pen mates, to the detriment of all
calves in the group. If, in addition, they have been sold
through markets, transported long distances and mixed
with calves from different sources, they are extremely
susceptible to enteric and respiratory diseases which may
be fatal. Individual penning may permit the detection and
treatment of such diseases earlier than if calves are group
housed, particularly where the stock-keeper is not
particularly skilled or experienced in keeping calves in

groups.

(') OJNoC214,21.8. 1989,p.28.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1073/89

by Mr Jose Alvarez de Paz (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(18 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/79)

_Subject:_ The risk that the Community Charter of
Fundamental Social Rights will remain
inoperative

Does the Council think there is a danger that the content
of the Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights
will be watered down by national legislation and, if so,
how does it intend to prevent this?

Answer

_(16 March 1990)_

The Honourable Member will find that his question is
answered in the joint reply which the President of the
Council gave to Oral Questions with debate Nos 0-7/89,
0-8/89, 0-19/89, 0-25/89, 0-95/89 and 0-99/89 during
the debate on 21 November 1989.

The reply stated that:

'the guaranteeing of the social rights referred to in the
Charter and the implementation of the social measures
indispensable to the smooth operation of the internal
market fall more particularly, as part of the strategy
of economic and social cohesion, within the
responsibility of the Member States, in accordance
with national practice, in particular through legislation
and collective bargaining.'

The reply also stresses that all Commission proposals
submitted in respect of areas covered by the Charter
which fall within Community jurisdiction 'will be
examined by the Council from the twofold standpoint
of the development of employment and the
development of economic and social cohesion, with a
view to a decision on them as quickly as possible, as
and when the internal market is completed. The
Parliament will, of course, be consulted on each such
proposal, in accordance with the Treaty.'

It should further be noted that the Heads of State and of

Government of eleven Member States adopted the
Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of
Workers at the European Council meeting on 8 December
1989 in Strasbourg.

(') Debates of the European Parliament, No 2-383 (November
1989).

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1117/89

by Mrs Jessica Larive (LDR)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(19 December 1989)_

(90/C 97/80)

_Subject:_ Extension of the ERASMUS programme

At the sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg
on 22 November 1989 the President-in-Office of the

Council stated that the Council had decided to make

existing Community education and training programmes
accessible to Eastern European countries.

1. Is the Council aware that the great enthusiasm of
universities and the 6 million students in the European

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/41

Community concerning participation in the
ERASMUS programme is frequently frustrated by
lack of funds?

2. Is the Council aware that, given the disastrous failure
to reach the target figure of 10 % in respect of student
mobility (the figure achieved at the end of 1989 was
only just over 1 %), extra funds are necessary to
achieve better results?

3. Does the Council not agree that if the ERASMUS
scheme is extended to include students from Central

and Eastern Europe an even greater increase in funds
will be necessary, or does the Council envisage
separate suitably funded exchange programmes for
these students?

Answer

_(16 March 1990)_

The Council is fully aware of the importance of
developing the ERASMUS programme further. Thus, in
its Decision of 14 December 1989 on the second stage of
ERASMUS it provided for a substantial increase in the
funds allocated to the programme, i.e. from ECU 85
million for the first period (June 1987 to July 1990) to
ECU 192 million for the first three years of the second
stage, which will run for a period of five years.

On the subject of opening up ERASMUS to students
from Central Europe, raised by the Honourable Member
in paragraph 3 of his Question, the Commission has
recently sent the Council a proposal for a Decision
establishing a Trans-European Mobility Scheme for
University Studies ("TEMPUS'). This proposal concerns
the creation of a programme, parallel to the existing ones,
to meet the specific needs of the countries in question. It is
accompanied by a financial statement setting out the
separate budgetary estimates drawn up by the
Commission.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1170/89

by Mr Ernest Glinne (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(10 January 1990)_

(90/C 97/81)

_Subject:_ French customs and the importation of liquid
and mineral fuels

For various reasons, such as the application of excise duty
or a higher rate of VAT, sometimes both simultaneously,
the retail prices of liquid and mineral fuels are markedly
higher in France than in Belgium (between 30 and 40%).

Until August 1989 French customs directives authorized
the importation, without special formalities, of coal
and petroleum products for heating, with a duty-free
allowance up to a value of FT 2 400 (FF 2 800 as of 1 July
1989) or a quantity of 1 000 kg. These allowances were
authorized in the absence of any restrictive Community
legislation and in view of the fact that such imports were
for French individuals living on the border and buying
fuel in Belgium occasionally and for private use.

At the beginning of August 1989 a new directive entered
into force introducing taxation on liquid and mineral
fuels of any sort, regardless of the quantity involved.
These new measures are so strictly applied that even 25 kg
of coal or _20_ litres of petroleum oil or fuel oil are
unacceptable. In the Ardennes region a customs flying
squad has even been mobilized and fines of as much as
Bfrs 7 000 have been collected. As far as the payment of
various taxes is concerned, the calculation is made
without taking account of import regulations (the Schul
decree of 5 May 1982) by virtue of which the VAT paid in
the exporting country must be deducted from the VAT to
be paid in the importing country.

Does the Commission consider that these new French

customs rules concerning liquid and mineral fuels are
compatible with Community law and the preparations for
the single market?

Answer given by Mrs Scrivener
on behalf of the Commission

_(1 February 1990)_

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member

to its answer to Written Question No 780/89 by MiHerman ( [x] ).

(') OJNoC90,9.4. 1990, p. 25.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1199/89

by Mr Jose Alvarez de Paz (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(9 January 1990)_

(90/C 97/82)

_Subject:_ European company and worker participation

Does the Council consider that the wording of
paragraph 5 of Article 3 of the proposal for a directive
complementing the Statute for a European company with
regard to the involvement of employees — Doc.
COM(89) 268 final - SYN 218 and SYN 219 - is
compatible with the principle expounded by Mr Delors
that there can be no European company without
participation?

No C 97/42 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

Answer

_(14 March 1990)_

It is not customary for the Council to comment on a
statement made by the President of the Commission on a
proposal submitted by the Commission.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1208/89

by Mr Hugh McMahon (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(9 January 1990)_

(90/C 97/83)

_Subject:_ Predatory pricing of domestic water taps

Is the Commission satisfied that there is fair and equitable
competition between firms in the Member States who
manufacture domestic water taps. Has the Commission
received representations by the British Bathroom Council
on this question and if so what course of action does the
Commission propose to follow?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

_(2 February 1990)_

The Commission has no knowledge of facts which would
suggest that there was no fair and equitable competition
between the manufacturers of domestic water taps within
the Community. To date the Commission has not
received any representation by the British Bathroom
Council with regard to the competitive situation in the
sector concerned.

The Commission does not carry out an inquiry into a
particular economic sector if there are no sufficient
concrete reasons to suggest that competition is being
restricted or distorted within the Community. If there
were reasons to suggest such a restriction or distortion,
the Commission could conduct an investigation by
following the procedure laid down in Regulation (EEC)
No 17/62 ( [l] ) (see Commission decisions Grohe ( [2] ) and
Ideal Standard ( [3] ) of 10 December 1984). It is, however,
also possible for private complainants to bring an action
before the national courts which have powers to apply
Articles 85(1) and 86 and, in case of infringement of these
provisions, to grant compensation for damage suffered as
a result of such infringements.

(') OJNo 13,21.2. 1962.
O OJNoL 19,23. 1. 1985.
O OJNoL20,24. 1. 1985.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1242/89

by Mr Gary Titley (S)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(12 January 1990)_

(90/C 97/84)

_Subject:_ The future role of national central banks

The former Chancellor, Nigel Lawson, in his resignation
statement to the House of Commons indicated that he

had earlier prepared a paper proposing that the Bank of
England become independent of all political control and
influence.

1. Was the Commission, or any of its officials, involved
in any discussions with the British Government, or
any of its officials, on proposals to make the Bank of
England independent of political control and
influence?

2. Was the Commission consulted on the Chancellor's

paper prior to its publication?

3. What is the Commission's policy on the independence
or otherwise of National Central Banks?

Answer given by Mr Christophersen
on behalf of the Commission

_(2 February 1990)_

Neither the Commission nor any of its officials were
involved in any way in discussions on Mr Lawson's
proposals concerning the Bank of England. The
Commission was not consulted on Mr Lawson's paper
prior to its publication.

In the Commission's view, matters such as the
independence or otherwise of national central banks are,
for the time being, solely for national authorities to
decide. This is one application of the principle of
subsidiarity.

As to the situation in the stages after Stage One of EMU,
when, according to the proposals of the Delors
Committee, national central banks would become part of
a federal European System of Central Banks, the
Commission will make its views known on the questions
of independence and political accountability in the spring
of this year.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1251/89

by Mr Juan Bandres Molet (V)

to the Commission of the European Communities

_(12 January 1990)_

(90/C 97/85)

_Subject:_ Overfishing in the Mediterranean

Experts consider the Mediterranean, whose limited fish
stocks have been exploited — and not always prudently —

17. 4. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/43

for many centuries, to be overfished. The problem is
compounded by the ever-increasing sophistication of
fishing techniques. Is the Commission aware of the 'drift
net' technique originally introduced by the Japanese
fishing fleet, rapidly developed by Italy and now on the
increase in other fleets, which constitutes a major threat
to Mediterranean fish stocks, particularly pelagic species
and above all sword fish? Does the Commission intend to

prohibit this technique within the framework of
Community fisheries policy, and more specifically, as part
of the Blue Plan currently being drawn up for the
Mediterranean?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

_(13 February 1990)_

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member

to its answer to Written Question No 564/89 by Mr De
Vries (').

(') OJNoC90,9.4. 1990, p. 16.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 1279/89

by Mr Gerardo Gaibisso, Giuseppe Mottola and Franco
Borgo (PPE)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(15_ _January 1990)_

(90/C 97/86)

_Subject:_ Directive on tobacco advertising (COM(89) 163
final)

Will the Council please indicate whether a Directive that
implements a total ban on the advertising of tobacco
products across the Community would be legal under the
EEC Treaty?

Answer

_(16 March 1990)_

The proposal for a Directive which the Commission has
submitted to the Council on the advertising of tobacco
products in the press and by means of bills and posters (')
does not impose a total ban on the advertising of tobacco
products in the Community but simply a partial ban.

Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the

coordination of certain provisions relating to the pursuit

of television broadcasting activities ( [2] ) includes a ban on
all forms of advertising for cigarettes and other tobacco
products, but only on television.

O OJNoC124, 19.5. 1989, p. 5.
O OJNoL298,17. 10. 1989, p. 23.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 15/90

by Mr Klaus Hansen (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(26 January 1990)_

(90/C 97/87)

_Subject:_ British immigration requirements for Turkish
citizens travelling in groups

Since summer 1989 the British Government has

demanded that Turkish citizens entering the country,
even those travelling in groups, such as children on school
trips, pay for individual visas. At present the fee in the
Federal Republic of Germany is DM 62,00.

1. Does the Council agree that this regulation does not
encourage meetings and mutual understanding
between young people of different nations within the
EEC?

2. What steps will the Council take to persuade the
British Government to change the visa requirements
for Turkish citizens wishing to visit Great Britain in a
group?

Answer

_(14 March 1990)_

The decision to impose visa requirements on nationals of
third countries comes within the sphere of competence of
the Member States

WRITTEN QUESTION No 30/90

by Mr Ernest Glinne (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(26 January 1990)_

(90/C 97/88)

_Subject:_ Ratification of the New York Convention of
7 March 1966

The International Convention on the elimination of all

forms of racial discrimination, signed in New York on

No C 97/44 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 4. 90

7 March 1966, sets out a series of obligations for the
States Parties:

1. States Parties undertake to draw up a report on the
measures which they have adopted at national level
and which give effect to the provisions of this
Convention within one year after the ratification of
the Convention and thereafter every two years.

2. States Parties untertake to submit these reports to a
Committee of 1 8 experts of high moral standing and
acknowledged impartiality elected by secret ballot
from a list of persons nominated by the States Parties.
The above Committee shall report annually to the
General Assembly of the United Nations.

Would the Commission kindly state:

1. Which Member States of the Community have ratified
the above Convention?

2. What laws and regulations have they adopted as a
result?

3. Which Member States of the Community have
submitted the reports referred to above and when?

4. What is the content of the reports, in summary form
by Member State?

Answer

_(14 March 1990)_

Since this is an international convention signed within the
framework of the UNO, it is that International

Organization and the Member States of the Community
— which have ratified this Convention — which can give
replies to the questions put by the Honourable Member.
The Council has neither the competence nor the means to
do so.

WRITTEN QUESTION No 69/90

by Mrs Anita Pollack (S)

to the Council of the European Communities

_(2 February 1990)_

(90/C 97/89)

_Subject:_ Dumping chemical waste in the North Sea

What action is being taken to stop Britain dumping
chemical waste in the North Sea, a contravention of the
Committee of the Oslo Convention of 1987, under which
such dumping should have ceased by the end of 1989?

Answer

_(16 March 1990)_

The Council draws the attention of the Honourable

Member to the fact that the Community is not a
contracting Party to the Oslo Convention of 1987.

In the absence of any Commission proposals in this
framework, the Council has not had the opportunity to
discuss the matter raised in this question.