Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

ISSN 0378-6.986

#### C 300
# Official Journal

Volume 38
### of the European Communities 13 November 1995

Volume 38

13 November 1995

###### Information and Notices

English edition

Notice No Contents
Page

I Information

European Parliament

Written Questions with answer

95 / C 300 / 01 E-175 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : New foreign policy and security options 1

95 / C 300 / 02 E-212 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Implementation of the Europol Convention 1

95 / C 300 / 03 E-255 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Raffarin to the Council
Subject : Method of election to the European Parliament 2

95 / C 300 / 04 P-895 / 95 by Yiannis Roubatis to the Council
Subject : EU-Turkey Association Council and Turkish threats 2

95 / C 300 / 05 E-l 149 / 95 by Hiltrud Breyer to the Council
Subject : Basle Convention and communication from Sir Leon Brittan 3

95 / C 300 / 06 E-l 198 / 95 by Jesús Cabezón Alonso and Juan Colino Salamanca to the Council
Subject : Fourth action programme to combat exclusion and poverty 3

95 / C 300 / 07 E-1232 / 95 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Council
Subject : Recommendation on childcare 4

95 / C 300 / 08 E-1233 / 95 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Council
Subject : Recognition of the basic right to sufficient resources and social assistance 4

95 / C 300 / 09 E-1234 / 95 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Council
Subject : Continuing training 4

95 / C 300 / 10 E-1236 / 95 by Jose Valverde Lopez to the Council
Subject : Recommendation on the convergence of social protection objectives and policies .... 4

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1232 / 95 to E-1234 / 95 and E-1236 / 95 4

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Contents ( continued ) p age

P-1242 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Commission
Subject : Transport of plutonium 5

E-1290 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Council
Subject : Land mine exports 6

E-1293 / 95 by Christine Oddy to the Council
Subject : Senior pass 6

E-1297 / 95 by Carlos Robles Piquer to the Council
Subject : European Pensions Monitoring Centre 6

E - 1343 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Council
Subject : Oxygen compounds 7

E-l 360 / 95 by Fausto Bertinotti to the Council
Subject : Currency speculation damages the interests of Italian migrant workers in the canton of
Ticino 7

E-l 362 / 95 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Council
Subject : Implementation of the Schengen Agreements 8

E-1470 / 95 by Fausto Bertinotti to the Council
Subject : Depreciation of the lira and freedom of movement within the European Union 8

E-1471 / 95 by James Moorhouse to the Commission
Subject : Trainees ( stagiaires ) in the Commission services 9

E-1480 / 95 by Jesus Cabezón Alonso and Juan Colino Salamanca to the Council
Subject : Seizure of the Spanish fishing vessel ' Estai ' in international waters 10

E-1483 / 95 by Jesus Cabezón Alonso and Juan Colino Salamanca to the Council
Subject : Use of driftnets in 1995 10

P-1501 / 95 by Veronica Hardstaff to the Council
Subject : Support for fishermen 11

P-1525 / 95 by Karl-Heinz Florenz to the Commission
Subject : Sum spent specifically on the protection of habitats, flora and fauna as a proportion of the
funds allocated to environmental protection from the Structural and Cohesion Funds

( Supplementary answer ) 11

E-1536 / 95 by Veronica Hardstaff to the Commission
Subject : Support for fishermen 12

E-l 543 / 95 by Riccardo Nencini to the Council
Subject : World Trade Organization 13

E-l 565 / 95 by Antonio Tajani to the Council
Subject : Italian Constitution, punishment of exile imposed on the House of Savoy, and violation of
the European Convention on Human Rights 13

E-1573 / 95 by Ana Miranda de Lage and Jesus Cabezón Alonso to the Council
Subject : Gibraltar Social Insurance Fund 13

E-l 59 1 / 95 by Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : AIDS 14

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

95 / C 300 / 29 E-l 599 / 95 by Eva Kjer Hansen to the Commission
Subject : Compatibility of Danish rules on the taxation of assisting spouses ( Law on Withholding
Tax, Article 25a ) with Articles 3 and 5 of Council Directive 86 / 613 / EEC 15

95 / C 300 / 30 E-l 634 / 95 by Elly Plooii-van Gorsel to the Commission
Subject : Plutonium trafficking 15

95 / C 300 / 31 E-1647 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Sheepmeat and goatmeat 17

95 / C 300 / 32 E-1713 / 95 by Riccardo Nencini to the Council
Subject : Jobs crisis at ' Officine Galileo ' 17

95 / C 300 / 33 E-1717 / 95 by Holger Gustafsson to the Commission
Subject : ' Narrative ' environmental quality standards 18

95 / C 300 / 34 E-l 738 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Aid and cooperation in the field of seismic research and technology 18

95 / C 300 / 35 E-l 744 / 95 by Friedrich Konig to the Commission
Subject : Guaranteeing freedom to purchase cars throughout the internal market 19

95 / C 300 / 36 E-1748 / 95 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Nuclear industry privatization in the UK 20

95 / C 300 / 37 E-1749 / 95 by Alex Smith to the Commission
Subject : Brent Spar oil rig 20

95 / C 300 / 38 E-1764 / 95 by Joaquin Siso Cruellas to the Commission
Subject : ESF aid to Aragon under Objective 2 — 1994 / 1996 20

95 / C 300 / 39 E-1766 / 95 by Joaquin Siso Cruellas to the Commission
Subject : ' Green telephone line ' on health 21

95 / C 300 / 40 E-l 772 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Council
Subject : Creation of a rapid-reaction force 21

95 / C 300 / 41 P-1780 / 95 by Jean-Pierre Cot to the Council
Subject : Respect for the fundamental rights of the European Union by France 22

95 / C 300 / 42 E-1793 / 95 by Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Granting of retirement pensions to emigrant Community workers 22

95 / C 300 / 43 E-l 795 / 95 by Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf to the Commission
Subject : Allocation criteria for research, technological development and demonstration
programmes in the field of agriculture 23

95 / C 300 / 44 E-l 797 / 95 by Lissy Groner to the Commission
Subject : Telescope project on Mount Graham, Arizona ( holy mountain of the San Carlos
Apaches ) 24

95 / C 300 / 45 E-l 858 / 95 by Luciano Vecchi to the Commission
Subject : Construction of an international astronomical observatory on Mount Graham ( USA ) 24

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1797 / 95 and E-1858 / 95 24

95 / C 300 / 46 E-1816 / 95 by Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Regulation of banking 25

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( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

95 / C 300 / 47 E-l 829 / 95 by Salvador Garriga Polledo to the Commission
Subject : The Ensidesa National Steel Company 25

95 / C 300 / 48 E-l 849 / 95 by Jannis Sakellariou to the Council
Subject : Answers to questions already tabled 26

95 / C 300 / 49 E-l 854 / 95 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Search for an alternative firewood 26

95 / C 300 / 50 E-l 871 / 95 by Sergio Ribeiro to the Commission
Subject : Preservation of the historical, environmental and cultural heritage in Bairro-Ourém,
Portugal 26

95 / C 300 / 51 E-l 873 / 95 by Otto von Habsburg to the Commission
Subject : The map of the European Union drawn up by Directorate-General X of the Commission of
the European Communities and issued by the EU Office for Official Publications ( 1995 ) 27

95 / C 300 / 52 P-1880 / 95 by Pedro Marset Campos to the Commission
Subject : Attacks on Spanish fruit and vegetables in France 27

95 / C 300 / 53 E-l 892 / 95 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor to the Commission
Subject : Proposal for Member State vessels to fly the European flag in addition to their national
flag 28

95 / C 300 / 54 P-1921 / 95 by Fausto Bertinotti to the Commission
Subject : Report of the United Nations Environment Programme on the effect of depletion of the
stratospheric ozone level and possible activation of the HIV virus 28

95 / C 300 / 55 E-l 925 / 95 by Gerhard Botz to the Commission
Subject : Allocation of ERDF appropriations to the new German Länder 29

95 / C 300 / 56 E-l 927 / 95 by Mark Killilea to the Council
Subject : Forced wearing of ' hidjab ' by Muslim women 30

95 / C 300 / 57 E-1940 / 95 by James Nicholson to the Commission
Subject : Veterinary medicinal products 30

95 / C 300 / 58 E-1941 / 95 by Astrid Lulling to the Commission
Subject : Eurostat study on the cost of living in the European capitals 31

95 / C 300 / 59 E-l 948 / 95 by Jesús Cabezón Alonso and Juan Colino Salamanca to the
Commission

Subject : Criteria for measuring unemployment 31

95 / C 300 / 60 E-1949 / 95 by Jesús Cabezón Alonso and Juan Colino Salamanca to the
Commission

Subject : Criteria for tabulating unemployment 31

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1948 / 95 and E-1949 / 95 31

95 / C 300 / 61 E-1954 / 95 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler to the Commission
Subject : Effects of EU food aid on the recipient countries ' agricultural markets 32

95 / C 300 / 62 E-l 959 / 95 by Stephen Hughes to the Commission
Subject : EU subsidies for bull fighting 33

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E-l 960 / 95 by Concepció Ferrer to the Commission
Subject : Directory of European programmes 33

E-1963 / 95 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Dismantling of Falck iron and steel plant at Sesto San Giovanni 34

E-l 974 / 95 by Alexandros Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Extension of ' road axis 9 ' 34

E-l 983 / 95 by Giuseppe Rauti to the Commission
Subject : Strike action and crisis affecting Italian air transport 35

E-1987 / 95 by Heidi Hautala to the Commission

Subject : Molitor group 35

E-l 992 / 95 by Jesus Cabezón Alonso and Ana Miranda de Lage to the Council
Subject : Referendum in Western Sahara 36

E-20 19 / 95 by Bartho Pronk to the Commission
Subject : Social dialogue with small and medium-sized enterprises 36

E-2024 / 95 by Mark Killilea to the Commission
Subject : Destruction of fish stocks by cormorants 37

E-2029 / 95 by Wilfried Kuckelkorn to the Commission
Subject : Transposition of Directives on improving the safety and health of workers at work in
Germany 37

E-2033 / 95 by Spalato Belleré to the Commission
Subject : Conservation of birthplaces of major historical figures 38

E-2042 / 95 by Peter Skinner to the Commission
Subject : European Union funding and compatibility with EU legislation and policies 38

E-2044 / 95 by Jose Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado to the Commission
Subject : Provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of disodium carbonate originating in the

USA 39

E-2226 / 95 by Iñigo Mendez de Vigo to the Commission
Subject : Anti-dumping duties on imports of disodium carbonate 39

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2044 / 95 and E-2226 / 95 40

E-2045 / 95 by Bartho Pronk to the Commission
Subject : Directive on working hours for airline staff 40

E-2047 / 95 by Martina Gredler to the Commission
Subject : New budget heading concerning landmines 41

E-2057 / 95 by Josu Imaz San Miguel to the Commission

Subject : Wood-pigeon shooting 41

95 / C 300 / 79 E-2065 / 95 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Budget heading A-l 83 42

95 / C 300 / 80 P-2079 / 95 by Yannos Kranidiotis to the Council
Subject : Relations between Turkey and the European Union 42

95 / C 300 / 81

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E-2083 / 95 by Anita Pollack to the Commission
Subject : Forests in the Solomon Islands 43

( Continued overleaf )

Notice No Contents ( continued ) Page

95 / C 300 / 82 E-2085 / 95 by Inigo Mendez de Vigo to the Commission
Subject : Construction of a tunnel between Spain and Morocco 43

95 / C 300 / 83 E-208 6 / 95 by Inigo Mendez de Vigo to the Commission
Subject : China 's membership of the WTO 43

95 / C 300 / 84 E-2087 / 95 by Joan Vallve to the Commission
Subject : Drift-nets in the iMediterranean 44

95 / C 300 / 85 E-2088 / 95 by Joan Vallve to the Commission
Subject : Protection of Balearic fishing grounds against illegal fishing 44

Joint answer to Written Questions E-2087 / 95 and E-2088 / 95 44

95 / C 300 / 86 E-2098 / 95 by Helena Torres Marques to the Commission
Subject : EAGGF black list                   - . 45

95 / C 300 / 87 E-21 16 / 95 by Karin Ealkmer to the Commission
Subject : Closure of the Chernobyl nuclear plant 45

95 / C 300 / 88 E-21 18 / 95 by Laura González Alvarez to the Commission
Subject : Change in the rules on leave for elections applying to Commission staff 46

95 / C 300 / 89 E-21 19 / 95 by Laura Gonzalez Alvarez to the Commission
Subject : Guaranteed right to vote for Spanish officials and other servants working for the
Commission 46

Joint answer to Written Questions E-21 18 / 95 and E-21 19 / 95 46

95 / C 300 / 90 E-212 5 / 95 by Otto von Habsburg to the Commission
Subject : Payment for Phare programme advisers 47

95 / C 300 / 91 E-2129 / 95 by Gerhard Schmid to the Commission
Subject : Management programme in Japan — HRTP 47

95 / C 300 / 92 E-21 30 / 95 by Gerhard Schmid to the Commission
Subject : EU support for nuclear energy plant in Morocco 48

95 / C 300 / 93 E-2140 / 95 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Asbestos 48

95 / C 300 / 94 E-2142 / 95 by Nuala Ahern to the Commission
Subject : Cost of Chernobyl 49

95 / C 300 / 95 E-2149 / 95 by Ian White to the Commission
Subject : Chalk in flour 49

95 / C 300 / 96 P-22 15 / 95 by Paul Lannoye to the Commission
Subject : Misuse of the ' Bio ' label by supermarket chain 49

95 / C 300 / 97 E-2233 / 95 by Jacques Donnay to the Commission
Subject : European Union policy on the development of regional airports 50

95 / C 300 / 98 E-2260 / 95 by Susanne Riess-Passer to the Commission
Subject : Support for the press in Austria 51

95 / C 300 / 99 P-2275 / 95 by Nikitas Kaklamanis to the Commission
Subject : Anti-fouling marine paints 51

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E-22 84 / 95 by Anne Andre-Leonard to the Commission
Subject : Sodium carbonate in the European glass industry

E-2286 / 95 by Giuseppe Rauti to the Commission
Subject : European rules on lakesides and coastlines

P-229 6 / 95 by Tony Cunningham to the Commission
Subject : Commission Joint Research Center Project

E-2322 / 95 by Mihail Papayannakis to the Commission
Subject : Harmonization of Member States ' social security schemes

P-2326 / 95 by Freddy Blak to the Commission
Subject : ' Leonardo da Vinci ' application forms

P-2327 / 95 by Hedwig Keppelhoff-Wiechert to the Commission
Subject : Financing of training / vocational training in agriculture pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation

( EEC ) No 2084 / 93 on the ESF and Article 8 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2085 / 93 on the EAGGF

( evaluation principle )

E-2336 / 95 by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke to the Commission
Subject : Commissioners ' interests

E-2337 / 95 by Freddy Blak to the Commission
Subject : R&D projects

P-23 66 / 95 by Maria Izquierdo Rojo to the Commission
Subject : Aid for Algerian women

E-2369 / 95 by Wolfgang Nußbaumer to the Commission
Subject : Privatization in eastern Europe

E-2375 / 95 by Friedrich König to the Commission
Subject : Discrimination against the Austrian media in favour of foreign competitors

E-2389 / 95 by Johannes Blokland to the Commission
Subject : Unlawful practices when building workers are employed in another Member State . .

P-23 93 / 95 by Caroline Jackson to the Commission
Subject : Directive 92 / 3 / Euratom on the shipment of radioactive waste

P-24 17 / 95 by Jose Apolinário to the Commission
Subject : Balances under the First CSF for Portugal ( 1989 — 1993 )

E - 2447 / 95 by Cristiana Muscardini to the Commission
Subject : Terrorist attack in Paris

P-2477 / 95 by Eva Kjer Hansen to the Commission
Subject : European consumer guide to the single market

P-2496 / 95 by Nel van Dijk to the Commission
Subject : Wood preservation firms and the Seveso Directive

E-2503 / 95 by Amedeo Amadeo to the Commission
Subject : Genetically modified agricultural produce

P-2555 / 95 by Alexandras Alavanos to the Commission
Subject : Further explosion in Thriasian Plain factory

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13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 1

I

( Information )

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 75 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-212 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

Raffarin ( PPE ) by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council to the Council

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 01 ) 95 / C 300 / 02 )

Subject : New foreign policy and security options

The French presidency expressed the hope that the new
Treaty to be approved in 1996 or 1997 might do for the
CFSP what the Maastricht Treaty had done for monetary
policy . What new foreign policy and security options would
the Council like to boost ?

Answer

Subject : Implementation of the Europol Convention

What are the Council 's preconditions for adoption of the
Convention setting up Europol, the organization for
cooperation between European police forces ?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

(6 October 1995 ) The Council is not aware of any pre-conditions for adoption
of the Convention setting up Europol .

As emphasized in the report on the functioning of the
Treaty, adopted by the Council on 10 April 1995, progress
is still necessary as regards procedures in order to ensure the
smoother functioning of all the Union 's policies . Some
progress has been made in overcoming certain difficulties
inherent in the running-in of the instruments and structures
of the CFSP . It is important to continue the efforts already
started to ensure that the common foreign and security
policy is as effective as required .

The Council has deemed it appropriate not to put forward
any ideas as to the prospects of any reforms to be carried
out, as it is concerned to avoid anticipating the work of the
Reflection Group which will begin its activity on 2 June
1995 .

As regards the Council 's work on the draft of that
Convention, the Essen European Council meeting on 9 and

10 December 1994 instructed the Justice and Home Affairs
Council, following on from the results already obtained
under the German Presidency, to achieve a balanced
solution for four specific points, namely the architecture of
the system and the role of liaison officers, the inclusion of
terrorism in Europol 's remit, and the institutional aspects .
Substantial progress was made on most of those points at
the JHA Council meeting on 9 and 10 March 1995 .

The JHA Council meeting on 20 and 21 June 1995 reached
general agreement on the Convention 's specific provisions
and worked out a compromise proposal for judicial
control .

The Cannes European Council ( 26 and 27 June 1995 ) noted
with satisfaction agreement on the Convention establishing

No C 300 / 2 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

Europol, a significant instrument for cooperation between
States in the interests of reinforcing the security of their
citizens . It recommends Member States to do their utmost to

ensure that this Convention can be formally adopted and
applied as soon as possible after ratification by the national
parliaments . It agreed to settle the question of the possible
jurisdiction to be attributed to the Court of Justice of the
European Communities at its meeting in June 1996 at the
latest .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-255 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Raffarin ( PPE )

to the Council

( 22 February 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 03 )

Subject : Method of election to the European Parliament

Is the Council prepared to ask the Member States to
harmonize their electoral procedures for elections to the
European Parliament ? Is the regionalization of such
elections a priority for the Council ?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

Regarding the electoral procedure for elections to the
European Parliament, the Council would remind the
Honourable Member of the replies given by its Presidents on
the subject at Question Time in December 1993 ( Question
No 1-H 672 / 94 ) and in January 1994 ( Question No 7-H

822 / 94 ).

Harmonization of electoral procedures currently followed
by Member States could only take place on the basis of the
provisions of Article 138(3 ) of the EC Treaty which
stipulate that the Council, after obtaining the assent of the
European Parliament, shall lay down provisions which it
shall recommend to Member States for adoption in
accordance with their respective constitutional
requirements .

At its meeting on 19 December 1994 the Council found that
it was unable to reach agreement on the basis of the
resolution adopted by the European Parliament on
10 March 1993 and noted that that resolution required
closer study, as it simply outlined general principles .

As matters stand, it is therefore Article 7(1 ) of the Act of
20 September 1976 concerning the election of the
representatives of the European Parliament by direct
universal suffrage that continues to apply, i.e. ' pending the
entry into force of a uniform electoral procedure [. . .] the
electoral procedure shall be governed in each Member State
by its national provisions '. The Council cannot therefore
make recommendations to Member States in that

connection .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-895 / 95

by Yiannis Roubatis ( PSE )

to the Council

( 15 March 1995 )

( 95 / G 300 / 04 )

Subject : EU-Turkey Association Council and Turkish
threats

During his address to the European Union — Turkey
Association Council, meeting in Brussels on 6 March 1995,
the Turkish Foreign Minister :

— threatened that Turkey would annex the
Turkish-occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, if
negotiations for the accession of Cyprus began before a
solution was found to the Cyprus problem ;

— cast doubt on Cyprus ' right to become a member of the

European Union according to the calendar adopted by
common position of the General Affairs Council of the

15 Member States ;

— stated that Turkey would maintain its political and legal

opposition to Cypriot accession to the European Union,
if efforts were made to achieve this before Turkish

accession ;

— stated that the Council 's Decision on the accession of

Cyprus was a blunder which would lead to the
permanent partition of the island .

In view of this, will the Council say :

1 . How does it intend to react to this provocative position
adopted by Turkey which is totally at odds with what
was agreed at the meeting of the General Affairs Council
of 6 March 1995, and, indeed, the spirit of the European
institutions and European integration ?

2 . How does it interpret the statements made by the
Turkish Foreign Minister ?

3 . What actions does it intend to take to put an end to the

flagrant violation of human rights in Turkey ?

Answer

(6 October 1995 )

The Council would stress that at the working dinner which
followed the meeting of the EC-Turkey Association Council
on 6 March the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of
Turkey re-affirmed more than once that they subscribed to
the concept of a bi-zonal, bi-communal Federation and
wished to cooperate with Greece to help set it up . That
position was reiterated during the latest visit to Ankara of
the ministerial Troika on 23 March .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 3

The statement made by Turkey 's former Minister for
Foreign Affairs referred to the problem of Cyprus in terms
which could be incompatible with international law and the
United Nations ' Resolutions on which the Union 's policy is
based .

As regards human rights in Turkey, the Council is very much
aware of the present serious situation and takes every
opportunity to send clear and unequivocal signals to its
Turkish partners on that subject . Furthermore, at the
EC-Turkey Association Council on 6 March the Union
reiterated that respect for the rule of law and fundamental
freedoms formed the basis for the closer relationship
between Turkey and the EU and expressed the hope that
civil rights projects would be rapidly implemented . The
reform of the Constitution voted by the Turkish Parliament
on 23 July is an important first step towards the
liberalization of public life . The Union is continuing to keep
close track of the process of democratization on which
Turkey has embarked to forster the closer relationship
between Europe and Turkey .

24 March 1994, with the support of all the Member States .
Why has the pressure of industry lobbying led the Council to
accept a watering-down and breach of international law .

5 . The ban on the transfer of hazardous waste, even for
recycling, in accordance with Decision 11 / 12 is an
interpretation of the Basle Convention . What is the
Council 's view of the implications for future international
agreements and the likelihood of bringing actions for
breaches of treaty obligations if the Council of Ministers
breaches the decisions taken by the Basle Convention
Contracting States by adopting this proposal ?

6 . Does the Council share the view of MEPS that the

proposal not only breaches international decisions but is
also an affront to the position of the democratically elected

European Parliament, which has come out in favour of a
complete ban on the transfer of hazardous waste in
accordance with the Basle Convention, and is now to be
excluded by the change in the legal basis from Article 130s to
Article 113 ?

(') COM(94 ) 678 .

Answer

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 149 / 95 ( 13 October 1995 )

by Hiltrud Breyer ( V )

to the Council

( 20 April 1995 )

95 / C 300 / 05

Subject : Basle Convention and communication from Sir

Leon Brittan

1 . When does the Council of Ministers intend to adopt
the proposal, drawn up by Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan,
for a Council Regulation laying down common rules and
implementing provisions for the export of certain waste
towards non-OECD countries (*)? Which Council will
assume responsibility ? Is the Environment Council
involved ?

2 . How does the Council justify the proposal, which
seeks to evade the Basle Convention by means of bilateral
agreements, after the countries approached have either
failed to react or have made it clear that they do not want to
have a ' green list ', but will continue to support the complete
ban in the Basle Convention ?

3 . How does the Council justify the proposal despite
confirmation from the ACP and OAU States that any
deviation from the Basle Convention is out of the question
as far as they are concerned and that they also have no
recycling facilities ?

4 . The proposal runs counter to Decision 11 / 12 adopted
by the Basle Convention contracting States in Geneva on

The Council notes the Honourable Member 's comments

with interest . As the proposal for a Regulation in question
has not yet been submitted to it officially, it is unable to reply
to the questions put .

As far a Decision 11 / 12 is concerned, the Environment
Council recently instructed the Commission to take part in
the Third Conference of the Parties to the Basle Convention,
which will concern in particular integration of this Decision
into the Convention .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 198 / 95

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and

Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE )

to the Council

(8 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 06 )

Subject : Fourth action programme to combat exclusion

and poverty

Can the Council state on what grounds it has, by accepting
the criticisms levelled at the ' Poverty III ' programme by
certain Member States on efficiency grounds, repeatedly
delayed adoption of the new fourth action programme to
combat exclusion and poverty ?

No C 300 / 4 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

Answer

(6 October 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1234 / 95

by José Valverde Lôpez ( PPE )

to the Council

(8 May 1995 )

This proposal for a Decision is based on Article 235 of the
Treaty, which lays down that unanimity is required for its ( 95 / C 300 / 09 )
adoption . The Presidency is continuing its efforts to reach
agreement in the Council on the proposal .

Subject : Continuing training

At its meeting in Luxembourg on 29 June 1995 the Council
noted that two delegations were unable to withdraw their
general reservations on the Commission proposal .

Could the Council provide information on the measures
adopted in each Member State in response to the
recommendation designed to facilitate workers ' access to
continuing training ( XXVIth General Report,
paragraph 421 )?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1236 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1232 / 95 by José Valverde Lôpez ( PPE )

by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE ) to the Council

to the Council
(8 May 1995 )

(8 May 1995 ) 95 / C 300 / 10 )

( 95 / C 300 / 07 )

Subject : Recommendation on the convergence of social

Subject : Recommendation on childcare

On 31 March 1992 the Council adopted a recommendation
on childcare ( XXVIth General Report, paragraph 391 )
which makes provision for a series of initiatives designed to
enable parents to reconcile work and their family and
educational responsibilities .

On 27 July 1992 the Council adopted recommendation
92 / 442 / EEC (') on the convergence of social protection
objectives and policies, w ith a view to preventing differences
in social protection between the Member States from
hindering the free movement of persons . Can the Council
provide information on the initiatives undertaken by the
various Member States in connection with this

recommendation ?

protection objectives and policies

Can the Council provide information on the initiatives
undertaken by the various Member States in connection
with this recommendation ? C ) OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992, p . 49 .

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1232 / 95 to E-1234 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1233 / 95
and E-l 236 / 95

by José Valverde Lopez ( PPE )

to the Council ( 13 October 1995 )

(8 May 1995 )

1 . It is up to the Commission to ensure that Community
( 95 / C 300 / 08
law is applied by the Member States .

Subject : Recognition of the basic right to sufficient
resources and social assistance

On 24 June 1992 the Council adopted a
recommendation { : ) aimed at facilitating the integration of
the most disadvantaged members of society and called on
the Member States to recognize the basic right of a person to
sufficient resources and social assistance .

Can the Council provide information on the initiatives
undertaken by the various Member States in connection
with this recommendation ?

(') OJ CE G-1992, point 1.3.98 .

2 . The Council would however point out that the four
recommendations referred to by the Honourable Member
contain the following specific provisions on the way in
which they should be monitored :

— the recommendation of 31 March 1992 on childcare (')

provides that, within three years of the date of its
adoption, the Member States shall inform the
Commission of the m easures taken to give effect to it, in
order that the Commission can draw up a report on its
implementation .

— in its recommendation of 24 June 1992 on common

criteria concerning sufficient resources and social
assistance in social protection systems ( 2 ), the Council
asked the Commission to submit to the European

13 . 11 . 95 I EN I Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 5

Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social
Committee, on a regular basis, reports based on
information supplied by the Member States describing
the progress achieved and obstacles encountered in
implementing this recommendation .

— in its recommendafion of 30 June 1993 on access to

continuing vocational training ( 3 ), the Council invites
Member States to provide the Commission, three years
after the date of adoption of this recommendation, with
a report setting out the measures taken in this area . On
the basis of the reports provided and the results of the
dialogue between the two sides of industry, the
Commission will draw up an assessment report on
progress made by the Member States .

— Finally, the Council recommendation of 27 July 1992 on

the convergence of social protection, objectives and
policies ( 4 ) makes provision for the Commission to :

— submit regular reports to the Council on progress

achieved in relation to the objectives set out above
and determine and develop, in cooperation with the
Member States, the use of appropriate criteria for
that purpose ;

— organize regular consultation with the Member

States on the development of social protection
policy .

( ] ) OJ No L 123, 8 . 5 . 1992, p . 16 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992, p . 46 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 181, 23 . 7 . 1993, p . 37 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992, p . 49 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-l 242 / 95

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Commission

. ( 20 April 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 11 )

Subject : Transport of plutonium

According to the Coventry Evening Telegraph dated
21 February 1995, plutonium is being transported from
Sellafield to Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment
along the M6 and the M42 in the West Midlands and on the
M40 near Leamington .

Given that these motorways are in heavily built-up areas and
that plutonium can ignite in contact with the air, does the
Commission not consider that this is extremely dangerous
and that restrictions on the transport of plutonium in the
European Union should be introduced ?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

23 May 1995 )

Transport within each Member State of radioactive
substances including fissile material such as plutonium is
currently regulated by national provisions, all of which are
based on the Regulations for the safe transport of
radioactive material issued by the International Atomic
Energy Agency ( IAEA ).

One of the basic principles of the IAEA regulations is that
the integrity of the packages used for the transport of fissile
material must withstand normal and accident conditions .

Taking into account the present level of safety in the
transport of such material, the IAEA regulations do not
impose restrictions on routes . Transport of fissile material
exceeding the technical limits fixed by the IAEA regulations
requires the approval by the national authority . Approval
may be subject to conditions .

The safety standards for road transport in the United
Kingdom are the same for all grades of fissile material .

The IAEA transport regulations are submitted to
continuous revision in order to take account of the latest
knowledge in science and technology . The Commission
participates together with Member States in this revision .

Council Directive 80 / 836 / Euratom ( ), amended by
Directive 84 / 467 / Euratom ( 2 ), related to the basic safety
standards, is applicable to any activity in the nuclear sector,
including transport activities, as far the health protection of
the general public and workers against the dangers of
ionizing radiation is concerned . In addition, Council
Directive 94 / 55 / EC ( 3 ), which will be applicable before
1 January 1997, transposes within the Community
provisions of the European agreement covering the
international carriage of dangerous goods by road ( ADR ),
for national as well as for international transport . Those
provisions concern all classes of dangerous goods, including
class 7 dedicated to radioactive materials . Furthermore, the

Commission is currently preparing a communication to the
Council and the Parliament on the safe transport of
radioactive materials which includes a comprehensive
report on the situation of the sector in the Community .

(') OJ No L 246, 17 . 9 . 1980 .

(') OJ No L 265, 5 . 10 . 1984 .

(■») OJ No L 319, 12 . 12 . 1994

No C 300 / 6 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1290 / 95

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Council

( 10 May 1995 )

{9 SIC 3 00 / 1 2 r

WRITTEN QUESTION E - 1293 / 95

by Christine Oddy ( PSE )

to the Council

( 10 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 13 )

Subject : Land mine exports Subject : Senior pass

Could the Council explain why there is no apparent
In November 1993 the United Nations General Assembly progress on the implementation of the senior pass ?
called for a three to five-year ban on land mine exports .
What steps are the Member States and the Council taking to
implement that ban ?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

Answer

(6 October 1995 ) As the question in point put by the Honourable Member is
the responsibility of the Member States, it is not for the
Council to explain why no progress has apparently been
made concerning implementation of the senior pass .

Following the adoption by the United Nations General
Assembly of the resolution on the moratorium on exports of
anti-personnel mines to which the Honourable Member
refers — which had no binding force — the Member States
wished to incorporate the recommendations contained
therein in their own national rules or policy .

On 12 May 1995 the Council of the European Union took a
more sweeping decision by adopting a joint action on
anti-personnel mines in which it :

— declared a common European Union moratorium on

exports of anti-personnel mines — i.e. to be applied by
all the Member States ;

— set clear objectives for the Union 's diplomatic activity in

the run-up to the Review Conference on the 1980
Convention on inhumane weapons . Protocol No II to
the Convention relates to mines, and the Union will
argue that it should be strengthened, in particular with
regard to anti-personnel mines ;

— decided to contribute ECU 3 million to the United

Nations mine-clearance fund and to help finance the
organization of a United Nations Conference on the
subject ;

— agreed that the Union would itself take action on mine

clearance .

That Decision demonstrates the importance which the
Union attaches to combating the indiscriminate use of these
weapons, which continue to affect civilian populations long
after hostilities have ceased .

On a more general level, the Council and the Ministers for
Social Affairs, meeting within the Council, adopted on
6 December 1993 a declaration of principle to mark the end
of the European Year of the Elderly ( J ). Following that
declaration the Council has examined a decision on

Community support for actions to benefit the elderly, up
until 31 December 1999 . At the Social Affairs Council in
Luxembourg on 29 June 1995 the unanimity required for
this decision was not obtained, as one delegation maintained
its general reservation .

H OJ No C 343, 21 . 12 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1297 / 95

by Carlos Robles Piquer ( PPE )

to the Council

( 10 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 14 )

Subject : European Pensions Monitoring Centre

The future prospects for pensions currently constitute an
omnipresent source of practical concern in all the Union 's
Member States, if one which varies in degree from one
country to another .

This concern is the result of both the considerable rise in the
population aged over 65, and the possibility of a future
shortage of resources to cover official pensions .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 7

Given the encouraging experience reaped from the Council 's
initiatives in setting up monitoring centres to compare and
contrast various Community policies, does the Council
think it would be appropriate to set up a monitoring centre
whose fundamental objective would be the continuous
monitoring of the factors and on-going developments likely
to affect future developments in the pensions field, so as to
allow the distortions thus identified to be corrected and

solutions put forward, and whose mere existence would
contribute to generating a climate of greater confidence in
this sensitive area ?

reducing excise duties on motor fuels from agricultural
sources . The proposal provides for the introduction by
Member States of an ad hoc tax regime for bio-fuels, on
which the rate of duty is to be no higher than 10 % of that
charged on fossil fuels . Ten years after entry into force of the
Directive, this rate is to become 20 %, five years later, 30 %,
and so on every five years until reaching 50% .

Would the Council agree that it should now adopt this
proposal ?

(') COM(92 ) 36 — OJ No C 73, 24 . 3 . 1992, p . 6 .

( 2 ) COM(94 ) 147 — OJ No C 209, 29 . 7 . 1994, p . 9 .
Answer

(6 October 1995 )

In its resolution of 30 June 1993 on flexible retirement
arrangements (') the Council called on the Commission :

— to promote exchanges of information on pensions and

retirement schemes for older employees in the
Community ;

— subsequently to inform the European Parliament, the

Council and the Economic and Social Committee of the

measures taken by the Member States in implementation
of that resolution ;

— to examine, following the communication of that

information to the institutions concerned and in

consultation with the Member States, whether other
measures were needed .

To date the Council has not received any proposal from the
Commission regarding practical measures in this field at
Community level .

Furthermore, the report drawn up each year by the
Commission in accordance with Article 7 of the Agreement
on Social Policy covers, among other things, changes in the
demographic situation in the Community .

(') OJ No C 188, 10 . 7 . 1993, p . 1 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1343 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Council

( 17 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 15 )

Subject : Oxygen compounds

Biofuels are oxygen compounds and therefore have an
important role to play in combating pollution and
improving the quality of life .

In 1992, the Commission submitted a proposal for a
Directive ('), subsequently amended in July 1994 ( 2 ), on

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

At its meeting on 19 June the Ecofin Council, seeing no
prospect of devising any tax measures to resolve the
problems raised by the Honourable Member, temporarily
suspended its discussions and asked the Commission to find
a solution to the difficulties arising in this matter .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1360 / 95

by Fausto Bertinotti ( GUE / NGL )

to the Council

( 17 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 16 )

Subject : Currency speculation damages the interests of

Italian migrant workers in the canton of Ticino

On Sunday, 23 April 1995 the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola
edition of La Stampa reported that the Bellinzona Finance
Department had given its authorization for companies to
cut the minimum wage of Italian migrant workers by up to

10% . Given that in February the Council adopted Decisions
empowering the Commission to negotiate bilateral
agreements with Switzerland and that in 1989 Parliament
adopted a proposal for a statute of the rights of Italian
migrant workers in Switzerland, would the Council agree
that it should :

1 . give the Commission a mandate to ensure that bilateral
agreements between the European Union and
Switzerland make provision for parity of pay for
workers of all nationalities, based on the principle of
equal pay for work of equal value ;

2 . approach Member States with a view to ensuring equal

rights for migrant workers ;

No C 300 / 8 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

3 . adopt Parliament 's proposal and work together with Answer

trade union organizations, Member States and the Swiss ( 13 October 1995 )

Answer

trade union organizations, Member States and the Swiss
authorities to promote the adoption of a statute of the
rights of migrant workers ?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

1 . Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 1612 / 68 of 15 October
1968 on freedom of movement for workers within the
Community ( x ) establishes for workers, including frontier
workers, who are nationals of a Member State and are
pursuing their activities in another Member State, equality
of treatment with national workers in respect of all
conditions of employment and work, in particular as
regards remuneration .

Under the negotiating Directives annexed to the Council
Decision of 31 October 1994 authorizing the Commission
to negotiate a bilateral agreement with Switzerland on the
free movement of persons, that agreement is to provide for
the implementation of the entire Community acquis in the
area of free movement of persons, and in particular the free
movement of workers, of which the principle of
non-discrimination in respect of all conditions of
employment and work is an integral part .

2 . With regard to the adoption of a statute of the rights of
migrant workers, the Council has not as yet received a
proposal from the Commission on this matter .

(') OJ No L 257, 19 . 10 . 1968, p . 2 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1362 / 95

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Council

The Schengen Agreements fall within the purview of
intergovernmental cooperation independent of the
European Union . The Council of the European Union is
accordingly unable to make any statement on France 's
position with respect to those agreements .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1470 / 95

by Fausto Elertinotti ( GUE / NGL )

to the Council

( 22 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 18

Subject : Depreciation of the lira and freedom of movement

within the European Union

In view of the fact that under Article 8a of the Treaty on
European Union ' Every citizen of the Union shall have the
right to move and reside freely within the territory of the
Member States, subject to the limitations and conditions
laid down in this Treaty ', and that the sharp depreciation of
the Italian lira, together with a reduction in real terms of
workers ' pay has eroded this right for a sizeable part of the
Italian population, can the Council indicate :

1 . how it intends actually to guarantee the right to move
and reside freely within the Community ?

2 . whether it intends to take steps to prevent further

depreciation of the lira and, if so, in what will those steps
consist ?

( 17 May 1995 ) Answer

( 95 / C 300 / 17 ) ( 13 October 1995 )

Subject : Implementation of the Schengen Agreements

Recent reports suggest that implementation of some of the
positive aspects of the Schengen Agreements is at risk thanks
to the unilateral declaration by France .

What it amounts to is that France does not accept in practice
cross-border pursuit — a matter of the utmost importance in
the fight against international organized crime .

What is the Council 's view on France 's attitude ? What
action will the Council take to induce the French to change

their view ?

The depreciation of the currency of one Member State in
relation to those of other Member States cannot be

considered an obstacle to freedom of movement for

nationals of that Member State .

The Council would point out that under the Treaty all
Member States must regard their exchange-rate policy as a
matter of common interest . It would also stress that the

Commission was instructed by the Cannes European
Council to write a report on the problem of exchange-rate
fluctuations .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 9

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1471 / 95

by James Moorhouse ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 22 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 19 )

Subject : Trainees ( stagiaires ) in the Commission services

Can the Commission publish tables, for the periods March
to July 1 994 and October 1 994 to February 1 995, to update
its response to Written Question No 3315 / 92 ( J ) on the
same subject ?

As in its previous response, can the Commission list the
number of trainees, both by nationality and by the
Directorate-General or department in which they have been
employed ?

Could the Commission also indicate how many of the
trainees were paid and how many unpaid ?

f 1 ) OJ No C 145, 25 . 5 . 1993, p . 32 .

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

( 13 June 1995 )

1 . During the two periods in 1994, 1 339 young
graduates were taken on as trainees by the Commission .

2 . The breakdown by nationality is as follows :

3 . These 1 339 trainees were assigned to the following
departments :

Members ' Offices 12 13 25

DG I 61 65 126

DG IA 25 31 56

DG II 29 15 44

DG III 20 19 39

DG IV 36 36 72

DG V 11 14 25

DG VI 20 24 44

DG VII 18 17 35

DG VIII 33 34 67

DG IX 6 10 16

DG X 58 63 121

DG XI 24 24 48

DG XII 10 14 24

DG XII-JRC — 1 1

DG XIII 28 21 49

DG XIV 8 10 18

DG XV 17 24 41

DG XVI 16 13 29

DG XVII 11 11 22

DG XVIII 6 7 13

DG XIX 6 7 13

DG XX 10 9 19

DG XXI 6 10 16

DG XXII ( TFHR ) 8 7 15

DG XXIII 21 24 45

SO 2 — 2

Cedefop 1 — 1

Information Tee 1 3 4

ECHO 11 11 22

O OPEC 5 6 11

SOEC 8 9 17

JICS 22 47 69

TS 35 34 69

SG 33 40 73

SG-Forward Studies 4 6 10

LS 9 9 18

CPS 7 — 7

SS 3 7 10

TFE 2 1 3

Total 643 696 1 339

Trainees

1 . 10 . 1994 —

28.2 . 1995

Department

Trainees

1 . 3 . 1994 —

31 . 7 . 1994

Total

1994

Trainees

1 . 10 . 1994 —

28.2 . 1995

Nationality

Trainees

1 . 3 . 1994 —

31 . 7 . 1994

Total

1994

Belgian 47 42 89

Danish 30 35 65

German 83 58 141

Greek 33 40 73

Spanish 59 73 132

French 55 69 124

Irish 29 31 60

Italian 78 85 163

Luxembourg 8 7 15

Dutch 26 25 51

Portuguese 20 24 44

British 63 75 138

Non-member countries 112 132 244

Total 643 696 1 339

No C 300 / 10 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

4 . Recruitment in 1970, 1980, 1985, 1992 compared
with recruitment in 1994 :

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1483 / 95

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and

Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE )

1970 1980 1985 1992 1994 to the Council

( 22 May 1995 )
290 508 547 1 178 1 339

( 95 / C 300 / 21 )

5 . In 1994, 820 trainees received grants while 519
trainees did not . Subject : Use of driftnets in 1995

The Council of Fisheries Ministers of the European Union
appears determined to authorize the use of driftnets by
certain EU fishing fleets for the tuna-fishing season
beginning in June 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1480 / 95
by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and Is the Council aware that this position is contrary to the

Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE )
opinion of Parliament and to the views of important
to the Council conservation organizations ?

( 22 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 20 )

Is the Council aware that this position may lead to conflicts
over the forthcoming tuna-fishing season ?

Subject : Seizure of the Spanish fishing vessel ' Estai ' in

international waters

Canadian inspectors have certified the legality of the nets
used by the freezer-trawler ' Estai ' prior to its seizure in
international waters by the Canadian navy .

The report in question confirms the legal conditions in
which the Spanish vessel was fishing, thus contradicting the
campaign by the Canadian Minister of Fisheries, Brian
Tobin, who has accused it of using illegal nets .

What is the Council 's position in the light of these new facts
and the Canadian inspectors ' report ?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

1 . The Council was informed by the Commission that the
fishing vessel ' Estai ' was fishing absolutely legally .

2 . The European Community and its Member States
condemned the illegal actions of the Canadian authorities in
a Note Verbale of 10 March 1995 .

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

1 . The Council recalls that, according to Community
law, implementation of Community legislation is carried
out by Member States and that control and monitoring of
such implementation is carried out by the Commission . The
Council has noted the action undertaken by the
Commission, in cooperation with the competent
organization of the two Member States to find a solution to
the problems which in the past have caused skirmishes
between tuna fishermen .

2 . The Council has also noted the intention of the
Commission to pursue any breach of Community law in
accordance with Article 169 of the Treaty .

3 . The Council is at present examining a Commission
proposal on the prohibition of driftnets in Community
waters . It has also noted the opinion of the European
Parliament, but is not yet in a position to indicate what
decisions it may finally take on the proposal .

4 . The Council has . however, asked Member States
concerned with driftnet fishing to put all the necessary

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 11

control measures in hand to ensure that the rules in force are

complied with in full .

5 . In particular, the Council has approved the chartering
of a vessel by the Commission during the 1995 fishing year
in order to enable the Commission inspectors to ensure the
effectiveness of Member States ' surveillance and to provide
a springboard for national inspectors .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-l 501 / 95

by Veronica Hardstaff ( PSE )

to the Council

( 19 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 22 )

Subject : Support for fishermen

In the light of the recent announcement of the French
Government 's ' Plan Peuch ', providing a support package to
alleviate the economic difficulties of French fishermen, does
the Council accept that, though the gradual depletion of
fishing fleets has been equally difficult for all fishermen in
the EU, support packages from individual national
governments to aid fishermen vary greatly between Member
States ?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

The Council is aware that the support packages adopted by
the governments of the Member States for their fishermen
vary from one Member State to another . The Council
would, however, remind the Honourable Member that
Community legislation on fisheries structures applies
uniformly throughout the European Community, with
variations depending on the nature of the regions
involved .

The Honourable Member 's attention is also drawn to the
fact that at its meeting on 15 June 1995 the Council was
favourably inclined, pending the opinion of the European
Parliament, towards a proposal which the Commission
recently submitted to the Council establishing a common
minimum framework for the introduction of certain
support measures complementary to national arrangements
for fishermen affected by the permanent cessation of activity
of the fishing vessel on which they were employed .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-l 525 / 95

by Karl-Heinz Florenz ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 22 May 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 23 )

Subject : Sum spent specifically on the protection of

habitats, flora and fauna as a proportion of the
funds allocated to environmental protection from
the Structural and Cohesion Funds

1 . What was the level of expenditure on environmental
protection charged to the Structural Fund, Cohesion Fund
and the various CAP support and compensatory systems in
the period 1992 — 1994 ?

2 . How much of this expenditure was spent on measures
to protect habitats, fauna and flora ?

3 . How much of this expenditure was spent on measures
to protect biotopes, habitats and species of fauna and flora
requiring particular protection pursuant to Council
Directives 79 / 409 / EEC ( J ) and 92 / 43 / EEC ( 2 )?

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

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

Supplementary answer given by Mr Santer

on behalf of the Commission

(3 August 1995 )

Further to its answer of 9 June 1995 the Commission can
give the following information :

1 . The Structural Funds operate within the framework of
special programming periods ( 1989 — 1993 :
1994 — 1999 ). Between 1989 and 1993 approximately
6,18 % ( ECU 2 441 million ) of the total budget in
Objective 1 and 2 areas was spent on environmental
measures . The programme documents adopted for the
Objective 1 areas between 1994 and 1999 anticipate
about 8,9 % ( ECU 8 328 million ) of the Structural
Funds budget in these areas explicitly for environmental
investment . In the Objective 2 programmes adopted for
the period 1994 — 1999 approximately 5,7 % ( ECU 397
million ) of the Structural Funds budget available in the
eligible areas is proposed for environmental

measures .

During the first period ( 1989 — 1993 ), an estimated 8 %

( ECU 209 million ) of the Community resources
allocated to Objective 5b regions was spent on measures
to improve and conserve the environment including
forests . Detailed information on the expenditure
incurred in 1992 and 1993 will not be available until the

No C 300 / 12 ΓΕΝ Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

relevant authorities have transmitted the supporting
documents needed to wind up the programmes for the
first period . 1994 is the first year in which measures
resulting from the second stage of the reform

( 1994 — 1999 ) were scheduled . Under the 1994 schedule
ECU 730 million were committed to Objective 5b
Member States . The Commission estimated that the

measures relating to the environment accounted for
about 11% of that amount, i.e. about ECU 80
million .

In addition, the Structural Funds also contribute
indirectly to the improvement of the environment by the
promotion of investment with a positive preventive
impact on the environment ( e.g. ' clean ' technology,
renewable energy, recycling of industrial sites, green
tourism ).

The cohesion financial instrument ( from 1 April 1993 ),
and the Cohesion Fund which replaced it on 26 May

of existing forests were adopted for the period
1993 — 1997 at an estimated cost to the Community
budget of ECU 1 200 million .

2 and 3 . In principle, the Structural Funds do not directly
support the protection of habitats, fauna and flora as the
Regulations allow funding of environmental protection
only of projects closely linked to regional economic
development . However, in exceptional circumstances,
the Structural Funds can support certain investment
related to the protection of habitats, fauna and flora, for
example when incorporated into concepts of green
tourism .

Amounts allocated by the cohesion financial instrument and
the Cohesion Fund to measures relating to the protection of
habitats, fauna and flora in the four Member States
concerned totalled ECU 82 million .

1994, allocated the following amounts to
environmental projects in the four Member States
covered by the fund ( Ireland, Greece, Spain and
Portugal ) during the period mentioned : WRITTEN QUESTION E-1536 / 95

by Veronica Hardstaff ( PSE )

( in ECU million ) to the Commission

Commitment
Payment appropriations
appropriations

1993 606 278

( 31 May 1995 )

{9 SIC 300 / 24 )

1994 923 356
Subject : Support for fishermen

Environmental measures financed by the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund ( Guarantee
Section ) under Regulation ( EEC ) No 2078 / 92 relate to
agricultural production methods compatible with the
need to protect the environment and maintain the
countryside . The budget available for the Regulation for
the period 1993 — 1997 is about ECU 3 600 million for
the 12 Member States as were . An additional amount of

approximately ECU 1 425 million ( ECU 475 million per
year ) is earmarked for the three new Member States for
the period 1995 — 1997 . Up to April 1995 the
agri-environmental programmes adopted by the
Commission provided for expenditure of ECU 3 700
million . Between 1993 and 1994 payments totalled ECU
353 million .

Although the forest protection measures are not
specifically covered by the instruments referred to by the
Honourable Member, it should be pointed out that for
the period 1992 — 1994 ECU 34,4 million was
committed for forest fire protection measures

( Regulation ( EEC ) No 2158 / 92 ) and ECU 14 million
was committed for measures relating to the protection
of forests against atmospheric pollution ( Regulation

( EEC ) No 3528 / 86 ). Under Regulation ( EEC )
No 2080 / 92 on forestry measures in agriculture,
programmes including measures relating to the
afforestation of agricultural land and the improvement

Could the Commission provide figures and details of
economic and social support aid given by the governments
of France, Spain and the UK to alleviate the difficulties
presently experienced by fishermen in the EU ?

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

on behalf of the Commission

( 10 July 1995 )

«

Within the framework of the financial instrument for

fisheries guidance ( FIFG ), Community programmes have
been adopted by the Commission which will directly or
indirectly benefit fishermen, by improving the economy of
the fisheries sector, in the Member States indicated . The
total indicative national expenditures allocated to these
programmes for the period 1994 — 1999, are as follows :

Spain ECU 441 million,
France ECU 169 million,
United Kingdom ECU 63 million .

The Community also contributes to these programmes at
rates which vary depending on the region and on the
measure . An extract from the relevant regulation which
explains the Community contribution is sent direct to the

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 13

Honourable Member and to the Secretariat-General of the

Parliament . A copy of each Community programme
containing full details was sent to the Parliament on
adoption .

The structure of industry in Italy means that it has the largest
number of small and medium-sized undertakings in Europe,
some of them enjoying great international prestige .

Now that various centres for WTO activities are to be

A new Community initiative ( Pesca ) has been introduced by chosen, will the Council promote Florence as the WTO
the Commission, within the framework of which outpost centre for small and medium-sized undertakings ?
programmes have been adopted for Spain, France and
United Kingdom . These programmes involve the following
indicative contributions from the national authorities : Answer

( 13 October 1995 )
Spain ECU 27 million,
France United Kingdom ECU ECU 22 35 million million, . The Council has never been called upon to examine the
question of a WTO outpost centre for small and
medium-sized undertakings .

The Community contributes at similar rates to those
indicated for the existing Structural Funds or FIFG
depending on the type or project and the region
involved .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 565 / 95

Fishermen affected by economic problems or by
restructuring, in areas dependent on fishing, may benefit
from schemes under this initiative .

Fishermen are also eligible for aid under the Social Fund to
engage in training, and retraining programmes . Details of
expenditure made to fishermen in relation to any such
scheme, however, are more readily available from the
appropriate authorities in the Member State .

Social or economic measures to assist fishermen, involving
State aid only, may be introduced by a Member State . The
Commission has no record however of any specific scheme
being recently introduced in Spain or the United Kingdom of
the type indicated by the ITonourable Member . The French
government has adopted measures in support of inshore
fisheries including measures of a social nature . Elements of
these measures are sent direct to the Honourable Member

and to the Secretariat-General of the Parliament .

In addition, while awaiting the opinion of the Parliament,
the Council, on 15 June 1995, has taken a favourable stance
on the Commission 's proposal regarding the co-financing
by FIFG of socio-economic measures for fishermen .

by Antonio Tajani ( UPE )

to the Council

(9 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 26 )

Subject : Italian Constitution, punishment of exile imposed

on the House of Savoy, and violation of the
European Convention on Human Rights

Does the Council not believe that the transitional provision
of the Italian Constitution banishing the male descendants
of the House of Savoy flies in the face of the European
Convention on Human rights ? Does it not see a further
breach of the Convention in the fact that the male

descendants of Italy 's royal house ( in the period from 1860
to 1946 ) have been denied the right to vote and stand in
elections ?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

The Council is not competent to reply to this question .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 543 / 95 WRITTEN QUESTION E - 15 73 / 95

by Riccardo Nencini ( PSE ) by Ana Miranda de Lage ( PSE ) and

to the Council Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE )

to the Council

(9 June 1995 )

(9 June 1995 )
( 95 / C 300 / 25 )

( 95 / C 300 / 27 )

Subject : World Trade Organization Subject : Gibraltar Social Insurance Fund

The new World Trade Organization has just been
constituted, headed by an Italian, Mr Ruggiero .

At the sitting of 21 January 1994, in the presence of
Commissioner Steichen, Parliament debated Oral Question

No C 300 / 14 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

0-278 / 93 ( ) on the dissolution of the Gibraltar Social
Insurance Fund . On the same day, resolutions B3-141 / 94
and B3-142 / 94 were adopted on the same subject ( 2 ).

Can the Council state how the UK authorities have replied
to the further question raised by the Commission on
22 December 1994 ? What representations has the Council
made to the UK to ensure that it fulfils its obligations in this

matter ?

( ] ) Verbatim record of debates, No 3-441, ( January 1994 ).

( 2 ) OJ No C 44, 14 . 2 . 1994, p. 221 .

and meetings and funding information campaigns and
publications directly relevant to the objective of the
action programme for combating AIDS ?

3 . Does it intend to exert pressure on the Greek
Government so that is also provides financial aid for
non-governmental organizations and for AIDS
sufferers ' organizations which play an important role as
far as the human dimension of the problem is concerned,
by producing moral and psychological support for
patients ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Answer ( 25 July 1995 )

( 13 October 1995 )

As the Oral Question to which the Honourable Members
refer was put to the Commission, as were the requests
contained in the resolution cited, it is to the Commission
that the Honourable Members should address their

question . The Commission is the institution responsible for
ensuring implementation of the provisions of the Treaty
establishing the European Community and of the acts
adopted pursuant thereto .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1591 / 95

by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 12 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 28 )

Subject : AIDS

Given that the increase in the number of AIDS cases being
reported is a source of particular anxiety for the citizens of
the Member States of the European Union, given that
Article 129 of the Treaty provides that the Community shall
ensure a high level of health protection for its citizens and in
view of the 1992—1993 and 1994—1995 action
programmes aimed at combating AIDS, will the
Commission say :

1 . What conclusions does it draw from the 1991 — 1993
programme and does it intend to evaluate all projects on
a permanent basis in the light of the effectiveness of
actions undertaken so far ?

2 . What is the precise breakdown of expenditure for each

Member State and what proportion of the funds used by
Greece has been spent on commissioning studies,
organizing conferences of experts, holding conventions

1 . On the basis of the work carried out since 1991 under

the ' Europe against AIE>S ' programme, the Commission
considers that this programme has made a valuable
contribution to the fight against AIDS .

Under Article 3 of the decision of the Parliament and the

Council, of 19 June 1995, on the extension of the ' Europe
against AIDS programme ' ( ] ), the Commission, in
collaboration with the advisory committee is required
continuously to assess the action undertaken and the
priorities set, and the Council has to carry out an evaluation
of the effectiveness of the action taken . To that end, the
Commission will submit a report to the Council after the
termination of the action plan .

In addition, measures are used to strengthen the
transparency of the decision making process and assist the
ongoing evaluation of the programme so as to help assess
the effectiveness of the actions undertaken . In the light of the
experience acquired during the implementation of the
programme, the evaluation of the projects submitted to the
Commission is always carried out in accordance with three
main criteria : correlation with the objectives of the actions
described in the programme, evidence of a Community
added value and financial support from the national or local
authorities of the Member States concerned .

The individual projects received are assessed on this basis,
and Member States are provided with the project details .

2 . The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable
Member and to the Secretariat-General of the Parliament a
breakdown of expenditure for each Member State .

3 . The Commission does not intend to exert pressure on
the Greek Government to provide financial aid for
non-governmental organizations and for AIDS sufferers '
organizations as this is not part of the Commission 's

competence .

(') OJ No L 168, 18 . 7 . 1995 .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 15

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1599 / 95

by Eva Kjer Hansen ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 12 June 1995 )

95 / C 300 / 29 )

Subject : Compatibility of Danish rules on the taxation of

assisting spouses ( Law on Withholding Tax,
Article 25a ) with Articles 3 and 5 of Council
Directive 86 / 613 / EEC

1 . Is the Commission aware that, under the Danish rules
on the taxation of assisting spouses working in a jointly
owned business, as laid down in Article 25a of the Law on
withholding Tax, spouses do not receive the same treatment
as unmarried partners ?

2 . Does the Commission believe the above rules to be

compatible with the EU rules on equality laid down in
Articles 3 and 5 of Council Directive 86 / 613 / EEC ( J ) on the
application of the principle of equal treatment between men
and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed
capacity ?

3 . Will it state what action it intends to take in this

connection and whether it will bring pressure to bear on the
Danish authorities to change the Danish rules and
associated practices so that spouses and unmarried partners
receive equal treatment as laid down in Directive
86 / 613 / EEC ?

(') OJ No L 359, 19 . 12 . 1986, p . 56 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 14 September 1995 )

Directive 86 / 613 / EEC on the application of the principle of
equal treatment between men and women engaged in an
activity, including agriculture, in a self-employed capacity
and on the protection of self-employed women during
pregnancy and motherhood, aimed to identify the specific
contribution made by spouses or collaborators and to give
them a clearly defined professional status, including social
security entitlements . The Directive in question does not
stipulate that spouses must receive the same treatment as
unmarried partners, as mentioned by the Honourable
Member .

In the case of Denmark, according to the information
contained in the report on the implementation of Directive

86 / 613 / EEC, Law No 686 / 1990 of 11 October provides
that any person who controls access to a profession, the
establishment or extension of an enterprise or any other
form of professonal activity, including financial facilities,
must respect the principle of equal treatment . Additionally,
the formation of a company between spouses does not pose
any problems . Finally, the Law of 16 March 1989

introduced a new amendment into Denmark 's fiscal

legislation, allowing the couple to choose for the assisting
spouse the status of employee or collaborator, thus
enhancing the collaborator 's independent status and his / her
chances of obtaining social security benefits .

Accordingly, the Commission does not consider the Danish
rules to be in contravention of Directive 86 / 613 / EEC .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1634 / 95

by Elly Plooij-van Glorsel ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 12 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 30 )

Subject : Plutonium trafficking

An amount of ECU 1,8 million was entered against Item
B4-2001 of the 1995 budget for implementing specific
projects relating to the introduction of national
accountancy systems in the countries of central and eastern
Europe .

1 . What specific projects are planned ?

2 . Have they already been launched ?

3 . Is the ECU 1,8 million budget sufficient ?

4 . Are the projects being coordinated with the Tacis
programme of technical aid and the JRC training
programme ?

5 . When will a training infrastructure be established in

Russia ?

6 . Has the JRC already begun training trainers in the
European Union ?

7 . When will the training centre at Obninsk become

operational ?

8 . Have agreements been concluded with the USA on
cooperation in this extremely important field inter alia
with a view to non-proliferation ?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis

on behalf of the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member

of its cooperation with the Russian Federation in the
framework of budget heading B4-2001 as follows :

1 . As far as projects regarding the implementation of
accountancy systems are concerned, the Commission
cooperates in two different ways :

No C 300 / 16 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

— Russian experts working in the Luxembourg
Euratom headquarters,

— concrete projects with Russian authorities to set up

nuclear material accountancy and control systems in
specific installations .

From October 1993, several groups of two or three
Russian experts have worked in Luxembourg to design
the relevant systems, concepts and approaches for
nuclear material accountancy and control in Russia,
work which is greatly facilitated by day-to-day contacts,
discussions and cooperation with the corresponding
Euratom staff, and the use of the necessary design tools
and infrastructure of Euratom .

In addition, Euratom accepted four major projects,
proposed by the Russian Federation, all relating to the
practical implementation of nuclear material
accountancy and control ( NMAC ) systems in Russian
installations :

— the development and implementation of the
Gosatomnadzor North-European regional
information system ( Cisner ),

— the production of regulatory documents governing

the operation of the centralized Minatom system and
the development of the data transmission and
processing system of the Minatom computerized
central information system ( MINS ),

— the PIT procedures project ( PROC ) which includes

the elaboration and testing of regulatory documents
governing the preparation and carrying out of
physical inventory takings at power plants and
fabrication plants,

— the PIT / PIV project ( PPP ) comprising the taking

( PIT ) and verification ( PIV ) of a physical inventory
in two selected installations of the Kurchatov

institute with the close cooperation of Euratom .

At the June 1995 meeting of the joint coordination
group ( JCG ), the Russian delegation proposed to add
five new projects to the list . Euratom is at present
evaluating the scope and importance of these projects,
taking into account the available expertise and human
and budgetary resources .

In addition to the above projects, which are directly
related to the implementation of NMAC systems in
nuclear installations and safeguards authorities, training
and familiarization programmes and seminars are
organized routinely . These programmes include visits of
Russian experts to nuclear installations in the
Community and training sessions and seminars in the
joint research centre ( JRC ). All these activities are
therefore carried out in close collaboration with the
operators of nuclear installations and the JRC .

2 . All these projects and activities have started and
progress is jointly managed by project teams including
participants from Euratom and the Russian Federation .
As far as the four concrete projects for the
implementation of accountancy systems in specific
installations are concerned : the first three project
progress on scheduled and project PPP however could
not proceed as planned because experts and inspectors
experienced difficulties in accessing data and PIT / PIV
measures of an essential nature .

3 . The budget of ECU 1,8 million can only cover the very

initial phases of these projects . The main expenditure for
the three active projects is expected for 1996 and
afterwards and budget increases will be required to
bring the projects to conclusion .

4 . Projects related to safeguards are not to be included in
the scope of the Tacis programme since they are
complementary to it . B4-2001 is a budget heading which
was created by the Parliament to enable a short-term
appropriate and visible response to specific nuclear
material accountancy and control problems in the
former Soviet Union . It is important that this budget
heading continues to be used for these purposes . They
concern implementation of systems and short term
training of operators and inspectors .

The activities of the Joint Research Centre ( JRC ) extend
to the Tacis and Phare programmes and the JRC
provides assistance with the implementation of this part
of the programmes . It was decided to act under the T acis
and Phare programmes in spite of the budgetary
constraints . Since 1994, aid amounting to ECU 1 million
has been allocated to Russia . The 1995 budget allocates
ECU 4 million for Tacis ( ECU 3,5 million for Russia and
ECU 0,5 million for the Ukraine ) and ECU 0,5 million
for Phare . Coordination of Community activities is fully
assured by the on-going contacts between Euratom and
the JRC and in the framework of the joint committee of
the Commission and the Russian authorities, co-chaired
by Euratom and the Russian federation with
participation of a representative of the JRC .

5 . A detailed study of the Russian methodological and
training centre ( RMTC ) in Obninsk, some 100 km south
of Moscow, is currently under way under the training
programme . However, the feasibility study carried out
by the JRC in 1994 has already prompted the
Commission and the Russian authorities ( Minatom and
Gosatomnadzor ) to set up, as soon as possible, five
initial training modules on measurement techniques and
accountancy which should enable the first training
courses for operators and inspectors to begin in early

1996 .

6 . The JRC held a training course for 20 Russian experts at
Ispra in September 1994 . This was the first devoted to
the training of trainers . However, special efforts will

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 17

have to be made in 1 995 to step up such training with the
cooperation of Community operators .

7 . The first courses at the RMTC are planned for January
and February 1996 with the participation of JRC
experts . If the planned programme can be respected

( schedule and financial resources ) the Obninsk Centre
could be fully operational in 1997, including the
specialized courses for both inspectors and operators .

8 . There are close contacts between all countries concerned

with the control of nuclear materials in the

Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ). An
informal consultation procedure has been established
between the Commission, the authorities and businesses
in the Member States concerned .

Discussions are also being held with the United States

( Department of Energy ( DOE )). Two meetings have
already taken place in Washington and in Ispra . The aim
is to avoid duplication of work and to rationalize the
respective funding efforts but also to establish
cooperation wherever possible, particularly between the
RMTC and the activities of the DOE on a production
plan for Russian fuel in the Moscow region .

The cooperation agreement between Euratom and DOE
on research into control of materials has been extended

to include collaboration on the assistance to be granted
to the CIS . The new agreement was signed on 6 January

1995 . It should make it possible to draw up a wider
programme aimed at harmonizing measures to aid
Russia . To this end, a consultation meeting was held in
July 1995 .

be formed with the sole aim of avoiding the obligation to
pay to the national reserve the percentage of rights provided
for in the case of a transfer of rights without transfer of
holding ?

(') OJ No L 289, 7 . 10 . 1989, p . 1 .

( 2 ) COM(94 ) 643 — OJ No C 382, 31 . 12 . 1994, p . 37 .

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 1995 )

The Council recently adopted the measure proposed by the
Commission to which the Honourable Member refers .

The Commission is aware that this measure involves a risk

that associations may be created solely to avoid payment to
the national reserve of the percentage of rights provided for
in cases of transfer of rights between producers without
transfer of holdings . The Commission will therefore be
taking the necessary measures in the detailed rules of
application currently being drawn up to ensure that this risk
is reduced to a minimum . In particular, a sufficiently long
minimum period of association will be established for that

purpose .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1713 / 95

by Riccardo Nencini ( PSE )

to the Council

( 19 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 32 )
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1647 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

( 15 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 31 )

Subject : Sheepmeat and goatmeat

As a result of the ' proposal for a Council Regulation
amending Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3013 / 89 (*) on the
common organization of the market in sheepmeat and
goatmeat ' ( 2 ), the Commission is proposing, under certain
conditions, to exempt some groups from payment to the
national reserve of the percentage of rights provided for in
the case of a transfer of rights without transfer of
holding .

Is the Commission aware that this provision could lead to an
increase in individual rights currently allocated in each
Member State and could enable new groups of producers to

Subject : Jobs crisis at ' Officine Galileo '

Can the Council deal with the case of ' Officine Galileo ' in
the Province of Florence, which was previously covered by
an agreement between the Italian Government — which has
not so far respected it — and companies which used to
belong to ' Efim ' concerning the transfer of the
aforementioned company to ' Finmeccanica ' with an
undertaking to provide military orders and so save jobs ?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

The question put by the Honourable Member is not within
the Council 's remit .

No C 300 / 18 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1717 / 95 WRITTEN QUESTION E-1738 / 95

by Holger Gustafsson ( PPE ) by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission to the Commission

( 21 June 1995 ) ( 21 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 33 ) ( 95 / C 300 / 34 )

Subject : Aid and cooperation in the field of seismic research

Subject : ' Narrative ' environmental quality standards

In the run-up to last autumn 's EU referendum in Sweden,
attention was focused on the EU 's work on environmental

issues . I and my party highlighted the fact that the EU had at
an early stage introduced environmental quality standards
laying down the maximum or minimum permissible
quantities for certain substances in the environment .
Environmental quality standards have been crucially
important for EU Directives on air and water in
particular .

Such important work must also be extended to other areas .
In the USA so-called ' narrative standards ' have been

introduced which are based on ecological rather than
numerical criteria . Does the Commission therefore intend to
introduce green quality standards for the environment ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 September 1995 )

The Commission agrees upon the importance of
environmental quality standards as stated by the
Honourable Member . The Commission has recently
proposed an updating of standards on drinking water and
bathing water and is preparing the follow up to the
framework Directive on air quality .

and technology

During her visit to Japan between 24 and 27 May 1 995, Mrs
Edith Cresson, the Commissioner responsible for research
and education, held discussions with the Japanese Minister
for Research and Technology, Ryutaro Hashimoto, on
promoting research and cooperation in the field of seismic
research and technology, as part of the Euro-Japanese
dialogue and cooperation in the field of science and
technology .

1 . What common Euro-Japanese initiatives have been

adopted in the field of anti-seismic research, what are
the objectives, the nature and timetable of these
initiatives and what financial resources are available ?

2 . Has provision been made for special initiatives in respect
of Greece, which accounts for over 50 % of total seismic
activity in the European Union ?

3 . Following the catastrophic earthquake in an area
considered safe from earthquakes in north-western
Greece which registered 6,4 on the Richter Scale, have
any plans been made to increase the budget for
initiatives concerning the forecasting of earthquakes,
particularly in Greece, the most vulnerable country in
the European Union ?

4 . To what extent are Greek scientists involved in the

relevant Community programmes ?

5 . What conclusions have been reached concerning the

' anti-seismic wall ' developed by the Joint Research
Centre of the European Union, and how do the Japanese
view this project ?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

Following the hearing in June 1995 organized by the ( 31 July 1995 )
Parliament 's committee on the environment, public health
and consumer protection, the Commission is reviewing the
overall framework for the Community water policy . The There is a long history of cooperation between the
Commission has no intention at this stage to propose any Community Joint Research Center ( JRC ) and the Japanese
Community wide quality standards for the environment authorities ( Ministry of construction — Building research
beyond those mentioned above . The Commission holds the institute ) particularly in the area of earthquake engineering .
view that for reasons of subsidiarity and widely differing In addition, the environment and climate programme,
geographical conditions such standards are best established which is open to the participation of third countries
at the level of Member States or regions . ( Article 8 ), is the framework within which this collaboration

can be developed and strengthened .

During a visit to Japan, on 24 — 27 May 1995, the
Commissioner in charge of science, research and

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 19

development reached an agreement with the minister of
construction concerning the development of cooperation
between the Community and Japan in the field of seismic
research . The Community, which is also exposed to these
risks, in particular in Greece, has the most performing
research installations in this area ( JRC ). The agreement will
permit the enlargement of the cooperation that started since

1992 between the JRC and the Japanese building research
institute . This cooperation will essentially concern the
comparison of technologies and our work in the areas of
prediction and prevention . Priority will be given to
earthquake resistance of structures, new performing
designs, particular seismic effects, base isolation and energy
dissipation for infrastructures, consolidation and repairing
using earthquake resistant and durable materials .

From 1986 until now, the Community has funded a total of
36 research projects in the area of seismic risk . For the
period 1994 — 1998 approximately ECU 10 million will be
available for such research projects . The high level of
participation of Greek scientists in these activities reflect
their strong interest and competence in this field . In fact, a
total of 29 Greek research teams are involved in all areas of

seismic research covered by the present environment and
climate programme including earthquake hazard prediction
and hazard assessment, earthquake engineering and
development of advanced techniques and
instrumentation .

Established after an enquiry in the Member States on the
need for a large-scale testing facility in Europe, the reaction
wall of the European laboratory for structural assessment

( ELSA ) of the JRC has been used since its opening in 1992 in
European projects and prenormative research in support of
Eurocode 8 for the design of structures in seismic areas .
Twenty European laboratories, among them the universities
of Athens, Patras and Salonica, participate with the JRC in
these projects with support from the Commission 's
programme on human capital and mobility .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1744 / 95

by Friedrich Konig ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 21 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 35 )

Subject : Guaranteeing freedom to purchase cars
throughout the internal market

According to press reports, European car manufacturers are
preventing their concessionaries in Italy from selling their
cars to non-Italians in order to prevent them from benefiting
from the differences between exchange rates .

What measures has the Commission taken to prevent this
action which is undermining the internal market ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

The situation described by the Elonourable Member must be
assessed in the light of Regulation ( EEC ) No 123 / 85 of

12 December 1984 on the application of Article 85(3 ) of the
Treaty to certain categories of motor vehicle distribution
and servicing agreements ( J ). Since the Regulation 's entry
into force on 1 July 1985, the complaints lodged with the
Commission have indeed shown that parallel imports
frequently come up against difficulties .

The experience acquired has prompted the Commission to
incorporate into the new version of the block exemption
Regulation adopted on 28 June 1985 a provision

( Article 6(1 )( 7 ) of the new Regulation ) stipulating that the
exemption does not apply where :

' the manufacturer, the supplier or another undertaking
within the network directly or indirectly restricts the
freedom of final consumers, authorized intermediaries
or dealers to obtain from an undertaking belonging to
the network of their choice within the common market

contract goods or corresponding goods or to obtain
servicing for such goods, or the freedom of final
consumers to resell the contract goods or corresponding
goods, when the sale is not effected for commercial
purposes '.

The new Regulation entered into force on 1 July 1995, but
the provisions of Regulation ( EEC ) No 123 / 85 continue to
apply until 30 September 1995 ( Article 13 of the new
Regulation ). As from 1 October 1995, the provisions of the
new Regulation apply to new agreements . In the case of
agreements which were already in force on 1 October 1995
and which satisfy the conditions for exemption laid down in
Regulation ( EEC ) No 123 / 85, Article 7 of the new
Regulation provides for a transitional period until
30 September 1996 .

The recent decline in the value of the Italian lira has
aggravated the problem described by the Honourable
Member . The lira 's depreciation has meant that cars are up
to 30 % cheaper in Italy than in Germany and Austria, for
example . Such currency fluctuations produce a shift ' in
competitive positions over which the motor vehicle
manufacturers have no control in the short term .

Assessing the problem solely from the competition policy
point of view would therefore not do justice to the
complexity of the situation . The Commission is at present
examining what measures are available to it to ensure that
consumers can purchase cars wherever they wish within the
internal market and at the same time to take account of the
objective, enshrined in the Treaty, of promoting
harmonious and balanced development throughout the
Community .

(!) OJ No L 15, 18 . 1 . 1985 .

No C 300 / 20 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 748 / 95

by Alex Smith ( PSE )

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

to the Commission ( 18 September 1995 )

( 21 June 1995 )

(9 SIC 300 / 36 )
After the decision by Shell ( United Kingdom ) to drop the
plans to dump the ' Brent Spar ' the question to the
Subject : Nuclear industry privatization in the UK Commission is redundant .

The UK Government 's proposal to incorporate Scottish
Nuclear and Nuclear Electric for subsequent privatization
will create a dominant private monopoly in electricity
generation .

Has the Commission examined this position with reference
to consumer interest and competition policy ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 764 / 95

by Joaquín Sisó Cruellas ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 21 June 1995 )

on behalf of the Commission

( 95 / C 300 / 38 )
( 12 July 1995 )

The United Kingdom Government has informed the
Commission of its proposals presented in a white paper to
privatise part of the nuclear generating capacity which is at
present in public ownership .

The Commission believes that nuclear power overall
accounts for about one-fifth of electricity generation
capacity in the United Kingdom and that the nuclear
generating capacity which is to remain in public ownership
will have a market share of some 8 % in England and Wales .
The nuclear generation capacity to be privatized will create a
new actor in electricity generation in England, Wales and in
Scotland . It does not appear that any monopoly will be
created in electricity generation .

- No notifications have been made to the Commission under

the competition rules with respect to the privatization, and
on the basis of information currently available to the
Commission there do not appear to be grounds for a formal
examination of the proposals on its part .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 749 / 95

by Alex Smith ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 21 June 1995 )

Subject : ESF aid to Aragon under Objective 2 —
1994 / 1996

I was informed on 14 March 1995 by the Commission 's DG
XVI that Community aid to Aragon under Objective 2 in the
period 1994 — 1996 would be ECU 64,23 million, of which
ECU 14,83 million would come from the ESF .

Which projects will benefit from the ESF in Aragon under
Objective 2 in this period and how much will each project
receive ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

Since the review of the Structural Funds in 1993, the
information supplied in the Operational Programmes of the
European Social Fund ( ESF ) relates to priorities rather than
projects .

ESF amount — Aragon — Objective 2 ( 1994-1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 37 ) ( ECU million )

Priority ESF amount

Subject : Brent Spar oil rig

Shell UK is being allowed by the United Kingdom
Government to abandon a redundant oil rig ' The Brent
Spar ' in the North Sea, with negative implications for the
environment in this area .

Has the Commission any powers to intervene in this
scandalous act of marine vandalism and will it do so ?

Priority 1 Support for employment and
business competitiveness 11,728

Priority 3 Support for R&D and
innovation 2,957

Priority 6 Technical assistance 0,149

Total 14,834

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 21

Description of the measures contained in the priorities
referred to above

Priority 1 : Support for employment and business
competitiveness :

ESF assistance covers the plans for further training and
retraining of managerial staff, clerical and manual workers
of small and medium-sized businesses .

Priority 3 : Support for R&D and innovation :

The ESF contributes to university and specialized training
courses in the areas of scientific research and technological
innovation .

During the four days of the hotline 's operation over 500
requests for information were received, covering a wide
range of health issues . A report providing more details of the
questions raised and the specific concerns of the individuals
and organizations that contacted the hotline is available
from EPHA on request .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 772 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Council

( 26 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 40 )
Priority 6 : Technical assistance

The ESF co-finances the evaluation and monitoring of the
measures included in the Aragon Objective 2 Operational
Programme, feasibility and forward studies, information
campaigns, exchanges of experience, etc .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 766 / 95

by Joaquín Sisó Cruellas ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 28 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 39 )

Subject : ' Green telephone line ' on health

From 9 to 12 May, the associations ECAS ( Euro Citizen
Action Service ) and EPHA ( European Public Health
Alliance ) opened a ' green telephone line ', for which they
received the Commission 's approval, to help members of the
public wishing to obtain information about health at
Community level .

Has the Commission considered publishing a document, in
conjunction with these associations, showing the answers to
the principal health concerns expressed by the public via the
consultations held over the ' green line '?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Creation of a rapid-reaction force

While Karadzic is continuing to hold UN blue helmets
hostage in Bosnia, the British have decided to send out 6 000
men, and it is unclear whether this is on Britain 's own
account, that of the UN or that of NATO . Neither is it clear
on whose initiative the French and Americans are increasing
the fleet patrolling the Adriatic . Both the five countries of
the Contact Group and NATO want to set up a rapid ­
reaction force . Who would lead this force and what would

be its aim ?

With the exception of Helmut Kohl, whose country does not
have troops in Bosnia, no one is ruling out the withdrawal of
the UN peace-keeping force . The fleet that has now been
mobilized could declare war on Karadzic, cover the
withdrawal of UN troops or spend the summer in waiting in
the Adriatic . Such mobilization is hardly the instrument to
strengthen a political peace project, which in any case does
not exist .

The United States are doing the minimum that is needed,
and are mainly observing the situation . They are not entirely
wrong in this, as the problem is above all a European one .
Does the Council not consider this situation to be

untenable ? Europe must give Moscow a political ultimatum .
Russia is the only power that can intervene with Belgrade,
which has the necessary influence to force Karadzic to
accept the Contact Group 's peace plan, which has already
been agreed to by Sarajevo . Russia must accept this
responsibility in order to avoid catastrophe . If it does not do
so, the only other option is to destroy the firepower on land
by means of air raids, before going on to other, extreme
solutions .

( 14 September 1995 )
Answer

(6 October 1995 )
The Commission provided financial support to the
Fluropean public health alliance ( EPHA ) and Euro citizen
action service ( ECAS ), the two organizations which The European Union has reacted in the clearest manner to
established the European public health hotline . the taking hostage of United Nations soldiers and observers

No C 300 / 22 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

hostage . As the Honourable Member knows, they have now
been unconditionally released .

The European Union also argued at the Cannes Summit for
a clear and firm policy in the former Y ugoslavia . That policy
was implemented notably through the setting up of a rapid ­
reaction force .

As to who will lead this force, as well as the aims of the
Rapid-Reaction Force, Resolution 998, adopted by the
Security Council on 16 June, provides that this force is an
integral part of Unprofor . It should enable the
peace-keeping forces already deployed in
Bosnia-Herzegovina to carry out their duties under
improved security conditions and more effectively .

This firmness displayed in the military field in implementing
the relevant Resolutions of the Security Council is coupled
with fresh efforts with the United States and Russia within

the Contact Group to re-launch the negotiation process .

Mr Bildt, the European Union 's new mediator, has been
instructed to recontact all the parties concerned on the
matter . Meanwhile the European Union is pursuing the path
of mutual recognition between Serbia-Montenegro and
Bosnia-Herzegovina as a first step towards mutual
recognition of all the States which have emerged from the
former Yugoslavia .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-l 780 / 95

by Jean-Pierre Cot ( PSE )

to the Council

(8 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 41 )

Subject : Respect for the fundamental rights of the
European Union by France

The European Union has committed itself in Article F of the
Maastricht Treaty to respecting fundamental rights, in
particular those guaranteed by the Rome Convention of
4 November 1950 . Foremost among these is the ' right to be
heard in all proceedings in which sanctions . . . may be
imposed ' (').

Does the Council consider the circular letter of 11 February

What action is the Commission planning to take, or what
pressure is it going to exert, to remedy this state of affairs
which discriminates against thousands of Community
citizens working outside their country of origin, whose
situation was seriously affected by the implementation of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1248 / 92 ( ] )?

his teaching post because of repeated threats of violence and
abuse ?

(•) ECJ, 13 February 1979 .

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

The question raised by the Honourable Member does not
fall within the Council 's competence .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 793 / 95

by Sérgio Ribeiro ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 28 June 1 995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 42 )

Subject : Granting of retirement pensions to emigrant

Community workers

As the Commission is aware the retirement age varies from
one Community country to another . For example, in France
anyone can apply for a retirement pension from the age of
60, provided that he or she has completed 37 years and six
months of paid work . In Portugal, however, the retirement
age is 65 years .

Until June 1994 the French social security service kept a
record of periods of work completed by emigrants in their
countries of origin in order to allow a retirement pension to
be granted at the age of sixty . Since then, however, in
application of Community Regulations, it has ceased to do

so .

Put simply, this means that a Portuguese emigrant who
completed 15 years of work in Portugal ( standard
conditions with entitlement to a statutory pension ) and then
worked for 22 years and six months in France ( taking his
year of birth to be 1934 ) is no longer able to apply for a
retirement pension from the French authorities at the age of
sixty but must work for another five years ( at the age of 65
he will be able to apply for retirement irrespective of the
number of years he has worked ) since at the age of 65 he will
finally be able to exercise his retirement right either in
France or in Portugal .

1960 from the French Prime Minister — which removes this was
protection if a French civil servant resigns from his post — to Regulation ( EEC ) No 1248 / 92 (
be compatible with Article F of the Maastricht Treaty, in
particular in the case of a University teacher forced to leave (') O J No L 136, 19 . 5 . 1992, p . 7 .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 23

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

The Commission wishes to point out that Regulation ( EEC )
No 1408 / 71 of 14 June 1971 on the application of social
security schemes to employed persons, to self-employed
persons and to members of their families moving within the
Community ( 1 ) and amending acts ( consolidated
version ) ( 2 ) establishes a system for coordinating national
social security schemes, more particularly in respect of the
award of pensions to persons who have been subject to the
legislation of at least two Member States . Article 49 lays
down rules for the calculation of old-age benefits where the
person concerned does not simultaneously satisfy the
conditions laid down by all the legislations under which
periods of insurance or of residence have been completed, or
where the person concerned has expressly requested a
postponement of the award of old-age benefits . In principle,
each of the competent institutions calculates the amount of
the benefit due . In certain circumstances, however, this
amount is not taken into account for the calculation of

benefits in respect of all the periods completed under the
legislation of Member States, until the time when the
benefits are awarded by those Member States .

The competent institutions in France have recently
interpreted these provisions in the sense that, for
determining the level of benefit provided under the
legislation which they administer, no account need be taken
of periods of insurance completed in another Member State .
Such an approach may prevent migrant workers from
obtaining in France a pension at the full rate when they retire
before the age of 65 .

Flowever, Article 46 provides that the person concerned is
entitled to the highest amount calculated in accordance with
paragraphs 1 and 2 of that Article from the competent
institution of each Member State, i.e. the calculation of a
national pension on the basis of periods taken into account
in regard to the national legislation only and the calculation
of a pro rata pension resulting from the aggregation of
periods completed in the different Member States
concerned .

The Commission 's view is that Article 49 may not exempt
the national institutions from applying the method of
calculation provided for in Article 46 . As the Court of
Justice has ruled, the entitlement of the person concerned to

the highest amount is a right which derives directly from
Articles 48 and 51 of the EC Treaty . It must also be noted
that the French authorities ' change in attitude cannot be
justified by an amendment of Article 49 under Regulation

( EEC ) No 1248 / 92 . That provision was not in fact amended
at the time of the reform effected by the latter
Regulation .

For these reasons, the Commission has contacted the French
authorities to draw their attention to the fact that their
interpretation of the said provisions of Regulation ( EEC )

No 1408 / 71 does not appear to be consistent with the
Community law in force, and to request that the French
legislation be applied in the light of the objective of free
movement for workers and in accordance with the case law

of the Court of Justice .

(M OJ No L 149, 5 . 7 . 1971 .

( 2 ) OJ No C 325, 10 . 12 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 795 / 95

by Friedrich-Wilhelm Graefe zu Baringdorf ( V )

to the Commission

( 28 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 43

Subject : Allocation criteria for research, technological

development and demonstration programmes in
the field of agriculture

1 . How many of the programmes in the field of
agriculture and fisheries which were supported by the

1991— 1994 framework programme fulfilled the main
requirements of the ' work programme '?

2 . How many projects in coastal areas ( apart from
fisheries ) were supported ?

3 . How many of the projects supported were in
disadvantaged regions ?

4 . What cost savings for EU agriculture were achieved by
the 1991— 1994 framework research programme ?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

1 . The agriculture and agro-industry, including fisheries
( AIR ) research and technological development ( RTD )
programme ( 1991— 1994 ) is funding 426 research projects,
of which 298 are shared cost projects, 121 are concerted
actions and seven are demonstration projects . All the
projects are within the areas covered in the published calls
for proposals and these are taken from the work
programme . This aspect was checked at the independent
evaluation of projects and at their subsequent selection .

2 and 3 . All projects funded in the AIR programme have
a trans-European partnership composed of participants

No C 300 / 24 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

from different Member States . Projects are not funded on
the basis of location of participants in particular regions
such as coastal areas or less developed regions, but are
mainly selected on the basis of scientific excellence .
Although many projects include participants from these
areas, data on location of projects in such areas is not
available for the programme .

In the 186 research and technological development projects
in the field of agriculture and rural development, there are
no research projects dealing specifically with coastal land
development . However, a significant number of projects are
coordinated by organizations in less-favoured areas ( LFA ).
The AIR RTD programme aimed at encouraging research
which might help to solve problems encountered in LFA,
and from this point of view it has been successful . At least 30
projects deal specifically with rural development in LFA .

4 . There are many projects running in the AIR
programme which on completion should lead to cost
reductions in agriculture and to reduced environmental
damage . Examples include reduced use of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides, improved pest management, new
methods of disease control, development of equipment and
monitoring or control systems for reduced input costs .

In terms of quantifying the cost savings for Community
agriculture which could come as a result of this programme,
it is not possible to give a satisfactory opinion till after the
projects finish in 1997 . However, since cost reduction was
an element used in evaluating and selecting the research
projects, it is expected benefits from them will accrue for
Community agriculture, mainly in the medium term .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 797 / 95

by Lissy Groner ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 28 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 44 )

Subject : Telescope project on Mount Graham, Arizona

( holy mountain of the San Carlos Apaches )

The University of Arizona would like to set up a large
binocular telescope on the top of Mount Graham, at a cost
of about $60 million . As the university itself does not have
sufficient funds it has been seeking project partners, and
among those it has found is the Max Planck Institute .

There are many arguments against this project :

1 . Mount Graham is a central holy shrine for the western

Apaches . The tribal council has described the
construction of the telescope station as deeply offensive
to religious sensibilities .

2 . From the scientific poi nt of view as well, Mount Graham
is considered inappropriate, or less appropriate than
neighbouring mountain tops .

3 . The major environmental protection organizations in
the USA are also opposed to the project, as it will destroy
a unique ecosystem .

Does the Commission know whether, and if so to what
extent, EU countries are involved in this project ?

Are EU funds to be used in this project, either directly or via
research institutes in the Member States which receive EU

subsidies ? Can the Commission list these institutes, giving
the amount of EU subsidy they receive and the amount of
funding they are making available to the telescope
project ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1858 / 95

by Luciano Vecchi ( PSE )

to the Commission

(3 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 45 )

Subject : Construction of an international astronomical

observatory on Mount Graham ( USA )

Serious concern has been expressed at international level
about the planned building of an astronomical observatory
on Mount Graham ( Arizona ), which could have an
extremely harmful impact on the natural environment as
well as the cultural and religious heritage of the region 's
Apache Indian population .

Is the Commission in any way involved in this project ?

Does it intend to call on the United States Government and

the European Union Member States ( in particular, Italy )
involved in the project to ensure that the project is not
implemented until guarantees are obtained as regards its
scientific usefulness, its compatibility with environmental
protection standards and the consent of the Indian
communities concerned ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-1797 / 95 and E-1858 / 95

given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

(2 August 1995 )

The proposed construction of a telescope on Mount
Graham is part of a longstanding programme led by the
University of Arizona and dating back to 1985 . The first
project involved the University of Arizona and the Vatican
and the second telescope was built in partnership between
the University of Arizona and the Max Planck Institute .

13 . 11 . 95 EN 1 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 25

Two telescopes have been built and the University of
Arizona is planning the construction of the third, the large
binocular telescope ( LBT ). This would be erected in a joint
research partnership between the University of Arizona, the
American Research Cooperation, the Max Planck Institute
and an Italian astronomical centre .

The announcement of the construction of the telescope on
Mount Craham raised concern with environmentalist

movements on the basis that it would harm the red squirrel
species, followed later by consideration concerning the
sanctity of the site for the Indians . A group of European
parliamentarians was recently invited to Arizona in order to
tour the site .

The Commission is not involved in this project and no
money from the Community is invested in this

programme .

90 / 109 / EEC ( ) on the same subject . This shows that the
Commission is aware of the limits of self-regulation .

However, this should not be taken to mean, on the other
hand, that voluntary codes may not prove to be the
appropriate solution in some circumstances and for some
purposes . This question of method is carefully studied sector
by sector in each case in which it arises, as part of the
application of the subsidiarity principle .

0 ) OJ No C 360, 17 . 12 . 1994 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 67, 15 . 3 . 1990 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 829 / 95

by Salvador Garriga Polledo ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 28 June 199 5 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1816 / 95 ( 95 / C 300 / 47 )

by Ian White ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 28 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 46 )

. iibject : Regulation of banking

1 . There is increasing evidence to show that voluntary
self-regulation of banking and associated services in the
United Kingdom is not providing adequate consumer
protection, so would the Commission be prepared to look at
the possibility of legislation to ensure the enforcement of the
existing voluntary codes ?

2 . Is the Commission considering the possibility of
legislation being enforced across the European Union to
take into account the failure of so-called voluntary

codes ?

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

( 17 July 1995 )

The question the Honourable Member raises can only be
answered in a very general way, given the lack of specific
examples .

In some areas of banking and of financial services in general,
the Commission has indeed concluded that self-regulation
did not bring the results which had been expected . Thus, for
instance, the Commission proposed a Directive on
cross-border credit transfers ( 1 ) which makes mandatory the
principles which were enshrined in its recommendation

Subject : The Ensidesa National Steel Company

Can the Commission state what projects involving the
Ensidesa National Steel Company received Community aid
between 1991 and 1995, and under which Community
programme they did so ?

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

Within the context of the structural assistance provided by
the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ) to the
region of Asturias for the period 1 989 — 1 993, the company
Ensidesa received no aid for projects implemented by it . For
the period 1994 — 1999, no participation by this company
is envisaged in the operational programme for Asturias
approved on 25 November 1994, which implements the
intentions set out in the Community support framework

( CSF ) for the structural development and adjustment of the
Spanish regions coming under Objective 1 .

While the region of Asturias is currently benefiting, as it has
in the past, from ERDF aid under the Community initiative
Resider, this assistance relates to schemes aimed at the
promotion of new economic activities in order to accelerate
the adaptation of the region to major changes in economic
conditions, while contributing to overcoming the problems
involved in the conversion process away from iron and steel .
This type of aid represents a supplementary effort to that
envisaged under the CSF .

No C 300 / 26 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

In 1991, the European Coal and Steel Community provided
Ensidesa with an industrial loan of PTA 6 000 million for

the part-financing of an investment plan previously
announced by the company . This loan does not constitute
aid within the strict meaning of the term, given that it was
not accompanied by an interest rebate or any kind of
subsidy .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1 849 / 95

by Jannis Sakellariou ( PSE )

to the Council

( 29 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 48 )

Subject : Answers to questions already tabled

When does the Council intend to provide answers to the
questions which I have tabled on the following subjects :

1 . Military aid by individual EU Member States to the

Sudanese Government ( E-68 / 95 );

2 . Fatalities at the EU 's external borders ( E-378 / 95 );

3 . Human rights issues : meeting of the EU-Turkey
Association Council ( E-284 / 95 )?

Answer

( 13 October 1995 )

The reply to Written Question No 68 / 95 was sent on
26 June 1995 . The replies to Written Questions Nos 378 / 95
and 284 / 95 were sent to the European Parliament on

13 June 1995 .

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

In the framework of the Lome Convention, the Community
has given full attention to the question of desertification due
to the cutting of trees for firewood . In its search for solutions
through the European development fund ( EDF ), two
complementary approaches have been supported :

( a ) sustainable management for forest resources :

( b ) alternative energies in substitution for firewood .

In many cases the promotion of prosopis forms an integral
part of projects on sustainable development . Examples of
such projects are :

— Cills region : ' Regional project for re-afforestation and

protection of the soils in the Sahel '

— Senegal : ' Restoring the natural environment ' ( EDF No

61 00-39-45-01 3 / B )

— Mauritania : ' Green belt of Kaedi ' Programme to support

the development of the Wilaya of Gorgol, section
' restoring the natural environment ' ( EDF No
6100-39-39-014 ).

The Commission is considering giving further support to
these types of project within the Eighth EDF .

In addition, the Commission has been funding since 1994 a
pilot programme for extensive re-afforestation with
Algarrobo ( prosopis juliflora ) in a sub-desertic area of
Northern Peru ( Grau region ) ( contract No B7-5041 / 94 / 11 ).
This two-year programme is run by the university of Piura

( Peru ) together with Actec, a Belgian non-governmental
organization specialized in development schemes . It aims to
perfect re-afforestation technique on a large scale and to
plant a 1 000 ha trial area of deserted land using these
techniques . Positive results obtained through this
programme will then be disseminated where appropriate .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1871 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 854 / 95 by Sérgio Ribeiro ( GUE / NGL )

by Anita Pollack ( PSE ) to the Commission

to the Commission (3 July 1995 )

(3 July 1995 ) ( 95 / C 300 / 50 )

( 95 / C 300 / 49 )

Subject : Preservation of the historical, environmental and

Subject : Search for an alternative firewood

How much consideration has the Commission given to the
promotion of Prosopis (a genus of shrub native to dry land
areas where trees are scarce ) to help developing countries
move away from increased desertification due to cutting
down trees for firewood .

cultural heritage in Bairro-Ourem, Portugal

In the year of environmental conservation, which I would
extend to the historical-cultural heritage, Portugal has had
the rare ( and undeserved ?) good fortune to witness the
announcement of two extremely important discoveries : the
rock paintings in the Coa Valley and the dinosaur tracks in
Bairro-Ourem .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 27

In the undisputed opinion of experts on the subject, both
discoveries are of the greatest value and form part of the
history of our civilization . They are in danger of
disappearing or being destroyed due to the insensitivity of
those concerned only with profit, and the indifference or
apathy of the government . The paintings are due to be
submersed by a dam, while the footprints will be destroyed
by quarrying .

In the case of the paintings, I await the reply to my earlier
question ; as regards the footprints, could the Commission
not take action with a view to speeding up the classification
of the discovery and also ensuring that funds are made
available to compensate the owner of the quarry and
prevent the destruction of a world monument ' bequeathed '
to us 170 million years ago, which is perhaps the largest
known site of dinosaur tracks ?

Answer given by Mr Oreja
on behalf of the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

The reply to the Written Question No 1 135 / 95 f ) about the
major collection of palaeolithic rock carvings discovered in
the Coa Valley, Portugal, was transmitted to the
Honourable Member on 13 June 1995 .

As to the question concerning the dinosaurus foot prints in
Bairro-Ourem, the Commission informs the Honourable
Member, that according to Article 128 of the EC Treaty and
the principle of subsidiarity, this matter should be dealt with
by the national authorities . Furthermore, the existing
actions in favour of the preservation of the cultural heritage
do not unfortunately envisage the consideration of projects
of this nature .

(') OJ No C 222, 28 . 8 . 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 18 73 / 95

by Otto von Habsburg ( PPE )

to the Commission

(3 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 51 )

Subject : The map of the European Union drawn up by

Directorate-General X of the Commission of the
European Communities and issued by the EU
Office for Official Publications ( 1995 )

This map gives the names of all States, and even certain
autonomous regions, irrespective of whether they belong to

the Union or not, with the exception of Croatia, whose
capital only is named . Is this a deliberate omission or an
error ?

Is the Commission prepared to rectify this situation as
rapidly as possible and publish a map in which Croatia is
named ?

Answer given by Mr Oreja
on behalf of the Commission

( 13 September 1995 )

As the Honourable Member points out, Croatia has been
omitted from several language versions of the map ( small
format ). This omission is due to an inadvertent printing

error .

This error does not appear on the original English-language
version nor on the map printed in large format .

Needless to say, the error will be corrected on the next
edition, which is at present in preparation .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-l 880 / 95

by Pedro Marset Campos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 22 June 1995 )

95 / C 300 / 52 )

Subject : Attacks on Spanish fruit and vegetables in
France

Whereas in France in recent years there have been attacks on
strawberries from Spain and illegal pressure on food
distribution systems to prevent them being marketed,

whereas the Commission is delaying the adoption of a
reasoned opinion on this subject,

whereas recently there have been renewed attacks on other
Spanish fruit and vegetable shipments, particularly from
Valencia and Murcia,

in view of the distortions being caused to the free movement
of goods, the public anxiety created and the fact that the idea
may come to be accepted that this kind of practice is
acceptable in the EU,

how and when does the Commission intend to take
appropriate measures to put a stop to this kind of
action ?

No C 300 / 28 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

(6 July 1995 ) ( 15 September 1995 )

The Commission has taken the steps and measures required
of it under Articles 155 and 169 of the Treaty to compel the
French authorities to fulfil their obligations as regards the
free circulation of goods, in particular fruit and vegetables
from other Member States .

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member in

this regard to its replies to Written Questions Nos 1818 / 94
from Mr Juan Colino Salamanca (') and 1344 / 95 from Mrs
Maria Izquierdo Rojo ( 2 ); it would also to add to the
information available to the Honourable Member by saying
that it has delivered a reasoned opinion in accordance with
Article 169 of the EC Treaty .

As for the action to be taken as part of the infringement
procedure initiated against France, a referral to the Court of
Justice can certainly not be ruled out .

( 1 ) OJ No C 24, 30 . 1 . 1995 .

( 2 ) O ) No C 222, 28 . 8 . 1995 .

The Commission put forward a proposal in 1989 for a
Council Regulation establishing a Community ship register
and providing for the flying of the Community flag by
sea-going vessels ( ] ). The proposal for the register, to be
known as Euros, was subsequently amended ( 2 ) and ( 3 ), but
it has not been adopted so far by the Council . In its
Article 21, the proposal provides that vessels in Euros
should be entitled and obliged to fly the European flag in
addition to their national flag .

The Commission has not given consideration to extending
the 1990 suggestion to maritime transport or to putting
forward an official recommendation to that end .

( ] ) COM(89 ) 266 — OJ No C 263, 16 . 10 . 1989 .

( 2 ) COM(91 ) 54 — OJ No C 73, 19 . 3 . 1991 .

( 3 ) COMÍ91 ) 483 — OJ No C 19, 25 . 1 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1921 / 95

by Fausto Bertinotti ( GUE / NGL )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 892 / 95 by Fausto Bertinotti ( GUE

to the Commission

by Gerardo Fernandez-Albor ( PPE )

to the Commission

(3 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 53 )

Subject : Proposal for Member State vessels to fly the

European flag in addition to their national flag

The proposal made by the Commission in 1990 that airlines
in the Member States should display the European flag on
their aircraft has been followed by several companies and is
helping to spread our Union 's image both in the Member
States and thoughout the world .

In this light, consideration might be given to extending the
above proposal to ships from all the Member States,
wherever they may be sailing, enabling them to fly the
European flag in addition to their national flag and thus
make a similar contribution to the European identity .

Does the Commission consider that it should extend its
proposal with a view to encouraging vessels from our
countries to fly the Union flag in addition to their national
flag ?

( 23 June 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 54 )

Subject : Report of the United Nations Environment
Programme on the effect of depletion of the
stratospheric ozone level and possible activation of
the HIV virus

On pages 29 and 30, the UNEP report assessing the
environmental impact of the depletion of the stratospheric
ozone layer raises the possibility of a link between an
increase in ultraviolet radiation and the development of
AIDS . The report alleges that exposure to ultraviolet
radiation can accelerate the onset of AIDS in people recently
infected with the HIV virus . Although there is no
experimental data to back up this hypothesis, it has been
demonstrated that an increase in ultraviolet radiation affects
the immune system . Given that experience would tend to
bear out the claim that an increased level of ultraviolet
radiation and the development of the HIV virus may be
linked, would not the Commission agree that it should
instigate research using in vitro techniques and models to
verify UNEP 's claims and that, in accordance with the
precautionary principle enshrined in the Maastricht Treaty,

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 29

a blanket ban should be placed on the production and use of
hydrochlorofluorocarbons ( HCFCs )?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

The substances which deplete the ozone layer are regulated
at both international and Community level . While it is true
that the consumption and production of certain substances,
such as CFCs, in the Member States are now limited to
essential uses or shipment to developing countries, other
destroyers of ozone can still be used . These include HCFCs
and methyl bromide, which have considerable power to
destroy the ozone layer in the short term and will have a
negative impact on it for several years to come, and this at a
time when it is forecast that the ozone layer will be in a more
critical state than ever before .

Council Regulation ( EC ) No 3093 / 94 (*) on substances that
deplete the ozone layer, which goes further than the
international measures under the amended Montreal

Protocol, provides for the use of HCFCs to end by the year
2015 ( but does not limit their production ). It also imposes a
25 % reduction in the production and consumption of
methyl bromide in the Community by 1998, in comparison
with 1991 .

The Community has started new negotiations in connection
with the meeting of the parties which will adopt the third set
of amendments to the Montreal Protocol in Vienna at the
end of this year . The results of this meeting will determine
which measures are to be taken in the future in the
Community to amend ( or not ) the present Regulation ( EC )
No 3093 / 94 on substances that deplete the ozone layer .

According to the United Nations report on the
environmental effects of the depletion of the ozone layer,
UV-B radiation can activate the latent viruses in cells which
are directly exposed to it . This phenomenon, which has been
demonstrated in vitro ( Zmudka and Beer, 1990 ; Schmitt et
al ., 1989 ), could affect the viruses in skin cells, such as the
papilloma viruses, the herpes simplex virus and possibly the
human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ).

The objectives of the Specific programme of research and
technological development in the field of biomedicine and
health ( Biomed ) include research on AIDS, tuberculosis and
other infectious diseases .

One of the objectives of the Biomed 2 programme is to
develop new specific monitoring systems for determining
the distribution models of new infectious diseases and to
analyse the risk factors for the development of AIDS,
opportunistic diseases and new infective agents .

The ' Europe against AIDS ' programme covers a number of
areas of Community activity for preventing infection by
HIV / AIDS, such as information, health education, training
and research . Any proposals made in the last of these areas

of activity for establishing a link between exposure to
ultraviolet radiation and the possible activation of HIV
could be considered for financial support from the
Commission .

f 1 ) OJ No L 333, 22 . 12 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 925 / 95

by Gerhard Botz ( PSE )

to the Commission

(3 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 55 )

Subject : Allocation of ERDF appropriations to the new

German Lander

Is it possible for appropriations from the European Regional
Development Fund to be allocated to the new German
Lander for the construction of drains, which will be urgently
needed in the next few years in order to comply with the
drinking-water Directive ( 80 / 778 / EEC (*)) and its proposed
amendment ( 2 )?

(•) OJ No L 229, 30 . 8 . 1980, p . 1 1 .

( 2 ) COM(94 ) 612 — OJ No C 131, 30 . 5 . 1995, p . 5 .

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

( 12 September 1995 )

Under the operational programmes of the Community
support framework ( CSF ) for the new German Lander a
series of measures is foreseen which may include the
building of sewerage and waste water canals .

Priority 1 foresees investment in ' energy and water supply
and plant for the disposal or treatment of waste and
effluent '.

Priority 2 anticipates investment in production-related
infrastructure facilities, and in particular in ' water supply
and plant for the treatment of waste and effluent '.

Priority 4 pays attention to environmental improvement
and suggests that the Structural Funds could invest in water
purification in Saxony or in improved facilities for sewage
disposal in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern . The following
particular measures are foreseen :

— water supply lines and distributing plant ;

— investments for communal water supply and sewerage of

interregional, regional and local importance ;

No c 300 / 30 PEN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

— provision of common infrastructure and
implementation of integrated environmental

measures .

drugs to treat animals unless they have been separately
tested, is seriously restricting the veterinary profession in its
right to employ the full range of licensed therapeutic
substances in the treatment of animals under their care ?

As a consequence, this has significant implications for
animal welfare, since the inflated cost of many ' specialist '
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1927 / 95 veterinary products prevents numerous sick animals from

by Mark Killilea ( UPE ) receiving suitable treatment .

to the Council

( 10 July 1995 )

95 / C 300 / 56 ) In the light of these developments, will the Commission
consider drawing up a list of easily available human
medicines not requiring costly testing, which, having been

Subject : Forced wearing of ' hidjab ' by Muslim women successfully used on animals in the past, could be exempted

from this Directive ?

Will the Council comment on the recent case of a

16-year-old Muslim girl, Katia Bengana, who was shot dead
for not wearing the ' hidjab ', the traditional Islamic veil ?

(>) OJ No L 373, 31 . 12 . 1990, p . 15 .

Has it registered its concern, or does it intend to, on the
growing pressure on Algerian women and young girls by
Islamic fundamentalists to wear the ' hidjab ', and the fact
that many of these women have been issued with death
threats if they do not do so ? Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

Answer

(6 October 1995 )

The Council is not aware of the case of Katia Bengana to
which the Honourable Member refers .

The European Union has repeatedly and resolutely
condemned the use or threat of violence in Algeria, from
whatever quarter it comes and against whomever it is
directed . The Union has also consistently reaffirmed its
profound commitment to respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms in Algeria, irrespective of the
political convictions or religious beliefs of individuals and
political groups .

Under Directive 90 / 676 / EEC veterinary medicinal products
are authorized on the basis of strict criteria for quality,
safety and efficacy . Use of a product which is not authorized
for a given animal species carries a potential risk and may
lack efficacy in comparison to a product authorised for that
species . Thus priority should always be given to a product
autorized for the animal species to be treated .

freedoms in Algeria, irrespective of the However, in order to alleviate animal suffering, this
or religious beliefs of individuals and Directive offers the possibility to prescribe medicinal
. products for pets by virtue of a ' cascade system ', which

allows the use of human medicines under certain

circumstances, i.e. when no veterinary medicinal product is
available . This cascade introduces greater flexibility in
comparison to the previous more rigid provisions which
only allowed the use of authorized veterinary medicinal
products .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1940 / 95

by James Nicholson ( PPE )

to the Commission

The Commission regrets to inform the Honourable Member

(6 July 1995 ) that there would be serious problems from a legal point of

( 95 / C 300 / 57 ) view in establishing a list of medicinal products for human

use which could benefit from an exemption from the
requirements of the veterinary pharmaceutical legislation .
Subject : Veterinary medicinal products

(6 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 57 )

Is the Commission fully aware that ( EC ) Directive
90 / 676 / EEC (*), which prohibits vets prescribing human

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 31

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 194 1 / 95

by Astrid Lulling ( PPE )

to the Commission

(6 July 1995 )

95 / C 300 / 58 )

Subject : Eurostat study on the cost of living in the European

capitals

Eurostat recently presented a study on the cost of living in
the European capitals for ' expatriates with a relatively high
standard of living ' (?). However, Luxembourg, which is one
of the three places of work of the European Parliament and
the headquarters for other European institutions, is not
included . I would therefore ask the Commission to explain
why Luxembourg was omitted from this study on the cost of
living, even though approximately 8 000 European officials
and thousands of other ' expatriates with a relatively high
standard of living ' are resident there .

Can the Commission indicate the cost of this study, which is
only of interest to a very restricted category of people, and
the reasons why those responsible limited the study to such a
restricted category of people ?

publishing these comparisons in a format more suitable to
the general reader .

(') Last edition ISBN 92-826-6649-2 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1948 / 95

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and

Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE )

to the Commission

(6 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 59 )

Subject : Criteria for measuring unemployment

In Written Question E-1042 / 95 Q ) we asked the
Commission whether it was ' possible to use homogeneous
criteria in the Member States for measuring unemployment
rates '.

The answer given refers to the methods used by
Eurostat .

We repeat : Does the Commission have any plans for
ensuring that the criteria used in the Union 's Member States
Answer given by Mr de Silguy common for measuring criteria unemployment ? rates are homogeneous or

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 September 1995 ) (!) OJ No C 230, 4 . 9 . 1995, p . 22 .

The Honourable Member is referring to a new Eurostat
publication ' Cost-of-Living Comparisons in the European
Union '.

As the introduction to the booklet makes clear, the figures
are a by-product of the regular work which Eurostat has
been doing for many years in the context of cost-of-living
adjustments to equalise the purchasing power of
Community staff working outside Brussels and
Luxembourg . Annex XI of the Staff Regulations ( adopted
by the Council on 31 December 1991 : Regulation ( EEC )
No 3830 / 91 ) lays down that Luxembourg salaries are not so
adjusted . The information required is not therefore
collected, and does not appear in the above publication .
Eurostat nevertheless believes that as part of its mission to
disseminate data, the cost of living comparisons for the
remaining fourteen capitals are of sufficiently wide interest
to merit publication . Demand is high, and the marginal cost
of preparing and producing the booklet is expected to be
covered by receipts .

As part of its regular work on gross domestic product
volume comparisons in the European comparison
programme, Eurostat collects and analyses data on
consumers ' expenditure in each Member State . The results
are published in a technical series ' comparison in real terms
of the aggregates of E.S.A. ' ( A ). Eurostat is studying ways of

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1949 / 95

by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and

Juan Colino Salamanca ( PSE )

to the Commission

(6 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 60 )

Subject : Criteria for tabulating unemployment

Given that Eurostat uses homogeneous criteria to express
unemployment rates in the European Union, what criteria
are used in each of the Member States of the European
Union when tabulating unemployment figures and rates ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-1948 / 95 and E-1949 / 95

given by Mr de Silguy
on behalf of the Commission

( 19 September 1995 )

The unemployment statistics which are normally used in the
Member States of the Union are :

No C 300 / 32 I EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

— either the results of household surveys ( labour force

surveys ) compiled in accordance with International
Labour Office recommendations ( Finland, Italy,
Sweden );

— or registrations at government job centres ( Belgium,
Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg,
Netherlands );

— or both sources ( Austria, France, Portugal, Spain, United

Kingdom ).

The national statistics are not directly comparable for the
following reasons :

— registration at job centres is governed by administrative

rules which because of national custom and policy differ
widely from one Member State to another . Depending
on the Member State, therefore, unemployment registers
may or may not include the following :

— persons seeking part-time or temporary
employment ;

— unemployed young persons seeking training ;

— young persons seeking a first job who are not yet

entitled to benefits ;

— unemployed persons receiving benefits other than

retirement pension ;

— job seekers who are temporarily ill ;

— job seekers who have refused an offer of
employment ;

— unemployed persons involved full-time in
government-subsidized schemes for further training
or vocational retraining .

— in the case of household surveys, even if the ILO

recommendations are generally followed, they are not
applied in the same way in all the Member States ; for
instance, the notion of ' actively seeking employment ' is
interpreted in a variety of ways .

In an attempt to align the methods of assessing
unemployment, the Statistical Office of the European
Communities ;

— supports the use of ILO recommendations for the

definition of unemployment ;

— endeavours to align the labour force surveys conducted

by the national statistical institutes so that the Member
States have comparable statistical bases for the
application of ILO definitions of unemployment ;

— coordinates its work with that of the OECD ( at the
insistent request of most of the Member States ) so that

the Commission and the OECD publish identical
unemployment figures ;

The Commission has no plans for any other initiative in this
field, as it considers that it is the responsibility of the
Member States, in line with the principle of subsidiarity,

u 

— define the rnh mistrative rules for the registration of

unemployed persons <u job centres ;

— publish the relevant administrative statistics .

WRITTEN QUESTION E    - 1954 / 95

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler ( V )

to the Commission

(6 July 1995 )

95 / C 300 / 61

Subject : Effects of EU food aid on the recipient countries '

agricultural markets

Which countries and groups of countries have received food
aid in the past ten years and in what quantities ?

Does the EU have access to studies on the domestic

agricultural markets of the countries which have received
food aid ?

How does the EU evaluate the effects of food aid on the

individual domestic agricultural markets of the countries
and groups of countries receiving it ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 September 1995 )

Since the matter raised by the question is the joint
competence of Vice President Marin and Commissioner
Pinheiro, the following answer is given by the two members
on behalf of the Commission .

The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable
Member and to Parliament 's Secretariat the requested
information from 1990 to 1995 inclusive . The Commission

regrets the fact that comprehensive information by country
for 1985 to 1989 is not at prsent available but can assure the
Honourable Member that the distribution of countries is

similar to that for 1990 to 1995 .

During the last ten years, a group of countries is ever present
in terms of receiving the largest food-aid allocations . These
countries are : Ethiopia, Mozambique, Bangladesh, Sudan,

13 . 11 . 95 MEN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 33

Egypt, Eritrea . It should be noted that until independence
Eritrea was included in Ethiopia .

In 1994, ECU 591 million equivalent to 1 562 465 tons ( all
products included ) has been committed for food-aid
activities, excluding least developed countries ( Georgia,
Armenia, Azerbaidjan, Tadjikistan, Kyrghizistan and
Moldavia ) of ex-USSR and food aid by European
Community humanitarian office ( ECHO ). At this time,
82,60% has been disbursed (1 290 659 tons ). 73 % of this
budget has been allocated to African, Caribbean and Pacific
countries, where Ethiopia represents the most important

beneficiary with 14,56% of the allocated budget .

For the amounts allocated to international institutions,
non-governmental organizations via Euronaid received the
largest proportion with almost 30 % of the total aid .

Within the framework of food security programmes
throughout the developing world it has become standard
practice to carry out two kind of studies, at least for the
largest aid recipients :

( a ) a national food security strategy which has the purpose
of defining the objectives, the modalities and the
monitoring requirement for food security programmes,
and,

( b ) regular, usually yearly, monitoring missions aimed at

confirming the pertinence and measuring the degree of
application of the recommendations stated in the
national strategy paper .

In both these studies and missions, the terms of reference
clearly mention that an assessment of the impact of food aid
on agricultural markets is required . In particular market
prices ( including their seasonal fluctuation ) for the main
food commodities are recorded and analyzed .

In certain circumstances, food security projects have the
objective of contributing to the development of agricultural
markets through the support of small scale traders and
through the use of counterpart funds generated from the sale
of food and other commodities financed from the food-aid

budget line .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1959 / 95

by Stephen Hughes ( PSE )

to the Commission

(6 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 62 )

Subject : EU subsidies for bull fighting

Recently, the Times of London printed an article in which
allegations were made that the European Union is

subsidizing bullfighting in Spain by paying £ 147 for the
carcass of every bull killed .

According to statistics made available by the Spanish
Animal Defence Association, some 7 400 bulls were
slaughtered in 1994 . According to the Association, this
means the EU pays a total subsidy of £ 1,1 million per

year .

Could the Commission clarify the current situation ?

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

(7 August 1995 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its

answers to the Written Question No 109 / 94 by Mr
Raffin (') and to Oral Question H-399 / 95 of Mr Kerr
during question time at Parliament 's 14 June 1995
part-session ( 2 ).

(') OJ No C 376, 30 . 12 . 1994 .

( 2 ) Verbatim report of Proceedings corresponding to 13 — 14 . 6 .

1995, pp . 109 and 110 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1960 / 95

by Concepció Ferrer ( PPE )

to the Commission

(6 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 63 )

Subject : Directory of European programmes

In its oral reply H-326 / 95 (') on the drawing up of a guide
containing a list of all Community Programmes, the
Commission states that since 1989 it has been producing a
directory of programmes ( projects, activities, information
systems and information networks ) being implemented by
all the European institutions .

Can the Commission send me a copy of this directory for
1994, or if not, tell me where I can obtain one ?

( ! ) European Parliament debates ( May 1995 ).

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 September 1995 )

Since 1989 the Commission ( r ) has produced, periodically, a
list of Community programmes and information systems, in
all languages, with references to the Official Journals

No C 300 / 34 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

concerned . A copy of the June 1993 edition is sent direct to
the Honourable Member and the Secretariat-General of the

Parliament and copies of the new edition will be sent as soon
as it is finished .

( ] ) Terminology and Language Support Department, Commission

Translation Service, JECL 2 / 1 86, European Commission, rue de
la Loi, 200, 1049 Brussels, Belgium .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 963 / 95

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission

unemployment and measures to promote mobility ) for
workers affected by industrial restructuring ( closures,
reductions in capacity or changes in activity ). If there are
reductions in production capacity for crude steel or rolled
finished products, the Commission may grant additional aid
under the supplementary programme ' Social measures for
the restructuring of the steel industry 1993 — 1995 '.

In addition, the European Social Fund finances training
programmes and aid towards the employment of workers
laid off because of plant closures .

(6 July 1995 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-l 974 / 95
( 95 / C 300 / 64 )
by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

Subject : Dismantling of Falck iron and steel plant at Sesto

San Giovanni

1 . Is the Commission aware of the decision by Falck to
dismantle its iron and steel plant at Sesto San Giovanni ?

2 . Is it true that following this decision and in support of
a re-conversion plan Falck is receiving Community
funds ?

3 . If so, how much is the Community contributing and
what are the objectives to be achieved ?

(8 July 199 S )

95 / C 300 / 65 )

Subject : Extension of ' road axis 9 '

The trans-European networks decided at the Essen Summit
include ' road axis 9 ' which is planned to start in Helsinki,
pass through St Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev, Odessa and
Bucharest and end in Plovdiv, Bulgaria . Although the road
starts in a Member State — Finland — it ends just outside a
Member State — Greece .

4 . Is one of these objectives the protection of the 1 187
workers who would lose their jobs with the closure of the Will the Commission propose that road axis 9 be extended
production plant ? to Alexandroupolis — a minimal distance in relation to its

overall length — so that it intersects with the Via Egnatia,
thereby linking two of the Community 's peripheral
countries ( Finland and Greece ) and ending in a
Answer given by Mr Van Miert Mediterranean Community port ?

on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 1995 )

The Commission has informed the Italian Government of its
decision to authorize the aid provided for by Italian Law
No 481 of 3 August 1994 on the restructuring of the Italian
steel industry . In the same decision, the Commission asked
the Italian authorities to notify any cases where the above
law was to be applied prior to aid being granted in order to
enable it to assess each case on its merits and, where
appropriate, authorize the aid .

To date the Commission has not received any notification
concerning the Falck steel plant in Sesto San Giovanni .
Accordingly, the Commission does not know whether the
steel plant in question will be dismantled .

Despite that, it should be noted that, under Article 56(2)(b )
of the ECSC Treaty, the Commission may provide aid
towards the financing of social measures ( early retirement,

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 1995 )

Corridor No IX was one of those endorsed at the Pan
European Conference held in Crete in March 1994 . It starts
at Helsinki, passes through St Petersburg and ends at
Plovdiv in Bulgaria . There is no requirement for the
corridors endorsed in Crete that connect two Community
ports . All corridors were selected on the basis of series of
criteria which included the connection of trans-European
networks with the transport infrastructure of the countries
of central and eastern Europe .

Work is under way on the corridor No IX in the framework
of G-24 . The objective is to ensure general coordination and

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 35

monitoring of activities in conjunction with all partners
concerned : recipients and donors countries, international
financial institutions and private investors . A memorandum
of understanding was signed on 24 March 1995 by most of
the countries concerned .

The Commission assures the Honourable Member that is

willing to support the Greek request for an extension of the
road axis that has already been made and intends to invite
Greece to participate in the general meeting for the corridor
No IX, in Brussels in October 1995, during which the
extension will be discussed .

The extension of the corridor to the port of Alexandroupolis
will require Greece to seek the support of other countries
concerned and in particular Ukraine, Romania and
Bulgaria .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1983 / 95

by Giuseppe Rauti ( NI )

to the Commission

(8 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 66 )

Subject : Strike action and crisis affecting Italian air

transport

The alarming situation of the Italian air company ' Alitalia ',
which has led to protests from Italian pilots ( apart from the
questionable type of strike action sometimes taken ) would
seem to have been caused and exacerbated by the fact that
the Alitalia management are more or less trying to withdraw
the company 's presence from certain international routes .

Will the Commission investigate the matter to establish :

1 . to what extent the decision to lease Australian aircraft
— a decision which no other European company has
ever taken and which violates Community law — will
adversely affect Alitalia ?

2 . whether it is true that a company has been set up in
Ireland to ' administer ' further initiatives along the same
lines and even multiply them ?

3 . what exactly was the role played in support of

non-Italian and non-European interests by Alitalia 's
two most senior executives Renato Riverso and Roberto
Schisano, who ' do not come from the air transport
world ', as Alessandra Carini pointed out in the ' Business
and Finance ' supplement to the ' Repubblica ' issue of

1 9 June 1 995, since ' they have pursued thair careers and
reached senior managerial positions with American
companies — IBM in one case, and Texas Instruments in
the other '?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 1995 )

The rules provided for in the third Community air-transport
liberalization package, and more specifically by Regulation

( EEC ) No 2408 / 92 ( sic ) on the licensing of air carriers (')
does not prohibit the leasing of aircraft by Community
airlines . Articles 8 and 9 of the abovementioned Regulation,
however, circumscribe that activity in such a way as to
ensure compliance with the safety rules by requiring prior
approval to be obtained from the national authorities for all
leasing activities, and by restricting the scope for leasing
where the aircraft is registered outside the Community to
short-duration contracts intended to meet temporary
air-carrier needs, or to enable such carriers to deal with
exceptional circumstances .

The information in the Commission 's possession
concerning the leasing of Australian craft, as referred to by
the Honourable Member, suggests that the leasing contract
falls well within the limits of Article 8 of Regulation ( EEC )
No 2407 / 92 . It would seem, in particular, that this contract
is restricted to a six-month period . This being the case this
does not appear to run counter to Community law . In any
case, under Article 10 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2407 / 92, the
Italian authorities are required to give their prior approval
to any Alitalia leasing agreement in order to comply with the
Italian safety rules .

It should be pointed out, with regard to the assumed
setting-up of a company by Alitalia in Ireland that the
restrictions mentioned earlier do not apply within the
Community, since this is an area without internal frontiers
within which the free movement of goods and the free
provision of services and the freedom of establishment are
guaranteed .

Finally, the Commission is not free to assess the
management of a company or the behaviour of its

managers .

(') OJ No L 240, 24 . 8 . 1992 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1987 / 95

by Heidi Hautala ( V )

to the Commission

(8 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 67 )

Subject : Molitor group

The Molitor Group delivered its report on ' legislative and
administrative simplification ' to the Commission on

No C 300 / 36 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

22 June 1995 . In the press conference, a question on the
costs of the report remained unanswered . How much money
has already been spent on this work which has been
produced without any transparency and which aims at the
weakening of the level of the protection of the environment,
health and safety at work ?

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

obtained a pledge from the Polisario Front and the
Government of Morocco to speed up the process of
preparing the referendum scheduled for the beginning of

19 96 .

What steps has the Council taken to help ensure that there
are no further delays in the holding of the referendum on
self-determination in Western Sahara ?

( 13 September 1995 ) Answer

(6 October 1995 )

The group on simplification of legislation and
administration, set up by the Commission in September

1994 and chaired by Mr Bernhard Molitor, was made up of
17 independent experts . In accordance with the brief
conferred on it by the Commission, the group, which met for
the first time on 26 September 1994, concluded its work on

14 June 1995 and sent its report to the Commission .

For the purposes of the study, the group held, over the
period in question, ten plenary meetings, seven hearings of
organizations and experts and a dozen working sessions,
involving specifically the six rapporteurs appointed by the
group . All its proceedings were in Brussels .

By means of a questionnaire and hearings, the group
approached over 150 organizations nearly 100 of which
replied . The group 's Chairman also appeared before various
Parliament Committees on five occasions .

The appropriations committed by the Commission for the
group 's work totalled ECU 451 452, made up of ECU

173 452 in travelling expenses and subsistence allowances
and ECU 278 000 in expenses for studies and
consultations .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1992 / 95
by Jesús Cabezón Alonso ( PSE ) and

Ana Miranda de Lage ( PSE )

to the Council

( 10 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 68 )

Subject : Referendum in Western Sahara

The referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara
due to be held in 1992 was postponed owing to
disagreements regarding the composition of the electoral
register .

The UN Security Council mission which visited the refugee
camps in Tindouf and Morocco at the beginning of June

The European Union fully supports the efforts of the UN to
hold a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara

in accordance with the Settlement Plan as endorsed by
Security Council Resolutions 690 and 725 . It has repeatedly
called on all the parties to cooperate with the UN Secretary
General and his Special Representative and to avoid doing
anything which could hinder the implementation of the
Plan .

In this context the European Union welcomes the decision of
the Polisario Front to resume its participation in the UN
referendum process . It urges all parties to intensify their
efforts so that the referendum can be held at the earliest

opportunity .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2019 / 95

by Bartho Pronk ( PPE )

to the Commission

(8 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 69 )

Subject : Social dialogue with small and medium-sized

enterprises

1 . Is the Commission aware of the resolution adopted by
UEAPME on 30 May 1995 in Paris, the eleventh and twelfth
recitals of which read :

' — Note nevertheless that, in spite of some movements in
the European Commission, there have not been clear signs
for an opening of the Social Dialogue on European
Level,

— Regret in this context that the Commission has decided
once again on the tasks and structure of an " European
Training Center for Relations of Work " together with the
participants of the Social Dialogue up till now without
including UEAPME '?

2 . Does the Commission agree with these recitals ?

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 37

3 . In the Commission 's view, what action could be taken WRITTEN QUESTION
in response to the concern felt by small and medium-sized by Mark Killilea (
enterprises which is expressed in these recitals ? to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2024 / 95

by Mark Killilea ( UPE )

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 19 September 1995 )

1 . Yes .

2 and 3 . According to the provisions of the Agreement on
Social Policy ( Article 3.1 ), annexed to the Treaty on
European Union, the Commission 's obligations only extend
to promoting consultation of the social partners at
Community level and facilitating dialogue between them .

In view of this, and of the absence at European level of any
formal system for recognising the representativeness of
social partner organizations, the Commission has no power
to insist on the presence of any particular trade union or
employers ' organization in social dialogue instituted at
Community level under any of the agreements referred to in
Article 4 of the Agreement on Social Policy .

However, precisely because of the role which it is expected
to play in the social dialogue arrangements, the Commission
is prepared to offer assistance to the social partners, who
nevertheless retain full autonomy in decision-making .

The Commission would point out that our societies have
opted for a democratic system based on observance of the
combined principles of seeking the broadest possible
consensus and of autonomy in decision-making by the

- organizations representing socio-economic interests .

The idea of a European Centre for industrial relations was
not a Community initiative, but a private one stemming
from an agreement between three European social partner
organizations, exceptionally broad in scope with regard to
its promoters ' common objective of fostering new-style,
European-based industrial relations by providing training
for representatives of workers ' and employers '
organizations . The Centre is not, however, restricted to its
founder members, but can co-opt new members onto the
Administrative Board under its own internal regulations .
The Commission could provide assistance to promote such
a development, but the success of the project is first and
foremost the responsibility of the organizations concerned
and depends on their mutual cooperation in accordance
with the principles which inspired the creation of the
Centre .

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 70 )

Subject : Destruction of fish stocks by cormorants

Has any research been carried out into the level of
destruction and depletion by cormorants of inland fish
stocks, mainly in the UK and Ireland, but also throughout
Europe ? If so, what were the findings ? If not, when could the
Commission consider implementing such a research
project ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

The Commission is sending the information requested direct
to the Honourable Member and to Parliament 's

Secretariat .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2029 / 95

by Wilfried Kuckelkorn ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 71 )

Subject : Transposition of Directives on improving the

safety and health of workers at work in
Germany

On the basis of Article 118a of the EC Treaty, the
Community has launched a programme to protect the
health and safety of workers at work . In addition to
Directive 89 / 391 / EEC ('), the deadline for transposition
into national law has passed for 12 subsequent individual
Directives ( 89 / 654 / EEC ( 2 ), 89 / 655 / EEC ( 3 ), 89 / 656 /
EEC ( 4 ), 90 / 269 / EEC ( 5 ), 90 / 270 / EEC ( 6 ), 90 / 394 / EEC ( 7 ),
90 / 679 / EEC ( 8 ), 92 / 57 / EEC ( 9 ), 92 / 58 / EEC ( 10 ), 92 / 85 /
EEC ( n ), 92 / 91 / EEC ( 12 ), 92 / 104 / EEC ( 13 )). The deadline
for transposing Directive 93 / 103 / EC ( 14 ) expires in
November 1995 . According to press reports, Germany has
not yet transposed these Directives to the Commission 's
satisfaction . The trade unions have complained about legal
uncertainty in the field of health protection . Can the
Commission give precise answers to the following
questions :

No C 300 / 38 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

1 . Which Directives have already been transposed into
German law, and which have not been transposed ?

2 . In the event that Directives have not been transposed,
have infringement proceedings already been opened
and, if so, in which cases ?

3 . Where infringement proceedings have been opened,
what stage has been reached in each individual case ?

4 . Is it correct that the Federal Republic has expressed its
view to the Commission that the German legislation in
force meets the requirements of the basic Directive

( 87 / 391 / EEC ) and subsequent individual Directives ? If
so, how does the Commission assess this view ?

(') OJ No L 183, 29 . 6 . 1989, p . 1 .

( 2 ) O ! No L 393, 30 . 12 . 1989, p . 1 .
(•') OJ No L 393, 30 . 12 . 1989, p . 13 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 393, 30 . 12 . 1989, p . 18 .

( 5 ) O ) No L 156, 21 . 6 . 1990, p . 9 .

( 6 ) OJ No 1 . 156, 21 . 6 . 1990, p . 14 .

( 7 ) OJ No L 196, 26 . 7 . 1990, p . 1 .

( s ) OJ No L 374, 31 . 12 . 1990, p . 1 .
H OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992, p . 6 .
"') OJ No L 245, 26 . 8 . 1992, p . 23 .
n ) OJ No L 348, 28 . 11 . 1992, p . 1 .

   - 2 ) OJ No L 348, 28 . 11 . 1992, p . 9 .
") OJ No L 404, 31 . 12 . 1992, p . 10 .

14 ) OJ No L 307, 13 . 12 . 1993, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 1995 )

1 . Germany has communicated to the Commission
national legislation implementing Directives 89 / 391 / EEC,
89 / 654 / EEC, 89 / 655 / EEC, 89 / 656 / EEC, 90 / 269 / EEC,
90 / 270 / EEC, 90 / 394 / EEC and 90 / 679 / EEC . Legislation has
not yet been communicated regarding the other Directives
mentioned by the Honourable Member .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2033 / 95

by Spalato Belleré ( NI )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 72

Subject : Conservation of birthplaces of major historical

figures

The birthplaces and homes of certain major historical
figures are now in a state of extreme dilapidation, to the
shame of the country, region or town where they were born
or spent long periods of time .

Such buildings could also represent a tourist attraction, of
considerable cultural and historical interest to visitors .

Does the Commission not consider that Directives should be

introduced to encourage Member States to protect these
birthplaces, which are of national, European and world
interest .

Answer given by Mr Oreja
on behalf of the Commission

( 18 September 1995 )

The Commission 's proposal for the Raphael programme ( ),
related to the cultural heritage, includes the preservation of
historic sites and monuments . Once the Raphael proposal is
adopted, any project concerning the conservation or
restoration of buildings which include the birth place of
historical figures, may be considered for support .

The Commission is not at present considering the
introduction of a Directive to encourage Member States to
protect the birth places of historical figures .

(') COM(95 ) 110 final .

2 and 3 . The Commission would refer the Honourable
Member to its twelfth annual report to Parliament on
monitoring the application of Community law —
1994 ('). WRITTEN QUESTION E-2042 / 95

by Peter Skinner ( PSE )

to the Commission

4 . Yes .
( 12 July 1995 )

The Commission is still in the process of analysing the ( 95 / C 300 / 73 )
numerous pieces of German legislation concerned to assess
their conformity with the provisions of health and safety
Directives . Subject : European Union funding and compatibility with

EU legislation and policies

(>) COM(95 ) 500 .

What measures are in place for ensuring that all sources of
European Union funding ( including EIB and similar funds )
are used in a way which complies with and is compatible

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 39

with EU legislation and policies ? What legal basis exists for the capital markets . Its borrowing and lending operations
this scrutiny and what is the procedure for ensuring that take place on open markets . To make sure the funding is
projects are subject to a follow-up after money has been used efficiently, the EIB assesses each investment proposal
granted ? Equally, what sanctions exist, if the Commission strictly to see whether it is consistent with Community
establishes that projects receiving funding have not policies and to ensure that there are sound economic and
complied with EU legislation and policies ? environmental arguments for it and that it is financially and

technically viable . Bank funding is granted for clearly
defined investment projects, a breakdown of every project
and a timetable for implementing it form an integral part of
the funding contract and there is a clause entitling the Bank
to monitor the implementation stage .

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 September 1995 )

The Community 's budgetary operations under each of its
policies are based on legislative instruments which define
responsibilities in the funding award process and set the
relevant targets, eligibility criteria and procedures for
implementation and follow-up .

( ] ) OJ No L 356, 31 . 12 . 1977 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 315, 16 . 12 . 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2044 / 95

by José Gil-Robles Gil-Delgado ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

In approving commitment proposals submitted by
authorizing officers, the Financial Controller establishes ( 95 / C 300 / 74 )
that the expenditure concerned is in order and conforms to
the applicable provisions ( Article 38(l)(c ) of the Financial
Regulation ) ( ! ). Similarly, in the case of payment orders, the Subject : Provisional anti-dumping
purpose of the Financial Controller 's approval is, among disodium carbonate
other things, to establish that the supporting documents are
in order and that the designated recipient is the right one

Subject : Provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of

disodium carbonate originating in the USA

( Article 47(e ) and ( f ) of the Financial Regulation ).

If it becomes clear that funding has not been used for the
purpose for which it was granted, all payments are
suspended in line with the provisions of the basic
instrument, and sums unduly paid to the recipient are
recovered as stipulated in Articles 28, 29 and 73 of the
Financial Regulation ( in conjunction with Articles 44 to 50
of the Commission Regulation of 9 December 1993 laying
down detailed rules for the implementation of certain
provisions of the Financial Regulation ) ( 2 ).

In addition, the Member States are required by regulation to
notify cases of fraud and irregularity in relation to the main
Community policies ( the European Agricultural Guidance
and Guarantee Fund — Guarantee Section, structural
measures ), stating the administrative and judicial action
taken . There are now sector regulations which lay down
penalties ( in the common agricultural policy ). The Cannes
European Council, too, welcomed the completion of the
work on the regulation and convention on protecting the
Communities ' financial interests . These across-the-board
instruments represent a major step forward, particularly as
regards criminal sanctions .

Commission Regulation ( EC ) No 823 / 95 (') imposes a
provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of disodium
carbonate originating in the USA . Disodium carbonate is
one of the main materials used in the glass industry and the
imposition of such duty may result in supplies to glass
manufacturers at uncompetitive prices .

Can the Commission say what the period of validity will be
of the ' provisional duty ' provided for in the above
Regulation ?

(!) OJ No L 83, 13 . 4 . 1995, p . 8 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2226 / 95

by Inigo Méndez de Vigo ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 75 )

Subject : Anti-dumping duties on imports of disodium

carbonate

As far as European Investment Bank ( EIB ) is concerned, it The Commission recently introduced provisional
grants funding in the form of loans using funds borrowed on anti-dumping duties on imports of disodium carbonate —

No C 300 / 40 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

one of the main raw materials used in the glass industry —
originating in the United States ( Commission Regulation

( EC ) No 823 / 95 ).

Has the Commission assessed the effects which the

definitive fixing of anti-dumping duties will have on the
Spanish glass industry by creating a monopoly situation on
the Spanish market ? Does the Commission believe that
measures of this kind encourage competitiveness in the glass
sector ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2044 / 95 and E-2226 / 95

given by Sir Leon Brittan
on behalf of the Commission

( 18 September 1995 )

The provisional anti-dumping duties apply for a period of
four months from their publication on 13 April 1995 . A
proposal extending them for two months has been put to the
Council (').

Since these duties were introduced, the Commission has
been studying the views of the interested parties . All
arguments will be taken into account for the purposes of the
proposal for a definitive Regulation .

As for the glass industry, which is actively taking part in this
procedure, its competitive position is currently the object of
a comprehensive and detailed assessment .

The conclusions of the anti-dumping investigation should
shortly be finalized and presented to the Council for
approval .

C ) OJ No L 191, 12 . 8 . 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2045 / 95

1 . Is the Commission aware that the two sides of industry
are not involved in the negotiations of the Joint Aviation
Authorities ?

2 . Does not this contravene the agreements reached on the
sectors exempted from the provisions of the Directive on
working hours ?

3 . Will the Commission take action to secure balanced

arrangements, with account being taken in the
decision-making of the views of the two sides of industry
and the health and safety of workers ?

4 . What will be the status of any decision which may be
reached by the Joint Aviation Authorities vis-a-vis the
European Union ? If a decision by the JAA is
automatically accepted, will this not violate Community
law, given that the JAA consists not only of European
Union countries but also of non-EU countries ?

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 1995 )

On 28 March 1995, the Joint Aviation Authorities ( JAA )
postponed the adoption of a flight time limitation ( FTL )
scheme . The Commission has been informed that JAA will
decide on the future of the scheme after due analysis of the
NASA study and consideration of Federal Aviation
Administration ( FAA ) proposals for a new US scheme . The
Commission must add that pilot associations ( European
Cockpit Association ( ECA ) and International Federation of
Airline Pilots Associations ( Ifalpa )) are involved in the JAA
process at different levels ( study groups, operations
committee, Notice of proposed amendment ( NPA )). The
Honourable Member is right to say that social partners are
not directly represented in this international structure .

The Commission does not envisage any automatic takeover
of JAA proposals and intends to organize full consultation
with interested parties, taking into consideration scientific
and medical evidence and also views of individuals .

by Bartho Pronk ( PPE )

On 16 June 1995, the Commission chaired a meeting with

to the Commission all members of the joint committees belonging to transport,

( 12 July 1995 ) including civil aviation, in which it stressed the importance

( 95 / C 300 / 76 ) of the social partners being involved in the process of

consultation by Commission on social aspects of transport
policy . The Commission assures the Honourable Member
that it is its intention to provide in the future the joint
Subject : Directive on working hours for airline staff committees with all the necessary support to enable them to
play an important role in this context .

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 76 )

At present the Joint Aviation Authorities, on behalf of the
Commission, are preparing new arrangements concerning
flying and working hours for European airline staff .

13 . 11 . 95 [ EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 41

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2047 / 95

by Martina Gredler ( ELDR )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 77 )

Subject : New budget heading concerning landmines

Following the debate on the Bertens report on landmines
and blinding laser weapons ( A4-119 / 95 ), it was proposed
that a new budget heading be created . Its objective should be
not only to clear mines but also to help provide care for the
civilian population affected and facilitate its rehabilitation .
Given that scarcely any European country currently
supports a ban on the production and export of
anti-personnel mines ( APMs ), the Council, Commission
and Parliament are called upon to react . The growing
number of injuries among the civilian population shows that
this is an urgent problem .

Will the Commission propose such a budget heading ?

Will the financial framework be higher than that currently
envisaged for the disposal of such mines and care for the
injured ?

To what extent will specialized NGOs be supported ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 20 September 1995 )

The Commission fully supports the aim of giving greater
visibility, coherence, and effectiveness to actions dealing
with the scourge of anti-personnel mines . At the moment,
the Commission 's actions are funded from a number of

different budget lines depending on the region of the world
and the nature of the problem . While the present system
gives a certain flexibility, a separate budget line for
mines-related actions might provide a better focus, and
enable actions to be undertaken that were not necessarily
linked to particular development or rehabilitation
programmes . The Commission is therefore giving
consideration to the possible advantages and disadvantages
of the proposal for a distinct budget line . As the Commission
wishes to enhance its contribution to mine-clearance and

related activities, there would be no intention to spend less
than the current appropriations . As a fundamental
management choice, the Commission has opted for a
partnership approach with established, specialised
non-governmental organizations, rather than setting up a
large staff of its own for mine clearance tasks . It will

continue to provide support for the most suitable partners,
depending on the requirements and objectives of each of its

programmes .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2057 / 95

by Josu Imaz San Miguel ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 78 )

Subject : Wood-pigeon shooting

Council Directive 79 / 409 / EEC of 2 April 1979 on the
conservation of wild birds ( ] ) requires the Member States to
ensure that the migratory species to which hunting laws
apply are not hunted during their breeding season or during
their return journey to their nesting place . However,
Article 9 of the Directive allows certain species to be caught
in small quantities whilst Article 7 requires the Member
States to ensure that hunting for these species does not
jeopardize conservation efforts in their distribution area .

The spirit of the Directive is reflected in the recitals thereto,
in which it is stressed that such measures need to be adopted
in view of the large number of birds, especially migratory
ones, whose population is declining . In turn there is support
for the concept of hunting on a scale which is compatible
with the maintenance of the population .

As regards birds of the pigeon family such as the
wood-pigeon, certain Member States, including France,
Germany and the United Kingdom, also allow these to be
hunted during the period of their return to their nesting
place in view of the fact that the species is undoubtedly
increasing in number, which in certain places even gives rise
to problems on account of the population density .

Spanish law, however, although excessively lax in certain
areas to which specific bans apply under the Community
Directive ( such as the use of blinded live decoys ), bans the
shooting of wood-pigeons during their period of return in
certain regions such as the Basque Country and Navarre but
permits it in others, such as Extremadura and Murcia . This
state of affairs results in unequal rights, both between the
Member States of the Community and between the Spanish
regions, and is not in accordance with the criteria of
' hunting permissible in small quantities ' and population
maintenance which are laid down in the Directive for

guidance purposes .

In view of this, is the Commission to act under Article 169 of
the Treaty to ensure that the Spanish law 4 / 1989 of
27 March on the conservation of natural areas is amended

No C 300 / 42 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

by means of the corresponding annex, so as to permit the WRITTEN QUESTION P-2079
shooting of birds belonging to the pigeon family during their by Yannos Kranidiotis ( PSE )
period of return ?

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2079 / 95

to the Council

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

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 September 1995 )

The situation described by the Honourable Member does
not reveal any infringement of Community law and
therefore there is no justification for action under
Article 169 of the EC Treaty .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2065 / 95

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

( 12 July 1995 )

95 / C 300 / 79 )

Subject : Budget heading A-183

Article A-183 of the European Union 's 1995 budget
includes an amount for other welfare expenditure .

What is this budget heading used for and what has it been
used for in the past ? I should appreciate a detailed answer
for expenditure in the financial year 1994 or, if this is
impossible, for the most recent year for which information is
available .

Answer given by Mr Liikanen

on behalf of the Commission

( 18 September 1995 )

Budget heading A-183 ( Other welfare expenditure ) mainly
covers the cost of reception facilities for new staff, legal
advice, and home helps in the case of serious illness .

The level and utilization of these appropriations have
remained constant over the past few years .

Until and including 1993, heading A-183 also covered a
percentage of the expenditure associated with the
organization of holiday centres . This has since been stopped
at the request of the budgetary authority .

A detailed list of the measures paid for out of heading A-183
has been sent direct to the Honourable Member and to

Parliament 's Secretariat .

(6 July 1995 )

{ 95 fC 300 / 80 )

Subject : Relations between Turkey and the European

Union

The Turkish Government has threatened to declare war on
Greece, if the Greek Government exercises its legal right
under international law and the Convention on the Law of

the Sea and extends its territorial waters to 12 miles .

Will the Council say how it intends to react to this threat
made by Turkey against a Member State of the European
Union and indicate whether it intends to raise this matter in

discussions on relations between the European Union and
Turkey .

Will the Council also say why, despite the decision by the

General Affairs Council of 29 May 1995 to introduce a
standard clause suspending agreements concluded between
the Community and third countries in cases of human rights
violations, no such clause was incorporated in the
agreement between the European Union and Turkey ?

It is, at the very least, paradoxical that in the case of T urkey,
a country with a very poor human rights record which has
been condemned by the Council of Europe for violations of
the European Convention on Human Rights in Cyprus and
has been heavily criticized for its violations of international
law, the Council should not have made implementation of
the Customs Union agreement dependent on respect for
human rights issues .

Answer

(6 October 1995 )

The Council has already replied on several occasions to the
question put by the Honourable Member . The European
Union reiterates its well-established position that disputes
between neighbouring States must be resolved in full
compliance with the international provisions in force and
that a threat against a Member State of the EU is a matter of
concern to the Union .

Turkey is well acquainted with the Union 's position on
human rights and this subject has already been addressed in
several declarations . As the Honourable Member knows,
the Union has taken every opportunity when meeting the
Ankara authorities about the prospects for customs union to
remind them that respect for the rule of law and
fundamental freedoms are at the basis of rapprochement
between Turkey and the EU . Turkey has shown that it is well
aware of the fact that the customs union must still obtain the
assent of the European Parliament, which has made its

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 43

approval conditional on appreciable progress being made as
regards human rights and democratization in Turkey .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2083 / 95

by Anita Pollack ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 18 July 1995 )

95 / C 300 / 81

Subject : Forests in the Solomon Islands

Is the Commission aware of the situation on Russell Island

— Solomon Islands — where local communities and the

environmental movement are protesting against the
expansion of logging acitivities by foreign logging
companies without their support ?

How is the Commission addressing the issue of the impact of
uncontrolled activities of foreign logging companies in the
South Pacific ?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro

on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

The Commission is aware of the situation on Russell Island

and of the overall critical situation brought about by
unsustainable logging .

The Commission is in favour of structural adjustment
measures which would enable Solomon Islands to receive
better returns from forestry exploitation, to bring such
exploitation under control and to become less dependent on
cash flows from foreign logging companies which remain
the main income of the government .

The Commission believes that support for grass-roots
communities is important, and as a result is undertaking
actions such as the Isabel sustainable forestry management
programme with the provincial government and studies to
define strategies and maintain a dialogue on policy issues

( taxation, sustainable logging, etc .) with the government .

Studies are under way which will recommend sustainable
forestry activities to be funded by the Community in the
Pacific, and particular consideration will be given to them in
the discussions on Eighth European Development Fund
regional and national programmes for the Pacific .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2085 / 95

by Inigo Mendez de Vigo ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 18 July 1995 )

{9 SIC 300 / 82 )

Subject : Construction of a tunnel between Spain and

Morocco

In view of the project to link Spain and Morocco by means
of a tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar, which would mean
the opening up of a new route for trade and tourism between
the two continents and the possibility of 4 million tonnes of
goods and 6 millon passengers per year ( figures which could
double by the year 2025 ), is the Commission planning to
grant financial aid to support the project, given the
economic and strategic importance thereof ?

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission

( 27 September 1995 )

The Commission is following with keen interest the studies
being carried out into the possibility of building a fixed link
between Spain and Morocco across the Strait of
Gibraltar .

It has as yet received no request for aid, although it did
finance a study into the cost of such a link . Were it to receive
such a request it would examine it in the light of the
trans-European networks and the Euro-Mediterranean
partnership .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2086 / 95

by Inigo Méndez de Vigo ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 18 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 83 )

Subject : China's membership of the WTO

Sir Leon Brittan, Commissioner, has announced that the
Commission is shortly to submit a document supporting
China 's membership of the WTO, provided that the Chinese
market is opened up and reforms are carried out .

No C 300 / 44 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

Will the Commission make its support for China 's WRITTEN QUESTION E-2088 / 95
membership conditional on respect for human rights in that by Joan Vallvé ( ELDR )
country ?
to the Commission

( 18 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 85 )

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 September 1995 )

A commitment to human rights and fundamental freedom is
at the heart of European Union policy world-wide . In its
recent communication on a long term policy for
China-Europe relations ( 1 ), the Commission has expressed
its firm commitment to take specific and concrete actions in
this field of human rights by combining discussions,
multilateral pressure and practical cooperation .

This being said, the Commission believes that human rights
tend to be better protected in societies open to free flow of
trade and investment . Therefore it is of the opinion that
supporting China 's efforts to open up and liberalise its
economy through the accession to the World trade
organization will inevitably reinforce moves towards the
development of a civil society based on the rule of law .

(M COM(95 ) 279 final .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2087 / 95

Subject : Protection of Balearic fishing grounds against

illegal fishing

Drift-net fishing is banned under the Spanish and
Portuguese Acts of Accession in the territorial waters of the
two countries concerned . Moreover, under Spanish and
Greek law the use of such nets is prohibited within the fleets
of those countries . Under EU law ( Regulation ( EEC )
No 345 / 92 ( ] )) the use of drift-nets exceeding 2,5 km in
length is forbidden .

Over 600 fishing vessels, especially Italian ones ( according
to information from the Ministerio della Marina Mercante

Italiana ) regularly use drift-nets with an average length
exceeding 12 km to catch swordfish in the Mediterranean .
This means that the weight of such netting at sea is
approximately 3 000 tonnes, with a total length of
approximately 7 500 km per day in the fishing season . This
non-selective fishing method ( less than 20 % of the catch is
used ) is often carried out off the coast of the Balearic Islands
and Italian drift-net fishing vessels are regularly seized ( the
most recent being the Orazzio I on 5 May 1995, with an
illegal net length of 10 km ).

Can the Commission say how it intends to protect the
traditional fishing grounds off the Balearic Islands against
this illegal practice by other EU Member States ? Does it
regard this as unfair competition and can it guarantee that
fishing laws will be complied with in the Mediterranean ?

by Joan Vallvé ( ELDR ) ( ! ) OJ No L 42, 18 . 2 . 1992, p . 15 .

to the Commission

( 18 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 84 ) Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2087 / 95 and E-2088 / 95

given by Mrs Bonino
on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Drift-nets in the Mediterranean
( 13 September 1995 )

Whereas Regulation ( EEC ) No 345 / 92 (*) prohibits the use
of drift-nets exceeding 2,5 km in length, having regard to the
UN Moratorium No 46 / 215 ( in force since 31 December

1992 ) which bans such nets, and having regard to the
ICCAT ( 11 / 91 ), Wellington Convention ( 24 November
1989 ) and 1992 FAO Cancun Declaration provisions, all of
which impose similar bans, is the Commission aware that, in
the Mediterranean, over 600 Italian vessels fish with
drift-nets, the average length of which is 12,5 km ? How does
the Commission intends to act in this matter ? Is it going to
ask the Council once again to ban drift-nets once and for all
and abide by international law ?

The Commission is perfectly aware of the utilization of
drift-nets by Community fishing vessels as well as those of
third countries in the Mediterranean Sea . Our services have

been informed by the Italian authorities that at present 648
Italian fishing vessels are authorized to use drift-nets . Of
these 600 have license to fish only inside the 12-miles limit .
Some vessels of other Member States also may have engaged
in the drift-net fishery .

During the experts meeting held in Brussels 29 June 1995,

and abide by international law ? the Italian representative affirmed that during 1994 the

Italian authorities have used patrol vessels operating
( i ) OJ No L 42, 18 . 2 . 1992, p . 15 . between Sardinia, and the Balearic Archipielago . During the

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 45

period of those patrols 58 vessels were detected, nine of
them Italians of which four were penalised for fishing with
drift-nets that exceeded 2,5 km in length .

The Commission have requested the Member States
concerned to increase inspections of fishing with drift-nets .
In particular, it advised reinforcement of the existing
cooperation between Spanish and Italian authorities to
minimize fishing with illegal nets around the Balearic
Islands . In addition, the Commission has chartered an
inspection vessel, the ' Northern Horizon ' that will serve as
an inspection platform for all the Member States concerned
and will operate in the Mediterranean Sea during the month
of September .

A decision on the Commission proposal C ) which provides
for a phasing out of drift-net fishery remains to be made by
the Council in the light of all information available to it,
including the opinion of the European Parliament . The
Commission will do its utmost to see that this proposal is
adopted .

(') COMÍ94 ) 131 final — OJ No C 118, 29 . 4 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2098 / 95

by Helena Torres Marques ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 18 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 86 )

Subject : EAGGF black list

As a preventive measure in the fight against fraud by farmers
in connection with the funds distributed under the EAGGF,
a black list has been drawn up in which offenders are
identified .

Can the Commission state whether any Portuguese farms
appear on this list and, if so, their names and the reasons for
their inclusion ?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 September 1995 )

In June 1995, the Council adopted a Regulation on the
so-called ' black list ' in the field of the EAGGF ( Council
Regulation ( EC ) No 1469 / 95 of 22 June 1995 on measures
to be taken with regard to certain beneficiaries of operations
financed by the Guarantee Section of the EAGGF ) 0

( European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund ). The
Commission is in the process of drawing up detailed rules
for the application of this Regulation .

(') OJ No L 145, 29 . 6 . 1995 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 116 / 95

by Karin Falkmer ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 87 )

Subject : Closure of the Chernobyl nuclear plant

The Corfu European Council expressed its concern at the
general level of nuclear safety in Ukraine and, in particular,
recommended that the Chernobyl plant should be closed
permanently as soon as possible . The European Union has
signalled its willingness to contribute ECU 400 million in
Euratom loans and additional ECU 100 million under the

Tacis programme towards funding a package of measures
for this plan .

The Ukraine Government has decided to close Chernobyl by
the year 2000, though they need assistance to fund
alternative energy sources .

According to a proposal by a multinational consortium
headed by ABB, it is possible to replace Chernobyl with a gas
power station at a cost of around $ US 3 billion ( some ECU 4
billion ). This is a project that can be completed within three

years .

What measures has the Commission taken to follow up the
decision taken at the Corfu summit ? Has the Commission

evaluated the new projects designed to shut down
Chernobyl ? Does the Commission intend to take further
measures so that Chernobyl can be closed as soon as
possible ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 September 1995 )

Following the decisions at Corfu the Commission has taken
the following actions :

— active participation in the negotiations between the G7

and Ukraine in order to implement the action plan

— implementation of specific projects begun under the

Tacis programme which are aimed at providing the
necessary technical strategy and related data to
guarantee a comprehensive analysis and appropriate
decisions to solve the problems at Chernobyl .
Specifically, the following major Chernobyl-related
projects are currently being implemented or
completed :

No C 300 / 46 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

— the preparation of the Chernobyl plant
de-commissioning strategy

— feasibility study for a safe enclosure for the damaged

unit

— study on the nuclear waste dumps in the 30-km zone

around the nuclear power plant .

— entrusting to a consortium of Community utilities the

assistance to the Ukrainian nuclear utility Goskomatom
for the completion of the VVER-1000 reactors under
construction . This assistance includes the specification
of an adequate safety level as well as the preparation of
the financial files for financing through the Euratom
loan facility

— evaluation of the projects proposed by a consortium led

by ABB for their technical and economic merits .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 118 / 95

by Laura Gonzalez Alvarez ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 88 )

Subject : Change in the rules on leave for elections applying

to Commission staff

The ' Administrative notices ' ( special bulletin of 7 April
1994 ) reported that a change was to be made to the rules
which the Commission had hitherto followed with respect
to the special leave granted to its staff for election purposes .
Bearing in mind that the change constitutes a restriction :

1 . Does the Commission believe that it observed the
requisite procedure for altering the manner of giving
effect to the Staff Regulations of officials in a particular
institution ?

2 . Did it obtain the necessary approval of the Staff
Regulations Committee ?

3 . Did it consult the staff representatives who are its
legitimate negotiating partners ?

If it neglected to do any of the above,

4 . Does the Commission consider it appropriate to take
decisions that could undermine the right to vote without
proper consultation of the persons concerned ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 119 / 95
by Laura González Alvarez ( GUE / NGL )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 89 )

Subject : Guaranteed right to vote for Spanish officials and

other servants working for the Commission

In the ' Administrative notices ' ( special bulletin of 4 May
1993 ), Spanish Commission staff were informed of the
Commission 's decision to the effect that special leave to vote
would be granted for the last time when electors were called
upon to vote in the election on 6 June 1993 and that the
abovementioned staff would not be entitled to special leave
in future . The decision was taken on the assumption that the
election arrangements to which Spanish expatriates were
subject also applied to officials and other servants .

In the light of the foregoing :

1 . Can the Commission say on what information in its
posession its decision was based ?

If the information originated from a Spanish Governement
department :

2 . Can the Commission say which one ?

3 . Did consultations take place ? If so, when, and what was
the outcome ?

4 . Does the Commission believe that the rules laid down in

Conclusion No 201 / 92, adopted by the Committee of
Heads of Administration on 1 8 December 1991, and the
subsequent provisions of Conclusions No 205 / 94,
adopted on 11 March 1994 and published on 7 April of
that year, are in accordance with the law ? Finally,

5 . Does the Commission consider that its attitude is likely
to encourage its employees to take part in the political
life of their countries of origin ?

Joint answer to Written Questions

E-2118 / 95 and E-2 119 / 95

given by Mr Liikanen
on behalf of the Commission

( 13 September 1995 )

With regard to special election leave, the Commission
continues to apply Conclusion No 201 / 92 of the Heads of
Administrative Services . The Commission notified its staff
of this conclusion at the beginning of 1992 . Conclusion
No 205 / 94 is not applied by the Commission .

Conclusion No 201 / 92 concerns staff who, because of their
status as residents in the country where they work, cannot
vote either by post or at an embassy or consulate without
jeopardizing their eligibility to vote in other elections . Both

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 47

the letter and spirit of the Conclusion and the way it is
applied by the Commission make it easier for such staff to
vote in person by entitling them to special leave and
travelling time .

The Member States ' consular departments, including the
Spanish Consulate-General in Brussels, were consulted well
in advance about national legislation on the matter . The
Commission obtained a copy of Spanish organic law
No 5 / 85 of 19 June 1985 laying down general electoral
rules . Under this law, Spanish nationals resident abroad may
have their names entered on special electoral registers
enabling them to vote by post . Under Article 20 of the Staff
Regulations, officials and other servants of the Commission
must reside in the place where they are employed, thus they
qualify for registration on one of the special rolls referred to
above .

In view of the deadline for registration applications for these
special rolls, the Commission notified its Spanish staff in the
administrative notice of 4 May 1993 that Conclusion
No 201 / 92 would not apply to them until after the elections
on 6 June 1993 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2125 / 95

by Otto von Habsburg ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 90

Subject : Payment for Phare programme advisers

Do the Phare advisers receive remuneration from the

European Union for their activities ?

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2129 / 95

by Gerhard Schimid ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 91 )

Subject : Management programme in Japan — HRTP

As part of the HRTP the European Union supports training
courses in Japan for managers of European firms .

1 . Can the Commission provide precise information about
the cost of the programme per participant ? More
specifically, how many ECU does a training course cost
on average per participant and, on average, how many
ECU are spent per participant from the Union 's
budget ?

2 . Can the Commission inform the amount indicated by
the PA Consulting Group, who are managing the
programme for the Commission in Germany, to the
effect that the cost per participant and per training
course is more than ECU 120 000 ?

3 . If so, why are the costs per participant so high ?

4 . What companies have so far been able to train managers

— and how often — under the HRTP programme ?

5 . Does the Commission have plans for a similar
programme for the Chinese market ?

6 . If not, why not ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

What sums are involved ? on behalf of the Commission

( 14 September 1995 )

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 September 1995 )

The implementation of Phare implies the awarding of
technical assistance and service contracts under which local
and western external consultancy is made available to the

programme .

The level of the fees paid to western external consultants
varies with the sector of intervention and the category of the
consultant and is in general the result of competitive
tender .

The costs of consultancy involved in the provision of
technical assistance do not exceed one third of the total

Phare budget .

1 . The amount allocated in the 1993 and 1994 budgets
for the 14th executive training programme for Japan

( ETP 14 ) which runs from June 1994 to November 1995 is
ECU 120 692 per participant . An exact figure cannot be
given until the programme has been completed . Three
companies have sent a second participant for the ETP 14
programme and will pay the Commission ECU 45 000 for
each candidate .

2 . The Commission confirms PA Consulting Group 's
estimate of the cost per participant of the 16th executive
training programme ( June 1996 to November 1997 ) which
it puts at over ECU 120 000 .

3 . The level of the costs involved is due to the high cost of
living in Tokyo ( 80 % of costs are incurred in Japan ) and the
rise in the yen which has appreciated by 31 % against the
ECU since 1992 .

No C 300 / 48 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

4 . In view of the length of this part of the Commission
reply, full details are sent direct to the Honourable Member
and Parliament 's Secretariat .

5 . & 6 . The ETP programme is targeted specifically at the
Japanese market and European interests in Japan . The

situation in the People 's Republic of China is very different
from that in Japan .

The Commission has been considering a similar initiative on
training, tailored to the Chinese market and
European-Chinese relations, in the discussions on a new
long-term policy with regard to the People 's Republic of
China .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2140 / 95

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

(9 SIC 300 / 93 )

Subject : Asbestos

Compounds of cement and asbestos used in the building
trade because of their lightness and resistance have been
prohibited for some time by Community Directives .
Asbestos fibres which are mainly used in the roofing of
sports complexes and community centres used daily by
hundreds of students and athletes, can appear on the surface
and be released into the air with disastrous consequences for
human health .

Will the Commission draw up a Directive confirming the

QUESTION E-2 130 / 95 ban on the use of asbestos fibres and providing for special

Gerhard Schmid ( PSE ) measures to remove any such material still in existence ?

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 130 / 95

by Gerhard Schmid ( PSE )

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 92 )

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

Subject : EU support for nuclear energy plant in ( 12 September 1995 )
Morocco

Spain is currently laying a submarine cable to Morocco so
that the latter can supply Spain with electricity generated by
nuclear power .

1 . Is the Commission aware of this project ?

2 . Is the European Union making a financial contribution
to the construction of a nuclear power station in

Morocco ?

3 . If so, under what budget line, and what appropriations
are involved ?

Answer given by Mr Mann
on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 1995 )

1 . According to the Commission 's information,
Morocco has no nuclear power programme .

2 . & 3 . Neither the Commission nor the European
Investment Bank have made funding available for the design
or construction of a nuclear power station in Morocco .

Both Council Directive 83 / 477 / EEC ( ) and Council
Directive 91 / 382 / EEC ( 2 ) which amended it are directly
related to asbestos . They apply to activities in which
workers may be exposed to dust arising from asbestos or
materials containing asbestos . These Directives cover
demolition work or work on removing asbestos or asbestos
containing products from buildings, structures, plant or
installations and require :

1 . a ' work plan ' to be drawn up specifying that :

— asbestos and asbestos containing products are to be

removed before demolition,

— supplementary information is given on the nature

and probable duration of the work, the place where
the work is carried out, the methods applied where
the work involves the handling of asbestos and the
characteristics of the equipment used for protection
and decontamination of those carrying out the work
and protection of other people on or near the
worksite . This plan must be notified to the
authorities ( if they request it ) before the start of the
work ;

2 . appropriate measures to ensure :

— the safe work of the people involved and safe access

to the working places,

— the provision of appropriate working or protective

clothing to those people .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 49

Concerning the marketing and use of asbestos in the
Member States, this is limited by Council Directives

83 / 477 / EEC and 85 / 610 / EEC ( 3 ) and by Commission
Directive 91 / 659 / EEC ( 4 ). The last two Directives impose a
total ban on the marketing and use of all asbestos fibres,
except chrysolite ( which is one of the six forms of asbestos )
and they ban the marketing and use of chrysolite in fourteen
categories of products . The chrysolite containing products
which are permitted have to be appropriately labelled .

0 ) OJ No L 263, 24 . 9 . 1983 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 206, 29 . 7 . 1991 .

( 3 ) OJ No L 375, 31 . 12 . 1985 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 363, 31 . 12 . 1991 .

— the stopping or slow-down of nuclear programmes in

most Member States and consequent replacement of
nuclear power plants by non-nuclear power stations ( fed
with coal, oil or gas which obviously had an impact on
the balance of primary energy sources to be imported
from third countries ).

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 149 / 95

by Ian White ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 95 )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2 142 / 95 Subject : Chalk in flour

by Nuala Ahern ( V )

to the Commission Has the Commission proposed to restrict the use of calcium
carbonate E170 to surface colouring only ?

( 19 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 94 )

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

Subject : Cost of Chernobyl on behalf of the Commission
(8 September 1995 )

What was the total cost of the Chernobyl accident to the EU
and its Member States ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 22 September 1995 )

The cost of the Chernobyl disaster is extremely difficult to
establish, since this would include :

— the cost of the foodstuffs removed from the market just

after the accident, and the amount of compensation paid
to farmers ( in Wales, some farmers are still receiving
compensation );

— the cost of the different campaigns to measure
radioactivity in a variety of crops, soils, and foodstuffs
just after the passage of the radioactive cloud in May

1986 ;

— the huge number of working days of experts, scientists,

and decision-makers, spent in the collection and analysis
of data related to the accident ;

— the development of research programmes dealing with

emergency management ;

— the modifications that the accident entailed in the design

of improved — but not necessarily essential — safety
systems for nuclear installations ;

Community legislation concerning the use of calcium
carbonate as a colour is contained in Directive 94 / 36 / EC ( ! ).
This Directive does not make any distinction between
colours and surface colours . Calcium carbonate as

colouring may be used in all foodstuffs with the exception of
those foodstuffs contained in Annex II . This Annex

prohibits the use of all colours in basic foodstuffs, including
flour and bread .

(!) OJ No L 237, 10 . 9 . 1994 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2215 / 95

by Paul Lannoye ( V )

to the Commission

( 18 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 96 )

Subject : Misuse of the ' Bio ' label by supermarket chain

The GB supermarket chain has begun marketing
prepackaged beef with a ' Bio ' label which, it claims,
guarantees the consumer hormone-free meat . However, the
fact that meat does not contain hormones is no guarantee
that it has been produced organically, as the label used by
GB would suggest .

No C 300 / 50 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

The abbreviation ' Bio ' is widely used in a number of
countries instead of the term ' biologique ' ( organic ).
However, under Article 2 of Council Regulation ( EEC )
No 2092 / 91 (') the term ' biologique ' applied to agricultural
products refers to organic production methods . Even
though such methods of production have so far only been
fully defined for vegetable products, Article 1 of Council
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1535 / 92 ( 2 ) has gone some way
towards defining the term ' biologique ' for animals and
animal products by making explicit reference to
internationally recognized practices concerning organic
livestock production .

For consumers who know that European legislation
protects the term ' biologique ', use of the ' Bio ' logo therefore
implies organic methods of production . As the beef
marketed by GB is patently not organically produced, the
' Bio ' sticker on the packs of meat is likely to mislead the
purchaser as to the method of manufacture or production,
which is in breach of Article 2 ( 1 ) ( a ) ( i ) of Directive
79 / 112 / EEC ( 3 ) on the labelling of foodstuffs .

1 . Does the Commission not agree that the use of the ' Bio '
sticker infringes the provisions of Directive
79 / 112 / EEC ?

2 . If so, how does it plan to stop practices of this kind ?

C ) OJ No L 198, 22 . 7 . 1991, p . 1 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 162, 16 . 6 . 1992, p . 15 .

I 3 ) OJ No L 33, 8 . 2 . 1979, p . 1 .

Answer given by Mr Bangemann

on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 1995 )

Regulation ( EEC ) No 2092 / 91 laying down the conditions
for the use of the term ' organic ' currently applies only to
vegetable products . In accordance with Article 1 ( 2 ) of that
Regulation, a proposal for a Regulation on organic livestock
production is being prepared . Without pre-judging the
content of that proposal, it is clear that the absence of
hormones would not be a sufficient criterion to be able to

use the term ' organic '.

In the absence of more specific Community rules, Directive
79 / 1 12 / EEC on the labelling of foodstuffs applies . Article 2
of that Directive lays down that the labelling of a foodstuff
must not be such as could mislead the consumer as to the
characteristics of that foodstuff . Control of compliance with
this provision is primarily a matter for the Member
States .

The prohibition of the use of hormones in livestock farming
resulting from Directives 81 / 602 / EEC ( ] ) and
88 / 146 / EEC ( 2 ) means moreover that no meat put up for
sale in the Community should originate from animals whose
growth has been promoted by the use of hormones . The

advertising aimed at consumers to present the use of the
term ' bio ' on meat packaging as meaning that it does not
contain hormones could meet the criteria for misleading
advertising by Directive 84 / 450 / EEC ( 3 ) on misleading
advertising .

The Commission therefore intends to inform the Belgian
authorities of the questions raised by the Honourable
Member .

(') OJ No L 222, 7 . 8 . 1981 .

( 2 ) OJ No L 70, 16 . 3 . 1988 .
(•') OJ No L 250, 19 . 9 . 1984 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2233 / 95

by Jacques Donnay ( UPE )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

{9 SIC 300 / 97 )

Subject : European Union policy on the development of

regional airports

The trans-European airport network, as envisaged in the
Commission proposal on the development of a
trans-European transport network, largely overlooks the
role of regional airports .

By using criteria based almost exclusively on volume of
traffic, and by thus restricting the categories of airport
covered in the definition of eligible projects, preference is
given to the development of the largest hubs, at the expense
of the others .

Yet regional airports are becoming increasingly important
for holiday air traffic by charter, which represents 50% of
all airborne passenger transport in Europe .

Moreover, the development of regional airports would limit
the very high level of investment involved in increasing the
capacity of the major European airports .

Finally, airports are a powerful factor in regional planning
and development .

I am, therefore, keen to know what steps the European
Union intends to take to enhance the role of the regional
partners in the trans-European airport network .

Answer given by Mr Kinnock

on behalf of the Commission

( 14 September 1995 )

The identification of the guidelines for the trans-European
airport network, as integrated in the proposal for a

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 51

Parliament and Council Decision on Community guidelines
for the development of the trans-European transport
network ('), is based on a ' global 1 approach to the
development of airport capacity in the Community . This
global approach has made it possible to identify the role of
different categories of airports, including the medium-sized
and small airports . The accompanying report on the
guidelines for the trans-European airport network ( 2 )
recognizes that airports which provide links within the
Community are likely to play a more important role in the
future . The guidelines provide a framework which promotes
the development of these airports so that they can function
as the ' hinges ' of the airport network and contribute fully to
economic and social cohesion in the Community .

In addition, in the common position on the guidelines for the
trans-European transport network, adopted by the Council
on 19 June 1995, all specifications for projects of common
interest applicable to the larger airports — international
connecting points — have been made applicable to
Community connecting points .

( l ) COM(94 ) 106 final — OJ No C 220, 8 . 8 . 1 994 as modified hv

CX)M(95 ) 48 final ( OJ No C 97, 20 . 4 . 199.5 ) and COM(95 )
298 final .

( 2 ) SEQ94 ) 1863 .

editions, which play a particular role in forming political
opinions and aspirations, but which are not in a position
of power .

In 1994 under this provision, seven out of 15 daily
newspapers receiving general financial support received an
additional ATS 171 900 000,02 .

Are State grants for selected print media — in the form of
special support for the press — compatible with existing EU
rules ?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert

on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 1995 )

The Commission has asked the Member State concerned for

information regarding the facts referred to by the
Honourable Member . It will inform her of its findings .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2275 / 95

by Nikitas Kaklamanis ( UPE )

to the Commission

( 20 July 199S )

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2260 / 95 ( 95 / C 300 / 99

by Susanne Riess-Passer ( NI )

to the Commission

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 98

Subject : Support for the press in Austria

Section I, Paragraph 1 of the Austrian Law of 1983 on
support for the press defines ' general support ' for Austrian
newspapers published periodically, as follows :

Paragraph 1 :

' The State shall give financial support to Austrian daily
and weekly newspapers, in order to cover part of the
costs incurred in reporting news and selling
newspapers .'

In 1994, 60 weekly and daily newspapers received ATS

103 999 500,02 in financial support pursuant to this
provision . In addition, Section II, Paragraph 6 ( 1 ) of the
Austrian Law of 1 July 1983 on press support defines

' special support for the preservation of media diversity '
as follows : Notwithstanding support under Section I the
State shall, under this section, grant special support in
order to help preserve media diversity in the Austrian
Lander . This special support shall take the form of State
financial help to daily newspapers, including local

Subject : Anti-fouling marine paints

The European shipbuilding industry derives considerable
advantages from the anti-fouling marine paints used today
on ocean-going vessels .

Given that a Community Directive in this field is pending,
would the Commission say whether the paints in question
are to be excluded from the range of
environmentally-friendly products, a move which would
have very adverse consequences for the European
shipbuilding industry ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

The biocidal products Directive proposed by the
Commission (') requires the authorization of all biocidal
products, including anti-fouling paints, before they can be
placed on the market . The purpose of this proposed
Directive is to promote free trade in biocidal products
within the Community whilst ensuring a high level of
protection for humans and the environment during their

use .

The proposed Directive will contain a list of active
substances which are permitted to be used in biocidal

No C 300 / 52 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

products — the Annex I list . Upon adoption of the Directive
this list will initially be empty and active substances will be
included in one of two ways — by the evaluation of data on a
new active substance or by the review of data on an existing
active substance .

The Directive will also contain criteria and rules for the

assessment of data on biocidal products containing active
substances on the Annex I list with a view to possible
authorization for placing on the market . The evaluation are
based on established principles of risk assessment including
risk and benefit analysis .

(•) COM(93 ) 351 .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2284 / 95

by Anne André-Léonard ( ELDR )

to the Commission

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

( 25 September 1995 )

The Commission has examined the comments made by the
interested parties following the imposition of provisional
anti-dumping duties on imports of sodium carbonate
originating in the USA .

All the points raised will be taken into account by the
Commission in reaching its final conclusion . A full and
detailed assessment has also been made of the competitive
position of the glass industry, which is directly involved in
the proceeding .

The conclusions of the anti-dumping investigation will
shortly be presented to the Council for approval .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2286 / 95

( 31 July 1995 )

by Giuseppe Rauti ( NI )
( 95 / C 300 / 100 ) to the Commission

Subject : Sodium carbonate in the European glass
industry

Sodium carbonate is one of the principal raw materials used
by the glass industry .

At one time more than 85 % of all sodium carbonate was
produced in the EU alone, and EU producers have recently
requested the Commission to impose anti-dumping duties
on sodium carbonate imported from the USA . However,
from 1 984 to 1990 sodium carbonate producers enjoyed the
protection of an abnormally high anti-dumping duty on
natural sodium carbonate imports from the USA, which was
the only efficient competing source available to glass
manufacturers . This placed the glass industry in an
awkward position, particularly given that the major
European sodium carbonate producers were roundly
condemned by the Commission in December 1989 for
price-fixing and abuse of a dominant position ( Articles 85
and 86 of the Treaty of Rome ).

These duties are being introduced at at time when

Community producers are unable to supply the needs of the
Community glass industry . The latter will therefore be
obliged to buy part of its supplies from North American
producers but at a very unfavourable price .

Does not the imposition of anti-dumping duties on sodium
carbonate imports from the USA constitute a considerable
danger to the European glass industry ?

What does the Commission intend to do to defend the

European glass industry ?

( 31 July 1995 )

( 95fC 300 / 101 )

Subject : European rules on lakesides and coastlines

Can the Commission extrapolate guidelines, to be
translated into a set of rules that would be valid for the

whole of the European Union, from the positive experience
of the ' Conservatoire ' of coastlines and lakesides which is

currently celebrating its 20th anniversary ?

The work of this organization has resulted in almost one
contract a day being drawn up to safeguard territory in
France, with the purchase by the State of around 50 000
hectares allowed to go back to the ' wild State ', together with
500 km of coastline and around 100 km of lakeside areas .
Another 51 000 hectares, which will not be built upon and
will be non-transferable, are scheduled for purchase, which
outstrips even the achievements of the well-known and
much-praised UK National Trust which has been in
operation for a century and has also achieved excellent
results . Such experiences show that it is possible to devise
rules which could be applied in all European countries,
starting with Italy, whose territory is almost exempt from
environmental protection laws .

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 September 1995 )

There are a number of Community legislative instruments
which have a significant : influence on the environmental

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 53

protection of coastal zones . Notable examples include the
Directives on the conservation of natural habitats and of

wild fauna and flora ( 92 / 43 / EEC ) ( ] ) and the Directive on
the conservation of wild birds ( 79 / 409 / EEC ) ( 2 ). Under
these Directives, Member States have undertaken to protect
and manage a sufficient number of sites to guarantee the
survival of habitats and rare or endangered species . A large
number of these sites are in coastal areas . Other Directives

also contribute to the protection of coastal ecology, e.g. the
Directives on the quality of bathing waters ( 76 / 1 60 / EEC ) ( 3 )
and waste water treatment ( 91 / 271 / EEC ) ( 4 ). In addition,
the fisheries policy provides for conservation measures
aimed at protecting fishery resources .

The Commission nevertheless concedes that the existing
measures have not prevented the continuing deterioration of
the environment in a number of places along the coastline of
Europe . It plans to submit a communication to the Council
and Parliament this year, the purpose of which is to institute
a demonstration programme on the integrated management
of coastal zones . This programme will facilitate the pooling
of experience and know-how and make it possible to
identify the action to be taken at various levels by the
authorities of the areas concerned .

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

on behalf of the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

The development of mine sensor systems for the rapid,
accurate, and reliable detection of mines is regarded as a first
priority in terms of new mine-clearance technology for civil
use . In furtherance of its aim to become a focus for work on

certain aspects of mine-detection, the Commission is now
finalising its study of the state of mine-detection technology,
and making preparations for a further workshop to examine
the way ahead for the most promising techniques, while
continuing its own in-house research . In relation to this
work, the Commission is not currently financing any
external research and it has no intention of funding research
by companies which are known producers of anti-personnel
mines . v

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2322 / 95
The experience of the ' Conservatoire du Littoral fran^ais ' by Mihail Papayannakis ( GUE / NGL )
and of the ' National Trust ', for instance, will of course be to the Commission
particularly useful in this context .

(1 September 1995 )

( ] ) OJ No L 206, 22 . 7 . 1992 .

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

( 3 ) OJ No L 31, 5 . 2 . 1976 .

( 4 ) OJ No L 135, 30 . 5 . 1991 .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2296 / 95

by Tony Cunningham ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 25 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 102 )

Subject : Commission Joint Research Center Project

Can the Commission respond, with utmost urgency, to my
letter to Emma Bonino on 1 1 July concerning the proposed
JRC research project ? I am concerned that the Commission

may be financing companies cited in the Bertens
parliamentary report as being producers of anti-personnel
mines, and that in the name of humanitarian research, the
Commission may be funding research more appropriate for
the military .

( 95 / C 300 / 103 )

Subject : Harmonization of Member States ' social security

schemes

Greek citizens have recently made complaints to me about
certain provisions of Regulation ( EEC ) No 1408 / 71 ( x ) on
the application of social security schemes to employed
persons and their families moving within the
Community .

They claim that the Greek authorities are refusing to provide
insured Greek civil servants ( both working and retired ) with
form El 1 1 for insurance cover on grounds of Article 4 ( 4 ) of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1408 / 71 .

Since Article 4 ( 4 ) of Regulation ( EEC ) No 1408 / 71
constitutes discriminatory treatment of Union citizens in
that it excludes all civil servants ( both working and retired )
from social security provision and bearing in mind the
Council 's recommendation regarding social security
objectives and policies, will the Commission state :

1 . its view of the unequal treatment of Greek citizens who
need to seek medical assistance in other EU Member

States, and

2 . whether it intends to revise Regulation ( EEC )
No 1408 / 71 to extend social security provision to all

No C 300 / 54 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

insured public sector workers in the EU and eliminate
the present discrimination ?

(') OJ No L 149, 5 . 7 . 1971, p . 2 .

Answer given by Mr Flynn
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 September 1995 )

The Honourable Member is referring to the fact that
persons working in the public sector in Greece who are
insured under the special health insurance scheme for public
officials are not provided by their insurers with form Ell 1,
which allows immediate access to medical services in

another Member State .

Given that special schemes for public officials are
specifically excluded from the scope of application of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 1408 / 71, which provides for
coordination of social security schemes, there is no reason to
question the application of this Regulation by the special
health insurance schemes in Greece .

The Commission had proposed as early as 1992 that the
scope of Regulation ( EEC ) No 1408 / 71 be extended to cover
special schemes for public officials . Such an amendment
requires the unanimous approval of the Council, and this
has not yet been given .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2326 / 95

by Freddy Blak ( PSE )

to the Commission

( 25 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 104 )

Subject : ' Leonardo da Vinci ' application forms

The Danish application forms for pilot projects under the

' Leonardo da Vinci ' programme indicate that they should be
completed in French, English or German .

Since the European Union has 1 1 official working languages
will the Commission confirm that a mistake has been made
on the application forms, which will be corrected forthwith,
and that application forms completed in Danish or any
other Union working language will all be dealt with in
exactly the same way ?

must be drawn up in one of the 1 1 official languages of the
European Union .

On the form itself, the use of English, French or German is
requested only for general information identifiying the
programme and outlining its objectives ( points 1 and 2 ), and
for the summary of the project . There are practical reasons
for adopting this approach at the present time in respect of
the abovementioned three points ( database encoding and
publication of the compendium of projects ). Technical
developments should pave the way for a more general
approach .

It is clear that forms completed in Danish or any other
language of the European Union will be treated on an equal
basis .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2327 / 95

by Hedwig Keppelhoff-Wiechert ( PPE )

to the Commission

( 27 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 105 )

Subject : Financing of training / vocational training in
agriculture pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation

( EEC ) No 2084 / 93 on the ESF and Article 8 of
Regulation ( EEC ) No 2085 / 93 on the EAGGF

( evaluation principle )

Training / vocational training systems and courses vary
greatly, as do the rules for financing under the different
European funds ; consequently, it must be asked whether the
available resources are being used effectively by the
programmes laid down in the context of Objectives 1, 2, 5a
and 5b of the Structural Funds and by the Comett, Force,
Petra, Lingua and Leader Community programmes and
initiatives .

Will the Commission therefore state :

1 . What amounts were made available in individual

Member States under the above programmes during the

1989 — 1994 period for vocational training in
agriculture, in particular for those employed in
agriculture ?

2 . Whether the consultation principle laid down in
Article 4 of Regulation ( EEC ) No 2081 / 93 ( ! ) in relation

Answer given by Mrs Cresson to the objectives of the Structural Funds was

on behalf of the Commission effectively / adequately applied at local, regional,

national and European levels as regards the formulation
(8 September 1995 ) of programmes, selections of projects and authorization
of appropriations ?

The 1995 Promoters ' Guide for the Leonardo da Vinci
programme specifies, in Annex II, that each application (!) OJ No L 193, 31 . 7 . 1993, p . 5 .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 55

Answer given by Mr Fischler
on behalf of the Commission

Answer given by Mrs Cresson

on behalf of the Commission

( 11 October 1995 ) ( 20 September 1995 )

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible .

Danish partners actually take part in 16 of the 147 new
Eureka projects initiatited under the Swiss Eureka
Chairmanship .

The list of these partners, together with their adresses and
contact people, is sent directly to the Honourable Member
and to the Secretariat-General of the Parliament .
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2336 / 95

by Jaak Vandemeulebroucke ( ARE )

to the Commission

(I September 1995 )

(9 SIC 300 / 106

Subject : Commissioners ' interests WRITTEN QUESTION P-2366 / 95

by Maria Izquierdo Rojo ( PSE )

In his answer to Mr Ford 's Written Question P-357 / 95 (')
President Santer said that members of the Commission had

agreed to declare any business or financial interests .

Has this information been published ? Is it possible to have
access to it ? If not, why not ?

(') OJ No C 179, 13 . 7 . 1995, p . 15 .

Answer given by Mr Santer
on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its
answer to Written Question No 1084 / 95 by Mr Ford (').

(') OJ No C 190, 24 . 7 . 1995 .

to the Commission

( 27 July 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 108 )

Subject : Aid for Algerian women

Many Algerian women have been obliged by Islamic
fundamentalist persecution to abandon their country and
their families . These women, who include housewives,
intellectuals, media professionals and artists, are arriving in
the European Union, a traditional place of asylum and
refuge, where they encounter serious legal and work
problems . Given the difficulties of their situation, from the
psychological, economic and work points of view,

Could not the European Union, via the Commission, devise
some aid measures ? Do we have the political will to give our
decisions effective shape and enable these women to
integrate temporarily into our society with the status and
dignity they deserve ?

QUESTION E-2337 / 95 Is the Commission prepared to deploy its resources for this

purpose and to set in train aid measures in its various

Freddy Blak ( PSE ) departments ?

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2337 / 95

by Freddy Blak ( PSE )

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 107 )

Answer given by Mr Marin
on behalf of the Commission
Subject : R&D projects

(8 September 1995 )

It has been announced that Danish firms take part in 15 of
the 147 new R&D projects initiated under the Swiss Eureka
chairmanship which expired on 1 July .

Which Danish firms have taken part in EU research
projects ?

1 . The Commission is currently carrying out various
direct aid projects on behalf of Algerian women, designed to
help not only those who continue to live in Algeria but also
those forced to flee the country . In most cases the aid

No C 300 / 56 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

provided is to enable the women to pursue various types of
occupational training in Europe . For practical
implementation, the Commission has frequently
collaborated with non-governmental organizations ( NGC)s )
that have the necessary experience .

2 . The Commission is also aware of the vital importance
of giving these women every assistance with their
integration in the host countries . It intends accordingly to
work in conjunction with NGOs active in this field, with a
view to devising a work programme to enhance the
measures currently deployed .

JOPP may, therefore, be used as a vehicle to support the

participation of Community based SMEs in the
privatization process in central and eastern Europe,
provided that such companies become involved through the
creation of local joint ventures in conjunction with local
partners from the central and eastern European countries .
The Commission does not envisage, in that context and for
the time being, other forms of direct assistance to
Community-based SMEs .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2375 / 95

by Friedrich Konig ( PPE )

to the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2369 / 95 (1 September 1995 )

by Wolfgang Nufibaumer ( NI ) ( 95 / C 300 / 110 )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 109 )

Subject : Privatization in eastern Europe

In addition to Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, Romania has
also applied for accession to the European Union .
Large-scale privatization is currently under way in both
Slovakia and Romania, and about 3 000 firms are expected
to be privatized in Romania in the next few years .

Does the Commission intend to provide financial assistance
for European SMUs wishing to invest in or acquire
undertakings involved in the privatization process in eastern
Europe ?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek

Subject : Discrimination against the Austrian media in
favour of foreign competitors

Austrian undertakings are, to an increasing extent, using
foreign media for the purposes of advertising, the reason
being that foreign media are not required to pay the
advertising and publicity taxes imposed on the media and
are therefore able to offer more favourable terms . In 1994

alone the taxes imposed at ' Land ' ( legislative ) or municipal

( decision-making ) level amounted to over ATS 1,5
billion .

Has the Commission examined Austrian legislation to
ascertain whether the imposition of both turnover tax

( which exists in the European Union also ) and
advertisement and publicity taxes ( which only exist in
Austria ) are in accordance with the sixth Council Directive
of 17 May 1977 on the harmonization of the laws of the
Member States relating to turnover taxes

( 77 / 388 / EEC ) (')?

on behalf of the Commission (') OJ No L 145, 13 . 6 . 1977, p . 1 .

( 21 September 1995 )

The Commission provides, through the Phare programme,
economic assistance to support the privatization process in
central and eastern Europe, mainly in the form of technical
assistance, but also increasingly in the form of targeted
financial instruments . The recipients of such assistance are
the partner countries and the ultimate beneficiaires may
range from ministeries and privatization bodies to
individual companies .

There is also the Joint venture Phare programme ( JOPP ),
itself part of the Phare budget which supports
Community-based small and medium sized companies

( SME ) interested in setting up joint ventures in the Phare
countries including Romania . This assistance is delivered
through a network of financial institutions and may
comprise financial assistance for pre-feasibility and
feasibility studies, investment co-financing and technical
assistance for training and transfer of know-how .

Answer given by Mr Monti
on behalf of the Commission

( 11 September 1995 )

The Commission would inform the Honourable Member
that it has examined Austrian legislation on the taxation of
advertising and publicity to ascertain whether it is
compatible with the Sixth Council Directive on the
harmonization of the laws of the Member States relating to
turnover taxes — Common system of value added tax :
uniform basis of assessment ( 77 / 388 / EEC ).

In the light of the Court of Justice 's rulings on the
interpretation of Article 33 of the Sixth Directive, the
Commission takes the view that the taxes in question are not
in breach of the Directive .

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 57

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2389 / 95

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2393 / 95

by Johannes Blokland ( EDN )

Blokland ( EDN ) by Caroline Jackson ( PPE )

to the Commission the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 111 ) 95 / C 300 / 112 )

Subject : Unlawful practices when building workers are

employed in another Member State

In its answer to my question concerning the use of the E-101
document ( Question No H-693 / 94 ( ! )) the Commission
states that it has begun an investigation into the problems
relating to the implementation and interpretation of
Community legislation on the free movement of building
workers .

Are the findings of this investigation already available, and if
so, what are the most important conclusions drawn ?

Is the Commission prompted by these findings to take action
against unlawful practices ( such as the non-payment of
social contributions and poor working conditions ) when
workers are employed in another Member State of the

EU ?

(') Debates of the European Parliament, No 4-456 ( December
1994 ).

Subject : Directive 92 / 3 / Euratom on the shipment of
radioactive waste

Under the terms of Directive 92 / 3 / Euratom ( l ) on the
shipment of radioactive waste, the Member States were due
for the first time to send the Commission reports on the
implementation of this Directive on 31 January 1994 . The
Commission is then to prepare a summary report for
Parliament, the Council and Ecosoc . Which Member States
have submitted reports, and when is the Commission going
to send its summary to the other institutions ?

( 1 ) OJ No L 35, 12 . 2 . 1992, p . 24 .

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

( 21 September 1995 )

The first report on the application of Directive
92 / 3 / Euratom was adopted by the Commission on 24 May
1995 ( ] ) on the basis of contributions received from all the
Member States up to the end of November 1994 .

The report was forwarded in May to the Parliament,
Council, and Economic and Social Committee .

on Answer behalf given of the by Commission Mr Flynn A copy of this report is being sent direct to the Honourable
Member and to Parliament 's Secretariat .

( 11 September 1995 )

(') COM(95 ) 192 final .

The Commission is able to inform the Honourable Member

that the investigation requested by the Commission
concerning the application of the provisions of Regulation
( EEC ) No 1408 / 71 (') with regard to the posting abroad of
workers and the use of the E-101 forms will soon be

completed .

The findings will be presented at a symposium to be
organized by the Greek authorities on 12 and 13 October

1995 with financial support from the Commission . On the
basis of this investigation and the discussions with
participants at the symposium, the Commission will look
into whether Community initiatives would be possible and
appropriate in this area .

( l ) OJ No L 149, 5 . 7 . 1971 ( consolidated version OJ No C 325,
10 . 12 . 1992 ).

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2417 / 95

by José Apolinârio ( PSE )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 113 )

Subject : Balances under the First CSF for Portugal

( 1989—1993 )

In view of the Commission 's reply to my Written Question
P-857 / 95 ( ] ) and the information it contains on the balances
relating to the First Community Support Framework

( 1989 — 1993 ) which are still to be paid and the technical
settlement regarding the conversion of the ECU, could the
Commission provide an update of the overall amounts and
the amount for each Operational Programme relating to the

No C 300 / 58 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

First CSF balances and state the amount actually transferred
to Portugal and the date on which this occurred ?

This information could be made available in respect of each
of the Structural Funds, if possible as clearly and as
accurately as in the abovementioned reply to Written
Question P-857 / 95 and with an indication of the amounts
paid following the closure of each dossier .

(') O J No C 190, 24 . 7 . 1995, p . 30 .

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies

on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 1995 )

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2447 / 95

by Cristiana Muscardini ( NI )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 114 )

Subject : Terrorist attack in Paris

The terrorist attack carried out on 25 July 1995 in Paris has
provoked anger and indignation throughout Europe . For
decades the human race felt its safety threatened by the
possibility that the delicate balance of peace, based on
nuclear deterrence, could be upset at any time . Despite the
end of the Cold War the public 's sense of insecurity remains
acute because of the recurrence of unforeseeable acts of
terrorism which represent a constant threat to life similar to
that which would prevail during a permanent state of

war .

In view of this situation, can the Commission say what
action could be taken and what means could be used under
the internal affairs and police cooperation ( Europol ) policy
in order to reassure a defenceless public and ensure
maximum protection against the kind of terrorist aggression
which has recently caused such tragic bloodshed in
Paris ?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin
on behalf of the Commission

( 18 September 1995 )

The importance of preventing and combating terrorism was
highlighted at the European Council in Cannes ( 26 / 27 June

1995 ) and it was agreed to strengthen cooperation to

combat that threat more effectively . The specific areas
mentioned for priority consideration were :

— stepping up exchanges of information ;

— improving the training of departments responsible for

preventing and combating terrorism ;

— identification of the various components involved

( organization, financing, etc .).

The setting up of Europol will also provide for a new and
efficient instrument in the fight against terrorism . This will
indeed be one of the mam objectives of the future European
police office, given that the planned cooperation on
terrorism is due to start at the latest two years after the final
entry into force of the convention . After the agreement at the
European Council meeting in Cannes, the convention has
been formally signed on 26 July 1995 by all the Member
States, but will not enter into force until it has been ratified
by Member States in accordance with their constitutional
requirements .

The Commission has no right of initiative in the area of
police cooperation or judicial cooperation in criminal
matters under title VI of the Treaty on European Union .
This is an area reserved solely for the Member States and the
Honourable Member may wish to address his question also
to the Council .

WRITTEN QUESTION P-24 77 / 95

by Eva Kjer Hansen ( ELDR )

to the Commission

(1 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 115 )

Subject : European consumer guide to the single market

1 . Can the Commission explain how mistakes can have
occurred in the guide ? In Part I, Chapter 2 ' VAT ', the
general EU rules lay down that 800 cigarettes, 90 litres of
wine, 110 litres of beer and 10 litres of spirits may be
imported tax-free, when in fact only 300 cigarettes and 1,5
litres of spirits may be brought into Denmark . Is the
Commission aware of mistakes vis-a-vis other Member

States ' legislation ?

2 . Does the Commission agree that it is unfortunate that
such a guide should have been published when it
subsequently proves to contain incorrect information and
leaves the Commission in a moral dilemma vis-a-vis EU

citizens ?

3 . Will the Commission consider changing its
publication strategy as a result of the erroneous information
in the guide ?

4 . What was the total cost of producing and publishing
the guide ?

13 . 11 . 95 EN Official Journal of the European Communities No C 300 / 59

Answer given by Mrs Bonino

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2496 / 95

on behalf of the Commission

by Nel van Dijk ( V )
( 15 September 1995 ) to the Commission

(6 September 1995 )

(9 SIC 300 / 116 )

In publishing the ' European consumer guide to the single
market ' the Commission aimed to provide, in a Subject : Wood preservation firms

Directive

down-to-earth, non bureaucratic way, an introduction to
the rights, as well as the opportunities and challenges, that In 1994 the Netherlands
the single market offers consumers . It did not intend to

Inspectorate found that between

describe in detail the transposition into national legislation

preservation firms in the

of the Directives which form the legal basis for the rights . On

Report on External Safety drawn

page 2 of the guide this approach is clearly established, and

storing and using arsenic compounds

consumers are advised to consult the appropriate legislation

Subject : Wood preservation firms and the Seveso
Directive

( or even a lawyer ) if confronted with a concrete issue or
problem .

The Commission also aimed to encourage consumers to
insist on the rights conferred upon them by the Community
legislation . Occasionally this approach may lead to
consumers taking a critical view of the way in which these
rights are interpreted by the laws and authorities of their
Member State .

The issue raised in the question is a result of this philosophy .
Of the 368 million inhabitants of the Community, 22
million, i.e. the inhabitants of Denmark, Finland, Ireland
and Sweden, do not benefit fully from the principles
established in relation to the free movement of tobacco and
alcohol products . But this means that more than 340 million
European citizens enjoy these rights . In view of the
philosophy outlined above, it seemed more important to
draw attention to the rights of approximately 94 % of the
European consumers than to emphasise the restrictions on
approximately 6 % of these consumers .

However, the Commission is aware of the fact this approach
has caused difficulties in a Member State that operates
certain restrictions in this field in accordance with a Council
Directive . Consequently, the guide in this Member State is
distributed with an insert clarifying the particular rules in
this Member State . Furthermore, the Commission will spell
out in detail the variations in this area in a forthcoming
second edition of the guide .

The Commission does not believe that this incident will
require it to reconsider its publications policy but it
recognizes that it constitutes yet another element in the
permanent debate about what information should be
provided from the centre of the Community and what
should be provided in a national context .

In 1994 the Netherlands Environmental Protection

Inspectorate found that between four and six wood
preservation firms in the Netherlands ought to have a
Report on External Safety drawn up because they were
storing and using arsenic compounds in the impregnation
process . None of the firms has complied with this
requirement . The Netherlands Government says that the
delay in submitting Reports on External Safety is
attributable to unclear provisions in the Seveso Directive

( Council Directive 82 / 501 / EEC of 24 June 1982 on the
major-accident hazards of certain industrial activities ) ( ] )
and the Dutch legislation based on it, the Hazards of Major
Accidents Decree : ' The text of the Directive does not make it

clear how it should be calculated whether the quantity of
arsenic compounds on the firm 's premises exceeds the
500 kg threshold .' ( 2 )

Does the Commission agree with - the Netherlands
Government on this point ?

Does the Commission consider it acceptable and legitimate
that the firms concerned, some of which are sited in the
immediate vicinity of housing, should for the time being
continue to use large quantities of arsenic, which is highly
toxic, without a Report on External Safety having been
drawn up ?

The Netherlands Government also says that ' the next of the
Directive fails to indicate whether arsenic which is a

component of a batch of finished product should be
included in calculation to determine whether a Report on
External Safety is required .' ( 2 ) However, in the Hazards of
Major Accidents Decree the Government proceeds to
assume that processed arsenic in impregnated wood stored
on the premises of a wood preservation firm need not be
included in such calculations . Yet if a fire were to occur on

the premises of such a firm, both unprocessed stocks and
processed arsenic could escape into the environment and
endanger people . An official at the Fire Services and Disaster
Relief Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs is
therefore quoted as saying that he does not agree with the
decision by the Environment Ministry to disregard the
processed arsenic : ' That kind of timber would burn like
matchwood .' ( 3 )

Can the Commission clarify the interpretation of the Seveso
Directive on this point ?

Will it contact the Netherlands Government about this

issue ?

The total production cost of the ECU 467 000 copies (') OJ No L 230, 5 . 8 . 1982, p . 1 .
produced is ECU 800 000 . ( 2 ) Reply by Environment Minister De Boer to questions by

Marijke Vos, Member of the Lower House of Parliament,
Annex to the Proceedings of the Lower House 1994 — 1995,
p. 1601—1603 .

( 3 ) Quoted in Milieudefensie, March 1995, p . 17 .

No C 300 / 60 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13 . 11 . 95

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2555 / 95

by Alexandros Alavanos ( GUE / NGL )

(2 October 1995 ) to the Commission

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to ( 12 September 1995 )
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as ( 95 / C 300 / 118 )
soon as possible .

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2503 / 95

by Amedeo Amadeo ( NI )

to the Commission

( 15 September 1995 )

( 95 / C 300 / 117

Subject : Genetically modified agricultural produce

The member countries of the WTO ( World Trade
Organization ) are prohibited from discriminating against
similar products from other member countries .

If that interpretation is accepted, genetically modified
cereals and vegetables, for example US tomatoes, could find
their way into the Union Member States .

Such a situation would obviously pose problems, given that
the health of consumers in the European Union must not be
endangered and indeed must be protected .

How does the Commission intend to resolve the problem ? If
an individual Member State decided to ban imports of
genetically modified products, what action would it
take ?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan

on behalf of the Commission

Subject : Further explosion in Thriasian Plain factory

After years of effort by Members of the European
Parliament, environmental organizations and local
government bodies in the Thriasian Plain, the Commission
finally decided two months ago to initiate proceedings
against Greece in the Court of Justice, pursuant to
Article 169 of the Treaties, for infringement of Community
Directives on the safety of large-scale industrial installations
and environmental protection .

The latest accident at Pyrkal, which has left three dead and
many injured, shows that the emergency situation which has
developed in the Thriasian Plain cannot wait for the
time-consuming proceedings under Article 169 to run their

course .

What urgent measures will the Commission take to avoid
further grief in the Thriasian Plain ?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard

on behalf of the Commission
(3 October 1995 )
(6 October 1995 )

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its
answer to Written Question No 1934 / 95 by Mr
Kreissl-Dorfler ( M.

(') OJ No C 270, 16 . 10 . 1995, p . 65 .

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to
answer the question . It will communicate its findings as
soon as possible .