WRITTEN QUESTION No. 925/98 by Carles-Alfred GASOLIBA I BÖHM to the Commission. Information on the amount of European Union aid to colleges of higher education and research institutions in Catalonia in 1995, 1996 and 1997
9. 10. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 310/147 (98/C 310/202) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0925/98 by Carles-Alfred Gaso‘liba i Bo¤hm (ELDR) to the Commission (26 March 1998) Subject: Information on the amount of European Union aid to colleges of higher education and research institutions in Catalonia in 1995, 1996 and 1997 Can the Commission provide information on the amount of Community resources granted to colleges of higher education and research institutions in Catalonia in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and on the measures to which such funds were allocated, as part of: 1. the first framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration, 2. Community programmes in the areas of energy and the environment, 3. Community initiatives, in particular the Interreg programme, 4. 5. 6. the Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Youth for Europe programmes, the regional and structural funds and the remaining Community programmes? Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1998) Because of the length of the answer, which includes a number of tables, the Commission is sending it direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat. (98/C 310/203) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0935/98 by Antonio Tajani (PPE) to the Commission (26 March 1998) Subject: Health protection for local police officers There is no provision in Italian law for local police officers to be included on registers of workers at risk of industrial disease. Between 1980 and 1996, 180 municipal police officers in active service died in Rome alone, 42% of them from cancer and 40% from cardiopulmonary disease. The average age of death was 51 years. Compared to other workers, on at-risk registers, the death rate for municipal police officers appears to be extremely high and death is almost always caused by diseases contracted in the course of their work on the streets, in contact with harmful atmospheric agents. Does the Commission not agree that the failure of the Italian government to place local police officers on at-risk registers breaches all the Community laws on health protection? Does the Commission not agree that this is a violation of the Treaties of Rome, Maastricht and Amsterdam and of the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers? What measures does the Commission intend to take to ensure that the Italian Government upholds the rights of workers employed by local police organizations? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (8 May 1998) The framework Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (1) and the individual directives adopted pursuant to it do not impose any obligation on Member States to designate or classify specific occupations as árisk categoriesí. Furthermore, in the specific case of police forces, Article 2(2) of Directive 89/391/EEC states that the Directive is not applicable where characteristics peculiar to certain specific activities inevitably conflict with it. In that event,