WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3447/97 by Klaus-Heiner LEHNE to the Commission. The European Union's involvement in the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) in Moscow
C 134/166 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 4. 98 (98/C 134/226) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3446/97 by Johannes Swoboda (PSE) to the Commission (27 October 1997) Subject: EU accession negotiations with Slovenia On the margins of the Fifth Interparliamentary Meeting between the European Union and Slovenia, several politicians criticized the fact that Commission representative Cameron had stated at a conference that Slovenian accession to the EU would be possible only at the same time or after the accession of Poland (article under the heading Slovenia between Sovereignty and the Desire for Swift EU Integrationí published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on 13 October 1997, No 237, page 9). If this is indeed the Commissionís view, when will the European Parliament be informed about it? Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (18 November 1997) As the Commission made clear in its Agenda 2000 report and the opinions on each application for Community membership, the Community deals with each applicant on its own merits. There is no ágroupí approach. As in the past, there will be separate inter-governmental accession negotiations with each applicant. Each country will proceed at its own pace during its negotiations. The timing of the conclusion of accession negotiations with a particular applicant will depend on the complexity of the issues to be resolved and the speed with which that country overcomes the shortcomings identified in the opinion on its membership application. (98/C 134/227) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3447/97 by Klaus-Heiner Lehne (PPE) to the Commission (31 October 1997) Subject: The European Unionís involvement in the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC) in Moscow In its answer to my question E-2557/97 (1) the Commission indicated that for those employed at the ISTC another budgetary basis would be found to cover their further employment. What form will this other budgetary basis take and how in practical terms will the financial cover for the contract of employment be organized? (1) OJ C 76, 11. 3. 1998, p. 126. Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (19 November 1997) Five members of staff are currently provided to the International science and technology centre (ISTC) by the Commission. They are contracted through the European agency for co-operation. Contracts, due to expire at the end of 1997, have recently been extended for two members of staff until 30 April 1998 as an interim measure. All of the five officials, who will continue to be financed by the Tacis programme, will have a new contractual basis thereafter as contracts expire, which will be put in place through the ISTC secretariat, as is the case with staff provided by the United States. The conditions of employment for the staff will be renegotiated case by case within that contractual framework