WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2268/97 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Technical standards and regulations
16. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 117/5 Taking into account the first report on progress made in achieving economic and social cohesion within the EU, according to which the cohesion policy pursued to date has made a significant contribution to reducing structural disparities between the richest and poorest countries in the Union and the Commissionís belief, expressed in the answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies to a Written Question tabled by this Member (E-3430/96) (1), that it undoubtedly remained committed to maintaining the structural policies and was still determined to ensure that resources are concentrated in favour of the poorest regions, does the Council not consider that continued aid to the four countries which benefit from the Cohesion Fund is essential to enable them to make more rapid progress towards the goal of achieving the same level as their European partners? (1) OJ C 186, 18. 6. 1997, p. 87. Answer (4 December 1998) In accordance with the rules of the Cohesion Fund, which determine the beneficiary countries and the financial framework of the Fund until the end of 1999, the Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission, will re-examine the rules before 31 December 1999. The Commission has not yet submitted a proposal on Fund action from 2000 onwards, but on 16 July 1997 it submitted a communication entitled Agenda 2000í on the development of the Community, in which it proposes that the Cohesion Fund be maintained in its present form and indicates the amount it considers should be allocated to the Fund. On 15 September 1997 the Council began a preliminary policy debate on that communication. As it has not yet received a formal Commission proposal on Fund action as from 2000, the Council has not yet adopted a position on the matter. However, the foregoing in no way prejudices the pursuit of the objective of economic and social cohesion between Member States, as provided for in the Treaty and the Protocol annexed thereto. (98/C 117/06) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2268/97 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (2 July 1997) Subject: Technical standards and regulations The Commission has submitted a communication to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee concerning regulatory transparency in the internal market for information society services, together with a proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive amending for the third time Directive 83/189/EEC laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (COM(96) 392 final › 96/0220 COD) (1). The proposed transparency mechanism governs draft national rules on the taking up and pursuit of service activities capable of being provided electronically, at a distance and on the individual request of the receiver (interactive services), with the exception of draft national rules designed to transpose an existing or future Community directive. The transparency mechanism makes use of the procedural rules laid down in Directive 83/189/EEC (2), in other words: › an information procedure for draft rules and regulations concerning the services defined above; › a consultation procedure; › a committee of the kind already existing under Directive 83/189/EEC and consisting of representatives of the Member States. Once the third amendment to Directive 83/189/EEC has been adopted by the Council, will the Commission publish the full text as soon as possible, together with a clearly-worded explanatory statement? (1) OJ C 307, 16. 10. 1996, p. 11. (2) OJ L 109, 26. 4. 1983, p. 8