WRITTEN QUESTION No. 735/98 by Rinaldo BONTEMPI to the Commission. Second request for an agreement on social security between the European Union and the Principality of Monaco
C 304/152 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 10. 98 (98/C 304/230) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0735/98 by Rinaldo Bontempi (PSE) to the Commission (2 March 1998) Subject: Second request for an agreement on social security between the European Union and the Principality of Monaco Following Written Question E-4012/96 (1) requesting an agreement on social security between the European Union and the Principality of Monaco, the Commission stated its commitment to seeking the conclusion of such an agreement. Although more than a year has passed, the agreement still has to be initialled and EU citizens working in the Principality of Monaco are encountering more and more obstacles. A particular problem is that faced by frontier workers who, after working in Italy, France and the Principality, are not able to aggregate their periods of contribution when claiming their pensions. Italian frontier workers are further penalized in that, thanks to an agreement between France and the Principality, residents of the neighbouring communes in France are hired first, along with Monegasque citizens. Does the Commission intend, in the near future, to conclude a cooperation or association agreement between the European Union and the Principality of Monaco which includes arrangements in the social sector applying the Community coordinating rules laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 (2)? What are the reasons for the delay? (1) OJ C 138, 5. 5. 1997, p. 165. (2) OJ L 149, 5. 7. 1971, p. 2. Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (2 April 1998) The Commission is aware of the difficulties in obtaining social security benefits encountered by Community citizens moving to Monaco, taking account of the particular status of that country. The Commission has studied the possibility of proposing an agreement of the same type as that envisaged in the case of San Marino. However, an agreement of this nature would go well beyond the framework of social security, and it has not yet been possible to draw up a proposal. (98/C 304/231) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0736/98 by Se·rgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (2 March 1998) Subject: Application for Cohesion Fund resources for a project for cleaning up the catchment area of the rivers Lis and Seiça (Portugal) On 6 January 1998 the Commission replied to my Question P-3932/97 (1) on the catchment area of the rivers Lis and Seiça (Portugal)/Cohesion Fund, stating that it had received an application for cofunding the first phase of a cleaning up project and would consider this application on the basis of the technical and economic assessment of the project, the resources available under the Cohesion Fund for Portugal and the priorities fixed by the Commission and the Member State concerned. Will the Commission say what progress has been made in assessing this application and establishing priorities and whether any decision has yet been made? (1) OJ C 187, 16. 6. 1998, p. 94