WRITTEN QUESTION No. 665/98 by Alexandros ALAVANOS to the Commission. Employment of teachers in extra tuition programme for Greek lower secondary schools
9. 10. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 310/115 (98/C 310/152) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0664/98 by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz (V) to the Commission (10 March 1998) Subject: Germanyís failure to implement EU legislation on the protection of species Since 1 June 1997 the trade in species of fauna and flora protected by the Washington Convention on the protection of species has been regulated in the EU exclusively by Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 (1). Germany has so far failed to honour its commitment as a Member State to implement this legislation. In particular, no penalties or confiscatory measures (as called for in Article 16 of the regulation) have yet been introduced. There are still no penalties for the import and export, purchase, offer to purchase, acquisition for commercial purposes, display to the public and use for commercial gain and for the sale, offering for sale or transporting of the species listed in Annexes A and B to the regulation. Application of ordinary customs and public order legislation is not enough. On the contrary. The responsible prosecution services are currently dropping proceedings for breaches of the legislation on the protection of species. Implementation of the EU regulation is not at present imminent in Germany. A complaint on these lines from the Committee Against the Murder of Birds is pending at the Commission under File No 97/4604SG(97) A/11682/2. 1. How does the Commission view the behaviour of the Federal Republic of Germany? 2. What steps has it so far taken to induce Germany to implement the above regulation and what steps will it be taking to ensure in particular that the obligations arising from Article 16 thereof are at long last also applied in Germany? (1) OJ L 61, 3. 3. 1997, p. 1. Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (30 April 1998) At present the Commission is following the implementation, application and enforcement in all Member States including Germany of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein. The Commission seeks to ensure correct implementation through bilateral and multilateral contacts and, where necessary, legal proceedings. (98/C 310/153) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0665/98 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (10 March 1998) Subject: Employment of teachers in extra tuition programme for Greek lower secondary schools The resolution of the Amsterdam European Council (1) on growth and employment begins: It is imperative to give a new impulse for keeping employment at the top of the political agenda of the European Union. í The chapter on the organization of working time of Parliamentís proposal to the extraordinary meeting of the European Council on employment states that where overtime is structural in nature, firms, unions and employers should reduce it and create additional jobs. In Greece, extra tuition has been introduced as part of the package of measures designed to support the comprehensive secondary school system, which is funded through the Community Support Framework. Tuition is to be provided mainly by teachers who already hold posts working overtime, whereas there are thousands of teachers unemployed. What measures will the Commission take to fill these new posts, which are being financed through the Community Support framework, with unemployed teachers? (1) OJ C 236, 2. 8. 1997, p. 3