WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3116/97 by Leonie van BLADEL to the Council. Ban on asylum seekers driving motor vehicles
25. 5. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 158/35 In the light of the substantial difficulties involved in taxing passenger transport within the Community, it was decided in 1995, as follow-up to the 1992 proposed on passenger transport (2), to carry out a study on the VAT arrangements and the competitive situation in the passenger transport sector. The study should be finalised before the end of 1997. On the basis of its findings and in the light of the problems currently being encountered, the Commission plans to present a consultation document on the subject in 1998. (1) OJ L 145, 13. 6. 1977. (2) OJ C 307, 25. 11. 1992. (98/C 158/44) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3116/97 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (9 October 1997) Subject: Ban on asylum seekers driving motor vehicles 1. Is the Council aware of the article in the Nederlandse Landelijke Allochtonenkrantí of Wednesday, 17 September which states that after six monthís residence in the Netherlands asylum seekers are banned completely from driving motor vehicles? Does the Council take the view that Article 111(3) of the Netherlands Road Traffic Act, which states that 2. driving licences are issued only to persons permanently resident in the Netherlands, unnecessarily violates the fundamental right of freedom of movement for asylum seekers? 3. Will the Council instruct the Commission to submit directives ensuring that asylum seekers in the countries of the European Union who are in possession of a valid certificate of driving proficiency and/or a valid driving licence from their country of origin are at all times during the period of their application for asylum able to drive a motor vehicle in their host country? Answer (16 February 1998) 1. The Council is not aware of the article in the Nederlandse Landelijke Allochtonenkrantí. 2. Community law does not provide any guarantees concerning the free movement of asylum-seekers. Under Article 7(1)(b) of Directive 91/439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licences (1), driving licences can only be issued to persons who have their normal residence in the territory of the Member State issuing the driving licence. An asylum-seeker who is authorized to remain in the territory of a Member State is therefore covered by this provision. (1) OJ L 237, 24. 8. 1991, p. 1. (98/C 158/45) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3118/97 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (9 October 1997) Subject: Directives on pension schemes 1. Does the Council share the suspicions of a number of senior citizensí associations who feel that the introduction of the euro will cause an alarming drop in the value of very many pensions within the European Union? Is the Council aware of statements by Mr van Amelsvoort, former Dutch State Secretary for Financial 2. Affairs and currently president of the KBO (Catholic senior citizensí association), that inflation of the European currency can be caused by wage demands in France and Italy because pensions in those countries are directly funded from tax revenue and those countries will not be able to pay the pensions of senior citizens without an increase in taxation?