WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3525/97 by Carlos ROBLES PIQUER to the Commission. Community participation in the Uralides project
8. 6. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 174/73 The same Directive also lays down a durability requirement. This however only applies to new or renovated buildings. Regarding the existing building stock, there is no European renovation programme for large-scale restoration. Such operations must be implemented on a national level. In terms of research, in the framework of the programme on industrial and material technologies (Brite Euram) in the Fourth Framework Programme for Research and Development, several projects which indirectly help to prevent the risk of accidents arising from dilapidated or unsafe buildings have been financed. (1) OJ L 40, 11. 2. 1989. (98/C 174/118) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3525/97 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission (12 November 1997) Subject: Community participation in the Uralides project The objective of the international Uralides project, which currently involves 39 scientific institutions from all over the world (24 from Europe, 1 from the United States and 14 from Russia), is to make a detailed study of the Urals, the mountain chain which separates Europe and Asia, which is considered one of the richest mountain systems in the world in terms of deposits of all kinds and a potential source of energy and other resources. The project was organized as a result of the Europrobe initiative for research into earth sciences launched by the European Science Foundation. What is the Commissionís position on the Uralides international project, the possibility that it might participate in the project and the scale of any possible financial contribution? Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (14 December 1997) The Commission is fully aware of the international significance and importance, both from a scientific and economic point of view, of the Uralides project. Under the current 4th framework programme of research and technological development (Decision No 1110/94/EC) (1), Community support for this project is given through INTAS, the International association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the former Soviet Union. The current plans for the next 5th framework programme (2) foresee a continuation of support for joint research projects and concerted actions with Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union in a number of areas, including energy and environment. (1) OJ L 126, 18. 5. 1994. (2) COM(97) 439. (98/C 174/119) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3530/97 by Gunilla Carlsson (PPE) to the Commission (12 November 1997) Subject: Warning on Swedish snuff Research shows unequivocally that Link whatever can be established between the use of Swedish snuff and cancer. Despite this fact, EU Directive 92/41/EEC (1) stipulates that snuff packets must be marked with the