WRITTEN QUESTION No. 75/98 by Florus WIJSENBEEK to the Commission. Checks on persons at internal borders
19. 11. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 354/3 (98/C 354/03) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0053/98 by Markus Ferber (PPE) to the Commission (29 January 1998) Subject: EU assistance for research in the Bayerisch-Schwaben region Can the Commission provide the following information on the level of EU assistance for research and development (R&D) in the Bayerisch-Schwaben region in 1997: 1. How much assistance was provided for R&D in Bayerisch-Schwaben in 1997? How much Community assistance was provided for R&D in comparable regions of other Member States in 2. 1997, and for what measures? How much assistance, broken down by types of contractor (universities, research institutes, SMEs, 3. large-scale industry, etc. ), was provided for R&D in the various German La¤nder in 1997? How many applications for R&D assistance, broken down by types of programme and EU Member States, 4. were received in 1997? For what percentage of the applicants for R&D assistance did SMEs account in the Community and 5. Germany in 1997? Supplementary answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (13 May 1998) 1,3,4 and 5. Since the answer to these points includes tables, and details on the research funds granted by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), it is being sent directly to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat. 2. The Commission considers it invidious to make comparisons between regions as such data do not reflect the real benefits a region can draw from Community research programmes. The main advantage of participation in multi-partner and transnational programmes is that each partner has access to all the results of the project in which it is involved, whatever funding it receives from the Community. A further major benefit is the creation and development of research infrastructure at European level (e. g. networks). (98/C 354/04) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0075/98 by Florus Wijsenbeek (ELDR) to the Commission (30 January 1998) Subject: Checks on persons at internal borders 1. Is the Commission aware that since Italy joined the Schengen Agreement border controls are no longer carried out between Italy, its neighbouring countries and Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, whereas checks are still carried out between the Netherlands and Italy (Schiphol)? Does the Commission take the view that since the internal borders between the Netherlands and its 2. neighbouring countries have been abolished the checks in Schiphol serve little purpose? Does the Commission not think that, since the Schengen Agreement is to be incorporated in the third pillar, 3. it should make another attempt to have pointless and unnecessary internal border controls done away with? 4. If so, how does the Commission intend to do this and what steps will it take to bring it about?