WRITTEN QUESTION No. 904/98 by Kenneth COATES to the Commission. Concessionary fuel allowances
19. 11. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 354/37 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (15 April 1998) Discussions on the Commissionís proposals to amend the banana common market organization (CMO) are 1. continuing in the Council and the Parliament. The Commission proposals are intended to bring Community legislation into conformity with the Communityís international obligations by 1st January 1999. The Community has a single market for bananas, and there is no difference in treatment between Member 2. States. Once imported bananas have been released into free circulation, they can be sold and consumed at any point in the Community without restriction. The additional autonomous tariff rate quota of 353 000 tonnes is proposed in order to take account of the increased consumption needs of the Community as a whole following the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden. (98/C 354/70) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0904/98 by Kenneth Coates (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (26 March 1998) Subject: Concessionary fuel allowances What Commission decisions, if any, require changes to be made to the concessionary fuel agreements for retired miners and their widoes in the United Kingdom? What correspondence, if any, has the Commission had with the UK authorities on this matter? Is the Commission aware that the British Government first introduced, and then withdrew, restrictions on the supply of concessionary fuel to retired mineworkers and their widows, saying that this ácomes about as a result of European directives, and will mean that, if the directives are carried through, as is being proposed at present, there could be a problem for people with concessionary fuel allowancesí? Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (13 May 1998) The changes made to the concessionary fuel agreements are not the direct result of any Commission decision. These changes come about as a consequence of the transfer of British Coalís liabilities for concessionary fuel to the department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in March 1995. The DTI, as a public contractor, has to ensure that the procedure for the purchase of concessionary fuels complies with the provisions of Council Directive 93/36/EEC of 14 June 1993 coordinating procedures for the award of public supply contracts (1). The Community principle governing such a directive and public supply contracts is the ban on discriminatory measures and unfair treatment. The Commission has not been notified about the latest situation. The completion of the British Governmentís tender for the supply and distribution of concessionary smokeless fuels would be subject to a formal decision from the Commission only if it were considered to be in breach of Community legislation. (1) OJ L 199, 9. 8. 1993