WRITTEN QUESTION No. 315/98 by Maj THEORIN to the Council. The EU Code of Conduct
C 223/166 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 7. 98 (98/C 223/215) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0315/98 by Maj Theorin (PSE) to the Council (9 February 1998) Subject: The EU Code of Conduct One priority of the British Presidency has been to present a Code of Conduct for the arms trade. Such a conduct ought to be legally binding. Will the EU Code of Conduct apply to export and licensed production of a comprehensive list of goods and technologies including major conventional weaponry, all types of small and light weapons, police and paramilitary equipment and services, and dual-use technologies? Answer (27 April 1998) The proposal by France and the United Kingdom for a Code of Conduct for arms exports aims at setting high common standards for exports from all EU Member States of conventional arms and technologies for military use. The proposal has been examined for the first time on 17 February 1998 by the competent Council Working Group. It is therefore not possible at this stage of the process to indicate what will be the extent and the degree of precision of the scope of application of the Code, as it is finally adopted by the Council. (98/C 223/216) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0328/98 by Antonio Trizza (NI) to the Commission (10 February 1998) Subject: Olive oil storage contracts for the 1997/98 marketing year Olive oil storage contracts for the 1997/98 marketing year are governed by the provisions laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 94/98 (1) of 19 January 1998. The aid provided for under that Regulation is granted only to oils complying with Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 (2) of 11 July 1991 on the characteristics of olive oil and olive-residue oil and on the relevant methods of analysis. The betasisterol content of some Italian virgin oils is often lower than the legal limit (93%) laid down in that Regulation. Would the Commission not agree that the above system penalizes oils which, for wholly natural reasons linked to environmental conditions (such as climate or long storage periods), have a lower betasisterol content? How does it intend to put an end to this injustice? (1) OJ L 9, 15. 1. 1998, p. 25. (2) OJ L 248, 5. 9. 1991, p. 1. Answer given by Mr Fischler behalf of the Commission (24 February 1998) As part of the measures to ensure and safeguard the quality of olive oil, the Commission enacted Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 referred to by the Honourable Member, whose provisions on the characteristics of olive oils are updated regularly to take account of recent developments in olive oil chemistry. Under the Regulation olive oils may be classified in different categories, and its provisions are mandatory without exception both as regards marketing and for eligibility for the various measures provided for by the market organisation for olive oil, for example, consumption aid, export refunds, intervention, and storage contracts