WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2023/97 by Joan VALLVÉ , Carles-Alfred GASOLIBA I BÖHM to the Commission. Further attacks on Spanish lorries by French farmers
11. 3. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 76/67 As foreseen in the statutes of HFSP a scientific evaluation of the programme had been undertaken by eminent scientists, and a general review of the Human frontier science programme carried out jointly by ARA consulting Group Inc. (Canada) and Policy Research in Engineering, Science and Technology (PREST), University of Manchester (United Kingdom). The results of the review were that this programme has been very successful in supporting scientific transcontinental collaboration at the highest level. The grant scheme has been identified as unique. The recommendations were that for the time being the scientific areas concerning brain research and molecular approaches should be maintained and the programme should continue. At a meeting in Washington on 20 May 1997 representatives of the funding parties agreed that the programme should continue and that the budget should be increased, in particular, in order to ensure a critical mass of research grants. The next general review of the HFSP will take place in 2001. (98/C 76/153) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2023/97 by Joan Vallve· (ELDR) and Carles-Alfred Gaso‘liba i Bo¤hm (ELDR) to the Commission (11 June 1997) Subject: Further attacks on Spanish lorries by French farmers Since the middle of May 1997 French farmers in various parts of southern France have been making repeated serious attacks on Spanish lorries transporting fruit and vegetables and on distributorsí warehouses. What steps has the Commission taken and does it intend to take to prevent a repetition of these attacks, which violate the right of free movement, a basic principle of the European Union? Do these measures include suspending Community aid to French agriculture? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (8 July 1997) With regard to the steps taken by the Commission in response to attacks by French farmers on fruit and vegetable lorries from other Member States, in particular from Spain, the Commission would ask the Honourable Member to refer to answer P-1992/97 given to Mr Garcia-Margallo y Marfil (1). As to the Honourable Memberís suggestion that payment of Community subsidies under the common agricultural policy to the French agricultural sector be suspended, with as justification the serious obstacle to free movement of goods caused by the incidents referred to above, the Commission would like to point out that such a step is, in the absence of a direct link between infringement of the free movement of goods and the expenditure resulting from the subsidies referred to above, without legal basis in current Community law. (1) OJ C 45, 10. 2. 1998. (98/C 76/154) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2028/97 by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Commission (5 June 1997) Subject: European subsidy for the slaughter of piglets On 4 February 1997 a case of swine fever was discovered at a farm in Venhorst. Since then 168 other pig farms have been declared infected and there is no end in sight yet to the spread of the disease. At the beginning of April it became known that the disease was also present at the Wanroij AI unit which had supplied sperm to 1675 pig farms throughout the Netherlands. The results of the investigations at these farms is expected only at the end of this month