WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1516/97 by Klaus REHDER to the Commission. Export refunds on the transport of animals
22. 1. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 21/61 Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (10 June 1997) The Commission has been informed that, on the Thalys service between Paris and Bruxelles, discounts for large families are not available now. It understands the difficulties that this may cause passengers but it has to recall that such discounts, and policy on fares in general, are not a matter of Community legal competence but the responsibility of the railways themselves and of the national authorities that supervise them. As for public services, it is the responsibility of the Member State to decide on the nature and extent of public services, while respecting Community rules, particularly on compensation for public service obligations in transport. Finally, on the basis of the information available, the Commission does not consider this a case of discrimination or an obstacle to free circulation in violation of Community principles and rules. (98/C 21/150) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1503/97 by Pervenche Bere‘s (PSE) to the Commission (30 April 1997) Subject: MED programmes Many of the files which had been accepted in connection with the MED programmes are currently blocked as the second phase has not been finalized. What steps does the Commission intend to take to remedy this situation, given that, in general, the projects concerned involve small-scale entities? Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (10 June 1997) The Commission is currently setting up a new system of management of the programmes of decentralised co-operation in the Mediterranean region. This follows a Court of auditors report and the support given by the ministers of foreign affairs at the Euro-Mediterranean conference in Barcelona, in November 1995, to decentralised co-operation, underlining the importance attached to this form of co-operation. The Commission is aware of the difficulties the freeze creates for some participants in the programmes for decentralised co-operation in the Mediterranean. However, a temporary freeze of the programmes was necessary in order to ensure the transparency and efficiency of the management system. The relaunching of the Med programmes will also depend on the results of the Parliamentís committee of budgetary control debate on the Fabra Valle‘s report, which is due to be voted in the July plenary session. (98/C 21/151) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1516/97 by Klaus Rehder (PSE) to the Commission (5 May 1997) Subject: Export refunds on the transport of animals 1. What export refunds are currently paid for live and slaughtered cattle? 2. Under what conditions may deductions be made from these refunds, and what do they then amount to? Is the export refund for slaughtered cattle calculated on the basis of weight before slaughter or weight after 3. the removal of all offal? There are various calculations of the killing-out percentage (54%, 58%, etc. ). Which percentage does the 4. Commission take?