WRITTEN QUESTION No. 574/98 by Edouard des PLACES to the Commission. Agricultural guidance law
C 310/94 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 9. 10. 98 The Commission would also draw the Honourable Memberís attention to the provisions of Directive 89/655/EEC on the use of work equipment by workers at work (3), as amended by Directive 95/63/EC (4). Point 3. 2. 4 of Annex 1 to the Directive includes several minimum requirements to be met by 5 December 2002 at the latest in all workplaces and which will ensure that lifts and goods lifts used by workers are sufficiently safe. (1) OJ L 213, 7. 9. 1995. (2) OJ L 134, 20. 6. 1995. (3) OJ L 393, 30. 12. 1989. (4) OJ L 335, 30. 12. 1995. (98/C 310/125) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0574/98 by Edouard des Places (I-EDN) to the Commission (4 March 1998) Subject: Agricultural guidance law In France the draft agricultural guidance law, which has been submitted by the Minister of Agriculture to the farming associations, provides, in title I, for the introduction of Territorial Farming Contractsí (CTE). These contracts would be signed with the administrative authority, cover all farming activity, comprise a programme of measures taking into account production targets for goods and services, area management and environmental protection and would be consistent with national and regional guidelines. The explanatory statement for Article 3 on the establishment of a fund to finance the CTE clearly specifies that this fund will initially be financed by national appropriations and subsequently by appropriations generated by adjustment of CAP aids resulting from the reform. With regard to the budgetary process, does the Commission consider that it will be possible to transfer the portion of funding resulting from the adjustment of a COM to other forms of agricultural production, whether or not they come under another COM? Will not the very principle of these Territorial Farming Contracts lead to a certain degree of renationalization of the CAP and destroy the agricultural policy logic inherent in all the COMs? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (2 April 1998) The Honourable Member is referred to the Commissionís answer to his written question P-514/98 (1). The Commission endeavours to ensure consistency between its policy on State aid to agriculture and the objectives of the common agricultural policy, in particular by ensuring that national aid does not interfere with the mechanisms of the common organisations of the market. (1) See page 77. (98/C 310/126) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0577/98 by Ernesto Caccavale (UPE) to the Commission (4 March 1998) Subject: State aid for RAI › the Italian broadcasting corporation Under the present arrangements governing Italian broadcasting RAI benefits not only from a compulsory fee paid annually by viewers, but also from money from the State budget. These subsidies are justified by RAIís alleged ápublic serviceí mission