WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2963/97 by Leoluca ORLANDO to the Commission. The take-over of Sicilcassa by the Banco di Sicilia
3. 4. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 102/155 (98/C 102/231) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2962/97 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Commission (17 September 1997) Subject: Supermarket delivery of groceries to elderly people in the EU living on their own who suffer from mobility problems Does the Commission think that, in the EU, where demographic statistics show that the population is ageing 1. and that some old people are suffering from mobility problems, attempts must be made to find within the free market sector ways of guaranteeing that elderly people may remain independent? Can the Commission give some idea of how many supermarkets in the urban areas of the fifteen Member 2. States have made arrangements for elderly people who suffer from mobility problems to have their groceries delivered to their door for a small consideration? 3. What measures will the Commission take to encourage the provision of such services in urban areas where nothing has yet been done to meet this requirement? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (17 October 1997) Independent living for older people with mobility problems is certainly a priority in the Commissionís 1. support for European projects in the field of older people, and has been so since the European year for older people and solidarity between the generations in 1993. 2. The Commission does not possess detailed information on this issue. 3. The kind of problem raised by the Honourable Member does not fall within the area of responsibility of the Community. The Commission will however continue to support trans-European projects that contribute to independent living for older people with mobility problems, to the extent that the budget permits. (98/C 102/232) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2963/97 by Leoluca Orlando (V) to the Commission (10 September 1997) Subject: The take-over of Sicilcassa by the Banco di Sicilia The plan for the take-over of Sicilcassa by the Banco di Sicilia has reached an advanced stage. This operation means that around 500 bank branches in one region, Sicily, will be in public hands. They represent one third of all the bank branches in Sicily (1 500). The project is being carried out without the involvement of any private capital and the Italian Government has announced that it intends to complete the operation by the end of this week. Can the Commission say whether the Italian Government informed the Community authorities about the project beforehand and whether it received the approval required? If no notification and approval were given, does the Commission intend to take urgent steps vis-a‘-vis the Italian Government in order to assess whether this operation is compatible with safeguarding free competition?