WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1779/97 by Karl von WOGAU to the Commission. Obstacle to free movement of services
C 21/94 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 22. 1. 98 network (1) gives responsibility to the executive director of the Agency for all staff matters and the executive director, in turn, is accountable to the management board of the Agency for his activities. This means that the Commission is not responsible for the Agency’s recruitment procedures and is not able to comment on the details of the selection process, including the competition for the recruitment of three Aí grade staff and two Bí grade staff which was published in the Official journal on 11th April 1997. The question has been passed onto the executive director for a detailed response on behalf of the Agency. (1) OJ L 120, 11. 5. 1990. (98/C 21/195) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1774/97 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (27 May 1997) Subject: Producers ineligible for compensation The Greek Ministries of Agriculture and Finance have decided to interpret EU Regulation 2328/91 (1) as excluding from the programme for compensation for damage caused by heavy rain and floods between September and December 1996 áany person, and members of their family, who have been convicted or are awaiting prosecution for offences under public criminal law, before their release of before final judgment is passed. í As the compensation is awarded following the Commissionís approval and given that such a decision excludes certain producers and is also problematic in procedural terms, will the Commission say whether it has approved the particular interpretative text excluding producers from the compensation programme? Does it consider the above text to be a valid interpretation of EU Regulation 2328/91? (1) OJ L 218, 6. 8. 1991, p. 1. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (1 July 1997) The Commission has begun to examine the national aid scheme notified by Greece for repairing the damage caused by heavy rain and floods between September and December 1996 to ensure that it is compatible with Articles 92 to 94 of the EC Treaty governing aids granted by the Member States. However, since the national decision defining the recipients of this aid referred to by the Honourable Member was not notified to the Commission, it is requesting further information from the Greek authorities. (98/C 21/196) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1779/97 by Karl von Wogau (PPE) to the Commission (27 May 1997) Subject: Obstacle to free movement of services The Mannheim Convention of 17 October 1868 declares the Rhine to be an áinternational waterwayí and vessels using it must therefore fly the flag of one of the bordering States. This provision also applies to the owners of pleasure craft. Owners of pleasure craft who register their vessels in Strasbourg are required to pay a tax to obtain a French nationality certificate in order to be able to fly the French flag and sail on the Rhine. This tax is intended for navigation on the high seas and in international waters and amounts to FF 10 000 annually. Pleasure craft owners registering their vessels in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands or Switzerland do not pay a special tax in order to use the Rhine