WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3846/98 by José VALVERDE LÓPEZ to the Commission. Stage reached in the transposition of the directive on the disposal of PCBs and PCTs
15. 10. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 297/107 (1999/C 297/145) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3840/98 by Luigi Moretti (NI) to the Commission (22 December 1998) Subject: Italy’s Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca di Stato (national mint and stationery office) It was recently reported that Mr Van Miert, the European Commissioner, had written to the Italian Minister of Finance to raise with him various issues relating to the Italy’s Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca di Stato (national mint and stationery office), including its monopoly over supplies of paper to government departments. Could the Commission provide more precise information on this subject, specifying the facts alleged and the conclusions reached by Mr Van Miert? Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (14 January 1999) The Commission started to investigate possible state aid to Poligrafico in April 1997. The information submitted by the Italian authorities, upon request of the Commission, on several occasions did not reassure the Commission as regards the absence of state aid. The Commission, by decision of 28 October 1998, thus decided to start the procedure under Article 93(2) of the EC Treaty. The decision was notified to the Italian government by letter of 26 November 1998. The Italian government has to submit its observations and the required information within one month from the receipt of the letter. The procedure will allow the Commission to assess the presence of state aid, and, if there is state aid, its compatibility with the common market, in the capital increases in favour of Cartiere Miliani di Fabriano, controlled by Poligrafico, and in the exclusive contract granted to Poligrafico itself for the provision of products and services to the state. The Commission will further evaluate additional aid measures to be granted by the state in connection with the restructuring of the group. The measures will be evaluated in accordance with the state aid rules of the EC Treaty, and in particular with the guidelines on state aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty. (1999/C 297/146) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3846/98 by José Valverde López (PPE) to the Commission (22 December 1998) Subject: Stage reached in the transposition of the directive on the disposal of PCBs and PCTs Directive 96/59/EC (1) on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls was to be incorporated into the national laws of the Member States by the end of March 1998. What is the situation as regards the Member States’ compliance in the transposition of this directive? (1) OJ L 243, 24. 9. 1996, p. 31. Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (4 February 1999) Eight Member States (Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden) have communicated to the Commission implementing measures for Council Directive 96/59/EC of 16 September 1996 on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCB/PCT). The Com- mission has opened infringement proceedings under Article 169 EC Treaty against the seven Member States which have not communicated their implementing measures