WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1032/98 by Mark WATTS to the Commission. Ramsgate Ferry Tragedy: failure of Swedish companies to pay fine
11. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 386/73 Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (23 April 1998) The new Article 227(2) of the Treaty of Amsterdam, Agenda 2000 (1) and the Commission proposals on the new Structural Funds regulations all pay close, and indeed specific, attention to the most remote regions by bringing them under the new Objective 1. The Commission plans to integrate the measures hitherto carried out under Regis I and II into the programming for Objective 1 in order to promote thematic concentration, simplify management and administration and increase their effectiveness. As proposed in Article 19 of the new General Regulation on the Structural Funds (2), in order to continue to promote cohesion and make the future Community initiatives more visible and more innovative, the Commission plans to concentrate on only three topics of common interest: cross-border, transnational and inter-regional cooperation, rural development and human resources in the context of equal opportunities. (1) COM(97) 2000 final. (2) COM(98) 131 final. (98/C 386/096) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1032/98 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (6 April 1998) Subject: Ramsgate Ferry Tragedy: failure of Swedish companies to pay fine In September 1994, a walkway between a dock at Ramsgate ferry terminal and a ship waiting to depart suddenly collapsed; 6 passengers were killed and 7 others injured. The Swedish companies who manufactured the walkway, FEAB and FKAB, were subsequently found guilty in British courts, who imposed a fine of £1 million for negligence. These Swedish firms have failed to pay this fine. The companies have recently stated on British television that they have no intention of paying it. They claim that, because the incident occurred before Sweden joined the EU, they are not bound by Community law. Will the Commission join me in condemning these Swedish firms, FEAB and FKAB, for showing no respect for British law or for the victims of the diaster or their families? Will the Commissioner further join me in calling on the companies to pay the fine in full and apologize for their behaviour to date? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (17 April 1998) The Commission has asked the Member State concerned for information regarding the facts raised to by the Honourable Member. It will inform him of its findings