WRITTEN QUESTION E-2478/99 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Clinic Clowns: projects to provide psychological help for seriously ill children.
8. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 225 E/143 Local environmental organisations maintain that: 1. 2. 3. the documents submitted to DG XI for the approval of the project do not reflect the true facts in the area concerned and that the accompanying maps are not in fact up to date; environmentally valuable areas have in the meantime been excluded from the areas coming within the Regional Park of the Lambro Valley in which Lake Alserio is situated and subject to environmental restrictions; the Trust administering the Regional Park of the Lambro Valley, which is one of the beneficiaries of the funds, ought to be replaced by government officials. Does the Commission intend: (a) (b) to check that the documents submitted tally with the actual situation in the area in which the measures are to be carried out? to freeze the funds granted by LIFE Natura 1999 to the project to clean up Lake Alserio pending such a check? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (17 January 2000) The LIFE-Nature project Actions of environmental restoration of Alserio Lakeí financed in 1999 targets the conservation of the site of Community importance Lago di Alserioí code IT2020005 (515 hectares of surface area) proposed under article 4 of Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (1). The Commission has verified that the boundaries of the project area do fall within those of the Lago di Alserioí and thus comply with the criteria set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 1404/96 of 15 July 1996 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92 establishing a financial instrument for the environment (Life) (2). The Commission is aware that parts of the site of Community importance have not been included in the nature reserve, and would thus not be covered by the management plan of the reserve. Nevertheless, to guarantee a coherent approach the project includes the preparation of a management plan for the entire site of Community importance. This plan will be formally adopted by the authorities before the project ends. The Commission has also no reason to doubt the other elements of information in the project proposal. The project was carefully evaluated and revised before the final decision. The Commission does not therefore consider it necessary to investigate the matter further or to freeze co-financing granted. (1) OJ L 206, 22. 7. 1992. (2) OJ L 181, 20. 7. 1996. (2000/C 225 E/156) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2478/99 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Clinic Clownsí: projects to provide psychological help for seriously ill children Over the last ten years projects, usually called Clinic Clownsí and aiming to provide psychological and moral support for seriously ill children and adolescents, have been successfully carried out in various Member States of the European Union such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Austria. By placing the emphasis on humour, people including medical and non-medical staff give patients psychological and moral support in addition to the treatment provided by medical experts. C 225 E/144 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 8. 8. 2000 Organising and carrying out these admirable projects, which involve hospitals, universities, doctors, psychologists, entertainers and voluntary workers, is very costly. It has been proved that from the medical point of view too it is useful for patients, especially children and adolescents, to receive psychological and moral support. Can the Commission state: 1. Whether it has already provided funding for this type of project, which is usually called Clinic Clownsí? Does it intend to earmark funds for European projects for the development of deserving projects of 2. this kind in all Member States of the European Union? Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (19 January 2000) 1. No, the Commission is not funding any Clinic Clownsí project under its public health programmes. 2. In accordance with the provisions of European Parliament and Council decisions concerning public health programmes, calls for proposals are published annually in the Official Journal and it is at that stage that interested persons or organisations should indicate the projects for which they wish to apply under these programmes. (2000/C 225 E/157) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2482/99 by Liam Hyland (UEN) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: EUís response to the crisis in the pigmeat market As the Commission will recall, prices for pigmeat in 1998 were severely hit by the combination of internal supply and world market trading conditions. Despite market support measures, they ended the year 40 % lower than the equivalent periods in 1996 and 1997. The Commission stated that the consensus view was that the mechanisms were deemed to be sufficient when effectively used. Will the Commission now give its up-to-date assessment of the market in pigmeat for the EU as a whole as we approach the end of 1999 and, in particular, indicate its current assessment of the effectiveness of the mechanisms which it considered were sufficient to deal with the crisis? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (18 January 2000) It is regrettable that the pigmeat market has suffered since summer 1998. The main reason for the poor prices is the continuous oversupply of pigmeat. It is also true that for certain periods there were difficulties in export markets, but poor exports can hardly be blamed for poor pigmeat prices as exports have continuously increased. In 1997 exports of pigmeat increased by 13 %, in 1998 16 %, and in 1999 the increase is estimated to be more than 20 %. Pig farmers all over Europe expanded their herds after exceptionally good years of 1996 and 1997, which resulted in record high production. Production increased in 1998 by 1,2 million tonnes or by 8 % reaching a total of 17,6 million tonnes. Production is expected to increase in 1999 by 2 % and to remain at a high level in 2000. Export markets cannot be expected to absorb this kind of supply increase, as the volume of the world market has traditionally been just over 3 million tonnes