WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2963/98 by Gerardo FERNÁNDEZ-ALBOR to the Commission. Drawing pensions in pesetas in Spain
C 142/62 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 5. 1999 What action will the Commission take to ensure that Turkey finally begins to respect and protect all the monuments of ancient and later European civilizations located within its boundaries, which are under severe threat from the disastrous policies pursued by that country in its total indifference towards their conservation and preservation? Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (7 December 1998) The Commission shares the Honourable Member’s concern about the monument of the late Helenistic or early Roman period found during the excavations for the construction of the metro in the district of Tsankayia of the city of Smyrna. As the Commission has no competence in the field, it can only recall that Turkey, like all signatories of United Nations educational, scientific and cultural organisation (Unesco) conventions, has specific obligations as to the protection of antiquities. The Commission, therefore expresses the wish that the Turkish authorities undertake all appropriate measures to ensure the protection of the monument in question and its preservation for future generations. Furthermore, the Commission has raised the issue in its regular contacts with the Turkish authorities. (1999/C 142/076) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2963/98 by Gerardo Fernández-Albor (PPE) to the Commission Subject: Drawing pensions in pesetas in Spain (8 October 1998) Under the plans for the launch of the euro drawn up by the Spanish Secretary of State for Social Security, Spanish pensioners will, from January 1999, receive information relating to their pensions in euros and pesetas and those who wish to do so will be able to continue to draw their pensions in pesetas until 6 June 2002. This measure has been greeted with widespread satisfaction by Spanish pensioners who have, in various ways, expressed their concerns about the new currency and their difficulties in understanding the whole process which will require them, in the last years of their lives, to alter age-old customs concerning their currency and methods of payment. Does the Commission agree that it should introduce measures of this nature in order to reassure this section of the community, give them confidence in the changeover to the single currency and encourage them to believe that they will not suffer any disadvantage and that, at the end of the day, the Commission has not forgotten pensioners and is considering the impact the arrival of the euro may have on their lives? Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (17 November 1998) The needs of the pensioners are particularly important and the Commission thanks the Honourable Member for bringing the example of dual display to its attention. The Commission does indeed consider that dual displays of prices and other monetary amounts will greatly facilitate the transaction to the euro for consumers of all sorts, and issued a recommendation on dialogue, monitoring and information to facilitate the transition to the Euro (1). The intention was to lay down a standard of good practice and to describe when dual display should be used. For example the Commission recommends that dual displays should form part of an overall communications strategy to facilitate the switchover of consumers and employees to the euro. Furthermore dual displays on ‘benchmark indicators’ should begin early in the transition period. The idea of putting the euro equivalents of pensions paid in national currency units is a natural application of these recommendations made by the Commission. (1) C(1998) 961 final