WRITTEN QUESTION E-2801/99 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. European study grants.
1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/185 document and the final report of the conference are sent directly to the Honourable Member and the Secretariat general of the Parliament. The consultation process also confirmed that action to combat social exclusion is seen as an important means for improving conditions of access of fundamental rights. It is the Commissionís intention to reflect this in the aims of the programme. (2000/C 219 E/238) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2776/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: Funding of a training school for tourist couriers (18 January 2000) There is no school in Greece for training couriers for the tourist industry and the knowledge which those currently working as couriers possess is gained from their experience and in-house courses. Can the Commission answer the following: 1. Will it say whether it could provide joint funding to set up a post-secondary school to train couriers for the tourist industry? 2. For which in-house courses for training couriers in Greece did the Union provide funding from 1996 to 1999 and what were the sums involved? 3. How many people received training on those courses? 4. In view of the allegations that some of those who attended these courses were subsequently unable to work as couriers because it is prohibited to do so by their current profession, e. g. civil servants, can the Commission confirm that such people did not take part in the courses run between 1996 and 1999? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (15 February 2000) The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible. (2000/C 219 E/239) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2801/99 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission (18 January 2000) Subject: European study grants In view of legislation currently in force in certain Member States that deprives students of access to grants when they have not been living within that Member State for a certain length of time, does not the Commission feel that it would be appropriate for it to initiate a transnational scheme to provide assistance for students who may not have been residing in the Member State for the required period but who, during that period, resided within the Community? C 219 E/186 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission (11 February 2000) The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible. (2000/C 219 E/240) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2853/99 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (18 January 2000) Subject: Relocation strategy of the Ford multinational company The multinationalsí strategy of relocation is continuing to affect Portugal and its workers. One of the most recent examples is the case of the US multinational Ford, which, as part of its restructuring policy, now intends to give up its plant in Azambuja and sell it to Opel, thus ceasing to produce its Transití model in Portugal as from the first quarter of 2000. More than 300 jobs are at risk. Can the Commission state what measures it intends to take to oppose Fordís strategy and defend these jobs? Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission (16 March 2000) While it regrets the negative social impact of Fordís decision concerning its plant in Azambuja, Portugal, the Commission wishes to remind the Honourable Member that it is not entitled to interfere in business decisions such as the one referred to here, unless Community law has been infringed. At this stage there is nothing to indicate that there has been any infringement (and there is no mention of an infringement in the question). At any rate the Commission wishes to recall that at least three Community directives may be applicable to this case: Council Directive 98/59/EC of 20 July 1998 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to collective redundancies (1), Council Directive 77/187/EEC of 14 February 1977 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employeesí rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of businesses (2), and Council Directive 94/45/EC of 22 September 1994 on the establishment of a European Works Council or a procedure in Community- informing and scale undertakings and Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purpose of consulting employees (3). (1) OJ L 225, 12. 8. 1998. (2) OJ L 61, 5. 3. 1977 (Directive amended by Directive 98/50/EC ü OJ L 201, 17. 7. 1998). (3) OJ L 254, 30. 9. 1994. (2000/C 219 E/241) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0032/00 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission (19 January 2000) Subject: Nuclear threat of Akkuyu Further to previous questions and ahead of Turkeyís final decision on the construction of a nuclear in the earthquake-prone region of Akkuyu, Canadian Federal MPs opposed to Canadaís plant