WRITTEN QUESTION E-0244/00 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Removal of the Greek tobacco variety Katerini from Italy's register of Community tobacco varieties.
21. 11. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 330 E/109 The nature of the work, which is likely to last at least 16 months, will make living conditions difficult in the whole district. The scale of the work and the possible consequences deriving from the nature of the terrain would suggest that the project ought to be subject to a detailed environment impact assessment, as provided for in Directive 85/337/EEC (1). This would seem to be confirmed by the letter of 25 March 1997 from Commissioner Enthoven to Ambassador Cavalchini, stressing the need for an environmental impact assessment for a project similar to this one. The permission to use public land granted solely to the purchasers of the parking spaces also suggests that there may be an infringement of the rights of citizens, who will not be entitled to use the land for the 90-year period laid down and will thus be deprived of their right to make use of a public asset. In the light of the above: 1. Does the Commission think that this project should be subject to an environmental impact assessment? 2. Does it think that the work should be allowed to go ahead only after consultation of local residents, as provided for in Directive 85/337/EEC? 3. Are there any directives governing the possible abuse represented by these car parks, which restrict public use of a public asset? 4. What are its general views on the matter? (1) OJ L 175, 5. 7. 1985, p. 40. Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (13 March 2000) The Honourable Member is invited to refer to the Commissionís answer to her Written Question E-2858/99 (1). Consultation of local residents is only required if the works are subject to an environmental impact 1. procedure. The Commission is not aware of any Community directive concerning the restriction of public use of 2. a public asset. 3. Not being aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member, the Commission will take the appropriate steps in order to gather detailed information about it and to ensure the observance of Community law. (1) OJ C 303 E, 24. 10. 2000, p. 120. (2000/C 330 E/122) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0244/00 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (7 February 2000) Subject: Removal of the Greek tobacco variety Katerinií from Italyís register of Community tobacco varieties Regulation 660/99 (1) permitted the transfer to Italy of a quota of the Greek tobacco variety Katerinií (500 tonnes for 1999, 1500 tonnes for 2000 and 2001) without providing any justification, despite the objections raised by Greece. Regulation 1373/99 (2) permitted Italy, again without any justification, to transfer quantities of the variety Katerinií to other groups of varieties, thereby restricting production of Katerinií in Italy to 48 tonnes. After the total failure of this attempt to transfer the Greek variety Katerinií to Italy, does the Commission intend to remove it from Italyís register of Community varieties for the marketing years 2000 and 2001? (1) OJ L 83, 27. 3. 1999, p. 10. (2) OJ L 162, 26. 6. 1999, p. 47. C 330 E/110 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (9 March 2000) The fixing of guarantee thresholds for tobacco of variety group VII (Katerini) in Italy by Council Regulation (EC) No 660/1999 of 22 March 1999 amending Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 (1) for the 1999, 2000 and 2001 harvests is justified by one of the basic objectives of the 1998 reform of the common organisation of the market (COM) in tobacco: the need to reorientate production towards the varieties most sought after on the market. Under Article 9(4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco (2) Member States can ask the Commission for authorisation to transfer part of their guarantee threshold allocations between the various groups of varieties. The Commission examines the requests for transfer and checks that they do not give rise to additional expenditure for the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and do not result in an increase in each Member Stateís overall guarantee threshold. To date, the Commission has received no request for transfer for Italy concerning group VII (Katerini), but a transfer remains possible until the deadline for concluding cultivation contracts. (1) OJ L 83, 27. 3. 1999. (2) OJ L 215, 30. 7. 1992. (2000/C 330 E/123) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0249/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission (7 February 2000) Subject: Pension liabilities What are the present liabilities for the European Communities staff? What are the estimates of the same for 2020? What reforms leading to a private-based system are under consideration? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (17 March 2000) A recent estimate puts the pension liabilities for the staff of the Communities, including those of the Commission, Parliament and the Council at € 14 100 million at the end of 1997 and € 22 200 million (excluding inflation) at the end of 2020. These estimates result from an actuarial calculation based inter alia, on a real interest rate of 2,5 % for the whole period. The mortality table was developed by the actuary Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG) for the purpose of the evaluation. The liabilities have been determined as the ádefined benefit obligationí that would be required to be disclosed in the employerís balance sheet under International accounting standard 19. The Commission is not considering any proposals relating to the pension scheme that would lead to a private-based system