WRITTEN QUESTION E-0066/00 by Manuel Medina Ortega (PSE) to the Commission. Commission delegation in Ecuador.
C 303 E/138 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 24. 10. 2000 (2000/C 303 E/148) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0066/00 by Manuel Medina Ortega (PSE) to the Commission Subject: Commission delegation in Ecuador (24 January 2000) What budget obstacles are there to the opening of a Commission delegation in Ecuador? Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (24 February 2000) There are no extra human resources foreseen for opening delegations in the 2000 budget. The available resources are committed to the existing external representation of the Commission. An early opening of additional delegations would have to be the result of the redeployment of staff. Priorities will have to be set. This is to be decided in the framework of the exercise which is underway to assess the needs of the external service over the lifetime of this Commission. A communication to the Council and the Parliament on the development of the external service, the best use of its existing means and, if it is found to be necessary, proposals for extra resources should be presented later in the year. (2000/C 303 E/149) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0077/00 by Gianfranco DellíAlba (TDI) to the Commission (24 January 2000) Subject: Failure to appoint an Advocate-General at the Court of Justice Article 222 of the EC Treaty stipulates that the Court of Justice shall be assisted by nine Advocate-General until 6 October 2000. The appointment several months ago of Advocate-General La Pergola to the post of Judge following the death of Judge Mancini left a vacancy that the Member State concerned has yet to take the necessary action to fill. Given that the failure to have the requisite number of Advocates-General is a clear breach of the Treaty, would the Commission not agree that, in its capacity as guardian of the Treaties, it has a duty to bring this situation to the attention of the Member States, and to Italy in particular, which must nominate a candidate before a new Advocate-General can be appointed by common accord? Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission (25 February 2000) Under Article 223 (formerly Article 167) of the EC Treaty, the appointment of Court of Justice Judges and Advocates-General is the responsibility of the Member Statesí governments acting by common accord. It is true that the absence of members of the Court, or a delay in their appointment, is detrimental to the workings of the institution. However, the Honourable Member is reminded that in this particular case the ninth Advocate-General would be appointed, for the remainder of the term of office, to a post created on the occasion of the last enlargement and due to be abolished on 6 October 2000