WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1408/99 by Mary BANOTTI Job-sharing facilities
C 27 E/52 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 1. 2000 The Commission would point out however, that ratification of CITES by Ireland will not in itself lead to the accession to CITES by the Community. The latter depends on the ratification of an amendment to the text of the Convention by certain other CITES parties. The Commission is actively discussing this question with the CITES parties concerned. the Commission understands that draft legislation recently tabled in the Irish On a positive note, Parliament (aimed at amending Irelandís 1976 Wildlife Act) will operate as an instrument of ratification. This legislation is expected to be adopted in the coming months, and the Commission is hopeful that the Honourable Memberís concerns will thereby be satisfactorily addressed. (1) Debates of the Parliament (February 1999). (2) OJ L 61, 3. 3. 1997. (2000/C 27 E/060) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1407/99 by Mary Banotti (PPE-DE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Single person travel supplement Can the Commission indicate whether the supplements applied to single peopleís travelling costs is contrary to Community law? Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (19 October 1999) There is no specific Community legislation on the supplements applied to single travellers. In June 1990, the Council adopted the Directive 90/314/EEC (1) on package travel, package holidays and package tours, the purpose of which is to approximate the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to packages sold or offered for sale in the territory of the Community. The directive is designed to protect consumers who contract package travel in the Community. Article 2. 4 of the Directive defines the consumer as the person who takes or agrees to take the package (áthe principal contractorí), or any person on whose behalf the principal contractor agrees to purchase the package (áthe other beneficiariesí) or any person to whom the principal contractor or any of the other beneficiaries transfers the package (áthe transfereeí). Therefore the Community text does not make any distinction between travellers, single or not, and its provisions apply to all of them. Generally, market mechanisms impose a áhigher price for single travellersí on the basis that they would cause higher accommodation costs. (1) OJ L 158, 23. 6. 1990. (2000/C 27 E/061) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1408/99 by Mary Banotti (PPE-DE) to the Commission (1 September 1999) Subject: Job-sharing facilities job-sharing in the public sector is allowed and, where possible, must be As you are no doubt aware, granted to someone making an application for it. However, no such obligation currently exists in the private sector. Could the Commission indicate whether there are any EU directives being discussed or planned with a view to introducing obligatory job-sharing facilities in the private sector?