WRITTEN QUESTION E-0651/00 by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Environment tax.
28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/125 (2000/C 374 E/147) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0629/00 by María Ayuso GonzÆlez (PPE-DE) to the Commission (3 March 2000) Subject: The EAGGF Guarantee Section in the various EU Member States in the period 1997-1999 Can the Commission indicate the total amount received by each EU Member State under the EAGGF Guarantee Section in the years 1997, 1998 and 1999, and provide a breakdown of expenditure: (a) by heading (arable crops, sugar, fibre plants and silk worms, fruit and vegetables, other plant products, wine products, tobacco, milk and milk products, beef/veal, sheepmeat and goatmeat, pigmeat, eggs and poultry, other measures concerning animal products, refunds on certain goods obtained by processing agricultural products, refunds in connection with Community food aid, distribution of agricultural products to deprived persons, accompanying measures, rural development measures linked to markets, other measures, income aid, and the European Fisheries Guarantee Fund); and (b) by type of aid (export refunds, price compensating aids, acreage aid, aid for livestock, guidance premiums, private storage aid, withdrawals and similar operations, monetary compensatory amounts, measures accompanying reform of the CAP, and public storage costs)? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (3 April 2000) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the 27th and 28th financial reports of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund (EAGGF) ü guarantee section (1) for the data concern- ing 1997 and 1998 requested in the first part of her written question. The financial report for 1999 is not yet available and so the Commission is sending directly to the Honourable Member and to the Parliamentís Secretariat extracts of the data to be included therein concerning the information requested for 1999. As for the second part of her written question, the Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to the Parliamentís Secretariat some additional tables concerning the information requested for 1997, 1998 and 1999. However, the Commission would like to underline that all the information which it is sending direct in respect of the1999 financial year has not yet been subject to a financial clearance of accounts and for this reason should not be considered as final. (1) COM(98) 552 and COM(1999) 568. (2000/C 374 E/148) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0651/00 by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission (9 March 2000) Subject: Environment tax A forum was held in Palma de Mallorca in February attended by Mr Eusebio Murillo of the Directorate- General for Regional Policy, at which a proposal for an environment tax on tourists visiting the Balearic Islands, levied by the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands, was discussed. Has any proposal for an environment tax in the Balearic Islands been submitted to the Commission or has it been consulted on the matter? C 374 E/126 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 If so, what recommendations did the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands put forward concerning this tax? Under what conditions does the Commission believe such a tax could be introduced? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (18 April 2000) The Commission would inform the Honourable Member that it has not been notified of a proposed environment tax in the Balearic Islands. (2000/C 374 E/149) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0653/00 by Encarnación Redondo JimØnez (PPE-DE) to the Commission (9 March 2000) Subject: Use of Community funds for irrigation infrastructures on the river Guaro In 1987 the Commission allocated 645 million pesetas (Decision C(87) 1626/13) for the construction of the La Vinuela dam on the river Guaro and for various irrigation infrastructures along the riverís banks. However, only the work on the left bank of the river Guaro has been completed, while the work on the right bank is still unfinished (technical data sheet No A N 94 P 0101 includes the Guaro irrigation project as part of the operational programme for Andalucia, 1994-1999). In addition, a delegation of interested parties visited the offices of DG XVI in Brussels without obtaining a satisfactory reply from the Commission. In the light of the above, will the Commission say why the work on the right bank has not been completed? What steps has the Commission taken to provide full information to those affected by these projects? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (7 April 2000) the Honourable Member refer to the information already given to The Commission suggests that Parliament on the project in question, in particular its reply to Written Question E-1391/99 from Mr Sakellariou (1), its communications on petitions 249/1999 and 391/1999 and its letter dated 6 May 1999 to Mrs Theato. According to information provided by Spain, apart from the previous part-financing of the construction of the dam at La Viæuela, the work part-financed under action 6. 1. 1. of the operational programme for Andalusia 1994-1999 is all located on the left bank of the river VØlez and has practically been completed. In fact, the technical description in the OP does not specify whether the projects are located on the left or the right bank of the river, but states only Obras de distribución en el Guaroí. The Commission would like to point out that, under the principle of subsidiarity, it is the job of Member States to select the projects to be part-financed. According to information received from the national authorities, the projects to which the Honourable Member refers will most probably be implemented during a later programming phase but the same authorities do not specify if they intend applying for Community part-financing for this future development work. (1) OJ C 170 E, 20. 6. 2000, p. 3