WRITTEN QUESTION E-1842/99 by William Newton Dunn (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Amount of financial compensation for loss of office.
18. 7. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 203 E/63 Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (8 December 1999) The Commission is currently drawing up the draft application it will be lodging with the Court of Justice under the infringement proceedings the Honourable Member is referring to. Other than the abovementioned judicial procedure the Commission has no means in law of intervening usefully with the Spanish authorities. (2000/C 203 E/077) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1842/99 by William Newton Dunn (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Amount of financial compensation for loss of office (13 October 1999) How much financial compensation was paid to the outgoing Commissioners who resigned in March 1999: 1. 2. 3. to those who did not return? to the four who returned as Commissioners in September 1999? to those who were elected as MEPs in June 1999? Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (26 November 1999) 1. and 3. Sixteen commissioners terminated their office. Two of those took up positions as elected members of the Parliament. All of the 16 retired commissioners receive a monthly transitional allowance. This allowance is based on the duration of their office at the Commission according to Article 7 of Regulation No 422/67/EEC, 5/67 Euratom of the Council of 25 July 1967 determining the emoluments of the President and members of the Commission and of the President, Judges, Advocates-General and Registrar of the Court of justice (1) and subsequent amendments, which stipulates that: For three years from the first day of the month following that in which the ex-member of the Commission ceases to hold office, he or she receives a monthly transitional allowance determined in accordance with the following procedure: ü 40 % of the basic salary which he/she was receiving when he/she ceased to hold office if his/her period of service is less than 2 years; ü 45 % of the same salary if the period is over 2 years but less than 3 years; ü 50 % of the same salary if the period is over 3 years but less than 5 years; ü 55 % of the same salary if the period is over 5 years but less than 10 years: ü 60 % of the same salary if the period is over 10 years but less than 15 years; ü 65 % of the same salary in other cases. Entitlement to this allowance shall cease if the former member of the Commission is appointed to office in the Commission or the Court of Auditors or upon his/her death. In the event of such appointment, the allowance shall be paid up to the date of taking up his/her duties; in the event of death the payment for the month in which death occurred shall be the last. Furthermore in case of election as member of the Parliament, the accumulation rule applies (Article 7 paragraph 3 of the Regulation). C 203 E/64 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 7. 2000 If during this three-year period the former member takes up new gainful employment, the gross monthly salary (ie before deduction of tax) received from the new employment will be deducted from the allowance, in as far as this income, added with this allowance, exceeds the amount (before deduction of tax) that the former member received whilst in office. All forms of remuneration received from new employment have to be taken into account, except those representing reimbursement of expenses. 2. No such payment was made. (1) OJ 187, 8. 8. 1967. (2000/C 203 E/078) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1843/99 by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Rising crime on the Costa del Sol (Andalusia, Spain) (13 October 1999) In the last few months there has been a sharp rise in crime on the Costa del Sol as a result of the activities of highly organised criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, the white slave trade, etc. What measures could the Commission take, given that the Treaty of Amsterdam establishes a fresh common policy in an area of freedom, security and justice? Is Europol responding to this alarming rise in crime, by stepping up its efforts to combat crime on the Costa del Sol? Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1999) The Spanish authorities have identified 170 groups of organised criminals with a total of approximately 5 200 members operating on their territory. Most of these groups are located on the Mediterranean coast, and organised criminals use the shipping facilities to set up illegal international traffic. More specifically, the Spanish coast attracts a huge yachting set from all over the world and several million tourists each year. Title VI of the Treaty on European Union, as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam, lays down the provisions on police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters with the objective to provide citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, justice and security through the development of common action among Member States in the fields of police and judicial co-operation. The Commission is fully associated with the work in these areas. The action plan of the Council and the Commission on how best to implement the provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam concerning an area of freedom, security and justice (1), adopted by the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 3 December 1998 in Vienna, provides for a comprehensive and detailed package of measures over two and five-year periods. The abovementioned action plan comprises also various measures to be taken in the field of police co- operation. As far as the Costa del Sol region is concerned, it is up to the Spanish authorities to transmit the relevant operational data on such criminal organisations to Europol and to ask Europol for further analysis. Basing itself on the appropriate intelligence and analytical results, and following the provisions of Article 30 (ex Article K. 2) of the Treaty on European Union, Europol will have, in the future, the authority to initiate concrete investigations on the spot and to create joint investigative teams. (1) OJ C 19, 23. 1. 1999