WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1667/99 by Roberta ANGELILLI Unfair exclusion of a soprano from the National Academy of St Cecilia
29. 1. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 27 E/161 envisages the despatch of an international team to investigate alleged violations of international humani- tarian law of the type to which the honourable members rightly draw attention. (2000/C 27 E/197) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1667/99 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (22 September 1999) Subject: Unfair exclusion of a soprano from the National Academy of St Cecilia Mrs Marína Mauro, a soprano who has worked for the National Academy of St Cecilia for many years, has not had her contract renewed and has been given no justification. This eventuality is envisaged only if staff have been the cause of artistic, professional or disciplinary disputes. The sopranoís right to be employed derives from Article 1(3) of the CCNL (collective wage agreement) which states that artistes who have taken part in the annual selection process in three consecutive years and proved themselves suitable ü and hence were given contracts for each season in those three years ü take precedence in the subsequent seasons, without having to take part in the annual selection process organised by the Academy. Mrs Mauro has also ascertained that other sopranos have been taken on and been given a contract for the next three years although they were lower down the list of suitable candidates. Can the Commission say whether it does not consider that: 1. Mrs Mauro has been the victim of discrimination; 2. her unfair exclusion for the coming academic year infringes her acquired rights, thereby damaging her personal and professional image as a singer; 3. there is an urgent need to reinstate Mrs Mauro in her role as member of the choir, without her having to undergo further selection procedures for auxiliary staff who have not acquired any rights of seniority? Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission (26 October 1999) The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member that there is no Community rule governing the conditions for the renewal of fixed-duration employment contracts. Neither does the case in question come within the remit of Article 13 (ex Article 6(a)) of the EC Treaty (anti-discrimination). In the absence of any link with Community law, the case falls within the exclusive remit of any national legislation which may be applicable. (2000/C 27 E/198) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1686/99 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission (20 September 1999) Subject: Infringement of Community insurance legislation and distortion of competition in Greece The incorporation of Community insurance legislation into Greek national law was until recently totally inadequate, producing distortion of competition and damaging several companies. Even now that the legal vacuum has been filled, the supervisory authority, i. e. the Greek Government, is not implementing the provisions and rules of the insurance directives, which has created distortion of competition and a risk that the insurance market may collapse under enormous deficits since four public companies and another four private companies alone have a total deficit of more than Drs 65 billion