WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1620/98 by Glyn FORD to the Commission. Homeworkers in Europe
C 354/118 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 19. 11. 98 In March 1998 the Member States, meeting within the Committee on Humanitarian Aid, supported a Commission proposal to grant a total of ECU 7. 2 million in aid for the Sahrawi refugees in Algeria in 1998. The Member States also noted that the Commission might draw up a new proposal for assistance during the year, depending on how the situation developed. (98/C 354/190) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1618/98 by Ernesto Caccavale (UPE) to the Commission (11 May 1998) Subject: Aid to the parts of Campania hit by floods A catastrophic flood hit parts of the Campania region a few days ago, causing an emergency with disastrous effects › whole villages were completely cut off or were overwhelmed by a sea of mud and debris and mountain landslides on an enormous scale submerged houses and roads. Thousands of people were made homeless, a substantial number of people were killed and many others are missing. Furthermore, the civil protection services, which are on high alert, have reported that in some areas vital services such as water, electric light and gas have been suspended. In view of the exceptionally serious situation and the fact that the tragedy was predictable and inevitable, in that the affected areas are very built-up, but were at high risk as far as ground water was concerned, can the Commission: 1. send immediate aid to the people hit by what is a veritable natural calamity; 2. say whether it considers it necessary to check up on the administration of regional planning policies and possibly adopt measures to monitor situations where there is a threat of landslides and reckless unauthorized property development has been carried out? Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (12 June 1998) The Honourable Member referred to the answer given by the Commission to urgent resolutions on 14 May 1998, which is being sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat. Among other things, the Commission said that there is no longer a budget heading for emergency aid. On the monitoring of regional policy, the Commission said that the Member States were trying to establish the principles of Community-level regional policy on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement. As far as civil protection actions are concerned, the Commission does not have operational responsibilities but takes measures only in accordance with the subsidiarity principle. In the context of the implementation of Council Decision 98/22/EC of 19 December 1997, establishing a Community action programme in the field of civil protection, (1) the priorities of this programme have been agreed with the Member States and will cover amongst other initiatives the following: › a major project in the field of the prevention of disasters which is particularly important for hydrogeological risks, › a process for improving crisis management aiming to increase the efficiency of interventions in case of disaster, › a global system for the information to the public, with a view to improving the self protection and awareness of citizens in particular in areas prone to specific risks. In addition, a resolution of the Council of July 1991 (2) stresses the necessity, in case of emergencies, to improve mutual assistance between Member States. In this perspective, the Commission has already developed important work in this context including a system of sending, upon request, experts to a Member State, and an operational manual for civil protection in the Community. (1) OJ L 8, 14. 1. 1998. (2) OJ C 198, 27. 7. 1991. (98/C 354/191) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1620/98 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission (27 May 1998) Subject: Homeworkers in Europe As the Working Time Directive clearly indicates that it applies to all types of workers, including homeworkers, what steps will the Commission take to monitor and enforce this provision?