WRITTEN QUESTION E-0399/00 by Ioannis Averoff (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Implementation of Community legislation and Community funding for Greece for the protection of forestry.
28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/65 In Parliament and elsewhere, the Vice-President responsible for Personnel and administrative reform has given particular recognition to the fact that Sweden has a long and positive tradition of public access to information and, consequently, standards which are worthy of aspiration but, realistically, not likely to be completely replicated in the European Institutions in the very near future. In public statements, the Vice President also noted the fact that, in Sweden, the informal exchanges that take place before a document is given the status of being official are not accessible to the public. In the proposal put forward by the Commission, the definition of a document excludes átexts for internal use such as discussion documents, opinions of departments and informal messagesí. If there was no such exclusion which ü in the view of the Committee of Independent Experts was necessary because áthe Commission needs the space to think to formulate policy before it enters the public domainí ü people might be reluctant to produce and exchange those documents and that could lead to greater secrecy whilst not adding to the effectiveness of work. the references in the question misquote the Vice President. He has repeated that Meanwhile, the irregularities disclosed by a Commission official were all the subject of disciplinary or legal proceedings before that disclosure. He has also referred to allegations reported in the Swedish press that fraud was continuing among thousands of officials within the organisation. Patently this is not true and it is the sort of generalised allegation that unfairly defames the Commission and its staff and provokes unjustified distrust of citizens. (1) COM(2000) 30 final. (2) Code of conduct concerning public access to Council and Commission documents, adopted by the Council on 20. 12. 1993 (OJ L 340, 31. 12. 1993, p. 43), and by the Commission on 8 February 1994 (OJ L 46, 18. 2. 1994, p. 58). The European Parliament adopted a decision on public access to its documents on 10 July 1997 (OJ L 263, 25. 9. 1997, p. 27). (2000/C 374 E/076) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0399/00 by Ioannis Averoff (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission (15 February 2000) Subject: Implementation of Community legislation and Community funding for Greece for the protection of forestry Community regulations 3528/86 (1) and 2158/92 (2) on the protection of forestry from atmospheric pollution and fires impose specific obligations on the Member States, such as the provision of fire prevention schemes. The regulations also enable Member States to finance actions falling with the scope of the provisions of these regulations. Will the Commission say in respect of the implementation of the above regulations in Greece: 1. Have the Greek authorities forwarded to the Commission, in accordance with Article 10 of the Treaty of Amsterdam, the information specially referred to in regulation 2158/92? 2. Can it give a breakdown of the amounts received by Greece under these two funding regulations since 1995 and say what percentage they represent compared with the other Mediterranean Member States? 3. Has Greece benefited from any other Community financial means for the protection of its forestry? If so, what sums are involved and what percentage do they represent compared with the other Mediterranean Member States? (1) OJ L 326, 21. 11. 1986, p. 2. (2) OJ L 217, 31. 7. 1992, p. 3. C 374 E/66 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (6 April 2000) In accordance with Article 2 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2158/92 of 23 July 1992 on protection 1. of the Communityís forests against fire, on 2 February 1993 Greece sent to the Commission a list of areas classified by degree of forest-fire risk. The list, which accorded the whole country a duly substantiated classification as an áarea of high riskí, was approved by Commission decision C(93)1619 of 24 June 1993. Following that approval, and in accordance with Article 3 of the same Regulation, on 24 June 1993 Greece sent to the Commission a national forest-fire protection plan; on 7 March 1994 the Commission delivered an opinion stating that the plan complied with Article 3. Lastly, on 8 October 1999 Greece sent to the Commission an update of the initial plan covering a 10-year period (1994-2003). On 10 January 2000 the Commission delivered a new opinion concluding that Greeceís updated plan continues to meet the objectives and guidelines referred to in Article 3 of Regulation (EEC) No 2158/92. Each year since its entry into force in 1994, Greece has also been providing the Commission with the data required by Commission Regulation (EC) No 804/94 of 11 April 1994 laying down certain detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2158/92 as regards forest-fire information systems (1). 2. Under Council Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 of 17 November 1986 on the protection of the Communityís forests against atmospheric pollution and Council Regulation (EEC) No 2158/92 (already referred to above), the Community granted € 71,48 million in aid for measures relating to all the Mediterranean Member States (Greece, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal) during the period 1995-1999. Of that amount, € 13,64 million (19 % of the total) was allocated in aid to Greek measures over the same period. Greece also received other forms of Community part-financing in the sphere with which the 3. Honourable Member the period 1994-1999, € 55,6 million was granted in Cohesion Fund assistance. The other Mediterranean Member State to have had recourse to the Fund is Spain (€ 565 million). Portugal did not allocate Cohesion Fund appropriations to forestry. is concerned. For As regards the EAGGF (Guidance Section), under the second Community Support Framework for Greece (1994-1999) and the Community initiatives, € 224 million from the available appropriations was allocated to forestry. In Portugal, € 79,7 million was allocated to forestry under the CSF for 1994-1999, while in Spain € 510 million was allocated to forestry and to environmental protection under the CSF for the same period. (1) OJ L 93, 12. 4. 1994. (2000/C 374 E/077) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0400/00 by William Newton Dunn (PPE-DE) to the Commission (15 February 2000) Subject: Melton Mowbray pork pies Will the Commission grant to Melton Mowbray, in Leicestershire, the same protection of its name and regional status as it has granted to the producers of Champagne and Stilton cheese with regard to the making of the traditional, world-famous pork pies?