WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1217/98 by José GARCÍA-MARGALLO Y MARFIL to the Commission. European Central Bank
11. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 386/95 Commission is asked to submit conclusions explaining why certain European sectors, such as tobacco, outperform their US and Japanese counterparts in terms of industrial added value. When is it intending to submit these conclusions? (98/C 386/131) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1216/98 by JosØ García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission (29 April 1998) Subject: Competitiveness In Parliamentís report (A-0113/97) on the Commission Communication to the Council on benchmarking the competitiveness of European industry (COM(96) 0463 › C-0622/96) and the Commission staff working paper concerning European quality promotion policy for improving European competitiveness (SEC(96) 2000), the Commission is asked to submit conclusions explaining why certain European sectors, such as furniture, outperform their US and Japanese counterparts in terms of industrial added value. When is it intending to submit these conclusions? Joint answer to Written Questions E-1207/98, E-1208/98, E-1209/98, E-1210/98, E-1211/98, E-1212/98, E-1213/98, E-1214/98, E-1215/98 and E-1216/98 given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (14 May 1998) The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its findings as soon as possible. (98/C 386/132) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1217/98 by JosØ García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission (29 April 1998) Subject: European Central Bank Pursuant to Article 109a(2)(a) of the EU Treaty the Executive Board of the European Central Bank is to comprise the President, the Vice-President and four other members. Paragraph 2(b) states that they are all to be appointed by common accord of the governments of the Member States at the level of Heads of State or Government, on a recommendation from the Council, after it has consulted the European Parliament and the bankís Governing Council. Would the Commission say whether some other kind of executive post could be created so that all the EMU member countries are represented on the ECBís Executive Board? Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (11 June 1998) The EC Treaty is clear in saying that the executive board of the European central bank (ECB) consists of the President and the Vice-President and of four other members (Article 109a (2) of the EC Treaty). If there are Member States with a derogation, the number of members of the executive board may be smaller, but in no circumstances shall it be less than four (Article 109l (1) of the EC Treaty)