WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3036/98 by María IZQUIERDO ROJO to the Commission. Joint EU-Algeria education programmes
C 135/156 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 14. 5. 1999 (1999/C 135/193) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3036/98 by María Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Commission Subject: Joint EU-Algeria education programmes (2 October 1998) Would the Commission be prepared to draw up plans for joint actions in the field of education as a specific EU-Algeria programme? Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (9 November 1998) Within the context of the MEDA programme, in 1996 the Commission came to an agreement with the Algerian government on a programme of bilateral financial cooperation lasting several years, which takes into account on the one hand the main thrust of MEDA policies − support for economic transition, a better socio-economic equilibrium and for the development of civil society and on the other the socio-economic challenges facing Algeria and the security situation. On this basis, the Commission and the Algerian government have chosen to concentrate funds on five cooperation programmes. As the social situation is worrying and the unemployment rate is around 30 %, the Commission would like to provide support in reinforcing the social net through job creation. Other elements of the programme include structural adjustment facility, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, privatisation and the modernisation of the financial sector. Current Community cooperation programmes and those in preparation include major training components, such as the training of business women, financial sector employees or traditional fishermen. Since education is an area of Euro-Mediterranean partnership as defined in the Barcelona declaration, the Commission and the Algerian government could take the opportunity offered by the revision of MEDA programming to redefine future cooperation priorities on the basis of Algeria¢s medium- and long-term sectoral strategy and agree to target education from now on. (1999/C 135/194) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3037/98 by John Iversen (PSE) to the Commission (8 October 1998) Subject: Television without frontiers The qualifying match for the European Championship between Denmark and Belarus in Belarus was shown only on TV3 since the other channels DR and TV2 were unwilling to pay the high cost. This meant that only 60 % of viewers were able to see the match. This is not in conformity with the Council directive stipulating that some national sporting events must not be shown only on channels available to a small section of the population. Is there a loophole in the directive? How does the directive affect the cost of television rights? Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (4 December 1998) Article 3a(1) of Directive 89/552/EEC (the ‘Television without frontiers’ Directive) (1), as amended by Directive 97/36/EC (2), allows − but does not require − Member States to take measures in accordance with Community law to ensure that a substantial proportion of the public is not deprived of the possibility of following events of major importance for society via live or deferred coverage on free television