WRITTEN QUESTION E-1746/99 by Winfried Menrad (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Distortion of competition resulting from EU aid for firms in Italy.
20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/91 2. Measures to strengthen the effectiveness of controls by Member States of external air and maritime borders have been mainly developed in the Schengen framework, and are now integrated in the European Union acquis, following the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty. Although these measures are carried out by Member States, the Council is monitoring their effective implementation in its competent bodies. As an example, practical measures to prevent illegal in cooperation with selected African countries, on the basis of the Decision of the Schengen Executive Committee of 18 December 1998 on coordinated deployment of document advisers. immigration by air and sea are undertaken, 3. In addition to the Schengen acquis, practical measures of this type are also being developed, on behalf of the EU as a whole, on the basis of the pre-existing European Union acquis, specifically the Joint Position of 25 October 1996 on pre-frontier assistance and training assignments (OJ No L 281, 31. 10. 1996). Such measures, which will be coordinated within the competent Council bodies, however, do not concern for the time being any African country. 4. Regarding the root causes for flight or migration from some African countries, reference is made to the Action Plan for Morocco, approved by the Council on 11 October 1999. This Action Plan is part of a group of five Action Plans, each one defining a comprehensive and coherent approach targeted at the situation of an important country of origin and/or transit of asylum-seekers and migrants. For each country selected, the Action Plans present a coherent and well-balanced combination of the various possibilities of the European Union in the area of Foreign Affairs, Development, Humanitarian and Economic assistance. 5. In the Action Plan for Morocco, this country was considered as a country of origin as well as of transit of economic migrants toward European countries. The measures recommended in this Action Plan include specifically the following: Building on existing channels to improve collection of relevant data, dissemination of correct information on migration, development of strategies to combat illegal trafficking, promotion of measures aimed at implementing readmission agreements. Promotion of foreign direct investment, vocational training and self-employment and small-scale enterprises. Facilitation of voluntary return and reintegration, integration into society of Moroccans legally residing in EU countries. The Tampere European Council, held on 15 and 16 October 1999, considered as a useful 6. contribution the first action plans approved by the Council, and invited the Council and the Commission to report back on their implementation to the European Council in December 2000. (2000/C 170 E/105) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1746/99 by Winfried Menrad (PPE-DE) to the Commission (1 October 1999) Subject: Distortion of competition resulting from EU aid for firms in Italy A number of firms in the Tauber district (Baden-Württemberg) and the Heilbron chamber of commerce and industry have complained to me that the Commission is granting financial aid, as a means of encouraging participation at trade fairs ( Promotion-Actioní), to the region of Umbria and that this is being used for the co-financing of the national and regional authorities there. The co-financing is provided as part of an operational programme submitted by the region to the Commission and handled by Directorate- General XVI (or V). The money is being used at Perugia Classicoí, the musical instrument fair in Perugia, to finance not only the costs of stands and the fair but also travel and accommodation expenses of persons attending the fair (including flights, hotels, meals and tourist attractions). Can the Commission answer the following: 1. Does the information I have received reflect the real situation? 2. Do you agree that in this case the firms in question enjoy an unacceptable competitive advantage over German firms, for example? C 170 E/92 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (9 November 1999) Part of the Umbria region is eligible in the current programming period under Objectives 2 and 5(b) of the Structural Funds, the programmes for which include a tourism promotion measure. Any grant of aid to businesses under this measure is subject to Community rules, the ones on competition in particular. The authority responsible for managing the programmes, in this case the Umbria region, must ensure that these rules and the rules on the eligibility of expenditure as laid down in the relevant decisions are all observed. According to the information in the Commissionís possession, the Perugia Classicoí event is being entirely funded by the municipality of Perugia. It should also be noted that the municipality is not in an area eligible for the Structural Funds. (2000/C 170 E/106) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1747/99 by Karl von Wogau (PPE-DE) to the Commission (1 October 1999) Subject: Fuel checks on vehicles crossing into Hungary Is the Commission aware that the Hungarian customs authorities conduct fuel checks on lorries crossing the border and charge a fee on quantities in excess of 200 litres, with penalties if drivers fail to declare quantities? true that Is it there are no such checks on lorries travelling in the opposite direction? Does the Commission feel it would be useful in this case to reintroduce the customs documents that used to be carried and which prove that a tank contains a certain amount of fuel when it crosses the frontier? Does the Commission feel it would be useful to conclude an agreement with Hungary, by analogy with the agreement with Switzerland, so that these checks are not carried out? Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission (16 November 1999) According to Article 4 of transport vehicles (18 May 1956): the Customs convention on temporary importation of commercial road The fuel contained in the ordinary supply tanks of vehicles temporarily imported shall be admitted without payment of import duties and import taxes and free of import prohibitions and restrictions. Each Contracting Party may however fix maximum quantities for the fuel so admitted into its territory in the supply tanks of the vehicle temporarily imported. Both Hungary, and the Community are signatories to this convention (Council Decision 94/0111/EC of 16 December 1993 on the conclusion of the Customs convention on the temporary importation of commercial road vehicles (1956) and the acceptance of the United Nationsí resolution on the applicability of carnets de passage en douane and CPD carnets to commercial road vehicles (1)). In line with this, Hungarian legislation states that imports of petrol in excess of 200 litres are subject to VAT and excise duties. As the customs duty rate for petrol is currently 0 %, the imports are in practice only subject to VAT and excise duty. However, Hungary has concluded bilateral agreements with certain countries which set out on a reciprocal basis limits which differ to those mentioned above