WRITTEN QUESTION E-1275/00 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Spanish Government holding back 12 % of the additional milk quota for Galicia.
20. 2. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 53 E/119 Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (6 June 2000) Annex III of Council Directive 91/439/EEC of 29 July 1991 on driving licences (1) lays down minimum health criteria for driving power-driven vehicles, including eyesight criteria. Current scientific evidence suggests that the criteria laid down for health in general, and for eyesight in particular, are not stringent enough in view of the requirements of road safety, in their present form. However, the Commission is also aware that Annex III does not allow less stringent health criteria to be maintained on a national level for those drivers who obtained their licence before the coming into force of the Directive. The Commission proposal for the Directive contained a clause allowing this, but it was not adopted by the Council. The committee on the driving licence discussed the practical and social implications, notably for professional bus and lorry drivers, on several occasions in 1998 and 1999. The Commission is currently considering amending Directive 91/439/EEC and, within the limits of road safety requirements, any proposal could once again allow for less stringent health criteria to be maintained on a national level for professional drivers who obtained their licences before it comes into force. (1) OJ L 237, 24. 8. 1991. (2001/C 53 E/151) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1275/00 by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (19 April 2000) Subject: Spanish Government holding back 12 % of the additional milk quota for Galicia The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Jesus Posada, recently announced in Santiago de Compostela that the central administration was going to hold back 12 % of the 207 000 tonnes of the additional milk quota for Galicia, which should be being allocated in full in April, explaining that this step was necessary in order to deal with possible claims or unexpected developments. Does the Spanish Government actually have the power to take such a decision? Will the Commission ensure that the Spanish Government respects the granting of the additional milk quota to the farmers of Galicia, who actually require a substantial increase in their permitted production levels? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (25 May 2000) The allocation of the individual reference quantities, and in particular the additional quantities available thanks to the specific increase decided by the Council under Agenda 2000, is, in accordance with Council Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 of 28 December 1992 establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk products sector (1), a matter for the Member States using objective criteria. The Member States are, however, required to notify the Commission of the measures adopted for this allocation. In its memorandum to the Commission of 21 March 2000, Spain stated that it had reached agreement on quota distribution with the authorities of the Autonomous Communities. The Commission has no more detailed information at the moment but would certainly not take a negative view of any retention in a national reserve of a certain percentage of the additional milk quota, as reported by the Honourable Member, in order to cope with specific needs. (1) OJ L 405, 31. 12. 1992