WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3798/98 by Giuseppe RAUTI Outright rejection of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment
C 289/92 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 11. 10. 1999 (1999/C 289/121) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3798/98 by Giuseppe Rauti (NI) to the Commission (22 December 1998) Subject: Outright rejection of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment Would the Commission say whether or not it is following the heated arguments which are raging throughout Europe (and also in Canada and the USA) with regard to the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), which is due to be signed by the EU Member States in the very near future. The purpose of the MAI is to liberalise and protect international investment but in practice it is presented as (and indeed is) a manifesto for a new form of capitalism * the fiercest and most unrestrained type of free capitalism since it bestows full rights on financiers and multinationals and deprives governments of all sovereignty and ability to act. We need only consider that the section which is explicitly entitled ‘Rights of Investors’ proclaims the freedom to invest funds and to acquire natural resources, mines, telecommunications services and even ‘cultural structures’ without any hindrance or restriction, whilst all that governments are required to do is to ensure that the full benefits of investment can be enjoyed. In view of the above, will the Commission not express immediate and vehement opposition to the ‘Treaty’, which has been adopted by the OCSE in great secrecy and which has only recently come to light as a result of the efforts by a number of journalists, and condemn it for what it is: the violation of every government and social right in the name of the ‘religion’ of profit and the free market? Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission (2 February 1999) On 20 October 1998, the responsible member of the Commission, made a statement in Plenary on the issue to which the Honourable Member refers. This statement remains an accurate statement of the Commission’s position on the negotiations on a Multilateral agreement on investment (MAI) in the framework of the Organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD). In the meantime negotiations on the MAI are no longer taking place. (1999/C 289/122) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3799/98 by Ernesto Caccavale (UPE) to the Commission (22 December 1998) Subject: Suspected irregularities in the use of European funds The Commission has authorised ERDF co-financing for an operational urban development programme in the Quartiere di Pianura (Naples) as a sub-CCA for structural operations in Objective 1 areas (Campania region) for the 1996-99 period. Recent press reports refer to agreements concluded between the Naples city authorities (the beneficiaries of the Community contribution) and the Ministry of Finance for the purpose of combining projects submitted by a private entity * the Fondazione Idis di Bagnoli (Naples) * with those to be undertaken in the Quartiere di Pianura, so that the first instalment of Community funding can be used for projects submitted by the above foundation which are ready for implementation, with subsequent funding to be allocated to the financing of projects directly relating to the Quartiere di Pianura. Would the Commission therefore: 1. 2. 3. disclose the total amount of the above financing; verify the legitimacy of the transfer of funds effected by the Naples city authorities and the Ministry of Finance for the benefit of the Idis foundation; clarify whether or not it is possible to divert European funds obtained for one particular programme (that relating to the Quartiere di Pianura) to other projects which are logically and geographically unrelated to that programme and which have never had any links with it;