WRITTEN QUESTION P-2439/99 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission. Protection of European companies in Kosovo.
C 26 E/6 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 26. 1. 2001 Subprogramme 7 of this OP, million in the construction and improvement of education and training centres. Development of human resourcesí, provides for investment of € 32,31 The breakdown of aid by measure is as follows: Body Number of projects Primary and infant education Ministry of Education Secondary education and vocational training Ministry of Education University infrastructure Art education Ministry of Education Ministry of Education Educational and training equipment Autonomous Community 73 30 10 2 13 A detailed list of the recipients of the aid is being sent directly to the Honourable Member and Parliamentís Secretariat. (1) Decision C(94) 2586/3. (2001/C 26 E/007) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2439/99 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission (13 December 1999) Subject: Protection of European companies in Kosovo In reply to my oral question H-0608/99 of 16 November 1999 (1) to the Commission concerning protection of the interests of European Union companies in Kosovo, Commissioner Patten indicated that he had no information concerning pressure being brought to bear or threats being made against European companies in Kosovo. To fill the gaps in his information concerning the subject, I personally gave him a copy of correspondence between the Mytilinaiosí company and Mr Kouchner and Mr Dixon. I also asked him to investigate the current situation regarding the functioning of telecommunications in Kosovo in order to obtain a full picture. Effective communications between the European Parliament and the Commission will help to protect the interests of the EU wherever they may be under threat. The sovereign rights of European companies are currently what is at stake in Kosovo. The Greek Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) and the Italian STET International, which have respectively a 20 % and 29 % holding in Srbija Telekom, are suffering losses as a result of non-payment of fees to Srbija Telekom for use of telecommunications services in Kosovo, while, at the same time, the UCK and its covert supporters are insisting on the restoration by the two companies of the damaged network and its subsequent nationalisation by Albania, in violation of international agreements. However the most serious breach of the law occurred recently when a áspecial committeeí made up of UN representatives and Kosovar Albanians quite illegally transferred mobile telephony rights to the French company Alcatel. These rights are the exclusive property of the OTE and STET International, in accordance with international agreements currently in force, which state that Kosovo is part of the key area in which these two companies are entitled to operate and export their profits. What action will the Commission take to protect the legitimate rights of European companies in Kosovo which at this moment are under threat by illegal networks in which even UN officials are starting to be involved, contrary to their instructions regarding observance of the law in this area? (1) Verbatim report of proceedings of 16. 11. 1999, p. 60. 26. 1. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 26 E/7 Supplementary answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (10 March 2000) The Commission thanks the Honourable Member for again drawing its attention to the question of the legal protection of European companies in Kosovo and for having forwarded extra documentation on this sensitive subject. The protection of legal rights of companies in Kosovo is a question falling under the direct competence of the United Nations interim administration mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) according to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999). The complete file concerning the issue is in the possession of UNMIK, which is the only entity in a position to make valid proposals for the requested action. (2001/C 26 E/008) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2653/99 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission (12 January 2000) Subject: Events at Malpensa In order to forestall the accusation that the decrees of 5 July 1996 and 13 October 1997 transferring all flights from Linate to Malpensa did not comply with the provisions of Community law, an Italian Government decree provided that 34 % of European flights would remain at Linate until access infra- structure had been fully completed and notification had been received that the work was finished. Is the Commission aware of the inconveniences which users of the Malpensa hub still experience, especially through the lack of suitable buildings, the fact that the train shuttle still does not serve terminal 2, forcing passengers to drag their baggage along and to use the taxi or bus shuttle service between terminals 1 and 2 (services that stop, what is more, at a certain time of day) and the fact that there are still not even enough baggage-trolleys, all of which confirm the need to guarantee the survival of Linate as an airport providing connections to the 15 Member State capitals? How does it view the fact that the Italian Government has not yet sent the information which the Commission had asked to receive by 15 November? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (12 April 2000) The Commission has paid and continues to pay special attention to the situation concerning Malpensa airport, particularly as regards access and airport infrastructures. This issue is closely linked with the the Milanese airport system problem of complying with Community law. Italian traffic distribution rules for the various airports of The Commission, with the help of specialised consultants, carried out several in-depth inspections in 1998 and 1999 of the state of the above infrastructures, particularly concerning their suitability for the volume of traffic that was due to move to Malpensa when the above-mentioned traffic distribution rules were applied. The Commission used the information from these sources to intervene in 1998, declaring the immediate application of the rules which were initially adopted as incompatible with Community law (1). The Italian authorities took the results of the inspections on board and decided to delay applying the rules until October 1999, subsequently delayed to December 1999. The Italian authorities responded to the inspections carried out by specialist consultants by deciding in October 1999 to undertake work and improvements, particularly focusing on aspects of airport infrastructure (providing additional departure gates, implementing an Apron Management Control system,