WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1855/98 by Marie-Noëlle LIENEMANN to the Commission. Crédit Lyonnais
C 13/102 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 1. 1999 To emphasise the importance of existing cooperation in its future dealings with Mexico, the Commission negotiated the inclusion in the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement, also signed last December, of a specific chapter on cooperation in the sphere of human rights and democracy (Article 39). This Agreement requires the assent of Parliament and the approval of the Council. As a mixed agreement, it also requires the approval of the Member States. The Commission will continue to use every means at its disposal to step up its dialogue with Mexico to achieve greater recognition for these issues and so make a more effective and constructive contribution to improving the countryís human rights situation. (1999/C 13/145) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1855/98 by Marie-Noºlle Lienemann (PSE) to the Commission (5 June 1998) Subject: CrØdit Lyonnais What steps has the Commission taken following the draft agreement reached with CrØdit Lyonnais to maintain existing employment levels in all CrØdit Lyonnaisí branches and subsidiaries? Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (6 July 1998) Following an agreement reached with the French Government on the measures required in return for the considerable amount of state aid granted to CrØdit Lyonnais, the Commission decided on 20 May 1998 to authorise the extra aid for the bank. This aid supplements the aid already approved by the Commission in 1995 and 1996 and brings total aid to within an estimated range of between FRF 102 billion and FRF 147 billion, an amount of aid to a single enterprise which is unique in the history of the Community. The Commission has not reached any agreement with CrØdit Lyonnais. Where state aid is concerned, it has contact with the national authorities only. It is for them to present, in cases of restructuring aid such as the case at issue, a plan for restructuring the assisted enterprise which is as compatible as possible with their employment policy objectives. It is for the Commission to ensure that, if any jobs are preserved by means of such aid, this is not at the expense of employment in other Member States to an extent which is contrary to the common interest. On the basis of the procedure which it recently terminated, the Commission considers that the aid granted to CrØdit Lyonnais is compatible with the common interest and does not have such an effect, in particular because CrØdit Lyonnais will be obliged to reduce its activities very considerably in terms of a reduction in its balance sheet of over a third compared with the situation at the end of 1994. Limiting state aid and imposing compensatory measures on the least successful credit institutions receiving aid are measures that help to consolidate the banking sector, and this can only contribute in the long term to the development of a competitive financial sector in Europe and to the Commissionís and the Member Statesí objectives with regard to employment and the fight against joblessness. The Commission is very conscious of the employment implications of company restructuring and encourages social dialogue in such situations. The challenge of industrial change will be met successfully only if effective and constructive social dialogue is developed at all levels, and initially at individual company level, particularly on key issues such as the preservation of employment. This is also a central recommendation of the high-level group on the economic and social implications of industrial change set up by the European Council