WRITTEN QUESTION P-2692/99 by Ursula Stenzel (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Conversion of usufruct into ownership.
8. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 225 E/193 Journalist Dorien Presser, writing in the Volkskrant, described this as propaganda. á He [the British Prime Minister] shows little interest in Parliament or the critical press. For Blair democracy is essentially a propaganda technique. He has a command of this technique which would have made Goebbels jealous. Using slick communications strategies he appeals directly to the peopleí. 1. Since when has the President of the Commission been assisted by a communications team? 2. Who are the members of, or advisers taking part in, this team? 3. Who is responsible for the operational management of the team? 4. What division of responsibilities and hierarchical structure has been established in the team? 5. What are the links between the members of the team and the European Commission? 6. Is the communications team dependent on the Press and Communication service? 7. What is the annual budget for funding the communications team? 8. What objectives are stressed by the communications team in its action plan? Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission (21 February 2000) Neither the Commission nor the President has a ácommunication teamí outside the Press and Communica- tion Service, the organisation chart of which is being sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliamentís Secretariat. No adviser or former adviser of the British Prime Minister is part of that Service. The Press and Communication Service, which continues the functions of the former Spokesmanís Service and some of the activities of the former Directorate-General for Information, Communication, Culture and the Audiovisual Media, is a Commission service just like all the other Directorates-General. It is run by a Head of Service who reports to the President, as does the Commission Spokesman, who also belongs to the Service. The Press and Communication Service is financed from Part A of the Community budget. It is governed by the same budgetary rules as all the Commissionís Directorates-General. The objective of the Press and Communication Service is not to issue propaganda but to communicate comprehensive information on Commission activities in a transparent and open manner. (2000/C 225 E/218) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2692/99 by Ursula Stenzel (PPE-DE) to the Commission (11 January 2000) Subject: Conversion of usufruct into ownership Privatisation in Poland has been organised in such a way that the land holdings belonging to an enterprise have in many cases not been transferred forthwith to private ownership. Instead, a statutory right of usufruct has been conferred on the buyer of the enterprise. Conversion of this usufructuary enjoyment into a full ownership right has since been discussed in Poland on several occasions. Could the above debate spill over into the accession negotiations, and, if so, how would the issue make itself felt? Does the Commission, in any event, know how matters currently stand in the discussion, which in the final analysis also affects Union firms operating in Poland? C 225 E/194 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 8. 8. 2000 Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission (18 January 2000) The question of transforming leasehold, granted in the course of privatisation, to full property rights is not covered by the acquis. In particular, it is not subject of Article 157 (ex Article 130) EC Treaty and thus not subject of the accession negotiations. For this reason, the Commission is not in a position to inform the Honourable Member on this question. However, under the negotiation chapter Industrial Policyí, the European Union highlighted the importance of complying with the principles of Community industrial policy based on open and competitive markets. In that respect the European Union noted Polandís statement that it will apply effectively Article 157 of the EC Treaty and conduct privatisation and industrial restructuring in conformity with these principles. The Commission will, throughout the negotiations, monitor general progress in the privatisation and restruc- turing of Polish industry. (2000/C 225 E/219) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2695/99 by Ilka Schröder (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (11 January 2000) Subject: Nuclear programme in Morocco The Commission stated, in its answer to Question H-0570/99 (1) on the nuclear programme in Morocco and the Spain/Morocco electricity link, that there is no connection between the Moroccan programmes and the cable link. It emphasised, however, that the quantity of energy which this link has the potential to transport is equivalent to that which could be produced by a major power station. What did the Commission mean by this reference to a major power station? Was it by any chance referring to a medium-sized nuclear power station? In the same answer, the Commission also said that the use of nuclear energy is only acceptable provided law are guaranteed. How can the Commission the high safety standards laid down in international guarantee and monitor nuclear safety standards for the Moroccan nuclear energy industry? The Commission has stated that the objective of the cable link is to supply Morocco with energy at competitive prices during the summer period. If this is so, what possible justification can there be for not using the trans-Morocco gas pipeline which supplies Spain with Algerian gas to cover Moroccoís summer energy requirements, rather than transferring energy from Spain to Morocco? In 1995, the Moroccan government met with the French Atomic Energy Centre (CEA), as well as with several other French bodies and enterprises, to plan the construction of a nuclear research centre in Maamora. What stage has been reached in the construction of this centre? What are its research objectives? Do its objectives include the development of civil and military nuclear energy? What EU enterprises and governments are associated with the project for this centre? To what extent does the Commission view a Moroccan programme for expanding nuclear energy as a threat to stability in the region, especially for the Western Sahara, in the present delicate pre-referendum conjuncture? What action has the Commission taken, and what action does it intend to take, in support of peaceful management and of the acceptance of the results of the referendum in the Western Sahara? (1) Debates of the European Parliament (November 1999). Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (2 February 2000) In its answer to Question H-570/99, put by the Honourable Member during question time in November 1999 (1), concerning the capacity of the Spain/Morocco electricity link, the Commission