WRITTEN QUESTION E-0559/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Direct foreign investment.
28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/107 The Commission is fully aware of the sustained increase in the number of cases to be dealt with in the field of competition policy, in particular in the area of mergers. In order to face the growing workload, the Commission has reinforced the Competition Directorate general with around 50 staff units since 1998. However, this reinforcement only partially meets the actual needs of DG Competition, despite the motivation and commitment of its staff. As done thus far, the Commission will continue to review critically its activities in order to shift resources towards core activities and new political priorities. Once all the possibilities for reallocation of existing human resources to priority areas are exhausted, the Commission will request additional human resources from the budget authority. (1) Total ECFIN staff (permanent officials and temporary agents) amounts to 316 in Brussels and 108 in Luxembourg and represents about 2,1 % of total Commission staff. (2000/C 374 E/123) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0559/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission (29 February 2000) Subject: Direct foreign investment What was the total of direct foreign investment in each of the Member States in each of the last five years? What was the breakdown of direct foreign investment by other Member States of the European Union and by third countries, and what was the amount in each case from Japan and the United States? Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission (19 April 2000) The answers to the questions put by the Honourable Member are to be found in three statistical tables sent direct to the Honourable Member and Parliamentís Secretariat. Table 1 gives the foreign direct investment (FDI) in all the Member States from 1994 to 1999 as well as the FDI undertaken by the various Member States during the same period. Table 2 gives the FDI for 1998 undertaken in each Member State by (a) the other Member States (overall figures) and (b) all third countries (overall figures). The specific figures for the FDI in each Member State by Japan and the United States are also given. Table 3 sets out in detail the FDI in each Member State by each of the other Member States. Given the interest shown by the Honourable Member in foreign direct investment in the Community, it seems appropriate to bring to his attention the recent publication by Eurostat of a book containing the investment yearbook 1999 ü Data (European Union direct most recent statistics on the matter 1988-1998. Theme 2: Economy and Finance) (1). (1) ISBN 92-828-8310-8