WRITTEN QUESTION E-0827/00 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. EUR 2 million reduction in the Poseima programme.
C 374 E/166 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 being required to undertake to employ, for the implementation of the contract, a number or percentage of disabled workers in accordance with the rules on transparency and non-discrimination regarding nation- ality. Furthermore, as the Commission pointed out in its above-mentioned communication, the rules in the directives on public works contracts allow applicants that contravene legislation on social matters to be excluded. During the preparatory work for Council Directive 93/37/EEC of 14 June 1993 concerning the co- ordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, the Member States specifically expressed their opposition to the introduction of criteria which were not strictly economic for the award of contracts. The Commission announced in the above-mentioned communication its intention to adopt an explanatory communication on the social aspects of public works contracts. The purpose of this will be to clarify the principles applicable when social objectives are taken into account in the field of public works contracts and the conditions under which pursuit of this type of objective is compatible with the principles and rules of Community law on public works contracts. (1) COM(98) 143. (2000/C 374 E/196) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0827/00 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: EUR 2 million reduction in the Poseima programme (21 March 2000) In his answer to question E-2403/99 (1) on the EUR 2 million cutback in the Poseima programme under budget heading B1-321 Commissioner Fischler said that the proposed reduction is merely the result of taking into account, in the estimates, the actual percentage of take-up of the budgetary allocation over the last few years. However, according to figures for 1998/1999 this does not appear to be the case. Can the Commission therefore say: 1. What actual amounts for the implementation of the Poseima programme were taken up overall by the Autonomous Region of the Azores and the Autonomous Region of Madeira in 1998 and 1999? 2. Whether it intends to revise its position for the 2001 budget? 3. What actual amounts and were used in implementing the Poseidom and Poseidom programmes? (1) OJ C 225 E, 8. 8. 2000, p. 125. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (25 April 2000) The Commission can confirm the Ms Figueiredo (1). answer already given to Written Question E-2403/99 by Although the appropriations for 2000 were established before the end of 1999, it must be stressed that, while the overall expenditure of the Poseima programme in 2000 (€ 40,5 million) corresponded to the appropriations allocated (€ 40 million), this was due solely to the increase for áother measuresí, which are, in any case, extremely volatile. In fact implementation of the supply balances stood at 81 %. Implementation of the Poseima programme in 1998 and 1999 was respectively 73 % and 81 % for 1. the supply balances and 84 % and 131 % for the other measures. Average percentages over the last five years are 71 % for the supply balances and 89 % for the other measures. In its estimates for the establishment of the 2001 budget, the Commission will take account, as in 2. the past, of the most recent outturns available, thus including 1999. 28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/167 3. a) b) Average implementation of Poseidom and Poseican programmes, over the last five years were: Poseidom: supply 70 % ü other measures 69 % ü total 70 % Poseican: supply 98 % ü other measures 61 % ü total 86 %. These outturns (actual expenditure as a percentage of the appropriations provided) are based on budgetary data. Detailed quantitative data and data for each measure will be presented soon in the Commission Reports to the Council and to Parliament on the implementation of these programmes. (1) OJ C 225 E, 8. 8. 2000, p. 125. (2000/C 374 E/197) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0836/00 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Environmental damage inflicted on the Danube and neighbouring regions by NATO bombing The Romanian Minister for the Environment has alleged that the Danube has suffered greater environ- mental damage from NATO bombing which destroyed bridges, oil refineries and chemicals plants than from the recent cyanide spill. The environmental, economic and cultural damage to the Danube and the local population extends beyond Serbia and affects all the regions through which the Danube flows and will have distressing consequences for many years to come. Will the Commission say whether it is aware of the extent of the damage and, if so, what measures it proposes to assist the countries concerned, so that the environment, the economy and the culture of this sensitive region rapidly recover? Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission (18 April 2000) During the Kosovo conflict the Commission financed a preliminary assessment of the environmental impact of the conflict. This was performed by the Regional environment centre (REC) for Central and Eastern Europe and is available on their Internet site (http://www. rec. org). A further, more detailed assessment of the war was performed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Balkan Task Force and is also available at their site on the Internet (http://www. grid. unep. ch). Both reports concluded that the Kosovo conflict did not cause an environmental catastrophe affecting the Balkan region as a whole. the environmental consequences of Looking ahead, the Commission is supporting a regional environmental reconstruction programme in the framework of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe that will assist in environmental reconstruction and capacity building across the Balkan Region as a whole. (2000/C 374 E/198) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0841/00 by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Community legislation on the internal market and its transposition into national legislation The Commission has correctly pointed out that the transposition of the rules governing the internal market into the legislation of the Member States is essential if the common market is to function properly