WRITTEN QUESTION E-1717/99 by Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) and Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Bombing of the Iraqi population.
C 170 E/80 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 (2000/C 170 E/091) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1708/99 by HervØ Novelli (PPE-DE) to the Council (30 September 1999) Subject: Inconsistency between European regional policy and the French authoritiesí decisions The department of Indre-et-Loire is currently under consideration as regards the new zones for application of the reform of European regional policy. The commune of Nouâtre in the canton of Sainte-Maure, which used to be eligible under ERDF Objective 5(b), could now come under Objective 2. However, at the same time, the French authorities have decided to close a large part of the Nouâtre military base, which employs about 400 people, including 250 civilians, which will be a severe blow to the local economy. For instance, the Nouâtre secondary school, which takes the children of employees at the base, may be threatened with closure in the fairly near future. Does not the Council think that there is an unacceptable contradiction between its regional policy 1. objectives in Indre-et-Loire and the French authoritiesí decision, taken without any consultation, concern- ing a commune in the same department? Does not the Council think that it should intervene with the French Government to resolve this 2. inconsistency? 3. More generally, does the Council know of other, similar cases and what measures will it take to prevent contradictions of this kind in the future? Reply (9 December 1999) In June the Council adopted new rules on the Structural Funds, which set out the priority objectives, 1. general principles and programming methodology for 2000-2006. 2. Under these rules, the Commission is responsible for ensuring the consistency of Objective 2 regional development strategies presented by the Member States with the objectives of Community regional policy. It is not for the Council to intervene in this matter, nor to comment on the policies and internal decisions of Member States. (2000/C 170 E/092) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1717/99 by Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) and Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Council Subject: Bombing of the Iraqi population (30 September 1999) For months now the United States and British air forces have been bombing Iraq and the rest of the world has looked on with indifference. No resolution by the UN or any other international organisation provides support for such action, which has caused death and destruction among the civilian population. Does the Council agree with the statement made by the spokesman at the UN for the French Government, which states that áwe must reiterate our deep disquiet about the unwarranted continuation of these increasingly severe bombing raids whose purpose is not clear to usí? 20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/81 Reply (2 December 1999) The Council is deeply concerned about the serious situation in Iraq. It considers lasting security and stability in the region as well as the living conditions of the Iraqi people to be the prime considerations for the UN Secrurity Council in reaching an agreement on Iraq. (2000/C 170 E/093) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1721/99 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission (29 September 1999) Subject: The need for urgent implementation of legislation on safety in fairgrounds The recent case of a four-year-old boy who died after falling off a fairground ride in Torrevieja (Alicante) is the latest in a sad succession of accidents caused by defective recreational equipment of this kind. At the time of the accident, the residents of Alicante were still absorbing the news of the death of another child in Campello after he received an electric shock from a fairground ride. A study financed by the Commission in 1995 found that fairground accidents account for more hospital stays than any other type of accidents occurring in leisure time. The study also showed that checks and inspections carried out on such equipment varied considerably between the Member States and that national legislation in this area also differed widely. The Commission had been planning to draw up a directive, but this never materialised. The European Parliament was informed that the 1992 Edinburgh Summit changed the Commissionís priorities, and it decided to withdraw the proposed legislation on technical standards for fairgrounds. Finally, the Commission decided to ask the European Committee for Standardisation to draft European legislation establishing technical specifications for fairground equipment. Prompted by the Alicante accident, the Organización de Consumidores Espaæoles (Spanish Consumersí Organisation) has expressed concern at the fact that this legislation will not be adopted and come into force for another two years and has drawn attention to the worrying legal vacuum in Spain concerning the standards that recreational machinery must meet. Could the Commission give details of progress to date on the drafting and adoption of European rules for fairgrounds? How and when will Community citizens benefit in practice from European legislation in this area? Given the seriousness of the accidents that have occurred on this type of equipment, what does the Commission intend to do to speed up implementation of the Community? Does the Commission agree that it should reconsider its 1992 decision and give the rules the status of a directive? the legislation adopted throughout Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (4 November 1999) The Commission entirely shares in the Honourable Memberís unease concerning fairground safety, more particularly since this generally affects children. The Commission is particularly sensitive to the recent accident which led to the death of a four year old child. The aspects on which the Honourable Member has based the analysis of the situation coincide with those supplied by the Commission, more particularly in the answers given to questions E-3167/98 by Mrs Pollack (1) and H-0669/97 by Mr Willockx at question time during the September 1997 parliamentary session (2)