WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2578/98 by Angela SIERRA GONZÁLEZ to the Commission. Economic and taxation regime - the Canary Islands and tax havens
C 118/96 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 4. 1999 Of course, if evidence were to come to light that anti-personnel landmines were being used, particularly where the civil population might be put at risk, this would provoke the strongest condemnation from the Commission. (1999/C 118/119) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2574/98 by John McCartin (PPE) to the Commission (1 September 1998) Subject: Flood relief in China Can the Commission state whether any EU aid was offered to the Peopleís Republic of China following the recent disaster caused by flooding? Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (25 September 1998) By an emergency decision adopted on 6 August 1998, the Commission allocated an amount of ECU 605 000 to two relief projects which are implemented by the International Federation of the Red Cross and MØdecins sans frontiŁres (MSF) Holland. These projects, which target some of the worst affected areas in Central and Southern China, are supposed to respond to the most urgent needs of the flood victims in the fields of food, water and temporary shelter. A second emergency decision for an amount of ECU 1 050 000 was adopted on 4 September 1998. This project, with objectives like the two above-mentioned operations, is also implemented by the International Federation of the Red Cross. Given the size of the present flood disaster, the Commission is continuing to monitor the evolution of the situation closely with a view to possible allocation of additional assistance. (1999/C 118/120) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2578/98 by Angela Sierra GonzÆlez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (1 September 1998) Subject: Economic and taxation regime › the Canary Islands and tax havens The áspecial taxation groupí of the Commission, which is answerable to the Commissioner responsible for taxation matters, Mr Mario Monti, has drawn up a list of 75 ápotentially harmfulí situations in the EU, among which it has included the economic and taxation regime prevailing in the Canary Islands. However, the taxation aspects of this regime received the Commissionís approval in December 1997, with a number of modifications to the text proposed. Article 299 of the Treaty of Amsterdam, currently in process of ratification, recognises the right of the outlying regions, including the Canary Islands, to establish specific measures in the area of taxation. What aspects of the Canary Islandsí regime did the group consider to constitute ápotentially harmfulí measures for competition in the EU? What justification is there for including the Canary Islandsí regime on this ágrey listí, given the special circumstances of the Unionís outlying regions?