WRITTEN QUESTION E-1942/99 by Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR) to the Commission. Implementing specific measures for the ultraperipheral regions in the field of state aid.
18. 7. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 203 E/93 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (24 November 1999) The Commission would recall that it submitted in January 1999 a proposal for a Council regulation on measures to promote and provide information on agricultural products in third countries (1). This proposal covers all the agricultural products, in particular typical or quality products displaying high added value. The Commission proposes, following the management committee procedure, to draw up every two years a list of the products and markets concerned by promotional activities. (1) COM(98) 683 final. (2000/C 203 E/118) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1942/99 by Isidoro SÆnchez García (ELDR) to the Commission (4 November 1999) Subject: Implementing specific measures for the ultraperipheral regions in the field of state aid Article 299(2) of the Treaty obliges the Commission to put forward specific measures for the ultraper- ipheral regions, including in the field of state aids, in order to ensure that the application of the Treaty provisions take due account of the particular difficulties faced by these regions, including their remoteness, insularity, small size, difficult topography and climate and economic dependence on a few products. Clearly, transport problems are not the sole specific problem caused by these factors, both singly and in conjunction, operational subsidies are essential to compensate for all these disadvantages, since such aids are intimately linked to the running costs which companies located in these regions have to shoulder. regulations on aids make no provision for Current this situation, because the new wording of paragraph 299(2) of the Amsterdam Treaty was not in force when they were adopted. Does the new Commission intend to take these problems into account and incorporate them into any proposal it may make? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (29 November 1999) The Commission has always shown itself highly attentive to the problems of the Communityís outermost areas. Special arrangements are made under the guidelines on national regional aid, namely: ü exceptions to the maximum aid intensities: the outermost regions qualify for an increase of 15 percentage points on the intensity authorised for the other regions eligible for a derogation under Article 87(3)(a) (former Article 92) of the EC Treaty: in the case of large firms, aid may amount to as much as 65 % of the net grant equivalent (nge) for the investment concerned instead of 50 %; in the case of small and medium-sized firms, the intensity may be as much as 75 % nge; ü the possible granting of operating aid to offset partially the additional transport costs, without any time-limit or degressivity, provided that the region concerned is eligible for the exemption under Article 87(3)(c). Article 299(2) (former Article 227) of the EC Treaty provides that áthe Council, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission and after consulting the European Parliament, shall adopt specific measures aimed, in particular, at laying down the conditions of application of the present Treaty to those regions. í The Cologne European Council called on the Commission to present to the Council before the end of 1999 a report on the measures for implementing Article 299(2). C 203 E/94 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 7. 2000 On 23 November the Commission President initiated a dialogue on this subject by holding a partnership meeting which was attended not only by the French, Portuguese and Spanish authorities but also by representatives of the seven outermost regions and the Members of the European Parliament from those regions. The Commission is now studying the proposals submitted to it. At the partnership meeting the Commission President announced that in December 1999 the Commission would discuss the report requested by the Cologne European Council. (2000/C 203 E/119) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1945/99 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission (4 November 1999) Subject: Monitoring Community regulations on drift nets during the last bonito fishing season What were the results of the checks on the last bonito fishing season as regards drift nets? How many cases of infringement were found, what were the reasons for these infringements, what were the names and origins of the vessels responsible and what penalties were imposed? What is the Commissionís general assessment of the last bonito fishing season, and the degree to which the Community regulations were complied with? Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (10 December 1999) Now the 1999 tuna fishing season has ended, the Commission is currently compiling the usual report on the application of the Community legislation on the use of drift nets in the Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean, based on all the information the Member States concerned are required to supply. This report will be forwarded to the members of Parliamentís Committee on Fisheries around 15 March 2000. (2000/C 203 E/120) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1952/99 by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Council (9 November 1999) Subject: Child pornography Child pornography, along with the spread of extreme right-wing and left-wing material, constitutes one of the main problems facing us in connection with the Internet. In view of this and given the intense current public debate on the matter. Can the Council answer the following: 1. How many people in Europol are responsible for combating child pornography? 2. What is their specific task description? 3. What kind of cooperation is there between Europol and national authorities in this area? 4. Is there any specific data concerning successful pornography on the Internet? intervention by Europol in the area of child