WRITTEN QUESTION P-1370/00 by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission. Tobacco ‐ Community Fund for Research and Information.
C 89 E/34 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 3. 2001 (2001/C 89 E/031) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1369/00 by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission (19 April 2000) Subject: Tobacco ü Community Fund for Research and Information 1. Can the Commission confirm that, each year, 2 % of the amount earmarked for tobacco premiums (Chapter B1-17 of the budget), i. e. some € 20 million, is placed in the Community Fund for Research and Information relating to tobacco (B1-175), as announced by the Council? 2. Have any projects been announced since 1997 which are to be paid for by this Fund? On what tobacco research and information projects was this money spent in 1997-1999, and how 3. much was spent on them? (2001/C 89 E/032) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1370/00 by Jules Maaten (ELDR) to the Commission (19 April 2000) Subject: Tobacco ü Community Fund for Research and Information 1. Can the Commission confirm that, each year, 2 % of the amount earmarked for tobacco premiums (Chapter B1-17 of the budget), i. e. some € 20 million, is placed in the Community Fund for Research and Information relating to tobacco (B1-175), as announced by the Council? 2. Have any projects been announced since 1997 which are to be paid for by this Fund? On what tobacco research and information projects was this money spent in 1997-1999, and how 3. much was spent on them? Joint answer to Written Questions P-1369/00 and P-1370/00 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (15 June 2000) 1. The Community Tobacco Fund (Research and Information) was set up under Article 13 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92 of 30 June 1992 on the common organisation of the market in raw tobacco (1). This Article was amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1636/98 of 20 July 1998 (2), which widened the purposes of the Fund and raised the deduction to 2 % of the premium paid to growers for each crop. At the moment this corresponds to about € 19 million. In practice the Commission launches projects financed from the ad hoc heading Community fund for research and information (B1-185). The appropriations for this correspond to the estimate of actual costs incurred for the financial year in question. The Commission ensures that appropriations/expenditure under this heading do not exceed the product of the deduction. 2. The Fund has not financed any new projects since 1997 but the appropriations available have permitted financing of the projects in progress selected following two calls for proposals, in 1994 and in 1996. These multiannual projects are in effect financed in annual instalments. The Commission plans to launch new projects in the coming months. 20. 3. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 89 E/35 3. The projects in progress and the appropriations allotted to them for 1997-1999 are: Research: ü 1997: € 2 747 666, for projects 94/T/12, 94/T/19-24, 94/T/22, 96/T/18, 96/T/66 and 96/T/67. ü 1998: € 2 690 916, for projects 94/T/12, 94/T/19-24, 94/T/22, 96/T/18, 96/T/24, 96/T/35, 96/T/55, 96/T/66 and 96/T/67. ü 1999: € 2 385 727, for projects 94/T/12, 94/T/19-24, 94/T/22, 96/T/18, 96/T/24, 96/T/35, 96/T/55, 96/T/66 and 96/T/67. Information: ü 1997: € 610 719,16, for projects 96/I. T. /13, 96/I. T. /26, 96/I. T. /28, 96/I. T. /33, 96/I. T. /37, 96/I. T. /57 and 96/I. T. /73. ü 1998: € 1 311 027,30, for projects 96/I. T. /13, 96/I. T. /26, 96/I. T. /33, 96/I. T. /36, 96/I. T. /44, 96/I. T. /55, 96/I. T. /57, 97/I. T. /12 and 97/I. T. /33. ü 1999: € 210 748,61, for projects 96/I. T. /28, 96/I. T. /37, 97/I. T. /3 and 97/I. T. /33. (1) OJ L 215, 30. 7. 1992. (2) OJ L 210, 28. 7. 1998. (2001/C 89 E/033) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1371/00 by Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (26 April 2000) Subject: Multilateral competition rules What is the Commissionís position on the following questions: 1. In Mr Lamyís discussions with trade partners since Seattle, has the subject of multilateral competition rules been raised? 2. What reactions has Mr Lamy encountered when he has raised the subject of multilateral competition rules during visits to other trading nations? The Commissionís draft concerning the EUís negotiating position for the Millennium Round calls for a multilateral agreement on competition ü such aspects are mentioned as cooperation among the individual authorities, the drafting of fundamental principles and minimum standards for national competition law, etc. yet no mention is made of more stringent checks on transnational enterprises. 3. Could the Commission indicate its position on the codes of conduct for enterprises drawn up by Unctad (www. unctad. org/en/aubsites/cpolicy/cpset. htm ü under Principles and Rules for Enterprises, including Transnational Companies)? Would the Commission regard such a code as worthwhile and deserving of support, provided that the rules it contained were binding? 4. Under the auspices of what institution did the Commission wish a body of international competition law and/or an international competition agency to operate? Would the Commission consider it desirable to entrust responsibility for this field to a UN agency such as Unctad? Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission (25 May 2000) In contacts held after Seattle with ministers from both developed and developing countries, the need to launch negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on a basic framework of multilateral rules on