WRITTEN QUESTION E-0140/00 by Theresa Zabell (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Diplomas relating to water sports and insurance.
C 303 E/148 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 24. 10. 2000 The Commission has sent several requests for information to the recipient under the Life-Nature Project i. e. the administration of the Murcia Region. The Commission reminded the Life-Nature Projectís recipient in its two most recent letters requesting information that several items of mail had still not been answered, and requested it to do so without delay. While awaiting the precise response to those requests i. e. the final site plan and supplementary study, the Commission has temporarily frozen the payments under the contract in order to have the time needed in order to take decision. So far no answer has been received. Since the Commission has so far not received any guarantees from the Spanish regional authorities that are likely to give proper protection to the area in question, the Commission will take any action that it considers necessary, including that provided for in the contract referred to above, with regard to suspending, or possibly recovering, the payments made. (1) OJ L 181, 20. 7. 1996. (2000/C 303 E/160) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0140/00 by Theresa Zabell (PPE-DE) to the Commission (31 January 2000) Subject: Diplomas relating to water sports and insurance In view of the great Europe-wide interest on the part of the public in water sports and recreation generally, especially in the case of users of vessels dedicated to sporting purposes, and given the absence of physical maritime boundaries, The Commission: 1. Can it state whether it intends to work towards common rules for the standardisation of diplomas throughout the EU? 2. Can it provide information on the existing requirements in the Member States for the handling of vessels used for sporting or recreational purposes? 3. Can it provide information on the various diplomas existing in the Member States (characteristics, subjects examined and examination fees)? 4. Can it provide information on the various provisions concerning compulsory civil liability insurance? Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (24 March 2000) 1. The Commission only steps in to harmonise qualifications and draft specific directives when three conditions are met: a high level of consensus among the representative professional associations, support from a large majority of Member State authorities and certainty that such an initiative will significantly add value, in terms of the free movement of self-employed and employed workers, to the existing recognition system (the general system for the recognition of diplomas established by the directives listed below (1) (2)). In the present circumstances, the Commission is not aware of any problems of free movement in the area of water sports. It therefore does not intend to draw up rules to standardise diplomas in this area of activity. The Commission has no information on this matter. This information can, however, be obtained 2. from Member State authorities. 3. The Commission has no information on this matter. This information can, however, be obtained from the national contact points for the directives on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications. The Commission is sending the list of these contact points to the Honourable Member and to the Parliamentís Secretariat. 24. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 303 E/149 The Commission would like to draw the Honourable Memberís attention to the fact that each 4. Member State is solely responsible for determining the risks for which it is obligatory to take out insurance. The only exception to this rule is the case of car insurance, where European regulations make it obligatory to take out cover for civil liability, or áthird-party insuranceí, throughout the Community. It may be of interest to the Honourable Member to know that this insurance is covered by Council Directive 92/49/EEC of 18 June 1992 on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to direct insurance other than life assurance and amending Directives 73/239/EEC and 88/357/EEC (third non-life insurance Directive) (3) (Class 12: civil liability (C. L. ), maritime, lake and river vehicles). This Directive introduced a single authorisation system, under which insurance companies have to apply to the authorities of their home Member State for authorisation. This allows insurance companies to operate throughout the Community, either under the right of establishment or the freedom to provide services. The sole purpose of introducing this system (Articles 4 and 5 of this Directive) is to guarantee increased competition in national markets so that consumers can choose the insurance product that best suits them and the insurer they prefer, independently of their Member State of origin. (1) Council Directive 89/48/EEC of 21 December 1988 on a general system for the recognition of higher-education diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training of at least three yearsí duration, OJ L 19, 4. 1. 1989. (2) Council Directive 92/51/EEC of 18 June 1992 on a second general system for the recognition of professional education and training to supplement Directive 89/48/EEC, OJ L 209, 24. 7. 1992. (3) OJ L 228, 11. 8. 1992. (2000/C 303 E/161) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0141/00 by Isidoro SÆnchez García (ELDR) to the Commission (31 January 2000) Subject: Technical and financial cooperation programme for damage relief following the natural disasters in Venezuela and coordination with the Member States In view of the situation in the Venezuelan states of Vargas and Miranda following the catastrophic torrential rains, floods and avalanches of mid-December 1999, which have claimed tens of thousands of victims as well as damaging the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands and causing material losses to the value of several hundred million euro in damage to housing, infrastructures, equipment and systems in general, does the Commission, in addition to continuing with the emergency humanitarian aid already intend to institute a technical and financial granted (which is being channelled through ECHO), cooperation programme with a view to alleviating the damage caused, thus enabling the Venezuelan states hit by the natural disasters to reconstruct, to be backed up by coordination with the Member States in development cooperation with Venezuela? Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (21 February 2000) The Commission is currently preparing an expert mission to carry out an evaluation of the situation in Venezuela and to identify possible specific actions. Depending on the findings of this expert mission, it will decide on a medium-term plan for the reconstruction of Venezuela. At this stage, the Commission cannot provide the Honourable Member with the exact amount intended for this action, as it will depend entirely on the findings of the expert mission and on discussions with other donors. The Commission will closely co-operate with other donors in order to encourage a co-ordinated international effort and a clear definition of the priorities for action