WRITTEN QUESTION No. 855/99 by Bill MILLER Excise duty
3. 12. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 348/139 (1999/C 348/191) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0855/99 by Bill Miller (PSE) to the Commission (7 April 1999) Subject: Excise duty Does the Commission believe that the 1994 Bossard study and its results are still relevant? If not, does it intend to update the study? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (4 May 1999) The Bossard study of 1995 was based on statistics dating from the late eighties and early nineties. The Commission has therefore decided to call for an update of that study before producing its report on the minimum rates of duty on alcoholic drinks. Similarly, it will consult once more all interested bodies requesting an update of their views on those minimum rates in the light of developments since the last review of minimum rates (1). (1) COM(95) 285 final. (1999/C 348/192) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0857/99 by Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (7 April 1999) Subject: Discrimination against women in a municipal transport company in Murcia (Spain) The transport company LAT Ltd operates in the Murcian capital and all the surrounding districts, providing both municipal transport and discretionary and school transport services. It employs over 300 people, and operates under a municipal concession from Murcia City Council. I am informed that this company employs no women bus drivers, and does not even invite women to sit the technical exams required for the job. Within the establishment, however, it so happens that those responsible for cleaning the buses are mainly women, and they do have to drive the vehicles for cleaning purposes, a fact which is in flat contradiction with the company’s policy of not contracting women as drivers. 1. Is the Commission aware of this situation? 2. Does the Commission not believe that the municipal authorities, specifically the Murcia city councillor responsible for town planning and transport, should have examined the company’s policy on the employment of women when they granted it a municipal concession? Does the Commission not believe that the municipal authorities are responsible for ensuring that labour 3. legislation on quality of opportunities for men and women is actually complied with? 4. Does the Commission not believe that the right of European women, and more specifically, Directive 76/ 207/EEC (1) on implementing the principle of equal treatment for men and women is being infringed, particularly with reference to access of employment, vocational training and development, and working conditions? 5. What is the Commission doing about this situation? (1) OJ L 39, 14. 2. 1976, p. 40