WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1440/98 by José GARCÍA-MARGALLO Y MARFIL to the Commission. Euro 1999
18. 1. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 13/33 Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (11 June 1998) 1. The request was made by letter to France dated 17 December 1997. The French authorities replied on 8 April 1998 providing detailed observations on the recent developments 2. which have occurred in relation to the problem and the various actions taken. 3. The Commission will in due course examine what further action to take in the light of this reply. (1999/C 13/045) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1418/98 by Riccardo Nencini (PSE) to the Council (11 May 1998) Subject: Collective redundancy Collective redundancy proceedings involving about 40 individuals are under way at the company Replayí, which manufactures plastic products and is based in Scarperia in the province of Florence. The owner, S. P. Metal, whose head office is in Paris, sold the company to A. C. P. Plastic, whose head office is in England, while mobility procedures in respect of workers were under way. The companyís management appears to have failed to comply with the Council Directive of 17. 2. 1975 and subsequent amendments, and with the Council Directive of 14. 2. 1977 and subsequent amendments, in particular Articles 3, 4, and 6. Does the Council intend to investigate the possible failure by the management of the company Replayí to comply with the afore-mentioned directives? Reply (24 September 1998) The Council is not empowered to give an opinion on infringements of Community legislation. It is for the Commission to ensure application of Community law, possibly with Court of Justice supervision. (1999/C 13/046) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1440/98 by JosØ García-Margallo y Marfil (PPE) to the Commission (11 May 1998) Subject: Euro 1999 The Commission Report on progress towards convergence and recommendation with a view to the transition to the third stage of economic and monetary union (COM(98) 1999 final, 25. 03. 1998, p. 78) asserts that the Member Statesí pleasing performance on the inflation front is due to factors such as wage restraint and the consequent reasonable rise in unit labour costs. In the Commissionís view, how likely is it that moderate inflation rates can be maintained if France introduces labour reform by reducing working time to 35 hours a week? Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission (10 July 1998) Inflation trends in the Member States depend on a variety of factors. On the domestic front, these include unit labour costs, profit margins and changes in indirect taxes. Where external factors are concerned, inflation is linked among other things to movements in exchange rates and commodity prices