WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1075/99 by Anne McINTOSH Applicant countries
C 370/160 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 12. 1999 (1999/C 370/226) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1066/99 by Heidi Hautala (V) to the Commission (20 April 1999) Subject: Problems in implementing Tacis nuclear safety programmes Tacis-Phare nuclear safety programmes have, quite rightly, been criticised. Although in particular the safety culture and know-how have unquestionably improved as a result of the programmes, the problems described, for example, in the special report of the Court of Auditors seem genuine. I have learned that project partners are concerned about the fate of projects under the Tacis programmes for 1993/1994 which have undergone protracted preparation and are still open. Of these projects, around 20 concern supplies of equipment which, due to the slow pace of the Tacis bureaucracy, have only reached the contract stage and yet which are important with a view to maintaining installations and improving their safety. How will the Commission remedy this unfortunate situation, bearing in mind the budgetary time limit, which in principle is five years? Will the Commission ensure that similar problems do not arise in the Tacis programmes for 1995 and subsequent years? How has this point been taken into account in planning? Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1999) In its communication of March 1998 on nuclear activities in the East (1), the Commission provided an analysis of the difficulties which have been encountered in implementing the nuclear safety programme. The main conclusion in that communication is that budgets should be committed only on the basis of well-defined projects which are ready to be tendered, and that the number of projects should be limited (there should be an increase in average size). In the day to day management of the programmes, the Commission is now putting these conclusions into practice. (1) COM(98) 134 final. (1999/C 370/227) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1075/99 by Anne McIntosh (PPE) to the Commission (20 April 1999) Subject: Applicant countries Could the Commission make an estimate of the degree to which Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic are meeting the criteria set down in the Copenhagen Agreement and are on course to meet the agreed timetable for entry to the European Union? Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (3 May 1999) The degree to which Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic meet the Copenhagen accession criteria is analysed in the Commission’s 1998 regular reports. Hungary continues to fulfil the Copenhagen political criteria. Continuing attention needs to be paid to combating corruption more effectively and to improving the situation of the Roma. Hungary can be regarded as a functioning market economy. It should be able to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Community in the medium term, provided that it maintains the conditions for trade integration and ongoing enterprise restructuring. Hungary’s rhythm of transposition has remained steady and has generally been accompanied by adequate institutional and financial provisions facilitating