WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1702/99 by Raffaele COSTA Draft budget 2000 - expenditure relating to persons working with the Commission
C 27 E/164 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 29. 1. 2000 The present agreement covers activities up to 30 April 2000. The programmes consist of 52 approxi- mately 2-minute spots, 222 3,5-minute inserts for after news bulletins, 64 8-minute information features on practical implications for citizens of the main European policies (including 22 about the euro), and nine 13-minute features on external relations issues. A provisional programme listing is being sent directly to the Honourable Member and to the Parliamentís Secretariat. The Commission is responsible for steering and coordinating activities, through an internal assessment arrangement and regular monitoring meetings with Euronews, which are attended by Parliament repre- sentatives. The Community and Euronews each have full non-commercial retransmission and reproduction rights for the productions. The Commission ensures that Euronews broadcasts accurate and balanced information, particularly with regard to the positions and activities of the European Institutions. However, this takes place with due respect for editorial freedom, which is fully guaranteed to Euronews as an independent channel. As a result, in addition to broadcasting via the channel itself, the Community also benefits from the production of audiovisual products which it can then put to further use to feed and enrich the content of its other audiovisual initiatives. All programmes are retransmitted via the satellite broadcasting system and are therefore directly available to, and useable by, 900 TV stations in 47 countries, in addition to the 500 programme user institutions of Europe by Satellite (EBS). The programmes constitute a thematic audiovisual resource which can be utilised directly for Commission visit programmes, by speakers and representation offices, and by the 125 Com- mission delegations throughout the world. (2000/C 27 E/200) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1702/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission (29 September 1999) Subject: Draft budget 2000 ü expenditure relating to persons working with the Commission In 1998, the budget heading áexpenditure relating to persons working with the institutioní Commission) was ECU 1 641 555 000 (ITL 3 100 billion). (i. e. the Why is this expenditure set to increase from ITL 3 100 billion to ITL 3 500 billion in 2000 ü a rise of over EUR 202 million (approximately ITL 400 billion)? In the light of the austerity heralded by Mr Prodi, whereby the Commission was supposed to keep expenditure within 1998 levels, can the Commission explain the reasons for this increase? (2000/C 27 E/201) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1703/99 by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission (29 September 1999) Subject: Draft budget 2000 ü expenditure resulting from special functions carried out by the Commission In 1998 ECU 246 138 470 (ITL 477 billion) were spent on áspecial functions carried out by the institutioní (i. e. the Commission)