WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2303/98 by Fernand HERMAN to the Commission. Equal treatment for European Union citizens
8. 4. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 96/71 Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (6 October 1998) In its answer to oral question H-0527/98 on the same subject, the Commission took the opportunity to enlighten the Honourable Member about the nature and objectives of the Commission departmentsí report on the evaluation of the national employment plans (1). This report and the related communication (2) contain the results of the examination which the Commission is empowered to undertake in respect of the national action plans for employment based on the guidelines approved by the Council. Playing its full part within the Employment and Labour Market Committee, the Commission helped with the preparatory work for the Cardiff European Council. Once the communication had been approved on 14 May 1998, the Commission forwarded it, along with the background report, to the representatives of the Member States in order to assist the Committee in the process of joint examination of the national plans. As far as the employment strategy is concerned, the results of the Cardiff European Council are viewed very positively by the Commission, the Member States, the social partners and, it appears, also by Parliament. A lively dialogue has sprung up between the Commission and the Member States, resulting more recently in the organisation of bilateral meetings with all the Member States and the forwarding of implementation reports shedding light on aspects which are insufficiently developed in the action plans. The Commission is satisfied that the European employment strategy has, since its inception, been conducted with a high degree of cooperation between the Institutions and it intends to do all it can for the future to ensure that this spirit of cooperation continues. From guidelines to action: evaluation of the National Action Plans › Background reportí. (1) (2) COM(98) 316 final From guidelines to action: the National Action Plans for Employmentí. (1999/C 96/100) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2303/98 by Fernand Herman (PPE) to the Commission (22 July 1998) Subject: Equal treatment for European Union citizens Participants in a recent trip organized by a senior citizensí association noted that admission charges for museums › in this instance, the Dogesí Palace in Venice › infringed the principle of equal treatment for all European citizens, as Italian pensioners were admitted free, whereas Belgian pensioners were not. This is a blatant case of discrimination on the grounds of nationality, which is contrary to the Treaty. What does the Commission, as custodian of the treaties, intend to do to end discrimination of this kind? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (22 September 1998) The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that the inequality of treatment as between Italian residents and residents of other Member States regarding admission charges to museums might indeed constitute a form of discrimination that was in breach of Articles 6 and 59 of the EC Treaty. It will therefore contact the Italian authorities with a view to obtaining further information. In a similar case the Court of Justice found that a Member State had failed to fulfil one of its obligations in connection with the imposition of an admission charge for museums in its territory (1). (1) Case C-45/93 Commission v Spain [1994] ECRI, 911