WRITTEN QUESTION E-2588/99 by Marialiese Flemming (PPE-DE) to the Council. Directive on the conservation of wild birds.
1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/181 (2000/C 219 E/230) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2568/99 by Francesco Speroni (TDI) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Visual flight by night in Italy Does the Commission intend to urge the Italian State to ensure that its competent authorities adopt valid provisions enabling flights to be carried out in accordance with the Visual Flight Rules by Night as in other Member States of the European Union? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (11 January 2000) At present visual night flights are not covered by Community legislation. Each Member State has its own requirements governing such operations and is responsible for deciding if and how they can be carried out. As this does not appear to affect the fundamental freedoms of the EC Treaty, the Commission does not plan to legislate in this field in the near future. (2000/C 219 E/231) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2578/99 by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: German government aid to a building concern The German federal government is clearly giving significant economic aid to a major building concern (Holzmann) to rescue it from having to go into liquidation. Does the Commission consider that the German governmentís action is compatible with EU competition law? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (11 January 2000) The German government has recently notified the proposed aid. The Honourable Member can be assured that the case is being carefully scrutinised. (2000/C 219 E/232) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2588/99 by Marialiese Flemming (PPE-DE) to the Council (3 January 2000) Subject: Directive on the conservation of wild birds On 1 March 1994 the Commission submitted a proposal (1) for a directive amending Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (2). As this proposal is based on Article 175 (ex Article 130s) of the EC Treaty, the cooperation procedure with the European Parliament applies. Parliament delivered its opinion on 15 February 1996 (3). The Council has not yet adopted a common position on this subject. C 219 E/182 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 1. 8. 2000 Is this subject being dealt with in the Council? If so, what progress has been made in the negotiations? When will the Council adopt a common position? (1) OJ C 100, 9. 4. 1994, p. 12. (2) OJ L 103, 25. 4. 1979, p. 1. (3) OJ C 65, 4. 3. 1996, p. 151. Reply (14 February 2000) The Honourable Member is asked to refer to the reply given to Written Question 1676/99. (2000/C 219 E/233) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2590/99 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission (11 January 2000) Subject: Withdrawal from Schengen By what mechanism, if any, can a Member State rescind its membership of Schengen? Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission (24 January 2000) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written question E-2853/98 by Mr Bonde (1). (1) OJ C 297, 15. 10. 1999, p. 33. (2000/C 219 E/234) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2604/99 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council (22 December 1999) Subject: Promoting and safeguarding lesser-used languages Will the Council outline its policy on the safeguarding and promoting of lesser-used languages in the European Union and will it back new initiatives aimed at promoting cultural and linguistic exchanges between, for example, young people living in peripheral regions? Reply (31 January 2000) The Council has constantly underlined certain principles with respect to linguistic diversity within the Community, and recalls that the Lingua action under the current education programme Socrates specifies priority support for the least widely used and least taught languages of the European Union. Due consideration would moreover be given by the Council to any future Commission proposals concerning lesser-used languages