WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2377/98 by Eryl McNALLY to the Commission. Maximum residue limits
8. 4. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 96/83 The Commission would also like to draw the Honourable Memberís attention to the fact that Community assistance cannot be granted for forestry measures in high-risk areas unless a protection plan has been forwarded to the Commission. This principle was recently approved in the proposal on support for rural development from the EAGGF. The Commission is of the opinion that this measure exhausts the political leeway given to the Community under the Treaty. The Member States are largely responsible for regional planning and forestry policy, such as changes in land use or decisions on reafforestation of areas destroyed by fires. The Commission is also currently drafting a proposal on a European forestry strategy, based on the detailed recommendations set out in the Thomas report on Community forestry policy adopted by Parliament in January 1997. Clearly the protection of forests against fire must play a significant role in such a strategy. 4. The Commission has already contributed to the financing of a significant number of forest fire prevention projects under the framework programmes in the field of research and development (Fuego, Inflame, Prometheus, etc. ), and continues to do so. It will proceed with these measures in future, as they have produced some convincing results. The Commission does not therefore believe it is justified to set up a European Research Centre for the purpose of preventing and combating forest fires in the Mediterranean countries of the European Union. (1) OJ L 217, 31. 7. 1992. (2) OJ C 170, 4. 6. 1998. (1999/C 96/116) WRITTEN QUESTION P-2374/98 by Sebastiano Musumeci (NI) to the Commission (17 July 1998) Subject: Emergency created by illegal immigration in southern Italy and the Italian Governmentís failure to take action Sadly, over the last few weeks, the problem of illegal immigrants being disembarked along the coast of southern Italy has reached alarming proportions; in Sicily alone, in just one week, the authorities intercepted hundreds of African nationals who had been enlisted by organizations involved in transporting illegal migrants across the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, due to the reprehensible failure of the official Italian authorities to take any practical advance measures to counter illegal immigration, the influx of immigrants can no longer be contained and the majority of them, having eluded any form of control by the police or health authorities, succeed in travelling on to other Member States, where they are destined for a life of poverty and exploitation by criminal organizations among others. Thus the Italian Government, by its permissive policy, has failed to comply with the specific undertakings it made in ratifying the Schengen Agreement, thereby prejudicing public order and security in Italy and the rest of the Union. In view of the foregoing, does the Commission intend to take immediate action to urge the Italian Government to honour the undertakings made by it, and, if Italy continues to fail to fulfil its obligations, to bring an action before the European Court of Justice? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (22 September 1998) No. The Schengen arrangements have not yet been incorporated into the framework of the Union and, in principle, it is not for the Commission to take a position on matters relating to Schengen. (1999/C 96/117) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2377/98 by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission (27 July 1998) Subject: Maximum residue limits I have received a letter of concern from one of my constituents who has read that new legislation is due to come into effect after 1 January 2000 with request to maximum residue limits on drugs used to treat horses