WRITTEN QUESTION E-0355/00 by Ward Beysen (ELDR) to the Commission. Copyright directive.
28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/57 contribution. This is the framework within which the Community can contribute to combating the social exclusion of all vulnerable individuals and groups, including travelling people, and the Commission has outlined possible proposals in this area in its communication Building an inclusive Europeí (1). In addition, the recent proposals on combating discrimination adopted by the Commission on 25 Novem- ber 1999 will forbid discrimination on grounds of racial or ethnic origin in employment, education, social protection and social security, social advantages and access to goods and services (2). In combating both direct and indirect discrimination in these fields, the Community will contribute to eliminating some of the barriers to inclusion faced by the Roma and other travelling people. The Commission has called on the Council and the Parliament to make rapid progress on this package of proposals. (1) COM(2000) 79 final. (2) COM(1999) 564, 565, 566 and 567 final. (2000/C 374 E/066) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0346/00 by Jaime Valdivielso de CuØ (PPE-DE) to the Commission (14 February 2000) Subject: Competence in connection with the economic agreement drawn up by the Spanish governmentís representatives in the Basque Country On 18 January the Spanish Government reached an agreement with the authorities of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country on the economic and tax agreement drawn up by the central government representatives in that region. Furthermore, this agreement has the approval of the bordering autonomous communities. Will the Commission continue with infringement proceedings against the central governmentís representa- tives despite the fact that the supposedly adversely affected autonomous communities have approved the agreement? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (13 April 2000) The Commission opened proceedings under Article 88(2) (former Article 93) of the EC Treaty against tax measures in the form of átax holidaysí and tax relief introduced by the Basque provinces, not on account of complaints brought by the neighbouring autonomous communities but of doubts regarding their compat- ibility with the common market in the light of Article 87 (former Article 92) of the EC Treaty. The fact that the neighbouring communities have approved the agreement does not affect the proceedings initiated in the interests of competitors of the firms in receipt of aid. (2000/C 374 E/067) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0355/00 by Ward Beysen (ELDR) to the Commission (14 February 2000) Subject: Copyright directive The Commissionís proposal on revising the directive on copyright and associated rights is currently before the Council. The proposal affords enormous advantages in that it strikes a balance between copyright holders, on the one hand, and users and the technology sector, on the other; however, there may be an inherent risk of giving a complete technical monopoly to copyright holders. What action is the Commission intending to take to avoid requirements being imposed in respect of technical systems in exceptional cases, i. e. instances where copying is, in fact, permitted? C 374 E/58 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (28 March 2000) The aim of the proposal for a Directive on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society (1) is to adapt the legal framework for copyright at Community level in order to meet the challenges of new technologies and new forms of production and exploitation of works. is in keeping with a globalised environment, and it aims to transpose the bulk of the The proposal international obligations arising from the treaties adopted in 1996 under the aegis of the World Intellectual Property Organisation; one of these relates to copyright and the other to interpretations, performances and phonograms. Under one of these obligations, the contracting parties have agreed to adopt legislation guaranteeing legal protection of the technical measures used by copyright holders to protect their work against unauthorised acts. The proposal for a Directive transposes this obligation at Community level in order to ensure an equivalent level of protection in all Member States and to allow the single market to function properly. The Honourable Member recognises the efforts made by the Commission in the proposal to strike a balance between the various rights and interests involved. The Commission is particularly aware of the need for balance when delimiting the level of protection of technical measures where a Member State has recourse to one of the exceptions provided for in Article 5 of the proposal. The Member States seeking a satisfactory solution within the Council working group share that concern. (1) OJ C 180, 25. 6. 1999. (2000/C 374 E/068) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0359/00 by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission (4 February 2000) Subject: Bonded labour Bonded labour is a human rights violation which, according to the UN Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery, affects around 20 million people in the world. A large proportion of these bonded labourers are in India and Pakistan. In the light of this, can the Commission inform me as to what action it is taking to: 1. Work with the United Nations and the ILO to urge all States to sign the pertinent international instruments which outlaw bonded labour, particularly ILO Conventions 29 on forced labour and Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour? 2. Support States in developing and implementing domestic legislation to outlaw bonded labour, including carrying out detailed regional surveys to identify and rehabilitate bonded labourers and to ensure that those responsible for keeping bonded labourers are prosecuted in accordance with national laws? Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission (8 March 2000) The Commission shares the concerns of the Honourable Member with regard to bonded labour practices and, like the Member States, recognizes the importance of abolishing child labour, which deprives children of their right to childhood, their right to education, and their freedom from forced labour. The Community is actively supporting the work of the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations Childrenís Fund (UNICEF) in this area. It welcomes the adoption of a new ILO Convention concerning the prohibition and immediate actions for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour. The Community will help ensure that the Convention makes a positive contribution to the elimination of the most intolerable forms of child labour, including bonded labour and the exploitation of children in