WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1905/98 by Jesús CABEZÓN ALONSO to the Commission. EU-US agreement on the Helms-Burton Act
11. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 386/165 The remuneration of the members of the Commission comprises the following elements: › a basic salary. The basic salary of a member of the Commission equals 112. 5 % of the basic salary of an official of grade of A1/6, thus amounting to 617,756 BEF. For the vice-presidents of the Commission and for the President of the Commission, the basic monthly salary equals 125 % and 138 % of the salary of a grade A1/6 official. The basic salary of the members of the Commission is subject to a progressive tax, the maximum marginal tax rate being 45 % and to a temporary contribution of 5. 83 % on part of the salary. These taxes are the same as provided by the Staff Regulations for the officials of the Commission, and are paid to the budget of the Union. In addition, a contribution of 1. 8 % of the salary is deducted for sickness and injury insurance. › residence allowance of 15 % of the basic salary. The members of the Commission are not entitled to the expatriation allowance (16 % of the basic salary) to which the expatriate officials of the Commission are entitled › a monthly representation allowance of 24 515 BEF. Other allowances of the members of the Commission are the same as for the officials of the Commission, as stipulated in the Staff Regulations, a copy of which is forwarded direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament. Based on these elements, the monthly net salary of a member of the Commission is calculated at 513 410 BEF. This amount varies and can be increased by the household and child allowances. (1) OJ L 351, 23. 12. 1997. (98/C 386/227) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1904/98 by Jesœs Cabezón Alonso (PSE) to the Commission (16 June 1998) Subject: The EU and the Helms-Burton Act In the recent EU-US negotiations on the extraterritorial effects of the Helms-Burton Act, was an agreement reached concerning a full derogation from the US extraterritorial legislation, or does the agreement refer only to a temporary exemption for the EU from the effects of the laws concerned? (98/C 386/228) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1905/98 by Jesœs Cabezón Alonso (PSE) to the Commission (16 June 1998) Subject: EU-US agreement on the Helms-Burton Act Does the agreement made public on 18 May 1998 between the EU Presidency, the Commission and the US Presidency imply that, despite this agreement, those contents of the Helms-Burton Act which remain in force are to be incorporated into Community law? Does the Commission consider that this agreement guarantees the national sovereignty of all the Member States?