WRITTEN QUESTION E-2120/99 by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Representation of women on committees.
1. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 219 E/95 (2000/C 219 E/122) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2120/99 by Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE) to the Council (23 November 1999) Subject: Representation of women on committees It is difficult for Members of the European Parliament and the public to obtain information about the advisory, management and regulatory committees which assist the Commission with the implementation of European Union legislation under the commitology procedure. These committees, of which there are probably more than 450, mainly comprise representatives appointed by the Member States. In its reply to my written question E-1466/99 (1), the Commission has stated that the Member States appoint the committee members, leaving the Commission no power to intervene. Can the Council proportion of the members of all committees formed by the national authorities are women? indicate the composition of the committees and their breakdown by sex? What (1) OJ C 27 E, 29. 1. 2000, p. 81. Reply (31 January 2000) The committees referred to by the Honourable Member are those provided for by Council Decision 1999/ 468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (1). That Decision replaced Council Decision 87/373/EEC of 13 July 1987 (2). As indicated in the two Decisions referred to, these committees are made up áof the representatives of the Member Statesí and chaired by a representative of the Commission, which also provides the secretariat. The Council is not represented in the committees concerned. It therefore cannot provide the Honourable Member with the information requested. Moreover, the Member States frequently send different people to attend these committees so that it is not possible to give a reliable indication of the respective numbers of men and women making up the committees. (1) OJ L 184, 17. 7. 1999, p. 23. (2) OJ L 197, 18. 7. 1987, p. 33. (2000/C 219 E/123) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2121/99 by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission (22 November 1999) Subject: Air ticket sales Rail, road (bus and coach) and sea travellers in the European Union can buy single or return tickets from public or private companies. However, for air transport, most companies ü with a few notable exceptions ü offer single tickets only to business or first-class travellers, which means that economy-class travellers have to buy the return part of the ticket, even though they know that they will not be able to use it. Does not the Commission think that this constitutes an abuse of power by the airlines, as it obliges air travellers to purchase a service that they will not be able to benefit from? What action has the Commission taken or what action will it take to end this practice?