WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3824/98 by Outi OJALA Right of diplomats to purchase duty-free goods
29. 11. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 341/15 Supplementary answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission (12 May 1999) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to her Written Question P-3790/98 (1). (1) See page 12. (1999/C 341/023) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3824/98 by Outi Ojala (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (22 December 1998) Subject: Right of diplomats to purchase duty-free goods Pursuant to a Commission decision, the sale of duty-free goods will cease on European internal routes from 1 July 1999, but diplomats, and EU Commissioners who are given the same treatment, will continue to be able to purchase duty-free goods thanks to their annual duty-free purchase quota. Does the Commission consider it right that highly-paid diplomats should be the very ones to retain their 1. right to make duty-free purchases when ordinary EU citizens are to lose that right? Does the Commission propose to take any action to rectify this state of affairs and if so, what? If not, why 2. not? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (6 April 1999) The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question E-3878/98 by Mr De Coene (1). (1) OJ C 325, 12. 11. 1999, p. 35. (1999/C 341/024) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3847/98 by Manuel Escolá Hernando (ARE) to the Commission (22 December 1998) Subject: Inclusion of Zaragoza airport in the Madrid-Zaragoza high-speed rail link The 14 priority trans-European transport network projects adopted at the Essen European Council include the construction of the southern European high-speed rail link between Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Perpignan and Montpellier. The construction of this link will reduce the journey time between Zaragoza and both Madrid and Barcelona from the current three and a half hours to a little over one hour and fifteen minutes, which will have the effect of bringing those cities considerably closer together. The possibility is currently being discussed of routeing the new rail link via Zaragoza airport, which would strengthen the intermodal aspect of the project. At the same time, more business would be attracted to an under-used airport and some of the pressure on the airspace around Madrid and Barcelona would be relieved