title: WRITTEN QUESTION No. 202/98 by Gerhard HAGER to the Commission. Budget line on the family

eurovoc_concepts:
Community budget
family
family policy
implementation of the budget
legal basis

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text: 2. 10. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 304/51 originally subject to price agreements are reimported from countries other than the Member States and are not subject to further price agreements provided they are not transactions for the purpose of evading the law? If this opinion is not accepted, the requirements for derogation pursuant to Article 85(3) EC Treaty are fulfilled on the basis of an assessment of competition law which takes account of the cultural aspect of book price agreements. Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission (24 March 1998) The Commission has consistently maintained that the Council(cid:146)s initiative in instructing the Commission to prepare a report pursuant to Article 152 of the EC Treaty should be considered independent of the competition proceedings concerning the German/Austrian price-fixing scheme for books ((cid:145)Buchpreisbindung(cid:146)) provided that the proceedings in question are not impeded as a result. In this competition case, in which the publishers submitted the notification in the spring of 1993 and for which the Commission is solely competent, formal proceedings had to be instituted after the Commission had made a careful examination of the publishers(cid:146) arguments and come to the provisional conclusion that exemption was not justified. The report was submitted by the parties to the proceedings. It concludes that Article 85(1) is no longer applicable to the German/Austrian price-fixing scheme for books because Article 128(4) had been inserted into the EC Treaty by the Treaty on European Union. This contradicts the settled case law of the Court of Justice as the report(cid:146)s author acknowledges (he states that his opinion goes beyond previous case law and decision-making practice). In 1995, quite some time after Article 128(4) had been inserted, the Court of Justice based itself on the self-evident fact that Article 85(1) was applicable to the cross-border price-fixing scheme involving the United Kingdom and Ireland. The possible advantages of any price-fixing agreement are always initially examined under Article 85(3). It is unclear from the Honourable Member(cid:146)s question why she assumes that the conditions for exemption were met. As stated above, the Commission reached its provisional conclusion that the conditions for exemption had not been met after a careful examination of all the arguments put forward and on the basis of statistically sound data. (98/C 304/71) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0202/98 by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Commission (11 February 1998) Subject: Budget line on the family Can the Commission state what measures have been financed under budget line B3-4108: Measures in support of the family and what the appropriate legal bases are under primary legislation? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (3 April 1998) In 1997, the Commission financed a number of measures under budget line B3-4108: (cid:145)Measures in support of the family(cid:146). The commitments (almost ECU 2. 5 million) went to cover the cost of financing analysis and research into the family and family policies, exchange of experience and information among Member States on subjects connected with the family, particularly ways of reconciling family and working life; child protection measures and population studies. The budget was implemented in conformity with the Commission communication of 6 July 1994 concerning the legal bases (1) (1) Doc. SEC (94) 1106 final


title: WRITTEN QUESTION No. 210/98 by Katerina DASKALAKI to the Council. New cases of arbitrary action by Turkey in the occupied territories

eurovoc_concepts:
Cyprus
EU police cooperation
Türkiye
accession to the European Union
drug traffic
fight against crime
illegal migration
illicit trade
occupied territory
organised crime

text: 17. 7. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 223/137 (98/C 223/178) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0210/98 by Katerina Daskalaki (UPE) to the Council (11 February 1998) Subject: New cases of arbitrary action by Turkey in the occupied territories The UK presidency is faced with the additional task of beginning negotiations with the countries earmarked for accession including Cyprus. Will the Council say whether it is aware of the following: 1. Allegations that the Turkish occupying forces are selling off the dwellings of Greek Cypriots in the occupied town of Kythrea, and, indeed, placing advertisements in the British press for this purpose; and 2. Italian press reports that the Turkish mafia has opened banks in the occupied part of Cyprus for banking operations involving money from illegal immigration, drugs-trafficking and smuggling? The same publications claim that state officials and Turkish politicians are involved? If so, what action does it intend to take to address this situation? Answer (11 May 1998) The Council is unaware of the information referred to by the Honourable Member. With regard to the accession negotiations with Cyprus, these began, as with the other five applicants, on 31 March 1998. They are based on the principle of complete acceptance by the applicant countries of the European Union acquis. The acquis comprises a number of measures in the area of justice and home affairs, including cooperation in combating drugs and organized crime, and the strengthening of the fight against illegal immigration. The Council would point out that the European Union(cid:146)s position is that the accession negotiations with Cyprus will make a positive contribution to finding a political solution to the Cyprus question, by means of the talks under the aegis of the United Nations. The European Union welcomed the offer made by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to include Turkish Cypriot representatives in the delegation negotiating the accession of Cyprus to the European Union. It regrets that the Turkish Cypriot community(cid:146)s response to this offer has so far been negative and reiterates the importance it attaches to the involvement of Turkish Cypriots in the accession process, in accordance with the conclusions of the Luxembourg European Council. The Presidency and the Commission will pursue the necessary contacts. (98/C 223/179) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0211/98 by Katerina Daskalaki (UPE) to the Council (11 February 1998) Subject: Overflight by Turkish spy planes of a British base in Cyprus The Republic of Cyprus(cid:146) civil aviation services and the Cypriot National Guard(cid:146)s radar system have recorded the overflight by two Turkish RF-4 spy planes of the British base of Akrotiri-Episkopi and then of the base of Paphos on 12 January 1998, violating Cypriot airspace for about one hour. Will the UK presidency of the Council say whether › and how › it intends to react if such acts of provocation are stepped up in future, especially against the background of the Cyprus-EU accession negotiations?