WRITTEN QUESTION P-3743/00

by Maurizio Turco (TDI) to the Council

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Clarifications concerning the reply to priority Written Question P-2247/00 on Opus Dei and European officials' right to exercise discretion

Knowing that:

- on 30 June 2000, I tabled priority Written Question P-2247/2000,

- Rule 44 of the Rules of Procedure provides that such questions should be answered within 3 weeks, while non-priority questions should be answered within 6 weeks,

- on 7 November 2000, the Council replied as follows: The first four questions raised by the Honourable Member have never been brought up before the Council. The last three questions are obviously matters for the internal organisation of the general secretariat.

The Council:

- does it regard itself as bound by those provisions of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament that relate to the Council?

- why does it reply only to questions that have already been brought before it?

- is it not possible to table parliamentary questions concerning the powers of the general secretariat?

- are the activities of the general secretariat confidential?

- what staff regulations apply to Council officials?

- what action does the Council intend to take in relation to the officials responsible for drafting the reply to question P-2247/00?

- does the Council intend to answer the questions raised in question P-2247/00, and if so, when?

Reply

(12 March 2001)

The Council believes that it gave a proper and full reply to question P-2247/00.

The Council was not apprised of the facts set out in question P-2247/00 before the Honourable Member's question was referred to it. The reply stating that the first four questions raised by the Honourable Member have never been brought before the Council has to be understood against that background.

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that it is not bound by the provisions of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament, as inferred from the joint reply by the Council to Written Questions E-1299/00 and E-1300/00 put by Charles Tannock and P-1541/00 put by Michl Ebner. For all that, the Council has never refused to reply to parliamentary questions concerning the powers or activities of its General Secretariat.

In the case in point, the decision to which the Honourable Member referred in question P-2247/00 (mldr the secretariat of the Council of Ministers refused to allow the holding of a meeting on its premises organised by an association of officials, the Amicale de la pensée critique, on the question Do sects in general, and Opus Dei in particular, represent a threat to a democratic and pluralist Europe?) was not taken. In fact, in order to take account of the comments made by the administration of the General Secretariat of the Council on the wisdom of the wording of the planned topic, which was likely to cause controversy, the Amicale de la pensée critique decided to hold the scheduled meeting off the Council premises, as it is always free to do, and withdrew its request. The General Secretariat of the Council took note of that decision.

Officials of the General Secretariat of the Council are subject to the Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities, as laid down by amended Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 of 29 February 1968. The Council has not found there to be any delay in the preparation of the reply to question P-2247/00 and therefore does not intend to take any action or make any special arrangements.