WRITTEN QUESTION E-0846/00

by Marie-Arlette Carlotti (PSE) to the Commission

(21 March 2000)

Subject: Action of the European Union against anti-personnel landmines

The Commission has adopted a proposal for a regulation on anti-personnel mines.

- In the budgetary domain, horizontal line B7-661 has had its legitimacy strengthened. Does this mean that anti-personnel mine action programmes in all their diversity are to be financed exclusively from this line?

In view of the particular approach adopted vis-à-vis humanitarian mine clearance by the NGOs, which favour integrating mine clearance in an overall development approach, what measures will be taken to ensure the actual access of NGOs to Union financing?

- For the purposes of implementing EU actions against anti-personnel mines, the principle of aid being conditional on accession to and observance of the Ottawa Convention is accepted. This principle is subject to exceptions in the case of assistance to victims and is coupled with a proposal to assist the applicant countries in applying the Convention's provisions.

What will be the relevant criteria and detailed arrangements, which should not bring about on the ground a double victimisation of certain vulnerable communities?

- In the context of stepping up EU action for the actual implementation of the Convention and its universalisation, how large has been the place given to anti-personnel mines in the political dialogue with the Union's partners and, more especially, with the countries applying for accession?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2000)

1. The communication and proposal for a regulation recently presented by the Commission are aimed, on the one hand, at enabling the EU to devise a more active and consistent strategy on anti-personnel mines, and on the other, at giving the necessary legal basis and both a horizontal and specific purpose to budget heading B7-661, which was created by Parliament in 1996 but had no legal basis until now.

The approach adopted was to formulate an overall policy framework for EU action on anti-personnel mines, within which the relevant sectoral and regional/local measures could be situated. The projects undertaken may be financed by the horizontal budget line, or by existing regional/local programmes. This approach will enable us to integrate into the overall strategy a number of projects of common interest to any mine clearance activity, for example systematic plans to assess past or ongoing operations, the evaluation of the needs of both the population and the mine clearance units, the drafting of regional and multiannual plans, verification of the aims pursued, rationalisation of instruments and interventions, and guarantees that EU operations are consistent with its commitments under the Ottawa Convention.

Once the Regulation is adopted, a multilateral exercise to programme anti-mine activities will be launched. It will be based on the general policy guidelines and will include both horizontal activities and activities linked to particular countries or regions. The multiannual programme will be published and will therefore be accessible to all non-governmental organisations. The latter are already the main recipients of Community funds, directly or indirectly. Partnership agreements are also planned to execute the multiannual projects.

2. With regard to the criteria to be applied to helping people affected by anti-personnel mines in countries that have not signed up to the Ottawa Convention, the Commission is carefully verifying several factors, sometimes individually, sometimes together; firstly, as the question suggests, information on the state of the affected population groups for whom a country requests mine clearance assistance; the country's practice with regard to the production and storage of and trade in mines; the degree of acceptance of support measures for accession to the Convention, and verification that neither commercial nor scientific goals are being pursued with the aid of Community assistance. It is also important, in some cases, to know how the mines (or unexploded devices) came to be laid. This list of background information is not exhaustive but gives an idea of the approach the Commission intends to adopt.

3. This approach is obviously reflected in political dialogue both with the countries which have applied for membership and with other countries. The proposed Regulation, which is not limited to mines but covers all unexploded devices, also addresses the problems of storage and accumulation of such devices. The Commission wastes no opportunity to cooperate with non-member countries to speed up the eradication of this scourge, both by improving coordination of our respective policies and by putting together the resources necessary to develop better instruments and strategies.