ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3421/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(2 December 2002)

Subject: EU funding for cultural projects in Albania

The EU, together with the Greek Government is funding a number of projects in Albania with a view to stimulating the country's growth and cultural development.

In which areas of Albania are cultural projects receiving funding? Is particular attention being given to cultural projects receiving EU funding in southern Albania? What is the total EU funding earmarked for Albania over the next five years and what funding will be allocated to cultural projects?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(4 March 2003)

The Union provides assistance to Albania in the framework of the Council Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000(1). The medium-term outlook for assistance is set by the Country Strategy Paper 2002-2006 which includes the Multi-annual Indicative Programme identifying the priority sectors for Union assistance for the period between 2002-2004. The present financial envelope for this period is EUR 143,9 million. The areas of foremost importance are justice and home affairs, administrative capacity building, economic and social development, environment, natural resources and democratic stabilisation. The agreed Country Strategy Paper does not have culture as a priority for co-operation, hence no projects in this field are funded by the Commission through the CARDS programme.

All these priority areas are assisting Albania in improving its administrative structures, working capacities and methodologies for being able to move gradually ahead in its Stabilisation and Association process.

In addition to the national allocations, CARDS regional programme established for the period between 2002-2004, assists the whole region in the areas of integrated border management, democratic stabilisation, institution building and regional infrastructure with EUR 80 million from which also Albania benefits.

In the framework of Interreg IIIA, cross-border co-operation between Greece and Albania, some actions are planned to support cultural and artistic events benefiting the southern regions of Albania. The Albanian side contributes in kind to these activities.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000 on assistance for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1628/96 and amending Regulations (EEC) No 3906/89 and (EEC) No 1360/90 and Decisions 97/256/EC and 1999/311/EC, OJ L 306, 7.12.2000.
AttherequestofthevariousEuropeansteelindustryassociations,theCommissionisthereforeexamining
thecaseforaEuropeansafeguardmeasure.Anysuchmeasurewouldnotseektocutthecurrenthighlevelsofimportstothe Community,butonlypreventthe negative effectsofmassivetradediversioncausedbytheAmericanmeasures.AnyCommunitysafeguardactionwould,ofcourse,onlybeundertakeninfullconformitywithWTOrules.
InapplicationofWTOrules,theCommissionisalsoaskingtheUnitedStatestoproposecompensation
measuresattheleveloftheamountofEuropeanexportshitbytheAmericanmeasures.Inlightoftheirreaction,theCommissionwillconsiderwhetherasuspensionoftariffconcessionsvis-à-vistheUnitedStates,infullconformitywithWTOrules,isappropriate.
Itisdifficultatthisstagetomakeanyreliableforecastofhowlongthedisputewilllast.However,ifthe
WTOdisputesettlementprocedurerunsitsfullcourse,itcouldtake18to24months.
(2004/C58E/004) WRITTENQUESTIONP-0800/02
byChristopherHuhne(ELDR)totheCommission
(13March2002)
Subject:Expenditureonprivatefinanceinitiativesandpublic-privatepartnerships/dashAnswertoWritten
QuestionE-3528/01
FurthertotheCommission’sanswerE-3528/01(1),doestheCommissionintendtodoanyworkcollecting
information on government expenditure on private finance initiatives and public-private partnerships?IstheCommissiondoinganysuchwork?
Ifso,whendoesitexpecttobeabletoprovideanestimateforeachMemberState?Ifnot,willtheCommissionstatewhyitisnotconcernedthatsuchschemesmaybeeffectivewaysof
removingpublicinvestmentfromtheMaastrichtdefinitionofthebudgetbalancewithoutremovingtheultimateliability?
Willitsetoutthecriteria bywhich itbelievesschemesshouldfallwithinorwithouttheMaastricht
definition?
(1) OJC147E,20.6.2002,p.198.
ReplybyMrSolbesMiraonbehalfoftheCommission
(19April2002)
TheCommissiondoesnotcollectseparateinformationongovernmentexpenditure onprivatefinance
initiativesandpublic-privatepartnershipsinconnectionwiththenotificationofdataondebtanddeficit.
However,financeinitiativesofthiskindarecoveredbythenationalaccountsandtheireffectsaretakenin
toaccountappropriatelyinthecalculationofthemainMaastrichtaggregates(deficitanddebt).
Moreover,accountingfortheseprogrammesiscoveredbythemanualonpublicdeficitanddebtdrawnup
byEurostat,whichisavailabletothoseresponsibleforthenationalaccounts.Thismanualprovidesforharmonisedaccountingforthemainoperationsinvolvedinprivatefinanceinitiativesandpublic-privatepartnerships.C58E/4 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1583/02

by Gerhard Schmid (PSE) to the Commission

(4 June 2002)

Subject: Recognition of German notarial documents in Spain

It is my understanding that Spanish authorities repeatedly refuse to register deeds from German notaries with the Spanish Property Registry. The authorities refer in such cases to Resolution 3a Expte 166/99-B of 15 March 2002 of the Spanish Ministry of Justice (Ministerio de Justicia, Secretaria de Estado de Justicia, Dirección General de los Registros y del Notariado).

1. Is the Commission aware of this situation?

2. Does it infringe European legislation?

3. If so, what action does the Commission intend to take to rectify the situation?

Supplementary answergiven by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(5 November 2002)

After writing to the Spanish authorities, the Commission has received information from them that can be summarised as follows.

There are no formal requirements for transfers of ownership of property in Spain.

Registration of property ownership is voluntary in Spain, but highly recommended by the authorities as such registration provides publicity in relation to third parties.

Registration of a document established in Spain requires that the document is certified with public faith (Escritura Publica). Since 1999, in accordance with the Royal Decree 664/1999, Spanish authorities also register deeds from other Member States if they are certified with public faith from the Member States in question or otherwise fulfil the requirements for registration in those Member States.

The Spanish authorities require deeds from Germany to be certified by a German notary as this is a formal requirement under German law for registration of a document in Germany. Private documents from Germany without notary certification or otherwise public faith cannot be registered in Spain.

To summarise, according to the information received from the Spanish authorities, there is no evidence that Spanish authorities repeatedly refuse the registration of notary deeds from Germany. On the contrary, the Royal Decree in question provides for the registration of notary deeds from Germany.

Accordingly, the Commission concludes that the information now received does not indicate any restriction of the freedom to provide services (Article 49 of the EC Treaty) in Spain.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 70/16

(2004/C 70 E/017)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3648/02

by Hanja Maij-Weggen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 December 2002)

Subject: Freedom of religion in Laos

As the Commission is aware, freedom of religion hardly exists in Laos.

Is the Commission also aware that between June and August 2002, at least 39 Christians were detained in Laos because of their beliefs and that they are being held in prison under appalling conditions?

Will the Commission bring pressure to bear on the authorities in Laos to secure the release of these prisoners and a change in policy on freedom of religion?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2003)

The Commission is well aware of reports that freedom of religious expression remains restricted in Laos, including reports of members of Christian groups being persecuted and/or detained on grounds of their religious affiliation.

In relation to the particular events mentioned in the question, enquiries with Union and other partners in Laos have not yielded any reliable confirmation.

However, while the Laotian Constitution stipulates ‘the right and freedom to believe or not to believe in religion’, the authorities apparently restrict this right in practice, especially to non-Buddhist communities.

The level of tolerance of religious practice also seem to vary between regions. There have been reports of arrests and detention of religious believers and their spiritual leaders without charges. Some Christians have also been sentenced for gathering ‘to create social turmoil’. Some reports also mention difficulties for religious groups seeking to establish new places of worship.

The Commission Delegation in Bangkok, which covers relations with the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), together with the diplomatic missions of the Member States, follows this and other matters relating to human rights in Laos very closely. The Commission has on several occasions highlighted the need to strengthen respect for civil and political rights, including freedom of religion, in Laos. The opening of a Community Delegation in Vientiane in 2003 will give additional opportunity to raise our concerns in this field with the Lao Government.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 70/21

(2004/C 70 E/023)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3851/02

by Arie Oostlander (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 December 2002)

Subject: Kidnapping of Mr Arjan Erkel in the Russian Republic of Dagestan

On 12 August 2002 Mr Arjan Erkel, 32, who works for Médecins Sans Frontières Switzerland, was kidnapped by three unknown gunmen in Makhachkala, the capital of the Russian Republic of Dagestan. Since then, nothing more has been heard of him.

Is the Commission prepared to approach the Russian authorities and take steps which may assist his release and return to the Netherlands?

Joint answer

to Written Questions E-3751/02 and P-3851/02

given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(30 January 2003)

The Commission is extremely concerned at the fate of Arjan Erkel, the Head of mission of MSF-Switzerland who was abducted in Daghestan last 12 August 2002, a few weeks after another humanitarian worker, Nina Davidovitch, was abducted in Chechnya.

The Commission officially reacted through a Presidency declaration, on 26 August 2002, which strongly condemned both abductions and asked for the immediate and safe return of the hostages. In addition, the Union Presidency took the opportunity of the release of two workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who had also been kidnapped subsequently, to reiterate its concerns, on 20 November 2002, and ask for immediate release of both aid workers that remain missing.

In parallel, the Commission is following the case very closely. It has raised the issue in several meetings with the Russian authorities and will continue to do so until the safe release of Arjan Erkel. The fate of both workers was addressed again in Moscow, on 23 December 2002, during a joint demarche of the Union Troika, the United States, Switzerland and the Netherlands to the Deputy Minister for Migration of the Russian Federation, Mr Chernienko. Unfortunately, co-operation from Russian authorities has so far not been as forthcoming as the Commission would have expected. Most recently, on 10 January, Commissioner Nielson took the opportunity of the release of Nina Davidovitch to publicly call for the immediate and safe release of Arjan Erkel.

MSF-Switzerland, funded by the Humanitarian Office through MSF-Holland, was one of the very few international organisations working in Daghestan at the time, providing essential health assistance to the vulnerable Chechen and local population in this poor republic of the Russian Federation. Since Arjan Erkel's abduction, MSF has had to stop all its operations there and its absence is another blow dealt at the victims of the conflict in Chechnya, whom Mr Erkel had courageously gone to Daghestan to help.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/306

(2004/C 88 E/0312)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3824/02

by Jan Wiersma (PSE) to the Commission

(20 December 2002)

Subject: Roma citizens — Buhusi

Has the Commission been informed of the serious incident that took place recently in the Romanian municipality Buhusi in which three Roma citizens were killed by the police?

What caused the incident and what explains the severe reaction of the Roma citizens to the police intervention that led to the tragic killing?

Can the Commission verify that this was not a case of use of excessive force by the police, keeping in mind the recent statement by the Council of Europe that this type of action still takes place during the searching of Romani houses or the arresting of suspected Roma, and if excessive force was used, what kind of action will the Commission take?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2003)

The Commission has been informed of the incident between the Romanian police forces and the Roma community from Buhusi, which took place on 5 December 2002, through the Romanian press, a report by a Roma Human Rights organisation and a declaration made by the police. The information available to the Commission shows that the incident resulted in two Roma persons killed and two others injured by the police, and four policemen injured as well.

The incident occurred as the police (a group of about 45 policemen, who were later joined by 40 gendarmes) set out to arrest four persons, all ethnic Romas, against whom arrest warrants had been issued for theft and assault.

According to the police, 200 persons armed with pitchforks and axes surrounded them; a riot erupted, the persons they had come to arrest tried to escape, whereupon the police warned them then started shooting.

According to a Roma Human Rights organisation the police used force disproportionately during the search, and the suspects were targeted because of their ethnic origin.

According to the first results of the investigation conducted by the Prosecution Office of Bacau, as reported by the head of the Public Order Directorate of the Romanian Police in a declaration made on 11 December 2002, the police forces used their weapons in self-defence after they were attacked by members of the Roma community.

The final conclusions of the investigation by the Prosecution Office are not yet available.

The Commission monitors respect and protection of minorities in candidate countries as part of the Copenhagen political criteria and reports on a yearly basis in its Regular Reports. The Commission will take into account all relevant information on this issue and, more generally, on treatment of Roma people by the police when drawing up this year's Regular Report on Romania.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/3

(2004/C 78 E/0003)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3463/02

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(6 December 2002)

Subject: Economic integration

Will the Commission state the value of profits and dividends paid to non-residents in each Member State for each year of the last five years, and will it further express that figure as a percentage of total business profits in each Member State, excluding profits remitted outside the Member State?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(27 January 2003)

The Commission has calculated the value of profits and dividends paid to non-residents for the years/Member States that enough information was available to perform such calculations.

The Commission has also calculated, when feasible, the percentage they represent in total business profits, excluding profits remitted outside the Member States.

All data available are given in the table sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament's secretariat.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/707

(2004/C 84 E/0794)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3826/02

by Giuseppe Di Lello Finuoli (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 December 2002)

Subject: Expulsion from Italy of the Al-Shari family

The Italian police have now handed over to the Syrian police the engineer Muhammad Al-Shari (who was sentenced to death some years ago in Syria on the grounds of being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood), together with his wife and four children, after holding them in detention for five days at Malpensa airport (Milan), during which time they were not allowed contact with third persons, in circumstances amounting to a deliberate breach of the international conventions on asylum and the much-lauded Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The Al-Shari family had arrived from Iraq, and at the very least they should have been ‘sent back’ to that country. Instead, they were handed back to the Syrian dictatorship.

The author of this question hereby declares his intention to take this case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and meanwhile asks the Commission to ascertain whether the death sentence decreed against Muhammad Al-Shari in Syria has been carried out or not, to state what action it will take with a view to safeguarding the physical integrity of the Al-Shari family, and to call on the Italian government to abide by its international commitments.

Joint answer

to Written Questions P-3821/02 and P-3826/02

given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2003)

Regarding the possible violation of asylum rights in a Member State the situation is the following: although it is the duty of the Commission to ensure observance of fundamental rights in the field of Community law, it has no power to examine the compatibility of national legislation and practice lying outside the scope of Community law with the European Convention of Human Rights.

This is established by the case law of the Court of Justice (Demirel, Wachauf and ERT) and Article 51 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In the field of asylum, there are no Community provisions in place based on Article 63 of the EC Treaty related to the situation described in the two questions. In particular, the two proposals for a directive on minimum standards for asylum procedures and for a directive on the qualification as a refugee or as a person otherwise in need of international protection are still under negotiation in the Council. Therefore, the Commission has no power to intervene on that basis with the Italian authorities.

According to Syrian authorities, Mr Al-Sakhri is in detention and under investigation in relation to the events in Hama in the early 1980's, his family is not in detention. Requests have also been made to the Syrian authorities to treat Mr Al-Sakrhi according to international standards.

The Commission is in contact with the Union Presidency and Member State missions in Damascus regarding continued monitoring and follow-up of this issue.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/692

(2004/C 78 E/0739)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3878/02

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 January 2003)

Subject: Community-wide harmonisation of time limits for the writing-off of tax arrears

Regarding the EU's goal of tax harmonisation, numerous experts on international taxation in the context of the different Member States are now considering whether harmonisation should extend to the time limits for the writing-off of tax arrears.

The variations existing between Member States in the time limits for writing off tax arrears create a degree of discrimination between citizens and undertakings of different Member States, and for those operating in more than one country confusion can arise.

Can the Commission state whether its proposals on the time limits for writing off tax arrears include any consideration of the desirability of harmonising the national rules in this field, in order to introduce uniform rules and put an end to the discrimination between Member States?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2003)

The Commission's policy in direct taxation is set out in its Communication (1) addressed to the Council, the Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee. In that document it says:

It is clear that there is no need for an across the board harmonisation of Member States' tax systems. Provided that they respect Community rules, Member States are free to choose the tax systems that they consider most appropriate and according to their preferences.

In this context, the Commission has no plans to make a proposal to harmonise the direct tax rules to which the Honourable Member refers.

(1) OJ C 284, 10.10.2001.
EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 33/12

(2004/C 33 E/012)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2861/02

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(10 October 2002)

Subject: Angola — transparency of public accounts

According to the media, the World Bank Vice-President for the Africa Region, Calisto Madavo, declared in Luanda on 12 September last that the World Bank suspected that USD 1 000 million had disappeared from the Angolan State budget. At the same time he advocated the transparent management of accounts as being essential to reduce the high levels of poverty.

He also said it was significant that it was the Head of State Eduardo dos Santos who had referred to the issue of the transparency of Angola's public accounts during an interview he gave him. According to Mr Madavo it was up to politicians and civil society to take steps to throw light on the real state of the public accounts.

With regard to World Bank support for the process of structural reforms in Angola, he said that aid would be provided in stages and that it was essential that the appropriations be used for the projects for which they were intended.

In the resolution adopted on 4 July last (P5_TA(2002)0375) the European Parliament ‘calls on the Angolan Government and its industrial and trade partners to set up transparent, responsible mechanisms for managing Angola's natural resources, in particular oil production and diamonds, so that the revenue therefrom is used to combat poverty and to finance global, sustainable, fair and lasting development’.

This concern has, moreover, been expressed in various European Parliament resolutions, not only on Angola, but on other similar situations or as regards the European Union's cooperation policies in general.

Can the Commission say whether it has followed developments in this important issue of the transparency of public accounts in Angola and their accuracy? What is its current assessment of the present situation and the prospects for the immediate future, both in the sphere of oil and diamond revenue and the public accounts in general?