WRITTEN QUESTION P-2658/02

by José Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 September 2002)

Subject: Opening of new delegations as part of the Commission's External Service

In its resolution A5-0199/2001(1) on the Commission Communication concerning the development of the External Service(2) the European Parliament recognised the need to open new Commission delegations and offices in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Paraguay, and recalled the Commission's 1998 list of priorities for the opening of new delegations(3), which also included countries such as Iran, Singapore, Ecuador and Switzerland, for various political reasons or because of substantial economic interests.

The European Parliament provided the necessary budgetary support for this purpose. Since then, the Commission has opened new delegations in Paraguay, Nepal and Cambodia.

What steps has the Commission taken to open new delegations in the countries suggested by the European Parliament?

Does the Commission have a timetable for the opening of delegations in these countries and others, as part of the reform of the External Service?

When are the new delegations in Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Iran, Singapore, Ecuador and Switzerland scheduled to open?

(1) OJ C 53 E, 28.2.2002, p. 390.

(2) COM(2000) 456 of 14 June 2001.

(3) Document SEC(1998) 1261.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2002)

Decisions on opening new Delegations inevitably involve hard choices on priorities. The Commission has long been aware of the great political and economic importance to the Union of Saudi Arabia and indeed, the other Gulf Co-operation Council States. In 1998 as correctly pointed out by the Honourable Member, it made the opening of a Delegation in Riyadh one of the priorities in the development of its External Service. Unforeseen events, such as the Balkan crisis and the ever tighter financial climate, however, made it impossible to meet the 1998 targets: of the six Delegations, two Offices and a representation which had been planned. At that time only two Delegations were opened, both in the Balkans.

In its Communication to the Parliament and the Council on July 2001 on the development of the External Service, the Commission decided on a number of further changes to the network of Delegations. Given the tight financial conditions under which the External Service has been operating the changes had to be budget neutral. In consequence some external representations are in the process of being closed and some have been streamlined in order to permit a small number of new openings.

The Commission is happy to be able to inform the Honourable Member that Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Singapore, and Ecuador are again included in the plans of the Commission and negotiations are under way in order to open Delegations in those countries by the end of 2002.

As for Iran and Switzerland, while the Commission is similarly aware of the weight of those states politically and economically, the present pressure on resources means that the Commission is unable to open Delegations in the immediate future. The Commission wishes to assure the Honourable Member, however, that Iran and Switzerland are under active consideration for an opening in the medium term.