WRITTEN QUESTION P-1832/00

by Per Gahrton (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: Rules for obtaining answers from the Commission

The May edition (No 5, 2000) of Svensk Jakt, the magazine of the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, reports that one of its journalists sent a number of questions concerning hunting, wildlife management and biological diversity to Commissioner Margot Wallström last autumn. The magazine wanted an interview with Commissioner Wallström but was notified that it would have to be content with a written answer. After a wait of more than six months, an answer finally arrived, in English.

Will the Commission, therefore, say whether authors of questions to the Commission are entitled to receive answers in their own language? Why did it take so long in the above-mentioned case to obtain an answer from the Commission? Why was the magazine not granted an interview with Margot Wallström?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2000)

The member of the Commission responsible for Environment, has received hundreds of requests for oral and written interviews, gives the highest priority to dialogue and communication with the media and citizens, and has been able to reply to a large majority of these requests. She is assisted by the spokesperson for environment, her cabinet and the services in the preparation of replies to interviews, when required.

The interview request from the Magazine Svensk Jakt mentioned by the Honourable Member was among the impressive number of interview requests received by the member responsible for Environment in the first months of her mandate. During that period the member was obliged to give priority to interviews dealing with the environmental priorities of the new Commission and the many environmental dossiers, which were on the Commission's weekly agenda in this first period of the Commission's mandate. However, both member and staff equally attach great importance to providing fulfilling and comprehensive answers to questions on other specific environment dossiers, such as those put by Svensk Jakt, within the limits of resources and time available.

The cabinet of the member responsible for Environment, to whom the request for an interview by Svensk Jakt was first submitted, and subsequently the spokesperson for environment, kept Svensk Jakt informed about the size of the backlog of interview requests. Svensk Jakt also received indications of the approximate time within which a reply to the 12 specific questions related to hunting, which were eventually submitted in writing by Svensk Jakt, could be expected. At the outset, it was made clear to Svensk Jakt that long delays had to be expected, due to the large number of requests received. Svensk Jakt themselves proposed that the interview could be in writing.

With regard to the language of the replies, these were prepared in English on the basis of the member's personal views on the questions asked and input from the services responsible for hunting-related issues. As the answers were being finalised early in March 2000, Svensk Jakt contacted the information unit of Directorate general Environment and the spokesperson's office to ask to receive the answers urgently. The magazine was offered either to receive them in Swedish, in which case an extra time for translation would be required, or to receive the English version immediately after the replies were approved. Svensk Jakt chose the last solution.

The time for replies to written interviews has decreased considerably since the new Commission took office. However, the number of requests remains high. Although the highest importance is attached to communication with the media and the general public, some delays in responding to interviews, can unfortunately not be completely avoided. Also, as the Honourable Member will understand, some prioritisation of interviews in light of the Commission's political agenda and priorities will remain necessary, also in the future.