WRITTEN QUESTION E-2011/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(12 July 2001)

Subject: Göteborg Summit and removing the causes of violent conflict at meetings of European heads of government

1. Can the Council confirm that during preparations for the EU Summit of 15 and 16 June 2001 in Göteborg, the police began by engaging in constructive dialogue with the organisers of peaceful demonstrations whose intention it was to call attention to a divergent opinion during the summit?

2. Can the Council also confirm that the above approach, based on contact, dialogue and de-escalation, was suddenly abandoned by the police a few days before the summit and that from that moment on they were no longer approachable to demonstrators? For what reasons?

3. What assumptions underlie the unexpectedly harsh approach to maintaining order as of Thursday 15 June, which included forcing those present in certain sleeping accommodation to lie flat on the ground, police beatings and intimidation, causing possible agents provocateurs to mingle with the demonstrators, taking individuals into preventive detention and shooting with live ammunition.

4. Does the Council share my view that groups wish to draw attention to their divergent view by peaceful means may, in the event of a police deployment experienced by them as unreasonable be so demoralised that they will out of desperation allow themselves be led on by a very small minority who may possible not have come with peaceful intentions?

5. How will the Council help to remove the now much sharper opposition between the Europe of the leaders, whose main interests are in centralisation, uniformity, economic liberalisation, spending cuts and a high-handed show of force and the Europe of the citizen that gives priority to democracy, activity on a small scale, social equality, environment protection, disarmament and social services?

6. Is the Council prepared to engage in constructive talks with the Member States responsible for security in each instance to ensure by way of consistently maintained de-escalating and tolerant policing operations that subsequent summit meetings will no longer be at the centre of outbreaks of violence?

Reply

(27 November 2001)

1. As the Honourable Member knows, the Council has addressed this issue on two occasions at its meetings on 13 July 2001 (Justice and Home Affairs) and 16 July 2001 (General Affairs).

2. At the first of those meetings, the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States:

- recognised that the host country is responsible for maintaining public order and safety in the context of meetings of the European Council and other comparable events;

- recalled that one of the objectives of the European Union is to maintain and develop the Union as an area of freedom, security and justice;

- deplored the actions of those who abuse democratic rights by initiating, planning and carrying out acts of violence to coincide with public demonstrations;

- recalled the need for a dialogue with non-governmental organisations, social partners and civil society.

Building on the possibilities offered by existing legal instruments and bodies set up within the European Union, they saw a need to stress the importance of effective European cooperation on law and order.

3. At its meeting on 16 July 2001, the Council announced that it would publish, in conjunction with the Commission, a detailed rationale of the already very positive role played by the European Union in this regard.

As regards police action during the Göteborg European Council, the Swedish authorities are currently conducting an inquiry, including a parliamentary inquiry conducted by the former Prime Minister, Mr Ingvar Carlsson.

4. The Council would inform the Honourable Member that the full text of the conclusions mentioned in the first paragraph above is available on the Council's Internet site.