(2004/C58E/090) WRITTENQUESTIONP-1512/03
byMarioMauro(PPE-DE)totheCommission
(29April2003)
Subject:ThecaseofOrieldeArmasPeraza
TheCubanexileOrieldeArmasPeraza,whohasbeenlivingforayearinVicenza(Italy)withhiswifeand
four-year-olddaughter,isanactivememberofthehumanrightsassociation‘CubanPatrioticAlliance’andisawaitingareplytoanapplicationforpoliticalasylumlodgedwiththerelevantItalianauthorities.Thereisnodoubtthat,becauseofhisfrequentcriticismsoftheCastroregime,MrOrieldeArmaswillbearrestedforhispoliticalactivitiesifheissentbacktoCuba.
Hissituationisposingaproblem,however,becausehedoesnothavehealthinsuranceandisunableto
securetreatmentforhisdaughter,whosuffersfromasthma.
The residence permit issued to Mr Oriel de Armas Peraza, which expired on 18August 2002, was
extendedbytheVicenzapoliceuntil14February2003pendingadecisiononhisapplicationforpoliticalasylum.
WilltheCommissiontakestepstoensurethat,insimilarcasesinvolvingseverehumanrightsabuses,
‘Europeanpoliticalasylum’canbegrantedtoenablethosesuchasCubanexileOrieldeArmasPerazaandhisfamilytorenewtheirresidencepermits?
AnswergivenbyMrVitorinoonbehalfoftheCommission
(21May2003)
Inthefieldofasylum,therearenoCommunityprovisionsinplacebasedonArticle63oftheECTreaty
relatedtothematterraisedinthisquestion.TheproposalforaDirectiveonminimumstandardforthequalificationasarefugeeorasapersonotherwiseinneedofinternationalprotection(
1)isstillunder
discussionintheCouncil.Therefore,theCommissionhasnopowertointerveneonthatbasiswiththeItalianauthorities.
(1) OJC51E,26.2.2002.
(2004/C58E/091) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1515/03
byAndréBrie(GUE/NGL)totheCommission
(6May2003)
Subject:Extensive clearing of trees and bushes in FFH areas in the Elbe-Elster district, Brandenburg,
Germany
ForsometimenowextensiveclearingoftreesandbusheshasbeentakingplaceontheriversSchwarze
Elster, Pulsnitz and Röder (Elbe-Elster district, Brandenburg). The competent authority (BrandenburgRegionalEnvironmentOffice)hasjustifiedthisworkonthegroundsofthenecessaryrenovationandmaintenanceworkonthedykes.
TheseoperationshavebeenorarebeingcarriedoutinthefollowingdesignatedFFHareas:
/dash FFHarea509‘Pulsnitzandfloodplains’;
/dash FFHarea495‘MiddlereachoftheSchwarzeElster’;
/dash FFHarea231‘Arnsnesteafloodplains’;
/dash FFHarea498‘KleineRöder’.C58E/74 EN6.3.2004 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion
The Brandenburg Regional Environment Office takesthe view thatthis constitutesmaintenance work
(forurgentflood-protectionreasons),eventhoughtherewasnoacutethreatontheseriversduringthefloodsofAugust2002orduringthoseofJanuary2003.TheextensiveclearanceoftreesandbushesintheseFFHareasishavingaconsiderableimpactonprotectedhabitatsandanimalspecies.
CantheCommissionsay:
/dash whetherithasalreadybeeninformedofthiswork?
/dash whetheritispreparedtoverifyifthisclearingoperationissimplyrenovationormaintenancework
(asclaimedbytheBrandenburgRegionalEnvironmentOffice)?
/dash whetheritispreparedtoinvestigate(perhapsonthespot)thepossibilitythattheworkmaybein
breachofEUdirectives(FFHDirective)?
AnswergivenbyMrsWallströmonbehalfoftheCommission
(19June2003)
TheCommissionhasnotbeeninformedofthedevelopmentsdescribedbytheHonourableMember.Itwill
initiateaninvestigationastowhethertherequirementsofCouncilDirective92/43/EECof21May1992ontheconservationofnaturalhabitatsandofwildfaunaandflora(
1)havebeenrespectedinthiscase.
(1) OJL206,22.7.1992.
(2004/C58E/092) WRITTENQUESTIONE-1528/03
byCamiloNogueiraRomán(Verts/ALE)totheCommission
(6May2003)
Subject:CreationofaJointInspectionStructure(JIS)andproposaltosetuptheCommunityFisheries
ControlAgencyinGalicia
On21MarchthisyeartheCommissionpublishedaCommunicationtotheCouncilandtheEuropean
Parliament‘TowardsuniformandeffectiveimplementationoftheCommonFisheriesPolicy’inwhichit
includedaproposaltointroduceaCommunitysystemtostepupinspectionandsurveillanceinthesphere
of fisheries(1). According to some media sources this proposal has caused a conflict of competence
betweentheCommissionandtheMemberStates,sinceanumberofthelatterconsiderthattheproposalencroachesonnationalcompetences.Whatisthecurrentstateofplayasfarasthisproposalisconcerned?
TheCommunicationsuggestssettingupaCommunityFisheriesControlAgency(CFCA)anddefinesits
functionsandtasks.WhatconditionsshouldaEuropeancitymeetinordertoqualifyasthelocationforthisagency?
DoestheCommissionnotconsiderthat,althoughtheMemberStatesareresponsiblefordecidingonthe
locationoftheCommunityFisheriesControlAgency,itshouldproposethatitbesetupinaregion
particularlyimportantforthefisheriessector?
Inthiscase,Galiciafulfilsalltheconditions,inviewofitsstrategypositionontheAtlanticcoast,thefact
thatitisaEuropeanfisheriespowerandthatalargeproportionofinternationalseatrafficpassesalongitscoastline,andbearinginmindtheeconomicconsequencesoftheseriousaccidentcausedbythe‘Prestige’fortheregion’sfisheriessector.
IstheCommissionconsideringthepossibilityofproposingGaliciaasthelocationoftheCommunity
FisheriesControlAgency?
(1) COM(2003)130final.6.3.2004EN C58E/75 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanUnion