ddrg/super_eurlex huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2035/01

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

(13 July 2001)

Subject: Human rights situation in Vietnam

Is the Commission aware that the Vietnamese Government is still holding the 83-year-old patriarch of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Thich Huyen Quang, in prison?

Is the Commission aware that, moreover, the Secretary-General of the churches, Thich Quang Do, was placed under house arrest for two years on 31 May and that three Buddhist monks, Thich Tam An, Thich Khong Tahn and Thich Quang Hue, have been arrested?

Is the Commission aware that hundreds of pagodas in Central Vietnam are being blockaded by the Vietnamese army?

Will the Commission request clarification of the fate of the above people and urge the Vietnamese Government to respect freedom of religion as a fundamental right of its citizens?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2001)

It is understood that the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang is not in prison, but remains under house arrest at a Buddhist pagoda in the Province of Quang Ngai. The Venerable Thich Quang Do is reported to have been placed under administrative detention for two years from 1 June 2001 by the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh, following his public statement of his intention to lead a convoy to Quang Ngai Province in order to remove Thich Huyen Quang from house arrest and escort him to Ho Chi Minh City for medical treatment. It is reported that Thich Tam An, Thich Khong Tanh and Thich Quang Hue are under arrest due to their support for the action announced by Thich Quang Do. It is also reported that, at the beginning of June, (coinciding with the detention of Thich Quang Do), access to a number of pagodas was blocked by the local Vietnamese authorities.

The Delegation of the Commission in Hanoi, together with the diplomatic missions to Vietnam of the Member States, follows closely matters of concern in the field of human rights and participates in all actions to convey the Union's concern to the Vietnamese authorities. The Commission will continue to raise particular issues and individual cases of concern in the course of these contacts.

Attention is drawn to the remarks of the member of the Commission responsible for External Relations in the Parliament debate on religious freedom in Vietnam on 5 July 2001(1).

(1) H/se asia/Vietnam/2001/EP Replies.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1705/01

by Fernando Fernández Martín (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 June 2001)

Subject: Means of payment

The incidence of payment by credit card may be expected to increase considerably in the future: such payment will be a key instrument in the transition to the euro, since it will be vital for consumers' payments

and movements within the EU. However, in practice the banks oblige retailers to bear the costs of credit card transactions, while the rates of commission charged vary considerably from one Member State to another.

Can the Commission provide information on the different rates of commission charged by the banks in the Member States, and on any specific plans it may have for EU-wide harmonisation in this field?

Does the Commission intend to adopt, or has it already adopted, any special measures to alleviate the losses which will arise from the large-scale use of credit cards following the transition to the euro, for those retailers whose profit margin is non-elastic and who are therefore unable to pass on to the consumer the costs arising from credit card transactions (e.g. petrol pump operators and service stations)?

Can the Commission supply information on the compatibility with Community law of the rates of commission established by credit card companies and banks for each transaction and of the circumstance that these companies are in practice forcing retailers to bear the costs of credit card transactions?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(20 September 2001)

If a retailer wishes to accept payment by credit card, he has to enter into a contract with an acquiring bank. This contract specifies the rates to be charged to the retailer for the service (retail transaction fee).

In determining the retail transaction fee, the acquiring bank takes account of its costs (transaction processing costs, interchange fees, payment terminal maintenance costs, etc.) and its profit margin in the local competitive context. The actual retail transaction fees can therefore vary considerably from one Member State to the next.

The fact that acquiring banks charge a retail transaction fee for a service does not conflict with Community rules. The Commission does not intend to intervene in that competitive commercial process to regulate the amount charged to retailers for the service, nor is it the Commission's aim to harmonise the situation within the Community.

Nonetheless, the Commission feels that the introduction of the euro should also lead to a single payment area and therefore, on 25 July 2001, proposed a draft regulation laying down a principle of non-discrimination in charges for payments in euros. The implications of this, as far as the Honourable Member's question is concerned, are that the retailer must pay the same fee for all transactions, whether domestic or cross-border.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1478/01

by Rainer Wieland (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 May 2001)

Subject: Racism in the Netherlands

1. Is the Commission aware that De Buddy's a Dutch church choir which is as well known in the Netherlands as the Vienna's Boys' Choir in German-speaking countries, have recently produced a CD entitled Do not buy from Austrians?

2. Is the Commission aware of the historic significance of this title in the light of the last hundred years of German history?

3. Does the Commission know whether the Dutch Government is taking any action against this and other xenophobic manifestations?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(6 September 2001)

The Commission condemns all forms of racism and xenophobia, including incitement to racial hatred. It underlines that as part of the fight against racism and xenophobia, it is important to remember the lessons of the past.

The Commission recalls that the Council adopted, on 29 June 2000(1) on a proposal from the Commission, directive 2000/43/EC on the promotion of equality between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin. This directive prohibits racial and ethnic discrimination in employment, education, social protection, social advantages and access to and the supply of goods and services. The Member States have until 19 July 2003 in which to take the necessary measures to transpose the directive into national law.

The Commission also recalls the Joint Action adopted by the Council on 15 July 1996 concerning action to combat racism and xenophobia(2). Member States were asked to ensure that a number of racist and xenophobic behaviours listed in the Joint Action be punishable as criminal offences or, failing that, to derogate from the principle of double criminality for such behaviours. The Commission considers that it is time to achieve further progress regarding criminal law measures against racist and xenophobic offences and it is currently preparing a legislative proposal in this field.

The Commission is aware of the existence of the Dutch boys singing group De Buddy's and the controversy which surrounded the inclusion on a recent CD of the song Kauf nicht bei Österreichern, intended as a protest against the formation of the current Austrian Federal Government. The Commission is not aware of any action having been taken by the Dutch authorities as a result of the release of this song.

(1) OJ L 180, 19.7.2000.

(2) OJ L 185, 24.7.1996.
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1580/01

by Cecilia Malmström (ELDR) to the Council

(28 May 2001)

Subject: Néjib Hosni, prisoner of conscience in Tunisia

Néjib Hosni, who has received numerous international prizes for his committed work in defence of human rights and is a founder member of the Conseil national des libertés en Tunisie (CNLT), National Council for Liberties in Tunisia, was imprisoned in June 1994 on a trumped-up charge of forgery. After being sentenced, without evidence, to eight years in prison in an unfair trial in 1996, he was conditionally released at the end of the same year after an international campaign of solidarity.

Mr Hosni was re-arrested in December 2000 and sentenced to 15 days in prison for non-compliance with a judicial decision which banned him from practising his profession as a lawyer for five years. This ban was arbitrary since it was in breach of current texts regulating the legal profession. Néjib Hosni is now being forced to complete the remaining five and a half years of the eight-year sentence imposed in the 1996 trial.

Furthermore, the attacks and intimidation from the government, to which Mr Hosni and human rights defenders are subjected, have reached an unprecedented level. The imprisonment of Mr Hosni, the suspension of the activities of the Ligue tunisienne des droits de l'homme (LTDH), Tunisian Human Rights League, the increase in judicial proceedings against the leaders of the LTDH and the CNLT, as well as physical attacks on the leaders and activists of these and other civil associations, are only a few examples of the deterioration in the human rights situation in Tunisia.

Which measures will the Council take to put an end to pressure and attacks on human rights defenders in Tunisia and to influence the Tunisian government to immediately and unconditionally release Néjib Hosni and allow him freedom of movement in Tunisia and abroad?

Reply

(26 November 2001)

With regard to Mr Néjib Hosni, the Council notes with satisfaction his release from the El-Kef prison on 12 May 2001 after nearly five months of imprisonment following a presidential pardon. By the same token, it notes that two other political prisoners, Mr Béchir Abid and Mr Haroun Mbarek, have been set free, although only on conditional terms, at the end of May. Both are members of political parties prohibited in Tunisia. Finally, the Council welcomes the release from detention of Sihem Ben Sedrine on August 11 and hopes that the charges of insulting an official, which have been raised against her, will be dealt with according to a due procedure of law.

The Council will continue to raise human rights issues, including such individual cases as that of Mr Hosni, with the Tunisian authorities whenever the need arises and at any level it deems appropriate, including in its political dialogue with Tunisia.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1523/01

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Council

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Chemical and biological weapons in Russia

A number of reports point out the serious risks connected with the enormous arsenal of chemical and biological weapons inherited by Russia and, unlike nuclear weapons, it seems that no steps have been taken to destroy them.

Does the Commission consider it appropriate to launch programmes in agreement with the Russians to obtain detailed information and subsequently take practical steps to reduce and eliminate the most dangerous products, not least in the interests of the safety of Europe's citizens?

Reply

(21 November 2001)

In accordance with Article VII, 5 of the Chemical Weapons Convention, a State Party shall inform the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) of the legislative and administrative measures taken to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Russian Federation is a State Party to this Convention. Detailed reports on the state of play of the Russian Chemical Weapons destruction programmes are therefore regularly discussed in the Executive Council of the OPWC.

On 17 December 1999 the Council adopted a Joint Action establishing a European Union Cooperation Programme for Non-proliferation and Disarmament in the Russian Federation. The objective of the Programme is to support the Russian Federation in its efforts towards arms control and disarmament. Within that framework, installation services and equipment valued at nearly 6 million will be delivered to projects aimed at the destruction of the Chemical Weapons in Gorny. Further actions relating to weapons of mass destruction in the Russian Federation are currently being considered.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2577/01

by Dominique Vlasto (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 September 2001)

Subject: Quality initiatives for the hotel sector

The quality of tourist amenities is of vital importance for the development of this sector within the European Union.

In this context, quality initiatives for the hotel sector are particularly relevant. Various factors which help to stimulate tourist activity are a warm welcome, attractive hotels, high standards of safety and comfort and modern fittings.

The Member States each have their own approach regarding assistance from the various public, state and local bodies for improvements to hotel infrastructure.

Could the Commission say whether any Community aid exists to promote quality initiatives for hotels in EU Member States?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(29 October 2001)

The Commission is well aware of the importance of ensuring quality in all aspects of the European tourism product, including hotels. In this context it co-ordinated and participated in an expert Working Group, mandated to consider this very issue, which produced its final report in June 2001.

As part of its work, the Working Group on Improving the Quality of Tourist Products identified those European policy areas which could have an impact on quality improvement, including sources of available funding. The Group concluded that of the various sources of Community funding, the European Regional Development Fund and the other structural funds were those most appropriate to the purpose. These funds are delivered at the regional level for defined eligible areas across the Community through agreed multi-annual investment programmes.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-0385/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(15 February 2001)

Subject: EU funds

What is the total of EU grants and funding spent in or allocated to the south-east region of the United Kingdom for each of the last five years for which figures are available?

Supplementary answergiven by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(28 November 2001)

Further to its answer of 23 March 2001(1), the Commission is sending the information requested direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat.

(1) OJ C 174 E, 19.6.2001, p. 262.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2429/01

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 September 2001)

Subject: Safety on ski slopes

The risk of accidents on ski slopes is generally relatively high and serious injuries to skiers are not uncommon. The risk is increased by the operation of snow scooters, sometimes on steep parts of runs and where visibility is extremely poor.

Can the Commission tell me what European Union rules or regulations apply to the use of snow scooters (driving licences, insurance requirements and number plates), and whether snow scooters are subject to any provisions governing their technical characteristics or safety devices (flashing lights, acoustic warnings) with which manufacturers are required to comply?

Will the Commission also indicate whether, in the absence of such provisions, it will seek to have them introduced, with a view to reducing the risks to both skiers and snow scooter drivers?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(31 October 2001)

At Community level there are no requirements relating to the use of snow scooters. In accordance with the EC Treaty, Member States may take the measures which they deem necessary in order to lay down certain requirements for drivers, for example, regarding compulsory insurance, registration, driving licences, etc. For the time being, the Commission does not intend to incorporate measures to regulate the use of snow scooters into its work programme.

As far as snow scooters are concerned, it should be noted that, as machinery, they must meet the requirements of Directive 98/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to machinery(1).

This Directive concerns especially the protection of persons on or around machinery with respect to the risks connected with the machinery itself, whereas safety issues relating to traffic movements fall outside the scope of the Directive. The Directive does not lay down requirements directly relating to driving in places where there are other users (for example, indicators, signalling devices, sidelights, etc.), as these requirements are determined by the Member States.

(1) OJ L 207, 23.7.1998.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-2290/01

by Monica Frassoni (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(31 July 2001)

Subject: LIFE project for the re-introduction of bears (Ursus arctos) into the Parco Adamello-Brenta (Italy)

A programme financed under the Commission's LIFE project has been launched with a view to re-introducing bears (Ursus arctos) into Italy's Parco Adamello-Brenta. It appears that the funds provided by the promoter (the Parco Adamello-Brenta) and the financial backers (the Trentino-Alto Adige regional authorities and the EU) have to be specifically earmarked to cover a variety of costs, including the provision of safeguards to protect individuals and the payment of compensation for any loss or damage suffered by farmers or other persons. In addition, annual reports documenting the success of the project and the achievement of the intermediate objectives also have to be produced.

What precautions and action plans have been devised in order to protect the safety of any bears which stray outside the safe areas, as has recently been reported to have happened?

What action has been taken in order to protect the safety of the bear known by researchers as Vida, who is now outside the area covered by the LIFE project?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2001)

The Parco Adamello-Brenta has supplied the following information regarding the monitoring and protection of the bears which have been released, including the bear known as Vida.

Vida, a four-year-old female released in May, has crossed the Province of Bolzano and moved into the Province of Belluno. She is currently reported to be in the area around Agordo.

The eventuality of some released animals straying significantly away from the park area was covered in the project feasibility study carried out by the National Institute for Wild Fauna in 1998.

The park's monitoring teams are following Vida's progress by means of radio range-finding, just as they have followed the other bears which have moved outside the Province of Trento.

Vida is still on the move, which makes it impossible as yet to determine what her eventual roaming ground might be. She may even return to the Province of Trento.

To facilitate and improve the monitoring of Vida, the park has concluded formal agreements with the Province of Belluno, under which a professional introductory course on radio range-finding is to be organised shortly for staff in the Province of Belluno, who will then be able to take part in the monitoring effort. In addition, if the bear remains in the Province of Belluno there are plans to start up (in conjunction with the Province of Belluno) a public information drive. It may be mentioned here that public opinion in the area supports the bear's presence, probably because other bears have already arrived from the East over the last few years.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1917/01

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 June 2001)

Subject: Elimination of EU tobacco production aids

Spanish tobacco producers, along with their counterparts in other Member States, have taken a firm stand against the Commission's intended elimination of tobacco production aids, in view of the major social and economic role played by this production in regions such as Andalusia where no alternative crops exist.

Tobacco production provides 6 500 Spanish growers with a living. Some 30 000 households, who have received EU funding to the sum of ESP 18 billion, are directly or indirectly affected by what happens in the sector.

Does the Commission consider it necessary to review its intentions so as to allow continuation of the status quo as regards EU aid to the tobacco sector, thus avoiding unfair discrimination against tobacco producers vis-à-vis other agricultural producers at EU level?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

On 15 May 2001 the Commission adopted the Communication on a European Union Strategy for Sustainable Development(1) to be presented to the Gothenburg European Council on 15 and 16 June 2001.

This document proposes, as part of a series of measures to address public health issues, phasing out subsidies for raw tobacco following on from the evaluation of the common market organisation for tobacco, which is due to be completed in 2002.

The justification for phasing out this aid is the impact the use of tobacco products has on human health with tobacco use being held responsible for over 500 000 deaths annually in the Community. Subsidies for tobacco-growing are not in accordance therefore with Article 152 (formerly Article 129) of the EC treaty which stipulates that a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities.

The Commission Communication states, however, that the phasing out of tobacco subsidies can only take place if measures are put in place to develop alternative sources of income and economic activity for tobacco workers and growers.

The Commission will take steps to ensure that the economic and social fabric of rural tobacco-growing areas remains vigorous.

(1) COM(2001) 264 final.
WRITTEN QUESTION E-1799/01

by Marielle De Sarnez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 June 2001)

Subject: Social situation in the European Union

On 14 March 2001, the Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs published the second annual report on the social situation in Europe. What specific measures does the European Commission intend to take in the light of that report?

While the quality of that report is to be welcomed, since it provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of social trends observed in Europe which maintains continuity following the Lisbon Summit and ties in with the adoption of the Social Policy Agenda at the European Council meeting in Nice, it would nevertheless be useful if the Commission were to draw the proper conclusions from the analysis and indicate the practical measures which it intends to take in the social field.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The Social Situation Report 2001 is intended to be a reference document outlining main social trends and developments. It presents in a comprehensive way comparative analysis and reliable data and complements other Commission reports on topical issues such as employment, social protection, industrial relations and gender equality.

The Report contributes to the monitoring of developments in the social field across Member States. The harmonised social indicators play a crucial role here. The scope of the Report also makes it a solid source for forward-looking analysis and reflection and underpins new policy initiatives.

For future editions from the 2002 report onwards and in line with the Honourable Member's suggestion, it is the Commission's intention to draw conclusions and outline policy responses in the report.