WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1638/97 by Ursula SCHLEICHER to the Commission. Translation of international documents into the Community languages
Date: 1997-05-14
Institutions: European Parliament, SCHLEICHER
Subjects: EAEC Treaty, EU Official Journal, official language, ratification of an agreement, translation













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91997E1638

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1638/97 by Ursula SCHLEICHER to the Commission. Translation of international documents into the Community languages  


Official Journal C 045 , 10/02/1998 P. 0067 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1638/97 by Ursula Schleicher (PPE) to the Commission (14 May 1997)Subject: Translation of international documents into the Community languagesFurther to Commissioner Papoutsis' Answer No E-4112/96 ((OJ C 186, 18.6.1997, p. 192. )) to my Written Question of 17 December 1996 on the European Energy Charter, I have the following additional questions for the Commission:You state that the depositary government (Portugal) transmitted the text of the Treaty in all original languages (German, Italian, Russian and Spanish) and that after the signature of the Treaty the German language version had had to be improved.1. How is it possible that the originally binding texts transmitted by the depositary government were published in the Official Journal of the European Communities in a version different from that published in Germany?2. Was the final text that was recognized by the depositary government in the summer of 1995 republished in an Official Journal and was attention drawn to the correction so as to make it clear that the former texts are no longer legally binding?3. Does the Commission consider that the depositing of ratification instruments by the Community and its Member States in differing language versions of international treaties is a matter of no importance?4. Do similar problems exist in other Member States? This question has still not been answered by the Commission.5. How is it possible, to quote the Commission, that 'the Community language versions ... will be equally applicable' if the language versions do not agree?Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (3 July 1997)1. The text of the energy charter treaty signed on 17 December 1994 in Lisbon was published in the Official journal ((OJ L 380, 31.12.1994. )). In 1995 the German version was linguistically improved in order to comply with the linguistic usage of the different German speaking countries. These modifications are stylistic only and do not concern the substance of the treaty. The final German version of the treaty, which is at the basis of the German ratification procedure, was published in Germany in 1996.2. The linguistically improved German version has up to now not been published again in the Official journal.3. The conclusion of the energy charter treaty by the Communities will be based on the present authentic language versions. Republication in the Official journal of the full text, including modifictions, of the energy charter treaty and related acts, is under consideration.4. The Commission is not aware that the same problem has come up in other official languages of the Communities.5. The Commission takes the view that the present authentic language versions are consistent.