do-me/EUR-LEX huggingface dataset:
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2568/97 by Glyn FORD to the Council. Asylum protocol
Date: 1997-07-28
Institutions: European Parliament, FORD
Subjects: EU national, Protocol (EU), human rights, international conflict, interpretation of the law, right of asylum

C 102/60

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

3. 4. 98

Answer given by Mrs Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission

(22 September 1997)

Assuming that the Honourable Member is referring to the State Harokopion university, the Commission would
inform him that, according to the Greek authorities:

› 

› 

› 

the area described in the question is private property, bequeathed to the university in 1915;

four years ago the property was officially designated as a university compound. It has not been designated as
a green area. Furthermore, as belonging to a university and as a bequest the property is protected by the
Greek constitution and Greek legislation;

the  university  recently  renovated  its  existing  buildings.  The  surface  of  the  surrounding  grounds  is
20 000 square metres, of which 670 square metres will be used for the construction of the university library,
the only new building in the compound. The construction of the building has been officially approved by the
Greek authorities following all necessary legal procedures, and is to be cofinanced by the Community in the
framework of the operational programme for Attica;

› 

the university has planted over 2 500 trees and plants and restored all traditional wells in the compound.

(98/C 102/84)

Subject: Asylum protocol

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2568/97

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Council

(28 July 1997)

Would the protocol which restricts EU citizen(cid:146)s access to apply for asylum in other EU countries, adopted at the
Amsterdam Summit, be suspended if an internal conflict or a conflict between two states or more were to take
place involving European Union countries?

(98/C 102/85)

Subject: Asylum protocol

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2569/97

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Council

(28 July 1997)

Would the protocol which restricts EU citizen(cid:146)s access to apply for asylum in other EU countries, adopted at the
Amsterdam Summit, be suspended if a Member State(cid:146)s respect for human rights was brought into question?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2568/97 and E-2569/97

(7 November 1997)

The Council considers it inappropriate at this stage to interpret the protocol in question, given that the Treaty of
which the protocol forms part has not yet entered into force.

(98/C 102/86)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2576/97

by Juan Colino Salamanca (PSE) and Jesu·s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Breaking the EU embargo on British beef

(24 July 1997)

On 2 July 1997, Commissioner Bonino reported a possible illegal sale of British beef, under embargo because of
the mad cow crisis, stating on Italian television that Spain was one of the countries of destination for this beef.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2558/97 by Richard BALFE to the Council. Sri Lanka
Date: 1997-07-28
Institutions: BALFE, European Parliament
Subjects: Sri Lanka, economic reconstruction, ethnic conflict, peacekeeping, settlement of disputes, the EU's international role

C 117/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 4. 98

Answer given by Ms Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 1997)

Having previously sent letters to a number of environmental associations, the Commission has written several
times to the Greek authorities, asking them precisely what measures they intend to take to stop industries in the
Drymos area discharging dangerous liquids into Lake Koroneia and what schemes they intend to introduce to
prevent further pollution of this lake, particularly in relation to the pollution reduction programme provided for
in Article 7 of Directive 76/464/EEC on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the
aquatic environment of the Community (1).

Replying to these letters, the Greek authorities have admitted that pollution of the lake has reached a critical
level. They have, moreover, sent the Commission precise information on industrial operating conditions in the
area (letters dated 21 February 1997 and 12 August 1997). This correspondence shows that most of these firms
are still discharging effluent into Lake Koroneia and are not complying with the environmental rules laid down in
Community legislation, in particular Directive 76/464/EEC.

Furthermore,  the  Minister  for  the  Environment  is  drafting  a  ministerial  Decision  which  includes  a  series  of
measures  to  protect  Lake  Koroneia.  To  enable  the  necessary  measures  to  be  introduced  swiftly,  Community
financial assistance (from the Structural Funds) has been requested.

It  is  the  Commission’s  view  that,  in  spite  of  the  Greek  government’s  efforts,  the  measures  which  have  been
notified are still inadequate. Further action needs to be taken, as swiftly as possible, to stop the pollution of Lake
Koroneia.

(1)  OJ L 129, 18.5.1976.

(98/C 117/31)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2558/97

by Richard Balfe (PSE) to the Council

(28 July 1997)

Subject: Sri Lanka

Will the Council update its declaration on behalf of the European Union on Sri Lanka, released on 17 April 1997,
in the light of recent developments in that country?

Answer

(26 November 1997)

The European Union is closely monitoring developments in the political situation in Sri Lanka and makes its
position known, where appropriate, by means of declarations and de·marches.

In its Declaration of 17 April 1997, the European Union welcomed the exchange of letters between the President
of Sri Lanka and the leader of the opposition on a bipartisan approach to the ethnic conflict in that country.

The  European  Union  continues  to  support  this  constructive  approach  and  hopes  that  it  will  contribute  to  an
ending of confrontational politics in Sri Lanka, in particular through the conclusion of a national agreement.

The European Union remains ready to assist reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts as soon as this becomes
possible.
WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2702/97 by Konstantinos HATZIDAKIS to the Commission. Extremely low take-up of funds from the CSF for Greece for the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
Date: 1997-07-28
Institutions: European Parliament, HATZIDAKIS
Subjects: Community support framework, EU financing, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Macedonia, less-favoured region, operational programme, use of aid

3. 4. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 102/95

› 

indirectly:  by  prioritising  support  for  displaced  groups  in  areas  covered  by  Community-financed  rural
development projects in Colombia.

(1)  OJ L 68, 8.3.1997.

(98/C 102/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2698/97

by Maartje van Putten (PSE) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Demonstrators in Papua New Guinea

1.  a) 

Is  the  Commission  aware  that  criminal  proceedings  are  currently  under  way  in  Papua  New  Guinea
(PNG) against Jonathan O(cid:146)ata, John Kawowo, Powes Parkop and John Napu who had played a leading
role in March 1997 in organizing demonstrations against the deployment of mercenaries by the PNG
authorities in Bougainville?

1.  b)  If so, is it monitoring these proceedings?

2.  Does the Commission agree with Amnesty International that if these men are found guilty and imprisoned
they  should  be  regarded  as  political  prisoners  and  that  this  would  damage  the  relatively  open  political
climate in Papua New Guinea?

3.  What  opportunities  does  the  Commission  see  in  its  contacts  with  the  PNG  authorities  for  calling  for

proceedings which respect human rights and political freedoms?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(7 October 1997)

The Commission has followed closely the issue of the accusations against Jonathan O(cid:146)ata, John Kawowo, Powes
Parkop and John Napu.

After the elections in June, a new government was formed on 29 July 1997 and it immediately became clear that
this new government sought a national reconciliation on issues related to the Sandline mercenaries crisis.

However, the four above named appeared in court on 29 August 1997 on charges of unlawful assembly. The
prosecution appeared not to have their case ready and requested the magistrate to adjourn it, without proposing a
date. This was not accepted by the defence and in the end the charges were dropped. The case is therefore to be
considered closed.

(98/C 102/138)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2702/97

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE) to the Commission

(28 July 1997)

Subject: Extremely  low  take-up  of  funds  from  the  CSF  for  Greece  for  the  region  of  Eastern  Macedonia  and

Thrace

According to reports in the Greek press, the take-up rate of funds under the CSF for the Greek region of Eastern
Macedonia  and  Thrace  is  extremely  low.  To  date,  i.e.  over  three  years  since  the  CSF  for  Greece  came  into
operation, the take-up rate for the Regional Operational Programme (ROP) for Eastern Macedonia and Thrace ›