WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3202/97 by Luciano VECCHI to the Commission. Saharawi refugees
Date: 1997-10-16
Institutions: European Parliament, VECCHI
Subjects: UNHCR, Western Sahara, aid programme, aid to refugees, food aid, humanitarian aid, repatriation grant

C 158/58

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-3201/97 and E-3383/97
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(17 November 1997)

It should first be stated that under the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) commercial standard for olive oil
and olive-residue oil, the practices to which the Honourable Members refer may confer the origin of the country
where the processes of filtering and the addition of national olive oil are carried out on the resulting product.

It is precisely to avoid the repetition of such practices that the Commission asked the IOOC to look into the
modification of this standard to, amongst other things, establish stricter and more transparent rules for conferring
origin.

Modification of the IOOC commercial standard on the definition of the country of origin will be examined during
the 77th session of the IOOC in Turkey from 17 to 21 November 1997.

(98/C 158/72)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3202/97

by Luciano Vecchi (PSE) to the Commission

(16 October 1997)

Subject: Saharawi refugees

Will the Commission state whether the measures to assist the plan for the voluntary repatriation of Saharawi
refugees, recently drawn up for by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, have been adopted,
especially with regard to registration, resettlement and rehabilitation of such refugees?

Answer given by Mr Mar(cid:14)·n on behalf of the Commission

(27 November 1997)

Since 1993, overall contributions from the Commission (European Community humanitarian office (ECHO)) for
Western Sahara refugees have amounted to 20 MECU. Last year, a total of 7 MECU was allocated, including
2 MECU from the budget line B7-644 adopted by the Parliament to help the population of Western Sahara and
the remaining 5 MECU from the budget line B7-217.

This year the Commission adopted on 23 May 1997 a decision for the implementation of a global plan amounting
to 7 MECU in favour of the Western Sahara refugees. This plan includes two elements: food aid (5.8 MECU) and
a medical and logistic assistance, emergency rehabilitation and water purification programme (1.2 MECU). The
allocation for 1997 will contribute to ensure supplies to this population of basic products, to maintain the security
stocks, as well as to preserve the living conditions and the health care, on an acceptable level.

As part of the close cooperation between the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, the world food
programme  and  ECHO  concerning  humanitarian  assistance  in  favour  of  Western  Sahara  refugees,  the
Commission will pay great attention to the humanitarian situation of this population during the setting up of the
voluntary repatriation plan and will adapt its 1998 aid programme accordingly.

(98/C 158/73)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3203/97

by Maartje van Putten (PSE) to the Commission

(16 October 1997)

Subject: Consequences of new Directive on chocolate for developing countries

The Council of Development Cooperation Ministers has on several occasions asked the Commission to carry out
a  survey  of  the  economic  impact  on  cocoa  producers  of  the  Commission  proposal  for  a  new  Directive  on
chocolate.