WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3892/97 by Graham WATSON to the Commission. Discrimination against Romanies in the Czech Republic
Date: 1997-12-11
Institutions: European Parliament, WATSON
Subjects: Czechia, accession to the European Union, anti-discriminatory measure, discrimination on the basis of nationality, ethnic group, human rights, national, national minority, protection of freedoms, support policy

16. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187/77

(98/C 187/121)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3891/97

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(11 December 1997)

Subject: Organizations responsible for the management of EAGGF Guarantee Section spending

Will  the  Commission  provide  detailed  information  about  the  organizations  (payment,  certification  and
coordination bodies) authorized in each Member State in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) 1287/95 (1)
and Commission Regulation 1663/95 (2) to manage EAGGF Guarantee Section spending, and say in particular
which product they have been authorized to manage, what is their legal basis and whether they have a technical
service or have entrusted other bodies with the technical controls?

(1)  OJ L 125, 8.6.1995, p.1.
(2)  OJ L 158, 8.7.1995, p.6.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(21 January 1998)

The detailed information requested on the payment certification and coordination bodies set up under Article
4(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 of the Council of 21 April 1970 on the financing of the common agricultural
policy (1) and Articles 1, 2 and 3 of Regulation (EEC) No 1663/95 of 7 July 1995 laying down detailed rules for
the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 regarding the procedure for the clearance of the accounts
of the European agriculture guidance and guarantee fund (EAGGF) -guarantee section, is forwarded direct to the
Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat. The position shown has been confirmed by Member States
as correct as at 1 May 1997. The data is planned to be revised and updated following the accounts clearance
decision for the 1997 financial year in April 1998.

All paying agencies rely on technical services either in house or by delegation to other national authorities. As a
general rule the physical controls pertinent to claims for export refunds are performed by the customs authorities.
The delegation of technical services for other measures follows the national administrative structures adopted by
each Member State. All technical services › in house or delegated › must comply with the relevant accreditation
criterion which is set out at point 4 of the annex to Regulation (EEC) No 1663/95.

The Commission has already evaluated the performance of all major paying agencies against the accreditation
criteria set out in the annex to Regulation (EEC) No 1663/95 and has obtained improvements where deficiencies
have been noted. This process continues by means of direct visits on-the-spot and by means of the annual audit
reports  which  are  submitted  by  certifying  bodies,  and  evaluated  by  the  Commission,  with  any  problems
identified pursued as necessary.

(1)  OJ L 94, 28.4.1970.

(98/C 187/122)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3892/97

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(11 December 1997)

Subject: Discrimination against Romanies in the Czech Republic

In  recent  months  there  have  been  a  number  of  disturbing  reports  concerning  the  widespread  discrimination
against  Romanies  in  the  Czech  Republic,  many  of  whom  find  themselves  illegitimately  deprived  of  Czech
citizenship. What steps will the Commission take to pressurize the Czech Government into recognizing the rights
of these groups?

Does  the  Commission  agree  that  the  satisfactory  resolution  of  this  problem  must  constitute  a  fundamental
precondition to the Czech Republic(cid:146)s entry into the European Union?