WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4086/97 by Wolfgang KREISSL-DÖRFLER to the Commission. Mapping of indigenous territories in the Amazon region
Date: 1998-01-16
Institutions: European Parliament, KREISSL-DOERFLER
Subjects: Brazil, cartography, development plan, forest conservation, indigenous population, land and buildings, protection of minorities, tropical forest

16. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187/123

(98/C 187/191)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4086/97

by Wolfgang Kreissl-Do¤rfler (V) to the Commission

(16 January 1998)

Subject: Mapping of indigenous territories in the Amazon region

A number of projects to map indigenous territories and protected areas in the Amazon region have been carried
out on the instructions of the European Commission.

What contacts exist, in connection with the mapping of indigenous territories and protected areas, between the
Commission(cid:146)s project partners and the respective national institutions in the Amazon states concerned? How
does the Commission evaluate that cooperation?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-4084/97, E-4085/97 and E-4086/97
given by Mr Mar(cid:14)·n on behalf of the Commission

(3 February 1998)

The Community has financed numerous projects in Amazonia involving the mapping of indigenous territories,
through the tropical forest budget line. These projects aim to establish the limits of indigenous territories with the
primary intention of encouraging the conservation and sustainable development of tropical forests, so that such
groups can chose to continue to practise their traditional ways of life wherever feasible and sustainable given
competing demands from other land-users.

The  Commission  was  invited  to  assist  developing  countries  establish  an  accurate  overall  view  of  indigenous
lands  in  their  territories.  In  this  context  the  Commission  is  preparing  a  working  document  on  support  for
indigenous people in development cooperation.

The Commission has assisted the Instituto socio-ambiental (ISA) in Brazil to prepare accurate, up-to-date maps
of indigenous territories in that country, and to set up a network linking similar organisations in Latin America to
share experience and coordinate transboundary activities. This work is continuing in a second phase which is just
getting under way, that will incorporate other geographical information such as vegetation types, into a single
GIS (geographic information system). ISA has thus become the national repository of information on indigenous
territories in Brazil, to the extent that government organisations such as National foundation of support to the
indigenous (FUNAI), turn first to ISA for maps and to help resolve land conflict issues involving indigenous
people. ISA has also got strong links with the G7 pilot programme, particularly the (cid:145)Indigenous lands(cid:146) project,
which has been demarcating the legal boundaries of recognised indigenous groups in the Brazilian Amazon with
support from the German government and the Community (through the Rainforest trust fund).

In  Brazil,  ISA  maintains  very  close  contact  with  the  government,  especially  FUNAI,  the  federal  department
responsible for indigenous affairs.

(98/C 187/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4088/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(16 January 1998)

Subject: Full details concerning funding for Mediterranean countries

Can the Commission provided analytical tables giving full details to date of funding for Israel, Lebanon, Syria,
Jordan, Turkey, Cyprus, Malta, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Palestinian territories, if possible from the
time of the first Community agreements (1977)?

Can  the  Commission  provide  full  details  concerning  funding  for  each  country  from  all  sources  (Community
budget, horizontal measures, bilateral agreements and financial protocols, European Investment Bank and any
other Community initiatives)?