WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4164/97 by Rijk van DAM to the Commission. Extension of the 'old for new' provision
Date: 1998-01-21
Institutions: European Parliament, VAN DAM
Subjects: application of EU law, industrial restructuring, inland waterway fleet, transport policy, vessel

C 304/12

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

3.
Is the Council fully aware of the seriousness of the situation which could occur in the event of the arrest or
hostage taking of foreigners, including Dutch nationals, for involvement in the planning of the alleged coup as
the Suriname government would then want to start negotiations for a mutual ending of investigations. This would
involve the halting of proceedings against and release of those foreigners, including Dutch nationals arrested for
alleged involvement in organizing the coup in exchange for the dropping of the international investigation and
extradition request for the Suriname state counsellor Desi Bouterse, the dropping of the investigation of Bouterse
for involvement in large-scale international cocaine trading and involvement in and leadership of an international
criminal organization of which Desi Bouterse is accused by the Dutch judicial authorities?

4.

Is the Council properly prepared to respond adequately if such hostage-taking occurs?

Joint answer to Written Questions
E-4160/97, E-4161/97, E-4162/97 and E-4163/97

(18 May 1998)

The  Council  is  only  aware  of  the  information  provided  by  the  Suriname  authorities.  According  to  this
information, a number of persons have been arrested in the weekend of 25 October 1997 allegedly planning a
coup.

The Council is also aware of a letter of the human rights organisation Moiwana 86 to the Inter American Com-
mission on human rights concerning the case mentioned by the Honourable Member of Parliament.

In so far as the Council has been able to obtain information in relation to the case of the alleged suspect who came
to the Netherlands Embassy in October 1997, that person was not seeking asylum.

The Council is of the opinion that should a hostage-taking case occur in Suriname the necessary measures would
have to be taken in order to try to find a peaceful solution to an action of this type.

The Council is unaware of the allegations and accusations to which the Honourable Member refers to as having
been made by Desi Delano Bouterse.

Furthermore, taking into account the fact that the judicial investigations referred to by the Honourable Member
are still pending, the Council is not in a position to comment on this subject.

(98/C 304/18)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4164/97

by Rijk van Dam (I-EDN) to the Commission

(21 January 1998)

Subject: Extension of the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) provision

Article 8 of Regulation 1101/89 (1) states that for a period of five years from the entry into force of the regulation
no newly constructed vessels may be brought into service on inland waterways unless the owner scraps a tonnage
specified by the Commission or pays a contribution set by the Commission. In 1994 under Regulation 844/94 (2)
the term of this (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) provision was extended by five years to ten years after the entry into force of
Regulation 1101/89. This means that the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) provision would apply until 1 May 1999. The industry has
now stated almost unanimously that an extension of this provision even after this date is needed.

1.

Can the Commission confirm that the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) provision is applicable until 1 May 1999?

If so, what procedure must be followed by the Commission for an extension of the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) provision

2.
after May 1999?

3.

How much time would this procedure normally take?

4. When does the Commission intend to start the procedure referred to in 2 above?

(1)  OJ L 116, 28.4.1989, p. 25.
(2)  OJ L 98, 16.4.1994, p. 1.