WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4160/97 by Leonie van BLADEL to the Council. Concern about deterioration of the EU's relations with Suriname
Date: 1998-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, VAN BLADEL
Subjects: EU relations, Netherlands, Surinam, arrest, civil war, human rights, illegal restraint

C 304/10

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

2. 10. 98

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 1998)

The Honourable Member refers to a waste management strategy for islands which restricts the production and
the  import  of  products  with  excess  packaging  and  non-returnable  containers.  The  Commission  draws  the
attention of the Honourable Member to Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (1), which was to
be transposed into national legislation by 1 July 1996. One of the main aims of this Directive is to prevent or
reduce  any  impact  of  packaging  and  packaging  waste  on  the  environment.  Therefore,  in  order  to  tackle  the
problems caused by the waste arising, national and local authorities should focus primarily on means to avoid the
generation of waste. To this end, Member States shall ensure that preventive measures are implemented (Article
4 of the Directive). In addition, Member States may encourage re-use systems of packaging, which can be reused
in an environmentally sound manner, in conformity with the EC Treaty (Article 5 of the Directive). The choice of
the specific instruments to promote preventive measures and to encourage reuse systems lies with the Member
States, provided they are in conformity with the EC Treaty.

A first possibility to limit the generation of packaging waste to be disposed of consists of the implementation of
deposit-return  systems.  Such  systems  have  been  recognized  by  the  Court  of  justice  to  be  legitimate  under
Community law.

As  regards  mandatory  measures  on  returnable  packaging,  they  are  in  principle  possible,  although  certain
specifications of such systems might be in conflict with the principles of the free circulation of goods. Such
measures must be non-discriminatory (thus apply to both domestically produced and imported products) and
proportionate  to  the  objective.  The  Commission  assures  the  Honourable  Member  that,  in  assessing  the
proportionality  of  these  measures  (which  are  to  be  notified  to  the  Commission  under  Council  Directive
83/189/EEC of 28 March 1983 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical
standards and regulations (2) and Directive 94/62/EC1), it will take full account of the specific problems incurred
by islands in managing their waste (including distance from the mainland, lack of space, risk of groundwater
contamination, and dependence of the economy on tourism).

The  Commission  fully  recognizes  the  great  problems  of  waste  generation  in  islands,  particularly  in  highly
touristic  locations  and  for  this  reason  has  started  a  specific  programme  (cid:145)waste  management  on  islands(cid:146)  and
published  a  manual  on  (cid:145)codes  of  practice  for  waste  management  on  islands(cid:146).  The  aim  is  to  provide  decision
makers with a practical tool containing suggestions and relevant examples which can help setting the framework
for the development of local or national initiatives.

(1)  OJ L 365, 31.12.1994.
(2)  OJ L 109, 26.4.1983.

(98/C 304/14)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4160/97

by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council

(22 January 1998)

Subject: Concern about deterioration of the EU(cid:146)s relations with Suriname

Is  the  Council  aware  note  of  the  arrest  of  27  civilians  and  military  personnel  on  25 October  1997  in

1.
Suriname in response to the planning of an alleged coup?

2.
Does the Council share the fear that the allegations concerning the planning of the coup of 25 October 1997
are a reaction to the international investigation and arrest warrant put out recently by the Netherlands judicial
authorities concerning the Surinamese state councillor, Desi Boaters, and also a manoeuvre by the Suriname
government to halt domestic criticism of the failing financial policy of the current Suriname government?

3.
Is the Council not seriously concerned about the comments of the former Suriname dictator and current
state councillor, Desi Boaters, that foreign powers, including the Netherlands were responsible for planning the
alleged coup in Suriname?

Is the Council aware that the allegations made by Boaters will cause considerable deterioration of relations

4.
between the countries of the European Union and Suriname?