WRITTEN QUESTION No. 987/98 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI , Amedeo AMADEO , Roberta ANGELILLI , Spalato BELLERE' , Marco CELLAI , Sebastiano MUSUMECI , Gastone PARIGI , Salvatore TATARELLA , Antonio TRIZZA to the Council. Pre- accession negotiations with Slovenia
Date: 1998-03-31
Institutions: AMADEO, ANGELILLI, BELLERE, CELLAI, European Parliament, MUSCARDINI, MUSUMECI, PARIGI, TATARELLA, TRIZZA
Subjects: Italy, Slovenia, accession to the European Union, bilateral relations, confiscation of property, diplomatic relations, human rights, peacekeeping

21. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 323/103

(98/C 323/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0986/98

by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Council

(31 March 1998)

Subject: Exports of live animals

On 18 December 1997, the Council agreed to amend Regulation (EC) No 805/68 on the common organization of
the market in beef and veal. Amendments to the conditions under which live animals may be exported to third
countries  include  the  introduction  of  controls  involving  veterinary  inspections  at  third-country  entry  points.
Having decided deliberately to exclude animal welfare groups from being authorisd to carry out such checks,
even though they have been the only organizations prepared to expose cruel treatment of exported animals, will
the Council say what procedures have been introduced to enforce the requirements of the amended Regulation
and how many veterinary inspectors are to be employed for this task?

Answer

(29 June 1998)

On  18  December  1997,  having  consulted  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council  adopted  Regulation  (EC)
No 2634/97 (1) which amends Regulation (EEC) No 805/68 to make the payment of the refund for exports of live
animals subject to compliance with the provisions on animal welfare.

Article 13(12) of the Regulation thus amended stipulates that it is for the Commission, using the Management
Committee procedure, to determine the detailed rules of application for ensuring that the new requirements are
monitored satisfactorily, especially in third countries.

A more detailed reply to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s questions will therefore be obtained from the Commission.

(1)  OJ L 356, 31.12.1997, p. 13.

(98/C 323/155)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0987/98

by Cristiana Muscardini (NI), Amedeo Amadeo (NI), Roberta Angelilli (NI),
Spalato Bellere· (NI), Marco Cellai (NI), Sebastiano Musumeci (NI), Gastone Parigi (NI),
Salvatore Tatarella (NI) and Antonio Trizza (NI) to the Council

Subject: Pre-accession negotiations with Slovenia

(31 March 1998)

Fifty years after the end of the war, Slovenia(cid:146)s ambassador to Italy has stated that the time has not yet come for
reconciliation between Italy and Slovenia. As is well known, there are still outstanding issues in the field of
bilateral relations between the two countries (the return of property confiscated from the exiles forced to abandon
their homes in 1947 and recognition of the brutal massacres carried out in the (cid:145)Foibe(cid:146) limestone chasms), and for
some time the two parties have been making diplomatic efforts to reach satisfactory solutions to these and other
problems.  The  ambassador(cid:146)s  remarks  contrast  sharply  with  these  efforts,  and  are  hardly  consistent  with  his
country(cid:146)s desire to accede to the EU, which stands for peace and harmony in international relations.

In view of the foregoing,

1.  What  is  the  Council(cid:146)s  opinion  of  the  statement  in  question,  in  view  of  the  forthcoming  opening  of

pre-accession negotiations with Slovenia?

2.  Does  it  agree  that,  regardless  of  questions  that  fall  within  the  province  of  bilateral  relations,  this  hostile
stance is incompatible with the friendly relations, based on mutual respect, that prevail between Member
States of the Union?

3.  Does it agree that this imprudent and unacceptable attitude, which indicates contempt for human rights in
respect  of  the  two  unresolved  questions  referred  to  above,  could  jeopardize  the  smooth  progress  and
objective nature of the negotiations?

4.  Does it agree that, as a useful and necessary preliminary to embarking on pre-accession negotiations with
Slovenia, that country should be asked to clarify its position with regard to reconciliation with Italy?