WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2089/98 by Graham WATSON to the Council. Release of Nigeria's President
Date: 1998-07-10
Institutions: European Parliament, WATSON
Subjects: Nigeria, democratisation, head of State, human rights, mortality, organisation of elections, political cooperation, political prisoner, rule of law, the EU's international role

C 96/34

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.4.1999

(1999/C 96/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2086/98

by Karin Riis-Jłrgensen (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Transparency and access to legislative documents

(10 July 1998)

The transparency of decision-making and the access to legislative documents that it implies, represent essential
rights of democracy. The new Article 255 of the Treaty of Amsterdam states that any citizen of the Union, and any
natural or legal person residing or having registered office in a Member State, shall have the right of access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. Annexed to the Final Act of the Amsterdam Treaty is
the Declaration on the quality of the drafting of Community legislation.

In view of the above, can the Commission specify when it intends to present:

› a draft interinstitutional Agreement on the quality of the drafting of Community legislation, in which the
institutions undertake, inter alia, not to append unilateral statements of interpretation to legislative texts;

› a legislative proposal containing conditions and fundamental principles regarding public access to the

documents of the institutions of the Union;

enabling it to anticipate or apply as quickly as possible these two fundamental provisions of the new Treaty

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 1998)

With regard to the implementation of Declaration No 39 annexed to the Final Act of the Amsterdam Treaty, the
Commission would recall that a group consisting of representatives from the three legal services was mandated to
produce draft common guidelines relating to the quality of drafting of Community legislation, which are
currently being studied by each institution with a view to final approval by the three institutions.

The Commission will present a legislative proposal relating to the implementation of the new Article 255 (right of
access to documents) introduced by the Amsterdam Treaty, defining the conditions and basic principles
governing access by citizens to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, as soon as possible
following the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty.

(1999/C 96/047)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2089/98

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Release of Nigeria(cid:146)s President

What steps will the Council take to encourage the release of Chief Abiola, Nigeria(cid:146)s President elect, and ensure
the forthcoming elections herald Nigeria(cid:146)s return to democracy?

Reply

(19 October 1998)

The Honourable Member will be aware that Chief Abiola has since died while still in custody in Nigeria on 7 July
1998. At his family(cid:146)s request and with the Nigerian government(cid:146)s agreement, an international team of forensic
experts performed an autopsy to establish the cause of death. The conclusion of their final report was that Chief
Abiola died of natural causes, although his imprisonment may have affected his health.