WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2204/98 by Alan GILLIS to the Commission. Bougainville
Date: 1998-07-10
Institutions: European Parliament, GILLIS
Subjects: European Development Fund, Papua New Guinea, aid to agriculture, cease-fire, economic reconstruction, emergency aid, health aid, island, silviculture, technical cooperation

18.1.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 13/153

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1998)

The Commission understands the inconvenience that has followed the suspension of the award procedure
concerning the third phase of the Metro de Porto tender procedure. Nevertheless, it should be pointed out that this
is an important and complex subject requiring detailed analysis and that the Commission would not be carrying
out its responsibility here if it did not react to a possible infringement of the relevant Community rules.

As the Honourable Member knows, according to Article 155 of the EC Treaty, the Commission ensures that the
provisions of this Treaty and the measures taken by the institutions pursuant to it are applied. In performing this
task, the Commission may resort to the infringement procedure laid down in Article 169 of the EC Treaty. In
addition, the Commission is obliged in particular to intervene in a situation such as this, where not only has a
complaint regarding the award procedure been lodged but Community funding is also involved.

In the light of the information obtained at the bilateral meeting held in Portugal on 16 June, at which this matter
was discussed with the Portuguese authorities, the Commission has decided to take no further action in the
absence of any infringement of Community law.

(1999/C 13/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2204/98

by Alan Gillis (PPE) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Bougainville

Given the volatile nature of the cease-fire and the real possibility of a resumption of armed conflict can the
Commission indicate whether or not the promised funding has reached the people of the island of Bougainville to
ensure that the peace agreement is secured and that the educational system and economic life of the island can
restart?

Answer given by Mr Pinheiro on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 1998)

Following the signing of the (cid:145)permanent and irrevocable(cid:146) ceasefire in Bougainville on 30 April 1998 by nearly all
parties concerned, the government and Papua New Guinea(cid:146)s donors have sufficient confidence in the situation to
have pledged considerable sums for the rehabilitation and development of Bougainville. Emergency aid and
rehabilitation actions have already started, meaning that the so-called peace dividend is materialising. Perhaps the
best indication of the solidity of the ceasefire is that the people of Bougainville have themselves begun
rehabilitating houses and even roads.

The Community has established a comprehensive package for Bougainville making use of a number of
instruments coordinated by Technical assistance already in place.

In particular, existing projects under the 7th European development fund, the budget line for eco-forestry and
Stabex which were blocked because of the security situation, are now being implemented. For Stabex alone
nearly 2 MECU have either been committed or disbursed and a new Stabex intervention of approximately
5 MECU is under preparation. It is likely to concentrate on agriculture rehabilitation, in particular cocoa,
rehabilitation of feeder roads of importance to the agriculture, and probably eco-forestry (there is a substantial
need for timber on the island).

In addition, a grant of 500 000 ECU for the International Red Cross has just been decided by the Commission.
This includes distribution of medical kits, construction materials and kits, and water and sanitation supplies for
the benefit of medical facilities in Bougainville and some small neighbouring islands.

Finally, other traditional donors like Australia and New Zealand have also already committed considerable sums
for Bougainville.