WRITTEN QUESTION P-1812/99 by Carlos Carnero González (PSE) to the Council. Repressive action taken by the Moroccan authorities in the Western Sahara.
Date: 1999-10-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Morocco, common foreign and security policy, freedom of expression, occupied territory, referendum, repression, right to demonstrate, self-determination

18.7.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 203 E/55

2.

in what way it will intercede with the Greek authorities to persuade them not to grant further licences
for the operation of such businesses and to review existing licences with a view to designating the area
as residential only, and

3. what its views are of the possibility of support, through the Third CSF, for initiatives to improve the

area further, including restoring its houses in their original style?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(22 November 1999)

The Community part-financed a project aiming to protect and restore the old listed districts of Kyriotissa
and Barbouta in Veria (Northern Greece), under the (cid:145)Environment(cid:146) operational programme (OP) of the
Community support framework (CSF) for Greece for the current programming period (1994-1999).

The project, which has now been finished, consisted of restoring the declining urban environment, mainly
by resurfacing roads using cobblestones and slate, planting trees, improving small squares, lighting streets
and similar measures. The total cost was about € 1,2 million.

In most cases, methods of implementation are the subject of an agreement between local and
1.
national authorities,
the Environment.
The Commission does not intervene in decisions on content, provided Community and national law are
respected. There is no direct causal link between this agreement and inclusion of the project in the OP.

represented in this case by the Department of

the latter

2.

The granting of licences for commercial establishments is a matter solely for the national authorities.

As the draft CSF for Greece for the next programming period (2000-2006) has only just reached the

3.
Commission, it is too soon to say which projects it will comprise.

(2000/C 203 E/066)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1812/99

by Carlos Carnero GonzÆlez (PSE) to the Council

(11 October 1999)

Subject: Repressive action taken by the Moroccan authorities in the Western Sahara

The Polisario Front and various other bodies have drawn the attention of the UN Secretary-General and
international public opinion to violent acts of repression perpetrated in September by the Moroccan
authorities in the town of El Aaiœn (Western Sahara) during a peaceful demonstration organised by the
workers of the Fos Bucraa company, out-of-work graduates and students against the occupation of the
territory and in support of specific demands. As a result of those acts of violence, one person died, forty
were injured and dozens disappeared.

Would the Council not agree that, in view of the undertakings that Morocco has given to the international
community, such action is not in accordance with the behaviour expected of that country during the
preparations for the referendum on self-determination?

Does it intend to protest to the Moroccan Government and demand that those responsible be identified
and that there be no repetition of such behaviour in the future?

Does it intend to call on the Moroccan authorities to ensure full respect for the right of free expression and
the right to demonstrate of the citizens of the Western Sahara?

C 203 E/56

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.7.2000

Answer

(24 January 2000)

In view of the recent incidents to which the Honourable Member refers, Heads of Missions of EU Member
States in Rabat have been asked to closely monitor the situation on the ground.

In a recent address to the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly, the Council declared that the
EU fully supported the UN Settlement Plan for the holding of a free, fair and impartial referendum
It noted with satisfaction the
concerning the self-determination of
resumption of the voter identification process and the implementation of the appeals procedure.
It
welcomed the UN Secretary-General(cid:146)s assessment that, despite delays, the implementation of the appeals
procedure and the resumption of the voter identification process could be seen as signalling the intention
of both parties to continue working towards the holding of the referendum.

the people of Western Sahara.

The Council gives its full support to the efforts made by the UN Secretary-General, by his Special
Representative for Western Sahara, Ambassador Eagleton, by the Deputy Special Representative,
Mr Robert Kinloch, and by the chairman of the Identification Commission, Mr Eduardo Vetere.

The Council has called upon both parties to fully cooperate throughout the voter identification and the
appeals process in preparation for a free,
fair and impartial referendum to give effect to the self-
determination of the people of Western Sahara.

(2000/C 203 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1816/99

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 October 1999)

Subject: Bringing forward the approved increases in Spain(cid:146)s milk quota to the milk year 1999/2000

The recently adopted reform of the CMO in milk and milk products concerns, among other matters,
specific quota increases for some Member Sstates, and in the case of Spain, a total increase of 550 000
tonnes to be divided into 350 000 tonnes for the milk year 2000/2001 and 200 000 tonnes for the milk
year 2001/2002.

The milk year 1998/1999 resulted in a surplus of some 40 000 tonnes and the current trend indicates a
strong rise in comparison to the previous year, due in part to the expectations created by the new
apportioning of quotas mentioned above.

1.
Does the Commission not believe that, in order to offset the effects of this surplus, it would be
feasible and desirable to bring forward all the quota increases already approved for Spain to the current
milk year 1999/2000?

Can the Commission report on the steps which would be required in order to be able to bring

2.
forward the new apportioning of quotas?

3.
In the event that, albeit desirable, it were not possible to bring forward the increases as suggested,
would it at least be feasible for the latter to take place, at one fell swoop, in the first of the scheduled years,
namely in the milk year 2000/2001?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(10 November 1999)

The decision in principle to increase milk quotas, from which Spain will also benefit, was taken at the
Berlin European Council in March of this year and was finalised in June. The instrument concerned (cid:129)
which also specifies the dates on which the new quotas become applicable (cid:129) is Council Regulation (EC)
No 1256/1999 of 17 May 1999 amending Regulation (EEC) No 3950/92 establishing an additional levy in
the milk and milk products sector (1).