WRITTEN QUESTION P-2439/99 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission. Protection of European companies in Kosovo.
Date: 1999-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Kosovo, UNO, company law, private sector

C 26 E/6

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.1.2001

Subprogramme 7 of this OP,
million in the construction and improvement of education and training centres.

(cid:145)Development of human resources(cid:146), provides for investment of € 32,31

The breakdown of aid by measure is as follows:

Body

Number of projects

Primary and infant education

Ministry of Education

Secondary education and vocational training

Ministry of Education

University infrastructure

Art education

Ministry of Education

Ministry of Education

Educational and training equipment

Autonomous Community

73

30

10

2

13

A detailed list of the recipients of the aid is being sent directly to the Honourable Member and Parliament(cid:146)s
Secretariat.

(1) Decision C(94) 2586/3.

(2001/C 26 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2439/99

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Protection of European companies in Kosovo

In reply to my oral question H-0608/99 of 16 November 1999 (1) to the Commission concerning
protection of the interests of European Union companies in Kosovo, Commissioner Patten indicated that
he had no information concerning pressure being brought to bear or threats being made against European
companies in Kosovo. To fill the gaps in his information concerning the subject, I personally gave him a
copy of correspondence between the (cid:145)Mytilinaios(cid:146) company and Mr Kouchner and Mr Dixon. I also asked
him to investigate the current situation regarding the functioning of telecommunications in Kosovo in
order to obtain a full picture.

Effective communications between the European Parliament and the Commission will help to protect the
interests of the EU wherever they may be under threat. The sovereign rights of European companies are
currently what is at stake in Kosovo. The Greek Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) and the Italian
STET International, which have respectively a 20 % and 29 % holding in Srbija Telekom, are suffering
losses as a result of non-payment of fees to Srbija Telekom for use of telecommunications services in
Kosovo, while, at the same time, the UCK and its covert supporters are insisting on the restoration by the
two companies of the damaged network and its subsequent nationalisation by Albania, in violation of
international agreements. However the most serious breach of the law occurred recently when a (cid:145)special
committee(cid:146) made up of UN representatives and Kosovar Albanians quite illegally transferred mobile
telephony rights to the French company Alcatel. These rights are the exclusive property of the OTE and
STET International,
in accordance with international agreements currently in force, which state that
Kosovo is part of the key area in which these two companies are entitled to operate and export their
profits.

What action will the Commission take to protect the legitimate rights of European companies in Kosovo
which at this moment are under threat by illegal networks in which even UN officials are starting to be
involved, contrary to their instructions regarding observance of the law in this area?

(1) Verbatim report of proceedings of 16.11.1999, p. 60.

26.1.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 26 E/7

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(10 March 2000)

The Commission thanks the Honourable Member for again drawing its attention to the question of the
legal protection of European companies in Kosovo and for having forwarded extra documentation on this
sensitive subject.

The protection of legal rights of companies in Kosovo is a question falling under the direct competence of
the United Nations interim administration mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) according to the United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999). The complete file concerning the issue is in the possession of
UNMIK, which is the only entity in a position to make valid proposals for the requested action.

(2001/C 26 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2653/99

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: Events at Malpensa

In order to forestall the accusation that the decrees of 5 July 1996 and 13 October 1997 transferring all
flights from Linate to Malpensa did not comply with the provisions of Community law, an Italian
Government decree provided that 34 % of European flights would remain at Linate until access infra-
structure had been fully completed and notification had been received that the work was finished.

Is the Commission aware of the inconveniences which users of the Malpensa hub still experience,
especially through the lack of suitable buildings, the fact that the train shuttle still does not serve
terminal 2, forcing passengers to drag their baggage along and to use the taxi or bus shuttle service
between terminals 1 and 2 (services that stop, what is more, at a certain time of day) and the fact that
there are still not even enough baggage-trolleys, all of which confirm the need to guarantee the survival of
Linate as an airport providing connections to the 15 Member State capitals? How does it view the fact that
the Italian Government has not yet sent the information which the Commission had asked to receive by
15 November?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(12 April 2000)

The Commission has paid and continues to pay special attention to the situation concerning Malpensa
airport, particularly as regards access and airport infrastructures. This issue is closely linked with the
the Milanese airport system
problem of
complying with Community law.

Italian traffic distribution rules for the various airports of

The Commission, with the help of specialised consultants, carried out several in-depth inspections in 1998
and 1999 of the state of the above infrastructures, particularly concerning their suitability for the volume
of traffic that was due to move to Malpensa when the above-mentioned traffic distribution rules were
applied. The Commission used the information from these sources to intervene in 1998, declaring the
immediate application of the rules which were initially adopted as incompatible with Community law (1).
The Italian authorities took the results of the inspections on board and decided to delay applying the rules
until October 1999, subsequently delayed to December 1999.

The Italian authorities responded to the inspections carried out by specialist consultants by deciding
in October 1999 to undertake work and improvements, particularly focusing on aspects of airport
infrastructure (providing additional departure gates, implementing an Apron Management Control system,