WRITTEN QUESTION P-0009/00 by Sérgio Marques (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Disaster in Venezuela.
Date: 2000-01-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Venezuela, aid to disaster victims, flood

3.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 280 E/155

In view of the above, can the Commission say:

1. whether it does not consider that the Regional decree is clearly in conflict with Community decisions,

which indicate that the priority for the Member States should be prevention and cure;

2. whether it does not consider that the decision is in conflict with the principles of subsidiarity
underpinning the European Union, which would entail the involvement of the local authorities most
immediately concerned, possibly with the assistance of non-profit making associations and organisa-
tions;

3. whether there is any documentation drawn up by the Commission or the Drugs Monitoring Centre in

Lisbon on examples of good practice in the fight against drugs?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 2000)

Since 1995 the Commission has emphasised that effective action to combat drugs required a comprehen-
sive and integrated approach. This does not mean that everyone must fight on all fronts and at all levels at
the same time. It means that co-ordination and interaction of players and approaches must be ensured to
reach maximum efficiency.

The Commission would reply to the three specific points underlined by the Honourable Member as
follows:

1.

2.

In the Commission(cid:146)s communication on a European Union action plan to combat drugs
(2000-2004) (1) a comprehensive approach is considered to be the best strategy to meet future
problems. Such an approach should cover all areas of drug abuse prevention, from discouraging the
initial use to reducing the negative health and social consequences of drug abuse. This approach
should indeed be grounded in a comprehensive strategy that can be used to drive the cost-effective
allocation of resources.

In areas like drug issues, which do not fall within its exclusive competence, the Community in
accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, shall take action only if and insofar as the objectives
cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States. On this basis the Commission could not
intervene in decisions taken on a regional or local level.

3. The European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction (EMCDDA) publishes an annual report
on the state of the drugs problem in the Community which gives an up-to-date picture of trends and
patterns in drug use in Europe. Information on evaluated European drug demand reduction projects is
also available on the Internet, through the web site of the (http://www.emcdda.org/). This offers a
valuable tool for learning from experience of similar kinds of projects elsewhere in the Community.

(1) COM(99) 239 final.

(2000/C 280 E/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0009/00

by SØrgio Marques (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 January 2000)

Subject: Disaster in Venezuela

Shortly before Christmas, continuous rainfall (the heaviest in living memory) caused flooding in Venezuela,
the effects of which constitute what is perhaps the greatest natural disaster to have occurred in recent
years. It is feared that over 30 000 people may have died, whilst the number of homeless is estimated to
be in the hundreds of thousands. Whole conurbations disappeared under a sea of mud and have become
mass graves. Infrastructures (basic sanitation, drinking water, communications, healthcare and schools)
have been almost entirely swept away and economic activity is at a standstill.

C 280 E/156

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.10.2000

In response to this enormous tragedy, European support for Venezuela (cid:129) a country which has taken in
hundreds of thousands of European immigrants (Portuguese, Italians and Spaniards) who are also seriously
affected (cid:129) needs to be extensive as well as urgent.

The amount of the aid which has so far been announced (3,2 million euros to be channelled through the
Spanish, French and German Red Cross organisations) is clearly inadequate and can at best be regarded as
an initial injection of emergency humanitarian aid.

The Commission is therefore called upon to increase without delay the level of European support for
Venezuela and to answer the following questions:

1. What type of action does the Commission intend to take in order to meet the countless needs
stemming from the disaster in areas such as medical and psychiatric assistance, water and public
health, the rebuilding of dwellings and infrastructure items, food supply and the resumption of
economic activity?

2. How much funding will be provided to finance the planned action and when will the amount be

announced?

3. What are the conclusions of the survey carried out locally by ECHO officials?

4. Why has the Portuguese Red Cross not been involved in the channelling of the aid? Is the Commission

intending to ask for its help in the future?

5. As in the case of the Central American countries which were devastated by Hurricane Mitch, does the
Commission intend to prepare a medium- and long-term action plan (some of the disaster regions will
need approximately ten years to recover) to rescue the areas affected?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 2000)

The Community is assuming its role, as it has done following other natural disasters that have affected
Latin America recently.

The Commission immediately mobilised emergency aid, so far amounting to € 3,6 million, through its
humanitarian office (ECHO), and intends to continue its support with an additional amount of € 2 million
of humanitarian assistance to help restore the availability of drinking water, epidemiological surveillance
activities and psychological support to children. Once there is a clear picture of the government plans for
reconstruction, short-term rehabilitation works will be carried out, in order to help those affected regain a
minimum of self-sufficiency.

The ECHO correspondent reports that, after an initial period of chaos, different sectors (government,
private sector and international community) are co-ordinating their efforts. Nevertheless, the need for
international assistance persists, especially in the fields of water and sanitation, epidemic surveillance and
logistic support. The needs for rehabilitation and reconstruction are huge, but they have not been
evaluated yet.

An expert mission is being prepared to carry out an evaluation and to identify specific actions. At this
stage, it is not possible to provide the exact amount of money planned for this action, as it will depend
very much on the findings of the expert mission, and on the sharing of the burden of the reconstruction
effort with other donors.

In the absence of a detailed assessment of the needs it would be premature to enter into details of the
Commission(cid:146)s support for the reconstruction of Venezuela. Contacts with other donors need to be
strengthened in order to promote a co-ordinated effort of the international community and a clear
definition of the priorities for action.

The Portuguese Red Cross has not applied for funding to the Community. It is understoud that this
humanitarian organisation is not present, for the time being, in Venezuela.