WRITTEN QUESTION P-0808/00 by Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Sanctions against Yugoslavia.
Date: 2000-03-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU visa policy, Serbia and Montenegro, common foreign and security policy

28.12.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374 E/161

For want of more detailed information, the Commission in unable to comment on the situation the
Honourable Member is referring to. Nonetheless, as part of its follow-up of the procedure it will check that
the Italian measures remain fully compatible with the Community rules on State aid.

(1) OJ L 227, 28.8.1999.

(2000/C 374 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0806/00

by Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 March 2000)

Subject: Role of the Commission representative during official European Parliament visits

In view of the various different practices followed in respect of the role of the Commission representative
during official visits by representatives of the European Parliament, could the Commission explain whether
there are any rules governing the role of the Commission representative during official visits to third
countries by parliamentary bodies, particularly as regards matters such as organisation, protocol, participa-
tion, etc?

Could the Commission also say whether there are any rules on its participation in meetings of
parliamentary committees and interparliamentary delegations in Brussels, when issues are discussed for
which its presence might by useful in providing information relevant to Parliament(cid:146)s work?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2000)

The role of the head of delegation of the Commission in third countries during official visits for the
Parliament is defined in the Manual of operational procedures.

This role involves, inter alia, meeting the delegation of the Parliament on arrival in the country, providing
(within reasonable limits) logistical support, briefing them on the situation in the country and on particular
points of interest and accompanying the delegation from Parliament on their visits. It can also involve
assistance, where needed, with local media contacts and where possible, offering appropriate hospitality.

The Commission adopted in 1999 a communication to the Council and Parliament in which it stated that
heads of delegation could appear before parliamentary committees and inter-parliamentary delegations in
the same way as officials of the Commission based at headquarters do. On such occasions they could
answer specific questions concerning the exercise of their functions. The Commissioner in change of
external relations has encouraged heads of delegations to offer, during visits to headquarters, to brief the
relevant committee or delegation on the state of relations between the Union and the country or countries
to which he is assigned.

(2000/C 374 E/191)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0808/00

by Hans Modrow (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 March 2000)

Subject: Sanctions against Yugoslavia

In connection with their decision to suspend air traffic with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for six
months the Member States of the European Union have drawn up a list of several hundred Yugoslav
citizens who are subject to a general ban on entry to the European Union.

C 374 E/162

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

28.12.2000

Will the Commission say:

(cid:129) Which institution drew up this blacklist and which criteria did it use to do so?

(cid:129) Was the European Parliament consulted before this step was taken and if not, is there any intention of

remedying this situation?

(cid:129) Is it true that this list includes the names of the Minister for Refugee Affairs, Belgrade(cid:146)s ambassador in
Skopje and senior officials in the fields of the economy, trade and healthcare, i.e. persons directly
involved in alleviating and eliminating the consequences of the war?

(cid:129) What does it mean by the phrase (cid:145)persons who have contributed substantially towards strengthening

the Milosevic regime(cid:146)?

(cid:129) Is it aware that by imposing tougher sanctions in this way it is actually undermining the position of
the Yugoslav opposition movement which considers that EU sanctions are strengthening the present
regime in Belgrade?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(29 March 2000)

The Commission recalls that the Council has determined the criteria by which individuals are included in
and removed from the list of those to whom visas will not be issued for entry into Member States. The
visa ban lists are adopted by Council Decision implementing Article 1 of common position 1999/318/
CFSP (1).

The Parliament was not consulted in advance on this list. Under Article 15 of the Treaty on European
Union, such consultation is not foreseen.

The list contains the names of members of the Belgrade regime and their supporters. In exceptional cases,
exemptions may be made if this would further vital Union objectives and be conducive to political
settlement in accordance with Article 1(4) of the common position.

The Commission considers that the phrase to which the Honourable Member refers is self-explanatory.

The Commission does not share the Honourable Member(cid:146)s assessment that the toughening of the sanctions
strengthens the Former Republic of Yugoslavia regime and is detrimental to the Serbian opposition. The
sanctions are, as far as possible, applied in such a way as to impact on the regime but not the population.
The visa ban, for instance, is recognised as an effective sanction against the regime in Belgrade, while some
of the other sanctions have already been partly lifted (e.g. the flight ban and oil embargo as regards Kosovo
and Montenegro) or are being temporarily suspended (e.g. the flight ban on Serbia, as part of a wider
package of strengthening both the visa ban and the financial sanctions). The suspension of the flight ban
was, inter alia, a response to demands by the Serbian democratic opposition.

(1) OJ L 123, 13.5.1999.

(2000/C 374 E/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0811/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council

(20 March 2000)

Subject: Minister Christian Sautter(cid:146)s behaviour

At the meeting of EU Finance Ministers in Brussels on 28 February the French Finance Minister, Christian
Sautter, caused a stir by displaying an unusual sticker. Attached to his overcoat and, later, his suit was a
palm-size sticker showing a no-traffic sign with the diagonal through a bow tie, the trademark of the new