WRITTEN QUESTION P-1048/00 by Hubert Pirker (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Unresolved issues of ownership.
Date: 2000-03-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU competence, Slovenia, accession negotiations, expropriation

20.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/63

The Commission:

1. Can it say how much Community funding has been earmarked for the current project to construct a

metro system in the metropolitan area of Oporto?

2. Have additions and/or changes to the current project already been received? If so, which?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(25 May 2000)

In 1994 an indicative amount of € 60 to 70 million was allotted to part-financing of the Oporto light
metro system under the development support infrastructure programme of Portugal(cid:146)s Community support
framework (Transport subprogramme measure 4: Congestion relief in the Lisbon and Oporto urban areas).

The Commission approved the first phase of the project on 11 December 1998 and the European
Regional Development Fund assistance is € 71 770 000. It has so far received no request for modification
of the project.

(2001/C 53 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1048/00

by Hubert Pirker (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 March 2000)

Subject: Unresolved issues of ownership

It is a well-known fact that the confiscation of property without compensation is always a violation of
international law. The political significance of these unresolved property ownership questions cannot be
resolved by a reference to Article 295 of the EC Treaty.

In the context of the accession negotiations with the Republic of Slovenia, what is the Commission(cid:146)s view
of these hitherto unresolved issues, and is it prepared to contribute towards righting this wrong?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2000)

As indicated to the Honourable Member in reply to his Written Questions E-0697/00 and E-0698/00 (1),
the process of property restitution in Slovenia was assessed in the light of the Copenhagen political
criteria, in the opinion of the Commission on Slovenia(cid:146)s application to the Union and in the subsequent
yearly regular reports.

The Commission follows the overall development of this ongoing process in the context of bilateral
relations with Slovenia. Sources indicate that of the overall value of claims, 52 % of the total have been
restituted.

The accession negotiations embrace all areas of Community legislation and policy, the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146), which each
applicant country will have to adopt and implement fully by the time of accession to the Union. In this
respect the Commission underlines that it has no legal competence to intervene directly in the process of
restitution of property. This process does not fall under the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146), since Article 295 (ex Article 222) of
the EC Treaty states explicitly that it shall in no way prejudice the rules in the Member States governing
the system of property ownership.

As indicated in the answer to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s Written Question P-0664/00 (2), the implementa-
tion of international instruments on human rights, such as the European Convention on Human Rights, is
primarily the responsibility of the relevant international organisations.

(1) See page 18.
(2) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 85.