WRITTEN QUESTION E-1355/00 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Need for accurate diagnosis of the technology gap between Europe and America.
Date: 2000-05-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: advisory committee (EU), competitiveness, information technology

20.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 53 E/131

Mrs Atakov is the wife of Shagildy Atakova who is at present in prison, serving a four year sentence on a
charge of fraud. The true reason for the conviction is, however, believed to be that he has been a religious
activist. Other relatives are reported to have been harassed in order to put pressure on the Atakov family.
The Commission is seeking to check this information which has been reported by Amnesty International.

As for the government(cid:146)s general position on religion, although the constitution permits freedom of
worship, in practice religious groups need to register. Under Turkmen rule, the official religions have
flourished with their houses of worship increasing from two mosques in 1991 to 268 mosques and
11 Russian Orthodox churches today, but only the Sunni Moslem and Russian Orthodox religions have
been allowed to operate unhindered. No other groups have been allowed to register and Christian
Protestant groups, as well as Jehovah(cid:146)s Witnesses and others, have been harassed. The Roman Catholic
church is allowed to have services only in the Apostolic Nunciature premises. President Nyazov has stated
that (cid:145)in Turkmenistan, there never were nor will be fanatics(cid:146). Therefore a number of pastors holding other
nationalities have been deported. The destruction of the Seventh Day Adventist Church which took place
in November 1999 in Ashgabat shows Turkmenistan(cid:146)s policy towards religion. The Commission is aware
that there are increasing reports of confiscated religious literature, arrests, mistreatment in prison and of
foreign missionaries being forced out of the country.

The Commission is taking into account these elements in its bilateral relations with Turkmenistan. The
Union has concluded a partnership cooperation agreement (PCA) with Turkmenistan which is now subject
to ratification in the parliaments of the Member States and the Parliament. As long as this PCA has not
entered into force, bilateral relations are covered by a trade and cooperation agreement. Although this
agreement does not allow for political dialogue, Union representatives used the last joint committee
in November 1999 in Ashgabat to raise issues on democracy, human rights and the rule of law. A Union
statement on Turkmenistan was made on 9 March 2000 in the Organization for security and cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) permanent council stating that (cid:145)the EU urges the (Turkmen) authorities to reconsider the
case of prisoners being in custody solely on political grounds(cid:146).

(2001/C 53 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1355/00

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: Need for accurate diagnosis of the technology gap between Europe and America

A recent report claims that the rapid growth of certain information technology industries hides the fact
that, overall, Europe(cid:146)s competitiveness is continuing to fall vis-(cid:224)-vis other regions, such as North America
and Japan.

The widening gap between the New World and Europe, and the splits which the new economics are
creating within Europe itself is frankly alarming.

Does the Commission believe that it should therefore propose setting up a Committee of Wise Men who
could establish an accurate diagnosis of just how far behind Europe is actually lagging, and put forward a
range of proposals for overcoming the technology gap, which is unquestionably the major challenge facing
Europe today?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2000)

The competitiveness of the European industries making up the information society is of prime importance
for the whole of Europe(cid:146)s economy. Indeed, those individual components are responsible for a large
proportion of economic growth and thus in the current rise in the number of jobs.

It is against this backdrop that the Commission has launched the eEurope initiative and the jobs strategies
within the information society which have,
in particular, succeeded in drawing the attention of the
political decision-makers to this matter. Owing to that initiative the Lisbon European Council noted the
changes taking place and asked for appropriate action in order to promote the expansion of the new
economy.

C 53 E/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.2.2001

in view of the analyses already carried out jointly by the industry and the Commission (cid:129)
However,
particularly via several consultative groups such as the high-level group on the social dimension and on
employment within the information society, the Information Society Forum or the (cid:145)Global business
dialogue(cid:146), which, in particular, enable a contribution to be made by the operators in the field, there are
no plans at this stage to set up a further Committee of Wise Men. The aim is to avoid any overlapping and
duplicating of existing structures.

(2001/C 53 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1362/00

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: WTO and animal welfare

In 1999 the Community recognised the importance of trying to achieve reforms at the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) to reduce the detrimental impact of the WTO rules on attempts to secure improved
standards of animal welfare.

What steps does the Commission plan to take during the negotiations to revise the WTO Agreement on
Agriculture and during attempts to launch a new comprehensive WTO (cid:145)round(cid:146) to persuade the EU(cid:146)s WTO
partners that the EU(cid:146)s concerns about animal welfare are genuine and not protectionist in their aim?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(15 June 2000)

Nothing in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) prevents its members from taking measures which they
see as essential for animal welfare, i.e. adopting high standards, within its borders. Hence, the Community
issued legislation which gradually improved the animal welfare standards in the Community over the last
years. However, it is true that WTO rules do not permit its members to prohibit import of products on the
sole ground that they were produced according to different animal welfare rules. Any such measure by the
Community would certainly risk being seen by our trading partners as scarcely disguised protectionism.

For these reasons the objective of creating multilateral standards for animal welfare is one which the
Commission has recognised as worthwhile. Those standards, based on scientific advice, would also be the
best guarantee that animal welfare standards are not misused for protectionist purposes.

to ensure that

The Community sought
the issue of animal welfare was raised in the agriculture
negotiations on the WTO Millennium Round. Now that Seattle has failed to deliver a mandate for a
comprehensive round, the Commission will have to examine how to pursue its objectives regarding animal
welfare in the post-Seattle context. One thing is clear: the Commission(cid:146)s efforts to promote these objectives
in the WTO will continue.

(2001/C 53 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1363/00

by Marielle De Sarnez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(4 May 2000)

Subject: Future of Kosovo

One year after the start of the war in Kosovo and the setting up of a European Agency for Reconstruction
for the Balkans, does the Commission intend to report on the resources placed at the disposal of the
agency and to present regular reports on action carried out by the later?