WRITTEN QUESTION P-1540/00 by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission. Science and Research Foundation.
Date: 2000-05-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Türkiye, common foreign and security policy, torture

C 46 E/200

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.2.2001

(2001/C 46 E/238)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1538/00

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(18 May 2000)

Subject: Nepal

Nepal is a country with a population of over 20 million and rather unstable political institutions, where
600 people already have been killed in the course of an uprising by (cid:145)Maoists(cid:146) who have taken control of
some regions of the country. Nepal is strongly affected by the presence of its powerful and fundamentally
undemocratic neighbour, the People(cid:146)s Republic of China, and is also one of the poorest countries on Earth.

For these and other reasons, the European Union pays particularly close attention to Nepal. In particular,
the Commission supports a large number of projects there, which a Commission representative based in
Delhi is responsible for following up.

Could the Commission state the reasons (cid:129) which in this instance do not seem to involve budgetary
considerations (cid:129) why the Commission(cid:146)s representative for Nepal has to be based in New Delhi rather than
Katmandu?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 2000)

The Commission handles its relations with Nepal from its Delegation in New Delhi since that Delegation
has regional responsibilities.

The Commission is currently examining its political priorities for the possible opening of new delegations
and offices in third countries. Once such priorities are established, it will be a question of allocating the
available human and financial resources. A communication will be sent to the Council and Parliament on
these matters during the course of this year.

The Commission cannot therefore, at this stage, enter into any undertaking about establishing a presence
in Nepal.

(2001/C 46 E/239)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1540/00

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(5 May 2000)

Subject: Science and Research Foundation

On 12 November 1999 the Istanbul police arrested 85 members of the Science and Research Foundation.
Of these, 35 have been charged by the State Security Court with endangering state security. 28 of them
were released after a week in prison in which they were subjected to various forms of torture and forced to
sign a confession. Seven persons are still being held: Mr Adnan Oktar, Honorary President of the
Foundation, Mr Firat Develioglu, Mr Hasan Basri Guner, Mr Ferhat Terkoglu, Mr Halil Muftuoglu,
Mr Timur Ayan and Mr Finre Nil. When they first appeared before the State Security Court on 7 April
the President of the Court rejected the State Prosecutor(cid:146)s plea for them to be released and deferred a
decision on this matter until a hearing due to take place on 2 June.

Is the Commission aware of these developments? If so, what initiatives has it taken (cid:129) or does it intend to
take (cid:129) to ensure that the persons who have been charged enjoy all the guarantees of a fair trial and are
held in acceptable conditions of detention pending trial? Does it intend to be represented at the trial on
2 June?

13.2.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 46 E/201

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(30 May 2000)

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission(cid:146)s Answer to Written Question No E-1020/00 by
Mr Manisco (1).

The Commission would add that it intends to follow the trial but does not intend to attend the hearing on
2 June 2000.

(1) OJ C 26 E, 26.1.2001, p. 144.

(2001/C 46 E/240)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1542/00

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission

(10 May 2000)

Subject: Sponsorship for Euro 2000

UEFA has sold the commercial rights for the 2000 European Championship for ca. € 9 million to ISL
(International Sports Leisure), a promotional agency, which gives ISL the exclusive right to market Euro
2000. ISL has concluded bilateral agreements with most of the cities in the Netherlands and Belgium
which will be hosting matches. This gives the cities the right to use the Euro 2000 logo.

The Dutch Ministry of the Interior estimates that in the Netherlands alone some NGL 59 million additional
costs have already been incurred for extra policing, security, public information, extra public transport and
judicial measures.

1. What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of the fact that the cities hosting matches are de facto obliged to deal
with ISL for the right to promote their involvement with Euro 2000, while the same cities are making
great efforts to take the measures needed to protect public areas, so that the championship can actually
take place?

Does the Commission believe that the contracts between ISL and the cities in question are in line

2.
with European rules on competition?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2000)

The sale of sponsorship rights in relation to events such as Euro 2000 is common and does not, in itself,
violate European law. Whether it is appropriate for the holder of Euro 2000 sponsorship rights to require
payment from Dutch and Belgian city authorities in return for the right to use the Euro 2000 logo, taking
into account the latter(cid:146)s funding of additional security, transport and other initiatives in relation to the
event, is a contractual matter to be determined by the parties themselves. As regards the specific terms
contained in those agreements, the Commission is unable to take a view as to their compatibility with
European competition rules on the basis of the information provided by the Honourable Member.