WRITTEN QUESTION P-1603/00 by Concepció Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Council. Local elections in Equatorial Guinea.
Date: 2000-05-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Equatorial Guinea, election monitoring, local election, the EU's international role

C 81 E/58

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

Does the Council not consider that the criteria generally applied as regards the length of pre-trial detention
have not in fact been complied with in this case? If this is so, does it not consider that it should intervene,
within the framework of its new powers in the area of justice under the Amsterdam Treaty, to secure
compliance with reasonable periods for pre-trial detention and judgments or, failing that, the release of
defendants under Article 5(3) of the European Human Rights Convention?

Reply

(29 September 2000)

The questions raised by the Honourable Member of Parliament are not within the Council(cid:146)s competence.

(2001/C 81 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1597/00

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(19 May 2000)

Subject: Milk quotas

The basic principle underlying all Community rules on milk quotas is that the purchaser is to all intents
and purposes the main (cid:145)actor(cid:146) in the system and is required to keep analytical accounts enabling each
Member State to quantify quickly and accurately the production marketed during a given period and thus
meet its commitments to the European Union. Does the Commission not think it would be useful to
suggest a technical solution to Member States whereby (cid:145)intelligent accounting(cid:146) could be used to enable
purchasers to notify an information system of each milk delivery made by producers?

The existence of surpluses would become apparent in real time enabling the administration to open the
levy procedure so as to discourage production surpluses.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(23 June 2000)

Community legislation on milk quotas leaves it to Member States to select where certain matters are
concerned the procedures most appropriate to their specific production conditions and administrative
systems.

The Honourable Member(cid:146)s suggestion of imposing (cid:145)intelligent accounting(cid:146) (direct purchaser inputting to
the Member State(cid:146)s central
information system of each producer(cid:146)s delivery figures) would certainly be
advantageous for rapid and reliable determination of the national delivery figure but clashes with operation
of the subsidiarity principle as indicated above.

Community legislation does however require Member States to take all necessary action to ensure
collection of the levy on quantities in excess of the guaranteed total quantity.

(2001/C 81 E/068)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1603/00

by Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 May 2000)

Subject: Local elections in Equatorial Guinea

In the light of the announcement that local elections are to take place in Equatorial Guinea on 28 May
2000, it is worth bearing in mind that the last round of elections in that country failed to provide a
minimum level of transparency or the most basic democratic guarantees.

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/59

The declaration by the Presidency of the Council on the announcement of the said elections states that (cid:145)the
European Union will be closely monitoring the course of the forthcoming elections(cid:146) and expresses the
Union(cid:146)s concern for the neutrality and impartiality of the electoral process. Will the Council specify what
action it intends to take to see to it that democratic transparency governs these elections?

Reply

(29 September 2000)

The Honourable Member refers in her question to the Presidency declaration of 4 May on the local
elections which were held in Equatorial Guinea on 28 May 2000. These elections were closely monitored
by the Heads of Mission of the European Union, allowing for the European Union to assess whether its
concern for the organisation of a transparent, neutral and impartial vote has been met.

(2001/C 81 E/069)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1610/00

by Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Committee on Structures for Fisheries and Aquaculture

(29 May 2000)

Article 51 of Council Regulation No 1260/1999 (1) laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds
has set up a Committee on Structures for Fisheries and Aquaculture, with the sole specification that it shall
be made up of representatives of the Member States.

What is the current membership of this Committee? What has it done in the period of its existence, which
is now almost one year?

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(23 June 2000)

The full members of the Committee in question are in general the heads of the Member States(cid:146) fishery
administrations.

Under the Code of Conduct on the implementation of structural policies by the Commission signed on
6 May 1999 by Mr Santer and Mr Gil Robles (document PE 230 741) Parliament is officially provided with
regular information on the Committee(cid:146)s activities. The Honourable Member can obtain agendas, minutes
and documents from Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(2001/C 81 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1611/00

by Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: IFOP and the Basque Country

Can the Commission provide information on the utilisation of IFOP resources in the Basque region of
Spain over the period 1994-1999?