WRITTEN QUESTION E-1521/00 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council. Ratification of the Rome Statute and associated establishment of war-crimes tribunal.
Date: 2000-05-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, EU policy - national policy, International Criminal Court, accession to an agreement

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/47

(2001/C 89 E/045)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1521/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 May 2000)

Subject: Ratification of the Rome Statute and associated establishment of war-crimes tribunal

On 17 June 1998 the United Nations adopted the so-called (cid:145)Rome Statute(cid:146), which will provide, on
ratification by 60 member countries, for the establishment of a permanent international war-crimes
tribunal. The statute moreover affords considerable scope for sanctioning violence against women in war,
in particular by including rape, (cid:145)sex slavery(cid:146), forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced sterilisation and
other forms of sexual violence in the definition of war crimes. Italy has hitherto been the only EU State to
ratify the Rome Statute, all other Member States still having failed to do so.

Can the Council indicate whether it will call on the remaining 14 Member States to ratify the Rome Statute
as a matter of urgency, thereby ensuring that no further obstacle can stand in the way of establishing a
permanent war-crimes tribunal?

Reply

(23 October 2000)

The European Union considers that the process of establishing the International Criminal Court has an
historical dimension and that it sends a signal that the world can be made a safer and more just place to
live in. The Member States were also very active and well coordinated in the work leading to the adoption
of the ICC statutes. Furthermore, the EU is doing its utmost to ensure that the Preparatory Commission
succeeds in its task.

The EU is of the opinion that a culture of impunity cannot be tolerated, especially with regard to gross
violations of international law such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Where national
courts cannot or do not want to act, the international community has the ultimate responsibility for
ensuring that justice is served. The International Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda have
already contributed substantially to increasing compliance with international
the
adoption of the Statute of a permanent International Criminal Court to try the most serious crimes and
violations of humanitarian law is of great importance and the earliest possible entry into force of this
statute represents one of the top priorities for the European Union.

law. Consequently,

Italy, France and Belgium have already ratified the ICC statute. The other Member States have all entered
the process leading to ratification and, depending on their national procedures, they should be completed,
for most of them, in the near future. The situation concerning ratification of the ICC statute in the EU is
regularly raised by the Presidency in the meetings of the Council Working Group for International Law.

(2001/C 89 E/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1523/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(12 May 2000)

Subject: Plans to reduce the market share of national, regional and local public transport operators

1.
On 12 April 2000, the Dutch periodical OV-Magazine reported that European Commissioner de
Palacio was considering replacing the existing Regulations 1191/69 (1) and 1893/91 (2) with a new
regulation containing different provisions concerning the financial relationship between public authorities
and public transport operators, with the aim of promoting competition, one element of which would
consist of reducing to 25 % the maximum market share which any public transport operator should be
permitted to hold in a town, province or country. Can the Commission confirm that such changes to the
rules are being considered or prepared?