WRITTEN QUESTION E-1626/00 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Statistics on unemployment in Greece.
Date: 2000-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, employment statistics, publishing deadline, unemployment

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/89

(2001/C 72 E/106)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1625/00

by Andre Brie (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(9 June 2000)

Subject: Civil war in Sudan

Various recent agency reports have indicated that the activities of foreign oil companies in the Sudan are
exacerbating the civil war in that country, as government troops and allied militias are being deployed to
protect the oilfields. These militias have been responsible for driving tens of thousands of villagers from
their homes and for the abduction and murder of many men, women and children.

1.

Can the Council confirm these reports, and what is its own assessment of these developments?

2. Would the Council state whether, to the best of its knowledge, any European oil companies are also
operating in the Sudan, and if so, which ones?

Reply

(26 September 2000)

The Council remains convinced that a political solution to the conflict in southern Sudan must be found in
the framework of the ongoing IGAD peace process. In its renewed political dialogue with the Government
of Sudan, the European Union continues to urge the Sudanese authorities to fully respect the rules and
principles of international humanitarian law and it encourages them to create an atmosphere conducive to
substantial progress towards a negotiated and lasting peace in that country.

With regard to the activities of foreign oil companies in Sudan, the Council is aware of reports on this
matter, such as the one issued by Amnesty International on 3 May 2000, but it has not yet made its own
assessment of the issues at stake. The Council notes that, according to Amnesty International, several
European oil companies are to various degrees involved in oil extraction in the Sudan, but for the reasons
indicated above, it is not in a position to confirm or deny this information.

(2001/C 72 E/107)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1626/00

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Statistics on unemployment in Greece

(29 May 2000)

Eurostat has repeatedly reminded the Greek Government that the National Statistics Service of Greece
(ESYE) had not, by the end of April 2000, provided details of the level of unemployment in Greece in
1999, not even indicative data for the first quarter.

1. What is the Greek Government(cid:146)s official explanation for this delay in providing data on unemploy-
ment in Greece in 1999? What are the Commission(cid:146)s views on these explanations?

Have there been other instances in the past of delays in providing statistics by the ESYE? If so, what

2.
were the causes of those delays?

3. What is the most recent data that the Commission has on Greece and what is the unemployment
trend in that country in the light of the statistics for the most recent period?

C 72 E/90

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2000)

1.
Two explanations were given by the Greek statistical office for the delay in transmitting the 1999
Labour force survey (LFS) results. In the second quarter of 1999 the LFS data collection was for the first
time conducted by external staff. The recruitment and training of this staff took more time than expected
and the data collection started late. At the moment the data is collected using paper questionnaires and the
control between answers given in two consecutive quarters has shown to be difficult and has taken some
extra time. The LFS is regulated by the Community legislation. Deadlines should be respected but it is up
to the Member States to decide how the national surveys are conducted.

2.
This is the first time there have been this kind of problems with the Greek Statistical Office
concerning the LFS data collection. The problems are mainly due to the transition to a continuous survey.

3.

Number of unemployed and unemployment rate in Greece

Total

Males

Females

Year 1997

Year 1998

Number

Unemployment rate

Number

Unemployment rate

408,1

161,9

246,2

9,6

6,2

14,8

478,3

188,5

289,9

10,8

7,0

16,5

(2001/C 72 E/108)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1632/00

by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: Collapse of AY Bank in the former Yugoslavia

Is the Commission aware that my constituent, Kevin John Morley of Billericay, remains without a proper
redundancy payment after his employer, the AY Bank, went into administration following the imposition
of EU sanctions on the former Yugoslavia in 1998?

Is there any provision for financial support for European citizens innocently disadvantaged in this way?

Can the Commission suggest any additional way in which my constituent can secure proper redress for his
just demands?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(23 June 2000)

The Commission is aware that AY Bank went into administration in accordance with the United Kingdom
Insolvency Act on 25 June 1999. Some days before the bank(cid:146)s funds were frozen in accordance with
Council Regulation (EC) No 1294/1999 of 15 June 1999 concerning a freeze of funds and a ban on
investment
in relation to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and repealing Regulations (EC)
No 1295/98 and (EC) No 1607/98 (1). As an administration order is made only if the court is satisfied
that a company is or is likely to become unable to pay its debts, that order should not be attributed to the
freezing of funds.

The Commission notes that the Regulation does not address the question whether employees are entitled
to payment of redundancy payments by employers, and that this matter is to be decided in accordance
with United Kingdom domestic law, including the Insolvency Act.