WRITTEN QUESTION E-1777/00 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission. Substandard European Union publications.
Date: 2000-06-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU aid, EU publication, European Community, development aid, image, product quality, road building, strike

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/83

In order to make up the accumulated delay the Commission committed € 5,2 million between December
1999 and April 2000 to regularise the 1997/1998 financial situation and for advances for 2000.
A commitment for € 500 000 is planned between now and the end of the year for 1999. So far € 1
million has been paid out in advances for 2000. The Commission will commence site checks in July in
order to proceed, in line with Article 21 of Contract Annex II, to pay the balances due. As the Forchheim
Plant Production Institute in Baden has been participating in three projects the sums due will be paid to it
through the coordinators when the site checks on the projects in question are completed.

(1) OJ L 215, 30.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 210, 28.7.1998.
(3) Not yet published.

(2001/C 89 E/085)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1777/00

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission

(8 June 2000)

Subject: Substandard European Union publications

An article headlined (cid:145)Full funding for (cid:145)Quick Start Package(cid:146) in South East Europe(cid:146) published in European
Union Newsletter No 9 (Sarajevo, April 2000 (cid:129) Delegation of the European Commission in Bosnia and
Herzegovina) makes no reference whatsoever to the Egnatia Highway, an EU-funded development project
which will be highly instrumental
in bringing the Balkan peninsula out of its isolation and under-
development. The map accompanying the article shows the ports of Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos
together with their planned links to the rest of the European network but fails, bizarrely, to show the
Egnatia Highway.

Is the Commission aware that by publishing such unsatisfactory and absurd reports,
its departments
responsible for the promotion of EU projects, which further development inside and outside the Union, are
essentially undermining the significance of those very projects and the impression they make on European
public opinion?

What measures will the Commission take to monitor the officials responsible for the above omission to
ensure that there is no repetition of such blunders in the future?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2000)

The article entitled (cid:145)Full Funding for (cid:145)Quick Start Package(cid:146) in South East Europe(cid:146), as contained in European
Union Newsletter No 9, was designed to give an overview of the impact of the Quick Start Package on
regional transport networks and on pan-European Transport Corridors, particularly those relevant to
Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Commission agrees that particular attention should be given to connecting pan-
European Transport Corridors and Trans-European Networks (TENs). In this context, Via Egnatia and its
vertical links will play an essential role in the development of south east Europe and in reducing regional
isolation.

Given the above, it would indeed have been perfectly conceivable to provide a broader view of Community
action to promote infrastructure development in south east Europe. However, Via Egnatia does not pass
through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also, given space constraints, the Commission believes that it would be
inconsistent to highlight this route without mentioning the many other connections to the Transport
Corridors which affect Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the same reason, the map accompanying the article
(which is, in fact, an official publication of the European Investment Bank available at http://www.eib.org/
pub/news/btf/transp.jpg) does not mention the Via Egnatia.

C 89 E/84

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

The Commission therefore contends that the report and map published in European Newsletter No 9 were
sufficient to convey the most important information concerning Quick Start aid to road development in
Bosnia and Herzegovina. While trying to ensure that all published material is reliable, it does not appear
that corrective measures are required in this case.

(2001/C 89 E/086)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1779/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(8 June 2000)

Subject: EU fishing agreements with Morocco

Is the European Commission aware that the coastal waters south of 27(cid:176)4’ parallel lie off disputed territory?

Does it therefore acknowledge that it is neither right nor proper to include these off-shore waters in any
fisheries agreement with Morocco?

Will it therefore accept that the territorial waters south of the parallel 27(cid:176)4’ should not constitute part of
the current EU fisheries agreement being negotiated with Morocco?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 July 2000)

In the possible negotiations with Morocco, the Commission will refer to the (cid:145)fishing zone of Morocco(cid:146), this
area being defined by the (cid:145)waters falling within sovereignty and/or within the jurisdiction of Morocco(cid:146).

This definition does not prejudge in any way the status of the waters to the south of parallel 27(cid:176)4’, this
question being governed by international law, and more particularly, by the various resolutions of the
United Nations, to which the Community has constantly given its support.

(2001/C 89 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1780/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(8 June 2000)

Subject: Alyssandrakis report on space policy

This report, adopted in the European Parliament on 18 May 2000, calls on the European Commission to
organise a conference of the space powers, namely the European Union, Russia, USA, Japan and China, to
discuss cooperation on the development of launch vehicles and the creation of a GSSP.

Is the Commission planning to respond to Parliament(cid:146)s call? If so, when approximately is it planned?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2000)

The questions of future launcher development and the provision of a global stationary satellite position
(GSSP) do not form a part of the present Commission work programme. These subjects are currently dealt
with adequately by the Member States.