WRITTEN QUESTION E-1910/00 by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE), María Valenciano Martínez-Orozco (PSE) and María Rodríguez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission. Follow-up to and continuation of the Flower for the Women of Kabul campaign.
Date: 2000-06-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Afghanistan, humanitarian aid, position of women, public awareness campaign, sexual discrimination, the EU's international role

C 81 E/108

Official Journal of the European Communities

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13.3.2001

The report makes various recommendations to improve the welfare conditions of pigs kept in intensive
conditions, including the necessity to keep sows in social groups.

The Commission will submit a proposal to amend the present legislation based on these recommendations
and practical experiences of the Member States. The draft Commission proposal, that is being prepared and
will be presented to the Council before September 2000, will include in particular provisions banning
individual stalls for sows. The Commission proposal also aims to establish separate areas for the
performance of the normal behaviour patterns of the animals. Enrichment of the environment and
mutilations of the pigs will also be addressed. The Commission has also to take into consideration socio-
economic implications when proposing measures such as those concerning the ban on individual sow
stalls.

(1) OJ C 302, 12.11.1987.
(2) OJ C 272, 28.10.1986.
(3) OJ L 340, 11.12.1991.

(2001/C 81 E/130)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1910/00

by Mar(cid:237)a Sornosa Mart(cid:237)nez (PSE), Mar(cid:237)a Valenciano Mart(cid:237)nez-Orozco (PSE)
and Mar(cid:237)a Rodr(cid:237)guez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Follow-up to and continuation of the (cid:145)Flower for the Women of Kabul(cid:146) campaign

Since the Taliban came to power in 1996, the women of Afghanistan have suffered brutal discrimination
and repression whereby they are forced to wear the burqua (the garment that covers them completely) and
denied the right to work and to attend hospitals to receive medical assistance. Numerous murders, public
executions and acts of violence have been committed (cid:145)with Government consent(cid:146).

In 1998 the Commission launched a campaign entitled,
(cid:145)A Flower for the Women of Kabul(cid:146), to raise
awareness of the problems experienced by these women and to call for international support. Circum-
stances in Afghanistan later obliged the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) to temporarily
withdraw funding from the projects and organisations operating in Kabul.

Further to the resolution adopted by the European Parliament at its part-session last December (joint text
of B5-0343, 0346, 0371, 0378 and 0384/1999):

Will the Commission give details of measures taken since then and of any action further to the (cid:145)Flower for
the Women of Kabul(cid:146) campaign?

Will the Commission give details of developments with regard to the decision to suspend ECHO(cid:146)s
humanitarian aid in Kabul?

Does the Commission consider that sufficient international pressure has been brought to bear on the
Taliban regime by the European Union and its Member States?

Does the Commission intend to make new proposals or suggestions to the Council to provide increased
support for Afghan women?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(17 July 2000)

The (cid:145)Flower for the women of Kabul(cid:146) campaign was designed for a limited period to heighten international
awareness of the plight of Afghan women in general and in Kabul
in particular. In that regard the
campaign succeeded in its objectives. No specific follow up actions were envisaged or planned at the
outset. On the programming side, however, the Commission has maintained its focus on the humanitarian
needs of women and children in critical sectors like health, education, sanitation and water supply.

13.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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in July 1998 due to the deteriorating
The Commission temporarily suspended assistance to Kabul
operational environment for humanitarian agencies brought about by Taliban directives. To address the
needs of the significant numbers of displaced people that came into Kabul following the offensives of July
and August 1999, the Commission resumed urgent relief aid to the city in the autumn of 1999. Although
the working conditions remain challenging, it has been estimated that sufficient humanitarian space exists
to gain access to and assist the target beneficiaries.

Following the failure of the Taliban regime to comply with the demands of United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1267 by 14 November 1999, the Community adopted Common Position 1999/727/
CFSP (1) concerning the restrictive measures foreseen under the United Nations Resolution. This has been
followed up in February 2000 by the adoption of Council Regulation EC No 337/2000 of 14 February
2000 concerning a flight ban and a freeze on funds and other financial resources in respect of the Taliban
of Afghanistan (2). The sanctions are the strongest measures taken to date to bring about the Taliban(cid:146)s
compliance with the demands of the international community. They have been carefully framed so as to
bring pressure on the Taliban whilst permitting the continuation of humanitarian assistance to the people.

To date, the sanctions have not succeeded in bringing about a change in the Taliban position. Any
decision to implement further and more restrictive measures on the Taliban will have to be assessed
against the humanitarian consequences of such action at a time when Afghanistan is facing a major
nation-wide drought and the prospect of famine.

The Commission is committed to maintaining its programmes of humanitarian assistance for the people of
Afghanistan. It does not at this time foresee any new actions specifically in favour of Afghan women. It
does seek to deepen awareness of the gender issue in the design and implementation of its existing and
future humanitarian aid programmes particularly in pertinent sectors like education, health, hygiene,
sanitation and water. These are mainly focused on rural areas where the majority of the population live
and where social indicators (health, literacy) are of greatest concern.

(1) OJ L 294, 16.11.1999.
(2) OJ L 43, 16.2.2000.

(2001/C 81 E/131)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1923/00

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR), Chris Davies (ELDR)
and Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(16 June 2000)

Subject: Tobacco subsidies

It is stated that socio-economic factors are major obstacles to the removal of subsidies to tobacco farmers
throughout the European Union. Tobacco farming is labour-intensive and is often undertaken in poor
quality soil unfit for other crops.

Can the Commission outline what steps it has taken or intends to take to encourage tobacco farmers to
move into other economic sectors, both agricultural and non-agricultural? What investigations have been
undertaken to establish the viability of growing other crops in tobacco-growing areas? If tobacco subsidies
were to be further reduced, could the same funds be used to finance structural measures in local
economies reliant on tobacco farming?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2000)

In the tobacco sector the support arrangements are based on quotas; unlike many other sectors which are
regulated by guarantee thresholds, there is no support for production beyond the total quota.