WRITTEN QUESTION E-2166/00 by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission. Funding of the Turkish armed forces by the European Union.
Date: 2000-06-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU control, EU financing, Türkiye, accession to the European Union, armed forces, report, use of aid

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/163

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 2000)

Language skills are key skills for all citizens of the Union to acquire and use throughout their lifetime.

The Commission white paper (cid:145)Teaching and learning(cid:146) (1) sets the general objective of proficiency in three
Community languages. It says that (cid:145)it is becoming necessary for everyone to be able to acquire and keep
up their ability to communicate in at least two Community languages in addition to their mother tongue(cid:146).

The white paper goes on to say that (cid:145)it is desirable for foreign language learning to start at pre-school level
with the learning of a second Community foreign language starting in secondary school. Upon completing
initial training, everyone should be proficient in two Community foreign languages. All this presupposes
the availability of top quality education drawing on modern materials equipment and methods customised
to meet the needs of the diverse groups involved.(cid:146)

In some Member States, a significant proportion of school-age pupils undertake language learning outside
the compulsory education system. The systems for testing and for formally recognising the language skills
which a citizen has acquired throughout his lifetime, whether in formal or informal education, whether in
the state or the non-state sectors, vary from country to country.

Article 149 (ex-Article 126) of the EC Treaty makes clear that the Community(cid:146)s role is to encourage
cooperation between Member States and to complement their actions, whilst respecting their responsibility
for the content of education and the organisation of the education system.

The Member may wish to note that the European Eurydice Unit is currently preparing for publication a
detailed survey of the teaching of foreign languages in the different education systems of Member States, of
European economic area (EEA) countries, and of
the other countries participating in the Socrates
programme. This publication, planned for the end of this year, will provide a useful comparison of
practice and policy across Europe.

(1) COM(95) 590 final.

(2001/C 81 E/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2166/00

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Commission

(30 June 2000)

Subject: Funding of the Turkish armed forces by the European Union

According to recent press reports, a Turkish general recently proposed that the new plan for the Turkish
armed forces deployed in south-eastern Turkey should be funded from EU aid to Turkey. However, the aid
granted to Turkey by the EU is intended to develop the country to make it a viable candidate for future
membership of the EU and not to help tackle Turkey(cid:146)s long-term security problems in its south-eastern
provinces caused by its refusal to resolve the Kurdish problem.

How confident is the Commission that the appropriations allocated to Turkey with a view to promoting its
bid for accession to the European Union will not end up in the budgets of the Turkish armed forces to be
used to strengthen Turkey(cid:146)s military machine in violation of all the relevant EU legislation?

What means and procedures is the Commission employing to ensure and monitor the proper use of EU
funds in Turkey and to frustrate the wishes of the Turkish military?

C 81 E/164

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2000)

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member that its partner for the implementation of
financial cooperation with Turkey is a department of the Treasury, and that, from the time of the Helsinki
Council meeting, all funds allocated to Turkey have been directed to operations connected with the pre-
accession strategy. The Commission and the Turkish authorities are in complete agreement on this
approach.

The funds available for Turkey are committed in accordance with the Council regulations governing the
implementation of such cooperation, which expressly forbid all cooperation in military matters. The
Commission can confirm, moreover, that it has at no stage financed an operation connected to any activity
of the Turkish army, and that it has not the least intention of considering any project that comes within
the domain of military affairs.

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that every project financed by the Commission is
submitted for an opinion to the Med Committee, composed of representatives of Member States, and that
a report on the use of funds is presented each year to Parliament.

During the implementation of operations which it is financing, the Commission monitors closely the
unfolding of events, in collaboration with its representatives in Ankara, checks that the results correspond
to the original objectives, and inspects the accounts.

(2001/C 81 E/209)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2172/00

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Failure by SMEs to prepare for the single European currency

(7 July 2000)

The length of
time being taken by many small and medium-sized businesses to prepare for the
introduction of the single European currency on 1 January 2002 is the reason for the worrying statements
which various members of the Commission have made in recent times.

Taking as a yardstick the submission of VAT returns in euros (which is the one used by governments), very
few businesses have so far adapted their accounting practices. According to one member of
the
Commission, most businesses are going to opt for a (cid:145)big bang(cid:146) on 1 January 2002.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s recipe for remedying the failings of which many Community businesses are
guilty in this area? Who is responsible for not having urged businesses to adapt, and what action would
the Commission advise business associations to take as a way of ensuring that its members finally adopt
the required approach to this issue?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member(cid:146)s analysis that many small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) are not yet ready for the end of the transitional period and the bringing into circulation
of coins and notes denominated in euros on 1 January 2002. Most are continuing to carry out their
commercial operations (cid:129) and to make their VAT declarations (cid:129) in national currencies.

However, this does not mean that all SMEs are lagging behind. According to a Eurobarometer (cid:145)Flash(cid:146)
survey carried out in May-June 2000 for the Commission, 22 % of the SMEs questioned said they were
already prepared for the euro and 46 % believed it was time to prepare themselves. Furthermore, 48 % of
SMEs already had an action plan and in Spain and Italy over 65 % had such a plan. Compared with various
earlier surveys, a new level of awareness is apparent and more SMEs are now putting their preparations
into practice.