WRITTEN QUESTION E-2431/00 by Gorka Knörr Borràs (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Peoples.
Date: 2000-07-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU national, European Union, European citizenship, terminology

C 113 E/94

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2001

cooperating voluntarily, have undertaken that by 2003 they will be able to provide up to 5 000 police
officers for international missions across the range of conflict prevention and crisis management
operations. Member States have also undertaken to be able to identify and deploy up to 1 000 police
officers within 30 days. The participation of
the Member States in crisis
management operations conducted by the Union must not in present circumstances be confused
with the proposal, submitted by the Commission and now under scrutiny by the Council, for a (cid:145)rapid
reaction facility(cid:146). The European Council invited the French Presidency, together with the Secretary
General/High Representative, to carry work forward within the General Affairs Council on this subject,
and to submit an overall Presidency report to the European Council
in Nice in December 2000,
including information on the development and implementation of EU capabilities in civilian aspects of
crisis management.

the police forces of

(1) OJ C 221, 19.7.1997, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 26, 30.1.1999, p. 23.

(2001/C 113 E/093)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2431/00

by Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(18 July 2000)

Subject: Peoples

What is the Commission(cid:146)s interpretation of (cid:145)peoples(cid:146), within the meaning of Articles 151, 189 and 190 of
the EC Treaty? In the case of the Spanish State, does it correspond to that which the Spanish Constitution
recognises as (cid:145)nationalities(cid:146)?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(29 September 2000)

In the provisions referred to by the Honourable Member, as in other provisions (see in particular the first
recital of the Preamble to the EC Treaty), the term (cid:145)European peoples(cid:146) or (cid:145)peoples of the Member States(cid:146) is
general and refers to the population of the Member States making up the Community.

The Commission considers that the authors of the Treaties used the word (cid:145)peoples(cid:146) throughout to refer to
the people holding the nationality of a Member State, namely the citizens of the Union.

(2001/C 113 E/094)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2435/00

by Giorgio Celli (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 July 2000)

Subject: Death of dolphins at Gardaland

There have been reports of a number of deaths among the bottle-nosed dolphins (Tursiops truncata) kept
at the dolphinarium at the Gardaland amusement park (Verona, Italy).

These dolphins apparently take part in a show designed for public entertainment that is repeated five times
each day, which may have put their lives at risk.

It should be remembered that these animals are protected under the Convention of Washington of 3 March
1973 (CITES), which has been incorporated into its law by the European Union (Council Regulation EC/
3626/82 (1) and Commission Regulation EC/3418/83 (2). The EU has also adopted Council Regulation EC/
338/97 (3) of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade
therein. Subsequently, on 26 May 1997, the EU adopted Commission Regulation (EC) 939/97 (4) laying
down detailed rules concerning the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) 338/97.