WRITTEN QUESTION E-2457/00 by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission. Eradication of tuberculosis.
Date: 2000-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: AIDS, Africa, Asia, EU aid, World Health Organisation, action programme, disease prevention, health policy, infectious disease, mental health

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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18.4.2001

(2001/C 113 E/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2456/00

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Council

(24 July 2000)

Subject: The case of William Shaiboub

On Monday, 5 June 2000, Coptic Christian William Shaiboub was sentenced to 15 years with hard labour
for the murder of two men in El-Kosheh village, Egypt,
in August 1998. William Shaiboub(cid:146)s arrest
followed the indiscriminate round up and detention of over 1000 Copts in late August/September 1998.
Many of these, including William himself, were tortured, the photographic evidence of which was leaked
to the West. The sole prosecution witnesses against William Shaiboub both quickly retracted their
statements saying that they had only admitted his guilt under duress. In addition, William Shaiboub(cid:146)s
trial was postponed on numerous occasions, leading to widespread speculation that the timing of his
sentencing was being deliberately delayed in order to await a time when international attention might have
diverted elsewhere.

Is the Council aware of William Shaiboub(cid:146)s sentencing?

What representations does it intend to make on his behalf to the Egyptian authorities?

Reply

(20 November 2000)

The Council bodies have discussed the outbreak of sectarian violence perpetrated upon the Coptic
is aware that on 5 June
community in Upper Egypt, particularly in El-Kosheh. The Council
William Shaiboub was sentenced to 15 years(cid:146) hard labour for the murder, in August 1998, of two men
in El-Kosheh. He lodged an appeal against that sentence on 12 June. The Council will continue to follow
this case very closely.

(2001/C 113 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2457/00

by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Eradication of tuberculosis

I welcome the recent announcement at the 2000 Quelez EU-US Summit reiterating the EU(cid:146)s commitment
to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

With particular reference to tuberculosis, could the Commission confirm what practical measures will
actually be taken to contribute to the eradication of this disease, particularly in Africa and Asia, and how
much funding would be allocated to programmes?

The World Health Organisation states that,
from a public health perspective, poorly supervised or
incomplete treatment of TB is worse than no treatment at all. The WHO recommended treatment strategy
for detection and cure of TB is DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short-course). Does the Commission
agree that
the DOTS strategy represents the most effective method for the detection and cure of
tuberculosis?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 2000)

Tuberculosis (TB) is in most cases curable if the drugs are taken continually for the full duration of the
course. Problems arise when there are interruptions to supply or when the patient stops treatment when
he feels better. This is a recipe for development of resistance of the TB bacillus to drugs. DOTS (directly
observed treatment, short-course)
is the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended standard
treatment against tuberculosis and has developed as a result of 20 years of programme experience. This

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strategy is adopted in most countries in Africa and Asia and receives Community support. TB control is an
integral component part of health systems. Effective TB control and treatment should be a part of every
national health programme and funded from the national budget. However, due to multiple demands and
inadequate health funds, TB programmes, particularly in developing countries, have often relied on
external donor assistance.

Many initiatives undertaken by the Community are important for tuberculosis control in Europe and in the
rest of the world. The Community initiatives focused on Europe include the Community network for the
epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases (1), that brings into permanent com-
munication the institutes and public health authorities dealing with infectious diseases, and the Community
action programme on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and other communicable diseases (2),
which provides financial assistance to projects such as Euro-TB (surveillance of TB in 51 countries of the
WHO European region which comprises also many Asian countries).

The Community provides extensive support
in
developing countries. This preference for a system-oriented approach has been a deliberate Community
policy. As a consequence, a detailed disease specific Community development budget breakdown for TB is
not available. Community commitments to health, AIDS and population in 1998 amounted to well over
€ 700 million for more than 100 developing countries.

to strengthen health systems,

including TB control,

Specific collaborative research activities with developing countries particularly geared to the development
and testing of new drugs, diagnostics and vaccines are administered under the regular Community research
budget. For the period 1994-1998, approximately € 3,5 million were spent for research on TB.

In addition, the Commission is presently preparing a communication to be presented to the Council on a
proposed accelerated action targeted at major communicable diseases (TB, malaria and human immunde-
ficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS) within the context of poverty reduction. The new Community initiative offers
the potential
for innovative cohesive strategies for combating the disease. A high-level round table
discussion on this new initiative is being organised by the Commission together with the WHO and the
United Nations programme on AIDS to be held in Brussels on 28 September 2000.

(1) Decision No 2119/98/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 (OJ L 268, 3.10.1998).
(2) Decision No 647/96/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 29 March 1996 (OJ L 95, 16.4.1996).

(2001/C 113 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2461/00

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Compensation for the damage caused by the high-speed train line through the Biesbosch

Is the Commission aware that the future high-speed train line from Amsterdam to Brussels will cut
through the western side of the Biesbosch national park, a bird and natural habitat area?

Is the Commission aware that the Dutch government has promised to compensate for the damage to the
area within the Biesbosch?

Does the Commission agree that it is better, in terms of maintaining biodiversity, to have compensation
outside the Biesbosch in order to prevent a nett loss?

If so, is the Commission prepared to call on the Dutch authorities to revise the plans for compensation
within the Biesbosch?