WRITTEN QUESTION E-2554/00 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Safeguarding the rights of the disabled and events in Rotterdam.
Date: 2000-07-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, Netherlands, discrimination based on disability, facilities for people with disabilities, freedom of the press, sports facilities

20.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/199

Does the Commission not consider that this was a deliberate act of discrimination against physically

2.
disadvantaged European citizens at a sports event of Europe-wide importance?

3.
Does the Commission agree that the Netherlands should no longer be allowed to organise sporting,
cultural, artistic or other events of European significance until there are guarantees that all European
citizens are able to enjoy them fully and freely, irrespective of their circumstances and nationality?

(2001/C 89 E/225)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2554/00

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(28 July 2000)

Subject: Safeguarding the rights of the disabled and events in Rotterdam

On the evening of 2 July in Rotterdam, the night before the final of the Euro 2000 football champion-
ships, a group of 140 disabled persons, 100 of whom were confined to wheelchairs, suffered a terrible
experience.

First of all, the airport in Rotterdam was not equipped to allow disabled passengers to disembark and they
had to be carried off the airplane one at a time. However, worse was to occur at the stadium itself, where,
despite the fact that it had been notified of the special needs of the group when the tickets were purchased
(at a cost of LIT 510 000 each), the disabled persons were allocated seats in the third tier of the stand at
the top of eight flights of stairs.

The spectacle of the helpers carrying the disabled persons over their shoulders attracted the attention of a
RAI film crew who were there to film the match. The journalists were taken away, beaten and injured and
were detained until late at night by the Dutch police.

Does the Commission believe that the behaviour of the Dutch police could be seen as a form of

1.
racism?

How can it be acceptable that a Member State has not yet done anything to remove architectural

2.
barriers to the disabled?

3. What measures will the Commission take to shed light on these events and ensure that
Netherlands begin to respect the rights of disabled people as quickly as possible?

the

4. What provisions exist in the Netherlands to safeguard the rights of the press and freedom of
information?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2471/00, E-2526/00 and E-2554/00
given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 2000)

The Commission very much regrets the events which occurred at the Euro 2000 football final
Rotterdam.

in

The aim of Community policy is to promote the full participation of disabled people in economic, social
and cultural life, and the Commission, in application of Article 13 of the Treaty, has proposed a number of
measures to combat discrimination against people with disabilities (1).

However, access for people with disabilities to public premises and buildings and to places which are open
to the public is still the responsibility of the Member States.

C 89 E/200

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

Finally, in line with its Communication of 12 May 2000 entitled (cid:145)Towards a barrier free Europe for people
with disabilities(cid:146) (2), the Commission is proposing to undertake a series of initiatives to improve access for
disabled people to public transport and the built environment.

(1) COM(1999) 564 final.
(2) COM(2000) 284 final.

(2001/C 89 E/226)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2492/00

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: European funding of the road network linking France with Piedmont

The road, or rather, motorway link between southern France and southern Piedmont was supposed to be
one of the trans-European networks which the European Union should have been financing for years.

What is preventing the European Union from contributing to the funding of this link?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(14 September 2000)

The projected motorway link between Nice (F) and Cuneo (I) is included as a project of common interest
set out in the maps attached to decision of the Parliament and of the Council No 1692/96/EC of 23 July
1996 on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) (1).

Common-interest projects may receive Community financial support of up to 50 % of the total cost for the
design and 10 % for the works involved, solely on a proposal from the Member States, following approval
of the TEN-T financial assistance committee.

As part of the TEN-T budget the Commission has funded an impact study on that route (€ 220 000). Since
then no other request has been made by the Member States concerned.

(1) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.

(2001/C 89 E/227)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2496/00

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

(2 August 2000)

Subject: Means of sidestepping legislation governing companies selling time-share properties

Every law has its loophole, as the experience with time-share properties shows. Companies selling time-
share properties have been reinventing themselves as holiday clubs as a means of sidestepping Community
legislation on the use of immovable holiday property on a time-share basis.

In the view of many experts, companies previously involved in marketing holiday property are now selling
holiday club vouchers and are thus avoiding falling within the scope of Community legislation, despite
engaging in the same activity.

How does the Commission believe it could combat this particular means of sidestepping Community
legislation, with a view to upholding the legitimate rights of users who are routinely cheated by those
offering this type of holiday accommodation, which is a constant source of irregularities and deceit?