WRITTEN QUESTION E-2663/00 by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Arrest of representatives of the press by Turkish forces in the occupied territory of Cyprus.
Date: 2000-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cyprus, Türkiye, enlargement of the Union, freedom of the press, government violence, right to justice

C 136 E/72

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

The present proceedings do not discriminate against Italy vis-(cid:224)-vis other Member States, since the same
approach would be adopted also with regard to the incumbent of other Member States.

The infringement proceedings in no way harm the rights of Italian citizens to benefit from a universal
postal service or disadvantage the Italian consumer as compared to consumers in other Member States. Far
from reducing the amount of postal service available in those Member States, the Commission(cid:146)s proceed-
ings aim to safeguard the widest possible choice for consumers to request new and value-added services
from private operators or from the incumbent. Indeed, the Commission(cid:146)s intervention in the postal sector
has never resulted in a reduction of available services but has resulted in maintaining or increasing
competition and consequently the consumer(cid:146)s choice of postal services.

As to the choice of Article 86.3 of the EC Treaty for the proceedings,
it is to be recalled that the
proceedings concern the possible infringement of the competition rules by the Italian state and not the
non-conformity of the Italian legislation with the 1997 Postal Directive.

As regards the alleged state aid granted by the Netherlands to TPG, the Commission has started an
investigation on the subject, by addressing a request of
information to the Dutch authorities. The
authorities have replied, providing the requested information. The Commission is, at present, analysing
the information received. At this stage, the Commission can not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.

(1) See Case 311/84 CBEM [1985] ECR 3261.
(2) Directive 97/67/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997, on common rules for the
development of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service (OJ L
15, 21.1.1998) at recital 21:
from conventional services) and
document exchange do not form part of the universal service and consequently there is no justification for their
being reserved to the universal service provide(cid:146).

(cid:145)whereas new services (services quite distinct

(2001/C 136 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2663/00

by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE)
and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Arrest of representatives of the press by Turkish forces in the occupied territory of Cyprus

The editor-in-chief of the newspaper (cid:145)Avrupa(cid:146), Sener Levent, and the journalists Ali Osman and Harun
Denizkan, along with other members of the newspaper(cid:146)s staff, were arrested on charges of espionage on
7 July 2000 and subsequently interrogated by the authorities of the Turkish Cypriot pseudo-state and the
Turkish forces occupying northern Cyprus. These spurious and defamatory accusations, which have also
been made against the Cyprus Writers(cid:146) Union and in particular against its chairman, Andreas Kannaouros,
constitute a flagrant violation of fundamental freedoms with the aim of intimidating journalists, curbing
freedom of expression in the occupied part of Cyprus and, more specifically, compelling Mr Kannaouros to
abandon his fight for press freedom and silencing the newspaper (cid:145)Avrupa(cid:146) and its journalists.

1. What steps has the Commission taken and what measures will it adopt in the face of this flagrant
violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms?

2.
On the basis of the conclusions of the Helsinki Summit and the strict application of the Copenhagen
criteria with regard to respect for human rights in the applicant countries, is it possible for Turkey to open
pre-accession negotiations with the EU while it commits such acts?

3.
Given that relations between the EU and Turkey are governed by respect for democratic principles,
the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and that their progress has been made subject to
the fulfilment of these conditions, can the EU continue to deepen relations with Turkey if Turkey does not
comply with these principles?

8.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/73

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

The Commission follows very closely the developments in the north of Cyprus and in particular the recent
committal to trial of three Turkish Cypriots (cid:129) Avrupa chief editor Sener Levent, Sgt Tutuncu and his wife
Pembe Tutuncu, on charges of espionage. The Commission has also taken note of the declaration of thirty-
seven members of the Parliament condemning the arrests and demanding the release of the prisoners.
Therefore the Commission welcomes the recent early release of the suspects on the basis of a lack of
evidence to support their continued detention, despite the request by the prosecuting authorities for
further detention. The Commission will continue to closely monitor the situation both from Brussels and
from its Delegation in Nicosia.

In the context of enlargement, the Commission produces each year a regular report on all the 13 countries
which are candidates for membership of the Union. The report reviews progress in the light of the
Copenhagen criteria,
including the important area of human rights. This report is presented to the
Parliament and receives wide coverage in the media. In the case of Cyprus, there will be (as usual) a
special section dealing with the situation in the northern part of the island. It is probable that the case
mentioned by the Honourable Members will be detailed in this year(cid:146)s report. Concerning Turkey, a report
in which the issues raised by the Honourable Members (cid:129)
will also be published at the same time,
democratic principles and human rights (cid:129) will be addressed.

(2001/C 136 E/079)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2668/00

by Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: German legislation concerning child allowances with regard to Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71

In many cases, the German authorities (Family Allowances Service) do not pay any additional child benefit
in instances where both parents living in Germany are employed as wage-earning frontier workers in the
Netherlands.

The German authorities base their decision on Article 13 of Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71, taken in
conjunction with the German Income Tax Law (§65 EstG).

The same problem affects single women who live in Germany and work as wage-earning frontier workers
in the Netherlands.

Are such decisions in compliance with Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71?

If not, what action will the Commission take to solve these problems?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2000)

The Honourable Member raises a question concerning the failure of the German authorities (family
allowance services) to pay additional child benefits in cases where both parents, who reside in Germany,
are employed as wage-earning frontier workers in the Netherlands and whether this is compatible with
Community law.

in particular Council Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 (1)
Community law in the field of social security,
coordinates, but does not harmonise, national social security systems in order to ensure that migrant
workers and their family members do not lose their social protection when moving within the Commu-
nity.

Article 13 of the above Regulation provides that in principle a person employed in the territory of one
Member State, e.g. the Netherlands, shall be subject to the legislation of that Member State only, even if he
resides in the territory of another Member State, e.g. Germany.