WRITTEN QUESTION E-2823/00 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Free movement of labour.
Date: 2000-09-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: child labour, free movement of workers, labour law, population of working age, youth employment

8.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 136 E/101

(2001/C 136 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2803/00

by Feleknas Uca (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(4 September 2000)

Subject: Torture in Turkish prisons

The increasingly critical situation in Turkish prisons at the present time is alarming. In recent months,
revolts and torture have been the order of the day. Prisoners are protesting above all against the Turkish
legal authorities(cid:146) plans to build isolation cells (F-type cells) along German lines.

The most recent example of the situation was the torture and massacre which took place on 5 July 2000
when inmates revolted at the Burdur prison. Since prisoners have long been tortured during journeys to
and from court, the inmates at Burdur attempted to prevent 11 prisoners being brought to court as
witnesses on 5 July. The Turkish military police responded with unimaginable cruelty and savageness. One
prisoner, for example, had an arm torn off, which was not sewn back on but thrown to a dog as food.

1. What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of the situation of prisoners in Turkey?

2. What practical measures has the Commission envisaged to bring an end to torture in Turkish
prisons?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(3 October 2000)

Prison conditions in Turkey remain a major cause for concern. Violent clashes between detainees and
guards or security forces, mutiny and hostage taking still occur. Ill-treatment of detainees notably during
transfer between prisons is also reported. The detention conditions for juvenile delinquents also deserves
the highest priority.

The authorities are currently in the process of restructuring the whole prison system. Eleven prisons of a
new-type (so-called F-type) should be built by the end of 2000. In these prisons, small cells for one to
three prisoners will replace the current big dormitories. The other prisons should be converted to room
system with cells for two, four and six prisoners also by the end of 2000. While the authorities have
indicated that the new type prisons will respect the basic international requirements, some fear exist that
the new system will isolate prisoners with no possibility to socialise. In these conditions, the authorities,
while embarking on this restructuring, should act with caution in order to avoid further violence in
prisons. They should continue to co-operate on this matter with the committee for the prevention of
torture (CPT), which paid a visit to Turkish prisons in July 2000.

As part of the accession process and in order to fulfil the political Copenhagen criteria, Turkey has to
improve the situation in its prisons. This implies notably that ill treatment in prisons should be completely
abandoned.

(2001/C 136 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2823/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(5 September 2000)

Subject: Free movement of labour

Can the Commission indicate whether the Union Treaties, with respect to free movement of labour, specify
any minimum age for the provision to operate or does national legislation apply? If the latter is true, can
the Commission indicate the applicable ages for each Member State?

C 136 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 2000)

The EC Treaty does not specify any minimum age with respect to the free movement of labour within the
Community.

It is important to note that Member States must observe the terms of Council Directive 94/33/EC of
22 June 1994 on the protection of young people at work (1), which provides in particular that Member
States must ensure that the minimum working or employment age is not lower than the minimum age at
which compulsory full-time schooling ends or 15 years in any event. In Spain, France and Sweden, the
minimum working age is set at 16 years. In the other Member States the minimum age is 15.

(1) OJ L 216, 20.8.1994.

(2001/C 136 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2826/00

by Dirk Sterckx (ELDR) to the Commission

(4 September 2000)

Subject: Construction, with European financial aid, of a factory manufacturing concrete in an agricultural

area in Portugal

It is reported that Gon(cid:231)alves e Filhos Lda, a Portuguese company manufacturing concrete, has bought a
wooded nature reserve covering several hectares in the district of Oliveira do Hospital. This in an area
which is ecologically very valuable and principally devoted to agriculture. No environmental
impact
assessment has been drawn up in respect of this project. Apparently, the trees and undergrowth have
already been cleared, and work to level the site has now begun.

Is the Commission aware of this project? If not, can it investigate it? If it is so aware, is it true that the
project is being carried out with European financial aid? If so, does that not breach the basic rules
governing the Structural Funds which stipulate that any aid granted must be used in the context of a
comprehensive and integrated strategy for sustainable development and emphasise that an improvement in
the quality of the environment must be the objective?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985, on the assessment of the effects of certain public and
private projects on the environment (1) does not
list as a separate category of projects (cid:145)concrete
manufacturing companies(cid:146).

In general, depending on which elements are used for the manufacture of concrete, such as using asbestos
for producing (cid:145)soft concrete(cid:146), a concrete manufacturing installation could become an (cid:145)installation for the
processing and transformation of asbestos and products containing asbestos(cid:146) which would be covered by
annex I of Directive 85/337/EC and in such case require an environmental impact assessment (EIA).

Another scenario could be that an integrated plant (encompassing raw material production and the
concrete manufacturing process) is constructed near to the sources of the raw material. Depending on
the environmental significance of such activities, an EIA might be required for the extraction of minerals.

The Commission is, however, not in the possession of more detailed information about the project in
question which would give reason for such conclusions.

The project mentioned by the Honourable Member does not receive finance under the structural funds.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.