WRITTEN QUESTION E-2913/00 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council. Doubts over the effectiveness of sanctions policy.
Date: 2000-09-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Austria, European Union membership, extreme right, international sanctions

C 151 E/24

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

(2001/C 151 E/028)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2913/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council

(20 September 2000)

Subject: Doubts over the effectiveness of sanctions policy

On 10 July, at their first meeting under French Presidency, the EU Foreign Ministers discussed the aims and
methods of their Balkan policy. The French Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council, Hubert
Vedrine, stated that an increasing number of countries were doubtful of the efficacy of sanctions against
Yugoslavia in relation to their goal of democratisation. The sanctions were discouraging the population
rather than damaging Milosevic. He admitted that that it was obvious that our political goals were not
being achieved. Our leaders are clearly embarking on a radical reappraisal of their sanctions policy, despite
Milosevic(cid:146)s recent attempts to retain power.

is the Council having similar thoughts about the sanctions against Austria
Against this background,
(unjustified by comparison with those against
the undemocratic Milosevic regime) and considering
removing bilateral sanctions and resuming Community dialogue with this fellow EU member and partner?

Reply

(22 December 2000)

The Council has no position on the issue raised by the Honourable Member and is therefore unable to
respond.

(2001/C 151 E/029)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2914/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council

(20 September 2000)

Subject: Austria/sanctions

During their session of 10 July 2000, the EU foreign ministers decided to release Russia(cid:146)s frozen funds,
despite their constant concern about the situation in Chechnya. Only in December last year, the Union
froze financial aid in the region of € 58 million, in order to induce Russia to put an end to the fighting in
the Caucasus region and strike up a political dialogue with the independence fighters. However, this
measure has now been rescinded. Consequently, despite continuous violent repression, Moscow is this year
entitled to receive the full amount of € 90 million in financial aid.

As a result, a distinctive change has come about in the EU(cid:146)s Russia policy: it discards its long implemented
sanction policy (cid:129) one which has, after all, been somewhat unsuccessful due to its half-hearted measures (cid:129)
and demonstrates readiness to negotiate with a country, whose political views and inhuman approach in
Chechnya it does not wish to condone, yet one which is essential as a partner for peace and stability in
Europe.

In so far as the relationship between the EU Member States is concerned, the Fourteen are persisting with
their policy of sanctions against Austria.

The Council:

(cid:129) would it be prepared, in accordance with its new foreign political position on sanction issues, to also

consider (cid:129) that is, abandon (cid:129) the sanction policy concerning Austria, and

(cid:129) would the Fourteen be willing to fully re-establish the bilateral political dialogue with its partner?