WRITTEN QUESTION P-3215/00 by Jan Wiersma (PSE) to the Commission. EU-UN co-operation on crisis management and conflict prevention.
Date: 2000-10-10
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU institution, UNO, foreign policy, institutional cooperation

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/103

be reached in 2003. Renewable energy partnerships, signed with such communities, are progressing
rapidly and more than 100 potential candidates have been identified.

For monitoring progress in the development of renewable energy the Commission has established a system
based on Eurostat official statistics, data from the industry, manufacturers and their associations, the TERES
model (The European renewable energy study) used for calculating the objectives of the white paper and
the campaign, and a regular survey on Member States programmes and policy.

Actions under the campaign for take-off,
including the renewable energy partnership applications
submitted according to Community programmes, are evaluated under general rules for financial Commu-
nity support. The Commission is preparing a report on the implementation of the white paper and the
campaign for take-off that will be communicated to the Parliament by the end of the year.

(1) COM(97) 599 final.

(2001/C 151 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3215/00

by Jan Wiersma (PSE) to the Commission

(10 October 2000)

Subject: EU-UN co-operation on crisis management and conflict prevention

On 15 September a meeting of the UN and the EU took place to discuss co-operation in the area of crisis
management and conflict prevention.

(cid:129) What was the agenda of this meeting and what were the conclusions?

(cid:129) Were these issues discussed again when Mr Kofi Annan visited Europe?

(cid:129) What is the EU position on co-operation with the UN in this area, and what role should the UN be

given in the elaboration of the Helsinki agreements concerning CFSP?

(cid:129) What could be the EU(cid:146)s concrete contribution towards strengthening the capacities of the UN in crisis

management and conflict prevention?

(cid:129) Will these issues be discussed during the upcoming European Council meeting?

(cid:129) What will be the future format of dialogue between the UN and the EU on crisis management and

conflict prevention?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(30 October 2000)

Conflict prevention and crisis management were among the key themes in the very fruitful high-level
discussions between the Union and the United Nations at recent meetings in New York (13 September
2000) and Europe (3-5 October 2000), where the United Nations Secretary General met the President of
the Commission, the Members responsible for External relations, Enlargement and Commerce and the High
representative Mr Solana as well as the Union Presidency.

Other items on the agenda were the developments in the Middle East and in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (FRY), co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Sierra
Leone, Cyprus, support to the less developed countries (LDCs) and debt relief as well as how to enhance
global coordination between the Community and the United Nations. There was agreement that more
effective and mutually beneficial co-operation between the Community and the United Nations must be
steered in particular by more frequent meetings both at political and working level. Work continues on a
more precise co-ordination framework.

C 151 E/104

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

The strengthening of relevant capabilities of international organisations forms an integral part of the
follow-up to the Helsinki decisions in the field of conflict prevention and crisis management. Given the
vital role of the United Nations for maintaining peace and security, the United Nations is the most
important partner of the Union in this context.

The United Nations has taken initiatives aimed at strengthening its conflict prevention and crisis manage-
ment capabilities. The most recent is the important Brahimi report on improving the effectiveness of
United Nations peace keeping missions. The Union is fully supporting these efforts and is committed to
developing synergies with the United Nations. The Commission is organising its work in this regard with a
view to enhancing its capabilities. The Council will organise a seminar on civilian aspects of crisis
management this month with the United Nations.

Given the need for co-ordination with the United Nations, the Commission believes that the issue will be
taken up by the next European Council within the context of both the Presidency(cid:146)s report on strengthening
Union crisis management capabilities as well as the joint report of the High representative/Secretary
General of the Council and the Commission on conflict prevention.

(2001/C 151 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3219/00

by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 October 2000)

Subject: Maintenance payments relating to children of divorced parents

Is there any EU legislation in place or pending which ensures that divorced parents who have custody of
their children receive maintenance payments from their ex-husband/wife when the latter is from or
residing in a different EU country?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(15 November 2000)

The Commission draws the Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention to the Convention of 27 September 1968 on
the recognition and enforcement of judgements in civil and commercial matters (the Brussels Conven-
tion) (1). This establishes the principle of the maintenance creditor(cid:146)s domicile as the ground for jurisdiction,
and provides for the recognition as of right of decisions by the courts and authorities of the Member
States, which have the power to take decisions on maintenance, and lays down the procedure whereby
decisions can be enforced in another Member State.

In other words, according to the Brussels Convention, the divorced parent who has custody of children can
seise the court of the state of his or her domicile to obtain a judgment awarding maintenance payments.
The decision taken by this court can, thanks to the system set up by the Convention, be enforced in the
state of the ex-spouse(cid:146)s domicile.

The Brussels Convention, which has been ratified by all the Member States, is in the process of being
transformed into a Community regulation, which is possible as a consequence of the entry into force of
the Amsterdam Treaty. This transformation will also incorporate certain substantive changes including the
simplifying and speeding up of the mechanism for the recognition and enforcement of decisions by the
introduction of a certificate accompanying the original decision and giving the authority of the Member
State addressed the necessary information for granting the declaration of enforceability.

The Member States, acting in the context of political cooperation, adopted in Rome on 6 November 1990
a Convention on the simplification of procedures concerning the recovery of maintenance payments. The
main feature of this Convention is to complement with administrative arrangements the provisions of the
Brussels Convention, establishing in each Member State a central authority responsible for tracing the