WRITTEN QUESTION E-3180/00 by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council. ERM II.
Date: 2000-10-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Economic and Monetary Union, United Kingdom, euro, exchange rate, exchange-rate mechanism, non-participating country (euro area)

C 187 E/4

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(19 February 2001)

The European Development Area (EDA) was set up in response to closures and restructuring in the steel
industry located in the cross-border industrial area of Longwy-Rodange-Athus and to offset their serious
social and economic impact on that area.

In their joint declaration in 1985, the Belgian, French and Luxembourg governments stated that the main
aim of the EDA was to promote the conversion of the area and to provide 8 000 jobs there over 10 years.
They set as the sole aim of the EDA the redevelopment of the region on the three frontiers and allocated
a variety of resources to achieve that goal. These included the establishment of an international business
the creation of a joint management structure and the promotion of education and research
park,
(European college of technology). The aims of this Area are relatively broad and do not exclude the
construction of a secondary school.

However, it should be noted that the project to rebuild the Mathias Adam LycØe is located in the business
park (cid:129) to be precise, in the Rodange national industrial area, where Community funds have been used to
prepare for the establishment of new firms.

The Luxembourg Ministry of Economic Affairs has stated that the site where it is planned to be build the
school was equipped as part of the Resider I programme (1989-1992) and that the four hectares form part
of a larger area, the improvement of which was 50 % part-financed by a contribution of € 4,48 million
from the European Regional Development Fund. As the text of the programme (1) says, the aim of the
infrastructure works was to complete improvements to the central EDA site in order to attract the
investment required and reach by the 1995 deadline the target of 1 000 new jobs in the Luxembourg part
of the EDA.

It should be stressed that this target was achieved and indeed substantially exceeded since some 1 561 jobs
had been created by the end of 1997. Now that the programme has been closed and the targets set
achieved, the choice of whether to retain or alter the use to be made of the improved land is a matter for
the Luxembourg authorities in the light of their priorities or constraints.

(1) Priority 2: completion of improvements to the central EDA site, Rodange national industrial area.

(2001/C 187 E/005)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3180/00

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council

(16 October 2000)

Subject: ERM II

Should the UK decide to join the euro, does the Council believe that the Treaty would require the UK

1.
to join ERM II prior to joining the euro and, if so, for how long?

If membership of ERM II is not a pre-requisite of membership, how would the UK be expected to

2.
fulfil the exchange rate stability requirements contained in the Treaty?

Reply

(24 April 2001)

In accordance with the Resolution of the European Council of 16 June 1998 on ERM II and the agreement
of 1 September 1998 between the ECB and the national central banks of Member States outside the euro
area, participation in ERM II of these Member States is voluntary.

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/5

The decision whether a Member State not participating in ERM II but wishing to adopt the euro fulfils the
exchange rate stability criteria will be taken by the Council on the basis of reports by the Commission and
the ECB, after consultation of the European Parliament and discussion in the Council meeting at Head of
State or of Government level.

(2001/C 187 E/006)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3396/00

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Council

(6 November 2000)

Subject: Irregularities and fraud during elections in Albania

Six Greek MPs, together with other international observers monitoring the municipal elections held in the
Chimara region of Albania on 15 October (cid:129) which were being reheld following complaints from the
Omonoia-Kead party of violence and fraud during the first round held on 1 October 2000 (cid:129) have
reported irregularities and fraud on a large scale.

1.
Is the Council aware that, on the pretext of naval exercises and routine procedure, the Albanian
authorities closed their sea and land borders on 14 October 2000, which meant that much of the
population of Chimara was unable to go to the polls and vote? Is the Commission also aware that the
Albanian police arrested and terrorised inhabitants of Chimara and that, on polling day, they savagely beat
up voters in front of the observers and the group of MPs, stuffed the ballot-boxes with ballot-papers, drove
off the election supervisors, altered the electoral registers and made multiple arrests, prompting Mr Vasilis
Bolanos, a candidate, and the Omonoia-Kead party to declare that they would not recognise the result?

2. What is the Council(cid:146)s position regarding these flagrant violations in the second round of the
municipal elections, which occurred with the support of Mr Nano(cid:146)s government and the complicity of
Mr Berisha(cid:146)s opposition party, and what representations will it make to the Albanian Government to hold
the elections in the area again?

3.
Is it possible to suspend the Council(cid:146)s decision providing macro-economic financial assistance to
Albania (1) because of that country(cid:146)s violation of the criteria concerning the establishment of the rule of
law and respect for human rights?

4. Will relations with Albania be reviewed, with particular reference to the Council(cid:146)s decision authoris-
ing the Commission to negotiate a stability and association agreement with Albania?

(1) OJ L 110, 28.4.1999, p. 13.

Reply

(24 April 2001)

The Council has noted the comments made in the Preliminary Statement published on
1.
16 October 2000 by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organisa-
tion for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the final report of the OSCE/ODIHR of 11 December 2000
and the report of the Council of Europe(cid:146)s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of 10 November 2000
concerning the conduct of the local elections in Albania.

2.
In the statement which it made on the local elections in Albania in the OSCE(cid:146)s Permanent Council
and in the Council of Europe, the Union deplored the serious irregularities and incidents noted in the first
and second rounds of balloting, especially those which affected the voting of a substantial number of
Greeks in Chimara.