WRITTEN QUESTION P-3612/00 by François Zimeray (PSE) to the Commission. EU financial aid to the Palestinian educational system.
Date: 2000-11-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Palestine, antisemitism, educational system, school textbook

C 163 E/180

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(22 December 2000)

The project referred to by the Honourable Member is part-financed under Objective 5(b) of the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of measure IV.2 in the single programming document for the
Piedmont region for the period 1994-1999. The total cost of the project is ITL 14 billion, of which the
Community share is ITL 4 943 billion.

Part-financing of this measure was conditional on a socio-economic evaluation and environmental impact
assessment carried out in 1997.

This project appears to be covered by class 12(a)
(Ski-runs, ski-lifts and cable-cars and associated
developments) of projects listed in Annex II of Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending
Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment (1). In accordance with Article 4(2) of the latter Directive, Member States determine through a
case-by-case examination, or thresholds or criteria set by the Member State, whether the project is to be
made subject to an assessment in accordance with Articles 5-10. Member States may decide to apply both
procedures.

The sites mentioned by the Honourable Member are proposed sites of Community importance (pSCI)
under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild
fauna and flora (2), and special protection areas (S.p.As) under Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April
1979 on the conservation of wild birds (3). With reference to pSCI, Member States must act to ensure that
the aims of the Directive are not jeopardised. Even in the absence of a Community list of such sites,
Member States(cid:146) authorities are advised to abstain from all activities that may cause a site on the national
list to deteriorate. With reference to S.p.As any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to
the management of the site, but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in
combination with other plans or projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for
the site in view of the site(cid:146)s conservation objectives.

In this specific case, the Commission was not aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member.
It will therefore take the appropriate steps in order to gather detailed information about it and to ensure
compliance with Community law.

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(3) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.

(2001/C 163 E/205)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3612/00

by Fran(cid:231)ois Zimeray (PSE) to the Commission

(15 November 2000)

Subject: EU financial aid to the Palestinian educational system

In a recently published report, a non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Monitoring the Impact of
Peace, has revealed that a number of schoolbooks published by the Palestinian authority are nothing less
than anti-semitic propaganda which, in any EU Member State, would be prohibited under the law on
(cid:145)incitement to racial hatred(cid:146). And yet, as a result of the 1993 Oslo agreements, the Palestinian educational
system receives massive subsidies from the European Union and its Member States, amounting to an
average of at least euro 20 milion per year.

The European Commission is asked:

1. To what extent has the aid provided by the European Commission directly or indirectly helped to
finance the publications listed below and any other handbooks liable to contain anti-semitic passages.
More generally, has funding by the Commission directly or indirectly contributed to the drafting,
printing, distribution, use and translation of some or all of their content?

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/181

2. What steps have been taken to monitor the proper allocation of funds and to what extent, if any, have
EU officials or representatives of the Member States been associated with the drafting of school
curricula?

3.

Is such aid conditional upon observance by the beneficiaries of fundamental rights as well as the Oslo
and Camp David agreements?

The Commission is asked to answer these questions in detail and with due urgency.

(cid:129) Teaching handbook (cid:145)Contemporary history of Arabs and the World(cid:146), pp. 12, 13, 152 and 155.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Contemporary history of Arabs and the World(cid:146), pp. 92, 123, 120, 121, 123.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Arab modern history and contemporary issues(cid:146), second part, tenth level, pp. 48, 49, 50.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Literary texts(cid:146), eighth level, pp. 97, 103.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Palestinian national education(cid:146), third level, pp. 14, 15, 23.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Our Arab language(cid:146), fifth level, pp. 64, 66, 67, 69, 70.

(cid:129) Teaching handbook (cid:145)Our Arab language(cid:146), second level, p. 188.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Islamic education(cid:146), ninth level, pp. 78, 79, 87, 181, 182.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Islamic education(cid:146), fourth level, second part, p. 67.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Islamic education(cid:146), seventh level, pp. 108, 125.

(2001/C 163 E/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3643/00

by Rijk van Dam (EDD) to the Commission

(17 November 2000)

Subject: European assistance for publication of Palestinian school textbooks

The Palestinian Authority has been able to publish its own teaching materials for the first time. Publication
has been made possible by assistance from the European Union and applies to textbooks for the first and
sixth grades (children in age groups 6-7 and 11-12). The Italian consul, Gianni Ghisi, was responsible for
organising European assistance. Despite an agreement that the consul would examine the text of the books
before publication, he was not allowed to inspect them. The books contain anti-Semitic texts. The history
and geography books contain maps that represent the whole of Israel as Palestine and a number of
passages that call on Palestinian children to liberate all of Jerusalem and all of Palestine.

How has the Commission responded to the Palestinian Authority for having broken an agreement by
failing to allow the text of the books to be inspected before publication?

Does the Commission not consider that it must insist on the anti-Semitic passages being removed from the
books?

What action has the Commission taken to prevent a repeat of this situation, and is it prepared to allow
agreements to be broken, or will any assistance payments made in such cases be claimed back?

(2001/C 163 E/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3652/00

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(23 November 2000)

Subject: EU funding of the Palestinian media

Part of the funding that the EU grants to the Palestinian Authority is intended to finance the Palestinian
media. These funds are intended to contribute to the creation of an open and plural information system