WRITTEN QUESTION E-3628/00 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. Swaziland.
Date: 2000-11-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Eswatini, constitutional revision, democracy, labour relations, land use, political reform, political rights, social conflict

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/185

Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(19 December 2000)

The material the Honourable Member is seeking is available in the Europa site in the world wide web.

Specifically, the latest data on net contributions, defined according to the operational definition of the
budgetary balance, are for 1999 and can be found in Table 6 of the statistical annex of the report
issued in July 2000. Data on gross
(cid:145)Allocation of 1999 Operating Expenditure by Member State(cid:146),
contributions by Member State, consistent with the 1999 budgetary balance estimates, are also reported
in Tables 4a to 4f of the report (the gross and net contributions data go back to 1993). The report can be
found at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/budget/en/agenda2000/a2000rp.htm.

The data for the 2000 gross contributions according to the supplementary and amending budget (SAB)
1+2/2000 and the 2001 gross contributions according to the preliminary draft budget (PDB) 2001 is sent
direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat.

(2001/C 163 E/213)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3628/00

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(22 November 2000)

Subject: Swaziland

Would the Commission outline any plans which exist to deal with the crisis in Swaziland?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 2000)

The Commission is concerned by the recent developments in Swaziland and the social unrest which
culminated mid-November in a two day stay-away called by the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions.
However, the Commission notes that it is not the first social crisis in Swaziland. On the contrary, protests,
stay-aways and blockades have been a recurrent feature since the suspension of the constitution in 1973,
and demands for political reform have intensified in the mid-1990s as other countries in the region
transformed into multi-party democracies.

The issues at stake in the current crisis are essentially of a political nature, having to do with the country(cid:146)s
constitution, political freedoms, industrial relations and the security of land tenure. A statement of the
Union at this stage can only emerge as a result of a coordinated approach of the Commission and the
Member States of the Community, in line with the rules of the Common foreign and security policy
(CFSP). To date, the Commission has followed a constructive approach involving a constructive and
thorough dialogue with the Swazi Government and established authorities, support
to the various
democratic forces and the civil society and assistance with the constitutional reform process.

The Commission is in any case following the situation closely. It remains concerned that if the current
crisis over the political and social climate persists or aggravates, this will have an impact on the dialogue
with the Swazi Government and negatively affect the implementation of development cooperation with
Swaziland.