WRITTEN QUESTION E-3701/00 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. UN special session on children.
Date: 2000-11-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: UNO, child protection, development aid, the EU's international role

C 174 E/118

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

It is interesting to note that the matter of ministerial vehicles was given some prominence in the Malawi
press itself, in blatant juxtaposition to an article concerning serious needs in the human immunodeficiency
virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) sector, where the financial requirement for the
intended undertaking in this field amounted more or less to the cost of the 39 Mercedes Benz. More
interesting even (cid:129) and perhaps reassuring in the given circumstances (cid:129) is that the newspaper which
carried the articles is owned by a senior member of the Government itself. You may already be aware that,
since then, concerted donor disquiet has led to President Muluzi(cid:146)s decision to sell the vehicles and to use
the proceeds towards reducing poverty.

The Commission continues, both through its local representation and in Brussels, to keep a close watch
over the manner in which EDF funded activities are managed and to bring about corrections of any
attempts at circumventing established EDF financial regulations. So far the potential incidents have been
contained and there has not been need to take more overt, official action. It should be stressed that all
disbursements of EU funding, whether from the EDF or the Community budget, are very closely monitored
and regularly audited. There is currently an audit team in country looking into Structural Adjustment
Facility funding and Food Security/Food Aid funding. It is the Commission(cid:146)s firm intention to strengthen
such monitoring and auditing measures generally, not only in Malawi. The Commission is preparing a
Country Support Strategy in the context of the new Cotonou Agreement, which will include its considered
assessment of Article 9 issues, including corruption, as well as its response strategy.

The Commission has in all
its development assistance to Malawi sought to promote and strengthen
indigenous good governance practices and more specifically has an on-going programme of assistance to
the country(cid:146)s legal sector with its Rule of Law Programme, funded under the Malawi National Indicative
Programme. The Anti-Corruption Bureau, which regularly brings issues of corruption into the public eye,
investigations have culminated in President Muluzi(cid:146)s decision to sack three
and whose most recent
Government minsters on charges of corruption, receives some support under this Programme.
It is
perhaps through the strengthening of such national institutions that a measure of restraint on corruption
can best be assured.

(2001/C 174 E/122)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3701/00

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: UN special session on children

Does the Commission intend to prepare, and submit to the Preparatory Committee of the UN General
Assembly Special Session, a report on the effectiveness of its development cooperation programmes in
relation to the progress made towards achieving the targets which were agreed at the World Summit for
Children in 1990?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(18 January 2001)

The special session of the United Nations General Assembly on children will next September 2001 renew
the world wide commitments made at the World Summit for Children in 1990 and consider further action
for children in the forthcoming decades. The plan of action established seven major and 20 supporting
time-bound goals.

There is currently no explicit Community policy focus on children(cid:146)s issues. However children have an
important role in sectorial, especially social policies such as education and health. These issues are being
addressed in the recent declaration from the Council and the Commission on development policy of the
Community and in the programme of action discussed at the Development Council in November 2000.
They also form the backbone of the new Cotonou Partnership Agreement as well as in the general
framework of poverty eradication.

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/119

Furthermore Council Regulation (EC) No 975/1999 of 29 April 1999 laying down the requirements for
the implementation of development co-operation operations (1), and Council Regulation (EC) No 976/1999
of 29 April 1999 laying down the requirements for the implementation of Community operations, other
than those of development co-operation, which, within the framework of Community cooperation policy,
contribute to the general objective of developing and consolidating democracy and the rule of law and to
that of respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms in third countries1, state that Community
action should focus on those discriminated against or suffering from poverty or disadvantage, including
children. Community support has been targeted at projects in six main areas between 1996 and 1999.

In the field of humanitarian aid the Commission is giving special emphasis on the situation of children in
conflicts and is actively engaged in the campaign against the use of child soldiers. Many Commission-
funded NGO projects are specially targeted for children.

The Commission will participate in co-ordination with the Member States in the preparatory process and
Special Session for Children and is considering submitting to the Special Session a factual document
providing an overview over its activities in support of children, including in the field of development co-
operation.

(1) OJ L 120, 8.5.1999.

(2001/C 174 E/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3702/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE), Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE),
Pere Esteve (ELDR), Neil MacCormick (Verts/ALE), Gorka Kn(cid:246)rr Borr(cid:224)s (Verts/ALE),
Luciano Caveri (ELDR), Carles-Alfred Gas(cid:242)liba i B(cid:246)hm (ELDR),
Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE), Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE)
and Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Language diversity in the European Union

Languages are part of the richness of Europe. With next year(cid:146)s European Year of Languages, the European
institutions have acknowledged the need to accord this issue an important place. Beyond the official
recognition of some national languages in the European institutions, it is also vital that the Union and its
Member States attend to protecting the diversity of the languages and cultures of Europe. On several
occasions the Commission has announced its commitment to proposing a Community programme for
lesser-used languages.

Several international charters recognise the right of citizens to maintain and develop their own languages.
On 16 March 2000 Parliament adopted a reference to that effect in its report on the EU Charter of
Fundamental Rights.

Does the Commission consider that a Europe of the Citizens has a duty to promote the protection and
development of all languages? What concrete action will the Commission propose in the context of the
European Year of Languages? When is the Commission planning to propose a solid legal basis for a
specific programme at European level in favour of the lesser-used languages?

Is the Commission monitoring the process of signature and ratification of the European Charter for
Regional and Minority Languages by the 15 Member States of
the European Union? Would the
Commission recommend, as Parliament did on 16 March, signing and ratifying it?

Is the Commission going to raise this issue in the accession negotiations with the applicant countries?