WRITTEN QUESTION E-4016/00 by Carlos Carnero González (PSE) to the Commission. Referendum against trade union freedom in Venezuela.
Date: 2000-12-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Venezuela, common foreign and security policy, referendum, trade union freedom

C 174 E/214

Official Journal of the European Communities

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19.6.2001

(2001/C 174 E/227)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4015/00

by Carlos Carnero GonzÆlez (PSE) to the Commission

(21 December 2000)

Subject: Open letter from Amnesty International concerning the human rights situation in Turkey

On 31 November last the Secretary-General of Amnesty International (AI), Pierre SanØ, sent an open letter
to the EU Heads of State and of Government on the human rights situation in Turkey.

In this letter, the AI denounces cases of torture, ill treatment, solitary confinement, deaths in custody and
many other violations of human rights. The denunciation contained in the open letter follows various AI
reports on Turkey.

Is the Commission aware of this open letter and AI(cid:146)s most recent report on Turkey?

If the Commission is aware of the March 2000 report by the AI on torture in Turkey, what is its view of
the recommendations made there that the Turkish government adopt measures to combat torture and
impunity?

Does the Commission believe that its report of this year on the progress made by Turkey with a view to
EU accession,
(cid:145)Turkey 2000(cid:146), describes the same situation as Amnesty International and shares that
organisation(cid:146)s general recommendations?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 February 2001)

The Commission is aware of the letter sent by Pierre SanØ, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, to
the EU Heads of State or Government on 30 November 2000 and Amnesty International(cid:146)s assessment and
recommendations set out in its recent publications on the human rights situation in Turkey.

Most of the recommendations in the above letter, particularly those regarding the fight against torture and
impunity, should bring about a marked improvement in the situation provided Turkey implements them.
The priorities set out in the draft accession partnership, adopted by the Commission on 8 November
2000 (1) in order to prepare Turkey to meet the Copenhagen criteria, are similar and contribute to the
same objective of improving the general human rights situation.

(1) COM(2000) 713 final.

(2001/C 174 E/228)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4016/00

by Carlos Carnero GonzÆlez (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Referendum against trade union freedom in Venezuela

(21 December 2000)

On 4 December last, under the auspices of President Hugo ChÆvez, a referendum was held against trade
union freedom in Venezuela. Almost 80 % of voters failed to vote.

The holding of this referendum ran flat contrary to the international agreements which guarantee trade
union freedom, starting with the rules of the WTO, as that body(cid:146)s director has publicly stated.

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For a similar reason, the ICFTU (the body to which the main trades union congresses of the EU(cid:146)s Member
States belong) has made repeatedly protests against the holding of this referendum and sounded warnings
about its negative consequences.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of this referendum? Has it formally communicated that opinion to the
Venezuelan authorities? Does it intend to make strong representations to the Venezuelan Government
concerning the need to respect trade union freedom as one of the defining elements of a constitutional
state?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(30 January 2001)

This is a domestic issue which may be discussed on occasion of the meeting between the Union and the
Andean group (scheduled for March in Santiago de Chile).

It is worth noting that Venezuela, along with the other Latin American and Caribbean countries, signed a
joint-declaration at the Rio Summit, reiterating their support for democracy and freedom of opinion. The
Commission will continue following closely the fulfillment of the agreements concluded between the
parties and, if necessary, will consider providing specific support to countries in doing so. In addition, it
should be stressed that the issues related to human rights are included in the three priority points
identified in the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the Parliament regarding the
follow-up to the Rio Summit (1).

(1) COM(2000) 670 final.

(2001/C 174 E/229)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4018/00

by Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 December 2000)

Subject: Relations with the State of Israel

Relations between the Community and Israel are based on the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement
signed on 20 November 1995 between the Community and the Member States, on the one hand, and the
State of Israel on the other, which entered into force in June 2000. In the agreement the signatories
consider (cid:145)the importance of the existing traditional links between the Community, its Member States and
Israel and the common values that they share(cid:146). They declare their desire to strengthen those links, confirm
the free-trade arrangements for industrial goods, envisage new agricultural concessions, establish for the
first time institutional political dialogue and agree on extending cooperation to new spheres.

Can the Commission say whether it considers that recent events in the region may change relations
between the Community and Israel, as might be deduced from certain reports in the media?

Can the Commission say whether there has been any contact between Commissioner Patten and the
Foreign Ministers of the Member States on this issue?

Can it say whether it has considered the possibility of imposing sanctions on Israel, or even suspending the
application of the Association Agreement?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 January 2001)

As the Honourable Member says, the Association Agreement between the Community and Israel entered
into force on 1 June 2000. It strengthens EU-Israeli ties significantly and has made a large number of
cooperation activities possible.