WRITTEN QUESTION P-0230/01 by Gunilla Carlsson (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Commissioner Kinnock's letter to former Commissioner Gradin.
Date: 2001-01-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: ECHO, European Commissioner, fraud against the EU, freedom of expression

21.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 235 E/157

(2001/C 235 E/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0228/01

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(5 February 2001)

Subject: Trade, development and EU forest policy

Ninety percent of the world(cid:146)s 1,2 billion extreme poor (cid:129) those living on USD 1 a day or less (cid:129) depend on
forests for their income or are significantly dependent on forest resources. How is the Commission going
to ensure that no EC projects go ahead without a rigorous environmental and social impact assessment
and that EC aid is given after consultation not only with receiving country governments, but also with civil
society?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2001)

The Commission is fully aware of the importance of forest resources to the livelihoods of the most
disadvantaged inhabitants of our planet and of the need to ensure that the projects it finances in the
developing world do not adversely impact on them.

In 1993 the Commission decided to phase in environmental impact assessments for all proposals for
development projects. An Environment Manual describing the procedures and environmental methodology
governing LomØ IV development cooperation projects was accordingly introduced in the Commission.
Similar methods were applied to cooperation projects with the countries of Latin America, Asia and the
Mediterranean. A new guide on integration of the environment, merging and updating the contents of the
two previous documents, is currently under development and due to start initial testing in the coming
months.

The guidelines in these documents are intended to establish whether the implementation of a project
might be detrimental to the environment. If so, the project proposal must include an impact study to
a level of detail which depends on the complexity of the project. The results of this study, which must be
conducted independently, should enable the Commission either to recommend specific measures to
prevent or mitigate the project(cid:146)s adverse impact on the environment or, if that impact is excessive, to
conclude that
the project should not be financed. The new guide currently being prepared also
recommends analysing not only the project(cid:146)s impact on the environment, but also the environmental
improvements to which it might contribute.

Environmental impact analysis also involves public consultation of interested parties and, in particular, of
target groups. Consultations must be held to obtain the opinions of regulatory bodies (e.g. national
ministries responsible for environmental protection), NGOs and representatives of the general public and
other interest groups involved. Appropriate and recognised methods must be used for this purpose to
ensure that the opinions of interested parties are identified and taken into account.

The process recommended by the Environment Manual
is complex and demands substantial human
resources. The Commission endeavours to apply its provisions before any decision is taken on contributing
to the financing of development projects.

(2001/C 235 E/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0230/01

by Gunilla Carlsson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 January 2001)

Subject: Commissioner Kinnock(cid:146)s letter to former Commissioner Gradin

The former Commissioner, Anita Gradin, and the former head of her private office, Christer Asp, have
both recently received letters from Commissioner Kinnock.

C 235 E/158

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.8.2001

Both have made criticisms in the media of the handling of the Echo affair. Commissioner Kinnock(cid:146)s letter
urges them to confirm and clarify their statements (cid:145)as soon as possible(cid:146) so that the Commission can decide
whether to initiate disciplinary proceedings. According to information given to the Swedish media, Anita
Gradin regards this as an attempt to silence her.

Will Commissioner Kinnock, therefore, say what his intention was in sending these letters to Anita Gradin
and Christer Asp?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(2 March 2001)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Oral Questions H-57/01 by
Mr Gahrton, H-81/01 by Mr Andersson and H-122/01 by Mr F(cid:228)rm during question time at
Parliament(cid:146)s February 2001 part-session (1).

(1) Debates of the European Parliament (February 2001).

(2001/C 235 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0234/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(8 February 2001)

Subject:

(cid:145)Illegal(cid:146) Belgian visas and passports

The racket involving Belgian visas and passports is something which needs to be looked into in the context
of the third pillar of the European Union (justice and home affairs), in particular because a temporary or
permanent right of residence in the Belgian Federation automatically grants access to all the Schengen
countries. Such permits are worth their weight in gold to criminals and they make the migration sector
highly susceptible to corruption.

In recent years there have been reports of a trade in diplomatic passes at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and of a large-scale racket involving visas at the Belgian embassy in Sofia. In late 1997 an official of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs admitted having sold some 300 special passes to Russians. The same official
was also responsible for issuing thousands of special permits to embassy domestic staff, mainly Filipino
girls who were often exploited and ended up as prostitutes.

In 1996 the First Secretary of the Belgian embassy in Sofia brought a civil case in respect of illegal
activities against the ambassador and his staff. She had found that visas and passports were being readily
supplied in exchange for payment. The embassy itself had allegedly set up a system of forged invitations
from Belgium companies. In April 2000 two magistrates went to Sofia where they found that (cid:145)illegal(cid:146) visas
had in fact been issued at the Belgian embassy over a period of years.

Is the Council aware of the racket involving Belgian visas and passports?

If so, what action has it taken so that the Belgian Federation can find a solution to this problem?

If not, will the Council look into the racket involving Belgian visas and passports, given the importance of
this issue for the third pillar of the European Union (justice and home affairs) and the policy of the
Schengen countries?