WRITTEN QUESTION E-0533/01 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Italy's investigation into Balkan syndrome.
Date: 2001-02-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Italy, Western Balkans, illness, military personnel, scientific report

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/43

The Council has expressed its willingness to contribute to the efforts made by Ecuador and all the Andean
countries to strengthen democracy, human rights and the rule of law. These are the pillars on which
economic co-operation and political dialogue between the EU and those countries are based. The same
message was conveyed to Ecuador and the other Andean countries at the recent ministerial meeting
between the EU and the Andean Community, in Santiago de Chile on 28 March 2001.

(2001/C 340 E/048)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0524/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(23 February 2001)

Subject: Discussion of EU staff(cid:146)s financial conditions

The Swedish Government has made attempts in the past to initiate discussion of EU staff(cid:146)s financial
conditions. On 22 September 1997, the Swedish Prime Minister, G(cid:246)ran Persson, met the then Commission
President Santer. Persson criticised the high salaries of staff but his views were not given a sympathetic
hearing. After the meeting he said that they would (cid:145)probe a little deeper(cid:146) into the matter. Nothing appears
to have happened since.

However, Sweden now holds the Presidency of the Council and G(cid:246)ran Persson is still Prime Minister. What
steps is the current Presidency taking to hold talks about EU staff(cid:146)s financial conditions and bringing their
salaries into line with current salary levels in the Member States?

Reply

(10 July 2001)

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that in accordance with Article 283 of the Treaty
establishing the European Community, the Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities and
the Conditions of Employment of other servants of those Communities are laid down by the Council,
acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from the Commission and after consulting the other
institutions concerned. The emoluments and social security benefits of officials are set out under Title V of
the Staff Regulations.

The Council will ensure that this issue is studied further, in particular in the light of the Orientation Papers
on Pay and Pensions presented by Mr Kinnock, on 28 February 2001, which have been adopted by the
Commission. This document is currently under discussion with the trade union organisations in a high-
level group. The Council is ready to examine the formal proposals from the Commission as soon as it
presents them.

(2001/C 340 E/049)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0533/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(23 February 2001)

Subject: Italy(cid:146)s investigation into Balkan syndrome

Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, has requested the Ghent toxicologist Aubin
Heyndrickx to carry out a study of Balkan veterans who are ill or who have died.
In the past
Mr Heyndrickx has acted on a number of occasions as an expert in chemical warfare. However, fellow
scientists accuse him of using (cid:145)less than scientific(cid:146) research methods. In 1995 Heyndrickx was given a one-
year suspended jail sentence for forgery. Four years later he was in the news again because a court in
South Africa suspected him of having close links with Dr Wouter Basson, better known as (cid:145)Dr Death(cid:146).
Basson was working on a vaccine for eradicating the black race.

1. When did the Commission decide to request the Ghent toxicologist Aubin Heyndrickx to carry out
an Italian study of Balkan veterans who are ill or who have died?

C 340 E/44

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

2.

At whose suggestion did the Commission decide to do this?

3.
Is the Commission aware of Mr Heyndrickx(cid:146) reputation, and in particular claims by fellow scientists
that he uses (cid:145)less than scientific(cid:146) research methods? If so, why did the Commission nevertheless turn to
Mr Heyndrickx? If not, will the Commission seek further information about Mr Heyndrickx(cid:146) scientific
reputation?

4.
Is the Commission aware of the close links which Mr Heyndrickx is alleged, by the court in South
Africa, to have had with Dr Wouter Basson? If so, why did the Commission nevertheless decide to engage
Mr Heyndrickx? If not, will the Commission seek further information about the close links which
Mr Heyndrickx is alleged to have had with Dr Basson?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(6 June 2001)

Mr Heyndrickx on his own initiative sent several letters to the President of the Commission.

The Commission has not charged Mr Heyndrickx to undertake any studies mentioned in the Honourable
Member(cid:146)s question nor is it aware of any other activities of his.

(2001/C 340 E/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0542/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(23 February 2001)

Subject: Cat and dog furs

The American organisation the Humane Society and various European animal rights associations have
recently denounced the fact that 2 million cats and dogs are killed every year for their fur.

The numbers are shocking, particularly since the animals are killed in a most barbarous fashion, by being
skinned alive, an absolutely horrible practice.

The people who wear these furs are not aware of the fact that they are dog or cat furs. They are imported
concealed as components of clothes or fluffy toys in bad taste, which are deliberately labelled in an
incomprehensible manner.

This gruesome trade originates mainly in China, Thailand, Korea and the Philippines and Europe is the
main market. Most traders who sell clothes made from (cid:145)imitation fur(cid:146) (cid:129) which is not imitation at all (cid:129) are
acting in good faith. It is the case, however, that at the beginning of the 1990s a skiing equipment
company used dog fur to line its ski boots.

1.

Can the Commission say whether it is aware of these revolting activities;

2. What measures it intends to propose to stop this horrendous trade;

3. Whether it is possible to require checks to be carried out and labelling to correspond to the materials
actually used for clothes and other products?