WRITTEN QUESTION E-0653/01 by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission. Socio-economic study of the islands of the EU.
Date: 2001-03-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union, economic analysis, economic situation, island region, peripheral region

18.9.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 261 E/169

(2001/C 261 E/194)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0638/01

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council

(8 March 2001)

Subject: Funding of text books

Please could the Council confirm whether any EU funds have been used to fund the following

1.
textbooks:

(cid:129) Our Arabic Language Third Grade-Fifth Grade Part 2

(cid:129) Islamic Education Grades 3-9

(cid:129) Reader and Literary Texts Grades 4-8

(cid:129) Modern Arab History & Contemporary Problems

(cid:129) Palestinian National Education Third Grade

(cid:129) Islamic Culture Grades 5-8

(cid:129) Geography of the Arab

2.

If so, which budget line was used to fund these projects?

3. Will the Council please undertake to ensure that no EU funding is used to fund textbooks which
contain anti-Semitic statements?

Examples of such language, included in the above textbooks includes:

In many cases these Jews acted according to their known cunning and deceit and they incite wars
Islamic education, 9th grade, p.78.

What can we do to rescue Jerusalem and to liberate it from the thieving enemy? Reader and Literary
Texts, 8th grade, p.99.

I learn from this lesson: I believe that Jews are the enemies of the Prophets and the believers. Islamic
education, 4th grade, Part one, p.67.

Reply

(30 May 2001)

As a matter of principle the Council deplores the use of educational systems to promote intolerance and
prejudice.
It would, however, point out that the projects in support of the Palestinian authority are
financed by the Commission which has in fact given a joint reply dated 12 December 2000 (to questions
P-3612/00, P-3643/00 and E-3652/00) with regard to the funding of the production and distribution of
school textbooks in the territory of the Palestinian Authority.

(2001/C 261 E/195)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0653/01

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Socio-economic study of the islands of the EU

(6 March 2001)

On 24 October 2000, in response to oral question O-0102/00 on Article 158 of the EC Treaty and the
status of islands, Commissioner Barnier undertook to request a socio-economic study of the islands of the
EU in order to obtain as clear a picture as possible of the problems they face.

Can the Commission say what progress has been made on the study and whether the study(cid:146)s findings will
be made available in the second half of 2001, as it had hoped?

C 261 E/170

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.9.2001

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2001)

The Commission has decided that the study on the Community(cid:146)s island regions should comprise (a)
assembly of the statistical indicators available for each island and island group and creation of a database,
and (b) use of the base to make an objective situation analysis comparing and assessing the problems
arising from island geography and the specific needs of the islands.

A call for tenders has been made (1). The Commission is now considering the twelve offers received in
order to appoint a contractor.

The planned duration of the study is six months. The first interim findings should reach the Commission
at the end of 2001. When complete the findings will be reported to Parliament.

(1) OJ S 248, 28.12.2000.

(2001/C 261 E/196)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0658/01

by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 March 2001)

Subject: Lisbon European Council and the open method of co-ordination

The 2000 Lisbon European Council stated that (cid:145)policies for combating social exclusion should be based on
an open method of coordination combining national action plans and a Commission initiative for
cooperation in this field to be presented by June 2000.(cid:146) What steps has the Commission taken towards
presenting such an initiative and when exactly does it envisage making this presentation?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2001)

In response to the mandate of the Lisbon European Council, the Commission adopted on 16 June 2000 a
proposal for a decision of the Parliament and of the Council establishing a programme of Community
action to encourage cooperation between Member States to combat social exclusion (1). Article 137 (ex
Article 118) of the EC Treaty (paragraph 2, subparagraphs 2 and 3) provides the legal basis. The aim of the
proposal is to support transnational exchange of good practice and policy-oriented cooperation in the field
of social inclusion. The initiative is expected to contribute to the commitment to make a decisive impact
on the eradication of poverty, and the open method of co-ordination. The active involvement of the
Member States, regional and local levels of government, as well as the social partners and civil society is
envisaged.

Further to the Parliament(cid:146)s opinion on its first reading, the Commission adopted an amended proposal for
this Decision on 24 November 2000 (2). The Council formally adopted a common position on 12 February
2001 (3) which, together with the Commission(cid:146)s comments on it, has been transmitted to the Parliament
for second reading.

(1) COM(2000) 368 final.
(2) COM(2000) 796 final.
(3) OJ C 93, 23.3.2001.