WRITTEN QUESTION E-0682/01 by Emilia Müller (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Inclusion of military areas in the sites notified by the Member States under the EU habitats and bird protection Directive.
Date: 2001-03-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, military manoeuvres, protected area

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/67

Cook(cid:146)s position on the use of chemicals weapons in Iraq is in stark contrast to the attitude of the EU
Member States on the use of chemical weapons in Turkey. For example, the Council has still not expressed
an opinion on the Turkish army(cid:146)s use of chemical weapons with German warheads on the Kurdish PKK
movement on 11 May 1999. Nevertheless there is a need to develop a clear view of the Kurdish question
in Iraq and Turkey in the context of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Will the Council take whatever action is necessary to put an end to the use of chemical weapons against
the Kurds in Turkey, to reflect Cook(cid:146)s line on the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds in Iraq? If
not, why does the Council refuse to develop a clear view of the use of chemical weapons against, on the
one hand, the Kurds in Iraq (as witness Cook(cid:146)s position) and, on the other hand, the Kurds in Turkey?

Reply

(16 July 2001)

Regarding the issue of chemical weapons in Turkey, the Honourable Member is kindly invited to refer to
the reply to the Written Question No E-0670/01 on (cid:145)German chemical weapons in Turkey(cid:146). The use of
chemical weapons against the Kurds has not been raised within the Council or Council bodies. The
Council has not therefore expressed its views on the issue.

(2001/C 340 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0682/01

by Emilia M(cid:252)ller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 March 2001)

Subject: Inclusion of military areas in the sites notified by the Member States under the EU habitats and

bird protection Directive

1. Which Member States have included areas in military use in the sites notified under the EU habitats
and bird protection Directive for the purposes of a European Natura 2000 network?

2. What proportion do these military areas represent in relation to the total area which the relevant
Member State has notified to the Commission in accordance with the habitats and bird protection
Directive?

In the event of any Member State not having included military areas in its notification of sites, please

3.
indicate:

(a) Why this has not been done?

(b) What is the Commission(cid:146)s position on this?

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(10 May 2001)

The possible military use of sites notified to the Commission under Council Directive 92/43/EEC of
21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna (1) and Council Directive
79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (2) for the Natura 2000 network is amongst
the voluntary data included by the Member States at the time of notification. The type of activity, (cid:145)military
exercise,(cid:146) which may be linked to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s Question, may therefore be given voluntarily.
Out of the 14 Member States that have sent computerised data to the Commission under the habitats
Directive (all except for Germany), ten, (Belgium, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria,
Portugal, Finland, Sweden) have indicated this type of activity. As regards the sites notified under the bird
protection Directive, eight Member States,
Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal,
(Belgium, Greece,
Finland, Sweden) have indicated this type of activity.

The Commission is not in a position to provide the information requested, given the voluntary nature of
the indication of military use, therefore it is impossible to calculate the total area.

C 340 E/68

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

The Member States are required to notify areas that meet the scientific criteria of the habitat and bird
protection Directives for Natura 2000. This obligation is the responsibility of
the Member States(cid:146)
authorities and the Commission is not in a position to indicate if and why the areas in military use were
excluded. The Commission is of the opinion that these areas must be notified for Natura 2000 where their
ecological characteristics so require.

(1) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.
(2) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.

(2001/C 340 E/079)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0689/01

by Concepci(cid:243) Ferrer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 March 2001)

Subject: The situation in Angola

A report by the NGO (cid:145)MØdecins sans frontiŁres(cid:146) published in November 2000 (Angola: unassumed
responsibilities (cid:129) a people on the verge of the abyss) sets out the testimonies of displaced Angolan
civilians and details the deterioration in the health of the displaced (76 % of the population have no access
to health care) and the danger and difficulties faced in obtaining humanitarian aid from the outside, thanks
to a government-imposed ban.

The mortality rate for children under five is 292/1000, and life expectancy at birth has fallen from 47 in
1970 to 42 today.

The UN, meanwhile, appears to have abandoned the principle of fair and equal humanitarian access to the
parties in conflict.

If the above figures are confirmed, what measures does the Commission intend to adopt to alleviate this
situation?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2001)

The Commission is aware of the seriousness of the humanitarian situation in Angola and has been actively
providing support to alleviate the suffering of the populations. In spite of an improvement during late
1999 and 2000, when the government obtained control of a significant part of the territory, security and
access remain affected and there have been no significant breakthrough in reversing the humanitarian
crisis.

EC support is currently targeting, through the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), the
World Food Programme (WFP) and EuropeAid, both food and non-food aid to displaced populations with
a particular emphasis in the heavily war affected Central and Eastern Provinces. Furthermore,
the
Commission intends to continue to provide support in all areas of the country, as long as security
conditions allow it, and to accompany humanitarian assistance with support for transition to rehabilitation
and development.

The health situation of the displaced populations is particularly looked at by the Commission through
various ongoing actions. The Commission is one of the main partners in the health sector in Angola and
over 60 % of the ECHO funds approved for this country in 2000 were spent to respond to the emergency
health needs of the Angolan population. The Commission recalls that the Union(cid:146)s political objectives with
regard to Angola are set out in the Council Common Position of 19 June 2000 (1) (2000/391/CFSP). This
position addresses the issue raised by the Honourable Member by calling for securing safe and unrestricted
access to internally displaced persons by relief agencies in accordance with internationally accepted
humanitarian principles. The Commission, in co-ordination with the Member States, has been urging the
in particular, the re-establishment of local
Government to respond to the more immediate concerns;
administrations and the re-opening of road access appear to be critical to the improvement of the
livelihoods of population.

(1) OJ L 146, 21.6.2000.