WRITTEN QUESTION E-1072/01 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Irregularities in Greek population census of March 2001.
Date: 2001-04-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, data transmission, foreign national, population census, population statistics

C 364 E/40

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

At the request of the Member of the Commission responsible for Enterprises and Information Society, the
Information Society Directorate General has initiated an internal review on the management of the Sensus
project. Depending on the results of the internal review and with due consideration of the information that
has been brought to the attention of the Commission, the Commission will take further measures,
if
appropriate. These measures may include asking AfA to nominate another co-ordinator to the Sensus
project.

(2001/C 364 E/045)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1072/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Irregularities in Greek population census of March 2001

(5 April 2001)

On Sunday, 18 March 2001, a general population census was carried out in Greece. The census is
conducted every ten years and was publicised by the government as (cid:145)the first census of
the new
millennium(cid:146).

Despite all the technological facilities afforded by the new millennium, however, the National Statistical
Service of Greece issued instructions to its census officers to use pencil to fill in the forms, while the
information relating to immigrants living in Greece was inadequate. In particular, non-EU nationals were
not asked whether they had a legal residence permit for Greece or how long they had been or intended to
stay in the country, which raises legitimate questions about
the
data collected. Still fresh in the mind also are allegations by the main opposition party (representing
43 % of the Greek population) concerning illegal naturalisations, which evidently distorted the outcome of
the elections held in April 2000.

the reliability and accuracy of

Is pencil (which obviously makes it easier to alter the data collected) used for censuses in the other
Member States?

Should the data collected not include information concerning third country nationals living legally or
illegally in a Member State of the Union?

Are data concerning legal and illegal residents in Greece forwarded to Eurostat?

On what data does the EU(cid:146)s Statistical Service base its Eurobarometer statistics and other published
statistical indicators?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2001)

The organisation of population censuses in the Member States is regulated by the (cid:145)UN-ECE/Eurostat
recommendations for the 2000 censuses of population and housing(cid:146).

These recommendations do not specify which means should be used to fill in the questionnaire. It is,
however, considered as good practice not to use a pencil.

With regard to the foreign population, it should be pointed out that the basic aim of a population census
is to count the usually resident population of a Member State.

The usually resident population consists of:

(cid:129) persons living in the Member State at the moment of the census and who have stayed or are going to

stay in the Member State for at least 12 months;

(cid:129) persons living in the Member State, but temporarily absent for not more than 12 months,

(cid:129) independently of the person(cid:146)s place of legal residence or whether he or she has permission to stay in

the Member State or not.

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/41

Every person belonging to the usually resident population is asked either about his/her citizenship or
country of birth. The census therefore contains information on the foreign population.

The statistical information from the censuses will be transmitted to Eurostat in the form of a Community
programme of tables. These tables will include information on the foreign population. A copy of the
document presenting this programme of tables will be sent directly to the Honourable Member and to the
Secretariat General of the Parliament.

Generally speaking, Eurostat does not directly collect statistical
information available directly from
data providers (households, enterprises, etc.). This information is collected and transmitted to Eurostat by
the national
in accordance with
Community definitions and methods in order to ensure comparability.

services, particularly the National Statistical

Institutes,

statistical

With regard to the Eurobarometer mentioned by the Honourable Member in his question, the Commission
wishes to draw his attention to the fact that the Eurobarometer is not a statistical instrument but an
opinion poll. The Eurobarometer surveys are carried out at the Commission(cid:146)s request by reputable survey
institutes in the Member States.

(2001/C 364 E/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1080/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(9 April 2001)

Subject: Protracted settlement procedures following (road) accidents in Switzerland

On Friday, 16 February the Swedish Presidency discussed with the President of Switzerland the right to
rapid, low-cost compensation for European victims of road accidents in Switzerland. This initiative is part
of the search for a solution to the long drawn out damage claims between EU victims and Swiss insurance
companies, because the fourth directive on motor vehicle insurance is not applicable here.

Loop-holes in Swiss legislation enable insurance companies to withhold for a very long time the payment
of damages resulting from civil liability. This source of legal uncertainty affects EU citizens who are victims
of (road) accidents in Switzerland. They become caught up in a legalistic procedural wrangle with no
prospect of compensation within a reasonable period of time. One of the victims is a citizen of the Belgian
Federation who has been waiting for a number of years for speedy, equitable and fair compensation.

This case has already prompted questions to the Commission, the Council and the Belgian Minister of
Foreign Affairs. In reply to a previous question, the Council said that EU Institutions had acknowledged the
problem of protracted settlement procedures following road accidents in third countries and that they were
prepared to tackle the problem with the proposal for the third directive on motor vehicle insurance.
However, the fourth directive affords no solution to the settlement procedures which are still under way.

1. What results and/or agreements have come from discussions with the Swiss President?

for

Does the Council think that a rapid, fair and reasonable solution will be found, within the foreseeable
2.
future,
following road accidents in
Switzerland? If not, what further action will the Council take in order to find a rapid, fair and reasonable
solution within the foreseeable future?

the victims involved in protracted settlement procedures