WRITTEN QUESTION P-1261/01 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission. Financial aid to East Timor.
Date: 2001-04-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, East Timor, equal treatment, humanitarian aid, political situation, war crime

C 318 E/230

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

(2001/C 318 E/250)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1258/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 April 2001)

Subject: Languages used by the European Commission in the Brussels-Capital Region

On 29 July 2000, Commissioner Philippe Busquin acknowledged that the European Commission had
made a mistake in using exclusively a French-language address in its correspondence (1). In the European
Commission(cid:146)s Research Directorates-General shared-cost RTD CPF Forms Electra A6 for shared-cost R & D
projects under the Fifth framework programme (1999/2000), the Commission simply gave the address as
Rue de la Loi, Bruxelles (i.e. it used the French spelling of Brussels). That erroneously gave the impression
that the nineteen municipalities in Brussels are French-speaking. Pursuant to the Constitution of the
Belgian Federation, those municipalities form part of the Brussels-Capital Region, which is bi-lingual.

Commissioner Busquin asked the department involved not to make the same mistake in the subsequent
publication. After all, the Commission acknowledges the bi-lingual status of the municipalities which form
the Brussels-Capital Region. Accordingly, its correspondence always includes the address in French and in
Dutch. That rule applies not only to correspondence but also to all publications and other printed matter.
The relevant instructions were given to all departments on 6 March 1995 and were incorporated into
a procedure manual.

the
Despite the instructions of 6 March 1995 and the statement made by Commissioner Busquin,
European Commission is still using exclusively French-language addresses, in correspondence and on the
Internet (2).

1. Will the Commission and its departments henceforth use Dutch-language and French-language
addresses for their correspondence and publications on the Internet, given the bi-lingual status of the
nineteen municipalities which form the Brussels-Capital Region? If not, why will the Commission and its
departments not acknowledge the bi-lingual status of the municipalities involved by using both the Dutch-
language and French-language addresses in their correspondence and on the Internet?

2. Will the Commission and its departments henceforth use Dutch-language and French-language
addresses for their correspondence and publications on the Internet in order to favour neither the Dutch-
speaking nor the French-speaking community in the Brussels-Capital Region? If not, why will
the
Commission and its departments favour the French-speaking community by using only French-language
addresses for their correspondence and on the Internet?

(1) OJ C 72 E, 6.3.2001, p. 144.
(2) http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/01/479|0|RAPID&lg=EN).

Answer given by M. Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2001)

The Commission recognises the bilingual status of Brussels and is reminding its officials to give addresses
in Dutch and French in all publications when the text is in a third language.

(2001/C 318 E/251)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1261/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(19 April 2001)

Subject: Financial aid to East Timor

What is the EU doing to promote the direct engagement of the people of Timor in the development of
a plural democratic society, given the complete absence of relevant infrastructure, considerable resentment
of the UN presence and persistent inter-communal distrust? What pressure can the Commission bring to
bear for the equal treatment of Protestant and Catholic communities?

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/231

Given reports that war crimes committed in the Timorese war may go unpunished, what is the EU doing
to promote public confidence that
justice will be done, within the context of moves towards
reconciliation? Does the Commission consider there is a role for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission,
on the South Africa pattern?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(7 May 2001)

The Commission shares the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concern about
development of a pluralistic democratic society in East Timor.

the need to contribute to the

In its operations in the territory, the Commission has established a set of priorities which have been
translated into distinct projects of humanitarian aid, rehabilitation and development:

(cid:129) After the September 1999 violence, humanitarian aid was a matter of urgency. This aid, especially in
the areas of public health, is still being funded by the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office
(ECHO);

(cid:129) From the beginning of the independence process, it was also recognised that the nascent structures of
a newly built administration would need assistance. For this reason, the Commission has contributed
to the financing of the United Nations-administration in East-Timor (Untaet);

(cid:129) At the same time, rehabilitation of infrastructure and health services was funded by the Commission,
through the Trust Fund for East Timor (TFET). Contributions to this Trust Fund have been provided in
2000, and in 2001, a further contribution will be given;

(cid:129) As to the longer term development perspective, the Commission is currently planning for the period
2002-2006. Serious consideration will be given to those sectors which allow for a maximum impact
in relation to the identified needs and added value through Community financing;

Finally, according to the agreed political calendar, the first democratic elections for a constituent assembly
will be held in August 2001. The Commission is currently undertaking an exploratory mission to the
territory, in order to identify possible support for this important event. Such assistance in the electoral
process could constitute an essential element for the development of a stable democracy in East Timor.

The question of past human rights violations in East Timor has to be addressed in a wider perspective.
Firstly,
in the internal context of East Timor where, as yet, the East Timorese do not have political
responsibility. The first government of an independent East Timor, which will take office after the August
2001 elections, will certainly be committed to deal with the issues raised, and it will receive appropriate
from the Commission in its efforts. The possibility of a truth and reconciliation
encouragement
commission can then be examined by the new government, together with other options. In the meantime,
it is evident that the United Nations administration is taking all possible measures to treat all communities
fairly.

Secondly, with regard to the role of parts of the Indonesian armed forces and of individual citizens in East
Timor(cid:146)s recent past, the Commission is actively pursuing all appropriate channels to recall the Indonesian
government(cid:146)s responsibility to bring perpetrators to justice.

(2001/C 318 E/252)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1274/01

by Jorge HernÆndez Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Study on North-African Muslim fundamentalist movements

(2 May 2001)

Muslim fundamentalist movements in North Africa have grown in importance to the extent that they now
constitute a true political, if not parliamentary, opposition. Moreover, their ability to mobilise support,
notably in suburban areas and in universities, give serious cause for concern to all in the Southern reaches
of the Union.