WRITTEN QUESTION P-1398/01 by Luís Queiró (UEN) to the Council. Situation of Portuguese hostages in Cabinda.
Date: 2001-05-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Angola, European citizenship, Portugal, human rights, illegal restraint, the EU's international role

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/101

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(12 July 2001)

Before adopting its proposal for a Council Directive establishing a general framework for informing and
consulting employees in the European Community (1), the Commission conducted, as is current practice,
an evaluation of its impact on businesses and in particular on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The Honourable Member will find the results of this evaluation in an annex to the Commission(cid:146)s proposal.

(1) OJ C 2, 5.1.1999.

(2001/C 364 E/111)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1398/01

by Lu(cid:237)s Queir(cid:243) (UEN) to the Council

(7 May 2001)

Subject: Situation of Portuguese hostages in Cabinda

Seven Portuguese citizens continue to be held in Cabinda (cid:129) two of them since 24 May 2000 (i.e. in
captivity for exactly 11 months) and the others since 9 March 2001.

According to the information available the situation in Cabinda has sharply deteriorated, particularly on
account of increased military pressure from Angola.

The author of this question takes the view (which is shared by the European Union as a whole) that the
non-use of military force has been essential to the success of the diplomatic efforts undertaken in such
situations.

A single example will suffice: about a year ago the EU called upon the Government of the Philippines not
to take military action in its attempts to free a sizeable group of hostages who had been kidnapped in that
country. The fact that they were successfully released proves that the EU was right to issue such a call.

There is no historical or political link between the situation in the Philippines and what is going on in
Cabinda, but there is an obvious connection from the humanitarian point of view. In both cases the EU(cid:146)s
duty is to do all it can to protect the lives of the hostages (who are European citizens) and to secure their
early release.

At a time when there are no journalists in the area (since they were all expelled by the Angolan
Government) and in view of the military operations which have been engaged in by the Angolan armed
forces and which, for the above reasons, have been carried out in the absence of any monitoring by the
international community, a European special envoy should be sent to Cabinda (cid:129) preferably Mr Javier
Solana, in his capacity as High Representative for the EU(cid:146)s common foreign and security policy. The
purpose of such a visit would be to assess the actual political and military situation in Cabinda and to
promote, on the EU(cid:146)s behalf, whatever efforts are needed in order to secure the release of the Portuguese
hostages.

Is the Council willing to countenance such a visit, which would constitute an initiative equivalent to the
one it promoted in the case of the hostages held in the Philippines and which is becoming increasingly
important in view of the length of time for which the hostages have been held, the seriousness of the
situation and the fact that the hostages are Europeans?

C 364 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Reply

(27 September 2001)

The Council was informed by the Portuguese Foreign Minister Gama during the Council (configuration
General Affairs) on 19 March 2001 about the kidnapping of eight Portuguese citizens in the Angolan
province of Cabinda. Ministers expressed concern over the humanitarian situation of the Portuguese
hostages. They strongly condemned their kidnapping and called on those responsible to release all hostages
immediately. They recalled the EU(cid:146)s condemnation of such practices and stressed the importance of the
strict observance of the principles of humanitarian law.

Since then the question has not been raised within the Council or its competent working groups, neither
has the question of sending the High Representative Mr Solana or any other representative into the region.

Nevertheless, the High Representative has been kept informed about the dØmarches undertaken in the
matter by the President of the Republic of Congo, Mr Denis Sassou-Nguesso and the President of Gabon,
Mr El Hadj Omar Bongo.

(2001/C 364 E/112)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1402/01

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

(11 May 2001)

Subject: EU funding for the completion of the A6 Amberg-Waidhaus motorway

The A6 motorway is part of the European Paris-N(cid:252)rnberg-Prague east-west link and hence part of the
trans-European Transport Network. In view particularly of the expected increase in traffic volume in the
wake of membership of the Czech Republic, rapid completion of the remaining gap between Amberg and
Waidhaus is urgently needed.

Can the Commission say in this context:

(cid:129) which EU funds can be allocated to such projects in principle, and up to what level,

(cid:129) what requests for funding have been made to the EU by the German Federal Government for the

completion of the A6 stretch of motorway,

(cid:129) what funding has so far been granted,

(cid:129) what future financing can be anticipated for the three remaining part-sections?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2001)

The A 6 motorway in Germany has been included in the trans-European transport network (1), and
projects along this axis are therefore in principle eligible for Community financial aid under the trans-
European transport network budget line. The relevant procedures are laid down in Council Regulation (EC)
No 2236/95 (2), amended by Regulation (EC) No 1655/1999 of the Parliament and of the Council (3). The
total amount of aid granted under this Regulation cannot exceed 10 % of the total investment cost of the
project concerned.

As far as the Amberg-Waidhaus section of the A6 motorway, constituting the immediate border section
with the Czech Republic, is concerned, the German Federal Government submitted to the Commission
requests for Community financial aid in 1997 and 2001. On this basis, a grant of € 6,51 million was
allocated in 1997 to support the construction of the Lohma-Waidhaus and the Pfreimd-Woppenhof sub-
sections. A Commission Decision regarding a possible support for the Kaltenbaum-Lohma section, subject
to request under the budget 2001, is still pending. No request was so far submitted to the Commission for
the Woppenhof-Kaltenbaum sub-section of the project.