WRITTEN QUESTION E-1428/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Another terrorist attack in Israel.
Date: 2001-05-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Israel, Palestine question, common foreign and security policy, diplomatic relations, settlement of disputes, terrorism

C 40 E/40

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

Unlike in 1999 and 2000, there was no call for proposals foreseen for TEN-Telecom for March 2001 with
closing date in June. Instead an earlier call was launched in October 2000 (2001 budget) with deadline of
29 January 2001 in order to avoid the rush at the year end for the corresponding budget commitment.
Two calls for proposals are still foreseen for 2001, one with closing date 7 September (partly to commit
the remaining budget 2001 and part of the 2002 budget) and another one to be launched end of October
2001 with closing date at the end of January 2002 (remaining part of 2002 budget).

(2002/C 40 E/036)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1409/01

by Elly Plooij-van Gorsel (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: China(cid:146)s status as a developing country

(14 May 2001)

In the report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the implementation of
the communication (cid:145)Building a comprehensive partnership with China(cid:146) (1), the Commission describes China
as unique for a developing country in that it has enjoyed unprecedented growth, which has brought
prosperity to many areas. China has also become a donor of development aid donor to other countries in
Asia.

Does the Commission consider that China has (cid:129) and must retain (cid:129) the status of a developing country, in
the light (inter alia) of its accession to the WTO?

(1) COM(2000) 552.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(5 July 2001)

As explained in the Commission(cid:146)s September 2000 Report on the implementation of
the 1998
Communication (cid:145)Building a Comprehensive Partnership with China(cid:146) (1), China is unique for a (cid:145)developing(cid:146)
country: it does not have all the characteristics of a developing country, but neither does it have all the
qualities of a developed country.

In the context of World Trade Organisation (WTO) accession, the Commission(cid:146)s approach has been to
consider whether China should qualify for developing country status for each sector in which case it
should enjoy the benefits foreseen by the WTO Agreement.

(1) COM(2000) 552 final.

(2002/C 40 E/037)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1428/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Another terrorist attack in Israel

Today(cid:146)s newspaper(cid:146)s carry reports of yet another terrorist act committed by a Palestinian suicide bomber in
the town of Kfar Saba in Israel. It confirms that every time that negotiations between Israel and the
Palestinian Authority are due to be resumed the extremists boycott
them. This shows both the
inconsistency of the Palestinian leaders as valid diplomatic partners and the continuing inability of the
international community (the EU is practically not involved at all) to take tangible action to re-establish
peace and security in the region.

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/41

Against this background can the Commission say:

1. whether the Union has taken diplomatic steps to ensure that the two sides arrive at a peace which is

taking years to achieve;

2. whether it intends to exert political pressure to persuade the Palestinian Authority to intervene and

tackle the extremists, who are in effect interrupting negotiations between the two countries;

3.

in view of the international nature of Islamic terrorism and the threat it presents for Europe, what
measures the Union intends to adopt, including the possibility of alerting Europol, in order to prevent
terrorist acts from being carried out in the countries of the Union;

4. whether it envisages holding meetings with the Israeli and PLO authorities in order to assess their
respective positions and demands and to draw up a European peace plan which, together with those
drawn up by other countries, in particular the USA, may form a useful basis for bringing the conflict
to an end?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2001)

The Union has remained active throughout the current crisis. The Presidency is in close contact with
1.
the parties urging them to continue the peace discussions on the basis of the results of previous
negotiations, aiming to reach a final status solution based on international law, including United Nations
(UN) Resolutions 242 and 338.

The Union has considered Israeli use of force excessive and indiscriminate. And it has also condemned
Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians. The Union has repeatedly called for an end to the violence and a
return to negotiations. And following the Kfar Saba incident on 22 April 2001 the Union Presidency
issued a declaration condemning all terrorist attacks.

On 14 May 2001 the Council discussed the situation in the Middle East and gave its support to the report
and to the proposals of the Sharm al Sheikh Fact Finding Committee ((cid:145)Mitchell Committee(cid:146)), as well as to
the Jordanian-Egyptian initiative. It mandated the High Representative to explore ways of ensuring political
follow-up to the conclusions in the Fact Finding Committee(cid:146)s report.

2.
The Commission has on several occasions conveyed a clear message to the Palestinian Authority (PA)
that it must do everything in its power to stop attacks on Israelis; this includes preventing any incitement
of such attacks. The Commission has also urged the PA to effectively control its security services.

3.
Article 29 of the Amsterdam Treaty mentions the fight against terrorism as a means to contribute to
achieving the Union(cid:146)s objective of providing its citizens with a high level of safety within an area of
freedom, security and justice. Member States in the Council, with the usual participation of
the
Commission, co-operate on the internal and external threat that terrorist groups pose to Member States.
Co-operation between the Member States is improving through a new system for sharing information on
terrorist web-sites.

Before the end of the year, the Commission will submit proposals to approximate Member States(cid:146) criminal
law provisions regarding terrorist offences and to make it easier to extradite persons accused of terrorist
activities.

Europol, whose mandate includes the fight against terrorism, supports Member States(cid:146) law enforcement
services through the exchange of information and the supply of strategic and operational analysis. Europol
is currently working on a program to support the Member States with information on the (cid:145)modus
operandi(cid:146) of terrorist organisations.

Following a Union initiative, representatives of the parties met in Athens in April 2001. President
4.
Arafat visited Brussels end-May 2001. And several visits to the region were undertaken by the Presidency,
the Commission, High Representative Javier Solana and representatives of the Member States. Special
Representative Miguel Moratinos has been closely involved in the cease-fire arrangements. In collaboration
with other states concerned, the Union will continue to play an active part in the peace process.