WRITTEN QUESTION E-1454/01 by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Missing children in Cyprus.
Date: 2001-05-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cyprus, EU relations, Türkiye, diplomatic relations, international issue, political kidnapping

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/45

1.

Can the Commission confirm that such a clause exists?

Should the Council adopt the amended proposal for a Council Directive on airport charges (1), will
2.
in that it imposes a system of charges
the above contractual obligation not be rendered unlawful
the regional airports located 100 kilometres from Athens? Will
irrespective of
Article 4(2) of the amended proposal for a directive on airport charges not be rendered redundant? Is the
restriction of 45 tonnes on the maximum gross weight of aircraft in service consistent with the amended
proposal?

the actual costs of

(1) COM(1998) 509.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(7 August 2001)

the clause mentioned in the written question submitted by the
The Commission can confirm that
Honourable Member is included in Article 3 on (cid:145)Grants of rights and exclusivity(cid:146) (paragraph 3.2.2. referring
to domestic traffic) of the Airport Development Agreement (ADA) signed between the Greek Government
and the company managing the new Athens International Airport.

As far as airport charges are concerned, in accordance with the general principles of Community law these
should be imposed in a transparent, neutral and non-discriminatory way. On the other hand, there are no
Community rules regulating the level of airport charges. ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation)
guidelines recommend that airport charges should be cost-related, and the Commission has been fully
supporting this principle since 1998, when it published its White Paper on a phased approach to a
common transport infrastructure charging framework in the Union (1). The proposed Directive on airport
charges (2) currently pending before the Council reflects these principles.

In the event the proposed amended Council Directive on airport charges (98/C/319/04) is adopted, it
would oblige the competent authorities to ensure that the level of airport charges collected is set in a
reasonable relation to the overall cost of the services and facilities which these charges are intended to
cover. This draft Directive does not contain specific rules in relation to the possibility of airports to restrict
operations of aircraft beyond a certain weight.

The Commission will assess the compatibility of the exclusivity clause with the draft Directive once it is
adopted.

(1) COM(98) 466 final.
(2) OJ C 319, 16.11.1998.

(2002/C 40 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1454/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Missing children in Cyprus

Protests have been made on numerous occasions within the European Union(cid:146)s institutions and in other
international bodies about those persons who have been missing since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in
1974. Sporadic attempts have been made to resolve the problem, which ultimately meet with the refusal
of the Turkish Cypriot regime to cooperate despite some occasional minor progress. On 25 April 2001,
the matter was raised in the Council of Europe. Complaints were put before the Secretary-General of the
Council of Europe concerning 27 children between the ages of 4 months and 14 years who were abducted
by the Turkish occupation forces and, although some of those children are rumoured to be living in the
occupied territories, they are still missing.

C 40 E/46

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

Given that this is a purely humanitarian issue which transcends political and national differences, will the
Commission say:

1. whether it is aware of these complaints, and

2. whether it will take steps to enable relatives to obtain information about the fate of the missing

members of their families, especially children?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2001)

The Commission shares the humanitarian concerns expressed by the Honorable Member. The Commission
is aware that in April 2001 the Secretary General of the Council of Europe received a Cypriot delegation
which presented a four-volume publication with 68 000 signatures demanding an investigation into the
whereabouts of the 27 children, missing since the 1974 invasion. The Secretary General of the Council of
Europe pledged to offer all assistance to help determine the fate of the missing persons.

The Commission would also refer the Honourable Member to its answer to Written Question E-0506/01
by Mr Davies (1).

(1) OJ C 261 E, 18.9.2001, p. 130.

(2002/C 40 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1472/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Financial support for the Palestinian Authority

(18 May 2001)

Following the statement by the Ambassador Pierre Schori on the situation in the Middle East and the
Palestinian question, the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories has been arousing great
interest, as has the economic crisis, which has become unacceptable.

On 26 February this year the EU decided to increase the Cash Facility fund by € 60 million, paid directly to
the Palestinian Authority, in addition to the € 30 million already paid.

Can the Commission therefore:

1.

2.

3.

confirm that the aid actually reached the Palestinian people in need;

ask for a detailed account of the aid obtained by the Palestinian Authority as a result of international
cooperation;

ascertain that effective measures to combat corruption and promote transparency have been taken by
the Palestinian Authority?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2001)

In the light of the worsening situation in the Palestinian territories and the continued Israeli freeze of
clearance revenue transfers to the Palestinian Authority, the Commission decided on 13 December 2000,
to establish a new special cash facility of € 90 million (cid:129) under budget line 47-100 (MEDA). A first tranche
(€ 30 million) of the new instrument was disbursed on 23 January 2001 in the form of a reimbursable
advance.