WRITTEN QUESTION E-1472/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Financial support for the Palestinian Authority.
Date: 2001-05-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community budget, Palestine, aid evaluation, corruption, financial aid, humanitarian aid, terms for aid

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.

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/47

On 13 March 2001, the Commission decided to convert the remaining € 60 million of the special cash
facility into direct budgetary aid. This decision intended to implement the conclusions of the General
Affairs Council meeting of 26 February 2001, which called for the Union to make full use of the funds
available under the special cash facility to avoid the economic and institutional collapse in the Palestinian
territories. This intervention should take place in the framework of a concerted international effort (cid:129)
under the auspices of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (cid:129) and subject to the Palestinian commitment to take
measures, inter alia, to fight corruption and increase democratic transparency and good governance. The
Commission and the Palestinian Authority signed the Addendum to the Financing Agreement on the
Special Cash Facility-II transforming the latter into budgetary aid on 31 May 2001.

The above-mentioned assistance is aimed at supporting the austerity budget of the Palestinian Authority by
securing expenditures such as public service salaries, social, educational, health and other core functions of
the Palestinian Authority. The adoption and execution of this austerity are being monitored by the
International Monitory Fund and constitute a pre-condition for the disbursement of the aid. In addition to
including Norway and several Arab countries have also contributed to the
the Union, other donors,
budgetary support.

Furthermore, the disbursement of this budgetary aid is also subject to the adoption by the Palestinian
Authority of a number of measures intended to improve financial management, increase transparency,
fight corruption and ensure the effective implementation of the austerity budget. These measures range
from reforms in the management of the payroll of the Palestinian Authority to the launching of the reform
of the pension system.

(2002/C 40 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1474/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(18 May 2001)

Subject: German chemical weapons in Turkey

The answer to question E-0655/01 (1) reveals that Commission Member Chris Patten does not consider:

(a) help from the German Defence Ministry with the construction of a military chemicals laboratory in

Turkey; or

(b)

the German provenance of the mortar heads used by the Turkish army in a chemical weapons attack
on the Kurdish PKK movement on 11 May 1999

as falling within the remit of common foreign and security policy.

He at all events refuses to submit a proposal to the Council, pursuant to Article 22 of the Treaty on
European Union (TEU), in order to:

(a)

(b)

secure information from the German Defence Ministry about
construction of a military chemicals laboratory in Turkey, or to

that Ministry(cid:146)s help with the

secure information from the University of Munich on the German provenance (Buck and Depyfag) of
the mortar heads used by the Turkish army in a chemical weapons attack on the Kurdish PKK
movement on 11 May 1999.

What reasons does the Commission Member advance for refusing to submit proposals to the Council on
the TEU ((cid:146)Any Member State or the
the above questions, as expressly stipulated in Article 22 of
Commission may refer to the Council any question relating to the common foreign and security policy and
may submit proposals to the Council(cid:146)), given that both questions are of exceptional
importance to
common foreign and security policy?

(1) OJ C 187 E, 3.7.2001, p. 231.