WRITTEN QUESTION E-1517/01 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Council. Postponement of European elections.
Date: 2001-05-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European election, European electoral system

C 81 E/34

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

At its meeting on 5 April 2001, the Council adopted a Resolution on the Galileo project (1), which sets a
work plan with a precise timetable of decisions still to be taken. In accordance with this work plan, it is
envisaged that at its meetings on 27 and 28 June 2001, the Council will establish a preliminary definition
of the services Galileo can provide. It cannot, of course, prejudge any decisions still to be taken in
December 2001 or later.

In its April Resolution, the Council agreed immediately to release financing up to EUR 100 million for the
year 2001 and, upon approval of this resolution, in compliance with the mechanisms of the Financial
Regulation concerning the TEN, to take a decision in December 2001 on releasing the remaining TEN
budget appropriations (namely EUR 450 million) as well as a decision on setting up the entity in charge of
the management of the Galileo project.

Recalling that the European Council, at successive meetings and notably at Stockholm, confirmed the aim
invited the Commission to
of securing finance largely from private sources, to that end, the Council
launch, as soon as possible, a tendering process giving a perspective of all the phases of the project in
order to enable the longer term development of the private sector involvement in the project to identify
the commercial and public services to be provided by Galileo, to specify the revenue flows that they could
generate and the accompanying measures required to bring this about. This will also help to clarify the
conditions for the longer term commitment by the private sector. The result of the tender evaluation will
be available early in November 2001 to serve as a basis for a decision by the Council before the end of
2001. This decision will also define the maximum available Community funds for the deployment and
operational phases.

The public-private partnership is recognised as a key element for the success of the Galileo project. The
European Council has itself confirmed this approach at various meetings, and recently,
in Stockholm,
noted that the private sector had to take up the challenge with regard to participation in the project and its
financing through a binding commitment for the deployment phase. It should be noted that the private
sector has already made a specific response to this request by committing itself through the signing of the
abovementioned memorandum of understanding as from the development phase (2001-2005), which
precedes the deployment phase (2006-2007).

The Council must take a decision, before the end of 2001, specifying, among other things, the conditions
for the longer term commitment by the private sector and defining the maximum available Community
funds for the deployment and operational phases of the Galileoproject. As for any contributions by the
various Member States, it has been specified that contributions from additional national funds will not be
compulsory.

(1) OJ C 157, 30.5.2001.

(2002/C 81 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1517/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Council

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Postponement of European elections

Could the Council outline the procedure and likely timescale required for postponement of European
elections to be agreed should circumstances arise in any Member State that meant there would be an
impediment to political campaigning through reasons of public health concerns or similar?

Reply

(21 November 2001)

Under existing legislation, namely the Act concerning the election of European Parliament representatives
by direct universal suffrage annexed to the Council Decision of 20 September 1976, the procedure for
setting the dates for European elections is clear.

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/35

In accordance with the provisions of Article 10(1) of the aforementioned Act, the Council determined the
period during which the dates of the first elections to the European Parliament were to be set, namely 7 to
10 June 1979. Subsequent elections take place in the corresponding period in the last year of the five-year
legislative period.

However, under Article 10 it is possible to determine another period for the dates of European elections.
This period may be not more than one month before or one month after the period corresponding to that
fixed for the first elections. Any such decision must be taken by the Council, acting unanimously after
consulting the European Parliament.

(2002/C 81 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1523/01

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Council

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Chemical and biological weapons in Russia

A number of reports point out the serious risks connected with the enormous arsenal of chemical and
biological weapons inherited by Russia and, unlike nuclear weapons, it seems that no steps have been
taken to destroy them.

Does the Commission consider it appropriate to launch programmes in agreement with the Russians to
obtain detailed information and subsequently take practical steps to reduce and eliminate the most
dangerous products, not least in the interests of the safety of Europe(cid:146)s citizens?

Reply

(21 November 2001)

In accordance with Article VII, 5 of the Chemical Weapons Convention, a State Party shall inform the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) of the legislative and administrative
measures taken to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Russian Federation is a State Party
to this Convention. Detailed reports on the state of play of the Russian Chemical Weapons destruction
programmes are therefore regularly discussed in the Executive Council of the OPWC.

On 17 December 1999 the Council adopted a Joint Action establishing a European Union Cooperation
Programme for Non-proliferation and Disarmament in the Russian Federation. The objective of the
Programme is to support the Russian Federation in its efforts towards arms control and disarmament.
Within that framework, installation services and equipment valued at nearly € 6 million will be delivered to
projects aimed at the destruction of the Chemical Weapons in Gorny. Further actions relating to weapons
of mass destruction in the Russian Federation are currently being considered.

(2002/C 81 E/044)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1534/01

by Ioannis Souladakis (PSE) to the Council

(7 June 2001)

Subject: Measures to prevent the cultivation of cannabis and opium in Lebanon

According to articles appearing in the international press, one of the consequences of the long drawn-out
civil war in Lebanon has been the illegal cultivation of cannabis and opium, replacing agricultural crops.
To date, aid measures seeking to restore a healthy and developing agricultural economy in Lebanon,
putting a definitive end to cultivation connected with drugs trafficking, have not produced the hoped-for
results. The press reports in question also mention US aid but make no reference to similar efforts by the
European Union.