WRITTEN QUESTION P-1661/01 by Emilio Menéndez del Valle (PSE) to the Commission. Imprisonment of an Egyptian-US sociologist.
Date: 2001-06-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Egypt, common foreign and security policy, human rights, right to justice

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/171

lawyer in the employ of a public or private enterprise to the extent that the host Member State so permits
for lawyers registered in that State. It was not deemed necessary to consider the question of professional
secrecy of self-employed or salaried lawyers in this Directive.

The confidentiality of company lawyers(cid:146) opinions does not
Consequently, the Commission does not intend to draft a Community text in this area.

fall within the scope of

these Articles.

It also does not appear to be the case that the question of the protection of the confidentiality of company
lawyers(cid:146) opinions can be dealt with under Title IV of the EC Treaty, in particular on the basis of the
provisions concerning cooperation on civil matters.

Nevertheless, the Commission would draw the attention of the Honourable Member to the (cid:145)Charter of the
European Professional Associations in support of the fight against organised crime(cid:146), which was drawn up
in the light of the Council Recommendations to combat organised crime and signed on 27 July 1999 by
a number of European professional associations, which included professionals such as lawyers.

(1) OJ L 77, 14.3.1998.

(2001/C 364 E/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1661/01

by Emilio MenØndez del Valle (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Imprisonment of an Egyptian-US sociologist

(1 June 2001)

In Cairo on 21 May 2001 the eminent Egyptian-US sociologist Saad Eddin Ibrahim was given a seven-year
prison sentence by the State Security Court. He was jailed immediately.

The same court has sentenced a further 27 employees of the equally prestigious Ibn Yaldun Centre for
Social Development Studies to prison terms ranging from one to five years.

Both the Centre and Professor Ibrahim have spent many years protecting human rights, democracy and
intellectual freedom.

The main accusation levelled against President Ibrahim (who holds dual Egyptian and US nationality) is
based on the fact that the Ibn Yaldun Centre accepted $250 000 of aid from the Commission, some of
which was used in order to produce a film which criticises fraudulent activities in Egyptian elections.

In view of the important work done by Professor Ibrahim and the Centre(cid:146)s employees in support of
democracy and human rights and the existence of the abovementioned EU aid, has the Commission taken
(or is it intending to take) any action to help those who have been sentenced under such a bizarre
judgment?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(10 July 2001)

Both the Presidency and the Commission have closely followed developments with respect to the charges
levelled against Dr Ibrahim and his associates. When he and some of his colleagues were initially arrested
and held without charge, appropriate channels were used to make clear the Union(cid:146)s concern at their
detention without charge and at
the highly charged and speculative press campaign which risked
compromising any chance of a fair trial.

When Dr Ibrahim and his colleagues were released and subsequently charged, inter alia, with misusing
Community funds allocated to an (cid:145)education for democracy(cid:146) project managed by Dr Ibrahim, the Union
made a clear and public statement to the effect that the project concerned had been subject to normal
monitoring and audit procedures; and these had given no cause for concern. In addition the Commission
Delegation in Cairo made clear that the use of Community funds for such projects was entirely proper, and
was covered by the Community-Egypt framework Agreement on the implementation of Financial and
Technical Co-operation.

C 364 E/172

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

During the present trial the Union registered its concern that the defence should have proper access to
documentary evidence and that the proceedings should follow due legal process. Union observers have
attended the trial throughout and they, together with many others, were disturbed at the manner, the
timing, and the severity of the sentences on all the accused, and especially on Dr Ibrahim. The Union made
an oral statement (23 May 2001) and the Union presidency issued a declaration (25 May 2001) to the
effect that the Union was (cid:145)deeply disturbed by the harsh sentences handed down by the Egyptian Supreme
State Security Court(cid:146)
(this declaration is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s
Secretariat).

The Court is obliged to explain the reasons for its verdict within 30 days of sentence and the convicted
have limited rights of appeal on procedural grounds. It goes without saying that the next steps in this affair
will be closely studied in the hope and expectation that the situation will be resolved in the best traditions
of the Egyptian legal system.

(2001/C 364 E/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1664/01

by Francesco Fiori (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Asymmetries in the internal electricity market

(1 June 2001)

The failure to ensure uniform transposition of Community directives which are designed to liberalise
public utilities is creating serious distortions within the internal market.

In the energy sector in particular, France has found ways of preserving essentially intact the role of
ElectricitØ de France (EDF), a state-owned monopoly in the electricity sector.

EDF is taking advantage of its dominant position on the French market (which it is guaranteed under
national law) in order to acquire significant holdings in private companies operating within the same
sector in other Member States. It has recently announced that it is to acquire 3,9 % of Montedison Spa, an
Italian multi-utilities company which is also active in the electricity sector.

Such a state of affairs is unacceptable since the failure to establish a level playing field as required under
Community law places the sector(cid:146)s operators in different positions according to their Member State of
origin and causes serious discrimination against operators from Member States which are more progressive
in terms of liberalisation.

This situation also thwarts the liberalisation process initiated by the Community and discourages the
Member States from actively pursuing such an objective. This will have an increasingly serious effect on
the competitiveness of the European economic system.

In view of the above, what action is the Commission intending to take in order to prevent public
companies which enjoy a monopoly status guaranteed under national law from exploiting that privilege in
order to seize control of other businesses which are now denied such a privilege?

(2001/C 364 E/191)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1688/01

by Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 June 2001)

Subject: Purchase by ElectricitØ de France (EDF) of a 20 % holding in Montedison

On 24 May 2001 ElectricitØ de France (EDF), the French energy company, officially took up a 20 % stake
in Montedison, the holding company which controls Edison-Sondel, an Italian private energy company
(electricity and gas).