WRITTEN QUESTION E-1586/01 by Cecilia Malmström (ELDR) to the Commission. Environmental legislation in Hungary.
Date: 2001-06-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law, Hungary, accession to the European Union, environmental law, environmental protection, green area

C 40 E/56

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

(2002/C 40 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1576/01

by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 June 2001)

Subject: EU-Turkey relations, child labour in Turkey

Is the Commission aware that child labour exists in Turkey and that 80 per cent of under-age workers
receive no pay in any form? How is this situation taken into account in the EU(cid:146)s dealings with Turkey?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(24 July 2001)

The Commission is fully aware of the issue of child labour in Turkey and has frequently reported on this
matter in the regular reports on Turkey.

The matter was recently discussed during one of
the sub-committees held under the Association
Committee Community/Turkey in Ankara. The Turkish side showed understanding of the problem and
indicated a set of measures in order to improve the situation. The measures envisaged are: ratification of
the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No 182, the development of further projects of
awareness raising as well as the development of an Action Plan to be prepared by a special committee.
Moreover, a draft law on (cid:145)defining light work for children and young people(cid:146) is under preparation. The
Commission has offered assistance to Turkey in the preparation of the law.

Furthermore, the Turkish side mentioned that positive effects are to be expected from the increase in the
length of compulsory education in Turkey.

On the basis of this information, the Commission has encouraged the Turkish side to make all possible
efforts in the implementation of the different initiatives.

The Commission will give a further assessment of the situation in the 2001 Regular Report to be issued in
November 2001.

(2002/C 40 E/054)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1586/01

by Cecilia Malmstr(cid:246)m (ELDR) to the Commission

Subject: Environmental legislation in Hungary

(1 June 2001)

In addition to the alarming crises of waste and waste water management, there is a lesser-known threat to
the environment in post-socialist Hungary. Extensive new building has resulted from the real estate boom
following the prospective EU accession, destroying the remaining green areas, increasing traffic, polluting
air, endangering old buildings in the vicinity and threatening public health, particularly but not exclusively
in and around Budapest. Because of a lack of appropriate environmental regulations, many municipal
officials reportedly permit the kind of environmental destruction that would not be allowed in the Member
States. It is also reported that corruption plays an important part in the granting of building permits.

Protection of the environment is one of the core issues in the negotiations about accession of the countries
of Central and Eastern Europe. Although the negotiations with Hungary are well under way, there seem
still
legislation governing construction and the
exploitation of green areas. It is of great importance that the European Union supports Hungary in
improving its environmental legislation as well as its administrative capacity to implement the EC acquis.

to be major problems in respect of environmental

What measures will the Commission take to ensure that environmental legislation in Hungary will comply
with the EC acquis and to support Hungary in developing environmental laws in line with those of the EU
Member States?

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/57

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2001)

In the framework of the pre-accession strategy, the Hungarian Government is currently preparing for
membership to the Union. In this context it is aligning its legislation in the various policy fields, such as
environment. These efforts are closely monitored by the Commission through the various available
instruments (institutions of the Europe Agreement, accession negotiations) and Hungary is consequently
invited to accelerate efforts where needed. During the last Association Committee hold in Hungary, the
Government was invited to consider the integration of environmental protection requirements in all policy
areas, in order to better contribute to an overall sustainable development of the country.

As to the particular problem addressed by the Honourable Member, there exists no specific legislation at
the level of the Union regulating the conservation of green areas in urban areas.

The decisions about
authorities.

the organisation of urban sites is therefore up to the responsible Hungarian

(2002/C 40 E/055)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1591/01

by Frank Vanhecke (TDI) to the Commission

(1 June 2001)

Subject: Pluralism in the media

The recent hunger strike entered on by Mrs Emma Bonino in Italy in protest against the unequal treatment
in the media afforded to her political party during the campaign preceding the general elections in that
country of 13 May 2001 showed that, in various EU Member Sates, the media big guns pursue a policy
which benefits just the major established political parties. That, too, is the case in Belgium, where every set
of statistics shows that a political party like the Vlaams Blok, which represents more than 15 % of the
Flemish electorate, is ignored by the public media which are, nevertheless, financed from electors(cid:146) taxes.

Accordingly, we are clearly faced by a Europe-wide problem. After all, a free, pluralistic and objective
press, which takes account of all political movements in society, is the principle which must underpin
every democratic nation.

Is the Commission aware of these problems in various EU Member States?

Does not the Commission feel that political parties which are represented not only in the national
parliament but also in the European Parliament should be entitled to equal media treatment in the public
broadcasting systems in their respective countries in proportion to their numerical strength?

Does not the Commission feel that it bears responsibility for ensuring compliance with the principle of
free, pluralistic and objective media, above all where a public broadcasting system is concerned?

What is the Commission(cid:146)s opinion of a Member State where politicians must go on hunger strike in order
to claim a minimum of media interest?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2001)

The Commission has no authority over matters relating to the editorial line of the press in the Member
States. The Commission considers that the press in Europe has very considerable freedom, for which there
are few comparisons in the rest of the world. Within the limits of the responsibilities of the Union, the
Commission seeks to promote political and cultural pluralism in the media so that this very high level of
freedom is preserved. Naturally, the Commission cannot intervene or even comment with regard to the
editorial line taken by the media in a particular Member State. That is a matter for readers and viewers to
judge. In any event, it falls to the Member States to ensure that principles such as pluralism in the media
and freedom of expression are observed.