WRITTEN QUESTION E-1671/01 by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Respect for the cultural identity of Pomaks and Roma.
Date: 2001-06-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, competence of the Member States, education policy, heritage protection, language teaching, linguistic discrimination, linguistic group, minority language, national minority

3.7.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

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(Information)

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER

(2003/C 155 E/001)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1671/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 June 2001)

Subject: Respect for the cultural identity of Pomaks and Roma

Approximately 120 000 Greek Muslims live in Greek Thrace. 50 % of those are ethnic Turks and the other
50 % consists of Pomaks and Roma. They exercise their religious rights unimpeded, there are numerous
mosques and a large body of clergymen, and the Greek State completely fulfills its obligations in that area,
in total contrast to Turkey, which has wiped out the Christians of Istanbul, Imbros and Tenedos, and
constantly obstructs religious worship in the few remaining churches in that country.

The Greek State, however, for some totally inexplicable reason, refuses to allow the Pomaks and Roma to
be taught at school the languages which they themselves have spoken for hundreds of years. While it is
compulsory for Pomak and Roma children to be taught Turkish in schools in Greek Thrace, they attempt
by every possible means to assert their own identity and their wish to be taught their own languages. In
it is in widespread everyday use, has an alphabet and
the case of the Pomak language,
grammatical rules but, although reading material has been compiled for pupils by Pomak teachers,
it
remains unused because the Greek State insists on teaching only Turkish to young Pomaks.

in particular,

In the Commission’s view, to what extent is the Greek authorities’ policy of eradicating the Pomak and
Roma languages in Greek Thrace and replacing them with Turkish consistent with the principles and
objectives of the EU concerning respect for the linguistic and cultural diversity of minorities living on its
territory? What practical measures could the Commission take to persuade the Greek authorities to respect
the linguistic identity of the Pomaks and Roma of Greek Thrace?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(1 August 2001)

Respect for linguistic and cultural diversity is one of the foundation stones of the Union, recently
enshrined in Article 22 of
the
information provided by the Honourable Member on the situation of the Pomak and Rom speaking
communities in Greece.

the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Commission takes note of

The Commission has taken action within its field of competence in the area of regional and minority
languages by drafting a report on the situation of such languages in the Union (the ‘Euromosaic’ study) and
providing financial support for safeguarding and promoting regional and minority languages, as well as

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3.7.2003

supporting the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages and the Mercator information network. One of
the objectives of the European Year of Languages 2001 is to draw attention to the value of the rich variety
of
financed initiatives
involving regional and minority languages under other Community programmes.

languages that exists in Europe. The Commission has also, where applicable,

However, the principle of subsidiarity means that the legal status of languages within national boundaries
is the competence of the individual Member States, with due regard to their obligations under international
treaties. Moreover, Article 149 (ex Article 126) of the EC Treaty clearly states that the Member States are
responsible for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and
linguistic diversity.

(2003/C 155 E/002)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1214/02

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 April 2002)

Subject: Investment Services Directive and execution-only services

Has the Commission discussed the introduction of a ‘fact find’ with the Committee of European
1.
Securities Regulators, whereby, before investments are bought and sold, investors would have to provide
information on the risks they are prepared to take, and the financial strategy they wish to pursue?

Is the Commission aware that the introduction of such a ‘fact find’ would add significantly to the

2.
costs and bureaucracy of carrying out execution-only services?

Does the Commission agree with the Committee of European Securities Regulators that

3.
introduction of a ‘fact find’ is desirable?

the

4.
Has the Commission considered any alternative versions of the rules which would allow for the
continuance of execution-only business to continue? In particular, has the Commission considered
allowing firms to continue to sell execution-only services without a ‘fact find’ so long as clients are clearly
informed that no investment advice is being given and that they should rely on their own judgment in
deciding whether to make the trade?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(3 June 2002)

The Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR) (cid:1) after having conducted extensive
1.
consultations with all interested parties (cid:1) has recently published its final proposals for the harmonisation
of conduct of business rules under the existing article 11 of the Investment Services Directive (ISD).

The Commission welcomes the outcome of CESR’s work.

CESR’s standards cover, among other things,
‘know your customer’ and the duty of care of investment
firms towards their clients. These provisions represent detailed implementation of the existing ISD.
Article 11 of the ISD provides that an investment firm,
‘seeks from its clients information
regarding their financial situation, investment experience and objectives as regards the services requested’.
Furthermore, the same article states that investment firms have to act with due skill, care and diligence in
the best interests of their clients. These principles apply to any provision of services to any customer,
regardless of their nature.

inter alia,

2.
Costs of regulation must be compared with benefits. The Commission is unaware of any compelling
evidence that the CESR standards will add significantly to compliance costs. The fact that many investment
firms, as a normal practice, already collect information from their clients on their financial knowledge,
experience and investment objectives, suggests that the standard will not prevent or render such business
commercially unattractive.