WRITTEN QUESTION E-1943/01 by Pere Esteve (ELDR) to the Commission. Regularising the work of tourist guides.
Date: 2001-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: competence of the Member States, labour law, occupational status, recognition of vocational training qualifications, tourist guide

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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(2001/C 364 E/249)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1942/01

by John Purvis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 July 2001)

Subject: Future regulation of human tissue products

Does the Commission consider that there should be further regulation at a European level of medical
devices involving the retrieval, cultivation and application of human tissue? If so, what scope and timetable
are anticipated?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(10 September 2001)

Aware of the importance and sensitivity of human tissue products,
in particular their use in medical
devices, the Commission is examining the need, scope and nature of a Community regulatory initiative
regarding the application of human tissues in medical devices. On ethical Questions, like the retrieval and
cultivation of human tissue, it is appropriate to apply the principles laid down in the Council of Europe(cid:146)s
Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine for the protection of human rights and dignity of the
human being.

(2001/C 364 E/250)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1943/01

by Pere Esteve (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 July 2001)

Subject: Regularising the work of tourist guides

The EU lays down the principle whereby a tourist guide may provide services in a country other than his/
her country of origin when accompanying a group of foreign tourists, provided that he/she does not
provide those services in places where a specialist guide is required, such as museums and sites which form
part of a country(cid:146)s historical or architectural heritage.

However, this is the EU(cid:146)s only stipulation regarding the work of tourist guides.

Does the Commission not think that the presence of a properly trained tourist guide is a requirement if the
excursions which are marketed throughout Europe (involving whole- or part-day visits to a particular
geographical site and implicitly or explicitly including natural, cultural and historical attractions) are to be
conducted satisfactorily?

In any event, is the Commission planning to take any further steps to regulate the work of tourist guides at
EU level?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2001)

The principle to which the Honourable Member refers to has been established by the Court of Justice in its
case law on tourist guides (judgments of 26.2.1991, Case C-154/89 France [1991] ECR I-659, C-180/89
Italy [1991] ECR I- 709 and C-198/89 Hellenic Republic [1991] ECR I-727). The Court has held that
requiring that tourists are accompanied by a specialised professional guide is justified where there is a need
to protect the general interest in (cid:145)the proper appreciation of places and things of historical interest(cid:146) and to
ensure (cid:145)the widest dissemination of knowledge of the artistic and cultural heritage(cid:146) of a country. According
to the reasoning of the Court, what is relevant in order to determine whether this interest exists or not, is
not the duration of the excursion, but the artistic, architectural, historical or otherwise cultural character of
the attraction to be visited.

The Commission does not intend to propose any specific measure concerning the profession of tourist
guide. Under Articles 40 and 47 (ex-Articles 49 and 57) of
the EC Treaty, Community Directives
concerning professions are only aimed to facilitate the free movement of people while the regulation of

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professional activities falls under the responsibility of Member States. The Commission is, however,
working on the improvement of Community legislation in the field of mutual recognition of professional
qualifications in general. In June 2001, the Commission launched a public consultation to prepare for
a new Directive in this field (1). The Commission has a proposal for a more uniform, transparent and
flexible regime for professional recognition programmed for adoption before the Spring European Council
in 2002.

(1) European Commission Staff Working Paper on The Future Regime for Professional Recognition (May 2001).

(2001/C 364 E/251)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1947/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 July 2001)

Subject: Turkey(cid:146)s restrictions on Assyrians/members of the Syriac Orthodox Church

The detention and prosecution of the Syriac Orthodox priest Yusuf Akbulut evoked much comment
internationally, and it was thanks to this attention that he was ultimately acquitted. The Turkish State
presumably felt compelled to backtrack and instruct the Diyarbakir State Security Court to acquit Akbulut.

The Turkish State seems to have responded with resentment to having been compelled to backtrack in the
case of Yusuf Akbulut and to the otherwise growing pressure on Turkey to introduce changes. Now the
Turkish State has taken its revenge.

The Turkish Interior Ministry has issued a decree imposing far-reaching restrictions on all Assyrians/
adherents of the Syriac Orthodox faith from Europe who wish to visit their ancestors(cid:146) villages in south-
eastern Turkey. Many young people who are now in search of their identity and have not been able to visit
their ancestral villages because of the war in south-eastern Turkey are now prohibited by this decree from
exploring their families(cid:146) roots and their cultural heritage. Turkey is continuing its systematic destruction of
the Assyrian/Syriac Orthodox cultural heritage. Churches and monasteries, many of them more than
a thousand years old, have been converted into mosques or barns for livestock. Turkey is trying to conceal
its barbaric action by means of the decree.

How will the Commission induce Turkey to cease its constant harassment of Assyrians/adherents of the
Syriac Orthodox faith?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(26 July 2001)

The protection of minorities including the freedom of religion is part of the Copenhagen political criteria to
be fulfilled by candidate countries. Ensuring cultural diversity and guaranteeing cultural rights for all
citizens irrespective of their origin is a medium-term priority listed in the Accession Partnership for
Turkey (1). The Commission follows closely the situation of religious minorities in Turkey. It is with some
concern that the Commission has been informed of the recent cases of mistreatment and discriminations
against Syriac Orthodox willing to return to their home villages.

In this context, it is to be hoped that the adoption on 12 June 2001 by the Prime Minister of a circular
instructing all relevant authorities to ban any discriminatory practice against Syriac Orthodox will
contribute to improve the situation.

The Commission will give its evaluation of the situation in its Regular Report to be published in November
2001.

(1) Adopted by the Council on 8 March 2001 (OJ L 85, 24.3.2001).