WRITTEN QUESTION E-2139/01 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Massacres of civilians in Chechnya.
Date: 2001-07-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Russia, civilian victim, common foreign and security policy, human rights, war crime, war of independence

C 81 E/114

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

The Council, therefore, warmly welcomes the Commission communication on a Programme for Action on
accelerated measures to fight communicable diseases. This programme, it believes, provides an ambitious,
timely and appropriate framework for priority action by the Community and the Member States over the
next five years.

The lack of affordable pharmaceuticals is a serious problem in many developing countries and especially
for the poorest people. The Council, therefore, agrees with the Commission that there should be a much
broader application of effective global tiered pricing for the benefit of affected developing countries. At the
same time, the Council is aware of the danger of diversion of low-priced pharmaceuticals destined for
specific markets and price erosion in the markets of developed countries.

It is important to strengthen and increase financial support for research and development. In this context
there is a need to reinforce capacity in developing countries and to provide incentives for the development
of new treatments and vaccines.

Regarding the proposal for a Global Health Fund, the Council has fully welcomed the proposal made by
the UN Secretary-General. The Fund was set up at the G8 economic summit in Genoa in cooperation with
the UN Secretary-General.

It agrees with the Commission that the Fund should tackle the three major communicable diseases: HIV/
AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis and considers there should be equitable burden sharing between OECD
countries and between the public and private sectors. Finance should be used to support partner countries(cid:146)
own health strategies including prevention, access to care and treatment, as well as capacity-strengthening
actions.

(2002/C 81 E/136)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2139/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Council

Subject: Massacres of civilians in Chechnya

(20 July 2001)

Two years after Russian troops invaded Chechnya (against the will of an entire people and its legitimately
elected government), 80 000 Russian soldiers are continuing to massacre Chechen civilians and 200 000
refugees have fled to the neighbouring Republic of Ingushskaya, where they are suffering all manner of
abuses.

Since it is clear that Russia is behaving in a cruel, colonialist fashion, is the Council (following the Danish
Parliament(cid:146)s example) planning to lodge a complaint against that country with the Council of Europe(cid:146)s
Court of Human Rights?

Reply

(29 November 2001)

The Council has followed the situation in Chechnya very closely since the start of the conflict. It has
condemned without hesitation, openly and most firmly, the human rights violations perpetrated in the
region. The Council has repeatedly asked that these cases be fully investigated. Recently, the EU made
representations to the Russian authorities following the serious abuses committed against the civilian
populations by Russian troops at the beginning of July.

Moreover, the Council has insisted that the situation in Chechnya be discussed at all appropriate meetings
between the EU and Russia and at all levels. The EU-Russia summit on 3 October in Brussels will be the
next opportunity for reaffirming at the highest level the EU(cid:146)s concern regarding Chechnya and urging
Russia to take the necessary measures to ensure that human rights violations are investigated swiftly and
effectively.

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/115

Furthermore, the EU has unhesitatingly supported the efforts of international organisations with regard to
the conflict in Chechnya. It adopted a Resolution at the 57th session of the United Nations Commission on
Human Rights and successfully supported the return of the OSCE Assistance Group and the sending of
three experts from the Council of Europe in Mr Kalamanov(cid:146)s team to Chechnya. For legal reasons, the
Council cannot denounce Russia before the Council of Europe(cid:146)s Court of Human Rights, as only the
Member States are entitled to act in this regard.

(2002/C 81 E/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2141/01

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(17 July 2001)

Subject: EU policy on equal employment opportunities for men and women

The Commission(cid:146)s annual reports on Structural Fund policy reveal that there is no real specific policy to
promote female employment and equal opportunities for men and women, it being left to the Member
States to implement small-scale symbolic projects which have no political impact whatsoever on female
employment. In view of this situation, what projects has the Commission devised and how much funding
is to be allocated to them in an effort to bring about the increase in employment (and the reduction in
unemployment) amongst women which were decided upon at the Lisbon Summit?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(10 September 2001)

The Lisbon European Council in March 2000 concluded that the average employment rate of women in
the Community should increase to more than 60 % by 2010 in support of the target of an overall
employment rate of 70 %, reflecting the long term goal of full employment. This was confirmed and
reinforced at the Stockholm European Council
in March 2001, where agreement was reached on an
intermediate target for a Community female employment rate of 57 % by 2005.

Three major Community initiatives deserve to be mentioned regarding support to the promotion of
women(cid:146)s employment. Firstly, the Employment Guidelines for 2001 (1) refer for the first time to the Lisbon
targets in the horizontal Guideline A. The Guidelines also indicate that Member States should consider
setting national targets for raising the rate of employment, in order to contribute to the overall European
objective for 2010.

Progress against the Lisbon target and the implementation of the Employment Guidelines 2001 is currently
being assessed in the annual process of examining Member States(cid:146) National Action Plans on Employment,
in line with Article 128 (ex-Article 109 Q) of the EC Treaty. The assessment will be published in the
forthcoming Joint Employment Report for 2001.

Secondly, the European Social Fund (ESF) gives a high profile to gender issues and women(cid:146)s employment.
Reforms in 1993 set gender equality as a common objective in all Structural Funds. During the 1994-1999
programming period, Community intervention involved a mixture of direct assistance for women and
indirect support contributing to promote gender equality. Evaluation results suggest that Structural Fund
support played an important catalyst role in raising the profile of gender equality in policy initiatives
within Member States. This was achieved through both mainstream ESF activities and the pilot projects
supported through the Community Initiatives, and, in particular, the Employment initiative.

for 2000-2006 (2) make gender mainstreaming a requirement of all
Structural Fund regulations
programmes and actions. Current European Social Fund (ESF) regulations put the European Employment
Strategy (EES) at the heart of ESF programmes. A key element within this strategy is the promotion of
gender equality including efforts to raise the employment rate of women. The Commission has taken a