WRITTEN QUESTION E-2171/01 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Development policy versus agricultural policy.
Date: 2001-07-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: agricultural trade, aid policy, common agricultural policy, common commercial policy, developing countries, dumping, import (EU), obstacle to development, protectionism

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/125

This has aggravated TV4 (cid:214)resund, a rival company, which takes the view that it distorts competition
because it improves Sydnytt(cid:146)s quality in terms of local material, something which is becoming increasingly
important as digital technology develops.

Does the Commission consider this project to be entirely compatible with the efforts being made to create
a Union where the distortion of free competition is not permitted?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(17 September 2001)

The Community Initiative Interreg,
like all Structural Funds programmes, operates in a decentralised
manner. Projects are selected for financing by a committee of representatives from the local partnership.
All projects selected must conform with the provisions of the Treaty, including the rules on competition
and state aids. Ensuring such conformity is the responsibility of the competent authorities in the Member
States concerned.

Based on the information available, the Commission has no reason to believe a priori that the project is
not in compliance with competition policy. The existence of public support to a private enterprise is not
of itself an indication of an infringement provided that such aid lies within the limits laid down by
Community competition rules. The Commission will examine carefully any additional information that the
Honourable Member or the company concerned may wish to provide.

(2002/C 81 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2171/01

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

(20 July 2001)

Subject: Development policy versus agricultural policy

At a conference on EU development policy on 20-21 June 2001, the Swedish and Netherlands ministers
responsible for development-related issues were amongst those who criticised the CAP, taking the view
that it ran counter to the Union(cid:146)s development policies.

The customs duties the Union levies and the subsidies it grants to its own farm sector make it difficult for
developing countries to export their main products, and artificially cheap products from the EU are
dumped on developing countries(cid:146) domestic markets, leaving no room for local produce. According to
Dagens Nyheter of 22 June 2001, Eveline Herfkens,
for Development
Cooperation, said as well that the hygiene and health rules and requirements applicable to food imported
into the European Union were so stringent for protectionist, and no other, reasons.

the Netherlands Minister

What joint steps does the Council intend to take to ensure that the above problems are eliminated, so that
developing countries can export agricultural produce to the European Union and do not need to contend
with agricultural products dumped at low prices on their domestic markets?

Reply

(6 December 2001)

The Council does not comment on views expressed by the individual Ministers of Member States, in
particular where the comments are made outside the framework of the Council.

C 81 E/126

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

However, in general terms, the Council recognizes the need for greater coherence between the various
policies pursued by the Community. The joint Council and Commission declaration on the Community(cid:146)s
development policy, adopted in November 2000, underlines the importance of such coherence.

The Council considers that efforts must be made to ensure that Community development policy objectives
are taken into account in the formulation and implementation of other policies affecting developing
countries through a systematic and thorough analysis of the indirect effects of proposed measures inter alia
in the field of agriculture policy.

The Council has encouraged the Commission to take development problems into account in the exercise
of its competences. Following a request by the Council, the Commission(cid:146)s annual report on development
policy, which is expected in October 2001, will contain a chapter on problems of
(cid:145)incoherence(cid:146)
encountered during the previous year and efforts made to remedy them.

(2002/C 81 E/149)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2172/01

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

(20 July 2001)

Subject: Plans for an operational riot police unit for the whole of the EU

Following the Gothenburg Summit in June 2001, there has been talk in various quarters of the need for a
riot police unit to guard and protect summit meetings wherever they take place in the Union.

A working party is now about to look into this matter. Does the Council consider there to be a need to
add to Europol(cid:146)s activities by creating a riot police unit and tasking it with gathering intelligence on
potential perpetrators of acts of violence in connection with summit meetings?

Reply

(29 November 2001)

The Honourable Member of the European Parliament is informed that following the Gothenburg Summit
and the riots that took place during that summit, the Council (Justice and Home Affairs) met on 13 July
2001 to discuss the issue.

At that meeting it was agreed that the cooperation between law enforcement authorities should be
improved. Neither at the aforementioned Council meeting nor in any other Council body has the creation
of a riot police unit been suggested. Consequently, no working party is looking into this issue nor is it
relevant to address the competencies of Europol in this respect.

(2002/C 81 E/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2178/01

by Mario Borghezio (TDI) to the Council

(13 July 2001)

Subject: Infringement of the rights of a European citizen in Algeria

For a year now Mrs Michela Silvestri and her daughter Meriem (cid:129) who had been abducted by her father,
who is a Muslim (cid:129) have been taking refuge in the Italian Embassy in Algiers. Mrs Silvestri and her
daughter cannot return to Italy because civil proceedings are under way in an Algerian court.