WRITTEN QUESTION E-2317/01 by Maria Carrilho (PSE) to the Commission. Cape Verde.
Date: 2001-07-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cabo Verde, Commission Delegation, European official, devolution, foreign policy

C 160 E/10

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.7.2002

Can the Commission indicate on the basis of which precise criteria Mr Priebe was nominated, since by his
own admission he has no experience in external relations (cid:24) let alone in Western Balkans (cid:24) and since this
openly contradicts its internal rules?

Does the Commission not believe that there are in its own services enough competent persons to cover
such a delicate post in this particularly difficult time in relations between the EU and the Western Balkans?

Does the Commission not consider that it is particularly inconvenient for its prestige and credibility to
appoint ‘by chance’ as Director a person with no relevant background (cid:24) even if there are no reason to
doubt his professional qualities on other important issues of the Commission’s work?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(25 October 2001)

The Commission makes senior management appointments on the basis of a number of criteria. In the case
of the recent vacancy for the post of Director, Western Balkans, the selection criteria included proven
management and negotiating experience, ability to develop complex programmes in a rapidly changing
environment, previous experience of
relations, as well as good organisational and
communication skills.

international

The candidate chosen for the post, after a series of interviews, was considered to have the best range of
experience and skills needed for this challenging position. Previous experience in an External Relations
Directorate General (DG) was not a requirement for the post and the other factors mentioned above were
considered more important in terms of the work to be done with the countries of the region. The
appointment in question was made therefore, not ‘by chance’ but after a careful selection procedure in the
course of which the Commission did not make any exception to its rules. The procedure was established
precisely to ensure that the best available competence from within the services of the Commission can be
identified and selected for the challenging positions like this one.

(2002/C 160 E/011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2317/01

by Maria Carrilho (PSE) to the Commission

(31 July 2001)

Subject: Cape Verde

Paragraph 15 of Parliament’s resolution on the Commission communication to the Council and the
European Parliament on the development of the external service, adopted in plenary on 14 June 2001,
refers to the need to ‘maintain delegations in those countries which play a positive role in encouraging
in the regional context concerned’. The Commission
democracy and respect
communication on the development of the external service of 3 July 2001 nevertheless refers to the
possibility of converting the delegation in Cape Verde into an information office.

for human rights

What are the Commission’s plans regarding its delegation in Cape Verde?

Is the Commission aware that, if it makes its representation in Cape Verde dependent on the delegation in
Senegal, this will have political significance in the region and will be a negative development for Cape
Verde?

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/11

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(8 November 2001)

In the Communication of 4 July 2001 on the development of the External Service (1) the Commission set
out its programme of priorities for the opening of new Delegations. It also set out its plans concerning the
closure or streamlining of a number of existing Delegations which are necessary to enable the new
openings to take place in view of the limited financial resources available for administration of the External
Service.

While the 2001 Communication indeed makes reference to the Delegation to Cape Verde, the decision to
streamline the Delegation in Praia and to appoint a non-resident Head of Delegation had been taken
previously in the framework of the Commission’s Communication on the development of the External
Service of 18 July 2000 (2).

Following this decision, the Head of Delegation to Cape Verde was not replaced when he left the country
on retirement at the end of February 2001.

The decision to place the Delegation to Cape Verde under the responsibility of the existing regional
Delegation to Senegal, which is also responsible for the Delegation to Gambia, was taken purely on the
basis of administrative and logistical considerations. Under the deconcentration exercise the Delegation to
Senegal will be allocated additional staff to enable it to provide reinforced support to the other countries
for which it is responsible. The staffing in Cape Verde will also be reinforced under the same exercise.

It is therefore foreseen that, with this increased support, the Commission decision will not adversely affect
the programme of cooperation with Cape Verde.

(1) COM(2001) 381 final.
(2) COM(2000) 456 final.

(2002/C 160 E/012)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2319/01

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(31 July 2001)

Subject: Duty on energy-saving light bulbs from China

The Commission has imposed an anti-dumping duty on the import of cheap energy-saving light bulbs
from China. These light bulbs use extremely low amounts of energy and would therefore have a significant
impact on the Community’s climate and energy policies. The duty penalises European consumers and may
mean that new power stations will need to be built as the unnaturally high prices oblige consumers to buy
inefficient light bulbs rather than the energy-saving variety.

Is the Commission aware of how this duty is undermining the chances of meeting the targets set in the
Kyoto agreement on the climate, and is this duty compatible with the desire to achieve energy efficiency,
sustainable production and consumption? Does the Commission intend to remove this anti-dumping duty,
and if so, when?

Answer given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2001)

By Council Regulation (EC) No 1470/2001 of 16 July 2001 imposing a definitive antidumping duty and
integrated electronic compact
collecting definitively the provisional duty imposed on imports of
fluorescent lamps (CFL-i) originating in the People’s Republic of China (1),
following a
proposal by the Commission,
imposed definitive anti-dumping duties, ranging from 0 to 66,1 %, on
imports of energy saving lamps originating in the People’s Republic of China.

the Council,