WRITTEN QUESTION P-2352/01 by Carlos Carnero González (PSE) to the Council. Events in Genoa in connection with the G8 summit.
Date: 2001-08-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU police cooperation, group of leading industrialised countries, international meeting, political unrest, public order, right to demonstrate

4.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/157

(2002/C 81 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2349/01

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(3 August 2001)

Subject: Food and Veterinary Office Annual Report

In the section on animal welfare in its Annual Report for 2000, the Commission(cid:146)s Food and Veterinary
Office states that in two Member States the shortcomings in poultry stunning and in its supervision were
of such severity that infringement proceedings have been recommended, and in one Member State
infringement proceedings have been recommended for failure to transpose Community legislation on
welfare at slaughter. Which are the Member States being referred to?

The Annual Report also states that stunning equipment for mammals did not conform to all legislative
requirements in several Member States, e.g.
ineffective and inadequate stunning equipment, poor
maintenance and lack of availability of a back-up stunning device. Which are the Member States being
referred to?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2001)

The two Member States referred to in the Food and Veterinary Office annual report where severe
shortcomings in poultry stunning and its supervision were found, were Greece (mission reference 1133/
2000) and Portugal (mission reference 1158/2000).

The Member State who failed to transpose fully Community legislation on welfare at slaughter in all
L(cid:228)nder, was Austria (mission reference 1009/2000). However,
the requirements with regard to the
veterinary supervision of animal welfare at the time of slaughter were in general met.

The Member States in which stunning equipment
requirements were Portugal (mission reference 1922/1999) and Greece (mission reference 1060/2000).

for mammals did not conform to all

legislative

Reports of these specific missions have been transmitted to the Parliament and can also be consulted on
the Health and Consumer Protection DG web site at http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/inspections/vi/
reports/index_en.html.

(2002/C 81 E/185)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2352/01

by Carlos Carnero GonzÆlez (PSE) to the Council

Subject: Events in Genoa in connection with the G8 summit

(3 August 2001)

The events that occurred in Genoa during the G8 summit (cid:129) which resulted in the terrible and tragic death
of one person, numerous injuries and material damage (cid:129) have sent shockwaves throughout Europe and
caused justifiable concern. While strongly condemning the unacceptable attitude of those violent elements
that took part in the demonstrations (both in Genoa and, previously, in Gothenburg), the fact remains that
European democracy must find suitable ways of ensuring that people are able to express themselves freely
and peacefully, and avoid handling these events with the kind of negative approach adopted by the
government of Silvio Berlusconi.

Does the Council plan to discuss the matter and, if appropriate, adopt joint measures concerning the
management of public demonstrations at future European or international summits, with a view to
guaranteeing the right to demonstrate while ensuring that violent elements are isolated and avoiding
disproportionate and indiscriminate action by security forces?

C 81 E/158

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

Reply

(29 November 2001)

1.
The Council deplores the events that occurred in Genoa during the G8 summit and condemns the
actions of those who abuse the democratic rights to express opinions and to assemble in a peaceful
manner.

2.
The Council is fully aware of the problems raised by the Honourable Member of the Parliament.
Following the G(cid:246)teborg European Council of June 2001 the Council and the representatives of the
Governments of the Member States adopted conclusions, on 13 July 2001, on security at meetings of the
European Council and other comparable events (10608/01 Presse 281).

These conclusions underline that in an area of freedom, security and justice, citizens must enjoy the
3.
right freely to express their opinions, to assemble in a peaceful manner and to do so in conditions where
there is not a threat to their own security or to that of other citizens or properties.

Having recalled the importance of a constructive dialogue between the organizers of public demonstrations
and the authorities of the host country and the importance of close international contacts to ensure that
demonstrations are not exploited or abused by other elements for the purpose of committing acts of
individual or collective violence, the conclusions stress the possibilities offered by existing legal instruments
and bodies set up within the European Union, particularly the Schengen Convention of 1990 (1), the Joint
Action of 1997 with regard to cooperation on law and order and security (2) and the Decision of 2001
setting up a European crime prevention network (3).

4. While recognising that the host country is responsible for maintaining public order and safety, the
Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States stated, in their conclusions of
13 July 2001, that the following measures may help to reduce the risk of serious disturbances of law and
order:

(a) Police cooperation (permanent national contact points, use of the liaison officers and the Police Chiefs(cid:146)
Task Force, possible increase of the powers of Europol, training by the European Police College);

(b) Exchange of information, respecting the right to the protection of personal data;

(c) Measures relating to the crossing of borders;

(d)

Judicial cooperation (facilitation of direct cooperation in the European Judicial Network);

(e) Organisational measures (common approach to communication with organisers of demonstrations to

ensure that legitimate demonstrations are not exploited by groups with a violent agenda).

5.
In view of the next European Council in Laeken in December 2001 and the future European or
international summits, the Council is convinced that the implementation of the existing legal instruments
and of the above measures concerning the management of public demonstrations will guarantee the right
to demonstrate while reducing the risk of serious disturbances of law and order.

(1) OJ L 239, 22.9.2000, p. 19.
(2) OJ L 147, 5.6.1997, p. 1.
(3) OJ L 153, 8.6.2001, p. 1.

(2002/C 81 E/186)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2364/01

by Marco Cappato (TDI) to the Council

(3 August 2001)

Subject: G8 in Genoa and EU data bases

The Schengen Information System (SIS) was set up to store data concerning persons reported or wanted
for arrest, such data being directly supplied by the competent authorities of the Member States. On the