WRITTEN QUESTION E-2406/01 by Lousewies van der Laan (ELDR) to the Commission. EU- India cooperation: joint projects with Sai Baba, alleged child molestation.
Date: 2001-08-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union, India, child, cooperation policy, sexual violence

C 93 E/126

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2002

(2002/C 93 E/149)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2405/01

by Caroline Jackson (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(21 August 2001)

Subject: Carbon sequestration in the North Sea

According to the British Geographical Survey,
‘some North Sea sites which may be suitable for carbon
dioxide sequestration risk being lost unless decommissioning policy takes this potential change of use into
account’ (Earth News, BGS, July 2001). What can the European Commission do to ensure that such sites
are not lost, and that demonstration projects that can explore the potential for sequestration on an
industrial scale in the North Sea are carried out?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2404/01 and E-2405/01
given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(26 October 2001)

The successful outcome of the second part of the Sixth United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP 6bis) includes an agreement on carbon sinks. The
Commission has started to develop Community policies on sinks including geological carbon seques-
tration. Whether or not the geological carbon sequestration can be a safe and cost-effective option of
limiting the Carbondioxide (CO2) emissions needs further research and development in the first place.
Directorates general (DG) Research and Transport and Energy (TREN) have a portfolio of projects under
the Fifth Community Programme on Research and Technological Development addressing this question
(DG Research is focussing on medium to long term activities and DG TREN on short term activities). A
number of projects are underway and others are being considered for contract. A brief description is sent
direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

(2002/C 93 E/150)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2406/01

by Lousewies van der Laan (ELDR) to the Commission

(21 August 2001)

Subject: EU- India cooperation: joint projects with Sai Baba, alleged child molestation

Last year, Unesco pulled out of a conference it was planning with the Institute of Sathya Sai Education
citing ‘deep concern about widely-reported allegations of sexual abuse involving youths and children that
have been levelled at the leader of the movement in question, Sathya Sai Baba’.

Can the Commission confirm that no EU funding has gone or will go and that joint projects will not be
undertaken with organisations linked to Sai Baba until the controversy has been cleared up?

Will the Commission raise the issue of the allegations at the EU-India summit scheduled for 23 November
2001 and ask assurances that the Indian Government is investigating the allegations?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 2001)

The Sathya Sai Trust does not receive and has never received any funding from the Community, nor is it
associated with any of its projects in India.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/127

The Commission takes these kinds of allegations very seriously and, in such cases, would immediately
withdraw its financial assistance from related projects.

This question will not be included as such on the agenda of the Union-India Summit but any topic can be
discussed or raised at some point in an informal way. There are also other India-Union fora where human
rights related issues can be raised.

(2002/C 93 E/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2412/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Italian fishing vessels seized in Guinea-Bissau

(21 August 2001)

In early June,
two Italian fishing vessels (the Excalibur and the Barracuda) which belong to the
Martinsicuro-based company Italfish and which at the time were outside Guinea-Bissau’s territorial waters,
were seized purely on a pretext. In the intervening period, no action has been taken in order to resolve the
issue.

Although at the time of the seizure the two vessels were fishing (according to the testimony of the
shipping inspector from Guinea-Conakry) seven miles outside Guinea-Bissau’s territorial waters, the local
tribunal has imposed a huge fine so as to have a pretext for seizing them.

Can the Commission intervene with a view to establishing:

B what the situation of the Italian vessels is;

B what guarantees have been sought on behalf of the crews;

B what guarantees have been negotiated for the purpose of safeguarding the owners’ rights?

Can the Commission also:

B take urgent action with a view to having the vessels returned;

B suspend all agreements with Guinea-Bissau;

B review, in the light of the instability prevailing in the country and the lack of institutional guarantees,
the eligibility of the country (which has already had $790 million of its debt waived) for the poor
countries’ debt-reduction programme?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(2 October 2001)

The Barracuda is not a Community vessel, but rather a trawler flying the Senegalese flag.

The Excalibur, which flies the Italian flag, is currently awaiting the completion of legal procedures in the
port of Bissau, following its seizure on 29 June 2001.

As regards the nature of the alleged offence (fishing without a permit in the waters of Guinea-Bissau), it is
impossible to reach an unbiased conclusion on whether or not the ship was in the waters of Guinea-Bissau
at the time of inspection. Contrary to the obligations imposed by Community legislation (Article 3 of
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993, establishing a control system applicable to the
common fisheries policy (1)), the Excalibur was not equipped with a satellite Vessel Monitoring System
(VMS). This system, which has been compulsory since 1 January 2000, would have allowed verification of
the ship’s position at the time of inspection.