WRITTEN QUESTION E-2421/01 by Baroness Sarah Ludford (ELDR) to the Commission. Vietnam.
Date: 2001-09-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, European Union, Red Cross, Viet Nam, development aid, disabled person, herbicide, non-governmental organisation, war

C 134 E/32

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

(2002/C 134 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2418/01

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council

(4 September 2001)

Subject: Falsification of statistical data in Greece

Economic and social policy-makers in the European Union attach special importance to statistical data to
acquire an accurate picture of the situation, to make comparisons between Member States, to monitor
progress and to draw up guidelines.

This policy depends therefore on the consistency and reliability of the Member States’ statistical services.

What action does the Council intend to take vis-à-vis Greece where, in addition to the frequent delays and
shortcomings in the gathering of statistical data on employment and unemployment among men and
women, the National Statistics Service has recently been accused of falsifying data in this area?

Reply

(12 February 2002)

It is not for the Council to deal directly with Member States regarding their statistics: that is a matter for
the Commission.

However, the importance which the Council and the Commission 3 in common, moreover, with the
European Parliament 3 attach to a proper statistical framework for the European employment strategy is
illustrated by the proposal for a Decision on Community incentive measures in the field of employment
which is currently being examined by those institutions.

The European Council
indicators should be defined and collated.

itself has stated on several occasions that comparable, reliable statistics and

(2002/C 134 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2421/01

by Baroness Sarah Ludford (ELDR) to the Commission

(3 September 2001)

Subject: Vietnam

The use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War was a humanitarian disaster, the effects of which are
still being felt today.

Can the Commission explain exactly what assistance is being given to the victims of the Vietnam War who
were affected by the use of Agent Orange by Western forces?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 2001)

According to the information available to the Commission, assistance to persons affected by Agent Orange
in Vietnam is mainly provided by the International Federation of the Red Cross, working in partnership
with the Vietnam Red Cross,
‘the Agent Orange Fund: Assistance and
rehabilitation for disabled people’. This is a nation-wide programme, aimed at providing community-based
services. The programme is supported by the American, German and Swiss national Red Cross societies.
No request for assistance has been received by the Commission.

through a designated fund:

6.6.2002

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 134 E/33

The Community-Vietnam bilateral co-operation programme is based on support for the Renovation
Programme launched by the Government of Vietnam in 1986, which included elements of both political
and economic reform. The projects supported under the programme are decided jointly with the
Government in the context of a co-operation strategy which was agreed with them in 1996. Essentially,
the strategy is to provide technical assistance to support the implementation of economic reforms as
Vietnam develops into a market economy and at the same time to provide development assistance to
alleviate the social costs of the economic reform process and help in the modernisation of the social
sector.

In this context, there are three agreed priorities for development assistance:

3 poverty alleviation, where the main efforts are focussed on rural development

in poor and

mountainous regions;

3 the social sectors, where there are currently two large projects in the health sector, (one dealing with
Malaria and the other with the development of the general health care system), and a project to help
develop the primary education system; and

3 the environment, where support is being provided for a community-based approach,

linking the

development of environmentally sound practice with income-generation actions for poor farmers.

The Commission’s aid budget in Asia is relatively limited. The Commission is therefore determined to
maximise its impact and the strategic focus it has adopted in Vietnam has helped to do that. The
Commission will be reviewing the joint strategy with Vietnam over the next months. In this process, it will
be ready to consider any issues that may be raised, including assistance for persons affected by Agent
Orange. But the Commission will still need to ensure at the end of the day that it retains a well-balanced
and focussed approach.

In addition to the bilateral cooperation programme 3 Vietnam also qualifies for assistance under the
Commission’s horizontal programmes, including the non-governmental organisations (NGO) co-financing
programme for developing countries. Indeed, there are several NGO actions currently being supported in
Vietnam. The possibility of presenting a proposal under the next call for proposals under the NGO
co-financing programme could also be considered by any NGO currently active in providing assistance to
Vietnamese citizens affected by Agent Orange.

(2002/C 134 E/034)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2433/01

by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(7 September 2001)

Subject: Membership of Parliament under the Treaty of Nice

Replying to my Written Question P-1558/01 (1), the Commission interpreted the provisions of the Treaty
of Nice regarding the membership of Parliament to mean that the number of representatives of Member
States to be elected in 2004 could exceed the figures laid down in the Treaty. This might happen if
accession treaties had not been concluded with all the applicant countries. If new Member States were to
join during the 2004-2009 parliamentary term,
they would certainly be entitled to send their full
complement of representatives to Parliament immediately thereafter. According to the Commission’s
interpretation, would some representatives of old Member States elected in 2004 be required in that event
to resign before completing their term of office in order to make room for representatives of new Member
States?

(1) OJ C 350 E, 11.12.2001, p. 189.