WRITTEN QUESTION P-2438/01 by Kathalijne Buitenweg (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Consequences of the opening-up of marriage to same-sex partners in the Netherlands.
Date: 2001-09-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European citizenship, European official, LGBTIQ persons, Netherlands, marriage, regulations for civil servants, residence permit

18.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/131

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(1 October 2001)

A very comprehensive set of Community legislation regulates the imports of live animals and animal
products into the Community.

It is the responsibility of the Member States to ensure that this legislation is properly enforced and that
only animals, products and food corresponding to Community standards are imported.

The Commission has the duty to verify the proper implementation of this legislation. In this regard, in
recent years the Commission has been paying particular attention to the functioning of the Community
Border Inspection Posts in the Member States.

Inspections have been carried out regularly by the Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) in
recent times, and further missions will be carried out, within the framework of Commission Decision
97/778/EC of 22 July 1997 drawing up a list of border inspection posts (BIPs) agreed for veterinary checks
on products and animals from third countries, laying down detailed rules concerning the checks to be
carried out by the experts of the Commission and repealing Decision 96/742/EC (1).

The Parliament is systematically informed on the FVO mission reports and on the corrective actions, which
are required to be carried out by the Member States whenever shortcomings in the implementation of
Community legislation are detected.

The Commission is aware that the current foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak requires a review of the
measures, which are necessary to prevent disease agents such as FMD virus entering the Community and
to better control such diseases. In this framework, the Commission is already carrying out a review of the
needs for a more detailed legislation on the controls at Community borders, together with Member States
experts.

Member States have been reminded about their responsibilities to ensure that controls at Community
borders are properly carried out.

However, at this stage the Commission is not in a position to draw any final conclusion on the
strengthening of the controls at Community borders by the Member States and on their cost.

(1) OJ L 315, 19.11.1997.

(2002/C 93 E/156)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2438/01

by Kathalijne Buitenweg (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(3 September 2001)

Subject: Consequences of the opening-up of marriage to same-sex partners in the Netherlands

The law on civil marriage for same-sex partners came into force in the Netherlands on 1 April 2001.

Is the Commission aware that this was not an April fool’s joke and can it give an assurance that, since this
law came into effect, European officials who marry a person of
the same-sex under this law are
automatically entitled to the benefits applying to married staff?

Can the Commission say whether it has already made sure that, in all Member States in which European
Union bodies are established and where European officials may therefore go and work, those who have
married a person of the same sex under Dutch law will be able to obtain the residence permits they
require without any problem?

Will it also make sure that this also applies to same-sex partners from a non-EU country?

C 93 E/132

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2002

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2001)

The Commission has reflected on how to take account of the law modifying the Netherlands Civil Code to
recognise marriage between same sex couples. Following consultations within its services, the Commission
has given instructions that the marriage of an official recognised under the amended Dutch Civil Code
should be treated in the same way as any other marriage recognised in a Member State.

The Commission has also invited the Parliament and the other Institutions to take similar action in relation
to their officials.

The Commission obviously has no power to impose the recognition of such marriages, or related residence
permits, on a Member State and that is the reality whether partners originate from a Member State or from
elsewhere.

(2002/C 93 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2440/01

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(11 September 2001)

Subject: Research into slurry separation and urban sludge treatment plants

Intensive stockfarming in the EU causes a wide range of environmental problems, in particular pollution of
ground water, lakes, rivers and the sea.

These problems can be resolved through the use of new technology, which can undoubtedly be improved
and made cheaper by intensifying research.

Will the Commission say what research projects in respect of slurry separation plants, biogas plants and
other urban sludge hygienisation plants are receiving EU support, and what results have been achieved?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(31 October 2001)

The research projects in respect to farm livestock slurries were dealing intensively with anaerobic digestion
processes during the 70’s and 80’s. At present
these improved techniques, combined with biogas
production and sustainable use, are considered mature and should integrate technical, economic and
regulatory considerations.

The strategies, technologies and management practises for sewage sludge are addressed specifically by a
priority of the Community’s Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development
(RTD) (FP5) under the Environment Sustainable Development research programme (EESD), Key action
‘Waste management and water quality’ (KA1). The research projects should focus on minimisation of
sludge production and improvement of their quality by pollutants identification and interception at their
source. The expected results will allow a safety and publicly acceptable targeted use in agriculture.

Selected research projects on this subject are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliaments’s
Secretariat.

The results of completed projects and additional information on these projects can be found on the Cordis
database: http://dbs.cordis.lu/search/en/simple/EN_PROJ_simple.html and http://www.ad-nett.org.