WRITTEN QUESTION E-2649/01 by Frank Vanhecke (NI) to the Council. Problems in Zimbabwe.
Date: 2001-10-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Zimbabwe, election, ethnic cleansing, human rights, observer, racial discrimination, the EU's international role

C 134 E/72

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

Dual pricing allows consumers and, where appropriate, specialised national or regional control bodies to
check that there are no hidden price rises during the changeover to the euro. It was with this in mind that
the Commission also advocated the setting up of local observatories for monitoring the introduction of the
euro (Article 2 in particular of Recommendation 98/288/EC of 23 April 1998 (3)), something which has
been done in most euro zone Member States.

As far as education is concerned,
the Prince programme, cofinanced by the Parliament, provides
Community funding for information campaigns. Moreover, the Commission has this year set aside an
additional budget of 2 896 000 € under budget heading B5-10 to finance information campaigns and
consumer education (including the ‘Euro made easy’ scheme).

Member States and the Commission are also exchanging information on how to get used to the new scales
of values and, particularly, to the existence of cents.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1103/97 of 17 June 1997 on certain provisions relating to the introduction of the euro
(OJ L 162, 19.6.1997) and Council Regulation (EC) No 974/98 of 3 May 1998 on the introduction of the euro (OJ
L 139, 11.5.1998).

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 1103/97 of 17 June 1997 : Article 5: Monetary amounts to be paid or accounted for
when a rounding takes place after a conversion into the euro unit pursuant to Article 4 shall be rounded up or
down to the nearest cent. Monetary amounts to be paid or accounted for which are converted into a national
currency unit shall be rounded up or down to the nearest sub-unit or in the absence of a sub-unit to the nearest
unit, or according to national law or practice to a multiple or fraction of the sub-unit or unit of the national
currency unit. If the application of the conversion rate gives a result which is exactly half-way, the sum shall be
rounded up.

(3) OJ L 130, 1.5.1998.

(2002/C 134 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2649/01

by Frank Vanhecke (NI) to the Council

(3 October 2001)

Subject: Problems in Zimbabwe

At the recent Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa, participants devoted much attention to
the Western world’s legacy of responsibility for crimes against Africa.

Today in Zimbabwe,
expropriation policy.

thousands of white farmers are falling victim to President Mugabe’s racist

Did European Union representatives at the Durban conference discuss these problems, either formally or
informally?

If so, what conclusions were drawn?

Irrespective of the Durban conference, the situation in Zimbabwe remains very much a burning issue.
What pressure will the Council bring to bear and what means will it use to put a swift end to the ethnic
cleansing which is taking place there?

Reply

(12 February 2002)

EU representatives were very fully occupied at Durban with the very difficult discussion in the Conference
itself, as in any case, this Conference was not country specific. They did not discuss the problems related to
white farmers in Zimbabwe at the Conference against racism in Durban, South Africa.

The Council on 25 June expressed its concern about recent developments in Zimbabwe and referred to the
following areas where substantial progress should be noted over a period of two months: an end to
political violence and official encouragement to such violence, an invitation to the EU to support and

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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observe coming elections, actions to protect the freedom of the media, independence of the judiciary and
respect of its decisions and an end to the illegal occupation of properties. The Council undertook to take
appropriate measures if no substantial progress had been made in this period.

The Council on 8 October 2001 reiterated its concern over the situation in Zimbabwe and in particular
the lack of progress in the five areas identified by the Council. It agreed to return to the question after the
ministerial meeting between the EU Troïka led by the Council President, Deputy Prime Minster and
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Louis Michel, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe, I. S.
G. Mudenge, which took place on 22 October 2001.

On 29 October 2001, the Council discussed developments in the Zimbabwean situation in the light of the
principal concerns it had expressed at its meeting on 25 June and noted that no visible progress had been
made. It reiterated the EU’s readiness to assist Zimbabwe in preparing and holding the elections, by the
sending of an exploratory mission. The Council also decided to launch the consultation procedure
provided for in Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement with a view to strengthening the ongoing political
dialogue. On this same occasion the European Union declared that it will give strong weight to ensuring
coordination and complementarity with the efforts of SADC and the Abuja process vis à vis Zimbabwe.

(2002/C 134 E/075)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2650/01

by Frank Vanhecke (NI) to the Council

(3 October 2001)

Subject: Combating terrorism in Europe

In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks in the United States, it has become painfully clear that most EU
Member States do not have specific legislation to combat terrorism.

This is particularly true of Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and
Sweden.

Six Member States do have specific legislation on combating terrorism: Germany, Spain, France, Italy,
Portugal and Britain.

Thus in a Europe without internal border controls enormous disparities exist between Member States in
this field.

Yet there are strong indications that numerous Islamic fundamentalist organisations have their logistic
bases in Europe, where they can freely exploit the open borders.

What urgent recommendations will the Council make to these various Member States with a view to
creating in the very near future at least a minimum uniform legal basis for combating the scourge of
terrorism effectively?

(2002/C 134 E/076)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2662/01

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Council

(3 October 2001)

Subject: Threat of attacks on the European institutions

According to authoritative reports which have appeared in the UK press, a group of Islamic fundamentalist
terrorists planned to carry out a murderous attack on the European Parliament during the part-session in
February 2001, using sarin gas.