WRITTEN QUESTION E-3131/01 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Safeguarding the cultural heritage following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
Date: 2001-11-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: competence of the Member States, cultural heritage, heritage protection, terrorism

C 147 E/108

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2002

(2002/C 147 E/113)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3130/01

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Council

(15 November 2001)

Subject: Terrorist attacks against Christians in Pakistan

The massacre which took place on 28 October in Bahawalpur (Pakistan), where 18 Christians were shot at
point-blank range and several dozens more were injured, is unfortunately only the latest in a series of
killings which, in the name of a holy war, have been carried out against Christians in a number of Muslim
countries (or in areas with an Islamic majority), from the Philippines to Nigeria (where 200 Christians were
massacred only a few days ago) and Sudan, where the attacks are in response to a call from the Vice-
President, Ali Osman Taba, for a jihad against the country’s non-Muslim residents.

In countries in which Islamic fundamentalism is rampant, missionaries have been a target for years: 604 of
them have been killed over the last decade.

In view of the above, would the Belgian Presidency of the Council say:

1. what emergency action it intends to take in order to prevent the massacre of Christian minorities from

continuing whilst the international community stands idly by?

2. whether it considers in particular that any EU aid being supplied to governments which do not
provide proper protection for persecuted religious minorities (especially Christians persecuted in
Islamic countries by fundamentalists stirred by murderous hatred) should be suspended?

Reply

(18 March 2002)

1.
The Council has not discussed the particular events of 28 October in Bahawalpur (Pakistan), to
which the Honourable MEP refers. However, the Council firmly condemns, as a general policy, any attacks
or other forms of violence against all religious or ethnic minorities, wherever they occur.

2.
As regards Pakistan, the Council has repeatedly raised the issue of inter-ethnic and religious violence
with the government of this country and has urged the authorities to undertake determined efforts to
clamp down on such attacks and to bring their perpetrators to justice. The Council will continue to raise
this issue during forthcoming political dialogue meetings, or at the level of local Heads of Mission,
whenever necessary.

The Council

is, however, not convinced that

3.
the suspension of any aid being supplied to
governments would constitute an appropriate response to the problem. It has to be examined in each
single case which response is most appropriate. For example, it would seem very problematic to suspend
humanitarian aid or other aid which goes only to the most vulnerable parts of the population concerned.
Assistance for social or educational projects could even contribute to fostering religious tolerance in
problematic regions.

(2002/C 147 E/114)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3131/01

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(14 November 2001)

Subject: Safeguarding the cultural heritage following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington

In view of the serious international crisis which has arisen following the attacks on the World Trade
Centre and the Pentagon and the military intervention in Afghanistan, and whereas Europe (Italy in
particular) is home to most of the world’s artistic and architectural heritage; where as over the last few

20.6.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 147 E/109

weeks, every Member State will undoubtedly have set in motion all procedures designed to provide
maximum security for sensitive cultural sites which could be the target of terrorist attacks, can the
Commission say whether:

1.

the idea of devising special methods and strategies for monitoring and safeguarding the architectural
and cultural heritage has been considered?

2.

the EU Culture Ministers have met in order to promote heritage safeguard initiatives?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2002)

1.

Article 151 (ex Article 128) of the EC Treaty provides that the Community may take action to:

? encourage cultural cooperation between Member States;

? support and supplement Member States’ actions (by providing financial assistance, if necessary) in the

following areas:

? improvement of the knowledge and dissemination of the culture and history of the European

peoples;

? conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage of European significance;

? non-commercial cultural exchanges;

? artistic and literary creation, including in the audiovisual sector.

The Community therefore has no basis for taking action to safeguard Member States’ heritage other than
the existing programmes and initiatives. It is also important to note that, in accordance with the principle
of subsidiarity, Member States have exclusive responsibility for protection arrangements.

The Commission has not been informed of any meetings of EU Culture Ministers to promote specific

2.
heritage protection measures following the attacks of 11 September 2001.

(2002/C 147 E/115)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3132/01

by W.G. van Velzen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 November 2001)

Subject: Further question concerning discrimination in mobile telephone services

The following further questions arise from the reply which Commissioner Bolkestein, on behalf of the
Commission, gave on 28 September 2001 to my priority written question P-4158/00 (1)
(tabled on
20 December 2000). Moreover, in response to publicity concerning this reply, I have received complaints
about similar practices in the United Kingdom and Luxembourg.

1.
In view of the particulars for checking the identity of a customer before the latter takes out a
subscription to a mobile telephone service, as referred to in the reply to question P-4158/00, can the
Commission confirm that it is unreasonable to demand security of, for example, GBP 100 or € 160 or to
demand that the customer produce a tenancy agreement?

Article 10(2) of Directive 98/10 (2) lays down that national regulatory authorities or other competent
2.
bodies according to national legislation may require the alteration of the conditions of contracts between
telephone companies and subscribers in order to protect the rights of users and/or subscribers. I consider
that Belgium, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom have implemented this provision incorrectly. Pursuant