WRITTEN QUESTION E-3350/01 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission. Taiwan's entry into the WTO.
Date: 2001-12-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Commission Delegation, Taiwan, World Trade Organisation, devolution, foreign policy

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/17

including € 0,6 million from Tacis for technical and institutional assistance). This € 11
(€ 4,5 million,
million programme for the emergency environmental rehabilitation of the Krasny Bor site and for
treatment facilities will be implemented in 2001-2004, with the first tranche of the EBRD loan to be
disbursed in February 2002.

At this stage, no additional major funding is foreseen by the Commission, which will closely follow the
progress of the clean-up programme through its Tacis component. The rehabilitation of Krasny Bor can be
considered as an example of successful collaboration between Russian authorities and different donor and
financial institutions.

(2002/C 229 E/016)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3350/01

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(5 December 2001)

Subject: Taiwan’s entry into the WTO

Following Taiwan’s entry into the WTO, the importance of EU contacts with the world’s 14th largest
trading economy has increased. For how many more years will the Commission delay the long-promised
opening of a representative office in Taipei?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(6 February 2002)

The Commission has been carrying out an overall review of its External Service, reassessing the priorities
for the extension of the Commission’s network of external representations against the background of
scarce resources and other factors, notably the ‘deconcentration’ of the management of Community
external assistance programmes. This review culminated in the Commission’s Communication to the
Parliament and to the Council on the development of the External Service (1). This Communication
proposes a number of openings of Commission external representations in those regions where it is still
underrepresented. In this context, the Communication indicates that consideration will be given to opening
a trade representation office in Taiwan.

Given the budgetary constraints under which the Commission’s External Service operates, the resources
needed for the new openings will be found essentially through redeployments and reallocations within the
existing External Service.

Further changes in the network beyond the present programme are likely to become necessary, as a
function of changing circumstances and new priorities in the Union’s external relations. The Commission
will continue to analyse the long-term development requirements of the External Service, including the
resource implications.

(1) COM(2001) 381 final.

(2002/C 229 E/017)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3368/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(6 December 2001)

Subject: Unequal treatment of Israeli nationals and preventing the customs, police and army in EU States

from following an undesirable example

1.
Does the Commission recall that the Arab member of the Knesset Azmi Bishara has been stripped of
his parliamentary immunity at the request of the public prosecutor in response to the positions he had
adopted with regard to the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians?