WRITTEN QUESTION P-0019/02 by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission. Respect for civil and political rights in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
Date: 2002-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Laos, cooperation agreement, exchange of information, government violence, human rights, political prisoner, political rights

C 160 E/166

Official Journal of the European Communities

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4.7.2002

Furthermore, the press was informed of DG Agriculture’s decision before the Member State and Region.
This is contrary to the spirit of cooperation and genuine partnership on which relations between the
institutions should be based.

In the light of the above, will the Commission provide assurances that it will duly respect the interests of
farmers and the action of the Tuscany Region, which is firmly resolved to implement the Community
priorities through a renewed policy in favour of agriculture and rural development?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(19 February 2002)

The Tuscany Region’s Rural Development Plan for 2000-2006, approved by Commission Decision
C(2000)2510 of 7 September 2000, includes a support measure for establishment of young farmers that is
in line with Article 8 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural
development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) and amending and
repealing certain Regulations (1).

The financial schedule annexed to the approval decision specifies for that measure a contribution from the
EAGGF Guarantee Section of € 10 million for the whole programming period.

During the 2000 financial year, faced with demand for assistance under the measure very much in excess
of the overall projection in the plan, the Region and the national paying agency Agenzia per le erogazioni
in agricoltura paid out a sum in excess of the ceiling for the measure for the entire seven years.

These payments were made without
for
modification of the plan in line with the relevant rules. Under Article 35 of Commission Regulation (EC)
No 1750/1999 of 23 July 1999 (2) such notification was needed before the financial allocation for the
for expenditure incurred and a date for
measure could be increased to give appropriate cover
commencement of eligibility of the expenditure specified.

the Commission’s receiving any notification or

request

While aware of the importance of the young farmer support measure in Tuscany and of the difficulties
met in the first year of applying the new regulatory provisions on rural development, the Commission as
responsible authority for monitoring rural development plans and for execution of the Union’s budget
must see that these provisions are rigorously respected. With that consideration in mind and after carefully
examining the situation it notified the Italian authorities, by a letter from the Commissioner responsible for
Agriculture and Fisheries dated 21 December 2001, of its inability to recognise the expenditure in question
incurred by Tuscany.

The Commission denies that the position it adopted was notified to the press by the Directorate-General
for Agriculture before notification was made to the national and regional authorities.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.
(2) OJ L 214, 13.8.1999.

(2002/C 160 E/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0019/02

by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission

(14 January 2002)

Subject: Respect for civil and political rights in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic

On 15 February the European Parliament adopted and forwarded to the Commission an urgent
resolution (1) highlighting the case of Laotian prisoners of conscience, including the five leaders of the
movement of 26 October 1999, Keuakoun, Sisa-At, Phengphanh, Chanmanivong and Keochay, who were

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arrested on that day and subsequently disappeared. It called on the Laotian authorities to release all
prisoners of conscience and to guarantee that they can exercise fully their fundamental rights, as well as
guaranteeing fundamental political and civil rights, by ratifying and implementing the United Nations
conventions on the subject.

Commissioner Patten, answering Written Question P-3175/01 (2) on behalf of
the Commission on
6 December 2001, said that the Commission was determined to stress the need to step up respect for civil
and political rights in Laos.

How does the Commission intend to respond to the requests made in Parliament’s resolution of

1.
15 February?

2.
Has the Commission officially requested precise information from the Laotian authorities on the fate
of the five student leaders arrested on 26 October 1999, who have not been heard of since? If not, why
not, and if so, what response did it receive?

Does the Commission consider it necessary to convene an emergency meeting of

3.
the Joint
Committee envisaged in Article 14 of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and
the Lao PDR, in order to ask the Laotian authorities to guarantee respect for the civil and political rights
recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to meet
the demands contained in
Parliament’s resolution of 15 February 2001?

(1) OJ C 276, 1.10.2001, p. 281.
(2) See page 67.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2002)

As was mentioned in the reply by the Commission to the Honourable Member’s Written Question
P-3175/01, the Commission has participated in Union ‘démarches’ requesting information on political
prisoners, including the group of persons arrested in October 1999. The Commission has also raised the
issue of political prisoners and other questions related to Human Rights in its bilateral meetings with
Laotian authorities.

The Commission does not intend to convene an emergency meeting of the Joint Committee at this point,
as there are continuing opportunities to raise Human Rights concerns with the Lao Government through
other channels.

(2002/C 160 E/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0024/02

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 January 2002)

Subject: Naturalisation in Greece and illegal conferral of Union citizenship

The answer (1) given on 1 November 2001 by the Minister for the Interior, Public Administration and
Decentralisation, Mr Skandalidis, to Mr Lambropoulos, a member of the Greek Parliament, concerning the
number of naturalisations between 1 January 1994 and 10 April 2000 states that Greek citizenship was
conferred on a total of 74 456 persons, while a further 13 442 have been registered since the day after the
general elections of 9 April 2000, i.e. a total of 87 798 for the period 1 January 1994 to 1 November
2001.

A comparison of these figures with those provided by the Commission in response to my previous
questions, H-0087/01/rev (2), E-1437/01 (3), H-0706/01 (4), E-1438/01 (5) and P-2945/01 (6), concerning the
number of naturalisations between 1994 and 1998 reveals a manifest discrepancy and an inexcusable lack
of
for the years 1999-2000 owing to ‘technical problems’
(E-2526/01 (7), 12 November 2001). Beyond these omissions there are also the findings of the Public
Prosecutor’s Office, Athens Court of First Instance, which were forwarded to the Greek Parliament under
reference number 3965/20.12.2001 and drew on the conclusions of an administrative inquiry carried out

information on the Commission’s part