WRITTEN QUESTION P-0204/02 by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Electro-shock equipment.
Date: 2002-01-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC conformity marking, electrical equipment, human rights, non-lethal weapon, penal institution, product safety, torture

16.5.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 115 E/259

(2002/C 115 E/281)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3591/01

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Luis Elvas company and the textile and clothing sector in Portugal

The Luis Elvas LDA company (confecçoes Montebela), based in Belmonte, in an inland area of Portugal
where there are few jobs, even in industry, is going through a difficult period. It currently has a workforce
of 200 workers, compared to an earlier figure of 300.

Following a major investment about five years ago, the company went through a difficult period as a result
of significant bad debts, amounting to ESC 150 m, after clients in France and the United Kingdom went
bankrupt.

The tough competition from third countries in the sensitive textile and clothing sector is making the
situation even worse and jeopardising the company’s future, with all the consequences this can have for
employment, mainly among women and the development of this inland area of Portugal.

Can the Commission answer the following:

6 What support has the Community given the Luis Elvas company?

6 What aid does the Commission intend to provide for companies in the textile and clothing sector

affected by the bilateral agreements between the European Union and third countries?

6 How does it intend to support SMEs, especially in such sensitive sectors as the clothing trade, which

are affected by bad debts in other EU countries?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(5 February 2002)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.

(2002/C 115 E/282)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0204/02

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(30 January 2002)

Subject: Electro-shock equipment

An Amnesty International report published last year showed that chemical and electro-shock technology is
being used for torture in 76 countries. There is no monitoring and evaluation of such equipment. Its safety
has been questioned by human rights organisations, medical experts and prison officials. It has emerged
that some manufacturers of such products have been granted the CE certification and use this as a selling
point.

Could the Commission establish the name and number of companies manufacturing the products which
have been granted the CE certification in the past five years and indicate the process by which the CE mark
is granted to such products?

Can the Commission also confirm that the safety of the victim as well as of the user of the product is
guaranteed? Does it not believe that additional regulations with stringent export controls and an evaluation
and monitoring system should be put in place as part of the CE certification process in order to oversee
manufacturers’ exports policy and prevent such gross abuses of human rights?

C 115 E/260

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

16.5.2002

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(8 February 2002)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written P-2783/01 by Mr Ford (1)

(1) OJ C 81 E, 4.4.2002, p.209.