WRITTEN QUESTION E-0797/02 by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission. Common Fisheries Policy.
Date: 2002-03-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community fisheries, EU Member State, EU waters, common fisheries policy, peripheral region, ship's flag

C 229 E/138

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

(cid:1) Contribution to the upkeep of economic activities in less favoured areas, since horse-farming is
possible also on marginal sites: the continuation of agricultural activities in such areas is an important
objective of the Community’s rural development policy;

(cid:1) Preservation of genetic diversity: the rearing of animals (including horses) of local breeds indigenous to

the area and in danger of being lost for farming is part of the agri-environment measures.

The Honourable Member may see from these examples that the instruments and means already exist to
foster the economic situation of horse breeders in the framework of rural development. In the spirit of
subsidiarity it is up to the Member States to include the relevant measures in their programmes.

As to substantial slaughter grants, the Commission envisages no Common Market Organisation for horses
that might include such grants.

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999.

(2002/C 229 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0790/02

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) and Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Council

Subject: Banning of a film in Turkey

(22 March 2002)

The Associated Press reports from Ankara that the Turkish authorities have banned the screening of a
Turkish film entitled ‘Big Man, Small Love’ because it contains dialogue in Kurdish. The film was in fact
partly funded by the Turkish Ministry for Culture, which issued the order not to show the film in cinemas
because it considered that there was a problem with the inclusion of dialogue in Kurdish, despite the fact
that Turkish subtitles were shown.

Is such a measure consistent with Turkey’s conforming to standards of conduct befitting a European state?
What action has the Council
freedom and gross
taken in the past when violations of
infringements of democratic freedoms in Turkey came to light? In how many cases did Turkey rectify the
situation and which cases were those?

intellectual

Reply

(27 June 2002)

The Council refers the Honourable Members to the reply given on a similar subject raised in question
E-426/02.

(2002/C 229 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0797/02

by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission

(21 March 2002)

Subject: Common Fisheries Policy

Does the Commission have plans to extend the benefits of the Common Fisheries Policy to the Aegean,
Baltic, Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas or the appropriate waters surrounding extra-European territories of
EU members in the Caribbean Sea, Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans?

If there are no such plans, please explain why.

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/139

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(25 April 2002)

The Common Fisheries Policy applies to the waters falling under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of Member
States in the Aegean, Baltic, Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. It also applies to Community fishing vessels
in all waters. It does not apply to the extra-European territories of Member States except for French
overseas departments, as only those territories form part of the Union.

(2002/C 229 E/159)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0806/02

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(21 March 2002)

Subject: Road accidents in the EU

At the inauguration in Madrid of the Eleventh International Road Safety Congress, it was stressed that,
every year in the EU, road accidents kill over 40 000 people and cause serious injuries to another
1,6 million. In view of these statistics, the work of bodies such as TISPOL (the European Traffic Police
Network), based on the exchange of information between European traffic police forces, can make a useful
and immediate contribution to road safety in the EU. What are the most recent data that the Commission
can supply on trends concerning road accidents in towns and cities? Are all the EU’s traffic police forces
represented in TISPOL? To what extent can TISPOL’s experience be transposed to third countries?

The number of motor vehicles in use in the EU is constantly rising, as the data of the last decade shows.
This trend needs to be accompanied by higher standards of road safety; nonetheless, different rules
continue to prevail for such crucial aspects as breath-testing and drug checks on drivers. To what extent
does the Commission believe it necessary to harmonise the road safety codes and penalties operated by the
Member States and the technologies and other means employed for purposes of road safety within the
Union? What action has the Commission taken to put an end to a state of affairs in which road accidents
are the biggest single cause of death among young Europeans aged between 14 and 25?

Answer given by Ms de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 2002)

Although the situation should certainly not be considered satisfactory, the drop in road accidents in the
European Union is more marked in urban areas than in other areas. In particular, the number of road
deaths in cities and towns has been falling more rapidly than elsewhere for a number of years.

Police forces from all Member States except Luxembourg, Austria and Portugal are currently represented in
the Tispol Council (Traffic Information System Police, the European network of traffic police forces).
Norway, Slovenia and Switzerland are also members of Tispol and yet other European countries are
involved in operations initiated by Tispol. The Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland have indicated that
they were considering membership. In future, Tispol could play a role in improving road safety in the new
Member States by the exchange of know-how and best practices, and by joint operations.

The Commission believes that harmonising certain regulations, penalties and controls, and adopting
guidelines on best practices in the area of technologies and other means, are essential steps for making
Europe’s roads safer. For more information on the Commission’s past and future initiatives, we invite the
Honourable Member to refer to the chapter on unsafe roads in the White Paper on European transport
policy (1).