WRITTEN QUESTION E-0848/02 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission. Diamonds.
Date: 2002-03-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common commercial policy, export monitoring, illicit trade, import policy, international trade, precious stones, surveillance concerning imports, trade restriction

C 309 E/50

Official Journal of the European Communities

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12.12.2002

(2002/C 309 E/057)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0835/02

by Colette Flesch (ELDR) to the Commission

(26 March 2002)

Subject: Increase in the size of the Commission’s translation service

According to the 7-13 March 2002 edition of European Voice, the Commission is soon to announce that
110 extra translators will be needed on account of EU enlargement. Of those 110, 60 will be employed at
the Commission in Brussels and 50 will work as freelancers in the Member States.

Can the Commission confirm the accuracy of this information?

Can it say how many extra translators will be employed by the Commission in Luxembourg?

Will it also say whether or not the employment of a substantial number of freelancers working in places
other than the EU institutions’ places of work is in accordance with the Treaties and with the agreements
relating to the seats of those institutions?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(4 June 2002)

The information which appeared in the 7-13 March 2002 issue of European Voice concerning the
Commission’s Translation Service (SdT) was not accurate.

Following an initial examination of requirements arising from the forthcoming Enlargement, an internal
Commission paper adopted on 9 April 2002 provided an indicative estimate of the resources the SdT will
require to take account of enlargement. The total of the human and financial resources is estimated at the
including support and
equivalent
management. Of this total, 60 translators would hold permanent posts and the remaining resources would
be divided between permanent staff in management and support functions and appropriations for contract
staff performing either translation or support tasks.

in appropriations of 110 posts per new language for translation,

The Commission is not in a position to specify how many translators will be posted to its departments in
Luxembourg. It can, however, confirm that the balance between Luxembourg and Brussels will not be to
the detriment of Luxembourg.

The Honourable Member will be aware that decisions on contracting out translation work to freelance
translators, in terms of both the volume (currently around 20 % of total SdT output but, as previously
announced, to be scaled up to a possible 30 % by end-2005) and the type of document sent out, are a
matter for its administrative autonomy. This is not a breach of the Treaties or the agreements relating to
the seats of the Institutions in any way.

It should also be borne in mind that freelance translators work for the Commission as external service-
providers, are paid on a piecework basis, and are therefore not Commission staff in the broad sense of the
term.

(2002/C 309 E/058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0848/02

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(27 March 2002)

Subject: Diamonds

The successful conclusion of the Kimberley Process is critical if the world-wide trade in conflict diamonds
is to be stopped. Unless this trade is rapidly brought to an end, the millions of people whose lives are

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affected by diamond-fuelled conflicts will continue to suffer, as will the reputation of the diamond industry
and diamonds in general. Ending the trade in conflict diamonds is essential for countries, such as Botswana
which produce clean diamonds and rely on the revenue generated for their sustainable development, as
well as for the diamond industry in the EU.

Would the Commission therefore indicate whether or not it is satisfied with the progress of the Kimberley
Process to date?

Does the Commission consider that the final Kimberley Agreement will be effective in stopping the trade
in conflict diamonds?

Does the Commission believe that implementation of the Kimberley Agreement at EU level will be effective
in stopping illegal diamonds from entering the European supply chain?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(24 April 2002)

With the aim of breaking the link between armed conflicts and the trade in conflict diamonds, the
Kimberley Process has successfully negotiated a Certification Scheme for the international trade in rough
diamonds.

On 29 November 2001 the ministerial meeting of the Kimberley Process arrived at detailed proposals for
such a scheme. The Commission is satisfied by the result of the negotiations. The proposals were
welcomed by the United Nations General Assembly in a resolution adopted 13 March 2002.

The participants of the Kimberley Process met in Ottawa 18-20 March 2002 to address certain technical
elements of the Scheme. A ministerial meeting will be held in November 2002 to launch the simultaneous
implementation of the Kimberley Certification Scheme.

The measures of the Kimberley Scheme consist of a certification scheme and minimum standards for
controlling production, transport, export,
import and re-export. A voluntary system of industry self-
regulation will provide for a system of warranties, which will help to facilitate the full traceability of rough
diamond transactions. The scheme also features a monitoring system including options for review
missions.

The certification scheme for rough diamonds will require governments to only allow imports or exports of
rough diamonds from other participants if they are accompanied by a Kimberley Certificate stating that
‘the rough diamonds in this shipment have been handled in accordance with the provisions of the
Kimberley Process international certification scheme for rough diamonds’ indicating that they are, in all
likelihood, free of conflict diamonds.

The design of the scheme aims at effectiveness and a minimum use of administrative resources. While such
a system can never fully remove conflict diamonds from the legitimate trade, it will undoubtedly make the
marketing of conflict diamonds inside, as well as outside, of the Community considerably more difficult.

The Commission intends to present a proposal for a Council Regulation implementing the Kimberley
Certification Scheme as soon as possible in order to allow the Community to participate in the launching
of the scheme no later than the end of 2002. The Regulation will provide for a system of controls
throughout the Community. The Commission expects the system to considerably diminish the trade in
conflict diamonds. The Commission is counting on the European diamond industry to effectively support
the implementation of the scheme and avoid its circumvention. With the introduction of the Scheme there
is a real risk that the smuggling of illicit diamonds will increase, which may call for further controls by the
Community.