WRITTEN QUESTION E-1028/02 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Council. Tragic death of 14 girls in Saudi Arabia.
Date: 2002-04-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Saudi Arabia, common foreign and security policy, women's rights

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/133

Although the text recognises the need to abandon high-noise-level aircraft equipped with imperfectly
functioning noise-reduction devices (the famous US-backed hushkits), it has been substantially watered
down in this way so European ministers can renegotiate the agreements with their American counterparts.

Does the Commission have no concern about the public reaction to measures that authorise differing
conditions for people who live near airports, despite the fact that they are subject to the same noise
nuisance? Does it not think that in the circumstances it would be appropriate to lower the thresholds?

(1) COM(2001) 695.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(28 May 2002)

The proposed directive to which the Honourable Member refers has been adopted by Parliament and the
Council (Directive 2002/30/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 March 2002 on the
establishment of rules and procedures with regard to the introduction of noise-related operating
restrictions at Community airports) (1) and entered into force on the date when it was published in the
Official Journal.

The Directive implements throughout
the EU the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
guidelines on noise management adopted at the 33rd ICAO Assembly in Montreal (25 September to
5 October 2001) and set out in Resolution A 33/7, particularly Appendix C 7 Policies and programmes
based on a ‘balanced approach’ to aircraft noise management 7 and Appendix E 7 Local noise-related
operating restrictions at airports 7 thereto.

The resolution is an international agreement. There is consequently no need for agreements to be
renegotiated with our American counterparts.

The Commission does not share the view that the new Directive will create differing conditions for people
living near airports.

Real sound-pollution levels are not identical at all airports. The Commission has therefore advocated a
case-by-case approach allowing solutions to be optimised to suit each individual airport.

The threshold above which the Directive is applicable has been set at 50 000 movements a year to make it
consistent with the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to the
assessment and management of environmental noise (2) because Directive 2002/30/EC makes use of some
of the airport environmental noise data to be obtained under the proposed Directive.

Another reason for selecting the threshold of 50 000 movements is that, where small airports are
concerned, the Member States can themselves take the necessary action.

The fact that they are not required to carry out the preliminary evaluation described in Annex II to
Directive 2002/30/EC is more likely to help them bring in measures to combat noise pollution at such
airports.

(1) OJ L 85, 28.3.2002.
(2) OJ C 337 E, 28.11.2000.

(2002/C 277 E/151)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1028/02

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Council

(15 April 2002)

Subject: Tragic death of 14 girls in Saudi Arabia

The newspaper, Arab News; and Amnesty International report that 14 girls lost their lives and dozens of
in Mecca on 11 March 2002 when the religious police
others were injured in a fire at their school

C 277 E/134

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

(Muttawah) prevented them from fleeing the fire because they were not wearing headscarves and no male
relatives were present to collect them. Furthermore, the religious police prevented rescue teams from
entering the school as men are not allowed to mix with women. This tragic event is a stark illustration of
the appalling effects of gender discrimination on human life. Moreover, Saudi Arabia is a party to the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Will the Council exert pressure on the government of Saudi Arabia to launch an investigation as a matter
of urgency into these tragic deaths and bring those responsible to justice to prevent similar occurrences in
the future? Will the Council make representations to the Saudi Government to put an end to the policies
and practices which devalue the lives of women and perpetuate discrimination against women?

Reply

(22 July 2002)

As already indicated in answer to question No 0185/02 of Carlos Carnero González, as regards Saudi
Arabia, human rights issues,
including the status of women and their discrimination, are repeatedly
addressed in bilateral contacts and in the context of the political dialogue with the Gulf Cooperation
Council, of which Saudi Arabia is a member.

(2002/C 277 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1033/02

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(15 April 2002)

Subject: Reporting of public finance data

1.
In the light of the failure of some Member States to report their public finance data in line with
ESA 95, will the Commission reconsider its proposal to exempt all Member States from the requirement of
producing a prospectus for any securities issue?

2.

Does the Commission agree that market discipline to enforce transparency would be beneficial?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behlalf of the Commission

(3 June 2002)

The Commission fully shares the view of the Honourable Member that Member States should report

1.
their public finance data in line with the European System of National Accounts ESA 95.

Sovereign issuers have been exempted by Community legislation from the obligation to publish a
prospectus for more than twenty years.

When adopting its new proposal (1) on prospectuses, the Commission decided to maintain this policy for
the following reasons:

7 prospectuses are generally ill adapted to describe the financial situation of a Member State;

7 the more appropriate way to improve the financial reporting system of Member States is through
upgraded national accounting standards and more timely disclosure of this financial information;