WRITTEN QUESTION P-1263/02 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Coup d'état in Venezuela and the Spanish Presidency's announcement.
Date: 2002-04-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Presidency of the Council of the EU, Spain, Venezuela, common foreign and security policy, coup d'état, political violence

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/103

(2002/C 309 E/119)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1256/02

by Alejandro Cercas (PSE) to the Council

(6 May 2002)

Subject: Minimum wage within the EU

Two of the requirements of the European Social Model and the Lisbon Process are a cohesion framework
and minimum income thresholds to combat poverty and promote social inclusion. However, recent data
on minimum wages in various EU countries make it quite obvious that some workers are legally
condemned to poverty.

Will the Council provide up-to-date figures concerning minimum wages in the EU Member States? Should
any workers be on the poverty threshold, is any action to be taken in order to improve their situation?

Reply

(3 October 2002)

The question put by the Honourable Member highlights the importance of the new approach taken by the
Council and the Commission in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. This approach is usually
referred to as the Open Method of Coordination, as defined by the Presidency Conclusions of the Lisbon
European Council
in March 2000. The co-ordination of these activities takes place within the Social
Protection Committee, which the Council decided to establish in June 2000.

In this context, the Member States drew up their first National Action Plans for the fight against poverty
and social exclusion in June 2001, and on the basis of these, the Council and the Commission submitted a
Joint Report on Social Inclusion to the Laeken European Council in December 2001. Preparations for a
second round of these national action plans are already under way.

Any measures aimed at improving the situation of those in poverty or facing the risk thereof are to be
taken by the Member States concerned, taking into account, where appropriate, experience and best
practice in the different Member States.

As far as wages and wage levels are concerned, the Council wishes to remind the Honourable Member of
the fact that questions concerning pay are explicitly excluded from Community competence (Article 137(6)
TEC). The Council is not itself in possession of any statistics on wages, including minimum wages, these
being collated by Eurostat. The Council would also like to point out that, whilst minimum wages are laid
down in some Member States by law, in some, but not all, others, minimum wage levels are the subject of
collective agreements at various levels between management and labour.

(2002/C 309 E/120)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1263/02

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(24 April 2002)

Subject: Coup d’état in Venezuela and the Spanish Presidency’s announcement

Last week in Venezuela, a coup d’état was perpetrated against the democratically elected president of the
country, Hugo Chaves. Although the president was deposed for only 48 hours, the Spanish Presidency
hastened to announce recognition of the unconstitutional government.

Since, in accordance with Article 11 of the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Union defines and implements a
common foreign policy in a spirit of loyalty and solidarity, the objective of which is to develop and
consolidate democracy and the rule of law, will the Council say whether the Spanish Presidency was also
acting on behalf of the other 14 Member States?

C 309 E/104

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.12.2002

Reply

(30 September 2002)

The Council has followed closely the evolution of the political and social events that led to the

1.
violence on 11 April and the breach in the constitutional situation in Venezuela.

2.
On Friday 12 April, Spain, as Presidency of the Council of the European Union, issued a declaration
on the situation in Venezuela. This initiative was taken in line with Article 18 of the Treaty on European
Union which states, inter alia, that ‘The Presidency shall represent the Union in matters coming within the
common foreign and security policy’ (Article 18(1)) and that ‘The Presidency shall be responsible for the
implementation of decisions taken under this Title’ (Article 18(2)). As is customary with declarations issued
by the Presidency, all the European partners were duly informed of this initiative.

The Presidency declared that in contact with its European partners, it followed with great concern the
3.
course of events in Venezuela,
it strongly rejected the loss of human lives and conveyed its
condolences to the relatives of the victims. The Presidency also expressed its full support and solidarity to
the people of Venezuela and appealed for an end to all violent actions. Finally it called for the transitional
government to respect the democratic values and institutions with a view to overcoming the crisis in a
framework of national concord and in full respect for the basic rights and freedoms.

that

4.
Since then, the EU has taken the opportunities offered by its relations with Venezuela to convey its
satisfaction with the reestablishment of the democratic institutions and supports the initiatives taken by
President Chavez to promote reconciliation and dialogue so that the Venezuelan people may fully develop
their democracy.

The Council has repeatedly underlined the importance it attaches to the development of the Rule of

5.
Law and to the full respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

6.
The Council hopes that all Venezuelan political and social actors, as well as the media, will behave
responsibly to maintain stability so that differences can be resolved in the context of a peaceful,
constructive dialogue.

The Council has also expressed its full support for the Inter-American Democratic Charter as well as
in relation to the situation in

7.
the efforts undertaken by the Organisation of American States (OAS)
Venezuela.

8.
The Second EU-Latin America and Caribbean Summit, held in Madrid on 16 and 17 May, as well as
the Summit between the EU and the Andean Community on 18 May, provided further opportunities to
strengthen the values and democratic commitments shared by both regions.

(2002/C 309 E/121)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1270/02

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(26 April 2002)

Subject: Substandard work on projects jointly funded under the CSF and measures by the Greek authorities

to tackle the problem

In its answer to my questions E-3197/01 and P-2890/01 (1), the Commission informed me that it had no
fresh information on substandard work on jointly funded projects in Greece. The Commission also pointed
out that the Greek Government had not replied to either of its letters sent on 29 January 2001 and 2 July
2001 and that it would, therefore, send another letter to the Greek authorities.

Does the Commission have any more recent information regarding the number of instances of substandard
work since April 2000?