WRITTEN QUESTION E-1187/02 by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission. Possible involvement of the Vatican in fraud relating to agricultural subsidies.
Date: 2002-04-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Austria, European Anti-fraud Office, Holy See, Italy, butter, customs duties, dairy industry, export subsidy, fraud, marketing

6.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 28 E/81

According to the Commission’s information, what other women are currently condemned to death by
stoning?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(29 May 2002)

Amina Lawal, a 30 year old Nigerian woman from Kurami village in Bakori, Katsina State, Northern
Nigeria, was divorced in June 2000, and gave birth to a baby girl in November 2001. Amina has been
charged with adultery and under Sharia criminal law, adopted by 12 northern states including Katsina
State, she has been sentenced to death by stoning. The execution is to be carried out six months after the
birth. The man charged with her, and alleged to be the father, has been acquitted after swearing that he did
not have a relationship with Amina.

Amina has appealed to the Sharia Court of Appeal and the date for the hearing will be announced on
15 May 2002. Amina said that she had not been given the chance to defend herself and her appeal has
been filed with the assistance of an international women’s organisation. If this appeal fails she has the right
to appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal, and eventually to the Supreme Court.

A similar sentence imposed on Safiya Huseini in Sokoto state was dismissed by the Sokoto Sharia court of
Appeal on 25 March 2002 on technical and procedural grounds. At the time the Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice Kano Agabi made a statement that Moslems should not be discriminated
against by being subjected to punishments more severe than would be imposed on other Nigerians for the
same offence. The implication that Sharia criminal law should be modified led to a dispute over the right
of the Federal Government to insist on changes to state laws.

In the case of Safiya, the Commission launched a number of appeals to the Nigerian Government as well
as a Troika démarche on the application of the death penalty in Nigeria. The Commission, through its
Delegation in Abuja, will follow the evolution of the Amina case attentively.

At present the Commission is not aware of any other women sentenced to death by stoning, but there
may be cases of women accused of adultery but awaiting sentence.

(2003/C 28 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1187/02

by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission

(26 April 2002)

Subject: Possible involvement of the Vatican in fraud relating to agricultural subsidies

On 14 August 2001 the Vienna newspaper ‘Kronen Zeitung’ reported that the Vatican had been exploited
by an Austrian dairy in a large-scale fraud. 800 tonnes of butter are alleged to have been delivered to the
Vatican, but then appear to have been smuggled out again and sold in Italy. EU export subsidies worth
millions were unlawfully obtained in this way, and taxes were evaded.

There were similar reports in the 1990s in connection with deliveries of sugar to the Vatican State.

The same newspaper also reported that OLAF, the EU Anti-Fraud Office, had started investigations.

1.

Can the Commission confirm that OLAF has opened an investigation into the case?

Is this an isolated case, or does the Commission know of other businesses based in the EU that may

2.
be involved in such fraudulent practices?

C 28 E/82

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

3.

If so, which products are affected?

4.
Are goods exported to the Vatican, which attract export subsidies, put into free circulation in their
country of destination in accordance with the regulations, and therefore processed? Does OLAF know of
any cases where such goods have been transported back to Italy without passing through customs?

Does the Commission agree that smuggling operations on this scale are hardly possible without the

5.
officials in the Vatican responsible for such matters knowing of them?

Answer given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(2 July 2002)

Based on the information forwarded by OLAF, the Commission replies as follows:

1. Upon review of the information provided to it, the European anti-fraud office (OLAF) has considered

that there are no grounds to start an enquiry.

2. and 3. OLAF has no such information.

4.

Export refunds are paid on eligible agricultural goods delivered to the Vatican State. Goods exported
to the Vatican are put
into free circulation in that sovereign independent state. Olaf has no
information of any case where such goods have been transported back to Italy without passing
through customs.

5. OLAF has no information that would lead it to believe that either Vatican officials or Italian customs

officials are aware of smuggling operations as alleged.

(2003/C 28 E/090)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1188/02

by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 April 2002)

Subject: Sustainability impact assessment for the EU-Mexico Agreement

Sustainable development is one of the key objectives of the Treaty. As the European Union rightly
recognises, sustainability has both an internal and an external dimension. In line with this recognition, the
Gothenburg Council decided that all new trade proposals would undergo sustainability impact assessments
(SIAs) as agreed under the EU sustainable development strategy. They would be undertaken by external
experts and made public. According to a Commission document (1) around 10 % of
the EU trade
directorate’s ‘available budget’ will be spent on SIAs in 2002.

The EU-Mexico Agreement has been negotiated and has come into force before the above mentioned
Council conclusions. However, sustainability had already been a EU objective before.

By which studies or which mechanisms has the Commission made sure that the EU-Mexico Agreement
does not undermine its sustainability goals? Are these studies made public? Can the European Parliament
or individual members receive these studies on request?

Does the EU foresee regular SIAs in order to underpin the future developments of the EU-Mexico
Agreement?

(1) SEC(2002) 271.