WRITTEN QUESTION E-1541/02 by Joke Swiebel (PSE) and Michael Cashman (PSE) to the Council. ILGA international and consultative status at ECOSOC, behaviour of Spain.
Date: 2002-06-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of Europe, Ecosoc, European political cooperation, Spain, advisory power, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, non-governmental organisation

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/133

(2002/C 309 E/157)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1540/02

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 June 2002)

Subject: Commissioners making party political speeches in national election campaigns

The EU Commission’s chief spokesman has said that although Commissioners do not campaign in national
issues during national
elections this does not prevent them from making speeches on party political
election campaigns.

This sounds like sophistry. Since Commissioners are paid by and irredeemably linked with the very
the EU, which must be a central subject of democratic debate during national election
institution,
campaigning, and are supposed in the definition of their jobs to be politically impartial, how can they
possibly justify speaking on party political platforms in national election campaigns? What
is the
Commission’s actual position on this matter?

Should the Commission, in the light of the de Palacio affair, not be especially wary of involving itself in
politics as openly as it now appears to be doing?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(8 July 2002)

As the Commission has had frequent occasion to reiterate in reply to written and oral questions by
Members of Parliament (1), the Members of the Commission are politicians carrying out a political function,
who, while honouring the obligations imposed by this function, remain free to express their personal
opinions quite independently and on their own responsibility.

The Code of Conduct adopted by the Commission on 18 September 1999 specifically states that
Commissioners may be active members of political parties or trade unions, provided this does not
compromise their availability for service in the Commission.

(1) E-2459/99, E-2600/99 and E-2628/99, OJ C 225 E, 8.8.2000, p. 139; E-0539/02, see page 26.

(2002/C 309 E/158)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1541/02

by Joke Swiebel (PSE) and Michael Cashman (PSE) to the Council

(3 June 2002)

Subject: ILGA international and consultative status at ECOSOC, behaviour of Spain

1.
Can the Council confirm that on 30 April 2002, all EU Members of the ECOSOC of the UN (and all
associated countries present) (cid:1) excluding Spain (cid:1) voted in favour of the application of the International
Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) for consultative status at the UN?

2.
Can the Council confirm and repeat that it is the position of all Member States that discrimination on
the basis of sexual orientation shall be prohibited (Charter of Fundamental Rights, Article 21), and that this
principle guides all actions of the EU and its Member States, also at international fora?

3. Would the Council agree that all Member States might be expected to support the Union’s foreign
policy (Article 11(2) TEU)? Can the Presidency be expected to promote coherence and cohesion of EU
action within the UN and to express the position of the Union (Article 18(2))? Could the Council explain
why in the present case these principles have not been followed?

C 309 E/134

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

12.12.2002

Is the Council aware that ILGA has consultative status at the Council of Europe and is recognised as
is receiving financial support under the Community

4.
a legitimate actor in civil society by the EU, e.g.
Action Programme to combat discrimination, as established by the Council on 27 November 2000 (1)?

Is the Council aware that ILGA has included in its constitution support for the UN Convention of the
5.
Rights of the Child, condemns sexual abuse of children and neither promotes nor seeks the legalisation of
paedophilia?

6.
How will the Council redress the serious damage to the coherence and credibility of EU human rights
and anti-discrimination policies caused by this defection of a Member State currently holding the EU
Presidency?

(1) OJ L 303, 2.12.2000, p. 23.

Reply

(8 October 2002)

The Council is informed of the votes cast by the EU members of ECOSOC on 30 April 2002, and
1.
notes that 29 ECOSOC members voted against
ILGA’s consultative status in ECOSOC with only
17 members voting in favour. This resulted in ECOSOC endorsing the NGO Committee decision to
exclude ILGA from ECOSOC consultative status.

2. While it is fully aware of the contents of Articles 11(2) and 18(2) of the Treaty on European Union,
the instances where the Presidency cannot present an EU position in international
and regrets
organisations, the Council cannot comment on national positions taken by individual Member States.

The Council is indeed aware that the ILGA has consultative status at the Council of Europe as an
3.
the ILGA is
international non-governmental organisation (NGO). The Council also understands that
receiving financial support under the Community Action Programme to combat discrimination (1). It is also
informed of the contents of the ILGA constitution.

The Council recalls that, with the European Parliament and the Commission, it jointly proclaimed the
4.
Charter of Fundamental Rights at the meeting of the European Council held in Nice from 7 to 9 December
2000, and reaffirms the great value it attaches to Article 21(1) thereof. It further recognises the value of the
contribution of NGOs, such as the ILGA, in fighting discrimination as well as their value as advocates of
people who are exposed to discrimination.

5.
The Council will continue its efforts to ensure that, in accordance with Article 19 of the Treaty on
European Union, Member States coordinate their action in international organisations and at international
conferences and uphold the common positions in such fora.

(1) OJ L 303, 2.12.2000.

(2002/C 309 E/159)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1545/02

by María Sornosa Martínez (PSE) to the Commission

(28 May 2002)

Subject: Community financing of Madrid-Valencia high-speed rail link

link between Madrid and south-eastern Spain (the Levante)

The rail
is included in the proposed
Community support framework for Objective 1 regions in Spain, and is, therefore, eligible for Community
funding under the ERDF for 2000-2006. This high-speed train link would also be eligible for Community
aid under the Cohesion Fund headings relating to the trans-European transport networks.