WRITTEN QUESTION E-2027/02 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Assistance for children with haemophilia in the ex-Soviet Union.
Date: 2002-07-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, USSR, blood disease, blood transfusion, child, coordination of aid, health care, voluntary work

C 92 E/126

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

17.4.2003

Reply

(16-19 December 2002)

In its Seville conclusions (21 and 22 June 2002), the European Council adopted a number of measures
aimed at improving the functioning of the Council and of the European Council. Among those measures
there featured prominently a very appreciable reduction in the number of specialised configurations of the
Council, which have now been brought down to nine instead of sixteen; this should lead to a reduction in
the number of meetings. At the same time, this measure should contribute to rationalising the work of the
Council by concentrating it on essential business, and to increasing the vital consistency between the
various policies of the Union on the eve of enlargement. With regard to the presence of ministers or heads
of government at the above meetings, the Honourable Member may refer to the press releases in which
their presence is recorded and which show, in general, very regular attendance.

The Council invites the Honourable Member to refer to the Council Decision of 22 July 2002 which
transposed the new list of specialised configurations into its Rules of Procedure (1).

(1) OJ L 230, 28.7.2002, pp. 7 et seq.

(2003/C 92 E/175)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2027/02

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(9 July 2002)

Subject: Assistance for children with haemophilia in the ex-Soviet Union

The situation of children with haemophilia is particularly serious in the ex-Soviet Union because of the
scarcity of clotting factors, which are vital for treatment of the illness. None of them can afford this type of
therapy due to the high costs of, on average, EUR 500 per month. They suffer pointlessly, confined to
wheelchairs due to their articular haematoma, regularly hospitalised for transfusions and isolated from
their peers, since they cannot play.

Public, private and voluntary bodies, in Italy, and of course also in other European countries, provide
assistance to the children through consignments of clotting factors in the knowledge that they will not be
enough to cover all their needs. The different voluntary programmes are not coordinated and sometimes
come up against bureaucratic obstacles in relation to customs and health regulations.

Therefore, will the Commission:

1. promote the establishment of an information network at Community level of the local centres of
blood products in order that at least a small quantity of clotting factors are distributed to the ex-Soviet
countries?

2.

3.

call on governments, and in particular health ministers, to undertake to coordinate financial assistance
for the collection and authorised despatch of clotting factors in cooperation with the health minister
of the Russian Federation?

undertake to offer its services for humanitarian aid in terms of monitoring requirements and
coordinating the authorised despatch of clotting factors in cooperation with the Russian authorities?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(13 September 2002)

The Community’s aid instruments for Russia and NIS are limited to technical assistance through the Tacis
programme and emergency humanitarian aid through the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO). The treatment
of haemophilic children does not, unfortunately, fall into either category. Neither programme has the
capacity to maintain any long-term development programmes involving continuous monitoring and
dispatch of physical goods. Consequently, the focus of support for haemophilic children should be the
relevant local organisations, like the Russian Haemophilia Society.

17.4.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

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to civil society and local

initiatives (IBP
However, Tacis does have a facility to provide support
Programme). One of
this programme’s objectives is to support partnership projects between the
Community and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the area of ‘promotion of sustainable
health and social care for populations at risk’ by up to EUR 200 000 over two years. Groups working with
haemophilic children would be eligible to apply, for instance to establish an information network of NGOs
to address the health problems of haemophilic children. The next call for proposals for IBP should be
announced in December 2002 with a closing date for receipt of applications in mid March 2003. Full
details including a brochure are available on the Commission’s website at http://europa.eu.int/comm/
europeaid/projects/index_en.htm

Currently, a Directive on the quality and safety of blood and blood components is under discussion in the
Parliament and the Council, which will provide for regular meetings with competent authorities in Member
States and representatives of blood establishments. The Commission intends to take the opportunity of
these meetings to discuss issues related to improving the supply of blood and blood products in the
Community and other parts of the world, among which the countries of the former Soviet Union. The
Commission understands however that the main problem with the treatment of haemophilia in Russia
concerns a lack of diagnostic laboratory equipment and reagents, medicines and access to healthcare in
general and therefore goes beyond the specific questions of availability of clotting factors.

(2003/C 92 E/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2030/02

by Emilia Müller (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(2 July 2002)

Subject: EU JOP programme: application from Hans Baier shoulder pad factory under facilities 2 and 3

The Hans Baier shoulder pad factory made an application for a grant from the JOP programme, which was
still operational at that time. The firm subsequently invested in the textile industry in the Czech Republic.

The application was made on 15 December 1998 and the grant was approved by the responsible EU
authority on 13 July 1999. A number of additional questions were posed subsequently but these were all
answered satisfactorily.

Unfortunately, the Hans Baier shoulder pad factory has yet to receive any funding.

However,
Commission under the JOP programme is paid out promptly.

if the company is to continue to survive,

it is imperative that the grant approved by the

Will the Commission, therefore, say:

(cid:1) why no payments have yet been made to the Hans Baier shoulder pad factory,

(cid:1) when the first payments to the company can be expected, and

(cid:1) what it recommends to the company concerned in this case?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(30 July 2002)

The Commission made a first payment of EUR 1 714 to the Financial intermediary (FI) (Investitions-Bank
NRW) with value date 25 September 2000; this amount covered 50 % of the eligible costs of the
Prefeasibility study as foreseen in the Specific agreement. An advance payment for the costs of the
Feasibility study was not foreseen in the Specific agreement (signed by the Financial
intermediary on
15 January 2000).