WRITTEN QUESTION E-2075/02 by Geoffrey Van Orden (PPE-DE) to the Council. European border police force.
Date: 2002-07-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU police cooperation, border control, external border of the EU

C 92 E/132

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

17.4.2003

The principle of differentiation whereby the individual candidate countries are judged solely on their own
merits remains fully applicable. The European Council in autumn 2002 will therefore decide, on the basis
of the Regular Reports to be submitted by the Commission, which will be the candidate countries with
which negotiations can be concluded at the end of 2002. Furthermore, only those countries which
successfully conclude negotiations on the basis of the principle of differentiation will be party to the Treaty
of Accession.

By virtue of Article 49, first paragraph of the TEU, the applications from those countries are subject to the
assent of the European Parliament.

(2003/C 92 E/182)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2071/02

by Carlos Ripoll y Martínez de Bedoya (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: European Region of the Year

(8 July 2002)

Does the Commission know the organisation called ‘European Region of the Year’ and if so, can it confirm
whether this organisation has anything in common with the designation of European cultural capitals
which the Council decides on according to a binding legal basis.

Can the Commission confirm whether its President Romano Prodi has backed this initiative on the
Commission’s behalf or has granted it any institutional support and, if so, on what legal basis?

Can it confirm that Mr Prodi is a seconded member of the organisation or of the international panel which
chose the Balearics and Karelia as the European regions for the year 2003? If not, has any other
Commissioner or Commission official been delegated to replace him?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(27 September 2002)

The Commission was informed of the existence of the body entitled Organization of the European Region
of the Year through a letter from its President to the Commission President. This organisation has nothing
at all to do with the process of designating European cultural capitals.

The Organization of the European Region of the Year is a body governed by private law. It has received no
support from the Commission.

An official of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional Policy was invited in a personal capacity
to serve on the jury to name the European region of the year. Only three regions (Karelia, Balearics,
Lower Danube) submitted application files and since none of the three proposals met all the criteria set by
the organisation it has decided to issue a fresh call for applications in the hope of obtaining enough to
make a choice on a wider basis.

(2003/C 92 E/183)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2075/02

by Geoffrey Van Orden (PPE-DE) to the Council

(12 July 2002)

Subject: European border police force

The Presidency Conclusions from the Seville Summit make reference to a ‘European border police force’.

17.4.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 92 E/133

Is it intended that such a force would have its own organisation, structure and uniform, chain of command
and jurisdiction? To whom would it be responsible and what steps are now proposed, including timeframe,
in order to take this matter forward?

Is it foreseen that the force would only operate in Member States that are parties to the Schengen
arrangements? In particular, given that the United Kingdom is outside the Schengen arrangements, can the
Council confirm that no elements of this force would be deployed on the territory of the United Kingdom?

Reply

(19 December 2002)

the external borders of

The Honourable Member is informed that the European Council in Seville welcomed various initiatives
with regard to the management of
in particular the
Commission’s communication entitled ‘Towards integrated management of the external borders of the
Member States of the European Union’, the feasibility study carried out under Italy’s leadership concerning
the establishment of a European border police,
the intention expressed by the
Commission to continue examining the advisability and feasibility of such a police force, and the study
concerning ‘police and border security’, carried out by Austria, Belgium and Finland under the OISIN
cooperation programme.

the European Union,

taking account of

The Council
responsibilities of a possible European border police.

is not in a position at present to comment on the organisation, structure,

tasks and

It would, however, like to draw the attention of the Honourable Member to the plan for the management
of the external borders of the Member States of the European Union, which was adopted by the Council at
its meeting on 13 June 2002 and applauded by the European Council in Seville. This plan contains a
chapter on a European Border Guard where it is pointed out that the ‘integrated management of the
external borders is a dynamic process to be developed in stages. On the basis of the experience of this
gradual development, further institutional steps could be considered, if appropriate, following an in-depth
legal study addressing the question of the legal basis and identifying the instruments which would be
necessary. Such steps could include a possible decision on the setting up of a European Corps of Border
Guards, composed of joint teams, which would have the function of supporting the national services of
the Member States, but not replacing them’.

In the context of such a study, the implications of the fact that the United Kingdom and Ireland do not
participate in the provisions of the Schengen ‘acquis’ concerning the abolition of checks at internal borders
and movement of persons will have to be properly addressed.

(2003/C 92 E/184)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2078/02

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 July 2002)

Subject: Expenditure on medical checks for staff members exposed to radiation

The Commission sets aside approximately EUR 800 000 each year under budget item A-142 for medical
checks for staff members who are exposed to radiation.

Are these staff members who work in the vicinity of a radiation source or staff members who are

1.
actively exposed to radiation?

How many staff members are involved? Can the Commission give a breakdown of the costs incurred

2.
under this budget item?