WRITTEN QUESTION E-2960/02 by André Brie (GUE/NGL)and Joost Lagendijk (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Minefields on the (eastern) border between Greece and Turkey.
Date: 2002-10-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, Türkiye, anti-personnel weapon, civilian victim, common foreign and security policy, external border of the EU

C 155 E/68

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.7.2003

traffic data retention, has been discussed in the
The issue addressed by the Honourable Member,
Commission Communication on Cyber-crime (1). In its Communication, the Commission pointed out that
any solution on this complex issue should be well founded, proportionate and achieve a fair balance
between the different interests and fundamental human rights at stake. Only an approach that brings
together the expertise and capacities of government, industry, data protection supervisory authorities and
other interested parties as users will succeed in meeting such goals. Since then, the Commission has
launched a large debate on this issue within the framework of the Union Forum on Cyber-crime, which
has involved the Council, the Parliament and various other stakeholders. These discussions have not yet
been completed and the Commission therefore considers premature to draw any conclusions on whether
there is a need for any legislative action at Union level.

(1) COM(2000) 890 final.

(2003/C 155 E/076)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2960/02

by André Brie (GUE/NGL)
and Joost Lagendijk (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(22 October 2002)

Subject: Minefields on the (eastern) border between Greece and Turkey

Referring to an article in the ‘Athens News’ (30.8.2002) according to which an illegal immigrant was killed
and two others injured after straying into a minefield near Greece’s northeastern border with Turkey, we
would like to draw the attention of the Council to this persistent problem. Although there has been a
considerable number of mine victims (especially immigrants) over the last couple of years, the most recent
Landmine Monitor Report 2002 (http://www.icbl.org/) maintains that ‘there appears to be no compre-
hensive report on the mine problem in Greece’.

Since the border between Greece and Turkey is also an external border of the EU, we ask the Council:

(cid:1) Is it aware of this problem?

(cid:1) What is its position towards this anachronistic and inhuman border regime?

(cid:1) How does it interpret this situation in the light of Parliament’s resolution on anti-personnel landmines
(B5-0802/2000 (1)) in which Parliament ‘asks the EU to commit itself … to work towards the total
elimination of anti-personnel landmines’?

(cid:1) What political, financial or other measures have been (or will be) taken to support Greece in the

necessary demining activities?

(1) OJ C 197, 12.7.2001, p. 193.

Reply

(20 February 2003)

1.
The Council is fully aware of the problem posed by the existing minefields, a legacy of past conflicts,
along the Greek-Turkish border, where exploding mines regularly claim victims, in particular among illegal
immigrants.

2.
The Council is generally committed to the goal of total elimination of landmines. This is reflected in
in particular, the CFSP Joint Action of 1997 on anti-personnel
a number of legislative acts such as,
landmines and the two Regulations of 2001 on anti-landmine action in developing countries and in third
countries other than developing countries. The latter are a direct response to the Convention on the
prohibition of
the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their
destruction (Ottawa Convention or Mine Ban Treaty), while the CFSP Joint Action i.a. allows for specific
actions and contributions of the EU in the field of mine clearance and relief for victims.

3.7.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 155 E/69

As regards specifically Greece and Turkey, both countries have come close to depositing jointly their
3.
instruments of ratification (for Greece) or accession (for Turkey) to the Ottawa Convention. Marking and
protection of Greek minefields along the Turkish border have, according to Greek sources, already resulted
in a reduction of accidents by almost 90 % (cf. Landmine Monitor Report 2002 of the International
Campaign to Ban Landmines).

(2003/C 155 E/077)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2964/02

by James Fitzsimons (UEN) to the Council

(15 October 2002)

Subject:

‘Forest Focus’

As the Council is aware, the Commission recently brought forward a proposal for a new scheme to be
known as ‘Forest Focus’ to protect Europe’s forests and to develop an awareness of the importance of
forests to our environment. Forests in the EU cover 36 % of the EU’s total landmass. Has the Council
considered this proposal which is backed by the European Parliament and what assurances can it give that
countries such as Ireland will be able to benefit from this programme?

Reply

(4 March 2003)

As the Honourable Member points out, the purpose of the proposal for a Regulation of the European
Parliament and of the Council concerning monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the
Community (Forest Focus)
forests and
environmental interactions to protect the Community’s forests.

is to establish a new Community scheme on monitoring of

The scheme would be based on the results obtained from two Council Regulations on monitoring the
impact of atmospheric pollution and fires on forest ecosystems, which expire at the end of 2002. The
Council is aware of the importance and the urgency of the matter and has already held five working party
meetings: on 24 July, 12 September, 1 October, 10 October and 4 November 2002. A further two
working party meetings were scheduled for November.

At its meeting on 9/10 December, the Council took note of a progress report on the latest work
concerning the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on monitoring of
forests and environmental interactions in the Community. On this occasion, the President welcomed the
very substantial progress
that had been made on the dossier. He called upon the Permanent
Representatives Committee to continue its efforts towards reaching a final agreement, if possible at first
reading, during the incoming Greek Presidency in early 2003, pending the European Parliament’s opinion.

(2003/C 155 E/078)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2979/02

by Anders Wijkman (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Large state subsidies to the German forestry industry

(22 October 2002)

The forestry sector in Germany has expanded considerably over the last decade as a result of state aid
being pumped into the industry. During the summer of 2002, Stendahl Pulp Mercer International decided
to expand even further. The German government is contributing 715 million in loans and grants of the
budget for this project, which amounts to some 800 million. State subsidies of this magnitude have an