WRITTEN QUESTION E-3227/02 by Sérgio Marques (PPE-DE) to the Commission. State of implementation of development cooperation projects for police cooperation with South Africa.
Date: 2002-11-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: South Africa, commitment of expenditure, cooperation policy, fight against crime, police cooperation, project management, technical cooperation

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Official Journal of the European Union

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26.2.2004

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(13 December 2002)

trade arrangements for sugar declared at

Journal
At the end of June 2002, the Commission published a Notice to Importers in the Official
informing Community operators that there was reasonable doubt as to the proper application of the
preferential
import as originating in the Western Balkans
countries. The Notice advises importers to take precautionary measures and informs exporters from
beneficiary countries that the trade flows in question are under scrutiny, at the same time protecting the
Community’s financial interests. The Commission is also carrying out missions in the countries concerned
in order to assess the situation. The decision to publish the Notice to Importers was taken in light of a
significant increase of imports of sugar from the region during 2001 and the first half of 2002, linked to
an increase of exports of sugar from the Community to the region. Other products are not concerned.

An assessment of the sums lost to the Community budget would depend on evidence of fraud, which
remains limited thus far. Single cases of fraud relating to preferential origin, concerning small quantities of
sugar, have been detected by the Greek authorities, and have led to collection of the corresponding
customs duties.

Community trade in sugar with the Western Balkans may be based on economic rationale. Community
market prices on sugar are higher than corresponding prices on sugar in the region giving rise to
incentives for Balkan operators to export sugar to the Community. At the same time, Community sugar
can be sold to competitive prices on the Western Balkans market due to an export refund of currently
approximately EUR 450 per tonne thus generating a legitimate two-way trade.

The Council decision to unilaterally liberalize trade with the Western Balkans countries and to
subsequently enshrine this liberal commitment in long-term contractual relations in Stabilisation and
Association Agreements has proved vital for the economic recovery and political stabilisation of the
region. It is in the Union’s political and economic interest to continue to steer a stable and credible course
in its relations with these countries, respecting the contractual commitments entered into by the
Communities and their Member States, which form a cornerstone of the Union’s policy in South Eastern
Europe.

(2004/C 51 E/011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3227/02

by Sérgio Marques (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 November 2002)

Subject: State of implementation of development cooperation projects for police cooperation with South

Africa

In the context of the severe problems afflicting the African continent and,
in particular, the entire
subcontinental region of southern Africa, the new democratic South Africa, free as it now is from inhuman
systems of racial segregation, is a crucial factor for stability and development and a proof that there is an
alternative to poverty, civil war, dictatorship, corruption and bad governance.

At present South Africa is suffering from considerable problems to which the EU and the international
community cannot remain indifferent. These include the huge incidence of AIDS, alarming unemployment
levels and economic stagnation, as well as the disturbingly high crime figures.

These alarming crime levels are now reaching tragic proportions, not only for the South Africans
themselves but also for the European emigrant communities in South Africa.

South Africa would obviously have a hard task to overcome these difficulties were it not for the support
and solidarity of the international community, in which the EU’s role is vital, given that the Union and its
Member States together account for 70 % of all international aid to South Africa.

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In the field of this cooperation, projects are currently being implemented with the direct objective of
developing and improving security standards in South Africa (project for organisational and institutional
support for the police services in South Africa (cid:1) EUR 18,5 million; project in support of the reform of the
legal system (cid:1) EUR 25 million; project to assist policing in Eastern Cape province (cid:1) EUR 10,8 million).

The Commission:

1. Can it provide information on the (physical and financial) state of implementation of the projects
referred to in the previous paragraph and their expected impact on the improvement of security
conditions in South Africa?

2. Does it intend to further develop these projects and extend them to other parts of South Africa?

Are there plans to design and launch new projects in this area?

3. Has it adopted any of the recommendations made by Parliament in its most recent resolution on the

situation in South Africa, and if so, which?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(23 December 2002)

Regarding the intended impact of the Community development programmes referred to on safety
1.
and security, the main objective is the improvement of delivery of services by the South African Police
Service (hereafter SAPS) and other relevant Criminal Justice Departments to the vulnerable communities in
South Africa. In addition, the programmes aim to improve access to the Justice system, prevention of
crime as well as the development and implementation of policies related to the fight against crime more
broadly e.g. a national anti-Rape Strategy and developing policies in support of Gun-free zones.

The programmes also support improvement of the investigative capacity of the SAPS by assisting in the
development of DNA Criminal Database that will enable the use of DNA profiling to link suspected
criminals to crimes committed. This will also be of benefit in relation to sexual offences like rape and child
abuse.

Projects

Physical Implementation (1)

Financial Disbursements (1)

APEC (2) (96/08) (EUR 10,8 million)

SAPS/DSS (3) (99/024) (EUR 18,5 million)

e-Justice (00/28) (1st tranche: EUR 14 million)

(1)
These figures are estimated.
(2) Assisting Policing in Eastern Cape.
(3) Department of Safety and Security.

Completed

10 % implemented

40 % implemented

80 %

5 %

50 %

The Commission,

2.
in partnership with the SAPS, has developed a new EUR 25 million Proposal
(co-funded by the British Department for International Development) that will focus on support to the
policing of crimes against women and children in the Eastern Cape province. Replicating parts of this
programme in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province is a possibility and is foreseen in the Country Strategy Paper
for 2003/2005. The strength of this programme is its preventative nature and strong links to reducing the
levels of violence in South African homes. This is expected to impact on future levels of crime in the
country through addressing issues of domestic violence (cid:1) one of the root causes of social instability.

3.
As explained above and in line with Parliamentary recommendations, the Commission confirms its
intention to continue co-operation with the Criminal Justice sector, as foreseen in the Country Strategy
Paper 2003/05, emphasising service delivery improvement, crime prevention in relation to vulnerable
groups, community involvement and increased accountability of the Criminal Justice sector.