WRITTEN QUESTION E-3349/02 by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission. Crime in South Africa — another Portuguese citizen murdered.
Date: 2002-11-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: South Africa, aid evaluation, cooperation policy, crime, fight against crime, public order

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(2004/C 33 E/017)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3311/02

by Regina Bastos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(15 November 2002)

Subject: EU financing for the United Nations Population Fund

Following the decision by the US to suspend its financial contribution (to the sum of USD 34 million for
2002) to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Danish presidency of the EU has reaffirmed its
support for the work of that organisation, and has stated that the EU will replace the US funding with its
own.

Can the Commission confirm that the EU will provide funding for the UNFPA in replacement of the
former US contribution?

If so, can the Commission give information on:

(cid:1) the total amount of this funding;

(cid:1) the date on which it is expected to become operative;

(cid:1) the stage which the process has reached?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2003)

The Development Council of the Union, at its meeting on 30 May 2002, issued a statement underlining
the importance of the work of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) and calling on all donor
countries to pursue their support of the Fund. The statement also welcomed the Commission’s intention to
strengthen its cooperation with UNFPA.

The Commission has repeatedly expressed its disappointment at
the decisions by the American
administration to withdraw funding for UNFPA. The Commission considers that the resulting gap in
UNFPAs Core budget will seriously weaken the organisation mandated by the international community to
the UN
lead implementation world-wide of
International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo, September 1994). The Commission has
not pledged to replace the US contribution to UNFPA’s Core budget. Rather, in the light of the decisions
by the American government, the Commission will increase its programme support to UNFPA and the
IPPF to implement reproductive health activities in developing countries.

the Programme of Action adopted by consensus at

On 10 September 2002,
the 8th European
the Commission signed the financing agreement
Development Fund (EDF) EUR 32 million programme, to be implemented by UNFPA (two-thirds) and the
International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF, one-third) in 22 of the poorest African, Caribbean and
Pacific countries. This programme aims at improving the capacities in ACP countries to deliver basic
reproductive health services to vulnerable and under-served communities. The Commission expects that
the contracts with UNFPA and IPPF will be signed in the near future, and that programme implementation
will commence early in 2003. Additional support for UNFPA to implement reproductive health activities is
envisaged under the 9th EDF.

for

(2004/C 33 E/018)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3349/02

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(26 November 2002)

Subject: Crime in South Africa (cid:1) another Portuguese citizen murdered

In its reply of 7 September 2001 to Written Question E-1683/01 (1) on the same subject tabled on 14 June
2001 the Commission, represented by the Commissioner Poul Nielson, said ‘although the current Multi-
annual indicative programme does not concentrate on crime prevention as a focal sector, the Commission

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believes that an improvement in the social and economic situation of the country will have positive effects
on the crime situation. The EU development policy will contribute to this. In the past, the Commission has
funded two programmes for support to the South African police force, one of which is still ongoing’.

Around the same time, on 5 July 2001, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation in
South Africa (2), which expresses much less optimism about the problem and probable developments. It
points out that ‘South Africa would have serious difficulties in overcoming these problems without the
support and solidarity of the international community, in which the role of the European Union is crucial
in so far as the Union and its Member States account for 70 % of international aid to the country’.

Unfortunately, violent crime in South Africa shows no signs of abating and a large number of EU citizens,
especially Portuguese, are still being murdered. A person murdered a few days ago was the twenty-fifth
Portuguese victim since the beginning of the year.

This is obviously an unacceptable situation and calls for more determined measures on the part of the
competent South African authorities, as well as more intensive international support.

Does the Commission still have the same confidence and the optimistic feeling that the problem of violent
crime against European residents in South Africa will be solved by ‘an improvement in the social and
economic situation’, which is of course a desirable aim for this and for other countries? Or does it rather
intend to include crime prevention, especially prevention of violent crime and murder, as a central issue in
the whole policy of cooperation and development between the EU and South Africa? What are the main
indicators and conclusions emerging from the two recent programmes for support to the South African
police force funded by the Commission?

(1) OJ C 115 E, 16.5.2002, p. 8.
(2) OJ C 65 E, 14.3.2002, p. 371.

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2003)

The Commission has never affirmed that an improvement in the economic and social situation will ‘solve’
the problem of violent crime against European residents in South Africa. However, it continues to believe
that the root causes for violence in the country lie (cid:1) at least partially (cid:1) in the extreme inequalities
observed still today in South African society, in the legacy of Apartheid and the institutional violence that
went with it, and in the deep poverty of disadvantaged communities which still constitute a sizeable
portion of the population. It feels that its contribution to addressing these inequalities will in the long term
‘have a positive effect on the crime situation’. In addition, the Commission has implemented important
programmes in this field and will continue to do so.

The Commission would like to repeat that the fight against crime as such is not a focal area in the current
‘Multi-annual indicative programme’, nor will it be in the new programme which is in the process of
approval.

However, under the current programme and in the focal sector ‘Consolidation of the Rule of Law and
Promotion of Human Rights’, the Commission has funded two programmes for support to the South
African Police Service (SAPS).

The programme for ‘Assistance to policing in Eastern Cape’ is aimed at improving the effectiveness and
responsiveness of the police services in the province. The programme included several training courses for
police officers as well as construction/refurbishment of 34 police stations. The commitment of
EUR 10,8 million has been almost totally disbursed. The programme is currently being closed and a
programme evaluation will be conducted.

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The programme for ‘Capacity building and institutional development for the South African police service
and the department of safety and security’ aims at strengthening human resources capacity in order to
enable the police service to implement crime prevention programmes, establish a DNA criminal database,
draft a KwaZulu-Natal safety master plan and improve its human resources and management capacities.
The programme was slow in starting up, but
the
commitment of EUR 18,5 million has been disbursed.

is now on track; approximately one quarter of

In addition, the Commission is funding a comprehensive programme for support to the ministry of Justice
that aims at ensuring better access and a more effective justice system for all South Africans.

level

local

Concerning the new 2002-2006 multi-annual programme (MIP), the focal area ‘Deepening Democracy’
focuses much more than before on the fight against crime. The new MIP reads: ‘The European Programme
for Reconstruction and Development will contribute to the strengthening of social capital and democratic
through crime prevention (cid:1) especially regarding violence against and among
values at
vulnerable groups (cid:1) and the promotion of community participation and accountability of the Criminal
Justice System.’ Among the programmes that could be implemented in this focal area it mentions: ‘Based
on lessons learned, a programme to support policing in the Eastern Cape. This will focus on crime
in particular, violence against women and children. Service delivery, community
prevention and,
Justice System will be supported.’ The possibility of
participation and accountability of the Criminal
replicating parts of this programme in the KwaZulu-Natal province remains an option.

(2004/C 33 E/019)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3365/02

by Brian Crowley (UEN) to the Commission

(20 November 2002)

Subject: AFCon Management Consultants, Ireland, and denial of Services Contract TACIS FDRUS 9902

What is the Commission’s view on the case being pursued by AFCon Management Consultants, Ireland, for
redress with regard to the improper denial to it by the Commission of the Services Contract TACIS FDRUS
9902?

Why has the Commission refused to consider AFCon’s proper entitlement to the contract award due to it
being in no worse than second position after the mis-award of technical marks to the ‘winning’ tenderer;
the basis on which the Commission continues to disregard the finding on the matter which is in AFCon’s
favour and what are the Commission’s views on the poor implementation of the project?

Will the Commission seek an early and amicable settlement of the case brought by AFCon and will the
Commission make a general statement on the matter?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(23 December 2002)

the
With regard to the Tender FDRUS 9902 (cid:1) Agricultural Extension Services in South Russia,
Commission does not share AFCon’s view that it has been improperly denied the award of the contract.
Furthermore, the tender provisions do not foresee the possibility of compensation for tenderers who have
not been awarded the contract. Therefore the Commission does not accept any claim for compensation.

Tender FDRUS 9902 was launched at the time when the Commission did not apply any specific rules in
the standard tender dossier to prohibit the inclusion of fees under reimbursable expenses. Indeed, the
tender dossier FDRUS 9902 was not specific in this regard and therefore open to different interpretations.
The winning tenderer and AFCon adopted two different approaches for the presentation of their offers,
both of which were acceptable according to tendering rules valid at the time of tender.