WRITTEN QUESTION E-3492/02 by Renzo Imbeni (PSE) to the Council. Adapting the occupation of customs agent in response to EU enlargement.
Date: 2002-12-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community acquis, EU aid, Union transit, administrative cooperation, customs formalities, enlargement of the Union, vocational retraining

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/75

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2003)

The Commission attaches the utmost importance to town twinning and continues to maintain and
improve its support for it.

After consulting the national and regional representatives of the town twinning movement and with their
agreement, a new grant management system with an annual call for proposals broken into several phases,
was introduced in November 2000. It represented a major change in the running of the town twinning
scheme and, as could be expected, entailed the need for a period of adaptation for the beneficiaries.

Conceived as a transitional arrangement, the new system was evaluated by the Commission in close
cooperation with the representatives of
the town twinning movement and the Parliament Culture
the review a simplified system was introduced for 2002. The
Committee. Based on the results of
experience during the year 2002 has been encouraging and the beneficiaries have expressed overall
satisfaction. Consequently, the call for proposal for the year 2003 was based on continuity keeping the
main elements of the current system unchanged.

During the different consultations, representatives of
the town twinning movement have repeatedly
stressed that in view of practices in the field, the time-span between the deadline for submission of the
applications and the beginning of the respective phase of activities should not be too long. However,
experience has shown that one of the difficulties within the current system is that the beneficiaries receive
notice of the Commission’s grant decision relatively late. For this reason, the time-span was extended by
one month for the year 2003.

The Commission will continue to have close dialogue with the interested parties in town twinning area in
order to assess and improve the functioning of the system. The question of a suitable time-span will be
reviewed again in the framework of preparation of the call for proposals for coming years.

(2003/C 222 E/085)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3492/02

by Renzo Imbeni (PSE) to the Council

(9 December 2002)

Subject: Adapting the occupation of customs agent in response to EU enlargement

EU enlargement will lead to the abolition of customs formalities relating to trade with the new countries,
which will then be part of the Union. Will the Council say whether or not such abolition will be gradual
and whether or not customs documents will continue to be issued in respect of trade with those countries,
such as the T2 form for goods under the internal Community transit scheme which are transported across
one of the countries concerned?

If there is to be wholesale abolition of customs facilities, would the Council be in favour of a regulation
laying down Community flanking measures for the benefit of customs agents, including special initiatives
additional to the Structural Fund measures?

Reply

(5 and 6 May 2003)

The Council confirms that the new Member States will have to implement the acquis on customs issues
from the day of EU Membership.

All acceding States have committed themselves to take the necessary steps in order to transpose and
implement the acquis in this sector well
in advance of accession and to adapt their administrative
capabilities accordingly. Special emphasis will be paid to effective border management, the introduction of
new technologies, customs ethics and cooperation between all relevant services of the administration.

C 222 E/76

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

It is up to each acceding State to take the necessary steps in this regard, including redeployment and
re-training and to approach to the Commission concerning the funding of relevant initiatives.

is suggested to the Honourable Member to address questions related to practical details to the

It
Commission.

(2003/C 222 E/086)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3505/02

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Council

(10 December 2002)

Subject: Continued imprisonment of Ngawang Sangdrol

Is the Council aware of the continued detention (since 1992) and ill treatment of Ngawang Sangdrol?

Her sentences were based on her peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression.

Has the Council taken any further action to improve her conditions of confinement and ultimately to
secure her release?

Reply

(5 and 6 May 2003)

On 18 October 2002, the Chinese authorities informed the EU that Ngawang Sangdrol had been released
the previous day on good behaviour parole from the Tibet Autonomous Region prison Number One. They
also pointed out that the Court’s decision to grant her parole due to good behaviour had been influenced
by the fact that she had been convicted before the age of 18.

Prior to her release, the EU had repeatedly expressed concern to the Chinese authorities about the situation
of Ngawang Sangdrol, and had requested her immediate release.

(2003/C 222 E/087)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3506/02

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Council

(10 December 2002)

Subject: Siham Qandah and her treatment in Jordan

Is the Council aware of the plight of Siham Qandah in Jordan? I have been contacted by constituents who
are concerned by reports that she has been forced to take her children into hiding. She fears that they will
be taken from her after she was declared unfit to be their custodian as she was raising them as Christians.

Will the Council undertake to raise this matter with the authorities in Jordan and seek an end to this
unhappy situation?

Reply

(5 and 6 May 2003)

The Council has no knowledge of the facts referred to by the Honourable Member. However it has always
stressed, at meetings with Jordan in the framework of the Association Agreement, that relations with
Jordan are based on shared respect of democratic principles and fundamental rights, which constitutes an
essential element of the Agreement in accordance with Article 2 thereof. Freedom of religion is one of the
fundamental freedoms that must be respected.