WRITTEN QUESTION P-3774/02 by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Council. Delay in implementing the diamond certification system.
Date: 2002-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Community certification, export monitoring, form, import policy, international trade, precious stones

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/105

In the course of 2002, the Commission has worked on developing the concept of environmental targets
for transport further inter alia based on advice from its Joint Expert Group on Transport and Environment,
jointly managed by Directorate General (DG) Transport and Energy and DG Environment.

The present state-of-play is that discussions are still ongoing in the Commission with regard to defining an
appropriate approach for setting targets. As a result, the envisaged Communication is now included in the
Commission’s Work Programme for 2003 and thus expected in the course of 2003. This Communication
will set out general principles for the use of environmental targets for transport policy and identify those
environmental problems for which such targets could be of use at Community level.

(1) COM(2001) 370 final.

(2003/C 222 E/122)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3770/02

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 December 2002)

Subject: Conversion of the arms industry

Before the reform of the Structural Funds, the Konver programme was implemented. It made funding
available to the arms industry, if the latter so wished, to enable arms manufacturers to switch to civil
production. Such conversion measures for the arms industry now form part of the normal budget for the
Structural Funds.

How much money has been spent on assisting conversion measures in the arms industry in the past
15 years? Can the Commission indicate, for each Member State, how these funds have been used?

In the specific case of Belgium, can it indicate which companies or authorities have taken advantage of this
assistance?

Has overall assistance with the conversion of the arms industry been evaluated, and can the Commission
accordingly state how many jobs have been transferred from the arms industry to the civil sector?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2003)

The Commission is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It will communicate its
findings as soon as possible.

(2003/C 222 E/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3774/02

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Council

(16 December 2002)

Subject: Delay in implementing the diamond certification system

Is it true that the certificates required for the diamond trade have not yet been printed?

Has this anything to do with opposition to the Commission proposal from Belgium and the United
Kingdom?

Is it correct that this will result in a delay in implementing the certification system?

Can the Council give an assurance that the system will come into force on 1 February 2003 if it looks as if
it is unable to meet the deadline of 1 January 2003 announced earlier?

C 222 E/106

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

Reply

(13 May 2003)

The Council has been informed that the printing of the certificates provided for in Article 2 of Council
Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 of 20 December 2002 implementing the Kimberley Process certification
scheme for the international trade in rough diamonds was finalised on 20 January 2003.

As regards the implementation of the system and in accordance with its forecasts, the Council would ask
the Honourable Member to refer to Council Regulation (EC) No 254/2003 of 11 February 2003 amending
the
Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002 implementing the Kimberley Process certification scheme for
international
trade in rough diamonds, as also to Commission Regulation (EC) No 257/2003 of
11 February 2003 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2368/2002.

(2003/C 222 E/124)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3786/02

by Johannes Swoboda (PSE) to the Commission

(6 January 2003)

Subject: Language discrimination in advertisements for vacant posts at European level

Is it the Commission’s view that the wording ‘English mother tongue or equivalent’ in advertisements

1.
for vacant posts with European organisations is discriminatory?

If not, how does the Commission reconcile the principle of non-discrimination with the criterion that

2.
applicants must have ‘English mother tongue or equivalent’?

3.

If so, what steps will the Commission take to put an end to this discriminatory procedure?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(26 February 2003)

The EC Treaty and the Staff Regulations of the officials of EU Institutions prohibit any discrimination on
the basis of nationality and, naturally, the Commission respects the provisions of the Treaty and the
Regulations in full.

Clearly, a specific language requirement in the publication of a post may have the effect of discriminating
against nationals of other Member States. However, such differenciation could be objectively justified, for
instance by the nature of a specific post and the precise functions to be performed.
In particular,
appointments to translators and interpreters posts necessitate a depth of knowledge of specific languages,
depending on the needs of the Institution.

In order to judge whether the inclusion of a language requirement in a publication of a particular post
could be considered to be discriminatory it is therefore necessary to obtain more information about the
post in question. If the Honourable Member would be kind enough to provide me with details of the
advertisement/s to which he is referring in his question, I will ensure that the material receives thorough
attention in order to establish whether unwarranted discrimination is evident in this case.

(2003/C 222 E/125)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3788/02

by Bruno Gollnisch (NI) to the Council

(6 January 2003)

Subject: Labelling in French of consumer products sold in France

The Law of 4 August 1994 relative to the use of the French language made it obligatory for French to be
used in ‘all documents intended to inform the user or consumer: labels, leaflets, catalogues, brochures and
other information documents, etc.’.