WRITTEN QUESTION E-3893/02 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Active efforts to ensure public access to information about the positions adopted by the EU in the TABD and the consequences of this dialogue for EU policy.
Date: 2003-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, United States, access to information, dissemination of EU information, information policy, trade policy, trade relations

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A European initiative should be possible on the basis of Article 13 of the EC Treaty (prohibition of
discrimination). Does the Commission intend to submit a proposal along these lines? If so, when will it do
so?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 2003)

The question raised by the Honourable Member does not concern an issue pertaining to discrimination on
grounds of disability. The Commission is therefore of the opinion that Article 13 cannot be used to
legislate on the matter raised in the written question. Moreover, the Council has made clear its view that
the rules for assigning cards to persons with disabilities are the responsibility of the Member States (1).
Consequently, the Commission does not intend to make a proposal on this matter.

(1) Council Recommendation (98/376/EC) of 4 June 1998 (cid:1) OJ L 167, 12.6.1998.

(2003/C 155 E/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3880/02

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 January 2003)

Subject: Community programme for establishing geriatric homes on the Costa del Sol (Spain)

The climate and environmental attractions of Spain’s Costa del Sol have long been a magnet for senior
citizens of the EU Member States, and this has brought about an avalanche of schemes for establishing
geriatric homes in that tourism-oriented area of the Community.

Both the Community authorities and the experts have recommended creating a Community programme to
ensure the ordered development of such geriatric homes on the Costa del Sol, in order to benefit the
largest possible number of persons choosing to spend their last years in the warm climate of that zone.

Does the Commission believe it is desirable to promote a Community programme for establishing geriatric
homes on the Spanish Costa del Sol, as a means of furthering their ordered development in a coordinated
fashion, starting with the funding of diverse studies aimed at ensuring the success of such a Community
programme, which would most certainly benefit numerous citizens of the Member States who are now
entering old age?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2003)

Geriatic homes and long-term care provision form part of social protection systems for which Member
States bear the responsibility. The Commission has no plans to promote a Community programme for
establishing geriatric homes in any part of the Union.

(2003/C 155 E/222)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3893/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(14 January 2003)

Subject: Active efforts to ensure public access to information about the positions adopted by the EU in the

TABD and the consequences of this dialogue for EU policy

1.
Has the Commission noticed that the public have become far more interested in the development of
the world market and trade agreements in recent years, and that this particularly applies in the case of

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people who are concerned about the future of democracy, environmental protection, worldwide income
distribution and protection of public care services for those who are most dependent on public services?

2. What is the Commission so far doing to satisfy the new desire for information arising from this
it
growing interest among people other than the traditional parties with commercial
increase the provision of the relevant information?

interests? Will

3.
As an informal process through which European and American businesses and business associations
make recommendations on a joint trade policy to be pursued by the EU and USA, what role has the
Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) so far played in the decision-making process of
the EU,
negotiations between the EU and USA and the EU’s positions in WTO negotiations?

the
4. Who is responsible for public access to information about
preliminary documentation containing Commission positions and its answers to questions and ideas from
businesspeople and their organisations? Does Article 4(6) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 (1) apply to
this, and what exceptions to public access are applicable in this connection?

the recommendations made,

5. Why does the Commission, in its response to recommendations by the Ombudsman relating to case
No 1128/2001/IJH, regard publication of its negotiating position in bilateral negotiations with the USA or
global negotiations as restricting its room for manoeuvre in international negotiations rather than as a way
of encouraging involvement and securing approval on the part of European public opinion?

Does the present degree of openness and transparency accord with the EU’s Charter of Fundamental

6.
Rights? If so, what is the Commission’s justification for believing this to be the case?

7. Will the Commission increase its active efforts to ensure public access to information about the
positions it adopts in the TABD by placing them on the website of DG Trade, together with the minutes of
meetings between the Commission and the TABD, so that anybody who so wishes, including interested
parties, is no longer dependent solely on material which may or may not be disseminated via the TABD
website?

(1) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 2003)

1.
As globalisation takes shape and commercial policy expands into new fields of activity, trade issues
are indeed attracting interest from beyond the traditional circle of ‘those in the know’. Public opinion is
concerned about trade policy on account of its impact on globalisation and its effects on public services,
the environment, social clauses in trade relations, food quality, and cultural diversity. The Commission is
aware of the responsibilities which the Union, as the world’s leading trading power, has towards its own
citizens and its partners. As a result, one of the EU’s objectives at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
ministerial conference in Doha from 9 to 14 November 2001 was to add these new dimensions to the
agenda for the new round of trade negotiations and to make progress on multilateralism and the rule of
law in international trade relations.

2.
On 24 September 2002, the Interinstitutional Group on Information (IGI) (cid:1) of which Parliament is
part (cid:1) adopted a Commission proposal on a communication strategy for 2003, whose fourth priority
relates to ‘Europe in the world’ and has the following communication objectives:

(i)

(ii)

to encourage a more balanced view of globalisation by highlighting the advantages/opportunities of
opening up markets and the trump cards held by the European Union in this respect;

to point out the value of the present system/past achievements of commercial policy as a common
strategy/response by Europeans to globalisation;

(iii) to highlight the principles/values espoused by the EU on the world stage.

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The Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) is one of a number of organisations, including the
3.
Trans-Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) and the Trans-Atlantic Environmental Dialogue (TAED), which
were set up in response to a public declaration of the Commission and the American Government at their
Summit meeting in Madrid in 1995. This set out the New Transatlantic Agenda, which covers co-
operation on issues such as trade and investment. Among its objectives is to ‘build bridges across the
Atlantic’, in particular by encouraging private actors and policy makers in the Union and the United States
to establish concrete links.

These bodies make public recommendations to the Commission and the American Government. They are
invited on a rotating basis to make a presentation to leaders at Union-United States Summits. The
Commission considers the input from all of these dialogues to be of equal importance and very valuable
input in its efforts to develop and strengthen a balanced and sound transatlantic relationship.

Participation in these bodies is open to stakeholders in the relevant areas.

4.
Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001
regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents is applicable in its
entirety. The only exceptions permitted are those laid down in Article 4 of this Regulation.

5.
As regards its reply to the Ombudsman’s draft recommendation in case No 1128/2001/IJH, the
Commission would like to point out that this complaint only concerned a few briefing and discussion
papers drafted for internal use. The vast majority of the documents, to which the complainant had
requested access, either are accessible on the Internet or have been released by the Commission. The
approach of
the Commission (cid:1) which was endorsed by the Ombudsman in his final decision of
9 December 2002 to close the case (cid:1) is that disclosing internal reasoning and the alternatives that have
been considered would weaken its negotiating position as it would give negotiating partners an insight
into possible compromises the Commission would be willing to make at a later stage in the negotiation.

in fact, correspond to Article 255 of

6.
The policy of transparency applied by the Commission is in accord with the Charter of Fundamental
Rights, and in particular with Article 42 on the right of access to documents. This Article of the Charter
does,
the EC Treaty, as implemented by the aforementioned
Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, which applies in full to documents relating to the TABD. In addition, as
mentioned under the following point, the Commission practises an active policy of transparency in this
field, which goes beyond its obligations arising from the provisions of the EC Treaty.

7.
The recommendations of the TABD are all to be found on its website (http://www.tabd.com). They
are also made available, together with the Commission’s reactions to them, on the Commission’s Europa
site on the Internet. Honourable Members who follow Union-United States trade matters will be entirely
familiar with, and are also invited to participate in, the work of the TABD.

(2003/C 155 E/223)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3899/02

by Sérgio Marques (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 January 2003)

Subject: 2004 (cid:1) European Year of Education through Sport

It is widely recognised that sport is an important social phenomenon in Europe and is a good educational
tool. In particular it helps to develop the social skills of young people, including team spirit, solidarity and
loyalty (cid:1) in short it increases collective discipline and promotes a group approach to life.

In this context the aim of the European Year of Education through Sport in 2004 is to help to enhance the
image of sport in European society by counteracting the risks of a sedentary lifestyle and social isolation
linked to the increasing use of new technologies. The initiative will make it possible to exploit more fully