WRITTEN QUESTION E-0190/03 by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. US dominance vis-à-vis the EU with regard to the extraction and transport of petroleum from the region to the south east of the current and future territory of the EU.
Date: 2003-01-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, agreement (EU), democratisation, economic growth, energy supply, gas field, international market, petroleum production

7.11.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 268 E/79

By virtue of this agreement, a joint French-Italian police and customs station (CCPD) has been set up in
Ventimiglia. This joint station can not only gather and exchange all useful information to detect and
prevent criminal offences, but can also (cid:1) on request- give assistance to local police to address threats to
public order and fight criminality more effectively.

The Commission is convinced that the French authorities will use the means at their disposal to protect
citizens against the forms of crime that the Honourable Member has mentioned. Co-operation with Italian
law enforcement authorities is an important means available to the French authorities in this context.

(2003/C 268 E/081)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0190/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(31 January 2003)

Subject: US dominance vis-à-vis the EU with regard to the extraction and transport of petroleum from the

region to the south east of the current and future territory of the EU

1.
Are countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan becoming very heavily dependent
on cheap oil exports and the use of cheap labour in the wake of the virtual collapse of their economies
during the period 1991-98?

2. What contacts does the EU have with the above states in connection with the extraction, purchase
and transport of petroleum from this region?

3.
Do such contacts based on economic interests mean closer links between the EU and non-democratic
regimes? To what extent are these relations being used, or will they be used in the near future, in order to
protect democracy, human rights and the environment?

4.
Are conditions to be imposed (cid:1) in connection with possible accession to the EU (cid:1) on Turkey,
which is participating in the US Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project, with regard to the supply of the oil
concerned, or a proportion of it, for use in Europe?

Does the Commission anticipate that pressure from the USA on these oil-producing regions will

5.
increase if the USA does not quickly succeed in bringing the Iraqi oil fields under its control?

6.
Have ideas already been formed on how to prevent the region to the south east of the future territory
of the EU from becoming a US military and economic sphere of influence, which could operate in a way
that is disadvantageous to Europe?

Source: Netherlands daily newspaper ‘De Volkskrant’ of 18 January 2003

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(14 March 2003)

The oil sector in the three countries mentioned by the Honourable Member is a very important part of
their economies and a major source of foreign earnings. Azerbaijan, one of the world’s oldest oil-
producing countries, has seen steady economic growth since 1995 fueled, to a large extent, by foreign
investment in its oil and natural gas sectors. Of the 14 million tonnes of oil produced in the year 2000,
some 55 % was exported either as crude or refined products and these accounted for some 70 % of
Azerbazijan’s exports. Oil-related revenue accounts for nearly 50 % of budget revenues. Wage rates in
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan tend to be lower than in Europe. The Commission has no
evidence that these countries are illegally exploiting their labour force in the oil and gas industries.

Kazakhstan is likewise heavily dependent upon oil revenues and its recent economic growth has been
assisted by foreign investment in the oil and natural gas sectors. Of the 35 million tonnes of oil produced
in the year 2000, net exports of crude and refined products accounted for some 79 %. The oil industry
currently accounts for approximately 30 % of Kazakhstan’s budget revenues and half of it exports.

C 268 E/80

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

7.11.2003

While Turkmenistan has some of the world’s largest deposits of natural gas and this sector has been the
major spur for economic growth in recent years, the oil sector is an important sector of the economy. In
the year 2000, some 7,7 million tonnes were produced and net exports of crude and refined products
accounted for 60 %.

The Community has signed Partnership and Co-operation Agreements (PCA) with all three countries
mentioned by the Honourable Member. While those signed with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have entered
into force, that with Turkmenistan has yet to be ratified.

In the framework of the PCA with Azerbaijan, the scope of the existing Sub-Committee on Trade will be
widened this year (2003) to include energy issues. Expert dialogue with Kazakhstan was extended in 2002
to include energy matters as well.

The Commission is also providing technical assistance in the field of oil and gas infrastructure to these
countries under the framework of TACIS (the Inogate programme).

At a commercial level, Union energy companies are particularly active both in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

All Union relations in the energy sector aim at promoting increased transparency, encouraging market
reform and enhancing environmental awareness. By developing relations in a defined area of evident
mutual interest and facilitating political and commercial contacts between the Union and these countries,
these countries will be encouraged to integrate more closely into the global society and thereby be more
aware to global values and concerns.

In addition, all the Partnership and Co-operation Agreements signed with these countries include a strong
focus on respect for democracy and the principles of international law and human rights as defined in
particular in the United Nations Charter and the Helsinki Final Act. They also include articles designed to
develop and strengthen co-operation on environmental and human health issues.

The oil market is an integrated global market and the destination of specific production is much less
important than ensuring the diversification of the sources of supply. In addition,
it is clear that the
decision to build new pipelines and the routing of such pipelines is a matter for the private sector based
upon economic and commercial considerations.

The United States, like the Union, pursues an active policy of ensuring the geographical diversification and
competition between different sources of supply. It is clear that this policy will be continued into the
future, whatever should happen in any particular region of the world. Should oil production from Iraq not
reach the international markets for a period of time for whatever reason, there is enough global spare
capacity for the market to be supplied. In this context, it is clear that, should the market disequilibrium be
such that it threatens to seriously affect economic growth in the Union, serious reflection should be given
to the potential use of the strategic oil stocks held by Member states.

It is clear that the Union has strategic geopolitical interests in this region. The main Union objective is to
promote regional co-operation with a view to contributing towards political stability. Such political
stability will contribute to an enhanced role for Caspian energy resources in the energy security of the
enlarged Union. In this context, the Honourable Member should be aware that the Commission is planning
a Communication later in 2003 on energy links with neighbouring countries.

(2003/C 268 E/082)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0195/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(31 January 2003)

Subject: Netherlands heavy dependency on the use of hospitals in neighbouring countries as a result of its

own inadequate domestic provision

1.
Is the Commission aware that the swingeing cuts in the number of hospital beds and the closure of
entire hospitals resulting from the economy measures taken over the years in the healthcare sector in the
Netherlands means that that country now has permanent waiting lists for patients who need to be
admitted to hospital?