WRITTEN QUESTION P-0327/03 by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission. Implementation of Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 on crossborder payments in euro.
Date: 2003-02-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: application of EU law, bank charges, credit transfer, electronic money, euro, euro area, financial transaction, intra-EU payment

C 78 E/354

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

(2004/C 78 E/0372)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3900/02

by Lennart Sacrédeus (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 January 2003)

Subject: Treatment and life situation of girls and women in Afghanistan

Under the rule of the Islamic Taliban regime in Afghanistan, girls were not allowed to go to school to be
educated. The Taliban’s discrimination against women was all-embracing, systematised and part of Islamic,
male-dominated ideology. Since the fall of the Taliban dictatorship, a great deal of disturbing information
has continued to come out of Afghanistan (cid:1) the CNN report of 22 October being one instance (cid:1) that
girls and women are still treated badly in many parts of the country, examples of which are child labour,
being denied access to schooling or being sold into virtual slavery through the practice of marrying off
young girls as a means of repaying debts.

What measures is the Commission currently taking to promote equal, unique and inviolable human dignity
for girls and women in present-day Afghanistan?
through having
representatives on the spot, to ensure that the rights and the precarious life situation of girls and children
in general are improved?

Is it possible for

the Union,

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(4 February 2003)

The Commission is promoting change through its aid programme to Afghanistan. In 2002, specific
projects for women were funded including the rehabilitation of women’s baths and a park for women in
Kabul. The Commission has also financed several
initiatives to promote civil society and encourage
advocacy for disadvantaged and minority groups, including women. Similar projects are planned for the
future.

More broadly, the Commission alongside the international community, must ensure that the rights and
roles of women are a key element of recovery and reconstruction. From facilitating their access to basic
healthcare and education to pushing for their inclusion in all aspects of the policy making process. The
Commission is a leading donor in the health sector where tackling child and maternal mortality as well as
reproductive health issues are key priorities.

The Afghanistan Transitional Authority has set up two Advisory Groups on Gender and Human Rights as
part of the Consultative Group Structure tasked with taking forward recovery and reconstruction. The
meeting of the Afghanistan Development Forum in March 2003 will enable the international community
to monitor progress, and to keep these issues at the heart of the Government’s approach to development.

The international community must also work with the Government to ensure that the new Constitution
enshrines Human Rights for all, including women, and that these are enforced through the judicial system.
The Commission is contributing to the Law and Order trust fund which will help to finance judicial reform
and to ensure that laws are implemented effectively.

(2004/C 78 E/0373)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0327/03

by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Commission

(5 February 2003)

Subject: Implementation of Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 on crossborder payments in euro

Implementation of Council and European Parliament Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 (1)
is causing a
number of problems with particular regard to the drawing of money within the euro zone by means of
cards issued in Portugal which are both credit and debit cards.

27.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

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In Portugal the use of such a card in order to draw money attracts no charge, yet the act of drawing
EUR 100 in Brussels (for example)
incurs EUR 1,83 in commission paid to third parties, EUR 3 in
commission paid to the Portuguese bank which issued to the card and EUR 0,19 in stamp duty.

Can the Commission answer the following:

(cid:1) given that Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 exists, is such a situation legal;

(cid:1) is it possible for two separate bank commissions to be levied in respect of one and the same

transaction;

(cid:1) if such a practice is illegal, what sanctions can be imposed (and by whom?) on the perpetrators

thereof?

(1) OJ L 344, 28.12.2001, p. 13.

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(11 March 2003)

Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 (1) establishes the principle of equality of charges between national
payments and cross-border payments in euro. This applies to electronic payment transactions in euro up
to EUR 12 500 as of 1 July 2002 and will apply to credit transfers from 1 July 2003 onwards.

Article 3 of the Regulation specifies that charges for cross border payments have to be the same as those
for ‘corresponding national payments’. This means that, if one takes the example of a debit card, the same
charges shall apply to a payment made in the Member State where the issuing bank is located and a
payment made in another Member State.

In the case of a multi-functional card (e.g. both credit and debit operations are possible) the reasoning is
the same. For the same function (e.g. debit or credit), the use of such a card should attract the same
charges as those in the Member State where it has been issued. However, the Honourable Member does
not give sufficient information in order to establish whether, in this case, there is an incorrect application
of the Regulation.

In case of non-respect of the Regulation, Article 7 foresees that there should be ‘effective, proportionate
and deterrent’ sanctions, which naturally have to be applied by the national bodies having such
competence. As regards the competent body in Portugal, the Commission has requested this information
but has not yet received a reply.

(1) Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 of the Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2001 on cross-border

payments in euro.

(2004/C 78 E/0374)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0426/03

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(18 February 2003)

Subject: Violation of human rights in Chechnya

With a Council of Europe resolution on Chechnya in view, three international organisations have made a
joint statement calling on the Council of Europe to consider the following issues:

(cid:1) the fact that those responsible for acts of violence against civilians on both sides have not been called

to account or brought to justice,

(cid:1) the practice of both sides in the conflict of making targets of civilians in violation of international

humanitarian law,