WRITTEN QUESTION E-0526/03 by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission. Cooperation with Macao.
Date: 2003-02-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Macao, bilateral relations, cooperation policy

6.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/49

The Commission, in the framework of the Budget line B7-6211, announced in September 2002 a call for
proposals aimed at combating poverty-related diseases, including HIV/acquired immundeficiency syndrome
(AIDS), in all developing countries. The activities funded by these grants would improve care and treatment
for persons already infected but would also cover projects addressing the needs of young women
vulnerable to infection. The Human Rights Watch Report on Women’s Rights in Zambia, mentioned by
the Honourable Member refers to this European Community Programme (1).

Zambia has received a grant of USD 19 858 000 from the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, to which the
Community has contributed EUR 120 million.

Gender and HIV/AIDS are also the main crosscutting issues in the current Zambia National Indicative
Programme (NIP).

The Human Rights Watch Report notes that among the key problems in the state response are both the
weakness and the failure of the criminal justice system to deal appropriately with complaints of sexual
abuse and the need for special training in gender violence and child abuse for the police. During the visit
of the Member of the Commission responsible for Development to Zambia in January 2003, violence
against women and the need for special training for judges were discussed with President Mwanawasa.
Following that dialogue, the Commission is working with the Ministry of Legal Affairs to prepare special
training programmes for judges and police officers within the framework of an Institutional Development
and Capacity Building programme foreseen in the 9th European Development Fund NIP mentioned above.

The Cotonou Agreement provides in article 8 for comprehensive political dialogue with all African,
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, including a regular assessment of developments concerning the respect
for human rights.

The Community and the Member States are monitoring very closely and discussing with the government
the impact of HIV/AIDS and violence against women in the framework of the continuous political dialogue
established under article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement.

Where there are failures to respect the essential elements, set out in article 9 of the partnership, any Party
to the Agreement can invite the other Party to hold consultations in conformity with article 96 of the
Cotonou Agreement. Respect for human rights is one of the essential elements of the Agreement and
applies to all signatories. Article 96 provides that if the consultations do not lead to a solution acceptable
to both parties, appropriate measures may be taken. The suspension of the Agreement would be a measure
of last resort.

(1) Page 74.

(2004/C 33 E/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0526/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(24 February 2003)

Subject: Cooperation with Macao

The Commission has stated that it will ‘use all the instruments at its disposal to help underscore Macao’s
autonomy within China and its particular way of life’ (1), for it is convinced that a ‘European presence in
the territory and strong personal ties between Europe and Macao are … some of the main features which
help to make Macao a natural springboard for the EU in the region’ (2). Parliament has endorsed and
reaffirmed that commitment (3) by calling on ‘the European Union to make active use of the instruments
available to it, in particular the political dialogue, joint actions, the adoption of positions and, in particular,
cooperation measures’ (4).

However, in only two years, cooperation between the EU and Macao has declined to an extremely low
level. Indeed, according to Mr Patten’s answer to my recent question, it is currently confined to just one
project (5).

C 33 E/50

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

This state of affairs is said to have been brought about to some extent by the widely held view in the EU
that cooperation is synonymous with funding, the implication being that when there are no jointly
financed projects, the EU has no practical possibility of organising and pursuing cooperation measures.

Given the pressing development cooperation needs where the world’s poorest regions are concerned,
funding for measures aimed at Macao is understandably not one of the EU’s budgetary priorities. Be that as
it may, it ought nevertheless to be possible to explore avenues for bilateral cooperation between the EU
and Macao, even if they were to be financed mainly, if not exclusively, by the MSAR, assuming that a
European interest were likewise involved or the EU were in a position to satisfy the MSAR’s requests.

In the light of the foregoing, can the Commission say whether it is true that, expressed simplistically,
cooperation is synonymous with funding? If that is the case, will it revise that definition, not least with a
view to widening the opportunities and range of models for bilateral cooperation between the EU and the
MSAR? What other ideas does it have for galvanising EU-MSAR cooperation in keeping with the policy
statements? What would be the areas of action?

(1) COM(1999) 484 (cid:1) C5-0169/2000, p. 3.
(2) COM(1999) 484 (cid:1) C5-0169/2000, p. 4.
(3) A5-0017/2001.
(4) A5-0017/2001, paragraph 10.
(5) E-3098/02, answer given on 29 November 2002 (cid:1) OJ C 242 E, 9.10.2003, p. 39.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(4 April 2003)

Further to its earlier reply to the Honourable Member’s Written Question E-3098/02 (1), the Commission
confirms that it remains firmly committed to work and cooperate with the Macao authorities to help the
Special Administrative Region’s (SAR) stable development, in line with the ‘one country, two systems’
principle. Granting visa-free access to Macao SAR passport holders in 2001 and the initialling of a
Community-Macao re-admission agreement in 2002, as well as the Community-Macao legal cooperation
programme and Macao’s successful participation in regional Community programmes such as Asia Invest
and Asia Link are concrete examples thereof.

Given Macao’s high income level, Macao (cid:1) no longer features on the Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development/Development Assistance Committee’s (OECD/DAC) list of Developing Coun-
tries and Territories.

However, the Commission and Macao will continue to discuss and explore new ways and means of
cooperation, as they did last in October 2002, in the context of the Joint Committee established under the
Community-Macao Trade and Cooperation Ageement concluded in 1992.

(1) OJ C 242 E, 9.10.2003, p. 39.

(2004/C 33 E/047)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0533/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(26 February 2003)

Subject: Ban on abortion in Poland

The Polish Government has decided to include in the country’s treaty on accession to the European Union
a declaration ‘on ethics, culture and the protection of life’, which contains a highly restrictive law on
abortion. Inclusion of such a prohibition in Poland’s accession treaty would strengthen (cid:1) for legal and
other purposes (cid:1) an anachronistic and antidemocratic ban that is an attack on women’s rights, and which,
if accepted by the European Union, would pose a legal and moral threat to women’s rights throughout the
Union. In the light of the above, does the Commission intend to agree to the inclusion of this declaration
in Poland’s accession treaty? Irrespective of the accession treaty, what measures will it take to prevent such
a prohibition from entering into force in Poland?