WRITTEN QUESTION E-0572/03 by Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Council. EU-Mexico relations and the Digna Ochoa case.
Date: 2003-02-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Mexico, cooperation policy, homicide, human rights, judicial inquiry, lawyer

21.11.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 280 E/67

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(12 May 2003)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that an official on unpaid leave (CCP) is subject
in active employment, namely the obligations of independence,
to the same obligations as an official
dignity and confidentiality.

In the event of the Commission learning that an official is engaging in an activity that has not been
authorised or that an authorised activity is being exercised in a way that is not consistent with his or her
obligations, the Commission will take appropriate measures.

The Honourable Member may be aware that the Commission is currently considering whether it would be
appropriate to establish more detailed rules governing the granting of CCP and the conduct of officials on
such leave.

With regard to the case raised by the Honourable Member, it must be pointed out that the Directorates-
General of the Commission have to be in contact with the various players of the sectors for which they
have responsibility. Hence it is possible for any enterprise to be in contact with the Directorate-General for
the Information Society.

As far as questions regarding competition are concerned, the Information Society DG,
like the other
Directorates-General, is associated with the inter-service consultations of the Competition DG, which is the
lead department for such questions.

It should be noted that, in this case, the official in question was asked to sign declarations, especially to the
effect that he would respect the obligations imposed on him by the Staff Regulations in order to ensure
that he was aware of all potential consequences.

(2003/C 280 E/069)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0572/03

by Luigi Vinci (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(28 February 2003)

Subject: EU-Mexico relations and the ‘Digna Ochoa case’

The famous lawyer Digna Ochoa y Placido, known all over the world for her work in defence of human
rights, was murdered in Mexico City on 19 October 2001. The judicial proceedings concerning the ‘Digna
Ochoa case’ have aroused indignation, in particular attempts to shelve the investigations on the part of the
deputy Attorney General Sales Heredia, who was forced to resign after being denounced by organisations
belonging to Mexican civil society.

Since the importance of the case transcends the borders of Mexico, does the Council not consider that it
should closely monitor events in connection with the murder investigation, and can it say what its
assessment of the case is?

Does the Council not consider that the issue should be raised in all contacts between the EU and Mexico,
not least in view of the fact that the Treaty between the Union and Mexico contains a ‘democratic clause’
which can definitely be used to exert due political pressure to try to put a rapid and definitive end to
human rights violations in Mexico?

Reply

(22 July 2003)

The Council would point out that the European Union, in a public declaration on 29 October 2001,
1.
firmly condemned the killing of Ms Digna Ochoa y Plácido, a leading human rights activist in Mexico.
On the same occasion, the EU said it was convinced that the Mexican Government would continue its
efforts to uphold and safeguard human rights and to protect the physical
integrity of human rights
campaigners. The European Union also expressed its hope that the killing of Ms Ochoa y Plácido would be
investigated without delay and the culprits identified and brought to justice.

C 280 E/68

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

21.11.2003

On several occasions, whenever the issue has been raised, the Mexican authorities have said that the
investigation into Ms Ochoa’s murder was still underway, but had not yet produced any significant results.
The Council of the EU reaffirms its intention to follow this matter closely.

2.
The Council has on several occasions examined the human rights situation in Mexico and expressed
its concerns. In their contacts with the Mexican authorities, EU and Member States’ representatives have
frequently raised issues concerning the protection of human rights in Mexico and have voiced their
concerns regarding various aspects of this problem.

The Council would recall that the human rights situation in Mexico was examined in depth at the last
meeting of senior officials, which took place in Puebla (Mexico) on 3 October 2002 within the framework
of the political dialogue between the EU and Mexico. On that occasion, EU representatives voiced their
concern regarding some specific cases of violations of human rights in Mexico, including the one referred
to by the Honourable Member. In particular, it mentioned harassment, death threats and assaults directed
against persons and organisations working for the defence of human rights in Mexico. At that meeting, the
EU reminded the Mexican authorities that it was prepared to continue cooperating with them on this
matter. At the EU-Mexico Joint Committee meeting, which took place the same day, the two parties agreed
to strengthen their cooperation in the specific area of human rights and democracy.

The European Union raised this issue at the EU-Mexico Joint Council meeting, which was held in
Vouliagmeni on 27 March 2003. At the end of the meeting, delegations expressed their firm attachment to
the universal nature of human rights and emphasised that the international community had a shared
responsibility in this area. They undertook to take the necessary measures to step up awareness of human
rights worldwide.

(2003/C 280 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0578/03

by Frank Vanhecke (NI) to the Council

(28 February 2003)

Subject: Distribution of seats in the European Parliament

At the Brussels and Copenhagen European Councils a framework agreement was negotiated on the future
allocation of seats in the European Parliament after the enlargement of the Union. Up to now Belgium has
had 25 seats, 14 of which were for the electoral district of Flanders, 11 for that of Wallonia. After the
enlargement Belgium will have only 22 seats. As a transitional arrangement, however, pending the
accession of Bulgaria and Romania, it is planned that there will be a gradual adjustment in the number of
seats to which the present Member States will be entitled at next year’s European elections. Various
newspapers have reported that Belgium will still be given 24 seats at the 2004 European elections, and
that this number will be reduced to 22 only at the 2009 elections.

Can the Council indicate how many seats the present Member States will be given at the elections in June
2004 and 2009?

Has the Council given any recommendations to the Member States as to any proportional distribution of
seats among the various electoral districts to be made in each Member State?

Reply

(21 July 2003)

The Act of Accession (Article 11) modifies the EC Treaty as regards the number of seats in the European
Parliament allocated to Member States from the start of the 2004-2009 term. It provides, inter alia, that
Belgium has 24 seats. On the accession of Bulgaria and Romania (cid:1) for which the target date set by the
European Council is 2007 (cid:1) the number of seats allocated to Member States will again be modified. In the
present juncture, seats should be allocated in accordance with Declaration 20 of the Treaty of Nice.
In particular, Belgium should then have 22 seats.