WRITTEN QUESTION E-0767/03 by Maria Carrilho (PSE) to the Council. East Timor.
Date: 2003-03-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: ACP-EU Convention, EU aid, EU relations, East Timor, democratisation, financial aid

C 51 E/50

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

(2004/C 51 E/049)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0767/03

by Maria Carrilho (PSE) to the Council

(12 March 2003)

Subject: East Timor

The European Union played a distinguished part in defending the human rights of the people of East
Timor, above all from September 1999 onwards, following the violence perpetrated by the militias. The
European Parliament gave symbolic expression to Europe’s commitment to the cause of liberating the
people of East Timor, when it conferred the Sahkarov prize on Xanana Gusmão.

The European Union, within the framework of UN action, helped East Timor to gain its independence in
May 2002. Since June 2002, the United Nations, with the authorisation of the Security Council on which
two Member States have permanent seats, has been ‘disinvesting’ in support for creating the technical,
administrative and social conditions necessary to the effective emancipation of East Timor, which is
currently at a critical stage. For various reasons, large numbers of refugees have poured into the capital,
Dili, in recent months, causing the population to soar from 60 000 to nearly 200 000, many of them
struggling to survive in conditions which are conducive either to apathy or to rebellion and violence.

Does the Council intend to increase support for consolidating democracy in East Timor?

Is the Council considering the possibility of providing some of this support within the framework of the
(Petersburg) tasks assigned to the Rapid Reaction Force?

Reply

(29 September 2003)

The Council shares the Honourable Member’s concerns over the consequences of the massive inflow of
refugees into Dili and its possible social effects, and will look into possibilities of responding adequately to
this situation in the framework of the considerable financial assistance East Timor is receiving from the EU.
Between 1999 and 2002 alone, the EC has allocated some EUR 137 million in grant aid for East Timor.
This represents more than EUR 170 per capita, one of the highest levels of assistance provided. In addition,
Member States have also made significant amounts of aid available for East Timor.

The European Union will continue to provide significant assistance to East Timor to further consolidate the
country’s political stability and democracy and to promote long-term development through poverty
alleviation and capacity building. The EC plans to allocate some EUR 10 million for 2003, and some
EUR 8 million for 2004. Again, Member States will complement this financial effort.

East Timor’s request to accede to the Cotonou ACP-EC Partnership Agreement was approved at the ACP-
EC Council of Ministers meeting on 15/16 May 2003.

inter alia, allow East Timor to have access to the financial resources provided in the
Accession will,
framework of the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement under the next Financial Protocol for the period 2005-
2010.

The Council is not considering the deployment of contingents of the Rapid Reaction Force to East Timor
at present.

(2004/C 51 E/050)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0779/03

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 March 2003)

Subject: Comitology

Article 4 of Regulation (EC) 1049/2002 (1) of 30 May, regarding public access to European Parliament,
Council and Commission documents, lays down those exceptions where access shall be refused. Given that