WRITTEN QUESTION E-0779/03 by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Comitology.
Date: 2003-03-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: access to information, comitology, provision of documents, statistics

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(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

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the ruling handed down by the Court of First Instance on 19 July 1999, Rothmans International v.
Commission (Case T-188/97) laid down that ‘the’comitology‘committees […], for the purposes of the
Community rules on access to documents, came under the Commission itself’, on what grounds and how
often has the Commission refused public access to comitology committee documents, on the basis of the
exceptions laid down by Article 4 of Regulation (EC) 1049/2002 regarding public access to European
Parliament, Council and Commission documents?

(1) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43.

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2003)

The Commission does not have sufficiently detailed statistics to identify specific cases where access to
committee documents under the ‘commitology’ decision was refused on the basis of the exceptions in
Article 4 of Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public
access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. Requests for access to documents
produced by committees acting under committee procedures are processed on the same basis as
documents from the Directorates-General which provide secretarial services for those committees, and they
are treated by those Directorates-General.

However, the Commission would inform the Honourable Member that it will shortly be publishing the
first annual report (2002) under Article 17(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001. The report, which will be
transmitted to the other institutions, will contain statistics, in particular the breakdown by percentage of
refusals to grant access by way of exception.

(2004/C 51 E/051)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0800/03

by Koldo Gorostiaga Atxalandabaso (NI) to the Council

(17 March 2003)

Subject: Freedom of expression

’Euskaldunon Egunkaria’, the only daily the newspaper of the world in Euskara (Basque language) was
closed last week by order of the Audiencia Nacional, a special court in Madrid which deals with cases
related to big crimes. According to the court Egunkaria ‘belongs to or collaborates with ETA’.

Egunkaria was founded in 1990 after ESP 150 million (EUR 900 000) were raised in a popular campaign.
On Saturday, 22 February, a massive demonstration took place in the streets of Donostia (San Sebastian).
Marchers were brandishing a new newspaper called ‘Egunero’ published by the journalists of Egunkaria.
The first day they sold 50 000 issues, next day 75 000. Both the demonstration and the Egunero’s issues’
success prove the social concern and clear solidarity of the Basques with the newspaper.

Does the Council consider that this action of the Spanish authorities against the Basque newspaper
respects the basic principles of a democratic state?

Will the Council urge the Spanish authorities to reopen the newspaper immediately?

Does the Council consider that the solitary confinement of the arrested journalists and the seizure of their
documents are in line with full respect for human rights and press freedom?