WRITTEN QUESTION E-0800/03 by Koldo Gorostiaga Atxalandabaso (NI) to the Council. Freedom of expression.
Date: 2003-03-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Basque Country, competence of the Member States, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, newspaper, public order, public safety, terrorism

26.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 51 E/51

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?

C 51 E/52

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

Reply

(29 September 2003)

in which it pointed out that
The Council would refer to its reply to Written Question E-3104/02,
although, under Article 33 of the TEU, the maintenance of law and order and the safeguarding of internal
security remain an area for which Member States are responsible, combating terrorism is in the Union’s
common interest,
it cited the
principles on which, in accordance with Article 6(1) of the TEU, the Union is founded, and it reiterated its
support for the action taken by Member States to combat terrorism, in compliance with the rule of law.

it drew attention to the anti-terrorist legislation adopted by the Union,

(2004/C 51 E/052)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0845/03

by Dana Scallon (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 March 2003)

Subject: EU development budget

Taking into account that the implementation procedure for the Budget 2003 has already started, and
taking into account that the budget for development aid has to remain within the limits of Chapter 4, how
will the Commission fulfil the request of the European Parliament voted in Plenary on 13 February 2003,
to increase the budget for reproductive and sexual health and rights in developing countries from
EUR 55,8 to EUR 73,95 million? (Budget line B7-6312).

From which budget line or from which fund will this money be taken?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(29 April 2003)

framework for

The Parliament proposed an increase in the financial
the period 2003-2006 for
reproductive and sexual health and rights in developing countries from EUR 60 million (proposal by the
Commission) to EUR 73,95 million. This increase implies that an additional EUR 4 to 5 million will have
to be provided annually in the budget years 2004-2006. In its Annual Policy Strategy for 2004, which also
adapts the programming under the remaining period of the Financial Perspectives up to 2006, the
Commission decided to increase the allocation to the development policy area by more than
EUR 50 million over the period 2004-2006,
inter alia to cover the additional amount required for
reproductive health. This increase comes from a decrease of the margins under heading 4 for the
remaining years of the current Financial Perspectives.

(2004/C 51 E/053)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0850/03

by María Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Council

(18 March 2003)

Subject: Disasters and the ‘European civil protection force’

In view of past experience of disasters in Europe and the shortcomings and deficiencies affecting Galicia,
the Cantabrian coast, Portugal and France in connection with the oil slick caused by the sinking of the
‘Prestige’, and taking into account the fact that the Convention’s working group on defence, chaired by
Commissioner Michel Barnier, has proposed the creation of a European civil protection force to work both