WRITTEN QUESTION P-0909/03 by Seán Ó Neachtain (UEN) to the Commission. Communicating with the European Commission in the Irish Language (Gaeilge).
Date: 2003-03-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Commission, Internet site, Ireland, access to EU information, dissemination of EU information, electronic mail, official language, use of languages

C 280 E/112

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

21.11.2003

The additional costs are justified by the inclusion of the above-mentioned services. These services are

3.
cheaper to acquire via the tender than they are to organise internally.

4. Within the context of a ‘global’ contractor for office supplies, future calls for tender of this type will
seek to acquire ‘ecological’ paper which satisfies the administrative requirement of the Commission for
effective communication whilst meeting the strictest possible ecological criteria.

This approach will allow the Commission to open up the market as widely as possible to producers of
ecological paper
to be achieved
simultaneously.

thus ensuring low costs and strict respect

for the environment

Finally, this issue will be addressed within the framework of the implementation of the eco-management
and audit scheme (EMAS) (1) in the Commission. Following the Commission Decision of 7 September
2001 (2), three Commission services (Secretariat General, Directorate General for Personnel and Adminis-
tration, and Directorate General for Environment), with the addition of the recently created office for
infrastructures and logistics (cid:1) Bruxelles (OIB), will set up a management system which will enable the
Commission to continuously improve the environmental performance of its daily activities.

(1) Regulation No 761/2001 of the Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2001 allowing voluntary participation

by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) (cid:1) OJ L 114, 24.4.2001.

(2) Commission Decision 2001/681/EC of 7 September 2001 on guidance for the implementation of Regulation (EC)
the Parliament and of the Council allowing voluntary participation by organisations in a
(notified under document number C(2001) 2504) (cid:1)

No 761/2001 of
Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)
OJ L 247, 17.9.2001.

(2003/C 280 E/127)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0909/03

by Seán Ó Neachtain (UEN) to the Commission

(18 March 2003)

Subject: Communicating with the European Commission in the Irish Language (Gaeilge)

According to Article 21 of the Treaty, any citizen of the Union has the right to write to the European
Commission in one of the languages referred to in Article 314 and receive an answer in the same
language. The list referred to includes the Irish language (Gaeilge). In spite of these Treaty requirements, no
provision is made for selecting Gaeilge as either a first or second choice language when filling in the
M@ilbox form on the General Information Services page of the Commission (http://europa.eu.int/geninfo/
mailbox/form_en.htm). What action does the Commission propose to take to correct this situation and
ensure that Article 21 of the Treaty is respected and that citizens may correspond electronically ‘as Gaeilge’
with the Commission?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(16 April 2003)

The Honourable Member’s description of the legal framework regarding written correspondence with the
European Union institutions is legally correct. The second paragraph of Article 314 of the EC Treaty lists
‘Irish’ as one of the languages in which the text of the Treaty is binding, whereas paragraph 3 of Article 21
stipulates that every citizen of the Union has the right to address and receive an answer in one of the
languages mentioned in Article 314. Thus, since Irish stands for Gaelic, any citizen may write to the
Commission in Gaelic and have an answer in the same language. However, Gaelic is not mentioned in
Regulation No 1/1958 of the EEC determining the languages to be used by the European Economic
Community (1) and in its successive modifications as one of the official and working languages of the
Union.

Since the launch of the European Union’s website, Europa, in 1995, the Commission has extended the
general principle of using all the official Union languages to electronic publishing.

21.11.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 280 E/113

In addition to official documents, the Europa website (http://europa.eu.int) offers the public a large volume
of unofficial information. The Commission’s aim here, subject to technical constraints and the availability
of human and budgetary resources,
is to do its utmost to give the general public access in whatever
language they choose. This will still be a priority objective after the forthcoming enlargement.

(1) OJ B 17, 6.10.1958.

(2003/C 280 E/128)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0919/03

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) and Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) to the Council

Subject: Release by the Netherlands authorities of Mullah Krekar

(24 March 2003)

Is the Council aware that
international Islamic organisation Ansar al-Islam?

the Netherlands authorities have released Mullah Krekar,

leader of

the

Is the Council aware that Mullah Krekar, who was arrested at Amsterdam airport after being expelled from
Iran is currently in Norway where he has refugee status?

Is the Council aware that the terrorist organisation headed by Mullah Krekar is said to have produced and
tested chemical and biological weapons, including ricin, a lethal toxin for which there is currently no
vaccine?

What action will the Council take to counteract Mullah Krekar’s activities and prevent him from ever
entering the European Union, thereby ensuring that in future he is unable to move around within the EU
as he did in the years leading up to his arrest?

What action will it take to ensure that Norway keeps a watchful eye on the activities of Mullah Krekar’s
and his organisation, which seems to be recruiting many of the Al-Qa’ida members who escaped from
Afghanistan?

Reply

(22 July 2003)

The questions raised by the Honourable Member have not been referred to the Council.

(2003/C 280 E/129)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0940/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(26 March 2003)

Subject: Construction of a hotel complex on the islet of Alata and environmental consequences

Local municipalities, environmental organisations and the Technical Chamber of Commerce of Magnesia
have expressed alarm at the environmental damage likely to be caused by the tourist development of the
small island of Alata in the Pagasitikos Gulf.

Given that:

(cid:1) Agenda 21 considers small

islands sensitive and fragile ecosystems where strict environmental

protection measures are necessary and only sustainable development is permissible;

(cid:1) A small island of 50 hectares clearly cannot accommodate a 1 000-bed hotel and a whole complex of
facilities covering 33 000 square metres without suffering serious environmental consequences and
damage to the landscape;