WRITTEN QUESTION E-0912/03 by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission. Racism and racial attacks in candidate countries.
Date: 2003-03-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Roma, Slovakia, accession criteria, accession to the European Union, equal treatment, ethnic discrimination

C 78 E/24

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Consequently, the Commission can inform the Honorable Member that the municipalities of Ancona and
Fiumicino did not fit the criteria for participating in the Customs 2002 programme and therefore did not
submit projects or secured any funding.

(1) The Programme Decision gives a detailed overview of the objectives of the programme. (Customs 2002 Decision No

210/97/EC of 19 December 1996, amended by Decision No 105/2000/EC of 17 December 1999).
Information Exchange and Communication Systems.
For instance seminars, exchanges, working or benchmarking groups.

(2)
(3)

(2004/C 78 E/0025)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0895/03

by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission

(17 March 2003)

Subject: Agro-business Bank of Georgia

Does the Commission intend to re-open the tendering process for the Agro-business Bank in Georgia?

If, in the light of new circumstances, this is the case, when is the process likely to be resumed?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2003)

The tendering process for the project ‘Strengthening the capacity of the Agro Business Bank of Georgia’
was completed in 2002. However, due to the kidnapping of a former project’s Team Leader, Mr. Shaw, the
Commission decided to keep this and other Georgian projects on hold. Once the situation was unblocked
and following a careful analysis of the most appropriate options for the future of the Agro Business Bank,
it was recently decided to sign the contract with the winner of last year’s tender. The implementation of
the project has just started.

(2004/C 78 E/0026)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0912/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(24 March 2003)

Subject: Racism and racial attacks in candidate countries

Following the report of the European Parliament on countering racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism in
the candidate countries (A5-0055/2000) and recent reports from the UK House of Lords which suggest
that reports by the Ellis enlargement commission do not give an adequate picture of the persecution of the
Roma in Hungary, Poland and the Czech and Slovak Republics, what is the Commission doing to remind
candidate governments of their responsibility to combat discrimination against the Roma people?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 2003)

In the context of protection of human rights and minorities, the Commission considers the principle of
anti-discrimination to be a very important part of the Community ‘acquis’, as laid down notably in
Article 13 of the EC Treaty and in the Council Directives 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the

27.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/25

principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin (1) and 2000/78/EC of
27 November 2000 establishing a general
in employment and
occupation (2) and as reaffirmed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

framework for equal

treatment

The Commission has paid close attention to the fulfilment of these criteria. In its progress reports for the
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, the Commission has attached high importance to the
situation of the Roma minority. Whilst underlining the progress achieved over a number of years, the
reports have clearly identified the remaining problems and have called for continued efforts to remedy any
remaining weaknesses. The Reports also underlined the need to fully transpose Directives 2000/43/EC and
including the
2000/78/EC and to make further efforts to comply with Article 13 of the EC Treaty,
establishment of an Equality Body. These issues are raised at all appropriate occasions and at the highest
political level.

Necessary arrangements are also made to allow the participation of the Candidate Countries in the
Community programme against discrimination. Moreover, Phare is also funding important and specific
assistance programmes in this field. For example, the Phare 2001 Programme allocated EUR 3 million for a
civil society project in the Czech Republic to encourage participation of the Roma in public life, and
EUR 5 million to a social integration programme in Hungary which puts special emphasis on the Roma
population. A further EUR 10 million was allocated in Slovakia to support infrastructure and education
projects which will benefit the Roma. The PHARE 2002 Programme provided EUR 0,5 million to increase
the effectiveness of policies and programmes promoting Roma integration in Hungary, and a further
EUR 3 million to promote anti-discrimination and tolerance towards the Roma in Hungary. PHARE 2003
has allocated EUR 1 million for a project to improve the long-term opportunities of the Roma in the Czech
Republic.

The Commission will continue to closely monitor and support preparations for accession in the area of
non-discrimination.

(1) OJ L 180, 19.7.2000.
(2) OJ L 303, 2.12.2000.

(2004/C 78 E/0027)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0922/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Serbia; assassination of the Prime Minister; instability

(24 March 2003)

On 12 March the Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, was brutally murdered. The reason for the
assassination seems to have been his determination to combat organised crime.

Can the Commission say:

(cid:1) what information it has regarding who committed the crime;

(cid:1) whether it considers that the Union should assist the Republic of Serbia at this time of emergency and

political and social instability;

(cid:1) whether it will be willing to continue to provide this assistance with regard to fighting crime and

consolidating democratic institutions in Serbia;

(cid:1) how it will be able to do this?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(8 May 2003)

The Commission has on various occasions,
including during a personal visit by the Member of the
Commission responsible for External Relations, the day after the assassination and the attendance of
President Prodi at the funeral of Prime Minister Djindjic, strongly condemned this horrible deed and voiced
its strong support for Serbia and Montenegro at this critical junction.