WRITTEN QUESTION P-1139/03 by Joke Swiebel (PSE) to the Commission. Extortion against holidaymakers travelling through Bulgaria.
Date: 2003-03-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Bulgaria, EU financing, EU relations, corruption, customs profession, legal action, rule of law

C 88 E/18

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

In answer to questions put by members of the Netherlands Second Chamber (883, parliamentary year
2002-2003), State Secretary Van Eijck wrote that, as it has proved impossible to find a bilateral solution,
the matter is now being discussed by the Committee on Excise Duties and the European Commission has
promised to bring forward a proposal to deal with the problems of implementation that may arise in this
connection.

1. When can such a proposal be anticipated?

Does the Commission share the view that farmers should be able to use the special diesel in the fuel

2.
tanks of farm vehicles without problems when entering another Member State?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 2003)

The problem referred to by the Honourable Member is indeed being discussed in the Committee on
1.
Excise Duties. On its meeting of 4 April 2003 all Member States except Germany could accept the
following practical solution: Member States that apply the normal rate of excise duty for fuel used by, for
example, agricultural vehicles, should accept that vehicles from another Member State can use on their
territory fuel, supplied in that other Member State at a reduced rate or exempted. The approval by Member
States only refers to the fuel, containing the common fiscal marker, which is already in the vehicle’s
standard tanks. If these vehicles have to refuel whilst operating in a Member State that applies the normal
rate, they must do so with fuel taxed at the normal rate.

The Honourable Member is correct; a German court has referred the matter to the European Court of
2.
Justice for a preliminary ruling (case 292/02). The view of the Commission is outlined in the above-
mentioned solution. The Commission is awaiting the decision of the European Court of Justice.

(2004/C 88 E/0017)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1139/03

by Joke Swiebel (PSE) to the Commission

(24 March 2003)

Subject: Extortion against holidaymakers travelling through Bulgaria

In recent years, Netherlands residents have very regularly been the victims of extortion and other unfair
practices by government officials while in transit through Bulgaria on the way to Turkey during the
summer holidays. Sums of money are taken from them in various ways, including in the form of fines, as
‘tolls’ or for ‘visas’ at the border. A file containing accounts confirming such practices, compiled by the
Netherlands Foundation entitled ‘Participation Organisation for Turks in the Netherlands’, will be
forwarded to you.

Under the 2002 PHARE programme, Bulgaria has received money from the EU to enable it, among other
things, to take anti-corruption measures and to (further) develop a policy on customs and border controls.
A total of EUR 36 million is available for this sub-heading (1).

In a few months it will be the summer holidays again and many people will be wanting to travel to Turkey
via Bulgaria and the Balkans. Can the Commission state how the execution of the PHARE programme in
Bulgaria works, particularly in the terms of combatting corruption by police officers and in customs and
border control policy? What measures has the Commission taken to bring the problem of extortion against
holiday-makers in Bulgaria to the attention of the relevant Bulgarian authorities? What solution has been
found to prevent yet more holidaymakers being the victim of such practices in future? Can the
Commission confirm that legal redress exists for holiday-makers who have been cheated in this way? If not,
what does the Commission plan to do about it?

(1) Source: SEC(2002) 1400, p. 13.

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/19

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(25 April 2003)

in 1993
Considering that the criteria for membership agreed by the Copenhagen European Council
(21/22 June 1993) include the guaranteeing of the rule of law, the Commission attaches great importance
to the development of effective and non-discriminatory law enforcement in Bulgaria, including effective
complaint mechanisms for corruption-related matters. Although the Commission is not in a position to
inquire into individual cases in the area of justice and home affairs,
it monitors respect of Bulgaria’s
commitment to the rule of law and regularly reports to the Parliament and to the Member States.

The Commission clearly states in the 2002 Regular Report (1) on Bulgaria that police corruption is
perceived to be a problem and that cases of bribery in the traffic and border police have been raised by
Union citizens driving in and through the country.

Following the Commission’s request
Association Committee,
Agreement. Bulgaria’s progress in this area will be continuously monitored until the date of accession.

the issue will continue to be discussed in the framework of

the Union/Bulgaria
the Europe

for improvements at

the last meeting of

Bulgaria has been repeatedly invited to take appropriate measures in order to prevent incidents of the
specific character described in the complaints and to inform the Commission of the results of its actions.
In response to this, the Bulgarian authorities have taken a number of specific measures (preventive and
repressive) which they have communicated to the Commission in August 2002 in a document entitled:
‘Measures taken by the Bulgarian Law Enforcement authorities aimed at more effective counteraction
against Road crime’. The Commission continues to closely monitor the situation, also in the framework of
the accession assistance (PHARE) and via the accession negotiations.

As concerns the 2002 PHARE programme, all project proposals designed to contribute to the fight against
corruption were regarded as a matter of priority. Four anti-corruption projects were approved, one of
which exclusively covers corruption within the police forces. Additional PHARE projects are being
implemented to support the reform of the public administration, including the customs administration,
and the judiciary. All these projects are described in detail on: (http://www.evropa.bg). Further projects in
all three reform areas have been proposed under the PHARE 2003 programme which is now under
consideration by the Member States.

(1) COM(2002) 700 final.

(2004/C 88 E/0018)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1142/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Protection of archaeological museum exhibits in Iraq

(1 April 2003)

According to the Greek press, the National Archaeological Museum of Iraq is regarded as one of the most
important archaeological museums in the Middle East, the other being situated in Cairo. The National
Archaeological Museum of Iraq was open for only two years following damage sustained during the
‘Desert Storm’ operation in 1991 and a few days ago it once more closed down following the threat of
further attack. The museum contains exhibits from the prehistoric age and from Sumerian, Acadian,
Babylonian, Assyrian, Chaldean and other civilisations.

When the destruction of cultural treasures in Afghanistan was being witnessed by the international
community, I submitted a question to the Commission (P-0822/01) (1) asking what it thought of the idea
of setting up a special EU fund for buying up cultural treasures threatened with destruction and whether
funds were available to protect the world’s cultural heritage. In reply I was informed that ‘the budget of the
Community does not contain provision for the funding of measures destined to protect the world cultural
heritage and that there are at present no plans by the Community to create a special fund to buy cultural
treasures threatened with destruction’.