WRITTEN QUESTION P-1362/03 by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission. Alarming situation of Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang in Hanoi.
Date: 2003-04-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Viet Nam, freedom of religious beliefs, government violence, religious discrimination, restriction of liberty, right to justice

C 268 E/190

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

7.11.2003

As far as diagnosis of SARS is concerned, we still do not have a valid laboratory test. Researchers in several
countries are working towards developing fast and accurate laboratory tests for the SARS. However, until
those tests have been adequately field tested and shown to be reliable, SARS diagnosis remains dependent
on the clinical findings.

A specific SARS page reporting background, specific data and guidelines is maintained and regularly
updated on the European Commission Public Health website at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/
ph_threats/com/sars/sars_en.htm.

the relevant research areas. The
Europe has access to a rich resource of competence in most of
Commission is now investigating how to best provide support to research on SARS and other unforeseen
health threats posed by infectious diseases in the medium- to long-term perspective. The Commission has
been reporting to the Council and its working groups about actions taken on a regular basis, and will
continue to do so as requested. The decision to organise a special meeting of Health Ministers may be
taken by the Presidency taking into account the expected added value of the meeting held at this level.

(1) Decision No 2119/1998/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 1998 setting up a network for
the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the Community, OJ L 268, 3.10.1998.

(2003/C 268 E/213)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1362/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(4 April 2003)

Subject: Alarming situation of Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang in Hanoi

Only a few days after Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV)
was visited by diplomats from EU Member States, the Commission and the United States during his
convalescence in Hanoi, his situation has taken a sudden turn for the worse. According to the International
Buddhist Information Bureau (IBIB), the Hanoi authorities have reacted adversely to the Patriarch’s recent
6-point statement calling for his immediate release and that of his deputy Thich Quang Do, the re-
establishment of the UBCV’s legitimate status, an assurance of the UBCV’s complete independence of all
political control, and a guarantee of the UBCV’s right freely to organise humanitarian operations.

Three UBCV dignitaries who had accompanied the Patriarch to Hanoi were forced to leave under threat of
imminent arrest, and the Patriarch himself is unable to leave the capital. In a phone conversation with IBIB
Director Vo Van Ai, the Patriarch said the authorities were pressing him to go to the Nguyen Thieu
Monastery (Binh Dinh province) instead of returning to Nghia Hanh (Quang Ngai province), where he has
been detained without trial for the past 21 years. This is part of a government campaign to transfer the
Patriarch to Binh Dinh and place him under house arrest, whilst claiming that he has been released. The
Patriarch said he had reiterated to the authorities that he would only move from Quang Ngai when he had
received official release papers. He would then return to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), where he was arrested
in 1982.

initiative is to be warmly welcomed (cid:1) aware of these recent
Is the Commission (cid:1) whose recent
intend to take regarding this new
developments concerning the Patriarch? What
campaign of harassment against him? More generally, given the Hanoi authorities’ total obduracy towards
freedom of religion and expression, does it not feel that it should call upon EU Member States to issue an
extremely serious warning on this matter to the Vietnamese authorities?

initiatives does it

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2003)

As the Honourable Member is certainly aware the situation concerning the Supreme Patriach of the
Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, has evolved since the submission of
the question. He has in particular been received by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, but has also
been allowed to return to Quang Ngai Province.

7.11.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 268 E/191

The Commission is aware that these events do not automatically entail a change with regard to the legal
status of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, which remains banned in the country. The Commission
will continue to monitor closely the situation of Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, but considers that these
recent gestures by the Government of Vietnam are an encouraging step towards enhanced tolerance of
freedom of religion.

Moreover, the Commission would refer to its reply to the Honourable Member’s previous written question
concerning the Venerable Thich Huyen Quang E-0621/03 (1).

(1) See page 115.

(2003/C 268 E/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1369/03

by Antonio Di Pietro (ELDR) to the Commission

(11 April 2003)

Subject: Protection of the rights of property buyers

The Italian bankruptcy law, which was drawn up in 1942, fails to protect the rights of consumers who
purchase apartments under construction in cases where the construction company goes bankrupt.

While in most European countries legislators have passed substantial measures safeguarding purchasers of
property under construction, not least in view of the fact that such purchasers are generally small savers
who invest all their assets in the purchase of a dwelling, the legislation in force in Italy is an outright
breach of Article 1 of the First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights. More specifically,
Article 72 of the bankruptcy law allows the receiver to annul the preliminary contract for the sale of
property under construction and also in some cases the final deed, even if the buyer has already paid (in
whole or in substantial part) for the construction of the property, and even if this is already complete and
the buyer has entered into possession of and is occupying the premises.

Many property buyers are therefore forced to purchase for a second time a dwelling that they have already
almost paid for in full so as to prevent its sale by auction, or to look for an alternative dwelling and forfeit
not only the one they have already purchased but also all the funds they have invested in it. Unfortunately,
in spite of the huge losses which thousands of Italian families (200 000 according to ISTAT data) have
suffered as a result of this legislation, the continual failure of the Italian authorities to address this problem
has been conducive to judicial sales by auction, at the rate of 82 a day, which wipe out the savings of
Italian families who thought they had already purchased their property.

Will the Commission call on the Italian Government to pass urgent legislation in line with that in the
other Member States which is more attentive to the needs of its own consumers, thereby curtailing the
entrepreneurial risk carried by unsuspecting Italian families?

Does it not consider that, in a single market, all European citizens should benefit from equal protection in
the form of harmonised rules that govern the housing market with greater effectiveness and transparency
and fully protect the rights of European consumers?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(27 May 2003)

The Commission recognises that the situation described by the Honourable Member may give rise to
problems for purchasers in Italy. However, the acquisition and financing of immovable property is still a
matter for national law and largely unaffected by Community legislation. In view of the nature of such
property the functioning of the internal market is less affected by national legislation in this area than in