WRITTEN QUESTION P-1554/03 by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Afghanistan Coordination Return Group.
Date: 2003-05-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Afghanistan, political refugee, repatriation grant, transparency in decision-making

C 33 E/132

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2004

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(16 June 2003)

The Commission has considered the points raised very carefully when it prepared its proposal to establish
a Community-wide scheme for greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading.

Generally, the Commission considers it important to distinguish carefully between targets and instruments.
Emission allowance trading is the instrument used to contribute to the implementation of the targets
accepted by the Community and its Member States in the context of the Kyoto Protocol. The general
objective of the proposed Directive is to create a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading
within the Community by establishing a Community framework and ensuring a Community-wide market
for emission allowances. Such an instrument is a cornerstone in the Commission’s strategy for reaching the
Kyoto target in the most cost-effective way. Compared to other instruments, emissions trading is likely to
reduce the cost of emission reductions by ensuring that these reductions are made where they are least
costly.

Emissions trading as a Community instrument will establish a single market and guarantee a common
price for allowances for all participating companies. This will mitigate any potential distortions.

The Community instrument furthermore enables the transfer of allowances within the internal market and
does therefore provide to accompany the transfer of production capacities with a corresponding transfer of
allowances both within and across Member State borders during a trading period. To what extent a
company would temporarily benefit from the closure of an installation depends on the transposition of the
Directive into Member State law.

The Directive makes the operator of an installation only accountable for direct emissions released on-site.
Activities of operators to indirectly reduce greenhouse gas emissions do not fall under the scope of the
Directive.

(2004/C 33 E/131)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1554/03

by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Afghanistan Coordination Return Group

(2 May 2003)

This question is with reference to the meeting of the Afghanistan Coordination Return Group (ACRG)
which is taking place on 30 April.

In light of the fact that the President of the UK Afghan Association is no longer invited to take part, please
could the Commission inform us:

(cid:1) Which organisations are the Commission and Council consulting on the issue?

(cid:1) How many Afghans or Afghan organisations themselves are directly involved in Commission and

Council discussions on the issue, as opposed to intermediaries?

(cid:1) Does the Commission envisage any opportunities for Afghan associations (other than any already

consulted) to be able to input to the discussion?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(4 June 2003)

The meeting of the Afghanistan Co-ordination Return Group (ACRG) to which the Honourable Member
refers did take place on 30 April 2003 with the participation of those Member States who are particularly
concerned with the issue of return of Afghan nationals. Several International Organisations and non-
governmental organisations (NGO’s) who are especially involved with return programs, human rights
monitoring, and refugee protection issues including UNHCR, Amnesty International, representatives of the
European Council of Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

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Official Journal of the European Union

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also participated. The organisations informed the ACRG on developments in Afghanistan and presented
their recommendations regarding return to Afghanistan this also been the case at most of the previous
four meetings thus providing the Group with helpful insights.

The Commission has never invited Afghan representatives from the Member States to the ACRG but has
relied on informal contacts with them and representation of their viewpoints by ECRE. In the case of this
particular meeting, the statement provided by the British Afghan Association to the Commission was
circulated among the ACRG and comments were invited thereon.

With regard to Afghans directly involved in the discussion on this issue, it needs to be pointed out that the
Commission fully consults with representatives of the Afghan government on all return issues. Both the
Union Special Representative together with the Head of the Bureau of the Commission in Kabul and the
Director General of the Directorate General Justice and Home Affairs of the Commission in Brussels, have
had meetings with the Afghan Minister of Refugees to this end. Furthermore, the Afghan Ambassador to
the Community has made use of our standing invitation to attend ACRG meetings several times.

(2004/C 33 E/132)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1572/03

by Christos Folias (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Protection of forests in the Community from fire

(8 May 2003)

The protection of forests from fires is a matter of particular importance and urgency for the Community in
view of the substantial contribution they make to preserving and developing farming and the countryside,
the survival of which depends in large measure on the presence and good condition of surrounding forest.
This role is under threat from fires, which affect large areas of forest every year, particularly in the
southern part of the Community.

Will the Commission therefore say what the European Community plans to do to support the volunteer
fire-fighting organisations in the Member States?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 2003)

The Commission has recognised that forests can be severely damaged by the effects of forest fires, which
mainly affect the forests of Southern Europe. Although the main responsibility for co-ordination and
implementation of any forest policy is at Member State level, the Union decided to help them in their
efforts to fight against forest fires. A scheme to protect and monitor forests against fire was consequently
established by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2158/92 of 23 July 1992 (1).

The scheme aimed to reduce the number of forest fire outbreaks and the extent of areas burnt through
forest protection plans prepared and implemented by Member States. The Regulation was revised several
times and expired on 31 December 2002.

for a Parliament and Council Regulation
On 15 July 2002 the Commission submitted a proposal
concerning the monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the Community (‘Forest Focus’) (2).
The purpose of this proposal is to establish a new Community scheme on the monitoring of forests and
environmental interactions to protect Community forests against pollution and forest fires. It would last six
years (from 2003 up to 2008) and incorporate new elements in order to assess forest ecosystem
conditions in a broader context.

The proposal includes: actions related to the monitoring of forest fires and their impact on forests, studies
on the effects of fires on the forest ecosystem, and integrated and demonstration projects that could assist
in better preventing forest fires and protecting the ecosystem. The proposal does not include forest fire