WRITTEN QUESTION P-1607/03 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Repeated violations of human rights in Cuba.
Date: 2003-05-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cuba, EU relations, cooperation agreement (EU), human rights, political prisoner, prison system

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/357

In addition the Council Recommendation on the prevention and reduction of risks associated with drug
dependence, which is ready for adoption by the Council includes a range of measures which are relevant:

(cid:1) developing and implementing adequate evaluation protocols for all drug prevention and risk reduction

programmes;

(cid:1) establishing and implementing evaluation quality criteria, taking into account the Recommendations

of the Emcdda;

(cid:1) organising standardised data-collection and information dissemination according to the Emcdda

recommendations through the Reitox National Focal Points (1).

(1) The European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction (Reitox) consists of one national focal point
(NFP) set up in each of the 15 EU Member States and in Norway, and one at the European Commission. The role of
a Focal point involves co-ordinating its national information centres to meet the EMCDDA’s requirements for a set
of core data, annual National Reports on the drug situation in each Member State and a national information
network (http://www.emcdda.org/partners/nfp.shtml).

(2004/C 88 E/0363)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1607/03

by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 May 2003)

Subject: Repeated violations of human rights in Cuba

In the first few months of 2003 the Communist regime in Cuba decided to silence democratic dissent,
targeting journalists, opponents and advocates of human rights. On 18 March Fidel Castro’s police arrested
about 80 people who were complaining about the lack of democracy.

On 1 April eleven opponents of the regime hijacked a ferry in order to escape to the United States. Three
of the young men involved were executed 10 days later.

Since then there have been further reports concerning the inhuman conditions in Cuba’s prisons. Castro
turned down the UN’s request to be allowed to inspect the island’s prisons to ascertain whether they
respect human rights. According to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation
there are about 300 political prisoners in Cuba.

What steps will the Commission take to help safeguard human rights in Cuba?

Does the Commission President Romano Prodi intend to ask Fidel Castro directly whether Commission and
Parliament representatives may visit to ascertain whether and how EU cooperation funding is used?

How does the Commission intend to safeguard the rights of European citizens living and working on the
island?

Does Mr Prodi intend to back the request made by 31 Italian MEPs calling for a cooperation agreement
between the Union and the Cuban dictator to be signed without any prior check as to how democratic
Cuban institutions are?

C 88 E/358

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(18 June 2003)

The recent large-scale arrest of dissidents, the unfair trials and the arbitrary and excessive sentences
imposed on them, as well as the execution of three Cuban citizens accused of hijacking a Cuban ferry,
have had a prompt, firm and sustained reaction from the Union. The Commission has fully and actively
supported the actions that have been taken in this context.

The Commission, together with the Member States, has strongly condemned such arrests in a declaration
published on 26 March 2003, which was followed by a Union démarche in Havana to urge the Cuban
authorities to allow the prisoners’ immediate release. A second Union démarche in Havana took place on
18 April 2003, following the Foreign Ministers’ statement issued on 14 April 2003.

Further measures have recently been agreed, including limits to high-level visits.

The Commission decided on 30 April 2003 to defer the examination of the Cuban application for
accession to the Cotonou Agreement, signalling that these recent developments are not conducive to co-
operation between the Union and Cuba.

The Cuban authorities decided on 16 May 2003 to withdraw their application.

As far as the Community cooperation funding is concerned, the recent opening of a Delegation in Havana
makes possible a closer follow-up of the use of funds. Community cooperation is focused since 2000 on
projects promoting economic reform and civil society development. Seven of the projects financed by the
Commission in Cuba were subject to an independent monitoring mission contracted by the Commission in
2002, and a new monitoring mission is foreseen during the third quarter of 2003.

Issues regarding the rights of European citizens in Cuba are the responsibility of their respective national
authorities.

(2004/C 88 E/0364)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1629/03

by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 May 2003)

Subject: Promoting fair-trade products in the EU

During Fair Trade Week, which begins on 3 May, campaigners in Finland will draw attention to fair-trade
products and seek to persuade members of churches, among others, to increase their use of fair-trade
coffee.

In reply to my written question P-3856/02 of 24 January 2003 (1), Commissioner Pascal Lamy wrote: ‘In
the long run, however, only a sustained trend of increased demand for fair trade products by European
consumers is likely to lead to large reductions in prices [of fair-trade products].’

Would it be possible for the EU to promote demand for fair-trade products by publicising European Fair
Trade Week (3 to 9 May) and by committing itself to the ideas already endorsed when the European
Communities were set up concerning the beneficial
impact of cross-border economic cooperation on
stability? (After all, Schuman Day also falls during the same week).

Will the Commission for its part promote demand for fair-trade products by means of public procurement
in the Community institutions and Member States?

(1) OJ C 70 E, 20.3.2004, p. 26.