WRITTEN QUESTION E-1634/03 by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Council. Discrimination on grounds of nationality.
Date: 2003-05-15
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU national, United Kingdom, bank, bank deposit, competence of the Member States, discrimination on the basis of nationality, free movement of workers, residence, workplace

26.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 51 E/119

Reply

(2 October 2003)

The Council has recently become aware of the reports referred to in the question of DPRK involvement in
drug activities in the Asia/Pacific region. The Council, so far, has not learnt about such incidents in Europe.

The Council has not yet taken any formal position on this particular question. The Council is, in general,
totally opposed to any such drug trafficking in any form. It will continue to monitor the situation.

(2004/C 51 E/134)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1634/03

by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 May 2003)

Subject: Discrimination on grounds of nationality

The European Community’s development is no longer confined to the economic sphere. The Community
is now made up of 375 million people, who are not merely consumers in a large single market, but also
citizens of the European Union who have the right to move freely within the EU and to settle in any part
of that Union for personal or professional reasons and who hope they can live without fear of being
discriminated against in any way.

I have been contacted by a Portuguese national who has opted for an international career with Shell
Accounting Service in Glasgow, and has been living and working in the United Kingdom (Scotland) for
some two years. He maintains that he has been discriminated against on account of his nationality by the
Halifax Bank (a member of the Bank of Scotland group), which has rejected his request for his bank
account to be ‘upgraded’ on the grounds that this is only possible once a person has been resident in the
country for three years. As an EU citizen, does he not have the same rights and duties as a UK national?

Article 12 of the EC Treaty stipulates that ‘within the scope of this Treaty, and without prejudice to any
special provisions contained therein, any discrimination on grounds of nationality shall be prohibited’.
Does the Council agree that the Halifax Bank’s policy may be considered discriminatory in that it is
contrary to the very essence of the European Union and constitutes a clear violation of the principle of
non-discrimination enshrined in the Treaty?

Reply

(2 October 2003)

The Council agrees with the Honourable Member as to the importance of prohibiting all forms of
discrimination on grounds of nationality, as stipulated in Article 12 of the EC Treaty.

However, it is not for the Council to comment on the situation reported in the question.

(2004/C 51 E/135)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1635/03

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 May 2003)

Subject: Property of non-Muslim communities in Turkey

There are non-Muslim communities in Turkey (Greek Christian Orthodox, Armenians, Jews, Catholics etc.)
with various institutions which own property. For decades, Turkey has pursued a policy (cid:1) using various