WRITTEN QUESTION E-1920/03 by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Imports of preserved mandarin segments from China.
Date: 2003-06-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, European Commission, Spain, citrus fruit, common commercial policy, import (EU), international commercial arbitration, operation of the Institutions, protective clause, trade relations

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/363

The amendments to the Law on Citizenship of October 2002 also aim at contributing to the resolution of
the problem of the ‘erased’ by stipulating easier procedures for obtaining Slovenian citizenship for stateless
people.

The question of citizenship of newly emerged states is a particularly complex one. A nationality of a
Member State is entirely a matter for the Member States concerned, as the Declaration on nationality of a
Member State appended to the Treaty of Maastricht confirms (1). It is therefore for each Member State,
having due regard to Community law, to lay down the conditions for acquisition and loss of nationality (2).
However, the Commission has encouraged the Slovenian authorities to resolve this issue and has followed
up progress made in its yearly Regular Reports under the political criteria section.

(1) Declaration no 2 on nationality of a Member State, OJ C 191, 29.7.1992.
(2) See judgement of the Court of Justice in case C-369/90 Micheletti of 7.7.1992, ECR 1992.

(2004/C 88 E/0368)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1646/03

by María Rodríguez Ramos (PSE) to the Commission

(16 May 2003)

Subject: Application of the safeguard clause in respect of imports into the EU of tinned mandarin-orange

segments from China

Last October I submitted a priority written question (P-2956/02 (1)) to the Commission on the application
of the safeguard clause in respect of the overwhelming increase in imports of tinned mandarin-orange
segments from China.

In its answer the Commission indicated that it was waiting for the Spanish authorities to provide the
necessary documentation since the information previously submitted did not meet the WTO’s strict
regulations.

Can the Commission confirm whether the Spanish authorities have already submitted all the relevant
information requested?

If this is the case, what are the reasons preventing the Commission from taking the steps set out for such
cases in Regulation (EC) 2201/96 (2)?

(1) OJ C 161 E, 10.7.2003, p. 55.
(2) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29.

(2004/C 88 E/0369)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1920/03

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Imports of preserved mandarin segments from China

(12 June 2003)

On 5 June 2002, because of massive imports of preserved mandarin segments from the People’s Republic
of China, Spain urgently requested application of Regulation (EC) No 2201/96 (1), in particular Article 22
thereof concerning the safeguard clause in the event of the Community market being disturbed by imports.

If the Commission considered its application dubious, because of China’s entry into the WTO or for some
other reason, can it say:

(cid:1) why it did not apply the measures laid down in Regulation (EC) No 3285/94 (2) establishing common
rules for imports, after receiving all the relevant reports from the Spanish Government, the latest in
March 2003;

C 88 E/364

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

(cid:1) why it did not apply Council Regulation (EC) No 427/2003 (3) on a transitional product-specific

safeguard mechanism for imports originating in the People’s Republic of China?

The Community market
is being
irreversibly damaged and seriously disturbed. When does the Commission envisage adopting measures to
protect its own market?

in mandarin segments, originating almost exclusively in Spain,

(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29.
(2) OJ L 349, 31.12.1994, p. 53.
(3) OJ L 65, 8.3.2003, p. 1.

(2004/C 88 E/0370)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1921/03

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(12 June 2003)

Subject: Preserved mandarin segments from China

The enormous increase in imports of preserved mandarin segments from China has seriously upset the
Community market, whose mandarin segment production is located almost exclusively in Spain and fell by
36 % between the 1998/1999 and 2001/2002 marketing years.

Bearing in mind the safeguard clause in Article 22 of Council Regulation (EC) 2201/96 (1) which states that
if the Community market is seriously disturbed by imports the Commission shall, at the request of a
Member State or on its own initiative, decide upon the necessary measures within three working days
following receipt of the request.

Why has the Commission not adopted any measure, in view of the serious situation there has been since
5 June 2002, when the Spanish Government urgently requested implementation of such measures?

Why has the Commission not adopted any measures on its own initiative?

(1) OJ L 297, 21.11.1996, p. 29.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1646/03, E-1920/03 and E-1921/03
given by Mr Lamy on behalf of the Commission

(25 July 2003)

The Commission would like to take this opportunity to inform the Honourable Members that it has now
received a fully documented request from the Spanish Government under Article 5 of Council Regulation
(EC) No 427/2003 of 3 March 2003 on a transitional product-specific safeguard mechanism for imports
originating in the People’s Republic of China and amending Regulation (EC) No 519/94 on common rules
for imports from certain third countries (1).

The Commission recognises the urgency of this request, which it is already in the course of analysing, and
a copy of the request has been sent to all Member States with a view to consultation.

(1) OJ L 65, 8.3.2003.