WRITTEN QUESTION E-2058/03 by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. ACP bananas.
Date: 2003-06-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: ACP countries, EU aid, application of EU law, financial aid, import policy, tropical fruit

C 88 E/62

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(12 August 2003)

The Latvian Police Law, which was adopted in 1991, does indeed prohibit police officers from forming
trade unions.

The Convention for the Protection of Human and Fundamental Rights, and notably in its Article 11(2), last
sentence, provides, however, for lawful restrictions to the freedom of association with respect to the police.
Moreover, certain articles of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention also allow for such
restrictions.

The Social Charter of the Council of Europe, which was ratified by Latvia in 2002, also allows the
contracting parties to determine by national law or regulations the extent to which the right to organise
shall apply to the police.

The European Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights which does not contain any such restriction is not
yet a legally binding text. Even if it was so, it would not be applicable in areas which are not related to the
exercice of Community competences.

Within the limits of its mandate, the Commission continues to follow this issue, as well as other social
fundamental and human rights issues throughout the accession process.

(2004/C 88 E/0067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2058/03

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(20 June 2003)

Subject: ACP bananas

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1609/1999 (1) established a framework for temporary technical and
financial assistance for traditional ACP suppliers of bananas with a view to enabling them to adapt to new
market conditions in the banana sector or to diversify where their products were insufficiently competitive.

Now, however, questions are being asked about the method used for the calculation of the assistance and
about the transparency of that method, where double standards seem to apply.

In meetings with OCAB (the pineapple and banana growers central organisation), the Commission has
already admitted that the use of statistics supplied by Eurostat results in the Regulation being the
incorrectly implemented, but it has apparently taken no steps whatsoever to rectify the situation.

What does the Commission intend to do to ensure that Regulation (EC) No 1609/1999 is correctly
implemented?

(1) OJ L 190, 23.7.1999, p. 14.

(2004/C 88 E/0068)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2091/03

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(24 June 2003)

Subject: Rules for calculating aid for tropical products from ACP countries

The central organisation of pineapple and banana producers and exporters in the Ivory Coast has
forwarded me a copy of a letter sent to the Commission on 28 May 2003. As for all the ACP countries
which export pineapples and bananas, this activity is crucial for the Ivory Coast, and it is also crucial that
the EU institutions should have clear, objective and fair rules regarding imports from these countries.
I therefore read the above letter, in my capacity as vice-chairman of the Committee on Budgetary Control,
with great concern.