WRITTEN QUESTION P-2622/03 by Philip Claeys (NI) to the Commission. Relations with Libya.
Date: 2003-08-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, European neighbourhood policy, Libya, indemnification, international sanctions, terrorism

C 88 E/626

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

programme is now fully operational, the regional association of Caribbean rum producers, Wirspa, having
been strengthened in order to take care of the management of the different programme activities.

Rum is not included in the general arrangements of the Union’s current General system of preferences
(GSP) scheme which ends on 31 December 2004 although it is included in the GSP’s scheme for the least
developed countries for which imports of all products except arms and ammunition are duty-free (under
the so-called Everything but arms (EBA) scheme). The Commission does not foresee a change to the
situation with regards to rum even after the review of the current GSP.

(2004/C 88 E/0644)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2622/03

by Philip Claeys (NI) to the Commission

(28 August 2003)

Subject: Relations with Libya

Earlier this month the Libyan leader, Colonel Gadaffi, accepted responsibility for the bombing of PanAm
Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988. That act of terrorism claimed 207 lives. Libya is now prepared to pay
compensation to the next of kin, its intention in so doing being to have international sanctions lifted.

On 18 August 2003, Commission President Prodi had a telephone conversation with Colonel Gadaffi; they
spoke about the normalisation of Libya-EU relations. Libya is being invited to take part in the Euro-
Mediterranean Process.

Problems in connection with Libyan terrorist attacks in the past have not yet been completely resolved,
however. France opposes the lifting of sanctions against Libya until compensation has been paid to the
next of kin of the victims of the attack on a UTA aircraft over Niger in 1989. That attack claimed 170
lives. Is the Commission planning to normalise relations with Libya before this French request has been
complied with?

Libya has a dirty past with regard to conducting and backing international terrorism. Is normalisation of
relations with the EU tied to conditions and guarantees in this respect? What formal agreements are being
sought in this connection?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(19 September 2003)

United Nations (UN) sanctions have been imposed to Libya in 1992 and 1993 in relation to the Lockerbie
bombing. In 1999, against the background of Libyan co-operation with the Lockerbie investigation, the
UN suspended those sanctions. As a result of an agreement reached on Lockerbie between the United
States, the United Kingdom and Libya, a draft UN Security Council Resolution has been introduced by
United Kingdom/Bulgaria on 18 August 2003 to lift the UN sanctions.

It is in this context that Colonel Kadhafi called President Prodi. The President encouraged Libya to solve
Lockerbie and all other issues, on the basis of requests from the international community. Should the UN
sanctions be lifted as a result of a positive UN vote, yet to take place, this will constitute an important step
towards the reintegration of Libya into the international community. At present, Libya is an observer to
the Barcelona Process, and is invited to become a full member under the strict condition that it accepts the
Barcelona ‘acquis’ without any conditions (and also the lifting of the UN sanctions). Libya is also included
in the new neighbourhood policy of the Union, in the context of a relationship based on the respect of
shared values.

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/627

The UTA issue, which had been judged by the French judiciary, is being rediscussed as a result of the
Lockerbie deal (delaying the sanctions). If the UN sanctions are lifted, then those discussions between
France and Libya should conclude satisfactorily.

(2004/C 88 E/0645)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2660/03

by Elisabeth Jeggle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(10 September 2003)

Subject: Checks on invalid MOT (road worthiness inspection) disks in EU Member States

It has come to light that many Greek-owned private cars in Greece are still being run on German
registration plates with expired MOT disks.

This state of affairs prompts the following questions:

(cid:1) What rules and provisions must be taken into account when a car is sold within the EU?

(cid:1) For how long may Greek nationals continue to run German-registered cars?

(cid:1) What implications does it have if a German-registered car with an expired MOT disk is being driven

on the roads in Greece?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(5. November 2003)

Concerning the rules and the provisions which apply when a used passenger car, with a certificate of
conformity corresponding to a vehicle type for which EC type-approval has been granted, registered in that
Member State, is transferred for use in another Member State it is important to note that the carrying out
of checks on registration by the authorities of the Member State of destination is no longer justified. The
passenger car should be registered on the basis of EC type-approval, which is valid in all Member States.

If the vehicle has been granted a certificate of conformity on the basis of national type-approval, Member
States may not object to the type-approval and registration of that vehicle, for reasons relating to technical
characteristics, unless there are reasons regarding the protection of human health and life or of the
environment, in which case they must state them in detail and substantiate them. The fact that a vehicle
type-approved and registered in another Member State does not correspond to a type approved in the
Member State of destination or that its technical characteristics differ from those laid down in the law of
that State does not of itself constitute adequate grounds for refusing the type-approval and registration of
the vehicle concerned.

Roadworthiness tests on the physical condition of the vehicle are permissible provided that they are
necessary and non-discriminatory, that is, they are based on the same conditions and procedures as are
applied to vehicles previously registered in the Member State of destination.

A new or a used passenger car moved permanently to Greece has to be registered there if the private
individual who is the owner of the car has his normal residence in Greece. Under Community legislation (1)
normal residence means the place where a person usually lives, for at least 185 days in each calendar year,
because of personal and occupational ties. The Member State concerned (in this case, Greece) will fix the
period needed for such registration to take place (normally, it will have to be done within a short period).
This also applies when a car registered in Germany is permanently transferred into Greece following the
transfer of the normal residence of its owner to that Member State.

A passenger car with German plates can be moved temporarily to Greece for the private use of a private
individual who has his normal residence in a Member State different from Greece.
In this case, the
Community provisions in force (2) provide for a number of conditions to be fulfilled which include the
respect of the temporary character of the move which, generally, should not exceed six months in any
12 months.