WRITTEN QUESTION E-2781/03 by Maurizio Turco (NI), Marco Pannella (NI),Marco Cappato (NI), Benedetto Della Vedova (NI), Gianfranco Dell'Alba (NI)and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission. Violation of religious freedom in China — the Falun Gong.
Date: 2003-09-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, freedom of religious beliefs, government violence, human rights, religious group

C 65 E/216

Official Journal of the European Union

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13.3.2004

Regarding the last question, the role of the Bureau is specified on its website (3):

(cid:1) to promote active EU policy-making in favour of regional or minority languages and to defend the

linguistic rights of the speakers of those languages;

(cid:1) to safeguard the languages of more than 40 million minority language speakers living in EU Member

States;

(cid:1) to represent regional or minority languages in dealings with EU institutions and other international

organisations;

(cid:1) to coordinate the range of activities of specialised institutions and/or associations actively involved in
language promotion, as well as to coordinate the range of activities of its Member State Committees;

(cid:1) to keep language communities informed about European policy developments concerning minority

languages and about language-related programmes;

(cid:1) to maintain a permanent communication between communities and to facilitate contacts and

exchanges between them;

(cid:1) to organise cultural events and conferences in Brussels or in those Member States in which regional or

minority languages are spoken;

(cid:1) to seek legal and political support in favour of lesser-used languages at EU and Member State level.

As teaching and education systems are the full responsibility of the Member States, pursuant to Article 149
of the EC Treaty, the educational situation of Pomak children in Greece is the exclusive responsibility of
the Greek State.

(1) OJ C 268 E, 7.11.2003, p. 176.
(2) OJ C 11 E, 15.1.2004, p. 218.
(3) http://ww2.lingualia.net:8080/agares/eblul

(2004/C 65 E/231)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2781/03

by Maurizio Turco (NI), Marco Pannella (NI),
Marco Cappato (NI), Benedetto Della Vedova (NI), Gianfranco Dell’Alba (NI)
and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

Subject: Violation of religious freedom in China (cid:1) the Falun Gong

(17 September 2003)

According to the Chinese national press agency Xin-Hua the government in Beijing intends to continue its
campaign against the Falun Gong Movement, an organisation it calls ‘an evil cult’, which is ‘anti-social’ and
‘anti-scientific’.

The communiqué says ‘we are aware that the battle will be long, arduous and complex. We must
therefore be vigilant and spare no efforts in this undertaking’.

The results of this ‘undertaking’ (cid:1) made by the Beijing government and reiterated in this way (cid:1) are as
follows: 1 600 members of the Falun Gong movement tortured and beaten to death; 500 sentenced to
more than twenty years’ imprisonment, 1 000 interned in psychiatric institutions, 25 thousand undergoing
‘reeducation’ in labour camps and 100 000 detained without trial.

Can the Commission say:

(cid:1) whether it knows about these declarations of intent on the part of the Beijing government;

(cid:1) whether it knows that members of the Falun Gong movement in a Union country (cid:1) Belgium (cid:1) have
brought before the courts charges of ‘genocide, torture and crimes against humanity’ against the
former Chinese President Jang Zemin, now head of the army, and two of his close collaborators;

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(cid:1) whether it intends to take any official steps vis-à-vis the Beijing government, and if so, of what kind,
not least in the light of the request contained in the report adopted on 5 September 2003 by the
European Parliament, which calls on ‘the Council, the Commission and the Member States (…) to
provide for the imposition, in response to violations of religious freedom, of similar penalties and
sanctions to those prescribed since 1998 by the United States International Religious Freedom Act
(Public Law 105-292, 105th Congress)’?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2003)

The Commission thanks the Honourable Members for the information on the Chinese authorities’ policy
towards the Falun Gong movement.

Respect for human rights is a cornerstone of EU foreign policy. The EU has therefore paid very close
attention to the human rights situation in China, especially through the bilateral dialogue conducted with
China since 1996. The freedoms of belief and association figure high on the agenda at these meetings. In its
dealings with the Chinese authorities the EU has regularly raised cases of Falun Gong members prosecuted
for practising their faith. The Commission is aware of the 1998 US International Religious Freedom Act.
In its dealings with China, it will continue to use dialogue as the most appropriate means of putting across
its position on the issue to the country’s representatives.

(2004/C 65 E/232)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2785/03

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 September 2003)

Subject: Fatal accidents at work

Every day and increasingly frequently accidents occur at the workplace. More and more people are being
killed, seriously injured or disabled. These accidents are mainly caused by failure on the part of businesses
to comply with requirements concerning the safety of workers, as well as by an increasingly hectic pace of
work and a heavy workload. For these reasons such accidents are aptly referred to in Italian as ‘omicidi
bianchi’ (white murders).

In view of the legal bases the Commission needs to take action in this area, it may consider that various
liability, have an impact on distortions of the rules of
provisions on the subject,
competition.

including criminal

What steps will the Commission take to harmonise legislation on safety at the workplace, the criminal
liability of negligent employers who cause such fatal accidents and compensation for victims’ families?

Answer given by Mr Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2003)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that the reduction of occupational accidents, and in
particular fatal ones, should be a priority. In line with this, Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989
on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (1)
imposes on the employer the obligation to be in possession of an assessment of the risks to safety and
health at work. In carrying out this obligation, the employer shall take the measures necessary for the
safety and health protection of workers,
including prevention of occupational risks and provision of
information and training, as well as provision of the necessary organisation and means.