WRITTEN QUESTION E-2931/03 by Marco Cappato (NI), Maurizio Turco (NI),Emma Bonino (NI), Marco Pannella (NI), Benedetto Della Vedova (NI),Gianfranco Dell'Alba (NI) and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission. Appointment of General Ammar as Chairman of the National Organising Committee for the World Summit on the Information Society.
Date: 2003-10-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Tunisia, UNO, freedom of expression, information society, international relations, summit meeting

20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 70 E/165

The final TERRA report, published by the Commission at the beginning of 2000, concluded that the
SRUNA project had obtained very good results by developing a bottom-up partnership for sustainable
development, an inventory of recreational natural assets and best practice guidelines for integrated
planning (including a report on access for disabled to recreational natural assets. These results were
disseminated via the TERRA seminars and workshops as part of the effort to promote spatial planning in
widely diverse cultural and institutional contexts. More information can be found on the web-site. (http://
europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/innovation/innovating/terra/expplan/toc.html).

As it was pointed out in the TERRA closing event held in Brussels in spring 2000, which gathered partners
from all 15 projects, no extension of the TERRA programme as such was foreseen. Rather, the Community
initiative Interreg III, 2000-2006, is the natural framework under which the continuation of this type of
co-operation is possible. The Commission adopted the guidelines for the Community initiative Interreg III
on 28 April 2000 (1). Specific guidelines for interregional co-operation were approved on 4 May 2001 (2).

(1) OJ C 143, 23.5.2000.
(2) OJ C 141, 15.5.2001.

(2004/C 70 E/175)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2931/03

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

(6 October 2003)

Subject: Appointment of General Ammar as Chairman of the National Organising Committee for the

World Summit on the Information Society

Between 1984 and 1987, during which time General Habib Ammar commanded the National Guard,
torture became a common practice in the Tunisian gendarmerie.

In 1986, General Habib Ammar set up the National Special Services Department (Abhath Wa Taftich),
whose main base was the Auoina barracks, in which torture was systematically and constantly practised
against hundreds of prisons, most of whom were opponents to the Bourguiba regime.

Following General Ben Ali’s coup d’état, General Habib Ammar was appointed Interior Minister in the
Tunisian Government in November 1987. During his time at the head of the Interior Ministry, the
Ministry’s premises were transformed into detention and torture centres.

With a view to preparing for the holding of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the
second stage of whose proceedings will be held in Tunisia from 16 to 18 November 2005, the Tunisian
Government has set up a National Organising Committee for the WSIS and has appointed General Habib
Ammar chairman of the committee.

Furthermore, the persistent violations of the right to freedom of expression and opinion, both on-line and
off-line, which are a daily feature of political life in Tunisia and the fact that journalists and Internet users
are being arrested, tortured and sentenced to heavy custodial sentences.

Would the Commission not agree that every possible means of political, diplomatic and economic pressure
should be used to persuade the Tunisian Government to revoke the appointment of General Ammar as
Chairman of the National Organising Committee for the WSIS?

Would it agree that it should speak out and take steps with a view to securing the suspension of the
decision to hold the second session of the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia in 2005
until such time as the Tunisian Government ensures that the full enjoyment of the right to freedom of
expression is genuinely guaranteed by Tunisian law?

C 70 E/166

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

20.3.2004

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(13 November 2003)

The Commission is aware of the appointment referred to by the Honourable Members.

As the Commission has already made clear in its reply to written question E-2554/03 by Mr. Cappato (1)
on the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) several factors need to be borne in mind.

First, holding the second session of the WSIS summit in Tunisia is a decision taken by the United Nations’
General Assembly (UNGA) and therefore has only indirectly involved the Commission.

Second, the fact the summit will be held along the Johannesburg model implies a range of positive side
effects likely to benefit Tunisian civil society: a whole range of different actors will be involved in the
preparation phase as well as in the summit itself.

Third, the Commission, in its communication (2) to the Council and the Parliament ‘Towards a Global
Partnership in the Information society: EU perspective in the context of the UN World Summit on the
Information Society’ points out that the following principles need to be solemnly ‘upheld and extended
within the information society: The right of freedom of opinion and expression in accordance with the
provisions of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights’. This will also be its approach with Tunisia.

In so far as the appointment of general Ammar is more than an internal Tunisian matter, the organisation
of the WSIS Depends on the UNGA and its members.

However, the Commission will follow the situation, and if opportune, open the dialogue with Tunisian
Authorities in close co-operation with the Member States.

(1) OJ C 65 E, 13.3.2004, p. 175.
(2) COM(2003) 271 final.

(2004/C 70 E/176)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2932/03

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(6 October 2003)

Subject: Combating counterfeiting

Counterfeiting is now reaching intolerable levels. According to a study conducted by the American
Chamber of Commerce in Italy with the cooperation of KPMG, it is having an extremely damaging impact
on Italian companies and government revenues. The annual losses for companies are currently estimated at
EUR 8 billion, with the annual shortfall in tax revenues standing at close to EUR 3 billion. Many of the
companies affected are Italian, but a large number of them are European or American. The latter in
particular operate in high-technology sectors. The effects are being felt not just by companies, as it might
seem at first glance, but also by the Italian economy, since counterfeiting, in the same way as piracy, acts
as a major disincentive to investment in Italy. It is common knowledge that the market sectors hardest hit
by counterfeiting are the audiovisual, pay TV, music, software, video games, fashion, book, clock-making,
sports goods, domestic goods, alcohol and toy sectors.