WRITTEN QUESTION E-3197/03 by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Swedish referendum on the euro.
Date: 2003-10-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Denmark, European Commission, Sweden, United Kingdom, election financing, euro, promotion of the European idea, referendum

C 70 E/234

Official Journal of the European Union

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20.3.2004

Does the Commission not also think that even more than towards Burma (which is not said lightly) the
European Union should take an extremely firm and determined approach towards the Lao authorities so a
process of democratisation and national reconciliation can be achieved effectively and as a matter of
urgency?

To this end, is the Commission willing to inform the Lao authorities, notably at the bilateral EU-Laos
meeting to be held in Brussels in November in the cooperation agreement framework, of its intention to
freeze EU funding to Laos if the Vientiane authorities do not give precise undertakings in respect of
ambitious democratic reform and the situation of all political prisoners?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(14 November 2003)

The Commission is fully committed to emphasising the need to strengthen respect for human rights in
Laos,
including freedom of expression, assembly, association and religion as well as the adherence to
international human rights conventions.

As regards the overall human rights situation in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), the Commission
has raised several concerns, including the question of the five leaders of the ‘26 October movement’, with
the Government of Laos on numerous occasions, unfortunately with limited results so far.

The Commission will be examining all aspects of the human rights situation in Laos, including possible
responses from the Commission’s side, in view of the next EC-Laos Joint Committee which will take place
in Vientiane in the first half of 2004 and is prepared to report back to the Parliament.

In the meantime, the Commission maintains a policy of constructive political dialogue with the Laotian
government, paired with continued support
to the most vulnerable groups in Lao society through
Community-assisted development programmes.

The suspension of aid until basic human rights are respected should be considered as a measure of last
resort, as it would be likely to impact badly on the populations whose rights are violated.

Should there be no significant progress in the human rights situation and could it be argued that the
constructive policy taken so far does not result in any positive results, the Commission would be ready to
review the present co-operation framework with Laos and consider measures as appropriate,
in full
co-ordination with Member States and the Parliament.

(2004/C 70 E/251)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3197/03

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 October 2003)

Subject: Swedish referendum on the euro

Did the Commission make any financial contribution to the Swedish referendum on the euro, either

1.
directly, or indirectly? If yes please give details.

Did the Commission supply euro publicity material to the Swedish Government or any other body

2.
ahead of the Swedish euro referendum? If yes please give details.

3. What involvement, if any, did the Commission have in the Swedish referendum?

Has the Commission distributed any publicity on the euro to either UK, Sweden or Denmark over

4.
the last 24 months? Does the Commission have any plans to do so?

5. Would the Commission envisage a role for itself in any possible euro referendum in the UK?

20.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 70 E/235

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 2003)

The Commission made no financial contribution to the Swedish referendum on the euro, whether

1.
directly or indirectly.

The Commission supplied no publicity material to the Swedish Government or to any other body in
2.
connection with the Swedish referendum on the euro.
insignificant amounts of
information material designed to inform citizens about the introduction of euro notes and coins in the
Euro Area in 2002, was still in circulation in 2003.

is possible that

It

3.

The Commission had no involvement in the Swedish referendum on the euro.

4. Within the last 24 months, the Commission has neither prepared nor distributed publicity material
on the question of whether Denmark, Sweden or the United Kingdom should adopt the euro.

The Commission has no plans whatsoever to be involved in a possible referendum in the United

5.
Kingdom on adopting the euro.

(2004/C 70 E/252)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3199/03

by Marianne Thyssen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 October 2003)

Subject: Belgian Government takeover of the pension fund of telecommunications operator Belgacom

As the Commission knows, the Belgian Government has decided to take over the Belgacom pension fund.
In return for accepting the fund’s liabilities, the Government will receive EUR 5 billion in December 2003.
The Government has announced that it will regard that amount as revenue for balance-of-payments
calculations. Furthermore, the Belgian Government is planning to spread the EUR 5 billion payable and to
be paid in 2003 over two financial years, i.e. the year in which the revenue is actually received plus the
following year.

On the basis that ESA standards are an instrument for compliance with the Stability Pact and that,
accordingly, strict application thereof is a prerequisite for Member State accounts to be transparent and
accurate, and given that lax interpretation or application of ESA standards is tantamount to surreptitious
weakening of the Stability Pact and stability programme commitments, can the Commission say:

1. whether or not it will allow the EUR 5 billion to be booked in the budget as net revenue minus the

associated liabilities taken over, and why?

2. how it views the Belgian Government’s plan to window-dress not one, but two budgets by spreading

the ‘revenue’ over two financial years?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 2003)

Eurostat has been informed that the Belgian Government will take over the pension obligations incurred
by Belgacom for its own staff.

Eurostat is considering the issue closely and will give its opinion as regards the treatment of the operation
in national accounts, and notably the impact on government deficit and debt.

Eurostat has also been informed that the Belgian Government intends to record the effect of the transfer
both for 2003 and 2004 fiscal years. This also requires a specific examination as regards the compliance
with the European System of national and regional Accounts (ESA95) provisions relating to the ‘accrual’
principle on the time of recording of transactions.