WRITTEN QUESTION P-3595/03 by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission. Disability.
Date: 2003-12-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European cultural event, European social policy, disabled person, discrimination based on disability, equal treatment, integration of people with disabilities, public awareness campaign

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/301

The Commission is providing, through the European Development Fund (EDF), support to both elections
i.e. Municipal with EUR 4,4 million and General and Presidential foreseen for 2004 with EUR 12,4 million.
The Community support is being monitored by an expert financed by Sweden and Ireland. This support is
provided through the National Budget subject to the fulfilment of conditions. The Commission is also
supporting voters with civic education for the local elections and next years’ elections through a specific
programme with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) funded with EUR 720 000 from the European
Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights.

Furthermore, the Union is providing assistance through its Member States for programmes related to civic
education, training of electoral staff and regional authorities. Assistance was given by Member States as
well as to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to monitor the elections and provide
training programmes.

(2004/C 78 E/0303)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3595/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(1 December 2003)

Subject: Disability

I have been asked by a number of London-based disability NGOs, including SCOPE London, based in
Islington, about possible progress towards a horizontal directive on disability.

Also, could the Commission please give its view on the success of the European Year of People with
Disabilities, as we move towards its completion?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(7 January 2004)

The Commission understands the calls for a new directive in areas other than employment, but it believes
for a number of reasons that it would not be appropriate at this time for the Commission and the Member
States to launch themselves into the process of a new piece of legislation.

Its current focus must remain the correct transposition and implementation by Member States of the
provisions of the Equal Treatment in Directive 2000/78/EC (1) into their national legislation. The deadline
involve major changes to existing rules in certain
for this was 2 December 2003. This Directive will
Member States and, when correctly transposed, will provide people with disabilities with a very clear legal
framework to protect them from unfair treatment.

Any new initiative needs to be the result of a wider reflection on the various instruments which already
exist at Community level to achieve equality in practice. In this regard, the Commission intends to launch
a public consultation (Green Paper) in Spring 2004 on the Future Strategy to combat discrimination. This
paper will take stock of progress made in Union anti-discrimination policy and will raise issues/questions
regarding future policy development. It will also address the new challenges posed by the enlargement of
the Union and will help to map out the way ahead for Union action on its policies against discrimination
over the next five years or more.

The Commission has asked Member States, in the context of the reports on the application of the Directive
which they must provide to the Commission by December 2005, to examine the issue of disability
discrimination outside the employment field.

The European Year of People with Disabilities (EYPD) itself was designed as a very inclusive process and
structured in a unique way so that disabled people themselves were able to input into defining the concept
of the Year, and their organisations had a critical role in shaping the corresponding campaign at Union

C 78 E/302

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

and national levels, through their involvement in national co-ordinating bodies, designing the key messages
of the EYPD, choosing its logo and slogan, etc.

Overall, the awareness-raising campaign that was a key objective for the EYPD has had very positive
effects, not least among employers and the media. One notable success in this context, was an initiative
taken by the Greek Presidency, in co-operation with the Commission and organisations of people with
disabilities. This was the organisation of a European Year conference on the critical issue of overcoming
stereotypes of disabled people. As a result of this event, a ‘European Declaration on Media and Disability’
was approved in June 2003. The decision was also taken to establish a European network on media and
disability to continue improving the image of disabled people in the media, the levels of employment, and
access to the media.

Thousands of events have been held throughout the participating countries to promote the rights of
people with disabilities and to raise awareness of the barriers they face daily in society. Actions took place
simultaneously at European, national, regional and local level involving a great diversity of stakeholders:
people with disabilities, their families and their representative organisations, non-disabled people, decision-
makers at all levels, the social partners and relevant stakeholders from the public and private sector.

The exceptional mobilisation of stakeholders throughout the Year has demonstrated a broad desire for a
change of gear in achieving equal opportunities and the EYPD has induced a new political impetus to
promote the further integration of people with disabilities. Apart from the transposition of the Community
Directive establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, new policy
developments have been announced and are currently taking place in the Member States. These do not
only concern the updating of existing laws and the passing of new ones, but also promote new
approaches, innovative methods and positive measures.

On 30 October 2003, the Commission adopted a communication entitled ‘Equal opportunities for people
with disabilities: a European Action Plan’ (2), which sets out how the Commission plans to follow up on
the EYPD (Action Plan, mainstreaming, biennial report, etc.). The communication describes, inter alia, the
main achievements of the Year so far.

(1) Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in

employment and occupation, OJ L 303, 2.12.2000.

(2) COM(2003) 650 final.

(2004/C 78 E/0304)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3610/03

by Jan Mulder (ELDR) to the Commission

(5 December 2003)

Subject: Circumvention of sugar import tariffs

It was recently reported (in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, 30 September 2003) that, by importing the
semi-finished product tomato sugar (consisting of sugar, vinegar and tomato extract) from Switzerland,
companies based in the EU are taking advantage of the low world market price of sugar. Producers in
Switzerland import European ‘C sugar’ for this purpose, thereby avoiding high sugar prices. The same
process is used in the production of soft drinks.

Does the Commission view this as an unwanted development? If so, what does the Commission

1.
intend to do about it?

Is the Commission aware of situations involving other third countries or other products where the

2.
same problem exists or could arise?