WRITTEN QUESTION E-3589/03 by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission. Syria — US sanctions.
Date: 2003-12-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Syria, United States, association agreement (EU), common foreign and security policy, economic sanctions, terrorism, weapon of mass destruction

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/151

Why is it that, although the social partners as a whole are considered as eligible for assistance under this
programme, individual employee organisations are not?

Will a call for proposals for qualification initiatives for vulnerable groups in border regions be published
again in 2005? If so, will the range of organisations eligible for assistance then be extended to include
employee representatives? If not, why not?

What other projects are included in the arrangements for implementing the programme of ‘Preparatory
in which employee
Actions on the Impact of Enlargement
representatives’ organisations can take part?

in the Border Regions of

the EU’,

(1) OJ C 206, 2.9.2003, p. 25.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 February 2004)

The organisations eligible for the call for proposals to which the Honourable Member refers were ‘social
partners, educational institutions, vocational training centres and universities’. ‘Social partners’ encompasses
organisations representing employers and/or trade unions. Accordingly, individual employee organisations
are eligible for assistance. Applications are currently under evaluation. At
two trade union
organisations have submitted applications.

least

The Union budget does not provide for further measures in this field in the 2004 budget, hence no calls
for proposals can be expected in 2005.

As part of the programme of ‘Preparatory Actions on the Impact of Enlargement in Border Regions of the
Union’, trade union organisations were eligible as partners in the following calls for proposals:

(cid:1) ELARG/1/140503/SME/B53003: ‘Regional Partnership Events for Micro-enterprises in Union Regions

Bordering the Candidate Countries with a focus on Support Services’ (1).

(cid:1) ELARG/3/140503/ADM/B53003: ‘Cross Border Initiatives for Local and Regional Authorities in Union

Regions Bordering the Candidate Countries’ (1).

Proposals received in response to the above calls are currently being evaluated by the relevant committees.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome once the evaluation process has been completed within the next
few weeks.

(1) OJ C 206, 2.9.2003.

(2004/C 88 E/0161)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3589/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(5 December 2003)

Subject: Syria (cid:1) US sanctions

A crushing majority (398 to 4) recently voted in the US Senate to authorise the imposition of sanctions on
Syria, following the adoption of a similar act by the House of Representatives in October 2003.

This new law grants the US President powers to impose various economic and diplomatic sanctions on
Syria and is intended to punish Damascus for its alleged links with terrorist groups and for the arms
programme it is supposedly developing.

C 88 E/152

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

The USA has accused Syria of developing weapons of mass destruction, of sheltering and supporting
radical terrorists belonging to Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and of allowing its territory to be used
by extremists threatening the coalition forces stationed in Iraq.

The Commission:

(cid:1) has the Commission any information concerning the USA’s accusations of Syrian support

for
terrorism and the production of non-conventional weapons? Can the Commission confirm that Syrian
territory is frequently used by terrorist organisations;

(cid:1) what steps has the Commission taken (or will it take) in order to monitor Syrian activities within the

European Union;

(cid:1) how does the Commission class the Syrian regime? How does it view, and how would it sum up,

current European policy in relation to Syria?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2004)

Apart from openly available sources, the Commission does not have any information on Syrian production
of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or the use of Syrian territory for acts of terrorism.

It seems some organisations listed by the Union as terrorist organisations (in particular Hamas and the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad) use Syria, as well as other countries, for their activities. Syria has recently taken
some measures to stop the public activities of these organisations. The Commission considers these
measures insufficient and has urged Syria to cease its support to these organisations, which condone or
actively perpetuate acts of terror, which, apart from being unacceptable as such, undermine the Palestinian
Authority and, therefore, constitute an obstacle to re-launching the Middle East Peace Process.

The European policy towards Syria is one of constructive engagement. The Commission is concerned
about the situation of democracy and respect for human rights in Syria, but it does not believe that
isolating Syria will contribute positively neither to the regional situation nor to improving the political and
human rights situation in the country.

Instead, the EU tries to engage Syria on the road to economic as well as political reforms in the framework
of the Barcelona Process and, more specifically, through an Association Agreement.

This Agreement will provide a solid platform for the Union to support Syrian efforts to carry out political
and economic reform. The clauses regarding respect for human rights, non-proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction and fight against terrorism, will strengthen its ability to engage with Syria on these issues.

(2004/C 88 E/0162)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3609/03

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE), Marco Cappato (NI),
Giovanni Fava (PSE), Glyn Ford (PSE), Sérgio Marques (PPE-DE)
and Emilio Menéndez del Valle (PSE) to the Commission

(5 December 2003)

Subject: Sending EU observers to Venezuela

The social, political and economic events in Venezuela over the last three years have had an adverse effect
on the country’s inhabitants and democratic institutions and been causing the international community
increasing concern and seriously jeopardising democratic life, the rule of law and respect for fundamental
human and civil rights.