WRITTEN QUESTION P-0002/04 by Bernd Posselt (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Definition of sexual and reproductive health.
Date: 2004-01-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: abortion, aid policy, health aid, reproductive health

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/675

(2004/C 88 E/0692)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-4088/03

by Dana Scallon (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 January 2004)

Subject: Reproductive health definition

On 16 December 2003, the EU Council stated that the term ‘reproductive health’ did not include the
following: support, aid, facilitation, encouragement, promotion, sponsoring or provision of incentives for
abortion (‘die Förderung von Abtreibung’).

How will the Commission take into account this definition when selecting EU partner organisations in
charge of implementing EU policies in the field of reproductive health and rights?

Can the Commission confirm that applicant organisations which do not provide abortion or conduct
abortion-related activities can be successful in applying for EU money in the field of reproductive health
and rights?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2004)

At the Parliament session on 16 December 2003 the Council representative,
in his response to the
question put by the Honourable Member, referred to recital 16 of Regulation (EC) No 1567/2003 of the
Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2003 on aid for policies and actions on reproductive and sexual
health and rights in developing countries (1) which clearly states that no support is given under that
Regulation to incentives to encourage abortions.

The Commission supports in full the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
policy and the ICPD Programme of Action with respect to sexual and reproductive health. The selection of
partner organisations is governed by the Regulation referred to above.

The Commission considers that it is indeed possible that an organisation which does not provide abortion
or conduct abortion-related activities may submit a successful proposal in one of the open calls issued by
the Commission with respect to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

(1) OJ L 224, 6.9.2003.

(2004/C 88 E/0693)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0002/04

by Bernd Posselt (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 January 2004)

Subject: Definition of sexual and reproductive health

On 16 December 2003 the Italian Presidency of the Council told me that ‘sexual and reproductive health’
did not cover the possibility of financing abortions. Is this also the Commission’s understanding?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Regulation (EC) No 1567/2003 of the Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2003 on aid for policies
and actions on reproductive and sexual health and rights in developing countries (1), recital No 16 states

C 88 E/676

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

‘No support

is to be given under this Regulation to incentives to encourage sterilisation or
that:
abortion …’. This line is in keeping with the Programme of Action adopted at the International Conference
on Population and Development in Cairo 1994, on which Community policy is based.

(1) OJ L 224, 6.9.2003.

(2004/C 88 E/0694)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0007/04

by Philip Claeys (NI) to the Commission

(16 January 2004)

Subject: Accession of Cyprus, official languages

Cyprus has two official languages, Greek and Turkish. The Constitution also says that one of the two Vice-
Presidents must be a Turkish Cypriot. Because of the Turkish occupation of the northern part of the island,
however, these constitutional provisions are not in force. In the current circumstances, recognition of
Turkish as an official language in the European Union could be interpreted as implicit recognition of the
Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus.

Might the accession of Cyprus on 1 May 2004 (cid:1) if there is no change in the institutional and political
situation (cid:1) nonetheless mean that the Turkish will become an official language of the European Union? If
so, on the basis of what arguments does the Commission arrive at this view?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2004)

According to the Treaty of Accession 2003 Turkish is not an official language of the European Union,
since no such request had been made.

Following a political settlement of the Cyprus problem and a re-unification of the island, the United
Cyprus Republic is entitled to request that Turkish is recognised as an official Community language. The
Council would then have to amend Regulations no. 1/1958/EEC and 1/1958/Euratom determining the
languages to be used by the two Communities (1). The legal base for this adaptation and the modalities
related to it would be Article 4 of Protocol No 10 of the Act of Accession, which stipulates that the
Council shall decide, in the event of a settlement, on the adaptations to the terms concerning the accession
of Cyprus with regard to the Turkish Cypriot Community.

It should be noted that the Commission decided in 1999 to dedicate EUR 3 million for the translation of
the ‘acquis’ into Turkish in order to prepare and facilitate the process of bringing the northern part of
Cyprus closer to the European Union.

(1) OJ B 17, 6.10.1958.

(2004/C 88 E/0695)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0032/04

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 January 2004)

Subject: Long-term stateless-person status of one category of permanent residents of the three future EU

Member States that were internal states of the Soviet Union until 1991

1.
Can the Commission confirm that when Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania came into being as
independent states in 1991, not all of their permanently domiciled residents were enabled in good time
to exchange the nationality of the then defunct Soviet Union for that of their new state, so that such
persons became stateless?