WRITTEN QUESTION E-0099/04 by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (NI), Marco Cappato (NI),Benedetto Della Vedova (NI), Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL),Mario Borghezio (NI), Roberto Bigliardo (UEN),Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL), Carlo Fatuzzo (PPE-DE),Giovanni Fava (PSE), Marco Pannella (NI),Generoso Andria (PPE-DE), Vitaliano Gemelli (PPE-DE),Gianfranco Dell'Alba (NI), Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN),Pasqualina Napoletano (PSE), Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE),Giovanni Pittella (PSE), Mariotto Segni (UEN),Luigi Cocilovo (PPE-DE), Walter Veltroni (PSE),Giorgio Ruffolo (PSE), Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE),Luigi Cesaro (PPE-DE), Paolo Pastorelli (PPE-DE),Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN), Fiorella Ghilardotti (PSE),Giovanni Procacci (ELDR), Claudio Martelli (ELDR),Mauro Nobilia (UEN), Antonio Mussa (UEN),Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE) and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission. Burma.
Date: 2004-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Myanmar/Burma, corruption, death penalty, freedom of opinion, government violence, international aid, military regime, right to justice, sports facilities

C 84 E/532

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

The aim of the reform is to replace the product specific support to raw tobacco by an income support to
producers as was the case for all the products in the June 2003 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.
The majority of the raw tobacco producers will continue to receive the same support as they received in
the reference period without being bound to produce tobacco, but it will still be legal to produce tobacco
if the producers want to do so.

The global budget for the tobacco sector will remain the same, and the part which is not paid to the
producers as coupled or decoupled payments will be transferred to a financial envelope which will be used
in the Member States where the funds contributing to the envelope are collected. The funds in the
through
envelope will be administered according to the rural development
contributing to improvements on the infrastructure in the tobacco producing regions and by supporting
producers who want to shift to other products or to other economic activities, tackle possible socio-
economic problems in the tobacco growing regions.

legislation and will,

As the Commission is not banning tobacco production, import of such products will still be legal and the
Commission is not taking any actions against such imports.

On the question of combating smoking, it can be said that, while the replacement of product related
subsidies may not directly influence the short term prevalence of smoking, as was the finding of the
Commission Extended Impact Assessment report,
it is clear that better coherence with public health
policies is essential to maintain the confidence and trust of EU citizens, and the Commission will continue
tobacco
its campaigns on improving the public awareness of
consumption.

the harmful effects of all

forms of

(2004/C 84 E/0609)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0099/04

by Pietro-Paolo Mennea (NI), Marco Cappato (NI),
Benedetto Della Vedova (NI), Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL),
Mario Borghezio (NI), Roberto Bigliardo (UEN),
Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL), Carlo Fatuzzo (PPE-DE),
Giovanni Fava (PSE), Marco Pannella (NI),
Generoso Andria (PPE-DE), Vitaliano Gemelli (PPE-DE),
Gianfranco Dell’Alba (NI), Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN),
Pasqualina Napoletano (PSE), Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE),
Giovanni Pittella (PSE), Mariotto Segni (UEN),
Luigi Cocilovo (PPE-DE), Walter Veltroni (PSE),
Giorgio Ruffolo (PSE), Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE),
Luigi Cesaro (PPE-DE), Paolo Pastorelli (PPE-DE),
Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN), Fiorella Ghilardotti (PSE),
Giovanni Procacci (ELDR), Claudio Martelli (ELDR),
Mauro Nobilia (UEN), Antonio Mussa (UEN),
Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE) and Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(22 January 2004)

Subject: Burma

According to press reports, the ruling military junta in Burma (now called Myanmar), which is headed by
General Khin Nyunt, has sentenced to death Zaw Thet Htway, aged 37, the editor of the sports magazine
First Eleven.

Zaw Thet Htway is alleged to have conspired, along with colleagues, to assassinate the leaders who are
oppressing that country through their dictatorial regime. No official warrant was issued for the journalists’
arrest and their trial was conducted without the assistance of any lawyers not subject to pressure or
external influence and without international observers, who could have guaranteed if not a fair trial then at
least one that reflected the fundamental principles of justice. Zaw Thet Htway and the eight other
defendants were sentenced to death and confined to a special prison.

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/533

All these people have done is to voice a critical opinion of the regime led by General Khin Nyunt by
denouncing the misdeeds, abuses and harassment which the people of Burma have been suffering for too
long now. The members of this dictatorship have,
in fact, over the years, spirited away international
donations to the value of several million dollars which were actually intended for the world of sport, to
construct and renovate facilities, purchase sports equipment and clothing, and promote football
throughout the country.

The military government, on the other hand, has gone so far as to appropriate funds earmarked for sport,
without the merest fraction of the money received being allocated to the ends for which it was intended,
in order to maintain the current system, which is corrupt, repressive and flies in the face of the most
fundamental democratic principles.

In practice, a criticism and negative opinion of this corrupt system has been transformed into an ‘illegal’
conspiracy against the state, and therefore one punishable by death.

Will the Commission use the powers conferred upon it to intervene to ensure the suspension and
revocation of this death sentence, thereby saving the lives of the nine accused, and to safeguard the most
fundamental principles of civilisation and democracy that should be applied to all citizens of a democratic
nation, in line with the dictates of the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 February 2004)

The Commission remains deeply concerned about the death sentences issued on 28 November 2003
against Zaw Thet Htway and eight of his colleagues, as was expressed in the EU declaration of
31 December 2003 on the Death Penalty in Myanmar.

The Commission and the EU as a whole are committed to working towards the universal abolition of the
death penalty. To this effect, specific EU guidelines on the death penalty were adopted in 1998. According
to these guidelines, certain minimum standards should be respected in States that still apply the death
penalty. One requirement is that procedural guarantees for a fair trial must be respected.

The Commission will continue, together with the Member States, to follow this case very closely in view of
possible further action.

The political commitment of the Commission and the EU as a whole to the universal abolition of the death
penalty is supported by Community funding under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human
Rights (EIDHR). The fight against the death penalty has been identified as one of the four priority areas of
action for this initiative. This enables the Commission to fund projects that aim at raising awareness in
retentionist countries as regards both public opinion and the judiciary.

(2004/C 84 E/0610)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0102/04

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(22 January 2004)

Subject: Paying for water

In light of current Community legislation and the ‘polluter pays’ principle, does the Commission believe
that water consumption should be paid for, whether totally or partly,
in proportion to the amount
consumed?

If so, can the Commission find a basis for this in the current legal framework?