WRITTEN QUESTION E-0097/04 by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Saint Lucia environmental aid.
Date: 2004-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Saint Lucia, audit, corruption, environmental cooperation, fraud against the EU, use of aid

C 88 E/486

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

information they need to carry out their tasks. It also calls on Member States to take the necessary
measures to set up joint investigation teams in order to carry out criminal investigations into terrorist
offences involving any of the listed persons, groups or entities and to ensure that in such cases requests for
mutual assistance and recognition and enforcement of judgements are dealt with as a matter of urgency.

Council Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 of 27 December 2001 on specific restrictive measures directed
against certain persons and entities with a view to combating terrorism,
is directly applicable in all
Member States and prohibits, inter alia, donations to Hamas (Article 2(1)(b)). The Regulation also obliges
anyone under the jurisdiction of the Community to freeze funds and assets belonging to Hamas. The
Commission has, however, not received any report that an account belonging to Hamas has been found in
the Community.

Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 does not require the freezing of funds and assets belonging to individuals
which may have links with Hamas, unless such individuals are included in the relevant list. However, it is
worth noting that this Regulation prohibits funds and economic resources being made available to or for
the benefit of listed persons, groups and entities such as Hamas. That prohibition also applies where funds
are indirectly made available. Furthermore, the Regulation also prohibits the participation in activities
circumventing that prohibition.

The Commission understands that, with a view to curbing the financing of Hamas’ terrorist activities more
effectively, Member States are currently investigating whether a number of persons, groups and entities
which may be linked to Hamas, should also be targeted by the financial restrictions of Regulation (EC)
this stage would compromise these
releasing any names at
No 2580/2001.
investigations.

It understands that

(1) OJ L 16, 22.1.2003.

(2004/C 88 E/0499)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0097/04

by Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(22 January 2004)

Subject: Saint Lucia environmental aid

Is Saint. Lucia a receiver of EU funds, including funds for a Community-based Nature Heritage Tourism
programme? What is the value of the agreement? How exactly is the expenditure accounted for? What
environmental value do the programmes have?

Is the Commission aware of the recent assassination of Jane Tipson, co-founder of the Eastern Caribbean
Coalition for Environmental Awareness and coordinator of the regional programme in Saint Lucia?

Is the Commission also aware of allegations of widespread corruption and misappropriation of EU funds in
Saint Lucia, and allegations that money allocated specifically for environmental projects is not being used
accordingly? If so, what measures has the Commission taken to ensure that
the funds are used
appropriately?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(4 March 2004)

As an African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) state, Saint Lucia is receiving funds from the European
Development Fund (EDF) under the Cotonou partnership agreement, as well as from specific budget lines
such as the Special Framework of Assistance to traditional Banana growers (SFA). Community aid to

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Official Journal of the European Union

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St Lucia since 1985 has totalled EUR 98 million, including EUR 58 million from Stabex transfers (Stabex
was a scheme under the Lomé Conventions to compensate ACP countries for falls in export earnings from
certain primary crops) and EUR 24,2 million in European Investment Bank (EIB) loans and risk capital.

for Community-based Heritage Tourism was indeed financed and
Under Stabex funds, a project
implemented. Implementation was finished during 2003. The value of the project was EUR 2 million. As
a result of this project, a natural park open to the public was established. Furthermore, the project
promoted eco-tourism within the private sector.

The implementation followed normal EDF procedures under the Stabex framework; detailed work plans
were prepared, on the basis of which funds were advanced. The finalisation report on project
implementation,
including all the financial data and the accounts, was received by the Delegation on
18 February 2004 and is in the process of being thoroughly analysed. A specific audit for the above
mentioned project is foreseen, and is expected to commence in early March 2004. In addition, a detailed
and comprehensive audit by independent external auditors for the entire Stabex programmes is currently
being undertaken, which should be finished by mid-2004.

The Commission and the Government of Saint Lucia take very seriously any allegations of the misuse of
funds. The Government, for its part, is also making exhaustive enquiries into the matter.

Jane Tipson was a member of the Eastern Caribbean Coalition for environmental awareness (ECCEA). This
organisation was the beneficiary of a grant funded under the Environment budget line (B7 6200) for a
project entitled ‘a regional
initiative to promote community based nature tourism, environmental
education and conservation of island ecosystems in the Eastern Caribbean’. This project started in April
2000 and ended on 31 December 2003. The project cost was EUR 1,7 million of which the Commission
contributed EUR 1,4 million. Within this project, which had a regional scope, some activities took place in
Saint Lucia, including some activities related to communication and promotion of eco-tourism and sound
environmental management in the Eastern Caribbean.

The Commission deeply regrets the death of Jane Tipson. The suspected murderer has been arrested, and
normal judicial procedures are being followed.

(2004/C 88 E/0500)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0113/04

by Raina Echerer (Verts/ALE)
and Eurig Wyn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 January 2004)

Subject: Maltese language for the next parliamentary term

Languages are one of Europe’s greatest assets, therefore it is vital that the European institutions protect and
promote the diversity of
languages and cultures in Europe. Both the European Parliament and the
Commission have always given importance to having proper working tools in order to translate and
interpret into all the official
it has been brought to our
languages of the European Union. However,
attention that it is likely that there will be a shortage of translators and interpreters in the Maltese
language. Thus, there is a strong risk that Maltese parliamentarians and officials will not be able to use
Maltese in any EU institution, as from 1 May 2004.

As part of the enlargement process, Malta should have been able to supply enough interpreters and
translators in order for Maltese to be an official
language of the European institutions. However, the
current university course for such disciplines held at the University of Malta has only been activated this
year for the first time, on a part-time basis which has not provided a sufficient number of professionals in
this field.

Does the Commission know for what reasons this part of the enlargement process has not been

1.
respected?