WRITTEN QUESTION E-0098/04 by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission. Extradition of Sok Yoeun.
Date: 2004-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cambodia, Thailand, democratisation, extradition, political cooperation, political refugee, political situation, the EU's international role

C 84 E/162

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

the Netherlands, he or she does not have to pay additional charges that account for a significant
proportion of the total price (premium and taxes). Such charges are levied on insurance policies for
policyholders living in the Netherlands.

As the Commission is not competent to supervise insurance companies, it is not in a position to inform
the Honourable Member whether this increase in rates for policyholders living abroad is intended
exclusively to compensate for the healthcare costs incurred by policyholders living in the United States.
The authorities in the Member States responsible for insurance supervision will be able to indicate whether
these increases in rates are intended to make all policyholders living abroad bear the costs relating to
policyholders living in the United States.

The Commission cannot intervene to demand that health insurance premiums should be the same amount
within the European Union and that rate increases should be permitted only when the circumstances in
the Member State concerned lead to a substantial rise in healthcare costs.

(1) ECR I-…

(2004/C 84 E/0200)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0098/04

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(22 January 2004)

Subject: Extradition of Sok Yoeun

On 28 November 2003, following proceedings that failed to comply with international standards, a Thai
appeal court ruled that 72-year-old Sok Yoeun must be extradited to Cambodia after a period of no fewer
than 15 days, but no more than three months. Sok Yoeun’s extradition was sought by those circles
wishing to show the existence of a plot to assassinate Hun Sen, in which Sam Rainsy, the Cambodian
opposition leader, is said to be involved.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights granted Mr Yoeun refugee status and the
Finnish authorities announced that they were prepared to grant him political asylum. The Thai judiciary’s
decision is extremely worrying in that it openly violates international law by setting a dangerous precedent
for anyone living under UNHCR protection in Thailand. The decision also serves to endorse the blatant
political machinations of Hun Sen’s party, and therefore to destabilise Cambodia.

Is the Commission aware of the latest developments in Sok Yoeun’s situation? If so, has it reacted officially
and in what way? What steps has it taken or does it intend to take, possibly together with the Finnish
authorities, to prevent Mr Yoeun’s extradition from Thailand to Phnom Penh? In addition, what initiatives
is the Commission considering in order to persuade the Thai authorities to revert to their previous practice
of respecting the international conventions to which Thailand is a party, particularly those concerning the
status of political refugees? What, more generally, is the Commission’s feeling about yet more political
scheming by certain well-known circles in Phnom Penh in an attempt
to destroy the democratic
opposition and, at the same time, hope of stronger democracy and rule of law in Cambodia?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(19 February 2004)

The Commission, through its Delegations in Cambodia and in Thailand, together with the Member States’
representatives and with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), has been following
developments in Mr Sok Yoeun’s case with the responsible government authorities.

3.4.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/163

In particular,
28 November 2003, of Mr Sok Yoeun’s appeal against the decision to extradite him to Cambodia.

the Commission has followed closely the rejection by the Thai appeals court, on

The latest information available to the Commission indicates that the Cambodian authorities have agreed,
in principle, to no longer pursue their request for extradition of Mr Sok Yoeun. The Thai Government
would take the necessary steps to ensure that Mr Sok Yoeun reunite with his family in Finland,
in
accordance with Thailand’s legal procedures and process of law.

As regards the more general question concerning the political situation in Cambodia, the Commission can
assure the Honourable Member that it will continue to call on all political forces in Cambodia to do their
utmost to reach a solution to the present political impasse in a peaceful manner, enabling the formation of
a new, democratically elected, government. One of the most important tasks of the new government, once
formed, will be the reform of the legal and judicial system.

(2004/C 84 E/0201)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0100/04

by Marianne Thyssen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Language arrangements on the ‘Europa’ website

(22 January 2004)

The ‘Europa’ website (http://europa.eu.int) is a means of communicating with the European public and,
given the development of the electronic media, will come to dominate such communication. Unfortunately
this site is increasingly making use of only three languages: French, English and German. It is true that the
website opens in all eleven official languages, but as soon as the important pages containing specific, up-
to-date information are reached, the number of available languages changes, so consistently that this would
seem to be a ‘policy’.

I am not aware whether a decision has been taken to limit the site to three languages, or whether this is
being done temporarily for practical reasons. However, I take the view that this policy is in violation of
Regulation No 1 of 1958 (1) determining the languages to be used by the European Economic Community,
and with the Treaty. Both legal sources provide that European citizens may address the institutions in any
of the official EU languages and are entitled to receive a reply in the same language. As a Member of the
European Parliament, I am receiving an increasing number of remarks and complaints about this situation.
That is why I am asking this question.

Does the Commission not consider it important, given the increasing use of electronic communications,
that these contacts with the European public via the Europa website should take place in all the EU
languages? When approximately will the Commission take steps to ensure that its contacts with European
citizens via the Europa website take place in all the languages of the Union?

(1) OJ 17, 6.10.1958, p. 385.

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(26 February 2004)

The Commission would first inform the Honourable Member that the Europa site respects both the spirit
and the letter of the Treaties and Regulation No 1 of 1958. All legislative documents are available on the
site in all the official languages of the Union. This is also the case for pages containing general information
mostly intended for the general public. This is a sizeable undertaking, unparalleled anywhere in the world,
and one that the Commission will be continuing after enlargement on 1 May 2004 when the number of
official languages is set to nearly double.

The Honourable Member is nonetheless correct to note that, other than in the cases referred to above, the
Europa site is not available in all the official languages in its entirety. However, this is nothing new and
most certainly not any change in language policy as regards providing the public with information; it is