WRITTEN QUESTION E-0566/04 by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission. Music censorship in China.
Date: 2004-02-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, EU relations, censorship, cultural cooperation, cultural event, music, religious discrimination

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/629

(cid:1) With regards to the revision of

the pregnant workers’ Directive (2) concerning the duration of
maternity leave, the Commission does not intend to propose to revise the Directive in this sense.
Member States may, however, provide for longer periods of maternity leave as the Directive sets
minimum requirements only.

(cid:1) The issue of paternity leave is addressed by Directive 2002/73/EC (3) (amending Directive 76/207/EEC
on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women): recital 13 to this
Directive refers to the Resolution of 29 June 2000, which encouraged the Member States to consider
examining the scope for their respective legal systems to grant working men an individual and
untransferable right to paternity leave, while maintaining their rights relating to employment. The
recital stresses that it is for the Member States to determine whether or not to grant such a right and
also to determine any conditions, other than dismissal and return to work, which are outside the
scope of this Directive. The new Article 2(7) (of Directive 76/207/EEC as introduced by Directive
2002/73/EC) provides that the Directive shall be ‘without prejudice to the right of Member States to
recognise distinct rights to paternity and/or adoption leave’. The Commission does not at present
envisage new proposals in this area.

(cid:1) As to work on illiteracy and social exclusion, the Commission has integrated these points within both
its education and training agenda as well as in the social inclusion process. There is a significant body
of results of analysis available, and the priority is given to transpose this knowledge into concrete
policy measures through the existing instruments.

(cid:1) On the call for a Directive on social protection for new forms of work, the Commission wishes to
highlight that within the open method of co-ordination on social protection the issue of social
protection with regards to new forms of work is being addressed. This also contributes to the follow-
up to the Directives on part-time work (4) and fixed-term work (5), both stemming from agreements by
the social partners, in which the issue of developing social protection systems capable to adapting to
new patterns of work and of providing appropriate protection to people engaged in such work was
highlighted as a matter to be addressed by the Member States.

(cid:1) As to musculoskeletal

the Commission has incorporated the theme of new
occupational risks into the occupational health and safety strategy for the period 2002-2006 as a
policy priority. Specific action on musculoskeletal injuries is planned to be launched in 2004.

injuries at work,

(1) COM(2000) 379.
(2) Council Directive 92/85/EEC of 19 October 1992 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in
the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding
(tenth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC, OJ L 348, 28.11.1992.
(3) Directive 2002/73/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 amending Council
Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards
access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions, OJ L 269, 5.10.2002.

(4) Council Directive 97/81/EC of 15 December 1997 concerning the Framework Agreement on part-time work

concluded by UNICE, OJ C 14, 20.1.1998.

(5) Council Directive 1999/70/EC of 28 June 1999 concerning the framework agreement on fixed-term work

concluded by ETUC, UNICE and CEEP, OJ L 175, 10.7.1999.

(2004/C 84 E/0707)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0566/04

by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission

(26 February 2004)

Subject: Music censorship in China

The Commission is apparently ready to upgrade its policy of cultural cooperation with the People’s
the creation of an
Republic of China under the Unesco General Assembly negotiations aimed at

C 84 E/630

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

international instrument for the preservation of cultural diversity, as Commissioner Reding stated to the
House during the debate on the Prets report last January 2004 in Strasbourg.

It would appear that the rock star David Bowie’s concert at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Entertainment
Centre next month is under threat because of his drummer’s links to the Falun Gong movement.

A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Association of Falun Gong has declared:
‘I am confident that the
authorities in Hong Kong will still allow freedom of expression …’, but the Hong Kong Immigration
Department has refused to comment on the rumours and has not yet confirmed its authorisation.

1. What information does the Commission have about this issue?

2.
How does the Commission intend to approach the Chinese authorities in order to ensure that
Mr Bowie’s professional artistic activities will not be subject to the same sort of political censorship as that
suffered by the Falun Gong movement?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(5 April 2004)

The concert to which the Honourable Member refers was held in Hong Kong on Sunday 14 March. David
Bowie’s drummer, Mr Sterling Campbell, took part as planned.

(2004/C 84 E/0708)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0570/04

by Herbert Bösch (PSE) to the Commission

(26 February 2004)

Subject: Commission officials on leave

According to the answer to my Written Question E-3061/02 (1), there were over 566 officials on leave for
personal reasons on 10 December 2002. A closer look at the circumstances of 400 officials showed that
around 10 % are otherwise employed.

Can the Commission give an idea of how many officials were definitely on personal leave at the end

1.
of 2003 and how many of them were otherwise employed?

2. What measures has the Commission taken to prevent conflicts of interests among EU officials who
are on leave for personal reasons, yet are actively employed during this time?

3.
Has the firm mentioned in the Agence Europe report of 30 September 2002, GPlus Europe,
withdrawn definitively from the contract as part of the ASCII Consortium or does it in some way continue
to be involved in carrying out the contract?

(1) OJ C 155 E, 3.7.2003, p. 83.

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(15 April 2004)

1.
As at 31 December 2003, 532 officials were on leave on personal grounds. Of these, 18 % indicated
another professional activity as the reason for this leave. It should be noted that, provided that appropriate
permission is obtained, it is entirely compatible with provisions for leave on personal grounds for an
official to undertake other work (cid:1) indeed it may be in the interests of the official to broaden his or her
professional experience.