WRITTEN QUESTION E-0632/04 by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission. Hunger strike by Tunisian journalist Abdallah Zouari.
Date: 2004-03-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Tunisia, freedom of opinion, hunger strike, prison system, right to justice

C 84 E/642

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

(cid:1) Does the Commission not think that this watering-down of the health documentation and certification
requirements for third-country products means unfair treatment of Community products, which must
comply with all the rules?

(cid:1) Is the Commission not of the opinion that in irremediable situations, such as the absence of an
original copy of a health certificate on arrival in a port, the Spanish authorities should, in accordance
with Directive 97/78/EC, refuse to allow the entry of these goods?

(cid:1) Does the Commission not consider that, by issuing these instructions, the Spanish authorities are
forcing official veterinarians at Spanish border inspection posts to disregard Community rules on the
protection of human and animal health?

(1)

Instructions from the Subdirectorate-General for External and Veterinary Health dated 11 April 2002 concerning
remediable deficiencies in goods inspections.

(2) OJ L 9, 15.1.1993, p. 33.
(3) OJ L 21, 28.1.2004, p. 11.
(4) OJ L 24, 30.1.1998, p. 9.

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-0627/04 and E-0628/04
given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2004)

The Commission is aware of the allegations concerning the instructions in question and is continuing its
enquiries as to whether the instructions involve conflicts with Community legislation concerning controls
on imports.

If, after more detailed study of the allegations, there is any evidence of conflict with Community legal
requirements, the Commission will take the matter up with the Spanish authorities. The Commission will
contact the Honourable Member when its enquiries are complete.

(2004/C 84 E/0723)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0632/04

by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission

(3 March 2004)

Subject: Hunger strike by Tunisian journalist Abdallah Zouari

The Tunisian journalist Abdallah Zouari, sentenced on 29 August 2003 to 13 months’ imprisonment for
‘defamation’ and ‘failure to comply with an administrative decision’, has been on hunger strike for 20 days.
On 17 February 2004, his family learned that the Tunisian prison authorities had, for the second week
running, refused them permission to visit him in prison.

As far back as 2002, regarding a previous arrest of Mr Zouari (joint reply to Written Questions E-2526/
02, E-2597/02 and E-2629/02 (1)),
the Commission expressed ‘doubts concerning the re-arrest of
Mr Abdallah Zouari and the legitimacy of the administrative measure behind it’.

Has the Commission moved to call on its office in Tunis to request a prison visit to Mr Zouari? If not,
does the Commission intend to do so in the next few days?

What conclusions has the Commission drawn about the ‘legitimacy of the administrative measure’ used in
Mr Zouari’s case, over which it had expressed doubts?

Does the Commission intend to intervene with the Tunisian authorities to call for the release of political
dissidents,
Jebali and Abdallah Zouari, who were arrested for
expressing their opinion?

in particular the journalists Hamadi

(1) OJ C 155 E, 3.7.2003, p. 26.

3.4.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/643

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 2004)

The Commission is in regular contact with Member States on human rights issues in Tunisia, and as the
Honourable Member points out, has been following closely the cases of Abdallah Zouari and Hamadi
Jebali. As a source of information the Commission is in regular contact with Tunisian independent civil
society organisations.

The Commission has ongoing concerns about aspects of the administration of justice in Tunisia and is
engaged in a regular dialogue with the Tunisian authorities on these questions, ‘inter alia’ in the framework
the Association Agreement and the European Neighbourhood Policy. Moreover, an ambitious
of
Mediterranean-European Development Agreement
in
support of Tunisian reform plans for the judiciary may include prison administration issues.

(MEDA) programme, currently in preparation,

The Commission has learned that Mr Zouari has now brought an end to his hunger strike, and thanks the
Honourable Member for the information that the Tunisian prison authorities have prevented Mr Zouari
from receiving visits from his family. The Commission intends to bring this to the attention of Member
States with a view to discussing options for action, including the possibility of a prison visit.

(2004/C 84 E/0724)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0634/04

by Giovanni Procacci (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 February 2004)

Subject: Possible infringement by Italy

The Italian association LAPET (Independent Association of Taxation Analysts and Experts) wrote on
3 February 2003 to the Commission’s DG Competition and DG Internal Market concerning a possible
infringement of Community law by Italy. There appears to have been a clear breach of Community law in
Italy in relation to Legislative Decree No 241 of 9 July 1997 (notably that law’s Article 36).

Under that law, privileges are awarded to taxpayers who accept to have their accounts inspected by
professionals who are qualified under the conditions laid down in the same law to undertake the necessary
certification. Such professionals have to be auditors whose names have been entered for at least five years
on the tax accountants’, general accountants’, commercial experts’ or labour consultants’ register, and must
also have audited taxpayers’ accounts during the tax period covered by the certification.

Can the Commission provide information on current practice in this respect and state what measures have
been or will be taken?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(25 March 2004)

The Honourable Member is referring to information received by the Directorates-General for Competition
and for the Internal Market in 2003. The presumed infringement concerns the exclusive right given to
accountants who are registered for at least five years and have kept the accounts of a company to issue the
so-called ‘heavy visa’.

In many Member States certain activities are reserved for certain professions. The Commission would like
to draw attention to the newly published Report on Competition in Professional Services (1), where it
analyses the existing regulations in the field of the liberal professions and sets out the Commission’s
thinking on the scope for reforming or modernising specific professional rules. The Report recognises that
some regulation in the sector of professional services is justified although it believes that, in some cases,
more pro-competitive mechanisms can and should be used instead.