WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4028/97 by Glenys KINNOCK to the Commission. Landmines and EU aid
16. 6. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 187/111 Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (25 February 1998) The question of health care, including mental health care, remains the responsibility of the Member States. This will not change when the Amsterdam Treaty is ratified. The Honourable Member should therefore address his question to the Greek authorities. (98/C 187/170) WRITTEN QUESTION E-4028/97 by Glenys Kinnock (PSE) to the Commission (14 January 1998) Subject: Landmines and EU aid Does the Commission welcome the UK decision to review the levels of its development funding to recipient countries which do not ásign upí to the Ottawa agreement on landmines? Would it, therefore, not be appropriate for the Commission to recommend that the EU should adopt similar discrimination against recipients of EU development assistance which continue to produce and export landmines? Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (2 February 1998) The Commission welcomes measures by Member States that help overcome the tragic consequences of the irresponsible and indiscriminate use of anti-personnel landmines in many developing countries, and which encourage adherence to the Convention to ban anti-personnel landmines which was opened for signature in Ottawa on 3 December 1997. It was delighted to see so many developing countries sign the Convention on 3 and 4 December 1997. It must, however, stress that the Communityís development policies do not make aid conditional on a countryís stance on anti-personnel landmines. That being said, the Development Ministers, in the Council resolution of 22 November 1996 concerning an integrated and coordinated approach to tackling anti-personnel landmines, naturally excluded countries selling, producing and stockpiling anti-personnel landmines from mine-clearance programmes, except for research projects in the anti-personnel landmines field, relief activities and measures directly benefiting vulnerable communities. Extending this resolution to the whole of the Communityís development policy could be discussed at the talks on future relations with the developing countries to encourage them to stop producing, stockpiling, trading in and laying anti-personnel landmines. (98/C 187/171) WRITTEN QUESTION E-4029/97 by Caroline Jackson (PPE) to the Commission (14 January 1998) Subject: Securing of lorry loads Does the Commission believe that there is a case for European legislation governing the securing of lorry loads generally, or does the Commission believe that, while such EU legislation exists for dangerous goods, it can be left to national authorities to introduce and implement such general safety measures for the securing of lorry loads as they deem necessary according to national law?