WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1722/97 by Ana PALACIO VALLELERSUNDI to the Council. Public access to Council documents
17. 3. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 82/15 Is it true that the Ombudsmanís remit has been restricted in this way and, if so, what was the legal basis for the Councilís decision? Joint answer to Written Question E-1722/97 and E-1813/97 (28 October 1997) The sphere of competence of the European Ombudsman is laid down in Article 138e of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC). That Treaty is applicable to Title VI of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) insofar as Article K. 8 of the TEU so provides. However, Article 138e is not cited in the list of TEC provisions made applicable to Title VI of the TEU. The new Amsterdam Treaty lays down that the provisions referred to in Article 138e of the TEC are to apply to provisions relating to the fields referred to in Title VI of the TEU. By letters dated 26 March and 20 June 1997 the Council sent a detailed reply to the Ombudsman concerning Mr Bunyanís complaints. The Honourable Members will receive directly a copy of the two letters sent by the Council to the Ombudsman (1). (1) The explanations of vote given by members of the Council on the matter have been released to the public. (98/C 82/21) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1746/97 by Hono·rio Novo (GUE/NGL) and Se·rgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Council Subject: Imports of textiles and clothing from Indonesia (22 May 1997) In the wake of the amendments to Regulation 3030/93 (1) adopted in January 1997 and ratified by the Council on 29 April 1997, the Commission has adopted a specific regulation intended to allow additional quantities of textiles products and clothing to be imported from Indonesia. Does the Council believe that its decision of 29 April 1997 is compatible with Indonesiaís failure to respect the decisions of the UN, and with the positions of the European Parliament and the EU requiring trade relations with Indonesia to be conditional on the East Timor issue? (1) OJ L 275, 8. 11. 1993, p. 1. Answer (28 October 1997) Additional quantities of imports of certain textile products originating in Indonesia were granted by Commission Regulation No 560/97 of 26 March 1997 (1), whose entry into force preceded the date of adoption of Regulation (EC) No 824/97 (2) which amends Regulation (EC) No 3030/97 on common rules for imports of certain textile products from third countries. The abovementioned Regulation (EC) No 824/97 was adopted without prejudice to the European Unionís position on the political questions concerning third countries. The Regulation falls within the sphere of competence of the Commission, assisted by the Textiles Management Committee. On 25 June 1996 the Council adopted a common position defining the European Unionís policy towards East Timor. The common position contains no trade sanction in respect of Indonesia (1) OJ L 85, 27. 3. 1997. (2) OJ L 119, 8. 5. 1997