WRITTEN QUESTION E-0636/00 by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Repopulation of northern regions in Greece where minorities of Macedonian and Turkish origin are resident.
C 26 E/74 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 26. 1. 2001 Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (14 April 2000) The Honourable Member is referring to the specific measures announced by the Commission in its communication to the Council (1) and to the fixing of export refunds for products not covered by Annex I to the Treaty for which the rates were reduced by 4,5 % on a flat-rate basis as from 1 November 1999. This reduction is to be replaced by the application of the abovementioned specific measures, which are intended to ensure that refunds continue to be made for goods not covered by Annex I to the Treaty within the framework of the budget appropriations agreed by the budgetary authority. The specific measures comprise savings and the creation of an additional facility to allow easier access to the inward processing arrangements to enable the Community processing industry to remain competitive on external markets. The rules for the application of this package of measures and their impact on the various sectors still have to be discussed with the experts of the Member Statesí delegations in the appropriate management committees. (1) COM(1999) 625 final. (2001/C 26 E/092) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0636/00 by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Council (2 March 2000) Subject: Repopulation of northern regions in Greece where minorities of Macedonian and Turkish origin are resident In January 2000 the Greek Parliament adopted a law concerning the return of Greeks coming from former Soviet republics. This legislation states that several thousand citizens are to be accommodated in the northern regions of Greece where sizeable minorities of Macedonian and Turkish origin (Lerin-Florina and Xsanthi regions) are resident. Can the Council provide detailed information on the practical arrangements for this transfer of population in a Member States of the European Union? Can the Council confirm that thousands of citizens are to be located in the northern provinces where there is a problem with minorities? Is the Council aware of the consequences that significant changes in the demographic situation can produce in sensitive regions? Reply (8 June 2000) The Honourable Memberís attention is drawn to the fact that it is not up to the Council to comment on matters which are the responsibility of a Member State. (2001/C 26 E/093) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0637/00 by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission (3 March 2000) Subject: Recognition of Kurds as a minority and the accession of Turkey Since the Helsinki summit in December 1999 Turkey has been accepted as a candidate state for accession to the European Union. The conditions for membership are democratisation, improvement of the human rights situation and respect for the criteria of the Copenhagen Treaty. The latter implies recognition of the