WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2049/98 by Jan SONNEVELD , Petrus CORNELISSEN to the Commission. Imports of third country citrus fruits into Italy and Greece
5. 2. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 31/117 Joint answer to Written Questions E-2044/98 and E-2045/98 given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (7 September 1998) The Commission took careful note of the report which accompanied Parliamentís assent to the Interim Agreement with Mexico in May of this year. The provisions which for the first time explicitly label adherence to democratic principles and human rights áessential elementsí are regarded by the Commission as key components of the new Agreement, which marked a milestone when it entered into force on 1 July. With it, the Community has acquired a clear, contractual and legal foundation for giving greater consideration to these matters and for contributing more effectively and constructively to improving Mexicoís situation in this regard. Where monitoring of respect for human rights and involving non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is concerned, the political weight of this principle was translated into action even before the Agreement was signed. An exchange of views on the situation in Chiapas was the major focus of the meeting held with the Mexican Foreign Minister in Panama City in February. Moreover, at Parliamentís initiative, a public hearing was organised in Brussels in March to provide representatives of civil society in Mexico (including a wide range of NGOs) with an opportunity to put their points of view over to the public. Independently of these considerations, the Commission will continue to use all available means to remind the Mexican authorities of the importance which the Union attaches to ensuring that all those responsible for the massacre are identified and brought to justice. (1999/C 31/162) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2049/98 by Jan Sonneveld (PPE) and Petrus Cornelissen (PPE) to the Commission Subject: Imports of third country citrus fruits into Italy and Greece (7 July 1998) The plant health system in the EU was harmonized in 1993. Since then imports of citrus fruits have been permitted into 13 Member States of the EU (including Spain and Portugal). However, for a three-year transitional period Greece and Italy were to be allowed to enjoy protected zone status. On 14 March 1996 the Commission published a directive removing the protected zone status of these Member States. Italy and Greece have not implemented this directive. In November 1997 the Standing Committee on Plant Health adopted the legislation relating to the new EU/Third country import arrangements for citrus fruit. Even before these arrangements came into effect the two Member States in question should have started to implement the Commission directive removing their protected zone status. Today, five years after the harmonization of the EUís plant health system Greece and Italy should implement this forthwith. Is the Commission aware that despite directive 96/15 of 14 March 1996 (1) it is still not possible to import 1. citrus fruit from third countries into Italy and Greece? 2. What action will the Commission take to ensure the immediate opening up of these markets and the implementation of directive 96/15? (1) OJ L 70, 20. 3. 1996, p. 35. Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (3 September 1998) The Commission is aware that the import of citrus fruit originating in third countries is still not possible in Greece and Italy. The non-application of the relevant Community legislation by Greece and Italy is at present subject to detailed examination by the Commission in order to determine the appropriate steps to be envisaged