WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1786/98 by Joaquín SISÓ CRUELLAS to the Commission. International march against the exploitation of child labour
C 50/92 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 22. 2. 1999 (1999/C 50/133) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1783/98 by Concepció Ferrer (PPE) to the Commission (11 June 1998) Subject: Andorra In February 1998 the Council of Ministers approved an extension to the trade agreement with Andorra. However, these agreements have not yet come into force and seem to have been frozen. Will the Commission say why these agreements have not yet entered into force? Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (16 July 1998) It is not correct that the Council approved an extension of the trade agreement with Andorra in February 1998. The relations between Andorra and the Community are based on the customs union agreement of 28 June 1990, which came into force on 1 July 1991. The Council adopted on 24 February 1997 negotiation directives authorising the Commission to enter into negotiations on the conclusion of a co-operation agreement with Andorra, of which the Parliament was informed. On 19 January 1998 the Commission finalised negotiations of that co-operation agreement. It covers a wide range of issues, including the environment, communications, information, culture, transport, regional and cross-border co-operation, and social issues. It does not affect the working of the customs union agreement. The two agreements should work side by side and be managed by the same joint committee. The initialling of the new agreement is currently on hold by the Commission until a satisfactory solution is found to the tobacco question. The Commission is very concerned by the extent and gravity of tobacco smuggling, and would like to see swift progress towards a solution of what is an intolerable situation for the Community and its Member States. (1999/C 50/134) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1786/98 by Joaquín Sisó Cruellas (PPE) to the Commission (11 June 1998) Subject: International march against the exploitation of child labour The international march against the exploitation of child labour, which began in Manila (Philippines) on 17 January 1998 and has since passed through various cities in Asia, Africa and Latin America, has just arrived in Europe and is simultaneously following three routes in England, Sweden and Spain. Its main aim is to promote public awareness of the situation of the 250 million children in the world whose labour is exploited, according to ILO statistics, and to promote efforts to safeguard childrenís basic rights and encourage states to ratify and comply with existing laws on education and child labour. Given the need to ensure that the objectives of the international march are fulfilled and that the European people as a whole should be made aware of the terrible situation suffered by millions of children in the world, which is completely unacceptable and intolerable, will the Commission say what contribution the European Union has made to the march and what projects and programmes it has planned to alleviate the conditions suffered by millions of children in the world? Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (16 July 1998) The Commission did not contribute to the world march against child labour, since it was not asked to do so. It nonetheless welcomes the event¢s contribution to mobilising world public opinion on one of the most serious problems of our times