WRITTEN QUESTION No. 928/99 by Rijk van DAM Transport of emergency aid to Ukraine
21. 12. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 370/141 on the questions and issues it raised. The Commission has also organised three public hearings (24 February 1999 for individual entities or companies; 17 March 1999 for interest groups or associations; 30 March 1999 for administrations). The International amateur radio union (IARU) participated in one of the meetings and had, and continues to have, the opportunity to put forward opinions. Radio-amateurs as well as their national or European interest groups are welcome to submit in writing any view deemed relevant. All comments will be published on the web site http://www. ispo. cec. be/spectrumgp. The green paper addresses spectrum policy related issues from a generic point of view pertinent to all sectors or applications, including the usage made by radio-amateurs which falls under the category of Research and development (R&D) discussed in the green paper. The Commission welcomes any comments which representative radio-amateur interest groups may wish to put forward on policy issues in relation with spectrum policy and will study proposals carefully in the context of all responses received. (1) COM(98) 596 final. (1999/C 370/198) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0928/99 by Rijk van Dam (I-EDN) to the Commission (7 April 1999) Subject: Transport of emergency aid to Ukraine Can the Commission confirm that the import of shipments of emergency aid to the areas of Ukraine 1. affected by flooding (especially the sub-Carpathians) has been prevented by the customs authorities since February 1999? Is the Commission aware that various shipments of emergency aid have been put into store at the 2. Ukrainian border and have not in fact been transported to the areas affected? Can the Commission confirm that a suspension of the import rules in the period after the flooding 3. has recently been followed by the reintroduction of especially strict rules? Is the Commission prepared to raise this problem through its office in Kiev and endeavour to find a 4. solution that enables the Ukrainian citizens concerned to receive the goods intended for them? Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (3 May 1999) The Commission thanks the Honourable Member for his interest in humanitarian operations in Ukraine. The Commission, via its specialised service for humanitarian assistance (ECHO), has altogether funded five assistance projects in connection with the floods in Transcarpathia and Western Ukraine (total value 1,28 million euro). None of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) implementing these projects has so far reported major difficulties with local authorities (including the customs authorities). Many of the humanitarian goods required in the disaster zone have been purchased locally. The Commission has not received any representations from humanitarian agencies encountering difficulties in Ukraine in this regard