WRITTEN QUESTION E-1800/99 by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Council. Proposals for directives awaiting a Council decision.
20. 6. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 170 E/103 (2000/C 170 E/119) WRITTEN QUESTION P-1796/99 by Marco Pannella (TDI) to the Commission (1 October 1999) Subject: Abduction of Mr Vu Duc Binh and arrest of 24 members of the PAP According to statements made by Mr Thomas Hammarberg, the UN Secretary-Generalís special represen- tative for human rights in Cambodia, Mr Vu Duc Binh, a member of the Popular Action Party and opponent of the Vietnamese Communist regime, was abducted and arrested by the Cambodian police in August 1999 and is now in Vietnam. The official Vietnamese press has also reported that a court in Hanoi sentenced 24 members of the same opposition party to 224 yearsí imprisonment for illegally returning to Vietnam with the intention of overthrowing the Communist government. What information does the Commission have on the abduction of Mr Vu Duc Binh, the arrest of 24 members of the Popular Action Party and their conditions of detention? What steps has the Commission taken, or does it intend to take, to seek the earliest possible release of these people? More generally, will the Commission state what measures it has taken or intends to take to promote democracy and the development of the market economy in Vietnam? Finally, has the Commission expressed to the Cambodian authorities its disapproval of Cambodiaís involvement in the abduction of Mr Vu Duc Binh? If not, does it intend to do so? Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (21 October 1999) The Commission has so far had no information about the abduction of Vu Duc Binh in August or the arrest of 24 members of Vietnamís Popular Action Party other than the bare reports in the press and statements by the UN Human Rights Centre in Phnomh Penh, which are somewhat inconsistent. It has asked its delegations in Hanoi and Bangkok (for Phnomh Penh) to look out for any further details. In the course of its relations with Cambodia and Vietnam the Commission consistently stresses the importance the EU attaches to observance of democratic principles and fundamental human rights, the principles of the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, as set out in the cooperation agreements with the two countries. (2000/C 170 E/120) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1800/99 by Helena Torres Marques (PSE) to the Council (13 October 1999) Subject: Proposals for directives awaiting a Council decision At the 23 September 1999 meeting of the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism, the President-in-Office of the Transport Ministersí Council confirmed that the Council holds a large number of proposals for directives on which it has yet to take a decision, despite the fact that some of those proposals have been awaiting such action for a number of years. Could the Council say which proposals are affected by this state of affairs? Reply (17 December 1999) The proposals for directives to which the Honourable Member is referring concern, inter alia, those covered by the Resolution adopted by the European Parliament at its sitting on 16 September 1999 C 170 E/104 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 20. 6. 2000 (see PE 279. 943). In that Resolution the European Parliament confirmed, as first readings under the co- decision procedure following the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty, a whole series of texts voted under the previous Parliament. Following that European Parliament Resolution, the Council will strive henceforth to make progress on the files concerned. (2000/C 170 E/121) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1801/99 by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission (12 October 1999) Subject: Lindane The monograph produced by the Austrian authorities on the health and environmental effects of the pesticide lindane has been forwarded to the competent authorities of the Member States so that their views may be taken into account before the Commission brings forward a proposal on the use of this product. Given the huge number of pesticides and other chemicals for which safety data is lacking, is the Commission happy with the present slow and cumbersome review process? How does it intend to speed up this process without lowering safety standards? (2000/C 170 E/122) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1802/99 by David Bowe (PSE) to the Commission (12 October 1999) Subject: Lindane In connection with Council Directive 91/0414/EEC (1) the Austrian authorities have produced a mono- graph covering the health and environmental effects of the pesticide lindane. In the monograph they recommended the suspension of the use of lindane across the EU pending the submission of further data. Furthermore, they called for lindane to be classified under ácategory 3 of carcinogenic substancesí and for the label to contain the phrase ápossible risk of irreversible effectsí under Directive 67/0548/EEC (2). Given the recommendations in the report and the fact that Sweden and Denmark have already banned it fully accept the lindane, what action will the Commission be taking regarding this product? Will recommendations put forward by the Austrians, particularly in the light of the precautionary principle? (1) OJ L 230, 19. 8. 1991, p. 1. (2) OJ 196, 16. 8. 1967, p. 1. Joint answer to Written Questions E-1801/99 and E-1802/99 given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission (15 November 1999) For the current state of the examination of the dossier concerning lindane, the Commission would refer to its answer to Written Question E-154/99 of Mrs Pollack (1). The Commission will follow the procedures established in Commission Regulation (EEC) 3600/92 of 11 December 1992 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the first stage of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/0414/EEC concerning the placing