WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1867/98 by Luigi CALIGARIS to the Council. Integration of the WEU into the EU
C 13/108 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 1. 1999 Strict control provisions have been laid down by Council Decision 98/256/EC of 16 March 1998 concerning emergency measures to protect against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) amending Decision 94/474/EC and repealing Decision 96/239/EC (1) for the export certified herd scheme. Their implementation in Northern Ireland was inspected by the Commissionís food and veterinary office from 20 to 22 April 1998. Only after this inspection did the Commission set 1 June 1998 as the date from which dispatch could resume. Under the Commission proposal for a date-based export scheme, similarly strict controls would apply. An inspection will be carried out by the Commissionís food and veterinary office along with experts from the Member States, before the Commission sets a date from which dispatch of the relevant products may resume. It should also be noted that the decline in the BSE epidemic in the United Kingdom follows scientific expectations. (1) OJ L 113, 15. 4. 1998. (1999/C 13/153) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1866/98 by Peter Crampton (PSE) to the Commission (16 June 1998) Subject: Democratic rights in Estonia In view of the fact that Estonia is in the first tranche of states being considered for European Union membership, is the Commission satisfied with the progress so far towards the achievement of democratic rights for the large percentage of the Estonian population who were not born in Estonia, or whose parents and grandparents were not born in Estonia? Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (14 July 1998) With reference to the Commissionís opinion on Estoniaís application for Community membership, the Accession Partnership, adopted by the Commission in March 1998, underlines the need to take measures to facilitate the naturalisation process and better to integrate non-Estonian citizens, including stateless children. Also, Estonian language training for non-Estonian speakers has to be enhanced. With a view to implementing the recommenda- tions by the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE) High commissioner for national minorities, the Estonian government has tabled legislative proposals which are presently under consideration by the Estonian Parliament. Developments on these issues are monitored closely. (1999/C 13/154) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1867/98 by Luigi Caligaris (ELDR) to the Council (17 June 1998) Subject: Integration of the WEU into the EU Since, as the Amsterdam Treaty states, the European Union is to áfoster closer institutional relations with the WEU with a view to the possibility of the integration of the WEU into the Union, should the European Council so decideí, appropriate steps should be taken to prepare for that eventuality. It would therefore seem to be a good idea to go beyond the consolidated practice of setting up ad hoc delegations involving both sides and create a context in which issues of mutual interest connected with the eventual integration of the WEU into the EU can be constantly examined. It would be an idea to provide the EU with an institute dealing with security matters similar to the WEU one, not only for the purpose stated but also to provide intellectual support for the activities of the European institutions in the difficult sphere of the common foreign and security policy. Should the integration of the WEU into the EU become a reality, the two institutes would fuse. What is the Councilís opinion?