WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3442/98 by Amedeo AMADEO Ambient air
11. 10. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 289/49 (1999/C 289/064) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3440/98 by Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (24 November 1998) Subject: Abduction of two children in Libya There recently appeared in the Italian press the story of Anisa and Amira, the daughters of two women, Antonia Bartoli and Barbara De Dominicis, and of a Libyan, Abubaker al Sherif, who in 1996, claiming to be a political refugee, abducted the two girls. Following a series of appeals to the Libyan courts on the basis of Libyan law, custody was awarded to the children’s natural mothers, provided that they reside in Libya. On 21 June, following an appeal submitted by the father, the decision to award custody to the mothers was once again upheld. Abubaker al Sherif is currently in hiding in Libya, together with the two girls. On the basis of the above, does the Commission not think that it should make representations to the Libyan authorities in order to ask for greater efforts to be made in the investigations which are meant to lead to the arrest of the father and the return of the children to their own mothers in accordance with what has been decided under Libyan law? Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (7 December 1998) Having no contractual ties with Libya, the Commission possesses no first-hand information on the cases cited by the Honourable Member. This is not a matter for the Commission but for the relevant national and consular authorities. (1999/C 289/065) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3442/98 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (24 November 1998) Subject: Ambient air With reference to the proposal for a Council directive relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air (COM(97) 500 final 7 97/0266/SYN) (1), could the Commission ascertain whether or not the limit values for sulphur dioxide (SO2) could come into force as early as 2005 (the scheduled date for other harmful substances) and not just in 2010, as laid down in the proposal for a directive? (1) OJ C 9, 14. 1. 1998, p. 6. Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (26 January 1999) The proposal for a Council directive relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead (1), does in fact set limit values for sulphur dioxide to come into force in 2005. If the Honourable Member is referring to the limit values for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to protect health to be met by 1 January 2010, it is the Commission’s view that a faster timetable is not technically feasible for the Community as a whole. Individual Member States may set shorter timescales if they so choose. (1) OJ C 360, 23. 11. 1998