WRITTEN QUESTION P-0225/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Council. European Working Groups.
C 26 E/22 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 26. 1. 2001 Lastly, the Community guidelines leave the Member States considerable freedom to grant aid to cover the social costs arising from these restructuring processes. (1) OJ C 363, 25. 11. 1998. (2) OJ C 288, 9. 10. 1999. (2001/C 26 E/025) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0225/00 by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Council (28 January 2000) Subject: European Working Groups The European Parliament has no power of scrutiny over the European Working Groups. Indeed little is know of them even in national parliaments. Will the Council supply a list of all Working Groups formed, together with their statement of purpose; designated level and department of national representation; and brief statement of subject matter presently under discussion? Reply (8 June 2000) The Council attaches the greatest importance to openness and transparency in the European Unionís decision-making process. It underlines that the European Working Groups to which the Honourable Member refers must not be confused with the committees set up to assist the European Commission within the general framework of the Decision on Committee Procedure of 28 June 1999. Bearing this in mind, the Council would inform the Honourable Member that, as part of the reforms to ensure an effective Council for an enlarged Union, it has recently streamlined and reduced the number of its preparatory bodies, which are now established in an official list. That list specifies the committees and working parties directly involved in preparing work for Council meetings and will be implemented gradually. It will be updated to take account of any changes. The work of all such preparatory bodies is of course subordinate to, and scrutinised by, the Council. Subsequent to the procedure for amending the Councilís Rules of Procedure, which is still being finalised, the General Secretariat of the Council is responsible for publishing the list of those preparatory bodies. A copy of that list will accordingly be sent to the Honourable Member. (2001/C 26 E/026) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0227/00 by JosØ Salafranca SÆnchez-Neyra (PPE-DE) and Gerardo Galeote Quecedo (PPE-DE) to the Commission (4 February 2000) Subject: Arrest of moderate dissidents in Cuba The moderate dissidents, Osvaldo PayÆ Sardinas and Hector Palacios, were recently arrested in Cuba, after first being taken to an unknown destination. According to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, more than 300 dissidents and human rights activists have been arrested since November 1999. Is the Commission aware of these facts? What are its views on these arrests? Does it intend to take any action on this matter?