WRITTEN QUESTION E-0849/00 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Pier Casini (PPE-DE), Giorgio Lisi (PPE-DE), Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE), Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE) and Vittorio Sgarbi (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Protection of the ethnic minority in Slovenia and Croatia.
28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/171 In response to the second question on the formalising and strengthening cooperation with Cuba, we should point out that Cuba sent a letter to the ACP-EC Council of Ministers on 10 March confirming its wish to be come a signatory to the new ACP-EC Partnership Agreement. This request is currently being studied by the Commission and the Council. In the shorter term, and independently of the talks on the new Partnership Agreement, the Commission is evaluating its cooperation with Cuba in order to identify, in the EU common position, the best way of using the various cooperation instruments, especially the idea of humanitarian aid. The aim of such a change in the structure of aid is to make our cooperation more effective. (1) See page 118. (2000/C 374 E/201) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0849/00 by Antonio Tajani (PPE-DE), Pier Casini (PPE-DE), Giorgio Lisi (PPE-DE), Amalia Sartori (PPE-DE), Renato Brunetta (PPE-DE) and Vittorio Sgarbi (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Protection of the ethnic minority in Slovenia and Croatia (21 March 2000) Is the Commission aware of the serious and continuous violations of fundamental individual freedoms and property rights to which Italian citizens living in Slovenia and Croatia have been, and continue to be, subjected, in that their rightful property, of which they were dispossessed by the Yugoslavian Communist regime, has not been returned to them? What does the Commission intend to do to ensure that the governments of these countries take measures to protect the 350 000 Italian exiles who have been deprived of their nationality and ethnic group, are effectively condemned to lifelong exile? legal certainty and who, because of What steps does the Commission intend to take to ensure that the laws of countries like Slovenia, which is set to join the European Union, and Croatia respect the basic principles of the EU legal framework and combat all kinds of discrimination on the basis of nationality? How does the Commission intend to foster compliance with: 1. 2. 3. 4. the Declaration on Human Rights; the Amsterdam Treaty (Article 6); the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; the UN conference on human settlements (Habitat), Vancouver, 31 May 1976? Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission (27 April 2000) Full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including those of minorities, has always been a priority in the Commissionís external relations. With regard to Croatia, in particular, the Commission has always been highly critical in its regular reports on the country and in its contacts with the previous Croat leadership on this point, full observance of human and minority rights being a precondition to any improvement in relations between the Community and Croatia. The same message has been given to the new Croat Government, stressing the importance of genuine implementation of international legislation on this issue. The priority given to respect for human rights, with particular reference to minority rights, was also enshrined in the first recommendations of the EU- Croatia Consultative Task Force, which called on the Croat Government to undertaken the necessary C 374 E/172 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 constitutional changes in order to fully respect all minorities. In addition, there was also a reference to their commitment to starting work on adopting a law on education and the use of minority languages in accordance with the standards of the Council of Europe. Given the commitments accepted by the Croat Government and its first action plan, the Commission expects initial results in April. With regard to Slovenia, accession negotiations were opened in the light of the Commissionís opinion of July 1997, which stated that Slovenia fulfilled the political criteria laid down at Copenhagen. Slovenia presents the characteristics of a democracy, with stable institutions guaranteeing the rule of law, human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities. The Commission found in particular that Italian citizens in Slovenia had obtained recognition as a minority and the associated constitutional rights. The Commission is aware that the process of returning property is very slow in Slovenia. It is following the process carefully in the context of bilateral relations and discussed the matter at a recent Association Committee meeting on 23 March 2000. However, the Commission has no power to intervene directly on this matter. Article 295 (formerly Article 222) of the EC Treaty expressly states that it shall in no way prejudice the rules in Member States governing the system of property ownership. (2000/C 374 E/202) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0856/00 by Lord Inglewood (PPE-DE) to the Commission (21 March 2000) Subject: Eurostar socio-economic data What is the measure of statistical error in the socio-economic data produced by the Statistical Office of the European Community for GDP/PPS 1994-1996 and for the unemployment rate in 1995-1997? Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission (19 April 2000) As regards GDP/PPS, the Commission does not have the necessary information to calculate the error rate requested by the Honourable Member. However, as part of its ongoing project to improve the quality of its statistics (Qualistat), the Commission has implemented various measures with the general aim of improv- ing the accuracy of these indicators. As regards unemployment rates, calculated using the Community Labour Force Survey, Article 3 of Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 of 9 March 1998 (1) on the organisation of a labour force sample survey in the Community requires Member States to ensure that, for a group of unemployed people representing 5 % of the working age population, the relative standard error for the estimation of annual averages at NUTS II level shall not exceed 8 % of the sub-population in question. (1) OJ L 77, 14. 3. 1998. (2000/C 374 E/203) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0857/00 by Roger Helmer (PPE-DE) to the Commission (22 March 2000) Subject: Construction products directive The construction products directive was designed to remove barriers to trade within the European Union. It is designed to ensure that all products sold within the construction industry within the EU are fit for