Resolution on the appointment of Mr Martin Bangemann to a post in the private sector with the ‘Telefonica’ company
C 301/34 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 18. 10. 1999 Thursday 22 July 1999 Calls also on the PKK to put an end to violence and terrorism and to cooperate in the search for 11. peace in Turkey; Reiterates its call on the Council and the Member States to take all the measures required to assist in 12. the promotion of a political solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey; 13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Turkish Government, the Turkish Grand National Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the United Nations. 3. Private-sector appointment of Mr Bangemann B5-0003, 0004, 0013 and 0021/99 Resolution on the appointment of Mr Martin Bangemann to a post in the private sector with the ‘Telefonica’ company The European Parliament, − having regard to Article 213 of the EC Treaty, − having regard to the Code of Conduct on standards in public life announced by the Commission on 17 July 1999, − having regard to the solemn undertaking given by Martin Bangemann on entering his duties as Commissioner responsible for industrial affairs and information and telecommunications techno- logies that, both during and after his term of office, he would respect the obligations arising therefrom and in particular his duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance, after he ceased to hold office, of certain appointments or benefits, − having regard to the statements made by the Commission and Council to Parliament on 21 July 1999, − having regard to the remarks on lack of personal responsibility in the first report of the Committee of Independent Experts, A. whereas on 1 July 1999, Commissioner Martin Bangemann announced his intention to resign so that he could immediately take up a post in the telecommunications industry on the Board of Directors of the Spanish Telefonica company; whereas his conduct is to be deplored especially when seen against the background of the crisis that the institutions of the Union have recently experienced, B. whereas Mr Bangemann had extensive official dealings with companies in the telecommunications sector during his period of office, C. whereas there is great public disquiet over the failings of the Santer Commission to respect standards in public life, and great public concern over public officials who on leaving office take positions in companies with which they have had official dealings; whereas the public interest needs to be protected, D. whereas the Commission should be at the forefront of maintaining and respecting standards in public life, 1. Condemns the action taken by Mr Bangemann in taking up a post in a part of the private sector where he had primary responsibility for Commission policy, without respecting the need for a ‘cooling-off period’ after leaving office; calls on Mr Bangemann to reverse his decision to take up a post with Telefonica; Calls on all other outgoing members of the Santer Commission to respect voluntarily the new Code 2. of Conduct; 18. 10. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 301/35 Thursday 22 July 1999 3. Calls on the Prodi Commission to ensure that the provisions of the Code of Conduct it announced on 17 July 1999, in particular with regard to the declaration of financial interests, the prohibition on accepting payments from third parties, the provisions on accepting private sector posts after leaving office, and the establishment of a Committee on Standards in Public Life are enforced strictly and with the utmost rigour; 4. Calls on the Commission and Council to ensure that Article 213 of the EC Treaty is strictly complied with and enforced in relation to Mr Bangemann; in this respect gives its full support to the Council decision to refer to the European Court of Justice the case of Mr Bangemann who should have been led, by the duty of discretion deriving from his responsibilities, to refuse the duties he has agreed to exercise in ‘Telefonica’ and, clearly, not to apply for a post involving a sphere of activities covered by his portfolio as Commissioner, in particular the question of the suspension of the pension rights of Mr Bangemann during the period of his employment with Telefonica; Insists that Mr Bangemann be deprived of his pension entitlements and of any other benefits deriving 5. from his office of Commissioner; 6. Calls upon the next Intergovernmental Conference to consider revising Article 213 to ensure that the provisions on Commissioners taking up posts after they have ceased to hold office are made more clear and precise and correspond to the highest possible standards in public life; Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and Council and the governments 7. of the Member States. 4. Dioxin B5-0002, 0005, 0010, 0015 and 0017/99 Resolution on contamination by dioxins of foodstuffs in Belgium The European Parliament, − having regard to Commission Decisions 1999/363/EC and 1999/389/EC of 3 June 1999 on protective measures with regard to contamination by dioxins of certain animal products intended for human or animal consumption and Commission Decision 1999/368/EC of 4 June 1999 on protective measures with regard to contamination by dioxins of products intended for human or animal consumption derived from bovine animals and pigs, − having regard to the Commissio decisions of 11 June 1999 on protective measures with regard to contamination by dioxins of certain animal products intended for human or animal consumption and amending Decisions 1999/363/EC and 1999/389/EC and the decision on protective measures with regard to contamination by dioxins of products intended for human or animal consumption derived from bovine animals and pigs and revoking Decision 1999/368/EC, − having regard to Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 concerning veterinary checks in intra-Community trade with a view to the completion of the internal market, amended by Directive 92/118/EEC, − having regard to Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26 June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain live animals and products with a view to the completion of the internal market, amended by Directive 92/118/EEC, − having regard to the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Directive 95/53/EC fixing the principles governing the organisation of official inspections in the field of animal nutrition (COM(98)0602),