91997E2501

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2501/97 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (18 July 1997)

Subject: CITES - Ivory

Given Parliament's resolution B4-0473/97 of 12 June 1997, which 'urged the parties not to accept any proposals from Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to downlist the African elephant', and the desired position of several Member States to vote against this downlisting, the Commission's position affected the final outcome of the parties to the CITES convention.

In the interests of transparency will the Commission publish the specific proposals it made in Harare on the elephant issue, and will the Commission undertake in future to communicate its proposals for a common position of the Member States to Parliament well in advance?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (26 September 1997)

The proposals concerning the transfer of the elephant populations of Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe were adopted by a far greater number of parties than the required two-thirds majority. The Commission's position to support a compromise with firm conditions and the subsequent Community position to abstain did not affect the final outcome of the meeting. The Commission and the Community did, however, contribute throughout the meeting to the positive results that were achieved.

The Commission is ready, in conformity with the code of conduct with the Parliament to inform fully the relevant committee on these negotiations and to explain the positions taken. This will be the occasion for the Parliament to see that there was no discrepancy between its position on elephants as laid down in its Resolution 94-0473/97 of 12 June 1997 and that of the Commission.

As demonstrated on the occasion of the Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) meeting, the Commission is in principle ready to take the Parliament's views into account when formulating common position proposals. Similarly, the Commission - together with the Presidency - has a regular exchange of information with representatives of the Community's non-governmental organizations during CITES meetings. As for the future communication to Parliament of proposals for Community positions well in advance of CITES meetings, the Commission will continue to conform with the provisions of the aforementioned code de conduct.