92002E0412

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0412/02

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(21 February 2002)

Subject: Brittany in France

1. Does the Commission regard the Vichy Government's decision of 30 June 1941 to cut Loire-Atlantique (Loire-inférieure as it then was), and hence Nantes, the historic capital, off from the rest of Brittany as an acceptable one? Does the European Union think this arbitrary decision, which has ever since been perpetuated by all French Governments, right-wing and left-wing alike, is compatible with the commitments made by France as a founding Member State, namely to respect subsidiarity, above all when one opinion poll after another shows that a majority of the inhabitants of the département in question and those of the Brittany administrative unit are in favour of the restoration of their historic status as a single unit?

2. Should France, as a founding Member State of the European Union, not act in the spirit of the ideal which led to the founding of the EU, and overturn the unilateral decision of the fascist Vichy Government to deprive historical Brittany of part of its territory?

3. What practical steps does Europe intend to take to push France to ratify and implement within France the European Charter of Minority or Marginalised Languages which it has signed on its own territory?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2002)

The matter to which reference is made does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Community.