WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2407/97 by Marie-Noëlle LIENEMANN to the Commission. Measures to combat discrimination against homosexuals
C 76/94 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 3. 98 The report proposed that a directive should be drawn up to deal with this issue, which has major implications for society as a whole. Can the Commission say what stage the draft directive has reached? Does the Commission not consider that, after four years, there should already be a directive which, given the length of time allowed for the transposition of directives, would already be part of the national laws of most of the Member States? What reasons can the Commission put forward to account for the fact that no such directive yet exists? (98/C 76/189) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2407/97 by Marie-Noe¤lle Lienemann (PSE) to the Commission (10 July 1997) Subject: Measures to combat discrimination against homosexuals Homosexuals are still subject to discrimination in many European countries, particularly as regards their personal and family life. All too frequently they are unable to live as a couple and enjoy the rights and duties deriving from marriage. Associations all over Europe are demanding genuine European citizenship for homosexuals and the introduction of legislation to allow marriages between two persons of the same sex for those who wish to form this special bond. Will the Commission propose to the relevant bodies in the European Union that a civil contract of social union be introduced in the fifteen Member States, together with legislation to end the discrimination still affecting homosexuals, in accordance with the proposals put forward in the report by Mrs Claudia Roth (DOC A3- 0028/94 (1))? (1) OJ C 61, 28. 2. 1994, p. 40. (98/C 76/190) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2435/97 by Laura Gonza·lez A· lvarez (GUE/NGL), Angela Sierra Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL), Mar ·a Sornosa Mart ·nez (GUE/NGL) and Antoni Gutie·rrez D ·az (GUE/NGL) to the Commission Subject: Recommendation on the legal equality of homosexuals in the EC (16 July 1997) In 1994 the European Parliament adopted a report by its Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs on the legal equality of homosexuals within the EC. The rapporteur was Claudia Roth. Her report proposed that a Recommendation be drawn up on this subject, which is of major interest to the public. What stage has this recommendation now reached? Joint answer to Written Questions E-2307/97, E-2407/97 and E-2435/97 given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (9 September 1997) The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Members that, at the time when the Roth report was adopted (February 1994), the Community Treaties did not bestow on the institutions any specific powers for tackling discrimination based on sexual orientation. The draft Treaty of Amsterdam introduced a new legal basis (new Article 6a in the EC Treaty) for the adoption of Community measures needed to combat, among other things, discrimination based on sexual orientation