WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3541/97 by James MOORHOUSE to the Council. Transexual citizens in the European Union
C 187/18 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 6. 98 Answer (17 March 1998) Turkey features regularly on the Councilís agenda. The Council attaches great importance to the promotion of relations between Greece and Turkey and the settlement of issues between them in accordance with international law, including means such as the International Court of Justice, as well as to the promotion of good-neighbourly relations and rejection of the threat or use of force in accordance with the United Nations Charter. The Council emphasizes the importance of refraining from any unilateral action which might run counter to that spirit. The Council welcomes the decision taken by Mr Simitis and Mr Yilmaz in the margins of the Balkan Summit in Crete in early November 1997 to resume the process of normalizing relations between their countries. It hopes that the informal agreement in principle concluded in Madrid will be applied to that end. In the same spirit, the Council will do all it can to facilitate relations. In particular, the Presidency will cooperate with the experts from the Eminent Persons Working Party in their task of preparing procedural suggestions to solve the problems in the Aegean. The Luxembourg European Council confirmed that the strengthening of the Unionís relations with Turkey depended, among other factors, on the establishment of satisfactory and stable relations between Greece and Turkey. Following the conclusions of the Luxembourg European Council, the Council is now working on the European Unionís strategy vis-a‘-vis Turkey. (98/C 187/28) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3541/97 by James Moorhouse (PPE) to the Council (14 November 1997) Subject: Transexual citizens in the European Union In the light of the Council of Europe Recommendation 1117 and the great disparity in the legal status and treatment of transexual European citizens in the various Member States, are there any plans to introduce proposals to improve civil rights for this group of disadvantaged and discriminated against citizens? Is the Council aware of the extent of discrimination in employment, passport rights, rights in prison, rights concerning adoption and marriage and how these differences are having a serious detrimental effect on the well-being, economic prosperity and happiness of many European Union citizens? Answer (17 March 1998) The Council has taken note of the judgment of the Court of Justice on the interpretation of Directive 76/207 in the case of access to employment and working conditions for a transsexual (1). The Council would inform the Honourable Member that it is not currently examining the issue of transsexual citizens of the European Union. Nor has it received any proposals on the matter. (1) Court Judgment of 30 April 1996, P v. S and Cornwall County Council, Case C-13/94, ECR p. I-2143