WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2680/97 by María SORNOSA MARTÍNEZ , Angela SIERRA GONZÁLEZ to the Commission. Infringement of the principle of equality in the Aula-Dei Carthusian monastery in Zaragoza
17. 3. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 82/127 Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (25 September 1997) The new employment title of the Amsterdam Treaty contains two types of provision which will stimulate employment creation. First, Article [4] gives a further impetus to the co-ordination process of Member States’ employment policies. Each year, the Council will adopt guidelines for employment which Member States shall take into account in their employment policies. The implementation of these guidelines will be examined at Community level, with the possibility for the Council to issue recommendations to Member States. Second, Article [5] enables the Council to adopt incentive measures aimed at developing exchanges of information and best practice, providing comparative analysis and advice as well as promoting innovative approaches and exchanging experience, in particular by recourse to pilot projects. In accordance with the resolution on growth and employment adopted by the European Council in Amsterdam, in October the Commission will propose the first guidelines for employment. This proposal will deal, inter alia, with new local development and employment initiatives and implementing the territorial employment pacts. These two instruments will help exploit new sources of employment. The existing budget lines B3-4010 (Employment policy and labour market) and B3-4013 (Third system and employment) have already enabled the Commission to carry out preliminary work in the domain covered by Article [5], notably concerning the employment potential of the áthird system’ in the fields of services to daily life, services to improve the quality of life, and cultural and leisure services. It is the intention of the Commission to strengthen its activities in this area in the near future. (98/C 82/207) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2680/97 by Mar ·a Sornosa Mart ·nez (GUE/NGL) and Angela Sierra Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (1 September 1997) Subject: Infringement of the principle of equality in the Aula-Dei Carthusian monastery in Zaragoza The Aula-Dei Carthusian monastery in Zaragoza is classed as a áproperty of cultural interestí, both because it possesses paintings by Francisco de Goya and on account of its architecture. The Law on the National Historic Heritage lays down that properties of cultural interest should be properly accessible to local people. The Carthusian monastery (Cartuja) is a religious house run by Carthusian monks, and women and girls are expressly banned from entering it, although this infringes the personal rights of women and, in all probability, their constitutional rights and their rights under Spainís present legal system. Given that monastic life is not infringed by outside visits, women should have access to the premises like other visitors. Does the Commission possess the legislative wherewithal to reconcile the conflicting claims of the need to 1. respect divine service and the rights associated with the equal treatment of men and women? Does the Commissionís work include any draft legislation which could help resolve problems of this kind 2. in future? Does the Commission not believe that in this case, equal treatment should take precedence over other 3. principles? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (3 October 1997) The Honourable Members have drawn the Commission’s attention to the fact that women and girls are banned from entering the Aula-Dei Carthusian Monastery in Zaragoza, where precious works of art are on display. This constitutes an infringement of the principle of equality because women do not have the same opportunity as men to admire these works of art. While the Commission acknowledges the importance of the problem raised by the Honourable Members, it cannot take action because it does not have the power to intervene in matters of religion