WRITTEN QUESTION No. 615/98 by Angela BILLINGHAM to the Commission. Study on the risks of cancer caused by textiles and leather goods
C 304/140 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 10. 98 (98/C 304/208) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0614/98 by Mar ·a Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Council (16 March 1998) Subject: Violence against women The European Parliament recently adopted a resolution on the need to establish a European Union wide campaign for zero tolerance of violence against women (1), urging the Governments of the Member States to take violence against women more seriously and include it on their political agenda. Bearing in mind that in Spain alone during 1997, 61 women were killed in incidents involving this kind of violence, a figure higher than that for victims of ETA terrorist vioence, what measures and actions will the Council take during the current year to combat violence against women on a European scale? (1) OJ C 304, 6. 10. 1997, p. 25. Answer (28 May 1998) Violence against women is a subject that Member States of the European Union take very seriously indeed. For example, at the last Labour and Social Affairs Council meeting on 15 December 1997, violence against women was one of the three topics discussed as part of a debate on the follow-up to the UN Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. The Council reviewed the measures taken by Member States and underlined the important work done through the STOP and the DAPHNE Programmes to combat violence against women and children, whatever form it might take. In March 1998, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women focused on violence against women; the European Union was represented at this Conference and adopted a statement condemning all forms of violence against women. The Presidency is currently considering, together with the Commission, the possibility of initiatives on violence against women being taken by the European Union in 1999. (98/C 304/209) WRITTEN QUESTION P-0615/98 by Angela Billingham (PSE) to the Commission (25 February 1998) Subject: Study on the risks of cancer caused by textiles and leather goods Does the Commission consider that the findings of the study on the risks of cancer caused by textiles and leather goods which are coloured by Azo-dyes, covered by the invitation to tender No III/96/61 of July 1996, will necessitate any action by footwear traders in the European Union? Does the Commission consider the health risks are proportionate to a need for legislation and if not, will it take action to remove national Azo prohibitions that conflict with the Single Market? Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (25 March 1998) The study on the risks of cancer caused by textiles and leather goods coloured with certain azo dyes is part of a programme that was launched by the Commission to analyse the need for harmonised restrictions on the marketing and use of carcinogenic azo dyes and the economic and other consequences of such restrictions