WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2774/97 by Marjo MATIKAINEN-KALLSTRÖM to the Commission. Female circumcision in Egypt
C 102/116 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 4. 98 (98/C 102/167) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2771/97 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1997) Subject: Free movement of people Can the Commission confirm that free movement of people is intended as a two way street i. e. both in and out of Member States? What proposals do they intend to make to ensure convicted criminals and suspects can be quickly and simply moved to the Member State of conviction or to the Member State investigating an offence? Answer given by Mrs Gradin on behalf of the Commission (3 October 1997) A number of international agreements govern the arrangements for the extradition of suspected or convicted criminals from one Member State to another, the principal agreement being the European Convention on extradition, 1957 and its Protocols of 1975 and 1978. In addition Member States have concluded two conventions to facilitate the application of the European Convention and to improve on its provisions, the Convention relating to simplified extradition procedures concluded on 10 March 1995 and the Convention relating to extradition between the Member States of the European Union concluded on 27 September 1996. As long as Member States have not ratified the conventions, the problems that the Honourable Member raises will not be solved. (98/C 102/168) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2774/97 by Marjo Matikainen-Kallstro¤m (PPE) to the Commission (1 September 1997) Subject: Female circumcision in Egypt An Egyptian court has reversed the government ban on female circumcision. The court ruling was a severe blow to human rights groups and, of course, Egyptian women. It champions the opposing cause, namely female circumcision and the doctors who earn their livelihood by performing the operation. As a result of circumcision, many women suffer continuously from bleeding and traumas and completely lose their libido. Many have also died after being compelled to undergo circumcision at the hands of amateur surgeons, in many cases barbers. The Unionís assistance to Egypt amounts to tens of millions of ecus a year. One aim of the support is to improve the social situation in the country. What measures will the Commission undertake to improve the position of women in Egypt by ensuring that female circumcision is prohibited? Answer given by Mr Marin on behalf of the Commission (26 September 1997) The Commission deplores the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) as dangerous on health grounds, and as an inhuman physical assault on the human rights of women and girls. The Commission condemns the practice and supports measures to eradicate it through its own programmes and through the efforts of others. The Commission fully subscribes to the strong positions taken against FGM in the Cairo Conference of 1994 and the Beijing Conference of 1995