WRITTEN QUESTION E-0313/00 by Marietta Giannakou-Koutsikou (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Safeguarding the social rights of gypsies.
C 374 E/56 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 28. 12. 2000 Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission (14 April 2000) The Commission shares the concern of the Honourable Member concerning abuse of women. In general the primary responsibility for legislating to protect women from all forms of abuse remains with the Member States. The Commission respects the principle of subsidiarity in this field. Nevertheless, the Commission has paid considerable attention to this problem at Community level. In particular, it has organised the Campaign against Violence against Women which will conclude with a conference in Lisbon in May 2000. This has involved many organisations in the fight against violence. As regards trafficking in women and sexual exploitation of children, including child pornography on the Internet the Commission intends to present detailed proposals with a view to approximating the criminal laws of the Member States. The proposals will also include the issue of temporary permits of stay for victims who are ready to provide evidence in front of courts. One objective of the proposals is to strengthen legislation at European level to protect women from the abuse and violation of human rights that trafficking and sexual exploitation represents. Furthermore, the Commission manages the Daphne Programme, which combats violence in all its forms against women and children, as well as the STOP Programme, which combats the trafficking of human beings and the sexual exploitation of children. The Commission seeks to set up, within these programmes, networks throughout the Community involving organisations, both public and private, active in the fight against violence. Its aim is to encourage the exchange of information and best practice in the field. Although the Commission cannot itself support the physical costs of setting up special centres to protect women against abuse ü these costs are for the Member States ü the Daphne and STOP programmes also contribute to increasing public awareness and providing information. The Commission seeks in this way to encourage victims of abuse to make contact with the appropriate authorities. (2000/C 374 E/065) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0313/00 by Marietta Giannakou-Koutsikou (PPE-DE) to the Commission Subject: Safeguarding the social rights of gypsies (11 February 2000) It is a deplorable fact that a large number of travelling population groups, and notably gypsies, in the European Union and Europe in general live on the fringes of ü or even outside ü the existing social framework. There are abundant examples which support the view that gypsies usually suffer from social exclusion and enjoy only limited social rights to health, welfare and education. This is due to a combination of many different factors, such as social prejudice, the absence of any consistent state intervention and widespread attitudes which almost amount to breaking the law (i. e. in respect of gypsiesí rights), even though these attitudes are held unconsciously. the Commission say whether it Will intends to promote or support uniform or special social aid programmes for gypsies, with a view to increasing social awareness of gypsies, maintaining their civil identity and respecting the separate ethnic identities of the specific population groups involved? Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission (7 April 2000) Combating exclusion has been specifically set as an objective of the Community and the Member States by the Amsterdam Treaty. Although the primary responsibility for preventing and combating social exclusion lies with the Member States, the Community can and must help where it can make a real additional 28. 12. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 374 E/57 contribution. This is the framework within which the Community can contribute to combating the social exclusion of all vulnerable individuals and groups, including travelling people, and the Commission has outlined possible proposals in this area in its communication Building an inclusive Europeí (1). In addition, the recent proposals on combating discrimination adopted by the Commission on 25 Novem- ber 1999 will forbid discrimination on grounds of racial or ethnic origin in employment, education, social protection and social security, social advantages and access to goods and services (2). In combating both direct and indirect discrimination in these fields, the Community will contribute to eliminating some of the barriers to inclusion faced by the Roma and other travelling people. The Commission has called on the Council and the Parliament to make rapid progress on this package of proposals. (1) COM(2000) 79 final. (2) COM(1999) 564, 565, 566 and 567 final. (2000/C 374 E/066) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0346/00 by Jaime Valdivielso de CuØ (PPE-DE) to the Commission (14 February 2000) Subject: Competence in connection with the economic agreement drawn up by the Spanish governmentís representatives in the Basque Country On 18 January the Spanish Government reached an agreement with the authorities of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country on the economic and tax agreement drawn up by the central government representatives in that region. Furthermore, this agreement has the approval of the bordering autonomous communities. Will the Commission continue with infringement proceedings against the central governmentís representa- tives despite the fact that the supposedly adversely affected autonomous communities have approved the agreement? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (13 April 2000) The Commission opened proceedings under Article 88(2) (former Article 93) of the EC Treaty against tax measures in the form of átax holidaysí and tax relief introduced by the Basque provinces, not on account of complaints brought by the neighbouring autonomous communities but of doubts regarding their compat- ibility with the common market in the light of Article 87 (former Article 92) of the EC Treaty. The fact that the neighbouring communities have approved the agreement does not affect the proceedings initiated in the interests of competitors of the firms in receipt of aid. (2000/C 374 E/067) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0355/00 by Ward Beysen (ELDR) to the Commission (14 February 2000) Subject: Copyright directive The Commissionís proposal on revising the directive on copyright and associated rights is currently before the Council. The proposal affords enormous advantages in that it strikes a balance between copyright holders, on the one hand, and users and the technology sector, on the other; however, there may be an inherent risk of giving a complete technical monopoly to copyright holders. What action is the Commission intending to take to avoid requirements being imposed in respect of technical systems in exceptional cases, i. e. instances where copying is, in fact, permitted?