WRITTEN QUESTION E-2273/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Intercountry adoptions.
C 225 E/82 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 8. 8. 2000 As in the case of many rules concerning foodstuffs, the Commission considers that, once the 5. Community legislator has acted to harmonise the technical rules on composition, any national action would be likely to create obstacles to trade within the Community. More restrictive national rules may, however, be permitted when they are justified by considerations of public health. (1) OJ L 208, 24. 7. 1992. (2) OJ L 221, 12. 8. 1974. (3) COM(95) 722 final. (2000/C 225 E/082) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2273/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (13 December 1999) Subject: Intercountry adoptions The stir which has recently been caused by the activities of members of the Concerned Christiansí cult has highlighted the problem of intercountry adoptions and in particular the adoption of children from countries of Eastern Europe. The 25 members of the cult include 6 adopted children with special needs from Romania. These children need a secure environment instead of travelling between Greece and Israel with a group of adults whose intentions are unknown but who, according to press reports. Are planning to commit suicide with the advent of the year 2000, possibly endangering the lives of the children. The European Parliament has expressed the view that uncontrolled intercountry adoptions, together with sexual exploitation are a major present-day problem, particularly for children from Eastern European countries. In its resolution on improving the law and cooperation between the Member States on the adoption of minors of 12 December 1996 (1) it called on the Commission, the Council and the Member States to take legal and other measures to protect children involved in intercountry adoptions. In view of the growing number of cases of abuse, exploitation and infringements of the rights of children, what urgent measures will the Commission take to put in place a rigorous institutional framework of rules governing intercountry adoptions? (1) OJ C 20, 20. 1. 1997, p. 176. Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission (21 January 2000) The Commission thanks the Honourable Member for drawing its attention to the ill-treatment and abandon of children and to the infringements of childrenís rights. The Honourable Member specifically asks the Commission what emergency measures it intends to take in order to put in place a rigorous institutional framework of rules governing intercountry adoptions. The Commission is of the opinion that the institutional framework for intercountry adoptions already exists. The effective implementation of all the instruments in question would help prevent infringements of childrenís rights. With regard to legislation, the Commission would refer to the Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. All the Member States are also members of the Hague Conference on Private International Law. On the basis of information supplied by the Conference Secretariat the 1993 Convention has been ratified by 27 members of the Conference, only 7 of which are Member States of the European Union. To date, Greece has not signed the Convention. Romania and Israel, countries referred to by the Honourable Member, have ratified the Convention. In its resolution of 12 December 1996 on improving the law and cooperation between the Member States on the adoption of minors Parliament referred to the importance of this Convention and called on the Member States to ratify it. 8. 8. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 225 E/83 With regard to non-legislative measures, the Commission would refer to the Daphne initiative it launched in 1997; this has now been replaced by the Community action programme Daphne (2000-2004) operational since 1 January 2000. The aim of the programme is to ensure a high level of protection of physical and mental health by protecting children, young people and women against violence (including violence in the form of sexual exploitation and abuse) by preventing violence and by providing support for the victims of violence in order to prevent future exposure to violence. It should be noted that the Community action programme is open to the associated countries of central Europe, including Romania, a country referred to by the Honourable Member. (2000/C 225 E/083) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2275/99 by Vittorio Sgarbi (PPE-DE) to the Commission (13 December 1999) Subject: European rules on amusement arcades At present, there are considerable disparities between the various Member States with regard to national rules governing games of chance. In some countries such as Italy there is a total ban on the issuing of licences with the result that demand far outstrips the very limited supply. All of Italyís neighbours, however, including Slovenia which is close to becoming a member of the Union, have more liberal laws on games of chance and have numerous casinos and amusement arcades. Consequently there are many Italians who travel abroad in order to frequent these places. These activities produce revenue of thousands of billions of lire for the local authorities or states where the games of chance take place, revenue which is lost to the gamblersí regions of origin because of the absence of adequate facilities. Much of this revenue comes from the pockets of Italians who are obliged to travel abroad to frequent amusement arcades. At European level, efforts have always been made to standardise Member Statesí rules liable to generate appreciable differences in the socio-economic field, while account should also be taken of the huge turnover produced by gaming houses. Can the Commission answer the following: ü is it intending to draw up a Community directive that will provide equal opportunities for business- interested bodies and clients with regard to the opening, operation and frequenting of men, amusement arcades? ü if not, does it think it would be appropriate to take steps to remove the legal disparities and eliminate any possible competition based on clear differences in laws, which severely penalise Italy vis-à-vis neighbouring countries? ü furthermore, does it think it appropriate to issue a Community directive on the subject designed to standardise the laws in force in the various Member States as soon as possible? Answer by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission (17 January 2000) The Commission would like to draw the honourable Memberís attention to the negative aspects of games of chance, which include the active encouragement for players to spend money and a potential for damaging personal and social consequences. For this reason, all Member States regulate games of chance with the intention of preventing the stimulation of demand in this sector, fighting crime and fraud, and ensuring that games of chance serve a charitable, sporting or cultural purpose, rather than personal or commercial profit. In view of the moral, religious and cultural concerns surrounding these activities, the Member States therefore tend to impose a limit on their number