B4-0371 and 0437/97

Resolution on the situation of vulnerable people in Central and Eastern Europe

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions about the situation of children in Romania, in particular that of 17 May 1990 ((OJ C 149, 18.6.1990, p. 140.)),

- having regard to the association agreements and partnership and cooperation agreements between the European Union and most of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe,

- having regard to the UNICEF report about children at risk in Central and Eastern Europe,

A. having regard to the situation of the most vulnerable people in European countries undergoing rapid socio-economic transformation,

B. noting that the number of families with young children, as well as older people, living in absolute poverty in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe has grown substantially over the past few years,

C. noting that public expenditure on family allowances, child care, maternity benefits and pre-primary education, as well as expenditure on pensions and facilities for the aged, has dropped, often considerably, in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, not only in real terms but also relative to the decreasing GDP in those countries,

D. aware that at this moment about 1 million children in Central and Eastern Europe are living permanently or temporarily in public care,

E. emphasizing that, as a matter of priority, support should be given to the development of an effective system to protect the interests and rights of the most vulnerable people in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe,

F. noting with satisfaction the commitment on the part of the churches and related organizations as well as NGOs with a view to adopting children's homes,

1. Stresses that, within the framework of a general programme of integration and cooperation between the European Union and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, specific attention should be given to an improvement of the situation of the most vulnerable people in these countries;

2. Urges the Commission, the Council and the Member States to develop and implement, in close cooperation with the governments of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, joint programmes to protect the interests and rights of the children in these countries and to make the necessary financial means for such programmes available as soon as possible;

3. Calls in this connection especially for the establishment of new, and the reform of existing, family support services, such as universal family allowances, kindergarten services, school preventive health services, etc;

4. Calls on the Commission, the Council and the Member States to adopt, in cooperation with the governments of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, specific programmes to protect and secure the future of children in public care;

5. Underlines the importance of including the promotion of public health in the efforts undertaken for the development and the benefit of the countries concerned;

6. Draws attention to the extremely difficult situation of hospitalized elderly people as well as psychiatric patients in some of these countries;

7. Calls on the Commission and the governments of the Member States to support organizations dealing with vulnerable people and to make available additional funding in the context of the PHARE programme;

8. Calls on the governments of the Central and Eastern European countries to cooperate with NGOs which try to improve the situation of children, elderly people and psychiatric patients;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments and parliaments of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and UNICEF.