WRITTEN QUESTION E-0090/98 by Sérgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (30 January 1998)

Subject: Cases of paedophilia in the Autonomous Region of Madeira (Portugal), sex tourism and international networks

For at least seven years now public complaints have been made concerning the existence of cases of sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. Some of these cases have even been reported to Interpol. However, no action has been taken since then to confirm the seriousness of these cases, and nothing has been done to put an end to this obscene phenomenon; no suspects have been charged or punished, and the regional government itself has issued statements tending to underplay or even deny the abundantly proven facts.

Reports have recently appeared in the media denouncing the practice of child prostitution, cases of sexual abuse of minors, and the production of pornographic films showing children aged between eight and thirteen, identified as being from the Madeiran municipality of Câmara de Lobos. In one of these films, a child of four is raped and tortured. These new elements make it clear that sex tourism is involved and that there is probably an international network, with nerve-centres, ramifications and accomplices in various EU Member States.

In view of the appalling nature of these facts, and the justified suspicions of international and inter-European complicity, is the Commission willing to make use of all the Community instruments at its disposal to encourage and promote the cooperation and coordination of national actions that will be necessary to put an end to these abuses, in line with the resolution adopted by Parliament in November 1997?

In the specific case of the situation in Portugal and its ramifications, especially in Madeira, does the Commission not consider it necessary, as a matter of urgency, to coordinate, along with the Portuguese authorities, actions to shed light on events which have profoundly shocked public opinion, to facilitate the identification of those responsible, given that it is not acceptable to evade responsibility using such abject excuses as the need for tourists' foreign exchange, and to ensure that the guilty parties do not escape thanks to the problems of coordinating police investigations and legal procedures?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin on behalf of the Commission (17 March 1998)

The Commission shares the revulsion of the Honourable Member towards all cases of sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

Responsibility for the apprehension and prosecution of offenders is a matter for the law enforcement and justice authorities of the Member State concerned.

Nevertheless, the Commission draws the attention of the Honourable Member to the joint action of the Council of 24 February 1997 concerning action to combat trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of children ((OJ L 63, 4.3.1997. )). This joint action requires Member States to review existing law and practice with a view to providing that the types of behaviour set out in Title IB (which includes the offences mentioned by the Honourable Member) are classified as criminal offences and that they are punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties.

The European drugs unit, the precursor of Europol, is competent to act in cases involving trafficking in human beings, where the crime is of a serious nature and involves two or more Member States. It has already so acted, particularly in a number of cases involving child pornography.

The Commission, through the STOP programme and the Daphne initiative respectively, gives support to officials and professional workers as well as non governmental organisations and voluntary organisations active in the fight against the sexual exploitation of children.

Concerning the specific issue of child sex tourism and the comprehensive set of proposals for action against this phenomenon, the overall strategy is set out in the Commission's Communication on combating child sex tourism of 27 November 1996 ((COM(96) 547 final, OJ C 3, 7.1.1997. )). The European Parliament's Resolution of 6 November 1997 ((not yet published. )) and the Council's Declaration of 26 November 1997 have revealed a broad agreement on this Communication.

The implementation of the proposals for action against child sex tourism has started in 1997. Among other initiatives, it has been decided to launch an initiative designed to reinforce the coordination, at a European level, of the national information and awareness-raising campaigns against child sex tourism. The communication projects that have been selected for co-financing, involving both non governmental organisations and professional operators in the tourist industry are currently being implemented. In addition, it is envisaged to launch a Eurobarometer survey on the issue of child sex tourism, the results of which could both stimulate awareness-raising on the issue and facilitate the identification of places where child sex tourism is involved.