EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/758

(2004/C 78 E/0806)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2807/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(19 September 2003)

Subject: The Vatican's crusade against homosexual marriages within the EU and the Vatican's right to acquire revenue by issuing euro coins

1. Is the Commission aware that in the Netherlands and Belgium it is now legal for two people of the same sex to marry, and is the Commission aware of the European Parliament's resolution of 4 September 2003 on fundamental rights in the EU in 2002 (Sylla report, A5-0281/2003), which calls for homosexuals to be given the right to marry and adopt children and mentions the recent Belgian legislation as one of the ways in which progress was made in 2002?

2. Is the Commission aware of the position adopted by the Roman Catholic Church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican City opposing this, the Congregation's recent explicit rejection of such marriages and its call for Catholic parliamentarians to oppose their legalisation?

3. Can the Commission confirm that — in addition to the states which are members of European Economic and Monetary Union — the small non-member states San Maríno, Monaco and Vatican City, whose only land borders are with EU Member States, have the right to issue and distribute their own euro coins? What is the basis for this? Is it intended to allow the states concerned to issue a proportionate share of the coins circulating in the currency union or is it mainly or exclusively a matter of coins from which these states derive special financial advantages because, on account of the coins' rarity, collectors buy them at a price far above face value?

4. If the Vatican continues to pressurise parliamentarians in the EU and its Member States to restrict the right to marry, will the Commission give a clear indication so as to dispel the impression that the Vatican can act on behalf of the EU or EMU by issuing and distributing its own euro coins or that the EU indirectly confers financial advantages on the Vatican, and to this end, abolish or at least temporarily suspend the Vatican's coinage rights?

Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission

(4 November 2003)

The Commission is aware of the changes in the legislation of Belgium and the Netherlands which enable two people of the same sex to get married and of the Parliament Resolution of 4 September 2003 on fundamental rights in the Union in 2002 which calls on Member States to abolish any form of discrimination against homosexuals in particular as regards to marriage and adoption.

The Commission is also aware of the document issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Vatican entitled: ‘Considerations regarding proposals to give legal recognition to unions between homosexual persons’.

In this context, the Vatican represents the view of the Catholic Church. The document, to which you refer, is thus an expression of religious conviction of one particular church, and the Commission does not wish to comment on questions of religious interpretation. Freedom of religious conviction and expression are also parts of the fundamental values that we wish to respect.

At the level of the Union, the commitment to the policy of anti-discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, amongst others, stands firm. In 2000, the Council adopted a directive prohibiting discrimination in employment and occupation on a variety of grounds, including sexual orientation (Directive 2000/78/EC (1)). Member States have until 2 December 2003 to transpose this directive into national law.

The Commission confirms that Vatican City is entitled to issue a certain quantity of euro coins each year. This is laid down in a Monetary Agreement, which was concluded between the Italian Republic on behalf of the Community and the Vatican City State in December 2000 (2). It was concluded to ensure legal continuity with an agreement that existed between the Italian Republic and the Vatican City prior to the introduction of the euro, which allowed Vatican City to issue a certain number of coins denominated in Italian lira. Similar agreements exist with San Maríno and Monaco.

The coin issuance of Vatican City is in full compliance with the Monetary Agreement. The recent Recommendation by the Commission (3) to amend this Monetary Agreement ensures legal continuity, in particular in respect of the maximum number of coins which can be issued. The Commission does not intend to propose any other amendments to this Agreement.

(1) Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, OJ L 303, 2.12.2000.

(2) OJ C 299, 25.10.2001.

(3) OJ C 212, 6.9.2003.