EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/860

(2004/C 84 E/0951)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0731/04

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject: Social and family assistance for the police

The role of the police, which is carried out in each Member State by forces subordinate to national governments to ensure the application of national criminal law, is growing in importance at European level, too, in the face of a growing need to combat cross-border criminal phenomena such as drugs, terrorism, paedophilia and illegal immigration. At the Tampere European Council, the EU declared its intention to create an area of freedom, security and justice, committing itself to intensifying cooperation between police and judicial bodies charged with preventing and combating crime and helping the victims of criminal activities, and set up a framework programme (AGIS) to support and promote these bodies (Decision 2002/630/JHA (1)).

However, it should be emphasised that, despite the importance of their social activities, law enforcement officials are not given adequate professional recognition and find themselves having to cope with difficulties linked to the specific nature of their role. Specifically, the job entails long working hours, night shifts, high-risk activities, being on call at all times and numerous other inconveniences that are difficult to accommodate with family life. At the same time, particularly with regard to family and equal opportunities law, support measures and the protection available to officers seem not to be sufficient. To meet the particular demands faced by law enforcement officials and their families, above all those faced by women enlisted in the police, full maternity and paternity assistance needs to be provided, in the form of tax incentives, favourable childcare arrangements and similar support structures, concessions when buying a house, making it easier to manage working hours, etc.

The police is an administrative body of the State, meaning that the issue set out above is a matter above all for the national law of Member States; however, the EU has demonstrated a notable sensitivity, as indicated above, towards the role of the police, and support measures for employees' families form an integral part of individual Community equal opportunities policies.

1. In view of the above, can the Commission state whether there exist Europe-wide studies, examples of good practice and codes of conduct on family support policies for police employees?

2. Can the AGIS programme aim also to provide an exchange of experience and information on these policies?

3. Are the EU's support measures in this area already complete?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2004)

The AGIS programme (2003-2007), adopted by the Council on 22 July 2002 (2), carries on from earlier programmes set up under Title VI of the Treaty on European Union (Grotius, Oisin, Stop, Falcone and Hippokrates). It is managed by the Commission (Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs).

AGIS supports projects aimed at improving police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters and cooperation in preventing and fighting all forms of crime. It co-finances training, exchange and placement schemes, studies and research, the dissemination of results, conferences and seminars.

The programme is not, however, concerned with family and social support measures for law-enforcement officials.

(1) OJ L 203, 1.8.2002, p. 5.

(2) OJ L 203, 1.8.2002.