WRITTEN QUESTION E-3848/00

by Giovanni Pittella (PSE) to the Commission

(7 December 2000)

Subject: Traffic in human organs

Noting that:

- in recent days, various reports have appeared in the European press concerning the warning issued by the Moldavian Minister of the Interior on trafficking in organs, most of which come from poor countries (including Guatemala, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, but also North Africa and eastern Europe) and are destined for the West and the Middle East;

- in India, meanwhile, the sale of organs from living persons is legal; in the period from 1990 to 1993, over 2000 kidneys were sold to wealthy patients in the West or the Middle East;

- according to reliable published statistics, some 960 patients in the Gulf States have bought kidneys in India, Egypt, Iraq or the Philippines at prices which ranged, in 1998, from USD 30 000 for a heart to USD 20 000 for a kidney purchased over the Internet; in 1999, prices rose to USD 100 000 for a heart or pancreas and USD 30 000 for a kidney;

- to tackle this and other alarming trends, we must achieve closer international cooperation and enhance the role played by Europol in combating crime by means of specific, consistent action to ensure surveillance and policing at frontiers.

What official information can Mr Romano Prodi, President of the Commission, provide on this subject, and what action has been taken, or is planned, to prevent the growth of this distressing trade?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2001)

The Commission is aware, in general terms, of the information provided by the Honourable Member.

Trafficking in human organs constitutes a serious crime, which can only be addressed effectively through close co-operation at international level. Removal of organs also forms part of the United Nations (UN) protocol on prevention, suppression and punishment of trafficking in persons, which supplements the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime. The protocol was signed by the Commission on behalf of the Community in Palermo on 13 December 2000. Until now the subject of trafficking in human organs has, however, not been discussed in the Council Working Structures in the field of Justice and Home Affairs.

Furthermore, since July 1999 Europol has become fully operational. Its mandate includes trafficking in human beings, of which trafficking in human organs forms a part.

The Commission is of the opinion that it is necessary for Member States and Europol to improve their co-operation in this area as a first step towards a more effective policy to combating this crime.

In addition it should be mentioned that Article 152 of the EC Treaty must be recalled in this context. It requires the Community to adopt measures setting high standards of quality and safety of organs and substances of human origin, blood and blood derivatives.

Under the new health strategy(1), which has been set up inter alia to apply these requirements, objectives in the field of transplantation (see Annex 2.1) have been defined. One of the proposed aims is to develop and operate a Community network on organs and substances of human origin. Whether such a network could also have a role in the fight against illegal organ trade will be looked at in close collaboration with Member States.

(1) COM(2000) 285 final.