WRITTEN QUESTION E-3423/97 by Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (31 October 1997)

Subject: Intimidatory attempts to force Roma families out of their homes in the San Pio X quarter of Murcia (Spain)

The city council of Murcia (Spain) has plans to demolish a number of residential buildings, some of them inhabited by Roma families, as part of its rebuilding plan for the San Pio X quarter of the city.

In April 1997 the city council cut off the electricity and water supplies to these buildings and removed access to a public well, thus quite clearly failing to comply with its obligation as a municipal authority to guarantee public water supply. Without any prior notification of those affected, it then put a notice in the newspapers, with one day's warning, to the effect that the buildings should be cleared for demolition. Following a (highly provisional) court order, this action has been suspended.

After the rejection of a proposal put forward by the city councillor responsible for planning, the occupants of the buildings began to suffer from threats and intimidatory gestures referring to the care of the children living there. These threats led to a proposal being submitted to the Social Services Institute of the Region of Murcia (ISSORM) that the living conditions of eight Roma families should be inspected, with the children being taken into care if necessary. As the city social services department had been aware of the situation of these families for almost two years, it is difficult to understand why this measure, should it have been necessary, was not adopted earlier.

The result of these actions is that all the Roma families occupying these buildings have felt themselves under threat, coercion and intimidation.

1. Does the Commission not consider that the Spanish authorities should ensure compliance with the Treaty provisions on the protection of the rights and interests of nationals of the Member States?

2. In view of the action of the municipal authorities in relation to these Roma children, to what extent does the Commission consider that a case of notice to quit such as this violates the rights of minors?

3. Does the Commission consider this action of the Spanish authorities to be compatible with the Treaty provisions on combating social exclusion? Does it intend to take any action on the matter?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (4 December 1997)

The Honourable Member has raised the issue of accommodation in the San Pio X district of Murcia which has been affected by the Murcia municipal urban renovation plan. The EC Treaty does not refer to the issue of housing policy, which is outside the scope of the responsibilities of the Commission and within the competence of the Member States. Problems in relation to housing and accommodation must be considered in the framework of the national policies of the Member States.

However, the Commission strongly supports the protection and reinforcement of individual social rights, and welcomes the renewed commitment to fundamental social rights made by the Member States in the preamble to the Amsterdam Treaty and Article 117 of the Treaty. Article 117 of the Amsterdam Treaty lists 'the combating of social exclusion' as one of the six objectives of European social policy. Article 118(2) of the new Treaty also creates the possibility to develop actions to encourage co-operation between Member States to promote the exchange of experiences in order to combat social exclusion. The Commission is currently examining the possibilities which the Amsterdam Treaty could offer in relation to proposals for new measures in the field of social exclusion, once the Treaty has been ratified by the Member States and enters into force.

Social exclusion is a multidimensional problem. Precarious housing and homelessness are perhaps the most visible forms of social exclusion. The Commission will consider housing exclusion problems in its future social exclusion action in the same way as other factors that contribute to social exclusion.

As regards the protection of the rights of children in relation to housing policies, this issue is also outside the scope of the responsibilities of the Commission. However, the Commission underlines that all Member States have ratified the Convention of children's rights, signed in 1989.