WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1110/97 by Giuseppe RAUTI to the Commission. Urgent measures to combat paedophilia in Europe
Date: 1997-03-24
Institutions: European Parliament, RAUTI
Subjects: EU law, child protection, data collection, exchange of information, money laundering, penalty, prostitution, sexual offence, tourism













EUR-Lex - 91997E1110 - EN






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91997E1110

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1110/97 by Giuseppe RAUTI to the Commission. Urgent measures to combat paedophilia in Europe  


Official Journal C 373 , 09/12/1997 P. 0070 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1110/97 by Giuseppe Rauti (NI) to the Commission (24 March 1997)Subject: Urgent measures to combat paedophilia in EuropeIn view of the widespread deep concern at the discovery of the scale and nature of the offences being committed all over Europe - not only in Belgium - by paedophiles and their accomplices and the disturbing commercial and business 'ramifications' of these crimes, urgent action is needed at European level to:1. propose that the Member States immediately increase the penalties laid down in the various legal systems, pending Community legislation on the subject;2. propose ruling out the possibility of sentences being commuted and parole being granted for those who have committed paedophile offences;3. compile files on all paedophiles who have been arrested and sentenced in the European Union so that their movements may be monitored and reported, in order to combat the appalling practice of 'sex tourism' which causes harm to children in the Third World.Answer given by Mrs Gradin on behalf of the Commission (30 April 1997)The Commission shares the concern of the Honourable Member to combat paedophilia throughout Europe and is taking a full and active role in this field.1. and 2. The nature and severity of penalties for criminal offences of whatever kind are matters for the individual Member States. The Commission draws to the attention of the Honourable Member 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, 24.2.1997.)). This joint action requires Member States to "review existing law and practice with a view to providing that ... (these offences) ... are punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties¨. It also provides for the confiscation of the instruments and proceeds of these offences, the closure of establishments used for committing these offences and the application of the Council of Europe 1990 money laundering convention.3. Since the extension by the joint action of 16 December 1996 ((OJ L 342, 31.12.1996.)) of the mandate of the European drugs unit to include traffic in human beings, the exchange and analysis of information and intelligence involving such traffic is already being undertaken against organised paedophile rings. Furthermore, under the STOP programme (joint action of 29 November 1996 ((OJ L 322, 12.12.1996.))) a project is being undertaken involving a feasibility study of the arrangements for collecting and managing data on missing children and on sex offenders whose victims have been minors.Concerning the combating of child sex tourism, the Commission adopted, on 27 November 1996, a communication ((COM(96) 547.)), which has four main goals:- to deter and punish child sex abuse;- to stem the flow of sex tourists from the Member States;- to help combat sex tourism in third countries, and- to encourage the Member States to take a united stand against child sex tourism.