WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2307/97 by Laura GONZÁLEZ ÁLVAREZ , Angela SIERRA GONZÁLEZ , María SORNOSA MARTÍNEZ , Antoni GUTIÉRREZ DÍAZ to the Commission. Establishment of a directive on equal rights for homosexuals and lesbians in the EC
Date: 1997-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, GONZALEZ ALVAREZ, GUTIERREZ DIAZ, SIERRA GONZALEZ, SORNOSA MARTINEZ
Subjects: EU Member State, LGBTIQ persons, anti-discriminatory measure, drafting of EU law, equal treatment, sexual discrimination

C 76/94

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

11. 3. 98

The report proposed that a directive should be drawn up to deal with this issue, which has major implications for
society as a whole.

Can the Commission say what stage the draft directive has reached?

Does the Commission not consider that, after four years, there should already be a directive which, given the
length of time allowed for the transposition of directives, would already be part of the national laws of most of
the Member States?

What reasons can the Commission put forward to account for the fact that no such directive yet exists?

(98/C 76/189)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2407/97

by Marie-Noe¤lle Lienemann (PSE) to the Commission

(10 July 1997)

Subject: Measures to combat discrimination against homosexuals

Homosexuals  are  still  subject  to  discrimination  in  many  European  countries,  particularly  as  regards  their
personal and family life. All too frequently they are unable to live as a couple and enjoy the rights and duties
deriving from marriage.

Associations all over Europe are demanding genuine European citizenship for homosexuals and the introduction
of legislation to allow marriages between two persons of the same sex for those who wish to form this special
bond.

Will the Commission propose to the relevant bodies in the European Union that a civil contract of social union be
introduced  in  the  fifteen  Member  States,  together  with  legislation  to  end  the  discrimination  still  affecting
homosexuals,  in  accordance  with  the  proposals  put  forward  in  the  report  by  Mrs  Claudia  Roth  (DOC  A3-
0028/94 (1))?

(1)  OJ C 61, 28.2.1994, p. 40.

(98/C 76/190)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2435/97
by Laura Gonza·lez A· lvarez (GUE/NGL), Angela Sierra Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL),
Mar(cid:14)·a Sornosa Mart(cid:14)·nez (GUE/NGL) and Antoni Gutie·rrez D(cid:14)·az (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Recommendation on the legal equality of homosexuals in the EC

(16 July 1997)

In 1994 the European Parliament adopted a report by its Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs on the
legal equality of homosexuals within the EC. The rapporteur was Claudia Roth.

Her report proposed that a Recommendation be drawn up on this subject, which is of major interest to the public.

What stage has this recommendation now reached?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2307/97, E-2407/97 and E-2435/97
given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(9 September 1997)

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Members that, at the time when the Roth report was adopted
(February 1994), the Community Treaties did not bestow on the institutions any specific powers for tackling
discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The draft Treaty of Amsterdam introduced a new legal basis (new Article 6a in the EC Treaty) for the adoption of
Community measures needed to combat, among other things, discrimination based on sexual orientation.