WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2680/97 by María SORNOSA MARTÍNEZ , Angela SIERRA GONZÁLEZ to the Commission. Infringement of the principle of equality in the Aula-Dei Carthusian monastery in Zaragoza
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, SIERRA GONZALEZ, SORNOSA MARTINEZ
Subjects: Spain, arts, cultural heritage, equal treatment, gender equality, religious institution, women's rights

17. 3. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 82/127

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(25 September 1997)

The  new  employment  title  of  the  Amsterdam  Treaty  contains  two  types  of  provision  which  will  stimulate
employment creation. First, Article [4] gives a further impetus to the co-ordination process of Member States’
employment policies. Each year, the Council will adopt guidelines for employment which Member States shall
take  into  account  in  their  employment  policies.  The  implementation  of  these  guidelines  will  be  examined  at
Community  level,  with  the  possibility  for  the  Council  to  issue  recommendations  to  Member  States.  Second,
Article [5] enables the Council to adopt incentive measures aimed at developing exchanges of information and
best  practice,  providing  comparative  analysis  and  advice  as  well  as  promoting  innovative  approaches  and
exchanging experience, in particular by recourse to pilot projects.

In accordance with the resolution on growth and employment adopted by the European Council in Amsterdam, in
October the Commission will propose the first guidelines for employment. This proposal will deal, inter alia,
with  new  local  development  and  employment  initiatives  and  implementing  the  territorial  employment  pacts.
These two instruments will help exploit new sources of employment.

The  existing  budget  lines  B3-4010  (Employment  policy  and  labour  market)  and  B3-4013  (Third  system  and
employment) have already enabled the Commission to carry out preliminary work in the domain covered by
Article [5], notably concerning the employment potential of the (cid:145)third system’ in the fields of services to daily
life, services to improve the quality of life, and cultural and leisure services. It is the intention of the Commission
to strengthen its activities in this area in the near future.

(98/C 82/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2680/97

by Mar(cid:14)·a Sornosa Mart(cid:14)·nez (GUE/NGL)
and Angela Sierra Gonza·lez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Infringement of the principle of equality in the Aula-Dei Carthusian monastery in Zaragoza

The Aula-Dei Carthusian monastery in Zaragoza is classed as a (cid:145)property of cultural interest(cid:146), both because it
possesses paintings by Francisco de Goya and on account of its architecture. The Law on the National Historic
Heritage lays down that properties of cultural interest should be properly accessible to local people.

The  Carthusian  monastery  (Cartuja)  is  a  religious  house  run  by  Carthusian  monks,  and  women  and  girls  are
expressly banned from entering it, although this infringes the personal rights of women and, in all probability,
their constitutional rights and their rights under Spain(cid:146)s present legal system.

Given that monastic life is not infringed by outside visits, women should have access to the premises like other
visitors.

Does the Commission possess the legislative wherewithal to reconcile the conflicting claims of the need to

1.
respect divine service and the rights associated with the equal treatment of men and women?

Does the Commission(cid:146)s work include any draft legislation which could help resolve problems of this kind

2.
in future?

Does  the  Commission  not  believe  that  in  this  case,  equal  treatment  should  take  precedence  over  other

3.
principles?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(3 October 1997)

The Honourable Members have drawn the Commission’s attention to the fact that women and girls are banned
from entering the Aula-Dei Carthusian Monastery in Zaragoza, where precious works of art are on display. This
constitutes an infringement of the principle of equality because women do not have the same opportunity as men
to admire these works of art.

While  the  Commission  acknowledges  the  importance  of  the  problem  raised  by  the  Honourable  Members,  it
cannot take action because it does not have the power to intervene in matters of religion.