WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3498/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Paedophilia in nursery belonging to the EU
Date: 1997-11-10
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: Belgium, child care, child protection, crime against individuals, sexual violence













EUR-Lex - 91997E3498 - EN






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91997E3498

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3498/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Paedophilia in nursery belonging to the EU  


Official Journal C 174 , 08/06/1998 P. 0067 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3498/97 by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission (10 November 1997)Subject: Paedophilia in nursery belonging to the EUNightmarish information has come to light of cases of paedophilia and sexual abuse of infants aged 2 and 3 years by staff of a private firm responsible for looking after the children in the Clovis nursery belonging to the Community Institutions.The Institutions' staff unions have called for the immediate intervention of Commissioner Liikanen.How does the Commission intend to respond to this situation to ensure that the children are properly protected and that those responsible for these unspeakable acts are punished?Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (13 January 1998)In recent weeks certain newspapers have made much of alleged acts of paedophilia committed at a crèche attended by the children of European officials.The investigation of such incidents is a matter for the Belgian authorities rather than for the Commission itself, and the case has in fact been in the hands of the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office since June 1997.From the outset the Commission has endeavoured to act in the best interests of the children and parents directly concerned. The Commission has made every effort to assist the judicial authorities with their enquiries, granting them access to the crèche premises as soon as this was requested. At a press conference held on 14 November 1997 the Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed this fact and drew attention to the need for confidentiality, to ensure that the investigations in progress were not jeopardised and to meet the parents' legitimate concern for the protection of their children.The Commission's role has therefore been to comply with requests for assistance, to do what it can to protect the children, and to support the parents and keep them informed. With this in view, it has circulated a number of notices to parents and staff, organised information meetings for parents, and joined with the parents' associations in organising awareness-raising sessions given by SOS Enfants. The Member of the Commission with responsibility for personnel has had two meetings with representatives of the staff and the parents' associations, and security has been stepped up at the building housing the crèche.The Commission has also tightened the checks which it makes on the quality of the staff employed by the company running the Clovis crèche, acting in accordance with the contract signed with this company in June 1995. It has asked the management of the crèche to take what precautions it can for the good of the children, pending the outcome of the investigations.It goes without saying that there can be no question of sanctions until the judicial authorities have confirmed that an offence has been committed.