WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2185/98 by Graham WATSON to the Commission. Romanian orphanages
Date: 1998-07-07
Institutions: European Parliament, WATSON
Subjects: EU programme, Romania, child protection, children's rights, infant mortality, medical institution, non-governmental organisation, orphan

C 13/150

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.1.1999

The Commission has however accepted the need for flexibility in some cases. Regulation (EEC) 3887/92
provides for Member States to allow claims for area aid to be adjusted without sanctions in cases of genuine error
which have to be recognised as such by the Member States(cid:146) authorities. The responsibility for recognizing an
error lies with the Member States.

In addition to the existing rules,
the Commission has recently proposed a modification of Regulation
(EEC) 3887/92 by introducing a clause allowing farmers, under certain conditions, to correct information in
their applications which could lead to the imposition of penalities.

(1) OJ L 391, 31.12.1992.

(1999/C 13/213)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2142/98

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 July 1998)

Subject: International Criminal Court

Will the Commission lend its support to moves to define as a war crime the recruiting and use of children below
the age of 15 as soldiers in the current negotiations to establish a permanent International Criminal Court?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1998)

The establishment of an International Criminal Court is not a matter falling within the competence of the
Community, which has observer status at the United Nations but does not participate directly in the current
negotiations on setting up the Court and has therefore been unable to state its views directly on the wording of the
different definitions of war crimes presented as options.

Clearly, however, the Community supports the initiative to define as war crimes the activities to which the
Honourable Member refers.

(1999/C 13/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2185/98

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(7 July 1998)

Subject: Romanian orphanages

Recent reports have highlighted the continued abuse of many children in Romanian state orphanages. In one
orphanage in Braila, Sectia RMPSC, children are reported to be subject to systematic abuse by the orphanage(cid:146)s
director, Dr Stefan Bobecescu and his staff.

Since June of last year British aid workers and a Romanian speech therapist have been forced to leave Braila
following growing concerns about the regime implemented in the orphanage. The death rate at the orphanage is
alarming. Out of 47 children, at least seven have died in the last 18 months while the last available reports dating
from January this year indicated that another three were deteriorating.

What action will the Commission take to raise these reports with the Romanian authorities?

Will the Commission bring pressure to bear on the Romanian authorities to allow EU aid workers into the
orphanage to assess the welfare of the children?

What measures has the EU taken to monitor Romanian orphanages since the 1989 revolution when concerns
about Romanian orphanages were first expressed?