WRITTEN QUESTION No. 275/99 by Riccardo NENCINI Situation of women with children in Italian prisons
Date: 1999-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, NENCINI
Subjects: Italy, child, child protection, human rights, prison system, prisoner, woman

C 341/80

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.11.1999

The Commission considers the report an apposite survey that by its range of proposals serves to advance
discussion. It is a study by consultants and not a document expressing the Commission’s position in an area
where choices are a matter for the Member States.

The Commission has neither commissioned further studies nor received any application from the Spanish
authorities for Cohesion Fund support for water transfer from the Ebro basin. If an application is made it will
consider which of the instruments available to it would provide the best-geared timely assistance. A condition
for Community financing of any project is compatibility with legal requirements and Community policy,
including environmental law and policy.

The Commission will support all efforts towards more rational use of water resources. It will take due account
of socio-economic considerations and favour more efficient use of existing infrastructure (maintenance and
improvement of networks, elimination of losses) rather than encourage creation of new infrastructure the cost
of which would be unjustified or uneconomic. This is in line with the thrust of its proposal for a framework
Directive on water (1).

Approval in 1998 of the Portuguese and Spanish operational programmes on combating aridity submitted
under the Interreg II C Community Initiative provided resources for determining and implementing the best
solutions available within individual basins.

(1) COM(97) 49 final amended by COM(98) 76 final.

(1999/C 341/110)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0275/99

by Riccardo Nencini (PSE) to the Commission

(17 February 1999)

Subject: Situation of women with children in Italian prisons

At present 52 children below the age of three are being kept in Italian prisons while their mothers serve
sentences of varying lengths.

Being kept in prison will have far-reaching adverse effects on their upbringing and education.

In view of the relatively small numbers concerned, steps could be taken to allow their mothers to serve their
sentence in a different way.

The practice of keeping children of a very young age in prison is clearly at odds with the human and civil rights
guidelines adopted by the European Parliament.

Will the Commission make approaches to the Italian Government as a matter of urgency to persuade it to
allow the mothers held in prison to look after and bring up their children outside a prison environment
invoking the fundamental principles underlying European guidelines on freedom and respect for human and
civil rights?

Answer given by Mrs Gradin on behalf of the Commission

(31 March 1999)

The Commission underlines the need to respect human rights. In particular, the Commission supports the
improvement of prison conditions in the Community in compliance with the European Convention for the
protection of human rights, the prison standard rules for treatment of prisoners adopted by the Council of
Europe in 1973.

However, prison conditions in the Member States fall under the responsibility of national authorities. This
situation could change to some extent with the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty. New Article 31 of
the Treaty on European Union provides for an approximation, where necessary, of rules relating not only to
the constituent elements of criminal acts but also to penalties and for co-operation regarding proceedings, and
especially in relation to the enforcement of decisions. Such measures are part of the instruments for the
achievement of an area of freedom, security and justice and should aim at a high level of safety by means of
preventing and combating crime.