WRITTEN QUESTION E-1961/00 by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Excessive numbers of gypsy women in Spanish prisons.
Date: 2000-06-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Roma, Spain, area of freedom, security and justice, competence of the Member States, imprisonment, position of women

C 89 E/120

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.3.2001

(2001/C 89 E/130)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1961/00

by Laura GonzÆlez `lvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Excessive numbers of gypsy women in Spanish prisons

(21 June 2000)

In March of this year the Baraæi report on the situation of gypsy women in Spanish prisons was published.

The report, which was partially financed under the Commission(cid:146)s Daphne initiative, contained the
following conclusions:

(cid:129) 25 % of Spanish female prisoners are gypsies (the gypsy population accounts for between 1,5 % and

2 % of the total population).

This over-representation is due to a number of factors:

(cid:129) The serious discrimination and exclusion suffered by such women on account of their being poor,

gypsies and women.

(cid:129) Evidence of discrimination in the judicial system which makes it more likely that gypsy women will be
watched, arrested, put on trial, sentenced and imprisoned than is the case with other social groups.

(cid:129) Lengthy prison sentences lasting 6,7 years on average.

Various studies have shown that bias in the judicial system is responsible for the over-representation of
ethnic minorities within the prison population in various EU Member States (see Ethnicity and Immigra-
tion, M. Tonry, University of Chicago Press).

In the European Parliament(cid:146)s resolution on countering racism and xenophobia in the European Union
the Directive under Article 13
(A5-0049/2000)
implementing race equality should apply to the police, prosecution,
judicial and immigration services,
including the combating of indirect or institutional racism(cid:146).

the Member States are called upon to (cid:145)agree that

Could the Commission say what action it intends to take in order to detect and prevent the over-
representation of ethnic minorities (specifically gypsies) in the prisons of the Member States?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(26 September 2000)

The Commission shares the concern of the Honourable Member about the situation of ethnic minorities in
prison.

The treatment of prison population within the penal establishments is a matter for the competence of the
national authorities.

However, the Commission is pleased to have been able to select and financially support studies and work
in related areas, thanks to its Daphne initiative, amongst which: (cid:145)Monitoring violence against women in
prison throughout Europe and raising the affected women(cid:146)s awareness of their rights(cid:146) by the Observatoire
International des Prisons (France); (cid:145)Development of alternative solutions for gypsy women in prison who
are victims of social violence(cid:146) by the Asociacion cultural (cid:145)La Kalle(cid:146) (Spain); (cid:145)Development of operational
network and comparative analysis in area of violence on ethnic minorities(cid:146) by the T(cid:252)rkisch-Deutscher
Frauenverein e.V. (Germany); (cid:145)Research on risk situations for young people of Muslim background(cid:146) by the
Institut de recherche, formation et action sur les migrations (Belgium).

The Commission keeps at the disposal of the Honourable Member the documentation on these studies.

20.3.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 89 E/121

Furthermore a Directive establishing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial
or ethnic origin was agreed by the Council on 6 June 2000 and formally adopted on 29 June 2000/
43/EC) (1). In order to complement Community legislation prohibiting discrimination on the grounds
mentioned in Article 13 of the EC Treaty, the Commission presented, in November 1999, a proposal to
establish a Community action programme (2). The main objectives of this are to improve knowledge of the
phenomenon of discrimination, promote awareness raising and increase capacity building on the fight
against discrimination.

(1) OJ L 180, 19.7.2000.
(2) Not yet published.

(2001/C 89 E/131)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1975/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(21 June 2000)

Subject: The milk industry in Galicia

Has the Commission reached any agreement with the Galician Government to develop the industrial milk
sector in Galicia, given that at present only 14 % of Galician milk production is processed, despite the fact
that accounts for 35 % of all Spanish milk production and given that existing Galician companies are being
steadily taken over by foreign companies, as in the recent instance of the purchase of Leite Celta by the US
firm Suiza Foods?

(2001/C 89 E/132)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1977/00

by Camilo Nogueira RomÆn (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Agricultural production model for regions like Galicia

(21 June 2000)

Does the Commission intend to promote a rural development model for regions with a farming sector
based on livestock, like Galicia, embracing specific concrete measures such as making it easier to buy and
sell land, setting up a land bank and banning the afforestation of agricultural land?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1975/00 and E-1977/00
given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 2000)

The common organisation of the market in milk and milk products contains no provision for any kind of
agreement with regional authorities in the Member States to develop local dairy industries.

However, the forthcoming operational programme for regional development in Galicia will include, in the
section on agriculture and rural development, possible measures to support and strengthen the structure of
the milk and cattle sector and its downstream industries (dairy and meat enterprises).