WRITTEN QUESTION E-2027/00 by Reino Paasilinna (PSE) to the Commission. Position of workers, their legal security and work protection in paedophile cases.
Date: 2000-06-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU competence, European social policy, labour law, paedophilia, right to justice

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/171

Despite the availability of estimates of budgetary balances by Member State, it is to be noted that there
exists no optimal way to measure net contributions. The Commission has also consistently argued against
the use of such measures when intended to evaluate the budgetary benefits and costs of Union member-
ship. These issues are extensively discussed in the Commission report on the operation of the own
resources system, of October 1998, and in particular in Annex 3. This report is available at the following
address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/budget/fr/agenda2000/a2000rp.htm.

(2001/C 72 E/218)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2027/00

by Reino Paasilinna (PSE) to the Commission

(21 June 2000)

Subject: Position of workers, their legal security and work protection in paedophile cases

A number of difficult paedophile incidents have recently been uncovered in several European Union
Member States among persons working with children. These incidents have made the working environ-
ment considerably more difficult. Workers who have attempted to help children and demand investigations
have often come up against a powerful reaction, for example in the course of court and complaints
procedures. In the worst instance a worker was sacked and even had to bear liability for legal costs.

What measures is the Commission taking or does it propose to take at European level to protect the
position and legal certainty of workers in cases where a worker has taken measures to protect children and
investigate paedophile incidents at his or her place of work?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(20 September 2000)

The matter to which reference is made does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Community.

(2001/C 72 E/219)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2031/00

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(21 June 2000)

Subject: Vietnam: meeting between Mr Prodi and Mr LŒ Kha PhiŒu

Despite the fact that Vietnam has shown not the slightest signs of any improvement in its current regime
and there have, on the contrary, been further arrests of political and religious figures, the Vietnamese press
agency has announced that the President of the Commission decided to hold a meeting on Saturday,
27 May with Mr LŒ Kha PhiŒu, Secretary-General of the Vietnamese Communist Party, in other words the
politician who symbolises most obviously and most directly the anti-democratic face of Vietnam.

Can this decision by the President of the Commission be interpreted as marking the beginning of a shift
away from the highly critical stance hitherto adopted by the European Union towards Vietnam and the
abandonment of specific demands by the European institutions, in particular the European Parliament, that
the Vietnamese authorities carry out political, economic and human rights reforms? If this is not the case,
what guarantees did the Commission receive from the Secretary-General of the Vietnamese Communist
Party concerning the willingness of the Vietnamese authorities to carry out rapidly the reforms necessary
reforms to establish democracy and the rule of law in Vietnam?