WRITTEN QUESTION E-2225/00 by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission. Application of Article 299 (ex Article 227) of the EC Treaty.
Date: 2000-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Azores, Canary Islands, European treaties, French overseas department and region, Madeira, peripheral region

C 81 E/176

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.3.2001

Has the Commission considered encouraging the provision of immediate means and mechanisms of
defence across the EU,
for example through the drawing-up of agreements with the government
departments responsible for social affairs and justice?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(15 September 2000)

The Commission is aware of the seriousness of the phenomenon of domestic violence. Since 1996, it has
undertaken a number of activities to assist the Member States in their efforts to stem this problem. In
particular, in 1999 the Commission launched a European campaign in which the Member States were
actively involved to raise awareness of violence against women in the Community. They participated in the
distribution of campaign material and in the conferences organised in Cologne in March 1999 and in
Lisbon in May 2000 which respectively launched and closed the campaign. In addition, a meeting of
experts related to the campaign was organised under the Finnish Presidency in October 1999, and took
place in Jyv(cid:228)skyl(cid:228), Finland.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to helping to solve this problem in the new Community
framework strategy on gender equality, adopted on 7 June 2000, by pledging to (cid:145)strengthen and support
the fight against and prevention of violence against women(cid:146) (1).

The encouragement of immediate means and mechanisms across Europe is one of the objectives of the
Daphne programme, which promotes the prevention and the fight against violence against children, young
people and women by transnational actions. Started in 1997, the Daphne initiative has now funded
around 150 transnational projects, of which a number directly tackle domestic violence via, amongst other
things, the setting up of partnerships and networks between non governmental organisations (NGOs) and
local public authorities across the Community. The new Daphne programme will run from 2000 until
2003 and will pursue similar objectives, ensuring a smooth continuation in this fight.

The Commission would finally like to remind the Honourable Member that
competence to propose legislative measures, as this is the responsibility of Member States.

it does not have the

(1) COM(2000) 335 final.

(2001/C 81 E/225)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2225/00

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(3 July 2000)

Subject: Application of Article 299 (ex Article 227) of the EC Treaty

In its answer to oral question H-0413/00 (1) by Carlos Costa Neves, the Commission announced that it had
adopted the report setting out the measures it intended to use to implement new Article 299 (2) of the
Treaty and that the first proposals would be submitted before or shortly after the summer break.

Will the Commission say whether the regions of Sicily and Sardinia will be included in these proposals?

(1) Written answer 16 May 2000.

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(20 September 2000)

The regions of Sicily and Sardinia will not be affected by the proposals to which the Honourable Member
refers, which will apply only to remote regions of the Community as defined in Article 299(2) (formerly
Article 227) of the EC Treaty: the French overseas departments, the Canary Islands, the Azores and
Madeira.