WRITTEN QUESTION E-2562/00 by Andre Brie (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Sex tourism and child prostitution at the EU's external border with the Czech Republic.
Date: 2000-07-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Czechia, EU programme, child protection, judicial cooperation, paedophilia, prostitution, sexual tourism, trafficking in human beings

C 136 E/48

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.5.2001

(2001/C 136 E/054)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2562/00

by Andre Brie (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 July 2000)

Subject: Sex tourism and child prostitution at the EU(cid:146)s external border with the Czech Republic

With regard to alarming reports of a sharp increase in sex tourism and child prostitution at the German-
Czech border, and in the context of the report by Eva Klamt, MEP, on the implementation of measures to
combat sex tourism and child abuse (report on the Commission communication to the Council,
Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, COM(1999) 262),

Can the Commission say:

1. What specific investigations have been carried out to date in order to assess the full extent of sex

tourism and child prostitution at the German-Czech border?

2. What programmes and projects have been launched by the EU in order to raise public awareness on

both sides of the border?

3. What specific projects and initiatives to improve living conditions for prostitutes in the border area

(Germany-Czech Republic) and prevent social exclusion are being supported by the EU?

4. What specific measures are planned or are being carried out to set up and expand cross-border
cooperation structures in the social, medical and legal areas in order to increase health awareness
among both prostitutes and clients and further develop cooperation among the prosecuting authorities
and political decision-makers?

5. What steps have been and are being taken in order to persuade the Czech Republic, as an applicant
country, to take more action against sex tourism, child prostitution and trafficking in human beings?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(13 October 2000)

The Commission fully shares the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concern about the problem of child sex tourism
and child prostitution on the Union(cid:146)s border with the Czech Republic. The Commission will therefore
continue its efforts to assist organisations that help victims, and its intiatives to combat and to prevent
trafficking in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children, including child sex tourism and child
pornography.

First, the exchange and incentive programme STOP should be mentioned. This programme is designed to
support those responsible for the fight against trafficking in human beings and the sexual exploitation of
children. This has included support to projects where organisations and the law enforcement services from
the Czech Republic have participated, for instance in 1999 on capacity building and development of co-
operation programmes to fight the trafficking in women and girls between Germany, the Czech Republic,
and the Ukraine and on the feasibility to set up an operational database of child pornographic pictures.

Since the adoption of the STOP programme in 1996 a successively increased involvement of the candidate
countries has been noted (44 % in average). Before the end of 2000, the Commission will put forward a
proposal to renew the programme and this proposal will include continued emphasis on the involvement
of the candidate countries in actions under the programme. Continued participation from the Czech
Republic and Germany focusing on child sex tourism and child prostitution will be welcomed by the
Commission.

Secondly, as specifically regards law enforcement co-operation, Europol(cid:146)s mandate to fight cross-border
sexual exploitation needs to be highlighted. It involves ongoing working relations with the Member States(cid:146)
liaison officers and it is, in addition, clear for the future that co-operation agreements with candidate
countries will enhance this co-operation.

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Thirdly, the Daphne initiative, now succeeded by the Daphne programme should be mentioned. Daphne
aims to address the widespread and growing common concern about violence against women and
children. The Daphne programme has formally been opened for organisers from the candidate countries.
Currently an evaluation of more that 400 applications for co-financing is taking place.

Fourthly, attention needs to be drawn to the legislative proposals that are being prepared by the
Commission on trafficking in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children, with particular
reference to child pornography on the Internet. These proposals will contain several elements of
importance also in the fight against child sex tourism. When finally adopted the framework decision will
form a part of the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146) to be implemented also in the candidate countries.

(2001/C 136 E/055)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2566/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(1 August 2000)

Subject: Liability in the case of fraud

Users of credit and debit cards within the European Union are generally protected against fraudulent use of
their cards with some limit on their liability.

Would the Commission please state which Member States currently apply similar limits on the liability that
users face should they suffer hacking or other fraudulent use of their on-line e-banking accounts?

Given the likely growth of cross-border deposit-taking as a result of both the euro and the Internet, does
the Commission envisage proposals to protect consumers from effective unlimited exposure in the case of
fraudulent access to their Internet accounts?

Supplementary answer
given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(6 November 2000)

The protection to which the Honourable Member refers is provided for chiefly in Recommendation
97/489/EC of 30 July 1997 concerning transactions by electronic payment instruments and in particular
the relationship between issuer and holder (1). A study is now in progress to examine the implementation
of and compliance with this Recommendation. The final results will not be available until spring 2001.

The Recommendation applies to all means of electronic payment and, consequently, also to on-line bank
transactions. It follows that the limits referred to in Article 6 of the Recommendation also apply to
Internet accounts. The study referred to above will no doubt provide the statistical data required for any
decision to change these limits.

The Honourable Member is also invited to consult the answer given to Mrs van Velzen(cid:146)s Question
E-2833/00 (2).

(1) OJ L 208, 28.8.1997.
(2) See page 103.