WRITTEN QUESTION E-0817/01 by Gian Gobbo (TDI) to the Commission. Situation of children in Romania.
Date: 2001-03-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Romania, adoption of a child, aid policy, child protection, orphan, street children, trade in organs, trafficking in human beings

4.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 340 E/101

This Community legislation provides for veterinary controls for these animals when submitted to intra-
Community trade and sales.

Day to day enforcement of the veterinary legislation is the responsibility of the Member States. Black
markets are by definition illegal under national provisions. Consequently, the Commission has no intention
to undertake additional legislative initiatives in this domain.

(1) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990.

(2001/C 340 E/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0817/01

by Gian Gobbo (TDI) to the Commission

(19 March 2001)

Subject: Situation of children in Romania

The situation of children in Romania is a matter of serious concern. A large number of reports show that
many Romanian children and adolescents are the victims of daily violence and abuse. Of particular
concern is the situation of orphans, who live abandoned in the streets of Bucharest and Timisoara, or in
prison-like conditions in orphanages.

Many of these children also suffer from AIDS and the Romanian public services are generally incapable of
covering the costs of complex medical treatment.

An equally unacceptable problem is the systematic exploitation of children by the local Rom population,
which is in some cases tantamount to slavery.

The Commission:

(cid:129) What action does it intend to take to improve the situation of Romanian children during the

enlargement process?

(cid:129) Has it received any pieces of convincing evidence relating to press revelations about alleged trafficking
in Romanian children for the benefit of child abuse networks operating in the European Union,
a traffic which is believed to include illegal exports of organs and in which certain international NGOs
operating in Romania are alleged to be implicated?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2001)

The Community has provided assistance to Romania since 1990, mainly through the PHARE Programme,
to address the delicate situation of children in institutions. In the early years humanitarian assistance (food
aid, supply of heating oil, medicines, repairs and maintenance of institutions) was predominant, in order to
remediate an emergency situation. However, current programmes are designed to address the structural
situation and to promote reform of Romania(cid:146)s childcare system.

The Commission and the Romanian authorities are in the process of implementing a € 25 million PHARE
programme to support the ongoing reform, which has the following components:

(cid:129) The creation and development of community integrated child welfare projects at local level, with

special emphasis on preventing child abandonment and institutionalisation.

(cid:129) Restructuring or closure of the old-style residential care institutions by providing alternative facilities/

services.

(cid:129) Technical assistance (using Member States(cid:146) expertise through (cid:145)twinning(cid:146),

the secondment of
national experts to the government of Romania) to facilitate co-operation between the Ministry of
Labour and Social Protection services (at central and local level) with childcare departments (at central

i.e.

C 340 E/102

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

and local level), in order to ensure that Romania(cid:146)s overall social protection policies are effective in
providing support to families with children at risk, and preventing abandonment and institutional-
isation of children.

(cid:129) A national public awareness campaign aimed at preventing abandonment of children and their re-

integration into (natural or foster) families.

As for alleged trafficking in children from Romania, the Commission is aware of allegations that have
appeared in the press but has no evidence as to the existence of networks carrying out such trafficking.

As far as adoptions are concerned, the 2000 Regular Report on Romania(cid:146)s Progress Towards Accession (1)
notes that current legislation related to inter-country adoption means that considerations, other than the
best interest of the child, may prevail. It also notes that Romania should align its legislation with the The
Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of Inter-country Adoption and
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

(1) COM(2000) 710 final.

(2001/C 340 E/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0820/01

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

(19 March 2001)

Subject: Possible fraud in the use of ESF monies intended for training workshops run by the Confederation

of Galician Businessmen

Serious irregularities in the management of Galician Confederation Businessmen, by its former President,
Ant(cid:243)nio Ramilo,
led to an as yet unexplained debt of ESP 1 000 million (€ 6 010 121). Against this
background, it has been ascertained that possibly fraudulent use was made of Community funds managed
by the Confederation as subsidies from the Galician Government, intended to pay for training courses.
These funds were used to pay the Confederation(cid:146)s own running costs. Between 1996 and 2000, the
Confederation received ESP 3 569 million (€ 21 450 122) from the Galician Government, largely compris-
ing Community monies. What steps is the Commission taking vis-(cid:224)-vis the Galician Government, which
was responsible for managing the Community funding, to investigate the possibility that the former
Confederation President(cid:146)s mismanagement may also have affected the ESF funded training courses?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(5 June 2001)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to the written reply it gave to his Oral Question H-
0258/01 during question time at Parliament(cid:146)s April 2001 part-session (1).

On 4 April 2001 the Commission received information from Spain concerning funds which the Galician
confederation of businessmen (Confedera(cid:231)ªo de EmprØsarios de Galiza (cid:129) CEG) received from the Xunta de
Galicia (Galician Government), and on checks carried out. However, Spain has yet to complete its report in
order to allow any irregularities to be identified. Spain should shortly be able to forward to the
Commission the conclusions of checks currently being carried out, which will allow it to take the
appropriate measures.

No notification of irregularities relating to this case has as yet been received from Spain. However, the
European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) has indicated that on 29 March 2001 it opened an investigation to
assist the Spanish authorities (Fiscalia especial para la represi(cid:243)n de los delitos econ(cid:243)micos relacionados con
la corrupci(cid:243)n).

(1) Written reply, 3.4.2001.