WRITTEN QUESTION E-1426/01 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Trafficking in children.
Date: 2001-05-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU police cooperation, Europol, child, child protection, trafficking in human beings

C 364 E/108

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

Does it not consider that in order to ensure the authenticity of the product and proper information to
consumers industrial bread should bear a label indicating where it was made?

Does it not consider that (cid:145)home-baked(cid:146) bread should be sold where it is made?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2001)

There is no Community legislation establishing standard provisions on the composition of bread.

In the Commission(cid:146)s view, it would be difficult to pass such legislation given that the products concerned
are so varied and there are so many local customs and traditions in this regard.

However, as with all foodstuffs, bakery products are covered by Directive 2000/13/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs (1).

Prepackaged products of this kind must therefore bear a label providing certain mandatory information in
keeping with the stipulations of the Directive, particularly a list of ingredients, so that the consumer has
the information he needs to make an informed choice.

Where the products are not prepackaged, the information for the consumer must still be provided but, as
indicated in Article 14 of Directive 2000/13/EC, the Member States must adopt rules concerning the
manner in which the information is shown.

As regards particulars of the product(cid:146)s place of origin or provenance, Article 3(8) of the aforementioned
Directive stipulates that these must be indicated on the label where failure to give such particulars might
mislead the consumer.

Finally, the Commission takes the view that imposing an obligation to sell certain types of products where
they are made would run counter to the basic principle of freedom of trade and industry.

(1) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.

(2001/C 364 E/119)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1426/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Trafficking in children

Unicef recently announced a that a ship (rightly called a (cid:145)ship of horrors(cid:146)) with 250 children on board,
hungry and crammed in like cattle, was looking for somewhere to dock in the Gulf of Guinea. It is now
known that the ship docked in the port of Cotonou in Benin, without any trace of the children being
found on board. The media have raised a number of questions as to what has become of them. Until the
current investigations throw light on the incident there remains a strong feeling of indignation regarding
a dreadful phenomenon which, according to Unicef, makes slaves of about 250 million children in the
world.

In view of the lack of practical measures to combat this kind of phenomenon, is the Commission aware of
its existence and seriousness?

Will it endeavour to ensure that political pressure is brought to bear on countries which are known to
allow child slavery?

Does it envisage, in collaboration with other international organisations working on behalf of children, to
carry out projects to combat this appalling trade as a whole, tackling it both at source and at the final
destinations (which unfortunately include Europe)?

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/109

Does it not consider that effective cooperation should be established in this field with the ACP States, in
the spirit of the partnership agreement with the EU actually signed in Cotonou, to include initiatives
involving local police forces, in order to tackle the problem more decisively?

Does it not consider that there is an urgent need to call on the governments of the Member States to
assign specific competences to Europol to combat trafficking in children?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(20 July 2001)

The Commission has explained its actions and comments on the problem of child trafficking in its answer
to Oral Question H-0432/01 by Mrs Kratsa during question time at Parliament(cid:146)s May 2001 part-session (1).

Europol already has the competence to combat child trafficking according to the Europol Convention of
26 July 1995 (2), article 2 §2 of which stipulates that (cid:145)in order to achieve progressively the objective
immigrant
mentioned in paragraph 1, Europol shall
smuggling and trade in human beings(cid:146).

to prevent and combat

initially act

illegal

((cid:133))

Trafficking in human beings is one of the priorities of Europol. The Community Police Chiefs Operational
Task Force discussed the subject at its meeting on 8-9 March 2001. They invited Europol to organise
expert meetings, elaborate threat assessments and open Analysis Work Files.

The Commission submitted proposals for a Council framework decision on combating trafficking in
human beings and on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (3) to the
Council on 30 November 2000. The aim of these proposals is to remedy the absence of commonly
adopted definitions, incriminations and sanctions in the Member States(cid:146)penal legislation on these issues in
order to develop an efficient judicial and law enforcement co-operation. These proposals are currently
under examination by the Council and the Parliament.

(1) Oral answer, 15.5.2001.
(2) OJ C 316, 27.11.1995.
(3) OJ C 62 E, 27.2.2001.

(2001/C 364 E/120)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1429/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Delay in supplies of railway equipment rolling stock by European legislation

1.
Can the Commission confirm that, with increased demand for passenger transport, it is becoming
difficult for railway companies to obtain new rolling stock (rail-cars and train units) since the delivery time
is three years even for an existing item?

Is the Commission also aware that the first year of this three year delivery period is taken up with

2.
fulfilment of the preliminary conditions for eligibility to participate in European tendering procedures?

As things now stand, what is the minimum amount of time taken between the decision to purchase

3.
new rolling stock and conclusion of a contract with the supplier?

4. What possibilities exist for introducing an accelerated procedure for ordering existing rolling stock
from a supplier from whom such equipment has already been obtained on one or more previous
occasions?

5. What action is being taken by the Commission to achieve a significant reduction in the waiting times
caused by European legislation, so as to enable railway companies provide a more rapid and flexible
response to the growing demand for increased rail capacity?