WRITTEN QUESTION P-2318/01 by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Trafficking in human beings in the EU: the example of Greece.
Date: 2001-07-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, Europol, Greece, fight against crime, help for victims, police cooperation, trafficking in human beings

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Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

It is also understood that some 50 Honourable Members were invited to the Forum, on the basis of the
recommendations made by the F-BRI(cid:146)s representative federations. In addition, the Commission recom-
mended that Honourable Members who had been invited to the previous (Strasbourg) Forum be invited, as
well as other interested parties, including environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs), trades
unions and researchers. It appears that Honourable Members were also sought to take part in the panel
discussions at the Forum and, indeed, Mr. Karl Erik Olsson, Honourable Member, took part in the panel on
(cid:145)The Enhanced Use of Wood(cid:146).

As regards the European furniture industry, Mr Rodrigo Rodriguez, the Honorary President of the UEA,
made a formal presentation at the Forum on the impact of enlargement on labour-intensive sectors from
the perspective of
the furniture producers. Several other furniture industry
representatives attended the Forum.

the competitiveness of

(2002/C 40 E/256)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2311/01

by Michael Cashman (PSE) and Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Legalised discrimination against foreigners

(31 July 2001)

Two British tourists were recently denied discount theatre tickets for the elderly in Madeira, Portugal,
because they were not Portuguese, although they carried proof of their eligible ages. In light of this, can
the Commission investigate and comment on legalised discrimination against (cid:145)foreigners(cid:146) in any of the
Member States?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(17 October 2001)

The Honourable Members(cid:146) have asked a question about the different prices of theatre tickets for the elderly
which are applied according to the nationality of the buyer in Madeira, Portugal.

In order to be able to fully analyse the issue raised and draw conclusions, the Commission would need to
receive further information either directly from the persons concerned or through the Honourable
Members. In particular, the Commission would be interested to know more about the theatre in question,
whether the differences concerning the rules on admission to the theatre are based on a measure
emanating from the Member State in question or are somehow otherwise attributable to the public
authorities or are purely as a result of the practise of a private undertaking.

(2002/C 40 E/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2318/01

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(23 July 2001)

Subject: Trafficking in human beings in the EU: the example of Greece

The recent US Department of State report on trafficking in human beings notes that some EU countries
and candidate countries lack the appropriate legislation and infrastructures to combat trafficking in human
beings.

The report is especially critical of Greece which, it says, receives women from Balkan and former Soviet
Union countries who either stay on in Greece or are channelled to Western European countries.

Greece is the only EU country to be classified by this report in the worst category together with countries
of the Third World.

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Will the Commission say whether it has any research or reports on this specific issue giving precise and
substantive assessments for the individual Member States?

Does it intend to take practical initiatives to promote cooperation between Europol, Interpol and the police
authorities of the Member States on this specific issue?

What initiatives does it intend to take in order to deal effectively with these phenomena, given the
particularly negative situation in Greece as regards the legislative framework, prevention, repression and
the provision of help for the victims?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(13 September 2001)

The Honourable Member is referring to the recent report on trafficking of the United States Department of
State which indicates that some Member States,
including Greece, and candidate countries lack the
appropriate legislation and infrastructures to combat trafficking in human beings. The Commission has
taken note of this report.

Since 1996 projects under the STOP Programme provides information about the situation on trafficking in
human beings in the Member States. This information has been provided both through research projects
and conferences. The adoption of the STOP II Programme on 28 June 2001 will allow for continued
support to projects on trafficking. Furthermore, the European Forum on Prevention of Organised Crime,
which was launched on 17/18 May 2001 and includes a workshop on trafficking in human beings, puts
emphasis on a knowledge based approach. The workshop concluded inter alia that there is a need to
improve the understanding of the phenomenon and that links between structures having as their task to
report on trafficking nationally should be established. Finally, Europol produces each year a General
Situation Report on trafficking in human beings in the Union.

Europol already has the competence to combat trafficking in human beings according to the Europol
Convention of 26 July 1995 and a subsequent Joint Action supplementing the definition on trafficking in
human beings in the Convention. Trafficking in human beings is one of the priorities of Europol and a co-
operation agreement has been reached with Interpol. Furthermore,
the Community(cid:146)s 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 Task Force also
encouraged the development of specialised units and joint investigation teams in co-operation with
Europol.

Concerning the penal provision, there are prospects for a final adoption by the Council of a Framework
Decision on approximation of the constituent elements of criminal law and penalties. The Commission
intends to put forward a legislative proposal on temporary permits of stay for victims of trafficking that
are prepared to co-operate in investigations and proceedings against their exploiters.

Support for the victims of trafficking requires a multidisciplinary approach with all relevant actors and
most actions are developed at national and local level. The Community may contribute to them under the
Community Support Framework and the European Social Fund in particular,
in accordance with the
overall objectives of combating exclusion from the labour market end developing human resources. Several
Community programmes can support projects of transational co-operation in this field, such as the STOP,
Daphne and gender equality programmes and the EQUAL initiative.

The Commission also co-operate at international level to combat trafficking. One significant example is the
signing, together with all Member States, of the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised
Crime and its accompanying Protocol on trafficking in December 2000. In the context of the Union(cid:146)s
external
furthermore, supported information campaigns to prevent
trafficking in human beings in, from and through Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and Ukraine. Currently
programmes for Belarus, Moldova, Russia and the Ukraine are being developed or are ongoing.

the Commission has,

relations,