WRITTEN QUESTION P-2485/01 by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Suspension of international adoptions in Romania.
Date: 2001-09-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Galicia, Romania, adoption law, adoption of a child, children's rights, international adoption

C 134 E/36

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2002

force, once Moroccan pressure on the Spanish Government during the critical period immediately
preceding Franco’s death had led to the territory’s being shamefully abandoned by Spain. Now, James
Baker, the American UN mediator, embracing the Moroccan position, is proposing autonomy as a solution
# an autonomy similar to the fictitious autonomy which certain regions within the authoritarian
Moroccan state may enjoy in the future. The government of the Saharan Republic will not, of course,
accept this fake solution. In view of this, and the fact that the Member States’ influence in the area could
be decisive, what is the European Union’s current position on Western Saharan self-determination?

Reply

(12 February 2002)

The Council would refer the Honourable Member to the reply given by the Council to question E-2239/01
on the Western Sahara.

(2002/C 134 E/038)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2483/01

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Council

(5 September 2001)

Subject: Trade in conflict diamonds

International ability to curb the trade in conflict diamonds is closely linked to the success of the Kimberley
Process. At present this process is moving forward slowly, partly because the European Union does not
have a common position. How soon does the Council intend to give the Commission a mandate for the
Kimberley Process negotiations?

Furthermore, border checks on the import of diamonds, preventing conflict diamonds being imported into
the EU, require specialist knowledge on the part of the customs services. Does the Council consider that it
would be useful to limit the points through which diamonds can be imported to one per Member State so
as to concentrate the expertise in a restricted number of places?

Reply

(12 February 2002)

The Council follows with great interest the work carried out in the framework of the Kimberley process. It
will consider any draft recommendation for a mandate submitted by the Commission.

(2002/C 134 E/039)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2485/01

by Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Suspension of international adoptions in Romania

(5 September 2001)

The Romanian Government has suspended international adoption procedures for one year as of 21 June
this year, on the basis of Decision No 55.

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However, according to Article 2 of the decision, the suspension will not affect legal adoption proceedings
for which the Romanian Adoption Committee assigned children before
concerning applications
14 December 2000. Nevertheless,
the government Decision does not make any reference to the
international adoption applications which were approved by that date but for which the placement of a
minor is still pending. For this reason, in Spain alone, 1200 adoption proceedings have been suspended,
thereby preventing 1200 Romanian children from escaping the poverty in which they are living and from
becoming part of a stable and prosperous family environment, as is the case for applications made by 100
families in Galicia.

Is the Commission aware of this situation?

Does the Commission not consider that the applications which have already been approved should be
brought to a successful conclusion, with all the necessary guarantees, bearing in mind the plight of the
children concerned and the favourable conditions offered by the Spanish applicant families?

What steps has the Commission taken or does it intend to take in this connection?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(5 October 2001)

I would refer the Honourable Member to the Commission’s answer to written question E-2240/01 from
Ms Rodriguez Ramos and others (1).

(1) See page 18.

(2002/C 134 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2508/01

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(7 September 2001)

Subject: Imposition of levies on Greek citizens in respect of land registry

Greek press reports claim that the Ministry for Regional Planning, the Environment and Public Works has
applied for a loan of Drs 100 billion from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to continue drawing up the
National Land Registry after the EU discontinued its funding under the third Community Support
Framework. Property owners will be charged with repaying the loan as they will be required to pay
between Drs 10 000 and Drs 30 000 to obtain their title deeds from the Registry.

The new schedule drawn up by the Ministry sets the completion date for the project at # no more or less
than # 2014, i. e. more than twenty years after the first registrations.

What is the Commission’s view of the Ministry’s intention to impose levies on Greek citizens in order to
carry out a project which could have been completed with Community funds given to the Greek
authorities who spent them without even managing to complete 25 % of the work.

What measures will it take to identify those responsible for such unprecedented squandering of funds and
the overrunning of costs, which the Greek press estimates at almost 700 %?