WRITTEN QUESTION E-3612/01 by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission. Trafficking and exploitation of children in Albania.
Date: 2002-01-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Albania, EU aid, child, child pornography, child protection, children's rights, organised crime, trafficking in human beings

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/39

Consequently, the Commission has recently taken a number of initiatives regarding imports of farmed
Atlantic salmon originating in Norway:

(i)

(ii)

stepping up the monitoring of the existing undertakings with a view to identifying possible violations
in relation with the recent events in the market. To this end several verification missions are taking
place in Norway from December 2001 to February 2002; should violations of undertakings be found
for individual companies, their undertakings may be withdrawn and be replaced by duties. The
Commission is also in close contact with the Danish customs authorities in the context of monitoring
the undertakings;

taking steps for opening an interim review of the existing anti-dumping and countervailing measures
on imports of farmed atlantic salmon originating in Norway. This review will examine both the level
of protection and the form of the measures, including undertakings. Member States have already been
consulted on this initiative, which was preceded by a number of consultations with the Norwegian
authorities in the framework of the Salmon Agreement signed in 1997 between the Commission and
the Norwegian Government.

for rainbow trout,

As regards the market
the Commission has not, as yet, received any evidence
concerning the compensation described in the question. No complaint from Community producers of
rainbow trout has been received so far concerning low priced, possibly dumped, imports of rainbow trout
of Norwegian origin. However, the Commission will seek to establish whether export prices are affected by
compensatory agreements both in monitoring whether price undertakings have been respected and in
reviewing the level of dumping in the context of the proposed interim review.

(2002/C 229 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3612/01

by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Trafficking and exploitation of children in Albania

(8 January 2002)

According to figures provided by the Albanian Ministry for Public Order, between 1992 and 2000, 4000
children fell victim to organised crime in Albania. These child victims were taken illegally, mainly to
countries in the West, to be abused by paedophiles, used as beggars and, in some cases, for the sale of
organs.

Will the Commission take concerted action, with the maximum possible involvement of Europol and in
close collaboration with the Albanian, Italian and Greek authorities, to root out the gangs involved in the
trafficking and exploitation of children?

Does it know what stage has been reached with the framework decision on combating the sexual
exploitation of children and child pornography adopted by Parliament on 12 June 2001 (1)?

(1) Text adopted on 12.6.2001.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 2002)

Trafficking of human beings is an issue of concern in Albania. The Commission, together with Member
States and other relevant international organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), has
been helping the Albanian authorities to address this issue. Despite these efforts and a number of
important recent initiatives,
i.e. the establishment of an anti-trafficking centre in Vlora (supported by
Germany, Greece and Italy) and the adoption by the Albanian Government of an anti-trafficking strategy,
much remains to be done in Albania to curb trafficking activities.

C 229 E/40

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

In its Country Strategy Paper for Albania 2002-2006 (1), the Commission has considered justice and home
affairs (including the fight against organised crime and trafficking of human beings) as the main priority
area for Community financial assistance. For the implementation of projects in this field, the Commission
will certainly take concerted action with all relevant bodies and institutions, both at Albanian and
international
inter alia, to help to root out the gangs involved in the
trafficking and exploitation of children, and to support Albania’s continued progress in implementing the
guidelines on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography adopted by the
Parliament in June 2001.

level. These projects will aim,

(1) C/2001/4394.

(2002/C 229 E/041)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3619/01

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 January 2002)

Subject: Enlargement negotiations

Can the Commission confirm, in response to legitimate concerns from a number of Member States, and
especially Germany and Austria, that the Commission is negotiating with applicant countries on the basis
of a seven-year transitional period for freedom of movement of labour from the applicant countries to the
current Member States?

Does the Commission also recognise that a number of countries,
including Poland, have legitimate
concerns over the sale of land, and, if so, does the Commission believe that these two concerns should
form the basis of reciprocal agreements for a period of no longer than seven years, with options for
individual states to reduce these periods by mutual agreement?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2002)

The Commission would like to recall that its role in the Accession negotiations is limited to preparing the
Union’s position for subsequent adoption by Member States. It is therefore the Member States who
negotiate with applicant countries. However the Commission can confirm that negotiations are being
conducted by Member States on the basis of a seven-year transition arrangement for the free movement of
workers, the essential elements of which are outlined below.

During the first two years national measures will be applied by all current Member States to new Member
States. Following this period, reviews will be held to decide whether to apply the acquis. The transition
period should come to an end after five years, but it may be prolonged for a further two years if there are
serious disturbances on the labour market, or threat thereof, of the current Member State concerned. In
addition, safeguards may be applied by Member States up to the end of the seventh year.

The transition arrangement also includes a number of other important aspects, such as a standstill clause,
preference for candidate country nationals over non-Community labour, a declaration by Member States
that they will endeavour to grant increased labour market access under national law and the right of
Austria and Germany to apply flanking national measures in specific sensitive service sectors.

The Union has not requested a transition period in relation to Malta and Cyprus. However for all other
countries where negotiations are under way, a common approach is put forward. On this basis, the
chapter free movement of persons has been provisionally closed with the Czech Republic, Hungary,
Poland, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.