WRITTEN QUESTION E-0369/02 by Mary Honeyball (PSE) to the Commission. Human trafficking.
Date: 2002-02-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU programme, enlargement of the Union, fight against crime, judicial cooperation, non-governmental organisation, police cooperation, trafficking in human beings

14.11.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 277 E/37

Over the last number of years, the Commission has observed considerable progress for the majority of the
Vietnamese people who practice religion, including a significant proportion of the population who practise
freely the Christian or Buddhist religions. There remain, however,
issues on which further progress is
needed, as well as a number of individual cases of concern.

In the case of Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, while the Commission has noted the information given, it has
not yet received independent confirmation of the events reported. The Commission Delegation in Hanoi
has therefore been requested to make enquiries and to take appropriate follow up action in conjunction
with the Member State missions.

The Commission’s approach towards Vietnam in the field of human rights, as it is towards all countries, is
to encourage and support progress on human rights and democratisation, and to raise concerns where
abuses occur, in the framework of the international human rights instruments.

The Commission Delegation in Hanoi and the Diplomatic Missions of the Member States raise on an
ongoing basis issues of concern in relation to human rights in Vietnam on an ongoing basis. For example,
the Commission can inform the Honourable Member that the human rights situation in Vietnam was
discussed during the Community-Vietnam Joint Commission in Hanoi on 6 November 2001 and was
raised again during the donors Consultative Group Meeting in Hanoi on 7-8 December 2001.

(2002/C 277 E/038)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0369/02

by Mary Honeyball (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2002)

Subject: Human trafficking

Given the adoption of Mrs Sörensen’s report ‘For further actions in the fight against trafficking in women’
(A5-0127/2000) and the commitment made in a response to a question by Brian Crowley on
11 December 2001 (H-0924/01), would the Commission provide details of any plans it has to prevent
trafficking in human beings?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(26 March 2002)

The Commission believes that trafficking in human beings, in particular in women and children, is an
abhorrent and increasingly worrying phenomenon and the Commission and the European Union have
therefore over the past years developed a comprehensive policy to fight against trafficking in human
beings in general and in women and children in particular. This policy is characterized by the central focus
put on three main strands: the victims of trafficking,
law enforcement and judicial co-operation, and
prevention. As regards victims, the Commission has put forward on 11 February a proposal for a Directive
on the short-term residence permit for victims who cooperate against their exploiters. This proposal will
help to fight against and dismantle the networks. In the field of judicial co-operation in criminal matters,
political agreement has been reached on a Framework Decision which essentially focuses on common
definitions and common sanctions.

Specifically on prevention, the Commission launched in May 2001 the European Forum on Prevention of
Organised Crime. The Forum was launched on the basis of a Commission Communication of November
2000 on crime prevention in general. In the context of the Forum, a specific workshop on prevention of
trafficking in human beings has been set up. The first two workshops in 2001 have devoted their efforts to
identifying specific and targeted areas where further co-operation and exchanges can be developed, for
instance co-operation between law enforcement services and NGOs, the role of local governance and
inspections with the aim to secure proper application of labour and other laws and regulations. The
workshop will continue its work during 2002. The minutes and conclusions are published on the website
of the Directorate General for Justice and Home Affairs of the Commission.

C 277 E/38

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Furthermore, as regards financial support, the adoption of the STOP II Programme on 28 June 2001 will
allow for continued support to projects on prevention of trafficking also after the first five year period
which financially supported 85 projects. On 5 November 2001, the STOP II Committee agreed on a set of
18 new projects, out of which several include components relating to prevention. The STOP II Programme
is also supporting the International Organisation for Migration together with Member States in preparing
and carrying out an important conference in Brussels on trafficking in human beings in September 2002.
The focus of the conference will be on trafficking and enlargement and will include prevention as one
main topic.

Also, within the Hippokrates Programme on crime prevention, projects on prevention of trafficking in
human beings and other interlinked topics are being supported.

It also has to be reminded that the Ministers of Justice and the Interior, together with their colleagues from
the candidate countries, on 28 September agreed on 12 measures to combat trafficking, among them
active operational co-operation, and organisation of information campaigns, i.e. prevention campaigns.

Looking at a wider geographical perspective, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine (among others) have
been identified as source and transit countries of trafficked women and are, in particular in the case of
Moldova, exporters to the sex industry.

The Commission is aware of the challenges posed and has started to tackle them in relation to the above-
mentioned so-called TACIS-countries by using a regional approach. A first strategy to fight these human
rights violations has been developed. Among issues that have been identified are prevention measures such
as information campaigns targeting potential victims,
law enforcement staff, NGOs, and government
officials.

Furthermore, the Commission is currently preparing a project in the Russian Federation. This project will
be a joint EU/RUS/US project within the context Transatlantic Agenda in which information campaigns
also previously have been carried out (Poland in 1998, Ukraine in 1998, Hungary and Bulgaria in 1999-
2000).

(2002/C 277 E/039)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0374/02

by Armando Cossutta (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(14 February 2002)

Subject: Detention in Guantanamo of prisoners from the war in Afghanistan

The conditions in which individuals taken prisoner by the US Army during the war in Afghanistan are
currently being held at Guantanamo are unanimously recognised as barbaric.

Whilst acknowledging that the detainees are guilty of terrorist acts, whether or not masterminded by al
Quaeda, does the Council not consider that:

1.

2.

In order to combat the barbarity of terrorism it is essential to use the force of civilisation and not
descend to the level of those one is supposed to be combating;

In this specific case, it is reprehensible that a civilised country such as the United States should use
humiliating practices to treat the individuals captured during the war in Afghanistan, violating the
basic principles underpinning our civilisation, such a habeas corpus and the right of defence?