WRITTEN QUESTION E-1921/02 by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Child protection in sport.
Date: 2002-07-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU police cooperation, Europol, Interpol, child protection, exchange of information, exclusion from public-sector employment, interinstitutional relations, paedophilia, sports body

C 137 E/38

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

12.6.2003

(2003/C 137 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1921/02

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 July 2002)

Subject: Child protection in sport

Are there any EU policies that ensure that individuals with child abuse records are prohibited from
working as volunteers or coaches in sport?

What exchange of information takes place between Member States, Europol, and Interpol to safeguard the
interests of children taught by overseas coaches with child abuse records?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(14 August 2002)

The Council is currently discussing a Commission proposal for a Framework Decision on combating sexual
exploitation of children and child pornograph (1) which provides common definitions and sanctions with a
view to facilitating law enforcement and judicial co-operation in criminal matters. The discussion includes
the issue of criminalisation of the behaviour to engage a child in sexual activities where abuse has been
made of a recognised position of trust, authority or influence. It also includes the issue of prohibiting
natural persons from exercising activities related to the supervision of children when they have been
convicted of sexual exploitation of children or child pornography.

Furhermore, the Danish Presidency of the Union has recently submitted a proposal for a Council Decision
increasing cooperation between Member States with regard to disqualifications which are imposed on
natural persons as part of a judgment or as a corollary of a criminal conviction and which restrict the
convicted persons’s access to employment, with the exception of driving disqualifications The proposal
requires Member States
information on
disqualifications, and to inform any other Member State of disqualifications in respect of the latter
Member State’s nationals. Being the Danish proposal intended to provide for all sorts of decisions on
it would also include disqualifications which restrict convicted persons for sexual
disqualifications,
exploitation of children or child pornography from exercising activities related to the supervision of
children.

to establish a national contact point

for exchange of

Europol has the competence to address crimes relating to the sexual exploitation of children and child
pornography. Successful operations under the co-ordination of Europol, involving the Member States and
Interpol, have taken place. Europol has also signed a co-operation agreement with Interpol.

The Commission is not aware of the existence of any exchange information systems between Member
States, Europol and Interpol on the subject matter.

(1) OJ C 62 E, 27.2.2001.

(2003/C 137 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1969/02

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(8 July 2002)

Subject: Falun Gong

Is the Commission aware of allegations that the Chinese Government is persecuting and has persecuted
practitioners of Falun Gong, and has the Commission made any representations to the Chinese
Government about this issue?