WRITTEN QUESTION E-3286/02 by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Council. Principle of non-discrimination and respect for different cultures and traditions.
Date: 2002-11-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: anti-discriminatory measure, civil law, civil status

C 155 E/128

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.7.2003

As it is an annual award, the recipient can hold the trophy one year. The previous recipient was the
International Olympic Committee. The Member of the Commission accepted the award in Bad Hofgastein
but instead of bringing it to Commission premises, it was then returned immediately to the Olympic
Museum in Lausanne, where it will be kept until it will be handed to the next recipient. This was primarily
due to security and practical reasons.

(2003/C 155 E/141)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3286/02

by Carlos Coelho (PPE-DE) to the Council

(20 November 2002)

Subject: Principle of non-discrimination and respect for different cultures and traditions

A Portuguese citizen has complained that the law on registration of names currently in force in Spain (Law
40 of 5 November 1999) discriminates against the children of marriages between Spanish and Portuguese
people, since the names and order of names of the children are altered without the parents’ consent.

The problem arises when a child born of a Spanish mother or father is registered at a Spanish registry
office or consulate in order to obtain Spanish nationality. When registering the child both registry offices
the surnames) without
and Spanish consulates alter children’s names (by changing the order of
authorisation, almost always against
the parents’ will and without recognising identity cards, birth
certificates or any other Portuguese official document.

In view of the principles underpinning the European enterprise, namely a Europe where people have
freedom of movement and there is mutual recognition of educational qualifications and court judgments,
does this not constitute an infringement of a basic right, i.e. people’s right to choose what name to give
their children? Does it not constitute lack of respect for a person’s identity (name), culture and traditions (cid:1)
in this case a valued tradition which entails passing on the names of the father and grandfather?

Reply

(3 March 2003)

The Council would inform the Honourable Member that its powers do not extend to the laws governing
names.

The Council would, however, take this opportunity to draw the Honourable Member’s attention to the fact
that several agreements have already been drawn up in this area in the framework of the International
Commission on Civil Status. While the European Community is not a contracting party to this
international organisation, most of its Member States are.

(2003/C 155 E/142)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3288/02

by Roberto Bigliardo (UEN) to the Commission

(13 November 2002)

Subject: Environmental degradation and destruction of the Tifatini hills

In a previous parliamentary question (P-0154/02 (1)) on the subject of the particularly serious degradation
of the Tifatini hills around the city of Caserta, I asked the Commission what measures could be taken to
protect this area which had been the scene of reckless exploitation? The answer given to me was that the
Tifatini hills were the subject of an assessment by the Commission with a view to possible inclusion of the
area in an environmental protection plan (IT80010016). This apparently means that the site is protected
even in the intervening period and that Member States are obliged, under Directive 92/43/EEC (2), to
abstain from any activity that may cause such a site to deteriorate.