Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the "Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a second phase of a programme of Community action (2004-2008) to prevent violence against children, young people and women and to protect victims and groups at risk (the Daphné II programme)" (COM(2003) 54 final)
Date: 2003-05-14
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU action, action programme, child, child protection, violence, woman, women's rights

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Official Journal of the European Union

3.9.2003

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a decision of the
European Parliament and of the Council establishing a second phase of a programme of
Community action (2004-2008) to prevent violence against children, young people and women
and to protect victims and groups at risk (the Daphné II programme)’

(COM(2003) 54 final)

(2003/C 208/14)

On 4 March 2003, the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 2 April 2003. The rapporteur was Mrs Davison.

At its 399th plenary session on 14 and 15 May 2003 (meeting of 14 May), the European Economic and
Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 118 votes in favour and 2 votes against, with
6 abstentions.

1.

Introduction

— Exploitation of children and sex tourism (2)

1.1.
The Commission is proposing to renew and revise the
Daphné programme in order to prevent and combat all forms
of violence against children, young people and women by
taking preventive measures and by providing support for
victims. It will promote transnational actions involving multi-
disciplinary networks, exchange of information, awareness-
raising and research. The Commission also proposes setting
aside 15 % of the budget for complementary actions on its
own initiative such as studies, the formulation of indicators,
data gathering and seminars. The new member states will be
included. The EEA countries, Romania Bulgaria and Turkey
are associated. In view of enlargement and the fact that just
under a half of the good projects submitted are funded, a
budget increase to approximately EUR 40 million is envisaged.

1.2.
The Committee welcomes renewal of the programme
which it has supported in the past. The EESC attaches great
importance to the human rights of children and women as
indicated by its past body of work including opinions on:

— Programme of Community action (the Daphné Pro-
gramme) (2000-2003) on measures aimed to prevent
violence against children, young persons and women (1)

— Multiannual Community action plan on promoting safer
use of the Interned by combating illegal and harmful
content on global networks (2)

— Programme for child protection on the Internet (3)

— Fourth World Conference on Women (4)

— A new impetus for European youth (5)

— European cultural policy for children (6).

are

dissemination

Awareness-raising

1.3.
very
and
important in this area. The Daphné programme is valuable in
this respect because of its large multiplying effect throughout
Europe. The Committee would stress that violence against
children and women is not just a question of health and
physical preservation, as suggested by the Commission docu-
ment but also infringement of their human rights.
It is
therefore a matter of common responsibility. In some of the
that
above opinions,
children’s rights be mentioned in the Treaty.

the EESC has repeated its request

In terms of promoting the development and exchange
1.4.
of good practice, the resources available in recent years through
programmes such as Daphné and STOP have generated a

( 1) EESC opinion, OJ C 169, 16.6.1999.

(2) EESC opinion, OJ C 284, 14.9.1998.
(3) EESC opinion, OJ C 48, 21.2.2002.
(4) EESC opinion, OJ C 168, 16.6.2000.
(5) EESC opinion, OJ C 149, 26.6.2002.
(6) EESC opinion, OJ C 153, 28.5.1996.

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wide range of innovative projects, activities, and studies by
NGOs, state authorities, and research bodies. The popularity
of these programmes is shown by the fact that the number of
applications has regularly outstripped the available funding.
The Daphné Initiative has generally been able to fund one
project for every seven proposals received. The EESC would
question therefore whether the increased funding is sufficient.
In addition, although the population of the new member states
may be smaller than that of the existing EU, some of the
problems — that could be addressed by Daphné — are greater.

especially as the legal status of the child in the EU Treaty is
unclear, and the inclusion of children’s rights in EU legislation
only ad hoc. The new proposal emphasises the need for data
collection which needs to be consistent across Europe. The
EESC would call on Member States to provide this, but accepts
that in practice some pump-priming may be needed from
Daphné. It has raised before the related problem that more
data is needed on the number of children abused for on-line
pornography and the number assaulted as a result of an on-
line approach.

reason,

For that

1.5.
the EESC particularly welcomes
Daphne’s extension to the CEEs and hopes they will be able to
respond quickly enough to participate. It will use its network
of Joint Consultative Committees and other links to alert civil
society in the 10 applicant countries. Awareness-raising is
needed among parents, school networks and officials of the
trafficking in children from these countries and among young
women about the risk of being tricked into prostitution at
home and abroad. Tackling demand in the country of origin
as was pointed out very strongly in the outcome document of
the Yokohama World Conference is also important. Innovative
projects are needed to tackle the demand sector and encourage
the private and public sector to stand up against trafficking
and to participate in awareness campaigns aimed at potential
sources of demand (the armed forces, businessmen abroad,
travel agents, hotels, personnel of NGOs, child service pro-
viders and embassies, lorry drivers, ...). A key strand in such
projects should be integration to ensure wide dissemination
through existing networks to maximise use of resources.
Integration and transparency are also needed with the PHARE
programme so that supply can be tackled in the three
remaining candidate countries.

1.7.
Research under the programme should consider poten-
legislative measures as well as awareness-raising. For
tial
example, the EESC has recommended the establishment of
strong EU rules on trans-border adoption and officials and
NGOs dealing with children, as well as legislation to prevent
identified paedophiles travelling abroad for sex tourism,
‘grooming’ on the Internet and a general duty on ISPs to
protect children on-line.

1.8.
It is important that projects link with existing networks
in order to maximise dissemination, for example Departments
of Education, School net, E. Europe, Lifelong Learning initiat-
ives, Departments of Health, business, trade unions and police
authorities.

is essential

the EESC feels it

1.9. Moreover,
the
programme should encourage cross-border initiatives to high-
light violence and intimidation against women, children and
young people with disabilities, and measures to improve access
to various forms of support for all groups of people with
disabilities who suffer abuse.

that

1.6.
New information is needed about what has been
achieved in the Member States. Member State reports of
measures they have taken nationally to combat trafficking in
women have not been matched by reports in relation to child
sexual exploitation, genital mutilation or ‘crimes of honour’.
The failure of the Member States to respond may be for a
range of reasons, including lack of information, of progress,
that
or of political will. But overall
considerable progress is still required to ensure effective
the EU,
approaches

to child sexual exploitation across

tends to suggest

it

1.10.
The EESC welcomes the European Commission’s
recent decision to set up a group of experts on human
trafficking, which will have to play an active part in the next
stages of the campaign against human trafficking and will
allow the Commission to gather views on possible initiatives
in this sphere. The establishment of this group represents a
key step in applying the Brussels Declaration.

1.11. Many of the problems dealt with under Daphné are
criminal acts — abduction, trafficking, slavery, mutilation and
‘crimes of honour’, abuse (on and off-line). Whilst the Daphné
programme can help, what is needed is a vigorous effort by

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society as a whole, including more concerted action in Europol
and Interpol, and a clearer political will to eradicate this
systematic violence. Breaches of trust by those in authority
should be handled especially severely.

2.2. Co-financing

The EESC agrees the 80 % limit. As a matter of
2.2.1.
principle, it is important that project proposers can show the
ability to attract some other resources. However, to reach 50 %
(as often is required in co-financed Commission projects) can
be an obstacle for some NGOS.

2. Detailed comments

2.3. Definition of targets and topics

2.1.

Scale of projects

2.1.1.
The Commission proposes reserving a share of the
budget for large-scale projects up to EUR 250 000. The EESC
would agree that effective projects of this scale can use
resources more efficiently. Every effort should be made to
reduce the burden of paperwork on both sides. The emphasis
should be on concrete deliverables and proper accounting as
evidence of good project management. Clear guidelines should
be provided to successful applicants on the accounting evi-
dence required to be sure that they set up systems to cope in
advance.

Brussels, 14 May 2003.

2.3.1.
The EESC supports the proposal to identify, in a non-
exclusive fashion, a few specific actions that are particularly
needed each year. New and innovative projects should also be
encouraged.

2.3.2.
The Commission should make clear to applicants the
criteria (including level of expertise) that will be applied in the
selection process.

2.4.

Easier access for NGOS

2.4.1.
If an electronic application form is used it needs to
be simple to complete and written in plain language. Payment
times need to take account of NGOs’ limited budgets and
cashflow challenges.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Roger BRIESCH