WRITTEN QUESTION E-1793/03 by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission. Cervical cancer screening practices.
Date: 2003-05-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: cancer, disease prevention, health statistics, public health, woman

C 280 E/182

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

21.11.2003

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(25 June 2003)

The Member of the Commission responsible for Employment and Social Affairs requested the European
Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia in 2002 to organise, with the co-operation of Directorate
General (DG) Employment and Social Affairs, a series of Round Table meetings on Islamophobia and anti-
Semitism in Europe. Three meetings took place on anti-Semitism (5 December 2002),
Islamophobia
(6 February 2003) and Intercultural Dialogue (20 March 2003). The Member of the Commission called for
these Round Table meetings as she was concerned about the growing evidence of discrimination against
Jewish and Muslim communities in Europe in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the United States on
11 September 2001. The Member of the Commission also wished to explore how far intercultural and
inter-religious dialogue in Europe could contribute to lessening tensions between communities.

The three Round Tables brought together in total over 100 high-level experts, including religious leaders,
academics, journalists and non-governmental organisations, from across Europe to discuss the problems
facing religious minorities in Europe today.

together with the Commission, a conference report
The Monitoring Centre is currently preparing,
containing summaries of the three Round Table meetings and written contributions of key speakers.
Although a wide range of views and opinions were expressed during the three discussions, the aim of this
report is to draw out the themes and issues which recurred across all three meetings,
including in
particular the importance of action at local level, of the balanced portrayal of religious minorities in the
media, and of the vital role of education in promoting tolerance and respect. This report will be used to
disseminate to a wider audience the results of the discussions.

(2003/C 280 E/199)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1787/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(28 May 2003)

Subject: Open coordinated method

What is the view of the Commission on the Report of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee on
the ‘open coordination method’ (A5-0143/2003 (cid:1) Smet, EPP-ED, B)?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(27 June 2003)

The Commission would ask the Honourable Member to consult the results of the discussion on the Smet
Report which was held during the plenary sitting of 4 June 2003.

(2003/C 280 E/200)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1793/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(28 May 2003)

Subject: Cervical cancer screening practices

What information does the Commission have on the variation in cervical cancer screening practices in EU
countries?

21.11.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 280 E/183

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(24 June 2003)

The average incidence of cervical cancer in the Union was in 1997 of 10,48 cases per 100 000 women.
This incidence varied among the different Member States, from a minimum of 4,24 in Luxembourg or
5,06 in Finland to a maximum of 17,34 in Portugal or 14,62 in Denmark. This wide variation reflects
both background risk and screening activity during the previous decades. The mortality rates have been
falling in all Member Sates, where screening programmes have been implemented.

The Commission acknowledged this variation through the information provided by the European Network
on Cervical Cancer Screening, the Advisory Committee on Cancer Prevention, and other experts from the
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as well as other different sources.

Organised cervical cancer screening has been implemented in some Member States for decades (e.g. the
Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom). In some other Member States the programmes are
regionally administered and therefore vary in coverage and implementation. In some countries screening is
based on recommendations to service providers only.

As a reaction to this situation, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Recommendation on
Cancer Screening on 5 May 2003 (1). The purpose of this proposal
is to make recommendations for
organised screening programmes on a sound scientific basis and to close the gap between differences in
screening among the Member States. The final aim is to achieve a similar reduction of cancer-specific
mortality in all Member States bringing about a similar high level of health protection for all European
citizens.

(1) COM(2003) 230 final.

(2003/C 280 E/201)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1813/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(2 June 2003)

Subject: Portuguese workers (cid:1) United Kingdom

According to recent media reports the UK non-governmental organisation Citizens’ Advice (CA) has this
month submitted to a House of Commons committee of inquiry a report condemning the exploitation of
Portuguese workers in the UK.

According to the report, thousands of Portuguese agricultural and industrial workers are being exploited by
Portuguese and UK recruitment agencies, which use the link between employment and accommodation as
a means of intimidation: workers put up with sub-human conditions through fear of being evicted from
their lodgings.

They are reportedly housed in containers lacking any water supply, in caravans or in other sub-let council
accommodation. All the dwellings are subdivided many times over and all bills are paid by the workers
themselves. In Bristol there is allegedly a house shared by 27 people: seven to a room, with only two
mattresses.

According to Citizens’ Advice the problem affects all parts of the country but the situation is currently
worst in East Anglia (where many farms and food-sector factories are located), in Northern Ireland and in
Wales.