WRITTEN QUESTION E-1788/03 by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission. Human rights in the accession countries.
Date: 2003-05-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Roma, Slovakia, accession to the European Union, ethnic discrimination, human rights, marginalisation, political integration

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Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.1.2004

(2004/C 11 E/256)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1788/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Commission

(28 May 2003)

Subject: Human rights in the accession countries

As we approach enlargement in 2004 there is concern that, while accession countries may have national
strategies to deal with human rights issues, implementation may be weak.

What information does the Commission have, for example, on Slovakia’s national strategy to address the
social exclusion of the Roma? What is the position in other accession countries?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 2003)

The Commission continues to follow actively the development of human rights issues and related strategies
in the Accession Countries for their compliance with the Copenhagen political criteria.

Whilst implementation is generally good, efforts need still to be strengthened in a number of areas and the
Commission has pointed out in its Regular Reports that there remains a gap between good policy
formulation and implementation on the ground. The Commission continues, therefore, to closely monitor
the situation and (cid:1) at all appropriate occasions and at all levels (cid:1) to call on the Governments and other
institutions involved for reinforced efforts to bridge any gaps.

The question of social exclusion of the Roma has always been an issue of specific priority for the
Commission. In this context, the acceding States are already preparing for their full participation in the
Open Method of Co-ordination on issues of social inclusion as of the date of accession, through the
elaboration of Joint Inclusion Memoranda (JIMs).

Although the JIMs are still being developed, the current analysis of the social situation of the countries
which they present has highlighted certain key challenges which should be addressed to tackle Roma
poverty and social exclusion. The problems are in particular: poor living conditions,
low levels of
education/literacy, weak position on the labour market, poor health and housing and poverty.

In particular, Slovakia developed its first Roma strategy in 1999, and subsequently updated this in the
following years in order to address ongoing discrimination and social exclusion stemming from high levels
of unemployment and educational disadvantage. The latest policy document was adopted by Slovakia in
March 2003, designed as a long-term strategy (up to the year 2010) and focussed on education, housing,
health and technical infrastructure, as well as on public awareness.

Roma policy in Hungary is based on the government’s 1999 Medium-term action programme. Despite
considerable efforts by the government, Roma in Hungary remain affected by social inequalities concerning
employment, health, standard of living and education, where de facto segregation in schools has remained
a problem with more than 700 segregated classes nationwide. The much-heralded long-term strategy,
expected to be adopted in October 2003, and the transposition of
the Union’s non-discrimination
legislation into Hungarian legislation, should facilitate the integration of Roma into Hungarian society.

The Czech Republic adopted a long-term policy in June 2000, which targeted the key areas of education,
employment, housing and the fight against discrimination. Moreover, the law on the rights of minorities,
which came into effect in August 2001, affected the composition of the Council for National Minorities, a
monitoring and advisory body, with the inclusion of officials from ministries and representatives from
minorities’ organisations in equal proportion. The government approved the first report by the Council on
the situation of minorities submitted in June 2002. The majority of the Roma population in the Czech
Republic lives in cities and still experiences high levels of unemployment, long-term dependency on social
assistance benefits and social isolation, as well as educational disadvantage.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Under Poland’s State programme for Roma, educational establishments were recognised as a priority. In
Poland, Roma assistants act as intermediaries between school and pupils’ families, in order to help Roma
pupils to have better relations with the school. The Roma assistants programme has brought significant
improvement of attendance and educational school achievements among Roma pupils in the schools under
the programme.

Bulgaria adopted a Framework Programme in 1999 on integration of Roma, focusing inter alia on
education, housing, health and employment. However, as outlined in the Commission Regular Reports,
little progress has been achieved to date in implementing this programme. Until now there has
unfortunately been little change in the situation of the Roma minority and there are no significant
developments in their socio-economic situation and living conditions.

The Government of Romania adopted in April 2001 its national strategy for the improvement of the
situation of Roma. A shortage of resources has meant that of the ten points covered by the Strategy only
five have been prioritised so far (health, housing, employment, education and infrastructure).

(2004/C 11 E/257)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1796/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(28 May 2003)

Subject: Commission compensation

How much money has been paid in total to each of the present Commissioners under the exchange rate
compensation scheme, the legal basis of which was recently ruled invalid?

Have all or any part of these sums been repaid?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2003)

The legal basis of the exchange rate compensation scheme (the transfer weighting system) as it applies to
members of the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors and the Commission has never been ‘ruled invalid’.
On the contrary, as the Court of Justice has always advised, and re-affirmed on 9 October 2002, the
weighted transfer system as applied to members of the above Institutions has always been, and continues
to be, legal and in full conformity with the rules.

All payments made over the period of existence of the Court of Justice, Court of Auditors and Commission
have therefore been, and continue to be, legal, valid, and in conformity with budgetary rules. Repayment
of the relevant sums by members of the Court of Justice, Court of Auditors and Commission would not,
therefore, be justified.

The misconception contained in the Honourable Member’s question that the legal basis of the transfer
weighting system had been ‘ruled invalid’ may have arisen from reports of varying accuracy made about
the system in 2002.

Those reports appear to have arisen from a decision of members of the Court of Auditors in May 2002 to
suspend their use of the system from 1st July 2002 and not to resume such use ‘unless and until the legal
basis of the system was clear’. The Commission was informed of that decision by the Court of Auditors
and Commissioners decided on 7th June 2002 to adopt the same course. Shortly afterwards members of
the Court of Justice took a similar decision.

Following these events, in October 2002 the Court of Justice again confirmed its established view of the
legality of the weighted transfer system. The members of the Court of Justice consequently resumed use of
the system in January 2003. On 9th January 2003 the Commission was informed by the Court of Auditors
that its members had also resumed use of the system. The Commission has not altered its suspension
decision of June 2002, and that decision therefore remains in force.