WRITTEN QUESTION E-2843/03 by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission. Placement of children in institutions in Latvia.
Date: 2003-09-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Latvia, abandoned child, child protection, social facilities, social policy, street children

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/439

Does the Commission agree that it is desirable that the Member States and their regional or local
3.
authorities should be promptly informed about the amount of future EU cofinancing and the need for
national authorities to compensate regional and local authorities financially for the loss of EU grants
(‘renationalisation’), to enable them to draw up multiannual financial estimates and formulate policies for
regional projects in and after 2006?

4.
How will the Commission inform all authorities concerned as quickly as possible about the amount
of money which will be available from the Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund in future, how it will be
allocated and what regions in the present Member States will or will not again be eligible for such funding
after 2006?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2003)

The Commission is currently in the process of formulating proposals for reforming regional and cohesion
policies for the post-2006 period. These proposals will be made in the Third Cohesion report, which
should be adopted by the end of 2003. The proposals will be consistent with the global proposals on the
new financial perspectives covering the same period, which also need to be decided. It is therefore too
early to speculate on the nature of the Commission’s proposals in the field of regional and cohesion policy,
although it can be said that the options for the future are not necessarily limited to the two mentioned by
the Honourable Member.

The Commission is aware of the debate taking place in the Netherlands, and other Member States. A stable
planning framework for regional policy is clearly important, which is why the proposals on the future are
being drawn up for the attention of the Parliament and the Council at the earliest possible moment.

The aim is to decide the new regulations in sufficient time to allow Member States, regional and local
authorities to prepare a new generation of programmes for implementation from the beginning of 2007.

Decisions on the eligibility of regions and on financial allocations must follow the adoption of the new
regulations. Where the decisions are the responsibility of the Commission, they will be taken as quickly as
possible, and the results published in the Official Journal.

(2004/C 88 E/0445)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2843/03

by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 September 2003)

Subject: Placement of children in institutions in Latvia

The Council attaches very great importance to the applicant countries’ respect for the political criteria for
accession laid down by the European Council meeting in Copenhagen, particularly those concerning
democracy, the rule of law, human rights and protection of minorities (Council’s written answer of 4 June
2003 to question H-0350/03).

Has the Commission at any stage considered the situation of children in children’s homes in Latvia,
particularly given that the Commission has actively endeavoured to develop similar strategies in other
applicant countries?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 2003)

Since the opinion of 1997, the Commission has concluded in its annual Regular Reports that Latvia
continues to comply with the so-called Copenhagen political criteria, namely the respect for democracy,
the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. Latvia has continued to address any existing
outstanding issue in this area.

C 88 E/440

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

In the context of children’s rights, Latvia has ratified several Conventions such as the European Convention
on the Exercise of Children’s Rights (May 2001) and also the European Convention on the Recognition and
Enforcement of Decisions concerning Custody of Children and on Restoration of Custody of Children
(April 2002). Within the obvious budgetary constraints of a country in transition, Latvia continues to
invest in upgrading social institutions, including children’s homes.

Latvia is primarily responsible for its children’s policy. However, the Commission has provided assistance
for projects via non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in this field, under the horizontal Access
programme in order to support the situation of children and children’s homes in Latvia. This support has
been directed at child care institutions such as orphanages, schools with ‘risk’ children, day support centres
for children suffering from unfavourable conditions and families with socio-psychological and rehabili-
tation reintegration as well as socially and health wise endangered children, including street and abused
children.

The Commission will continue to monitor the situation in Latvia until accession. The ongoing encouraging
developments regarding economic and social cohesion as well as availability of future Structural Funds will
certainly also contribute to further improvements and upgrading of social institutions, including children’s
homes in Latvia.

(2004/C 88 E/0446)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2856/03

by Jens-Peter Bonde (EDD) to the Commission

(26 September 2003)

Subject: Status of the Turkish language

What will be the status of the Turkish language following the accession of Cyprus on 1 May 2004? Will
the Commission make a comparison with the status of Gaelic and Luxembourgish?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(21 October 2003)

In the absence of a settlement before 1 May 2004, the Turkish language will not have the status of an
official or working language of the Institutions of the Union, as no such provision has been included in the
Accession Treaty. Instead, Protocol No 10 annexed to the Accession Treaty, foresees in this case that the
‘acquis’
is suspended in those areas of Cyprus in which the Government of Cyprus does not exercise
effective control.

The Commission continues to encourage all parties to reach a solution to the Cyprus problem before
1 May 2004. The mentioned Protocol No 10 therefore contains an enabling clause allowing for
adaptations to the terms concerning the accession of Cyprus to the Union with regard to the Turkish
Cypriot Community. Such adaptations can also relate to the status of the Turkish language.

The Commission has decided to dedicate EUR 3 million for the translation of relevant pieces of the ‘acquis’
into the Turkish language to prepare and facilitate the process bringing the northern part of Cyprus closer
to the Union. This project is currently implemented.