WRITTEN QUESTION E-3222/03 by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission. Missing persons.
Date: 2003-10-31
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European social policy, child protection, comparative study, illegal restraint, information system, prostitution, sexual offence, trafficking in human beings

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/493

(cid:1) medicines for children;

(cid:1) specific support action to examine the potential and perspectives for cell-based therapies for auto-

immune diseases.

Other calls for proposals will be published in 2004 and 2005. The topics for these calls will be elaborated
through consultation of the scientific community, with the support of the scientific advisory committee
and the Programme Committee of the Priority 1 Programme. Researchers interested in Evans syndrome
may check, once the calls will be published, the opportunity for them to participate in projects relevant to
their field.

Rare Diseases are also given importance in the new Programme of Community action in the field of Public
Health (2003 (cid:1) 2008). As per Annex 2.3 of the new Programme, activities related to rare diseases include
the development of strategies and mechanisms for the exchange of information and prevention. According
to the 2003 and 2004 Work Plans, the two main pillars of actions is the exchange of information using a
European information network on rare diseases as well as the development of strategies and mechanisms
for exchange of information and coordination at Community level to encourage continuity of work and
transnational co-operation as such.
to the Evans
syndrome community, may also be supported.

In this context, projects, which could be relevant

The creation of a universal fund for rare diseases is not envisaged by the Commission.

(2004/C 78 E/0514)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3222/03

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(31 October 2003)

Subject: Missing persons

In its answer to my question E-1932/01 (1) on contact services for missing persons, the Commission said it
was at that time (September 2001) concentrating on the situation as regards missing children and
teenagers.

What action has been taken on foot of the study (which was due by early 2002) to examine the provisions
existing in this field in the Member States?

What action has been taken on foot of the resolution tabled by Belgium calling on the Member States to
set up national monitoring centres and other centres to combat the disappearance and sexual exploitation
of children?

What action has been taken on foot of the recommendation from the European Conference on Preventing
and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings held in Brussels in September 2002 that a feasibility study be
conducted on the establishment of a European database for missing persons, a recommendation reiterated
by the European Parliament in its recent resolution (2) on the Daphne II programme?

(1) OJ C 40 E, 14.2.2002, p. 142.
(2) P5_TA(2003)0366 (cid:1) A5-0280/2003.

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2003)

The study referred to by the Honourable Member is now available under the title ‘Child Abuse and Adult
Justice. A comparative study of different European Criminal Justice Systems handling of cases concerning
Child Sexual Abuse’. It was conducted by Rädda Barnen (Sweden) with a pan-European partnership. A copy
of this study is sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

C 78 E/494

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

Concerning the Resolution (1) of the Council
inviting the Commission to have a study drawn up on
missing or sexually exploited children, an action under the STOP II programme was undertaken in
2002 (2). The first part of the project involves a study on the actual extent of the phenomenon of missing
or sexually exploited children. The second part of the project aims to give an overall view on the existence,
role and structure of civil society organisations in the Member States actively supporting action on missing
or sexually exploited children. The third part of the project examines the legal issues arising from the
involvement of civil society organisations in the Member States actively combatting the disappearance and
sexual exploitation of children,
the issues concerning competent authorities sending
confidential information to such organisations. The final report is expected by 31 March 2004.

in particular

With regard to the recommendation made at the European Conference on Preventing and Combating
Trafficking in Human Beings held in Brussels in September 2002 that a feasibility study be conducted on
the establishment of a European database for missing people and reiterated by the Parliament in its
resolution (3) on the Daphne II programme, a response to this was made in the explanatory memorandum
of the amended proposal of the Commission on Daphne II (4). This response was that,
in fact, the
possibility for searching missing people, and children in particular, already exists in the current Schengen
Information System (SIS) (see also Article 97 of the Schengen Convention). Within the development of the
second generation of the SIS, this possibility will be maintained. The Commission is therefore of the
opinion that, given the current functionalities of the SIS, it is not opportune to examine the creation of an
additional specific system that would merely duplicate the current system and would generate significant
additional costs.

(1) OJ C 283, 9.10.2001.
(2) project 2002/STOP II/108.
(3) P5_TA(2003)0366 (cid:1) A5-0280/2003.
(4) COM(2003) 616 final.

(2004/C 78 E/0515)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3226/03

by Felipe Camisón Asensio (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(31 October 2003)

Subject: Reform of the tobacco sector

The Commission is proposing a considerable reduction in the direct aid received by the Community’s
tobacco producers, a cutback that is not echoed in any of the sectors recently reformed or awaiting
reform. In the case of Spain, those affected calculate that, following this reform, they will receive an
average of only 45 % of the total sum of direct aid from which they currently benefit, as the remaining
55 % will end up funding the restructuring measures. This cut in direct aid could threaten not only the
survival of many farms, but also the future of tobacco production and the industries that make a living
from it, with serious consequences for employment in regions like Extremadura, which are highly
dependent on this activity.

The Commission justifies the reform on health grounds, arguing that tobacco consumption must be
reduced. Since this is the noble aim of the Community’s executive, it would make sense if it had some idea
of what the drop in consumption would be following the reform of the sector. Can the Commission
provide any rough estimation? Furthermore, given that the reform does not affect tobacco imports, does
the Commission intend to introduce any tariff measures, for instance, to restrict imports to the EU?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(6 January 2004)

On 18 November 2003,
Organisation for Tobacco (1).

the Commission adopted the proposal

to reform the Common Market

The reform proposal includes a full decoupling of the present direct aid to tobacco producers in three
years.